Johnathon

Don't forget West is in the mix for DOV as well. Pastis has slid in my opinion but I do want to go back now that it seems they have finally straightened out which "direction" they wanted to go with the menu. BTW Frank Pabst is now Executive Chef at Blue Water in Yaletown. Maurya was a disappointment to me, I would side towards Rubina for a more traditional approach to Indian Cuisine. Since reservations are going to be so difficult to come by for DOV, I suggest everyone start booking soon.

My money gets spent at Le Crocodile. Many, many memorable meals by Michel Jacob and his crew. He is about to change the menu so there are always interesting daily additions to an already wonderful menu. Enjoy.

Dine Out Vancouver does provide the diner an opportunity to experience many places that should be worth the visit for a lower price. unfortunately, with lower prices there come some obvious restrictions to the restaurant to maintain costing. most restaurants lose money but gain exposure. What I enjoy seeing is how well a restaurant will do on a prix fixe and a cattle car full of patrons then compare that to an evening out at the same restaurant. Always exciting, always an adventure and always a nightmare for bookings... I look forward to the next Dine Out. Pastis, C and Bacchus are on my list so far.

I must say that I am very impressed to hear of a 25 year old chef from Europe, or anywhere for that matter, speak so highly about solid craftsmanship, integrity and passion and to equate the process as an expression to be respected as an art, is music to my ears. And to deliver it as a challenge to the current crop of chefs here in Vancouver is even more so. Are you working at any restaurants here or plan to open anything? I for one would love to experience what you would offer to the local terroir as an answer to your concerns about Vancouver's self-centered and self satisfied dining scene. If your cooking is anything like your passion to find great food at great prices, we would all benefit! Any response from the local chefs out there?

I too can recount the all too many times of dining in my early twenties and being shrugged off as someone who didn't know the difference between a Bordeaux and a Claret. The difference of course is that a good restaurant treats all their guests the same way, at the highest level the restaurant can set as a bar for themselves. This should and must extend to every single guest, table and group dining in that restaurant. From my experiences West has always maintained this professionalism to all their guests, regardless of an Armani suit being worn or not. If you receive poor service or mistreatment from the wait staff, go to the manager and point it out. Maybe they need more help on the floor? Maybe they are understaffed? If the Chef/Owner of any restaurant get complaints of service on a regular basis, then they must and hopefully should take action. Great food is great food but if it is delivered in an unprofessional manner, this is what will taint our view for future visits. I received abhorant behaviour from a waiter at db Bistro in NYC. After the meal, I went to the manager, the hostess, the bus boy and the bartender and gave each of them a cash tip as the waiter watched. I let the manager know that everything else was wonderful but the waiter was a complete ass. This is the most extreme action I have ever taken in a restaurant to make a point but believe me it was both justified and worth it. I am neither wealthy nor American and I find the bang for your buck in food quality in Vancouver to be an exceptional bargain. You can go to Earl's or The Keg and spend $25 on a reasonably prepared steak and pile of mashed starch or you can go to West or the Lumiere bar side lounge and order two plates off the small menu/bar lists and have your taste buds rocked. No contest here. As diners, we have the upper hand in this deal.

NEWS FLASH: For the second year running, the award for Best Fine Dining went to South Granville’s West Restaurant and Bar “David Hawksworth’s flavours and techniques are as precise as ever, making this refreshingly uncluttered room a mandatory stop for serious gastronauts.” Tim Pawsey, Where magazine.

No mix up really, just an assumption being made that your nickname was short for Dennis Peckham who trained at Dubrulle and went on to the kitchen at Lumiere. There are always rumours swirling about awards being this and that and to coin a phrase from Coop "take it with a grain of fleur de sel". At the same time, every ounce of gossip usually has an equal amount of truth attached to it somewhere. There were many grumblings and rounds of applause when Lumiere had carried the title of ROTY for 4 years and now the same chirping is happening for West. The fact is that they are both pinnacles of culinary contribution to the city of Vancouver and both deserve to be applauded for their efforts. Subjective input from any and all who experience restaurant life is deeply appreciated on this site and we all benefit greatly by the feedback and opinions presented on this site. But they are all just individual subjective opinions. Some come off caring and gentle and others will use tongue-in-cheek humour and others will lash out. All opinions matter and none of them matter. What matters most is the ability to read between the lines and find out what is happening in our local scenes and elsewhere, so we can best appreciate the experiences of others (especially from those in the industry) and use them as a guide to making the most of our dining dollar. At least that's what I am here for. If you are looking for nothing other than an opinion on which is better, you may not find it. What you will find is an excellent contribution from many members of this site who gladly give their thoughts on the meals they have had. And if what I have read is even half true throughout this site, West is the "preferred" place to dine in Vancouver to enjoy the cuisine by David Hawksworth and his brigade. Right now, I am in complete agreement with this nod to West and feel that their winning Restaurant of the Year was well deserved.

