merlin

That is quite a stroll down "memory lane" Steve Claude's -what a spot - Claude Buzon what a character! - wasn't he at the Great Escape? - now in the Toque Blanche manufacturing business - best spot in town during its day - great waitstaff including Brian Welsh now f & b at the Mac - Claude always remembered your name and the wine you had the last visit - incredible Bastille Day celebrations under the tent in the adjacent parking lot - round table with all the provinical bigwigs - a lot of stories [do you remember Ernst Eder and La Boheme - that is where I first met Claude] Le Petit Marche -nice funky place - now there is the Dish and the Runaway Spoon - serves equally good food and caters - that High Street [should be in BC] area has boomed with a number of good spots to eat at. Restaurant La Suisse -never went - although heard good things - I was too busy swiggin' back ouzo and retsina at the adjacent Cosmos. Victors -Standard Life Building - plates on the wall - oh so pretentious - Edmonton lawyers wanting to think they were in Toronto - good for a laugh Carvery -outstanding French food - great table side service - then they went the steakhouse route complete with "Jim Bowie" steak knives and the terrific prime rib cart - quality remained excellent until Brian Welsh left and the Westin "bean counters" completely changed the dining rooms Beans and Barley -solid fare - I lived just a stumble away for many years closer to the southside Keg Phillips -never worked for me although Philip Joy was a bit of a media celebrity - was it Philips before or after Claude moved there from his original location? Waldens -yikes - what a gasp from the past - ferns and wood everywhere - I think an Edmontonian must have got drunk in a "fern bar" in Manhattan - sure was popular Avanti -way ahead of its time - all that chrome and white tile - asian cooks doing Italian fusion - Edmonton with its affinity for spaghetti and red sauce just was not ready for it Two Small Rooms - is that where Sherlock Holmes Pub now is? Don't think I was in the original Cafe Amandine location and do not remember Cafe Bijou nor Bella Pasta. We have "spoken" about the Armoury before. Saw you mentioned Between Friends which was a favourite of mine before it closed. How about Peter and Lynn Johner's Boccolino's which expanded and expanded before unltimately ending up on the southside in its current state as Packrat Louis'? When you think of Edmonton in the '80's you have to recollect...or maybe you don't depending upon ones consumption of red wine...Bruno's just north of Whyte on 109th. Downstairs, plush red aka New Orleans' bordello red shag...rich sauces. Of course at least the early '80's before the oil boom burst were synonmous with the Steak Loft upstairs, the Old Bailey on the main floor and Lucifer's in the bsmt. What Pierre Bourgeil's [sp?] Anjou...now the Blue Pear [husband and wife team who formerly were at Jack's Grill]..speakeasy door...all nite dining....good Loire red wine Come to think of it, quite a number of decent spots came and went during that time period.

3WholeCardamoms/Shelora: Thanks for the suggestions. I definitely was in the right area looking for Cucina last Fall without success. Remember the sign as I was walking down the street. Saw a lot of little spots in that maze but now that I have an unit number. Mind you, given your description...sounds like Victoria's answer to Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi"...I should not have been surprised that there was not a lot of signage for the restaurant itself or someone "warmly" greeting and drawing customers in..... editor@waiterblog: I'll give Temple..or as I call it "Indiana Jones goes to IKEA"...a miss but will inquire if its fortunes have changed for the better....still a late nite industry spot for the exotic cocktail drinkers I understand....I am not bringing enough black to fit in [smile]

We wandered about Dragon Alley during our last visit in the Fall trying, without success, to locate Cucina. It had been recommened to us by Marnie at Brasserie l'Ecole. I know it is not a big place but after checking out the various nooks and crannies I think we gave up and wandered over to Canoe. Can you tell me more about Mo:Le? That is a place I have not heard anything at all about. Looking forward to getting to the Island. Thanks for the input. Any additional information would be gratefully accepted. Shelora: Sippin' Pho....I guess that is actually "slurping" with Peter Zambri puts a whole new complexion on the age old debate of who "did noodles" first ... the Chinese or the Italians via Marco Polo...now the Vietnamese and French have been added to the "recipe" We'll probably get to Zambri's for lunch ...the duck ragu with green olives served over fried polenta I had last time was delicious.

