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barolo

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Our tourism marketing folks must be working hard as I’ve been seeing various mentions in major magazines in the past few months.

On the non-food and travel magazine front, I read a feature on Vancouver in the February DWELL

Its mostly about Vancouver’s rather pathetic architecture:

And since housing has become homogenized in Vancouver, every unit is identical. It’s a formula for making money. There are so many people coming to Vancouver right now that the developers feel there’s no reason to have discriminating taste.

Two restaurants got a mention though:

Vij’s and Salt:

There’s a restaurant called Salt Tasting Room, one block over from Inform. You have to walk through a cobblestone alley called Blood Alley to get there; it might have gotten that name because there was crazy gang warfare there in the 1800s. Since then, it’s become a rough alley with heroin use. But then Salt put in a great wine and tasting bar. And you’re sitting there having a glass of wine, eating honeycomb from the Okanagan Valley, and some cured meats from Spain, and right across the glass from you, someone is shooting up—it’s this completely insane juxtaposition. It’s shocking gentrification on one hand, and on the other hand, a feeling that this is how a city grows.

In a recent Gourmet Jamie Oliver declared that his two favourite Vancouver restaurants were Vij’s and Tojo’s.

And the April Gourmet has a story on Whistler, commenting once again on the rather pathetic architecture but praising Araxi, Bearfood Bistro, Rimrock Café and Ciao-Thyme Bistro, as well as the skiing.

Cheers,

Anne

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We may have great food here but our architecture does indeed suck compared to other world cities. There was a good review of the Vancouver food scene in Waitrose's Food Illustrated (UK) last year that also mentioned Vij's, tojo's, and "C" as our culinary high notes.

Stephen

"who needs a wine list when you can get pissed on dessert" Gordon Ramsey Kitchen Nightmares 2005

MY BLOG

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  • 2 weeks later...

There's a feature on Vancouver in the April 2007 National Geographic Traveler. Vancouver local Stephen Wong features Legendary Noodle, West, Raincity Grill, Tojo's, Sakae, Toshi, Sha Lin Noodle House, Kintaro, Kwong Chow, Sun Sui Wah, Kirin Seafood, Noou Mahal, Chutney Villa, Ashiana Tandoori and Zanzibar Cafe in the dining section.

Meanwhile another Vancouver local, Rhonda May, covers Vancouver dining for the April 2007 Food and Wine and highlights Feenies, Fuel, Gastropod, Salt Tasting Room, C, Memphis Blues, Vij's, West and Tojo's.

Shelora Sheldan writes about the Harris Green neighbourhood in the April 2007 enRoute feature on up and coming neighbourhoods. The Blue Fox Cafe, the Market on Yates, Zambri's, La Dolce Vita Deli & Cafe, Sally Bun, Moxie's and Cafe Brio are the "it" spots.

Amanda Ross does the same for SOMA (south Main) where JJ Bean, Crave, Habit Lounge and the Ukrainian Orthodox Centre monthly dinner get the nod along with various other hip, trendy and movie star-frequented shops.

Cheers,

Anne

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Gourmet Magazine's April edition has an article on Whister written by Jane Daniels Lear. Within its "Eating There" component it features some well known names like Araxi, Bearfoot Bistro and Rimrock Cafe along with Ciao-Thyme Bistro...so "cute" it makes me wince.......

Meanwhile Jamie Maw....now, perhaps I understand why this site has been relatively devoid of "Maw-isms" for the past while...writes about Vancouver and its Destinations Izakayas in the April issue of Wine & Spirits. Others write about their popularity in New York City and the Bay Area.

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  • 4 months later...

Back in August both City Food and Urban Diner noted the Times Online story on Vancouver by Nick Wyke: Canada's new food frontier

Canada's new food frontier

Nick Wyke savours bison steak, artisan sake, and fine wines in Vancouver and Whistler, and food as good as the scenery on a train in British Columbia

I thought this article read like Nick cut and paste the whole thing from the literature provided to him by the tourism marketing folks who hosted him.

