grayelf

Thanks for the backgrounder -- true or not. What a great rural legend. I spent a bit of time in the Veneto this past Feb gorging on the many amazing local cheeses, most of which did not have "extra" stuff in them

I thought I'd toss another "add on" into the mix: what do you all think about wine/alcohol IN cheese? Khadijah has mentioned a number of non-cheese items she's not keen on and I tend to agree but I'm a die-hard fan of ported Stilton. In fact, I'll be crocking up a couple of pounds for Christmas very shortly. I've also recently gotten hooked on Drunken Goat, a tasty red-wine (forget which one, philistine that I am) infused Spanish queso. Thoughts?

The recipes supplied so far look great -- here's a fun variation done in muffin tins. These little puppies are great for lunch the next day too. Kinda goofy name though... Pit Stop Fritattas 10 large eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp dillweed OR fresh basil to taste 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 3/4 cup shredded cheddar 1/4 cup chopped green onions and 1/4 cup finely diced ham OR 1/2 cup finely diced tomatoes Preheat oven to 350F. Mix eggs with milk, dill if using, salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and the onions if using. Pour equal amounts of egg mixture into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle with ham. Bake in center of oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until set. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and broil for 1 or 2 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Use a blunt knife to loosen and remove frittatas. Serve immediately or cool completely before wrapping individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat on medium in microwave. Makes 12 fritattas. Note: if your neighbours eggs are really large, you might want to use 8 or 9 instead, as you don't want to overfill the muffin tins.

If you mean Monde Chocolat on Burrard, you are in for a treat. Make sure you have time to check out all the other choco-products, and bring money if you are a curious chocoholic

The Significant Engineer and I have been shamefully addicted to grilled beef tenderloin since the Great Surf'n'Turf Episode of 2005 at the Bunkle Queen's cabin on Sechelt. You may say, "But other cuts have more flavour" and you may be right. I would simply direct your attention to the beef tenderloin I had last night at Cioppino's. I flew in the face of the rest of the table by having dead cow for my main despite the clarion call to pasta (got around that by ordering their house carbonara in appetizer size). Very glad I did. The delectable slab came medium rare leaning to rare as recommended by the chef per our lovely waiter. The knife melted into the meat but it still had a bit of attitude (actually, both the meat and the knife had attitude, now that I come to think of it. More on that later). The classic peppercorn sauce was just that, with a nice bite and just the right amount. Combined with the onion confit and veggie sides this was a dish of great happiness. I've heard people comment on the prices at both the Grill and the Enoteca and while they aren't exactly cheap and cheerful, I was content to pay $40 for my main. Especially since my father-in-law whipped out the Amex One tiny complaint: What's with serving steak in a bowl? Or anything you have to cut, for that matter? No matter how careful you are, your knife always seems to slide in and get covered with your dinner But all was forgiven in the face of the superb service and the always entertaining Chef Pino and his consigliere.

What he said! The Bunkle Queen and I headed down for our own version of the Tour de Gastown today, prompted by the continuing stream of great restos opening/flourishing in the area. Since it was a sunny day, we figured we'd walk around and check them all out for future reference (made it by Chill Winston, Jules and Salt, all of which looked visit-worthy). Lunch-wise, our phasers were locked on the Butcher Shop at So.Cial to try the much ballyhooed sarnies. They are indeed as advertised, with a super fresh and tasty selection of toppers to complement the meat. The only sad thing was that they have been so busy, according to the very friendly server, that they have been unable to keep house-made deli meats in stock and are using ham etc sourced elsewhere. As we were there to try the on-site stuff that did limit our choices. We went with the small roast beef (me) and the medium lamb galantine (BQ). Both were excellent and neither one of use broke $10, with the BQ taking half her sandwich home and each of us having a non-alcoholic beverage and the gratis potato chips. The lounge, restaurant and oyster bar all looked spiffy, and the bathroom is beautiful (an important point in my book). Now let's hope the leak in the butcher shop ceiling is fixable.

