Coop

Oh yeah I also have a Magnum of La Domanique 82. I think it should be right for the 30 year soiree. What do you think? I hear the St. Emilions and Pommerols were the way to go in 82. We got very few upon release in Vancouver.

I had the good fortune of wedding Mrs Coop in 1982. Over the years we have drunk from our cellar, Tig 82, Potensac 82, Caymus regular 82, Cos D'Estournal 82, Fontanafredda and Marchesi de Barolo 82 and a few bottles of this fine little wine. Found it to be holding up very well. Cedar cigar box flavour seem to be stronger then the cassis. the nose is what you would expect for a 21 year old wine but still seems to have something left for the future. Now down to one bottle of Cos, one of Font Barolo and a bottle of Palmer 82. Served wine with a roasted chicken with a pan sauce made from roasted chicken stock. Perfect compliment to fine wine in my opinion. Sides of roasted new potatos with Walla Walla onions, mange tout and glazed carrots. Hope to have many more of these dinners with Mrs Coop.

Predator Ridge golf course has beautiful cabins for rent in a gorgeus golf course community. well worth the effort. That being said the food in the clubhouse is un interesting. The cabins have great kitchens though. A co-worker of mine loved the food at Burrowing Owl, especially the Duck Confit. Fresco is owned by Rodney Butters I believe so the food should be okay. As for the wine in the area, my mother said if you have nothing positive to say don't say anything at all. So the one positive thing I can say is they have Red, White and Pink! http://www.predatorridge.com/accomodations/index.html

Chef Fowke. For a wine oriented experience on the North Shore, can I suggest Marine Drive. The food is okay and it's a bit pricey for what you get (not great food that trys too hard), but the list is quite good. Has Pastis re-opened?

Went to a friends for dinner and he brought out this wine. It was the 1999 vintage. I was surprised at how powerful and structured this wine was. Nice pinot flavours, with tannin, and back bone. This is the best Pinot I have had not from Burgundy. Not a soft voluptuous wine but really seemed to be a wine for aging. Anyone else had a similar experience with this wine?

Thanks Chef can we buy the CD in the lobby on the way out?

Is this Charlie Wagner's son? Is the original Wagner now dead? What a great guy he was. Caymus has been making great wines for decades and until recently were good buys. I know I can't afford to buy even the Napa Cabernet here in Vancouver. I also am scared to drink the bottles of 83 and 84 Special Selection I have in my cellar fearing I am not worthy. I hope they can screw up a few vintages and then drop thier prices back to where real wine drinkers can afford. I once went to thier tasting room in the 80's, it was a room in an old house with a screen door and Mr Wagner himself pouring wine and scowling.

I see Roy's does not list a Seattle location in it's adds. Is it gone too? Like Fleming's? What ever happened to Le Tastevin. I loved that place. It was good if you had the cash to buy decent Bordeaux. Last time I was there was 1988 during the Olympics. we were all proudly Canadian with the victories by Lennox Lewis and Ben Johnson. Two days later Ben's secret was out and my appetite was ruined.

I don't believe I have any animosity toward the place I just have had terrible experiences over the years at Joe Fortes and I thought this might be the form to express them. I obviously don't know Steven's secret password so I suppose that I am doomed to just being the run of the mill consumer. This does not bother me in the least. Most of my trips to Joe Fortes have been spur of the moment before a concert or a Saturday lunch so I would not have had time to call Bud and Brian to make me a special meal even if I was so inclined. I don't feel that I should have to work that hard to get a decent meal in a restaurant. Btw my last experince at Joe Fortes was a Saturday lunch in January so I delieve the dynamic duo Fat Guy refers to were definetly in charge if not on site.

I think it's wonderful that Chef Fowke prepares these fabulous meals for you and the Fat Guy. Believe me the rest of us (the non beautiful people) get cold, uninteresting food, dirty cutlery and poor service every time we go to Joe Fortes. Bellieve me I have been many times over the years and found the experience less then inspiring. I agree that "reviewers' can have a great experience in most restaurants when the chef and staff know that the "VIP" is in the room. Does this always translate to the experince the rest of us stiffs get? I don't think so. This review makes my point. Even if the chef didn't know you were coming, maybe photographing the dishes could of been a clue that you were doing some sort of review. I'm sorry but this in no way will change my opinion on what I think is Vancouver's most dissapointing restaurant.