Daddy-A: We are flying out to Victoria on the 16th and were intially concerned that Dining Out Victoria and the Victoria Wine Festival would be problematic as far as getting into places we want to eat at given what I had read about the Vancouver program. Does not appear to be the case. Were able to secure a 7:00 reso via email with Greg at Cafe Brio for Saturday nite. Like you I was somewhat perplexed by the names or more to the point, the absence of a number of the spots we normally would think might be participating. You mentioned Paprika. We hope to get out to Oak Bay and try it this visit. Perhaps the dining situation in Victoria is such that the good spots get lots of local business regardless of the time of year and absence of "foodie tourists" like me. I'll inquire of Marc at Brasserie l'Ecole as we will eat there the nite of our arrival. Also noted that Zambri's, Il Terrazzo, The Tapas Bar, Camille's etc. are missing. Can anyone offer comments on Victoria spots we have not tried thus far like Bravo on Wharf, Wild Saffron and Matisse? Looking forward to leaving the snow and seeing the ocean...mind you, did not sound like that Malahat was any fun this past week-end.

With respect to point one, I expect that your standards are not "impossibly high". Your "better half" shared your view and you obviously have been to a number of good restaurants and as a fellow "foodie" want to be excited by the fare, not "just" fed My "rule of thumb" is, if I am sitting there planning on coming back the next nite, I know I like it....Divino and Il Sogno in Calgary...Jack's Grill, Culina, Wild Tangerine in Edmonton...Cru in Vancouver [should have gone back to Cru or Parkside but for a number of reasons ended up at what is usually a good spot for us but disappointed, the Beach House at Dundarave Pier] ...Bish or da Maurizio in Halifax...a la Grande Table de Serge Bruyere [now gone I think] in Quebec City...otherwise I may as well cook up something at home and save on the wine cost. Four bottles of wine and it divided up to $65 per inclusive of tip and taxes...yes, I would say that that is reasonable.

That is very "interesting"...assuming an Arte Johnson pose behind a potted [plastic not BC bud] plant of "Rowan and Martin's Laugh In" fame...SOBO and Cafe Pamplona. Although I have enjoyed Lisa's "Killer" fish tacos....despite a definite aversion to cilantro...you either hate it or love it...at the Long Beach Lodge and then SOBO, most of her fare never "worked" for us. However, Cafe Pamplona on the other hand has always been a good bet. Great food, usually interesting wine list and art. I think Bjorn the carver who had some of his work on the walls...long time Tofino resident....father used to be the lighthouse keeper...was at the Wick maybe before your time Chris. Really nice guy who knew the local history. Darn, maybe we'll have to come out in June after all. If not, see you for sure in the Fall...keep the updates coming.

Geo T: The 2002 vintage prompted a similar phenomenon in the stores where it has been stocked here in Western Canada, Alberta. Have not yet seen the 2003 vintage. The price here was/is a few dollars more expensive, in the range of $21 to $24 Cdn. I quite enjoyed it. It provides some competition for the Catena Malbec which is similarly priced. I believe the Catena product is 100% Malbec but I quite enjoy the additional berry fruit and admittedly "international" character or lack of "character" depending upon one's perspective, that the cab sauv, merlot and syrah afford the Clos de los Siete. Coop: I do not think the grape content is broken down on the back label but I was told as Geo T. indicated above, 40% Malbec, 20% cab sauv, 20% merlot and 20% syrah.