I posted this Sept 2 on the Openings and Closings thread, not realizing there was a thread devoted to City Food already (my bad). I haven't been able to get a hard copy yet despite a couple of calls to the CF office to track it down and would like to as the electronic version of the issue is still a bit limited as of today: This sounds pretty useful if you like lists (and I do), posted today on the CityFood site: New release! The CityFood Magazine Directory of New Vancouver Restaurants for 2007. We started this directory as a resource for ourselves - to help us keep track of all the new restaurants that have recently opened in Vancouver, and to monitor which ones we needed to pay a visit to. Then we decided to share all this information with you. It may not look like it, but the project quickly turned into a daunting task, perhaps the most logistically difficult content we've ever attempted in the 15 years of our publication. At one point during the production process, it seemed like new restaurants were opening daily, and the statistical data about all of them was in a constant state of flux. (The city strike which forced many restaurants to delay their opening until fall, or else speed up their projected timelines, didn't help much either.) However, for what it's worth, this is the most complete picture we could assemble when the editorial was sealed a few weeks ago. It already needs a few updates, natch, and there are more changes in store that are approaching quickly. So instead of posting the free and downloadable digital version via our website right away, we are going to hold this back for a week or so and let the printed version circulate while we make any necessary adjustments. After that, there will be another way to keep your print copy timely, and we will let you know how that will work after the long weekend. In the meantime, we hope you find this print edition useful, and if you spot any inaccuracies you will let us know so that we can correct it on the website version. Wishing you a fantastic, and sunny!, Labour Day Weekend!

← Thanks for the link to the article, Barolo. Although interesting, it's made me fear even more for Cambie. I've been inspired by many posts here (especially Daddy-A's) to redouble efforts to support Cambie Street restos, including a recent Monday night visit to Arroy-D Thai where we were the ONLY table from 6:30 to 8ish Is there anything else we can do?

Interesting feedback, Estufarian. As someone who hasn't lived in Toronto for more than ten years (have returned for visits, though), you are reinforcing a feeling I had that I thought might be outdated. I was always most impressed by the "world food" experiences I had in TO, and often this went hand-in-hand with excellent value. I still dream about the rice cakes in a tiny Northern Chinese resto upstairs near Dundas and Spadina, where you had to really work hard to break a twenty for 4 people. Toronto was also where I discovered Vietnamese food that wasn't high end/French influenced. If the Saigon Le Lai is still on Dundas (434 Dundas West (416) 592-9155 north side east of Spadina up a short flight of stairs) it's worth a stop for a giganto bowl of rice noodles topped with various items including but not limited to the oddly translated but tasty "pork skin meat" and more usual fare such as bbq beef, shrimp on sugar cane, spring rolls etc. The menu is so extensive they give you a sheet of paper to note your order down by number. The staff is great too; one time we ordered an item that precipitated a conclave of all the servers and the manager, who came over and warned us that "white people don't like that" with a gravitas that caused us to reconsider our selection. Unless things have changed drastically, you will roll away with change from a tenner -- unless you are tempted by the young coconut drink! SSL isn't going to win any awards for decor or chi chi ambiance but it's the kind of place that makes me happy and a return customer whether it's in Toronto or Vancouver.

Hey Waylman! Did you get a chance to swing by Zocalo yet? Need more data... (FWIW the Parental Units took a twenty-something acquaintance there midweek for a celebratory dinner at my suggestion. They didn't take detailed notes alas but liked the room and thought the food was adequate although Mum was not super impressed with her mole. She is a tougher crowd even than me though The young friend loved it all, apparently.)

There's a nifty breakfast place on Queen Far West (nearish Roncesvalles) called Easy 1645 Queen Street West 416-537-4893. They have a great funky vibe with some Mexican influenced dishes on the menu but all the usual suspects as well. Go for the Huevos Divorciados if it's still on the menu: a couple of sunny eggs on a corn tortilla, salsa, guac, beans, home fries, and a salad. I used to live in TO and Easy was a real favourite with the locals (and still is, I am today assured by my pal T in TO). Nothing like it that I am aware of in Van but for a reference point would fit in with the feel of Main around Broadway, I think. Bonus: you can take the Red Rocket (the Queen streetcar) to get there for an added Toronto experience. Just be sure not to pronounce the second T in Toronto or people will know you're an outlander

Lucky guess Sorry to have missed you! BTW, the Significant Engineer wanted me to add props to the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co for their barbequed veggie pizza (biggest surprise of the day for me -- will have to seek out this product for home testing) and to Ethical Bean for their slightly spicy, orangey macchiato shots.

We found ourselves wishing we had brought our cameras but thanks to Canucklehead and Andrew, no need. Great pix and video, guys! You really captured the mood of the day.

Excellent point re the opp to try something new to you -- perhaps this is one of the key objectives of FoF and a fine one too! BTW, I'm with you re ordering the same thing esp at certain restos. I stick to about three options at CC when I occasionally go there for work-related functions. PS I think the gelato guys seriously underestimated the demand for their product -- they were starting to run out at 2:45 when we nabbed our samples.