Great photos and review. I feel that I have to divulge that Chioffi's in Burnaby are selling the 2002 Eleni olive oil in bulk. It is fabulous. I doubt anyone who lives in Vancouver is reading this anyway judging by the activity on this board, but if you are, and you care about great ingredients get down there and buy it before it is all gone. My love for West has been expressed in a previous posting, your photos make me long to return.

I remember reading that article in Vancouver Magazine. I would take it with a grain of Fleur de Sel as the author loves everything and everybody, a great trait for a priest or teacher but not always for a reviewer. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Sorry tsquare I meant to say non Egullet tourists. It wasn't meant to be an insult. It was sort of a reference point in the discussion.

There was a hugely successful place called Santos on Commercial Drive. The food was good and the party went on long into the night, and then after about 20 years it just closed early this year. Up the street is a place called the Latin Quarter, I have heard good things about it but not been myself. There is also Chateau Madrid La Bodega, which serves Iberian fusion food. Are any of these places worth a trip from Seattle? I don't think so. None of them can even come close to the way The Harvest Vine does Basque food. I would say they all do the kind of food you would find at a restaurant in Lisbon that feeds American or Canadian tourists.

Herr Schultz's plan for worldwide domination continues. Can you get Peet's in Seattle?

I havn't been to The Napa Valley in about ten years so they may have moved St helena, but isn't every thing between Carneros and Knights Valley considered Napa? I used to love Tra Vigne and I am glad to hear they are still on track.

Seattle folk. Thank you for your reviews. This board has been less then active of late. It is nice to have people actually eating in our restaurants and posting thier comments. Maybe it is time for others in the city to start using this board for food conversations. I see that the Leff hound board seems to be the place of choice now for people who actually eat and cook in Vancouver. Nightscotsman are you talking about Tra Vigne in the Napa Valley?

Big ups to TF. He is using what he has going for himself to bag some babes and make a name for himself on the Food Network. I see no problem with a bit of eye candy for the female and gay male viewership. Not all chefs need to look like 80's Paul Prudhomme. I think it's cool to look good while you cook. I try to do it myself. If you look good and know how to cook you will have no problems getting a date. I'm ready for my close up Mr. DeMille!

When Safeco first opened we ate at the Bar b Que joint by the M"s bullpen. My youngest son bucked the trend of Bar b Que sandwichs and went for a sausage of some description. To his surprise the sausage came covered in the pulled pork. He was in heaven.

Hit below the Belt? No more of a tongue in cheek thing. I do sometimes think too much about who owns a place and where my $$$ will end up. Going to Lumiere is a serious commitment of $$$$$$.

Earlier in this thread ther was a reference to dis continuing Hot off the Grill. Is that actually a show? I thought it was a Gap commercial. I would see it and immediatly change channels.

Feenie is Vancouver's #1 publicity hound. Most people I know here in Vancouver hate his persona. He was the darling of Vanciouver magazine for about 5 or 6 years. Now that he is not its "politics". What a surprise. I have never been to his restaurant choosing to spend my money at places like West, or Wild Rice or Bin 941/2 where I know the owners aren't total Jackass'. I also believe that Vancouver Magazine and Jamie Maw are our leading source for unbiased restaurant reviews and news. Where as the Vancouver Sun, who just had thier Restaurant of the Year awards published on Tuesday seem totally out of touch (they love Elixer, go figure?). In terms of East v. West we in Vancouver don't feel drawn into that discussion because we know our restaurant scene is vibrant and comparable to the finest in North America. Please don't bring your Harvey's and Swiss Chalet debates to the Vancouver board.

Halland: On a trip to Seattle in November to eat and drink at some Egullet favs, the dish of the trip were those peppers stuffed with salt cod. I hope they become a regular menu item.

My 13 year old son insisted we go to an In and Out Burger because he had heard that this is the place where PGA golfers get thier burger fixes. Imagine my surprise when I found that the bugers there resembled real food, not fast food. Thier menu is limited and the waits are long, but the Double Double is the best burger I have eaten at a drive through. It must have worked for my son, because fueled by a Double Double he shot 82 from the back tees at Rancho Mirage Country Club. I hope he doesn't end up looking like Mickelson though.

I have been away on vacation so I may be coming to this discussion a little late. I find that oakland barbs post makes a lot of valid points. I love the food at West, but I believe that some would find thier flavours to be too powerful. As for attitude of the waiters, I think that this problem could raise it's ugly head in any successful establishment. Having met Chef H. last time I dined at West, he is the most humble, and willing to please restauranteur I have met. As for the Vancouver scene, I can only compare it too the cities i have dined in lately, Palm Springs and Seattle. Believe me we have little to be ashamed of. One must always hope for more though.