In contrast, the blogger at Orangette in Seattle writes of her honeymoon on Vancouver Island with only Saveur as a guide, it seems:

Then I saw an article in Saveur - it was last September’s issue, I think - about Vancouver Island, a long strip of land off the coast of British Columbia. Apparently, we could find mushroom foragers there, and a farmhouse bed-and-breakfast, and even water buffalo. Needless to say, we were smitten. It felt a little silly to honeymoon so close to home, but it sounded just right. Plus, it might be nearby, but neither of us had been there, and anyway, it’s hard to think of a better place to be in August than the Pacific Northwest. So we made our reservations, and on July 31, two days after the wedding - just enough time, you know, for doing our laundry - we boarded the Victoria Clipper, and away we went.

She likes the beer at Spinnakers, not so much the food, loves SOBO and the water buffalo.

Cheers,

Anne

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Over at the Urban Diner forum I picked up this story on Main Street in today's New York Times.

Noodles, bagels and coffeehouse fare are quick-bite options, but lots of South Main cuisine is worth lingering over. Aurora Bistro's presentations are so photogenic that you hate to shatter them with your fork (2420 Main, at Eighth Avenue; 604-873-9944; www.aurorabistro.ca). The Queen Charlotte halibut, for instance, is expertly roasted and jazzed up with vibrant carrot jus (25 Canadian dollars).

Habit Lounge (No. 2610; 604-877-8582; www.habitlounge.ca) glows with persimmon shades and autumnal décor, and its carrot and brie pirogis (11 Canadian dollars) and other small plates are for sharing. Hefty portions and petrified branches erupting from the walls are Locus Cafe signatures (No. 4121, at King Edward Avenue; 604-708-4121; www.locusonmain.com).

Cheers,

Anne

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  • 1 month later...

Vij's Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine will soon be in the New York Public Library:

... Recently, however, I've discovered what may now be my favorite recipe of the them all. It's from Vij's Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine which comes from Vij's Restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. It's wonderfully rich, extremely easy, and very flexible. I've made it as is, and I've also added fried eggplant which was amazing.* Other worthwhile dishes in this book include the Lamb in Buttermilk Curry and the Seared Striped Bass in Sour Cream Curry, but I plan to try them all. Unfortunately the Library does not own this cookbook...yet

From Cooked Books

Cheers,

Anne

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  • 1 year later...

Alan Richman, in his usual sardonic style, comments on Vancouver in the August 2009 Bon Appetit:

Nobody in this southwest Canadian metropolis ever speaks badly of ingredients, unless the stuff comes from somewhere else. Vancouver is the heartland of every admirable (and sometimes infuriating) food cause you've ever encountered—local, sustainable, organic, and eco-gastronomical among them.

Read the full article here.

Cheers,

Anne

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Alan Richman, in his usual sardonic style, comments on Vancouver in the August 2009 Bon Appetit:
Nobody in this southwest Canadian metropolis ever speaks badly of ingredients, unless the stuff comes from somewhere else. Vancouver is the heartland of every admirable (and sometimes infuriating) food cause you've ever encountered—local, sustainable, organic, and eco-gastronomical among them.

Read the full article here.

Thanks for the link, barolo, I really enjoyed the article, especially his description of Thomas Haas :laugh: but I was surprised that there was no mention of John Bishop who seems to have been the first to embrace this type of sourcing here. I hope you don't mind if I post this link elsewhere with credit to you for finding it of course.

Edited by grayelf (log)
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  • 2 months later...