This was my second FoF (too lazy to slog out to the Valley after it left UBC Farm). I enjoyed it and the weather was brilliant (rained last time). Overall I was slightly less impressed with the offerings as I still dream about some of the snacks served up at the last one. Chambar and Rare were my top picks today -- Chambar offered a halibut and potato brandade on lemon pepper crostini, while Rare had a mini-taco with pork, tomatillo, onion, roasted corn and creme fraiche (?). Both were delightful but I would give a slight edge to the brandade as it was more appropriate for the venue -- the taco was very dribbly and hard to eat. Didn't stop me going back for seconds though. Agree on the proliferation of duck and tomatoes; I actually felt sorry for some people behind us who were allergic/didn't like the red fruit. Finished off with some killer gelato from Dolce Gelato -- goat's cheese and honey. Creamy rich and decadent in the September sun. Curious what grabbed you so much about the CC entry, lauramart. I think the inari pocket they served was on their menu back in 2005/6 so didn't seem very new to me. Side note: it was a buzz to shake hands with John Bishop, who is Vancouver resto-royalty to me, and it was fun to see the likes of Romy Prasad and Rob Feenie manning their booths, in Chef Feenie's case singlehandledly doling out bits of a salmon he apparently caught himself last week (!). Did not see Chef Fowke anywhere though --maybe he was checking out the chickens?

I've just (joyfully) updated my ongoing breakfast/brunch file -- those little doughnuts have been haunting my dreams, as I never had a chance to try them before Aurora discontinued their brunch. Thanks, Fud! ←

I've just (joyfully) updated my ongoing breakfast/brunch file -- those little doughnuts have been haunting my dreams, as I never had a chance to try them before Aurora discontinued their brunch. Thanks, Fud!

Since I posted on Pho Thai Hoa already on this thread (thanks for the techno tips on linking threads, Pam R) we'll step into the Way Back Machine to start. Last Thursday hit Shiro on Cambie in Van based on numerous eGullet recommendations. Arrived early (6:30) to find one four-top open. Ordered and had the waitron come back twice to say items were unavailable Reordered and then had to move as a table for two opened up and there was now a lineup. Not a problem as the new table was better (in front of bar). Tempura was outstanding, light, crunchy and most importantly HOT -- and if you've never had it okra tempura is a very fine thing. Other items average (rolls, sashimi) with one disappointment (udon soup -- noodles way overcooked and unusually bland stock). Overall value for money was a bit wanting considering quality issues. On Saturday my BIL was in town and we were at SIL's place in Yaletown who is a vegetarian so we decided to try Nuba, again based on eGulleteer's reccos. Sadly it was closed for the holiday weekend so we wandered Shiru-Bay-ward. Good call. Since it was a warmish night we sat on the patio (soon enough 'twill be fall) and ordered a goodly number of dishes. This was fortunate because two never came. There were a few issues because of communication problems with the server but she was so delightful they did not leave a permanent mark. The dishes we got were udon with pine mushrooms (excellent), albacore and salmon tuna (both tasty), a yaki-soba dish with a Thai-type twist (cilantro etc also well yummy), asparagus gyoza (for the ladies per the menu but enjoyed by all) and tofu cheese which was more like dessert but disappeared at speed. I think Zakkushi on 4th is still my top contender for izakaya at the moment, being in my 'hood and all, but I would return and am happy to have finally tried this spot that has been on my resto list for yonks. Third spot was last night when the Significant Engineer and I both worked late and couldn't face cooking. SE suggested picking up a pizza and after a quick google to find Zaccary's phone number, I decided to go for Firewood Cafe instead. As one poster on another list noted, the owner at Z's can be a bit owly, and they aren't too good at judging pickup times, so we figured we'd check out Firewood. Was very pleased with the result -- pie was ready within the specified 15 minutes and was delish. The large seemed a bit smaller than other larges but was fine for the two of us with a piece left over for my lunch. Had the Chicago/Asiago on the two halves and the Asiago won by a nose. Some access and parking issues per the SE (Firewood is on the Cambie corridor) but he's sussed them for the next pickup, which will definitely happen. Later checked out comments on various eGullet pizza threads and noted the FWood has several fans here.