Very well said Coop. We are indeed extremely fortunate to have these restaurants competing for imaginary titles. As diners, we win. Period. As a whole, the dining community and the food service industry only increase daily in quality and service by the competitive nature of the industry and the desire to do more for their chosen clientele.

Gallo Mercado (Chicken Market?) was a deli style joint when I was last in the area having been the extremely unfortunate recipient of an "absolutely must have Italian dinner, you are going to LOVE it!" (Anton's) from some friends. Whom have now been designated to the friendship graveyard until they can better judge the difference between quantity and quality. I too am curious about the status of Santos. Anyone?

I am afraid I must disagree with you here dennpeck. West is more than capable of providing the same, if not better calibre of food and service as was available from the beginning. Lumiere is not reinventing any wheel but they are doing an excellent job of exposing Vancouver diners to delightful and respectfully treated local products. Feenie's may be a continuation and an answer to many things missing in the city, but it has nothing to do with the food at Lumiere. Chef David Hawksworth is always present and is providing innovation when and where the diner allows him to do so. Lumiere, West and so many other fine and contemporary restaurants in Vancouver are at the mercy of a fickle palate. It is very difficult to carry gourmand delicacies like veal tongue, ris de veau or pig's trotters on any menu as most just don't realize what they are missing. Just because it is not on the menu does not mean that it cannot be done or asked for. But oh how I miss the sweetbreads on the menu and where is that divine "Terrine of Wild Game" gone to? David? Chef Rob Feenie has come out with a couple of amazing plates for our tables over the years that were not on the menu and David Hawksworth continues to enlighten and challenge me with every new plate he presents to me. They are two different chefs at two different restaurants and who is "Best" is really irrelevant so long as they are always continuing to build on the Vancouver dining scene as one of the better scenes in the world. If you do the math, most restaurants can and do turn 700-1000 plates a night at this caliber of food on a very busy night. Quality not quantity, and they both do very well. The rooms are roughly the same size (Lumiere is smaller) and the kitchens are very close in size. From what I have seen though, West has a smaller kitchen staff than Lumiere. But you might know this better than I, as if the name is who I think it is... don't you work in the kitchen at Lumiere? Are you not the one who took second place behind West's Mark Perrier at the Black Box Competition at The Dubrulle Culinary Institute last year? I will be at Lumiere for dinner on Friday night and I am really looking forward to dining there again. It has been a while since my last visit to the dining room for the Santi Santamaria dinner but I have frequented the bar side lounge on a number of occasions. As I have said before, Rob Feenie is contributing so much to the Vancouver dining scene with Lumiere, the Lumiere bar lounge and now with Feenie's. More high-end options for this city which is constantly raising the bar of quality in the food service industry. I wish there were more chef/owners doing this here right now. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Day Three, Monday morning begins with a leisurely sleep-in after the amazing dinner at Araxi the evening before and then blends into the drive home from Whistler to Vancouver. Except for a coffee (or two) there was absolutely no room for breakfast, brunch or an early lunch. Once back in town and unpacked the day belonged to leisure and making a reservation at Feenie’s. Called Feenie’s around 3pm to see if they could fit a reservation in for 7pm. I knew this was going to be a bit difficult as Lumiere and their bar side dining lounge is closed on Monday’s and Feenie’s is enjoying a steady stream of guests from all of it’s recent accolades. The hostess was kind and considerate and managed to squeeze me into a table in the Red Bar area but stipulated that it was reserved at 8:30pm. No problem. I actually really appreciate when the host/hostess stipulates that there are others waiting for the table later on and still accommodate you as best they can. The downside of course is that if you are having a great time you don’t want to leave! The upside is that if you can’t stand the place, there is nothing keeping you there either. I attended the opening of this restaurant and loved what I saw in the way of décor. Although, for obvious reasons, none of the tables were in place to see how it would be laid out so a future visit was definitely in order. Someone on the Feenie’s thread said it reminded him or her of Salt in Sydney. Salt is a killer restaurant for décor, simple and elegant with finished details that are extremely architectural in form and function. But Salt is extreme in it’s monochromatic scheme of neutral gray, whites and silver. Feenie’s is robust in the warm and rich red tones of the