Vancouver just got a write-up in the New York Times from Matt Gross, the Frugal Traveler: Asian cuisine as diverse as Vancouver. He visited the following spots:

Argo Cafe

JapaDog

Vij's Rangoli

Cafe Gloucester

Ping's Cafe

Aree's Dawg House (the hot dog stand outside Future Shop on W. Bway)

Amato Gelato Cafe

Of course everyone has their favourite places for Asian cheap eats - I think in Matt's case he was going for the 'fusion' angle, hence his choices. For Asian cheap eats in general I would have recommended Congee Noodle House, New Town Bakery & Restaurant, any locations of the 'Guu' chain, a ramen joint (Motomachi Shokudo/Kintaro/Benkei/Menya), and even though it's in Burnaby, the Crystal Mall Food Court has an amazing selection of great food for the price you pay. Or I would have just pointed him to the great Vancouver Ethnic and Hole-in-the-wall Restaurant and Food Guide!

健啖家(kentan-ka):A hearty eater

He was a wise man who invented beer." - Plato

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Vij's Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine will soon be in the New York Public Library:

... Recently, however, I've discovered what may now be my favorite recipe of the them all. It's from Vij's Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine which comes from Vij's Restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. It's wonderfully rich, extremely easy, and very flexible. I've made it as is, and I've also added fried eggplant which was amazing.* Other worthwhile dishes in this book include the Lamb in Buttermilk Curry and the Seared Striped Bass in Sour Cream Curry, but I plan to try them all. Unfortunately the Library does not own this cookbook...yet

From Cooked Books

Does anyone know to which recipe this quote referred: "I've discovered what may now be my favorite recipe of them all."?

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Vancouver just got a write-up in the New York Times from Matt Gross, the Frugal Traveler: Asian cuisine as diverse as Vancouver. He visited the following spots:

Argo Cafe

JapaDog

Vij's Rangoli

Cafe Gloucester

Ping's Cafe

Aree's Dawg House (the hot dog stand outside Future Shop on W. Bway)

Amato Gelato Cafe

Of course everyone has their favourite places for Asian cheap eats - I think in Matt's case he was going for the 'fusion' angle, hence his choices. For Asian cheap eats in general I would have recommended Congee Noodle House, New Town Bakery & Restaurant, any locations of the 'Guu' chain, a ramen joint (Motomachi Shokudo/Kintaro/Benkei/Menya), and even though it's in Burnaby, the Crystal Mall Food Court has an amazing selection of great food for the price you pay. Or I would have just pointed him to the great Vancouver Ethnic and Hole-in-the-wall Restaurant and Food Guide!

I also wanted to mention Kolachy Co. for cheap eats - I just wish they'd be open later than 5pm!

健啖家(kentan-ka):A hearty eater

He was a wise man who invented beer." - Plato

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  • 3 months later...

That was more than a spank, but, she calls it as she sees it. It reads as though part way through the evening they may have discovered who she is( no charge for the drinks and free sweets) but, too late. Ball was dropped. Restaurants need to treat ALL folks better or they just stop showing up.

slowfood/slowwine

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've heard good things about Vij's, but just don't understand ist no reservations policy. I'm not travelling from W Van to stand in a que. It's a business model that works for casual dinning places like, dare I say it, White Spot, but high-end establishments - I just don't get it.

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Mia Stainsby reports that Conde Nast Traveler thinks we have the best Chinese Food in the world.

Canucklehead where are you? I want your take on this.

Gee, shucks. Can we take all the compliments?

First, The Economist tells us Vancouver is the world’s most livable city (2009 ranking) and now Conde Nast Traveler tells us in its February issue that we have the best Chinese food in the world.

Here's the link to Stainsby's story: Conde Nast Traveler magazine says Vancouver has best Chinese food in world

And here's the Conde Nast story: Canada wins Chinese Gold

Cheers,

Anne

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I don't like lining up either, but it seems like lots of Vancouverites do.

If you read Joanne Kates in last Saturday's Globe it sounds like Torontonians do too. That's how you know you are at a hip place, accordning to her.

I've heard good things about Vij's, but just don't understand ist no reservations policy. I'm not travelling from W Van to stand in a que. It's a business model that works for casual dinning places like, dare I say it, White Spot, but high-end establishments - I just don't get it.

Cheers,

Anne

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