Daddy-A: Thank you for the review of La Gavroche. It is a spot that I have been meaning to try during one of my infrequent trips to Vancouver, but to date have not got to. Bill Spohn [a Vancouverite who I do not know except via the internet] peaks highly of it at an American wine website I frequent. Manuel in particular gets rave reviews for his class and hospitality...sorry, cannot shake the "Faulty Towers" connection whenever I hear that name..... The VQA wine pairings sounded delicious. I am glad the Tinhorn Creek "worked". Personally I prefer the cab franc from Sandhill and Poplar Grove but may give the Tinhorn Creek another try. I envy you folks out in "lotus land"...sounds like the DOV really works...except for the "no shows" that Neil commented on ...

Vancouver Lee: Too bad about Rouge. Seems surprising that one would advertise the duck as being flavoured with Kaffir lime but then have it come bland without any discernible influence from the lime leaves. Have to give you a "shot" about going to Hy's. You went to Hy's instead of Caesar's...shame on you! I have a "dinosaur" carnivore broker buddy who eats virtually only beef and he raves about the "old boy's club" fare at the latter. Know what you mean about the dated look of Hy's...the one here in Edmonton close to Sherlock Holmes' Pub and near the Westin is the same...Mitch Klimove has not changed the docor nor the food for years...and it REALLY needs a change in both areas.... I have enjoyed Teatro at lunch [prefer their "sister restaurant" River's] but have never had an impressive dinner but it certainly is a beautiful "physical plant". Someone else would have to be paying before you could get me back to Catch..at least upstairs in their dining room. Terrible experience from trying to make a reservation through service and wine...saving grace, one of the best appetizers I have ever had, tarte tatin topped with roasted sweetbreads and quail...one of the best courses I have ever had....too bad the bland, overpriced and disappointing Queen Charlottes' halibut did not even come close.... Look forward to reading your review if you get to Belvedere

LOL...then you may have thrown me out on a couple of occasions Steve...remember those big overstuffed chairs downstairs in the lounge...made one feel like you were in that Tom Hank's flic with everything so big... Henry Bachman...now there is a name from the past... Jack Fuller? Did he go to Calgary [bankers' Hall]or is he the Fuller brother with the Red Deer Earl's. Funny, I was just speaking with Brian Plunkett from Calgary last week about Noble having left Catch [never impressed with the fine dining room, poor service, overpriced, less than inspiring fish whether it was purportedly day boat catch or line caught, etc.] but did enjoy some meals in the oyster bar downstairs and the staff spoke highly of "chef" and his training] and wondering where he would end up...Earl's...that is interesting....excuse this Albertan's ignorance...hey, we do it for "King Ralph" virtually daily...but what is Paramount Place?

yes... the good ones become a concierge at least that is/was the case of those with the "gift of the gab" like our Chris/Tofino Nice to hear from you Chris

Have been chuckling at this post because I too [out here in Edmonton] have looked for commercially produced creme fraiche without success. We keep our house too cool for the yoghurt/sour cream/buttermilk recipes to work effectively. I did spy one container in a deli one time only to laugh when I got home...it was creme fraiche alright...fresh cream....as in fresh dairy cream suitable for serving over berries.....

I have been enjoying Michel Rolland's Clos de los Siete. A collaboration of 7 vineyards wth 40 % malbec and a 20/20/20 split of cab sauv, merlot and syrah I believe. On the strictly malbec front I like the mid-range one from Catena [$23 Cdn] and think that their Catena Alta Malbec is outstanding. However, at $61 Cdn it has priced itself into that "special occasion" niche, at least for me. Had a vigonier from St. Julia recommended to me. From Mendoza. An affordable decent sipper that I can see myself buying for next summer on the deck rather than southern French bottles that are comparably priced.

Now that's a coincidence Vancouver Lee...look forward to hearing how you made out at Rouge.