bar area. The high banquettes and the color palette in the main dining area borrow from some SF hotspots and the whole package has a not-so-subtle nod to the recent design ideals of some NY eateries. Design and décor have always been a subjective thing. And subjectively speaking, I love the look of this room and everything about it. As a photographer and a designer, aesthetics is the first kiss of life or death upon entering an establishment and I was eager to see if the food, drink, service and ambience were up to task to compete with this modern material endowed room with brash and proud color schemes splitting it’s rooms into two succinct feelings of emotion and comfort. The host this evening was Warren whom was given the task of running Feenie’s after doing wonderful work at Lumiere. A consummate gentleman who is always attentive to the wants and needs of the guest. In regards to professionalism, I would place him in the higher end of a short list of great front-of-the-house people. Started with a glass of bubbles, Stellar Jay Brut ’99 by Sumac Ridge. I have always been a fan of the bubble and can think of no better reason to pop the cork on a bottle of bubble than a Monday evening. Which means any time is bubble time! I am not a huge fan of fizzy bar drinks and the bar at Feenie’s offers a wide selection of these, so opting for sparkling was a better choice for me. For now. First plate was the Warm Peach and Prosciutto Salad with Arugula, David Woods’ Goat Cheese and Candied Walnuts. In one lip-smacking word, yummy. If I have to find fault it would be that the walnuts were a bit too sweet. But like I said, only if I had to find fault, which ultimately became a matter of personal taste, my dining companion thought they were just right. Perfect on a warm summer day, as the peaches were sweetly divine and juicy. If the rest of the charcuterie on the menu is any clue, the Prosciutto is more than likely from Oyama Sausage Co. on Granville Island. Delicious. Ahi Tuna Tartare with Sesame Seeds, Cilantro and Tamarind Glaze. This dish was beautiful on the plate and the glaze complimented the tuna in a sweet bath of hints of spice as the roe on top created another layer of texture to enjoy in each bite. Next was a glass of Bouchard Pere et Fils, Les Thivaux, Ruilly 2000. This wine with its nose of pear, a taste of mild blue cheese and sticky finish made for a great glass of wine. I love this wine and I knew it was on the list at Lumiere. Even though Lumiere was closed for the night (Rob was taping another episode of his show), Warren once again displayed his charm as a gracious host and offered to go and get me a glass from next door. I don’t know if he is supposed to do this or not, so don’t go saying “Well, you did it for Johnathon…” All I know is that it was deeply appreciated by me. Time to tear into the Prix Fixe now and start with the Tomato Confit Tart with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese. The acidity in the tomato and balsamic below with the smooth creaminess of the cheese were well balanced to compete with each other as a pastry tart carried the textures through. The onions provided a hint of sweetness as well. I really enjoyed this tart and am looking forward to trying it again. Duck Confit and Caramelized Apples with Lentils du Puy, aged Sherry and Frisée Salad. Duck Confit is one of my top ten things to order when traveling to see how the restaurant treats their particular confit. i honestly believe i tried twenty different confits in Quebec City alone. (The Crab Cake as well, still searching the world for the perfect crab cake!). This confit was glorious. I know many people will say “Come on, it’s only confit!” but, in my mind this was the best dish of the day and it was perfect. The delicate crispy skin was cooked perfectly and the meat of the duck evaporated on the tongue. I would be very curious to find out how long they aged the duck, as most restaurants seem to turn them out after a week or so. But this confit had all the character and taste notes of a well-aged confit. It was perfect. The caramelized apples provided a sweet late summer, intro to early fall feel for the dish coupled with very tasty lentils. This was all followed up with a slice of blue cheese by Bénédictin, Québec. Lovely crisp tang on the tongue from this creamy blue cheese. Dessert was passed over, as I needed to respect the fact that the table was booked for another party soon. Besides, I needed a walk on this very beautiful evening. I will definitely be going back to Feenie’s and frequently. Vancouver is an extremely fickle dining crowd and will always traverse to the latest and greatest. Feenie’s is the talk of the town, but for all the right reasons. It is hip, it is chic and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. You can spend as little or as much as you want and have a great time in a very sexy room. This city can never have enough of this caliber of fun and food. I am quite curious to hear and see how the bar side of Lumiere and the dining room of Lumiere are making out now that so many people seem to be swarming Feenie’s. So I booked a table for Friday night at Lumiere to see for myself.