What about non-Pho? I agree that the pho in Vancouver is not so hot - but it was so nice to a good plate of fresh herbs with the nicely charred pork at Pho Thai Hoa. The lentil pancake was also nice - crispy and grease free. I have'nt had this kind of Vietnamese food in a long while - any specific pointers for something better (again - non Pho) would be nice to hear about. ← I may be going a bit off topic here but we just came back from Pho Thai Hoa, having decided to try it based on an admittedly old post from Canucklehead but also other reviews elsewhere. Granted we did not have pho (went for rice/bun dishes instead) but had heard pretty good things about the non-pho so figured it was worth the chance. Things started out a bit rocky with serious lack of English on waitron's part but she was pleasant and item numbers were in place and seeminlgy understood so no harm no foul so far. Took a too-longish time to get the Significant Engineer's main of rice, lemongrass chicken and shredded pork. Strike one. Notice I said main (he got that before the salad roll). Strike two. My main and the salad roll arrived significantly post SE's main. Strike three. SE's main did not actually contain shredded pork, and the chicken was just okay. Strike four. My main was pork brochette and spring roll on vermicelli. Pork was fatty, stringy and dry all at once, and was all in one giant lump. Big strike five. The final coup de grace: the noodles were so greasy from something they were verging on inedible. Too many strikes. On the bright side, the salad roll was really tasty and fresh, and my lemonade was good. Total bill $23 and change, which seemed high for the lack of quality... the search continues for a good all round Vietnamese resto to replace our beloved but unpronounceable old fave at Fraser and Kingsway (still there but has changed hands). Feeling like we should give Pho Thai Hoa another chance to be fair but life is short and Vietnamese venues are many...

I'm too techno-spastic (and in my defense, too new) to have learned how to link you to a thread but I believe Vancouver Island Restaurants, The Topic has some good input on the Rosemead from Shelora and others. You could also try Googling the eGullet site from within it, which is how I find things. Rosemead is definitely on my list for next Victoria visit based on various eGullet recommendations.

It is Pho Thai (no Hoa) and it is just past the intersection on the north side. The entrance is a bit weird -- you think the door is one place and that the resto is closed, then you go a bit further east and that's the real doorway. We went in late spring on our on-going quest to replace the late lamented Pho Thang Long formerly on Main where Zipang Sushi now lives. (Moment of silence). Anyway, we had heard Pho Thai had good pho also. It has average pho, based on one visit. I would likely not seek it out again because of the volume of diners and the somewhat off-handed service in a typically bleak venue. This was not helped by our table being right by the door. May the Phorce be with you (sorry, couldn't resist, and as noted upthread this really bad pun also relies on a deliberate mispronunciation).

This sounds pretty useful if you like lists (and I do), posted today on the CityFood site: New release! The CityFood Magazine Directory of New Vancouver Restaurants for 2007. We started this directory as a resource for ourselves - to help us keep track of all the new restaurants that have recently opened in Vancouver, and to monitor which ones we needed to pay a visit to. Then we decided to share all this information with you. It may not look like it, but the project quickly turned into a daunting task, perhaps the most logistically difficult content we've ever attempted in the 15 years of our publication. At one point during the production process, it seemed like new restaurants were opening daily, and the statistical data about all of them was in a constant state of flux. (The city strike which forced many restaurants to delay their opening until fall, or else speed up their projected timelines, didn't help much either.) However, for what it's worth, this is the most complete picture we could assemble when the editorial was sealed a few weeks ago. It already needs a few updates, natch, and there are more changes in store that are approaching quickly. So instead of posting the free and downloadable digital version via our website right away, we are going to hold this back for a week or so and let the printed version circulate while we make any necessary adjustments. After that, there will be another way to keep your print copy timely, and we will let you know how that will work after the long weekend. In the meantime, we hope you find this print edition useful, and if you spot any inaccuracies you will let us know so that we can correct it on the website version. Wishing you a fantastic, and sunny!, Labour Day Weekend!

I recently compiled a list of restos in QB, Parksville, Comox Valley with reviewy bits culled from eGullet, VanMag, EAT etc (for personal use, no copyright infringement intended). All chosen strictly because they appealed to me specifically so if your favourite is missing... If anyone's interested in a copy, PM me. The last mini review is from my mother-in-law, quite a foodie, of a new French place in Shawnigan Lake with CIA trained chef (who knew).

Did a quick Google but couldn't find reference to new Lombardo's -- where it be? ← It's at Burrard and Smithe (right by the Scotiabank Theatre) Grazie!

Mrs. Lombardo must be doing something right as not only has she maintained the origianal location all of these years, but has opened a second one as well. ←