Thanks for the chuckle Neil. Loved the "can I speak to the owner...Ian..." reference. I know a local restauranteur named Carmelo. His son was managing one of the family's spots. He had much the same experience with someone trying to ingratiate himself when he could not get a table by referencing that he knew Carmelo. Maurizio replied that he knew Carmelo too since he was his father. Some people have chutzpah, not much common sense but a lot of chutzpah I wonder if you will need to do a follow-up Saturday nite. These can be the kind of folks who then try to bluff their way into the restaurant blaming the restaurant for "losing" their reso. Am enjoying "dining vicariously" off the DOV experiences of other posters...saving a lot of $ and calories but am sure missing out on some fun! Maybe I'll make it out to the one they are doing in Victoria next month

Gobstopper, as per usual, has hilighted some of the spots I might otherwise recommend in C-Town. From personal experience I can heartily recommend Divino as well as Muse. If you were going Italian I would head just over the river into Bridgeland and enjoy Il Sogno..expensive...extraordinary tastes..some of the best flavours I have had anywhere. Belvedere is consistently recommended by people in the industry. I dropped in and the staff could not have been more obliging when I indicated all that I wanted was a drink and a look at the menu and "physical plant". Very impressed by their attitude. An acquaintance who formerly owned his own restaurant in C-Town after obligatory stops in clubs and golf clubs and is now in another aspect of the trade heartily recommended Belvedere as well as La Chaumiere. Another "off the beaten track" recommendation he made was Rouge. Let us know where you end up.

Hard to argue with that list Steve. You are right about Vi's. I think Vivian sold that original location overlooking the Victoria golfcourse and then opened Vi's for Pie's on Stony Plain Rd.. Believe she has since sold the latter as well. The Armoury. Now that is a proverbial "blast from the past". When I first moved to Edmonton in '80 we would occasionally go there for dinner. It has since gone through many facelifts as a niteclub...Club Malibu, etc.. Bul-go-gi house has seen better days from recent reports. Better Korean fare to be had elsewhere but it is hard to argue with the price and the piece of Juicy Fruit gum [smile]. It was a hang out years ago when I could not afford another meal in the neighbourhood's other spot, Bernie Peck's [at that time] Red Ox Inn.

a few bottles of that sparking wine and you are likely to encounter the ghost of Frantisczek [sp?] who sadly died in the wee hours of the morning...in the restaurant I believe...a few years ago...he certainly could put away the sparkling wine...what was it? Kufenberg or something like that?

This is eerie. Your post was almost "exactly" what I was just about to write.

LOL...it certainly is. My first summer job was a table busser and waiter at a Montreal hotel/motel establishment. They would make bourguignon in large amounts and inevitably that was what the staff were offered...it took me a long time to get back to liking the "stuff". I remember telling the head chef to quit yelling at me and to his credit, he stopped, looked at me and replied, "Je cris pas, je parle fort" I think that it was that job that caused me to take more interest in and to have sympathy for those in the food service industry. We served a number of businessmen who were daily customers. Lots of multi-drink lunches that seemed to go on for hours and the like. I recollect thinking at times, "what a bunch of "@#$%oles" and then, years later, while sipping a nice glass of wine at my favourite spot downtown chuckling as I thought, "hey I have become one of them"...shame!

Garlic studded Cdn. rack of lamb served with roasted root vegetables and potatoes and minted peas. First bottle was a 1991 Eileen Hardy Shiraz that I had been saving. Should not have waited. Disappointing. Very soft tannins, not a lot of body nor nose. Nothing like I had remembered. I guess I have another reason to start drinking some of the older wines in the bsmt. as this one did not "age" well...at least for me. Second bottle. 2000 Macarini "DONALD" Langhe Rosso. Barbera d'Alba/Nebiolo? Not sure. Quite nice. Brawny red, garnet coloured with some dried fruit/raisins. Reminded me a little of ripasso/veneto on the finish. Finished off the nite with some "stinky" cheese [brie de meaux, St. Agur and others]and leftover holiday tarts and a bottle of Blue Mountains Brut Rose

For no particular reason other than the name begins with the letter "B" I went to Bis Moreno's $35 menu...I am envious [never mind it is 20 something below with flurries here]...I would be pleased to eat any of the multiple combinations...enjoy yourselves Vancouverites