Any time you are turned away from a restaurant you have been looking forward to visiting will set you aback. I would be very put off by this as well. Interesting aspect to the posts was the reference to front of the house and what Vancouver dining has to offer in this regard. I have had some pretty heated and enlightening conversations with hosts, sommeliers, chefs and restaurateurs in the last few weeks on this subject and feel that it is indeed difficult to find that perfect persona who is all things to all people when called upon. Coop, I would definitely give Le Crocodile another go. New menu should be out in a week or so and should be quite interesting. We could compare notes with Explorer by the end of October.

Michel Jacob of Le Crocodile is indeed one of the most generous, humble and genuine chefs to be found in French cuisine in Vancouver. So many of the city's better chefs and kitchen staff have been highly influenced by his training and sharing of knowledge and are hopefully continuing this tradition of passing on such sage advice from an Alsatian master. I know that Chefs Rob Feenie and David Hawksworth both refer back to their times with Michel with fond recollections and sincere gratitude for being able to have learned with him. The game is indeed excellent in the hands of this chef and I would never discount the Sole he prepares which is deboned tableside for you either.

I would echo Coop's thoughts here. Cru is a nice place to enjoy plates of your choosing whether they be small, large, plentiful or just a sampling with some good wines on the list by the glass. Hip casual attire will always go well in most Vancouver dining spots! And since the look now is borrowing retro stylings from the past... maybe a nice white suit, black shirt and some bling around the neck might be in order??!! If for some reason the Albertan in you takes over and the boots and spurs come out for dinner, there is always the best place in town for ribs right next door at Memphis Blues. Enjoy.

Day One was supposed to begin with a drive to Whistler from Vancouver to enjoy a dinner at Araxi. But I would be doing Vancouver a great injustice by not mentioning the Saturday evening beforehand spent with a couple of business colleagues at Le Crocodile for a late dinner. So Day One becomes an evening of French cuisine. Le Crocodile has been an Alsatian favorite for twenty years. The restaurant was originally located on Thurlow Street before moving to the current location on Smythe Street. (The address is listed as 909 Burrard Street, but the entrance is actually on Smythe Street a half block North of Burrard Street). Le Crocodile and it’s chef/owner Michel Jacob has been going strong since 1983 and celebrated this Twentieth Anniversary with a dinner like no other by having Chef Emile Jung from the celebrated Au Crocodile restaurant in Michel’s hometown of Strasbourg, to visit and prepare a menu of Alsatian excellence in Michel’s kitchen for three evenings of wonderful food. I attended this dinner and had the honor of having lunch with Emile Jung on two occasions before and after the Anniversary celebration to talk about the food, philosophy and everything in between. A separate thread for this special dinner is to follow. The dishes for the Saturday evening were staples of Michel Jacob’s current menu at Le Crocodile. The restaurant embodies a comfortable escape from some of the quicker paced moments of the downtown core just inches from the front door of the restaurant and has been known as a power lunch haven for the executive lunch set. The room is warm and inviting with tones of honey-mustard and velvety burgundy jewel tones. A dark wood bar, accents and furnishings finish the look of the room as white linen and plate ware adorn the tables. Le Crocodile is uncharacteristically a bright dining room compared to most. The lighting is usually consistent from day to night with the room lights adding the ambient finish to the tabletop lamps at each and every table. With Michel’s food, the presentation thereof and the particular care given to the table setting, there is nothing to hide and this bright room let’s you see all of the careful attention to detail. The evening began with a 2000 vintage bottle of Trimbach “Reserve” Pinot Gris. A lovely Alsatian wine which pairs very well with so many of Le Crocodile’s entrees. First entrée was a Wild Salmon Tartare, which was perfectly cool and delicious with a simple topping of Crème Sure and Salmon Roe. Beautifully presented and simple in it’s respect to enjoying the flavor of the salmon. Second entrée was Grilled Asparagus with Arugula and Truffle Oil Dressing and shaved parmesan (Asperges Vertes Grillées, Arugula, Vinaigrette aux Truffles et Parmesan). Once again a respect to excellent and fresh ingredients prepared perfectly to enjoy the flavors of the individual elements as well as the combination of texture and taste on the palate. Main Dish was a Rack of Lamb (Carré d'Agneau Roti, Jus de Thym et sabayon à la Moutarde), a dish I will continue to have countless times at le Crocodile. The subtlety in the mustard sabayon with the lamb is an exquisite compliment to the tender meat of the lamb. The shining star and the heart and soul of Michel’s cuisine is in his sauces. There is a care given to each and every one of his sauces that always just kisses the ingredients with compliments and never overpowers or sits as a liquid on the bottom of the plate. Michel invited me one evening to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen with him on a busy Friday night. I love to cook, but I am by no means adept in a busy kitchen nor do I consider myself to be chef material, but I do love food and the care that chefs put into their dishes. So it was a privilege and a delight to stand off in the sidelines with a cool glass of Riesling as the brigade in the kitchen was working fast and furious around the hot kitchen. At different times throughout this witness to the kitchen, I was attended to by many of the staff who would offer their accounting of what they do and the philosophy of the kitchen as a whole. I have seen many kitchen teams work in choreographed precision before but this team did it all with a grace and calm rarely encountered in the heat of the kitchen. But, the sauces… The sauces. I watched as Michel had at any given time, no less than twenty-four sauces on the go. Constantly tending to them, tasting them, seasoning on the fly as they were reduced, replenished and refreshed. I was told by one of the kitchen staff that twenty to thirty sauces on any given night is perfectly normal for Michel. The fact that every one of them complimented the ingredients of the day with such delicate care keeps me in awe of what he does for his guests each and every day and evening of wonderful French food with an Alsatian drive behind the cuisine.

