Coop

Finally got to Go Fish. I really liked the staff and my Oyster Poor Boy. The guy who seems to be in charge is a real food lover. He knew where everything came from,and how it was prepared. The oysters were grilled instead of deep fried, they came off the boat about 50 yards away. Juicy and fresh they came with sauteed onions and a pepper mayo. The fried fish also looked great, it was served in a steamer basket. Amazing what a place can do if they give a sh!t.

Can Cob's bread go in the re-cycling bin? Will the landfill take it?

I agree with the Raincoast Crisps. For junk food I like the Hardbite potato chips. They can't be more local for me, they are made about a block from my office in Maple Ridge by the guy who painted our building last year. Quite the enterpreneur this guy.

For me the cigarette smoke issue is a complete deal breaker. We were hotel geusts and wanted to have Saturday lunch there. The only tables open were right in the enterance about three feet from the smokers. No thanks.

I love Planeta's la Segrata. It's from Sicily and never dissapoints me. http://www.wineanorak.com/planeta.htm

Tulio when Walter Pisano was chef. Is he back? Shucker's in the 90's. I still love the smoked oysters on the half shell. I had a great meal at Daniels' Lake Union in 2001. Over-rated, maybe The Harvest Vine for service. Assaggio, poor food great wine. Cafe Campagne, last two times all our food was cold. Icon Grill, just bad right from the start. Brasa, good appetizers, but then everything went wrong, had some sweetbreads that looked and tasted charred.

Wagyu is available at the Japanese butcher on Hastings near Renfrew. Do not be tempted by the Italian Bakery though. Worse place in town.

The truth is I will go back, for dinner when they are slower, like 5:30 on a Saturday. I think they were unusually busy on Friday, and I also believe that the kitchen was contributing to the problem because I saw a couple of plates sent back. The ladies next to us sent back one order of mussels because they were the wrong preperation and they had to wait for quite a while. So they had one person's meal, and she finished before the mussels were returned. I believe an owner would be silly to not read this board because it is for the most part totally without influence from advertisers, hidden agendas etc.

Mrs Coop and I went today for lunch and it was basically a disaster. We ordered a bottle of the A Mano Primitivo and a bottle of fizzy water. About 15 minutes later the waiter came and told us it was all gone, must be a big problem getting such a rare bottle. Went instead for the Deakin Shiraz. A few minutes later our food arrives. No wine. second wave of food arrives, no wine. as my steak sandwich cools, still no wine. We wait, we inquire, still no wine. finally there it is. I suppose they were waiting for us to give up and order beer. The funny thing is most people were drinking wine with thier lunches. The food was actually quite good Mrs Coop's mussels were excellent, my Steak Minute was quite good as welll as the beet salad that accompanyed it. The place has recaptured a real 80's moment by not having salt and pepper on the tables. I was scared to ask for it but everything was seasoned well except for the frites which were over seasoned. I just would like to have a choice. We poured our own wine, thank god I hate waiting for some one to come and do it for me. In the best rooms it is never an issue, still I have a bad memory of getting into a fight with Baz from The Chef and Carpenter back in the early 80's when I poured my own and was severly reprimanded. BTW we didn't realize until we were home, we never got our bottle of water. They didn't charge us though. I agree the place needs some work. Could be worse though.

Of course Mr Burns can look down his nose at us. After all he does write for the Newspaper that has the most comprehensive listing of transgendered escorts, massage parlours, phone sex lines and fetish providers. I would pay money to see the kind of movie they would come up with. BTW I usually read it at least once a month. Got to keep up with the vibe of the city.

This has certainly been an under-serviced area. I don't know why there is not a real good restaurant in the area. Back in the 80's when I was at VVI we always had a busy pre theatre crowd. In the 90's there was Bianco Nero but it's long gone and the room still sits empty. Chambar and Wild Rice are very casual and at least in the case of Wild Rice not so dependable. I went to Villa Del Lupo once and paid $250.00 for two and basically sat in a closet. House conversions are great if you get to sit at The Grown Up Table. If it was me I would go to Parkside and order a taxi with my dessert.

How well would it freeze? Regardless I'm in for 10 portions or so.

I met the owner of a place called The Ridge Bistro in Maple Ridge. He compared his food (with a perfectly straight face) to the food at Lumiere. Scared to take one for the team though. My truck and car have carved a groove in the pavement from my crib to the city for restaurant eating.

I have been in maple Ridge looking for somewhere decent to eat for 17 years. Here is my input of great places in Maple Ridge, Poco and Coquitlam............ If you are desperate Caremba in Port moody used to be okay but......

I would step over a junkie to get great meat but you can keep the cheap meat, there is lots of cheap meat here in the valley. I love the way this board wonders on and off topic. look where it was a year ago. Always on topic but little used. Now it's vibrant and interesting.

Being Bourdain can't suck.

I thought Cru and Parkside should have been on last years list. Perhaps Leslie Chesterman may be the one to ask. She is a regular participant on the other Canadian boards.

Had a sourdough baguette from La Baguette et Echallote on Saturday and it was damn good. Sorry Arne, didn't mean to start anything. Have you had the Miso Ramen, rich with fatty pork at Kintaro yet?

To be honest, even if they were serving fois gras for a dollar a pound, I doubt I'm brave enough to even get out of my car on that block.

I'm a bit late posting my thanks to all that arranged Friday night. Chef Fowke, Chef Neil, Jamie and Arne, one never knows what to expect at such an event. This one certainly exceeded all of my expectaions. A special thanks has to go out to Neil and his staff at The Hamilton Street Grill for keeping us all lubricated. i can't wait for the next soiree.

Tette you better come up with your hangar steak source. I absolutly love this cut. The only place in Vancouver I've had one was at Elixer. Le Pichet in Seattle does one and Cafe Campagne pretends to but it's tri tip. Cafe de Paris used to do a good steak. Going to reserve judgement though until I try a steak at the HSG.

I actually watched that making of Iron Chef bullcrap just before this show. I was expecting something staged and phony. I thought it was all theatrics until Ramsy and the Wanker Chef ate the scallops. From then on I was totally sold. Tim was basically incompetent and lazy. I wonder what his prospects are like now.

Stuart my wife and I had the 2003 and 2004 SB side by side last night. I have to say the 2004 was less intenseky flavoured. Would this be a difference in the vintage, a change in style (the 2004 was more elegant) or bottle variation?

In regards to rating wine by points I have decided to go with a five point range from 95-100. So even the worst wine will be a 95. This way I can feel better about myself and the wines I drink.

Keith Thanks for having my back! I suspect there will be no trouble. Watch out for Ling though I think she's pretty fiesty.