Beckta gets a good review from the Globe & Mail's Ms. Kates in the most recent issue which can be accessed via their website. The bar in the Chateau Laurier does not fare as well. Good Xmas giggle. The bartender at the latter apparently was asked whether the mushy, thick fries that accompanied the burger were fresh or frozen. He replied frozen explaining that "fresh" potatoes were hard to come by in January and that they did not keep well...ok Have a merry Xmas everyone

Best waterfront restaurants in BC? Hmmm...well it will be no surprise to those of you here that "know" me that I am hopelessly biased in favour of Tofino...now if could only win that lotto.... As a result, without a doubt, my first choice would be the Wickininnish Inn's Pointe. Good weather, bad weather, breakfast, lunch or early evening prior to or during the sunset before darkness falls...breathtaking views and sounds [especially with the new system that was being installed during our visit in the Fall]...and after some "sliding" the food has improved as well...excellent wine list...knowledgeable staff...no "attitude"...again, I'll keep buying those lotto tickets... Just down the coast past Rosie's Bay you then have the Long Beach Lodge Resort...different look than the Wick's Chesterman Beach views...waves rolling toward you from Cox Bay...food?...can be "spotty"...wine?...first place I had Note Bene by the glass... Have not been in years as we usually venture west in the Fall after it has closed for the season but we did enjoy the fare and spectacular views afforded Wickaninnish Beach from the restaurant in the Parks Canada interpretative centre. Remember vividly watching an eagle dive into the surf and then, in effect, "swim" to a rock where it pulled the catch clutched in its talons and had dinner while the human diners rushed to the balcony or closest windows. Not exactly waterfront but with a spectacular water related view...The Aerie...only were there the one time during a visit to Victoria after being in Tofino...met current poster and former Edmontonian James Kendall [missed you at the JPL in the Spring James...I commented to my wife that there were a lot of good Cdn. wines in the revised wine list with a surprising number of hard to find ones like Venturi-Schulze and then I spied your name...maybe we'll see you in a few months when we have to get away from an Albertan winter despite the '82 Petrus flowing from our faucets]...outstanding food, nice bottle of striped label Blue Mountain pinot gris...sat and relaxed and enjoyed the sky constantly changing with different shades of pastel over the fjord below...only drawback, driving my way back down the Malahat in the inky black darkness... In Victoria we have enjoyed the food, wine and marina views from the Coast Hotel's restaurant..the Blue Crab I think....nice ales out on the Spinnaker's balcony watching the seaplanes land on the inner harbour....glasses of wine from one of Canoe's upper windows which provides you with a view of the water taxi's "beetling" up and back down the Gorge....lamented loss, great food and views of the inner harbour from Rebecca's which used to be our favourite spot...since replaced by D'Arcy McGee's. North and West Van...The Beach House at Dundarave Pier...sippin' some wine and enjoying ourselves why wondering...why do all those gortex and sunglassed wearing runners look so miserable when they are living in paradise? Mortgages? The absence of faucets flowing with '82 Petrus? What about the Salmon House?..see that it is listed at Waiterblog...it is probably more than 15 years since we were last up Folkestone Way...remember thinking to myself that this was going to be a "tourist trap"...pleasantly surprised...great views provided by the tiered seating of Vancouver in the distance through the summer heat haze...a lot of Cdn wines [a good thing in my case]...alder smoked salmon. Those would be some of this Albertan's suggestions....now have to head off to the office...nothing like a showerhead of '82 Petrus to get one in the right mood before the Xmas break Have a good one all you eGullet'ers

jayt90: That might have been my post mentioned. The d'Arenberg Laughing Magpie being released at approx. $26 in Ontario whereas it is selling for between $41 and $46 or so out here [Edmonton] depending upon which private store one goes to. I inquired at one store which usually has the best prices in town and they were the lowest at $41+ and was told that thir wholesale price from the agent was in the area of the mid-$30. As a result the ON retail price is less that what the agent sells it to the stores in AB. I will keep my eyes open and look forward to hearing what you are able to "dig up". I am in wine stores usually once or twice a week and would be pleased to check on prices if you have particular wines in mind.