Oyama Sausage on Granville Island is a destination of choice every few days for me. The pancetta is divine, the goose prosciutto and the duck prosciutto are absolutely beautiful and if you have never tried the wild boar lomo, now is the time my friends. Of course many of you already know that Rob Feenie features the charcuterie of Oyama Sausage at his new restaurant Feenie's with a choice of three items for $15 or six items for $25. I am still at odds with the idea of paying someone to open a package of goodies ready to plate, but then again I have always had a problem with the idea of paying twice as much and more for a bottle of wine to have somone apply a corkscrew to it. No matter whether you buy the product on GI or at Feenie's, it is well worth it!

Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed suggestions. Most appreciated, and I knew that this would be a great group to get excellent suggestions from! Looks like Le Pichet, Cafe Campagne and Mistral will win out on this leg of the tour. Although, I am now very curious about The Harvest Vine, may need to visit again in the very near future. Looking forward to seeing Seattle and it's dining rooms again. Cheers!

I will be doing a bit of a culinary tour of the Northwest from Whistler to Seattle commencing today and reporting along the way. I have one night in Seattle in which to partake in yet another restaurant on the "Tour" (will be posted in the Canada>Vancouver, BC forum). All eyes were on Cascadia or the Herbfarm. Herbfarm is too far from the downtown core (for this sojourn anyway) and Cascadia is closed for a private function (I will be in Downtown Seattle on Friday/Saturday Sept. 12-13). Recent posts by mebers in this forum have swayed some of my choices due to their writings, which have always been respected based on past postings. Some names passed along have been Brasa, Lampreia, Rover's and a few others which are often mentioned. It would be most appreciated if some recommendations from this forum's members would give some suggestions for a Friday night dinner in Seattle to complete the "Eating the Northwest Tour" Cheers

I hope I can grow one back in time! Thanks for the link, the room looks like I will be right at home. Now all I have to do is wait patiently until they call my flight.

Does anybody have pictures of the place? Any web links? And... Is there a dress code? Montreal is such a fashionable city in it's decor, decorum and people, just want to make sure I look the part!

Damn, I am on the wrong side of the pond to know the menu well enough from the fine establishments who show their prices in Pounds and not Dollars. Although I would love to know how that main dish tastes!

No nerves to hit at all actually, just a passion for good food and the company in which it is appreciated. The 30th for dinner works for me, that way I can get a hotel and make it a get away from work! I will be in Montreal, Memphis, Chicago et al after that and will not be back in the area until late May.

Not as often as I would like, thus the need for memories. This does not mean that I am unable to find the produce, there are a couple of fantastic markets in Vancouver which distribute the delicacies on a regular basis.

Outside the Vancouver area lies the Fraser Valley to the East, a lot of fantastic produce comes from this region. yes, we were quite fortunate to be able to go and explore these areas albeit too young to realize it at the time!

In my kitchen, Vodka is never optional. Mandatory! Sounds wonderful and the Polish farmer in me loves the inclusion of Potato Juice (Wodka).