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Dine Out Vancouver - The Topic (2008-)


Dining Diva

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Alexandra Gill has identified a couple of non-DOV deals in today's Globe:

Some restaurants choose not to participate in Dine Out Vancouver, yet still offer great deals. At Lumière, for instance, the three-course prix fixe meal, regularly priced at $98, is being featured for only $58 until the end of January. Also this month, Cibo Trattoria is extending its $38 pre-theatre menu, normally only available from 5 to 6:30 p.m., all evening

Cheers,

Anne

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Because my new project at MonBella Bistoria is so new, it is probably good that I am not going to have the massive flood of customers in a week - I am still trying to figure out where to store the spatulas, pans and inserts.

I am interested in feedback; I am leaning towards being the 'alternative' to Dine-Out Vancouver. A place that locals and restaurant guests can go and escape the volumes.

Hey Chef Fowke,

We just had an excellent meal at Mon Bella, I was very impressed with your French No Dine-out menu. Your Tuesday Tasting menu looks interesting as well, I'll probably swing by next week to try your Italian No Dine-out menu next week with a another set of friends.

Thanks! :biggrin:

Edited by stoked (log)
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Because my new project at MonBella Bistoria is so new, it is probably good that I am not going to have the massive flood of customers in a week - I am still trying to figure out where to store the spatulas, pans and inserts.

I am interested in feedback; I am leaning towards being the 'alternative' to Dine-Out Vancouver. A place that locals and restaurant guests can go and escape the volumes.

Hey Chef Fowke,

We just had an excellent meal at Mon Bella, I was very impressed with your French No Dine-out menu. Your Tuesday Tasting menu looks interesting as well, I'll probably swing by next week to try your Italian No Dine-out menu next week with a another set of friends.

Thanks! :biggrin:

GREAT!

...were you the table of five or the ten (the two tables that had the prix fix!)

And I guarantee the Italian menu is better. I am very comfortable with French; I really had to work the Italian menu - and in the end it is going to be the stronger of the two.

More exciting is - we are going to do a best of in a week; taking the best of both menus and running it for a week at $38. Now that is going to be a great week to visit.

Chef/Owner/Teacher

Website: Chef Fowke dot com

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GREAT!

...were you the table of five or the ten (the two tables that had the prix fix!)

And I guarantee the Italian menu is better. I am very comfortable with French; I really had to work the Italian menu - and in the end it is going to be the stronger of the two.

More exciting is - we are going to do a best of in a week; taking the best of both menus and running it for a week at $38. Now that is going to be a great week to visit.

We were the table of 5, we`ll definitely have to come by in the next 2 weeks then. Geez, so much for new years`resolution for keeping off the pounds! Thanks again for a great meal!

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GREAT!

...were you the table of five or the ten (the two tables that had the prix fix!)

And I guarantee the Italian menu is better. I am very comfortable with French; I really had to work the Italian menu - and in the end it is going to be the stronger of the two.

More exciting is - we are going to do a best of in a week; taking the best of both menus and running it for a week at $38. Now that is going to be a great week to visit.

We were the table of 5, we`ll definitely have to come by in the next 2 weeks then. Geez, so much for new years`resolution for keeping off the pounds! Thanks again for a great meal!

Okay - you were the good looking group on the banquet!! (that banquet is the original Lumiere banquet - as are the chairs in Mon Bella - Brad bought all the seating and tables from Lumiere when Rob Feenie left).

Next time you are in....Please say hello so I can come out and chat.

Chef/Owner/Teacher

Website: Chef Fowke dot com

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Went to Rex Grill on Monday and had a great time with their table d'hote/dine out. Terrific beef carpaccio and the prime rib was great as usual. Been there 5 times and had a great time every time.

Brian, I'll be at Mon Bella on Saturday for my birthday party - looking forward to trying things out.

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We have decided to offer our Dine Out menu for the entire month of February, including Valentines Day.

We may not exactly be the most romantic setting, but the food's great( I'm obviously very unbiased on that appraisal), and the $18 price point for a 3 course dinner on Valentines Day is pretty hard to find.

Alex Rotherham

Executive Chef

Darby's Pub

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Parkside, as usual, does it up right.

I have become one to avoid dine-out but there are days one needs or wants to eat out and when a good restaurant does dine-out right, and reservations are available, one has to jump at the chance.

Last night I found myself at Parkside with several dining companions. We had a relaxed and wonderful meal with excellent food and service to match. I could go on and on, but the thing to note is that if an event like Dine-Out is to be successful, part of the success is to attract customers who will then want to come back to your establishment. Well, that is how it is for me - I am looking for food that I would not normally cook at home, and when I go out, I want to be made to feel comfortable so that I can enjoy myself.

Thanks to the team at Parkside who show professionalism in doing it right, and for making another enjoyable evening for me and the clan I had in tow!

Note to self, put dining dollars towards Parkside!

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I made it to Mon Bella at the tail end of DineOut (last Saturday) and we caught their "best of" menu and it was a hell of a deal. Five courses for $38 had me prepared for a "tasting menu" but we got five serious courses, and every one was excellent. I'll be back this weekend.

For the curious, the meal was the Italy menu, with the 3rd course substituted with the French alternative (spot prawns Nicoise).

Ribollita Soup

This was a bit of an inspiration. I assumed cabbage and cannellini bean soup would be passable at best, which was obviously a bit of prejudice coming through. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to imitate this soup cause it was that good. Extremely hearty and spice-heavy but well-balanced, and the cannellini beans really made it - they were cooked perfectly, just barely al dente. But is it standard veal broth that made it this good, or perhaps leftover juices from the tongue?

Spot Prawn Nicoise

I just tore into this, I have to confess. When I saw spot prawns on my plate complete with shell, I decided I had no choice but to eat them whole. If only the heads were there, too. Again perfectly cooked, and the Pemberton potatoes lifted what would have been a pretty standard salad up into the realm of the memorable.

Polpo alla Griglia con Limone

If you have octopus on your menu you can do no wrong, IMO. This was, in fact, several baby octopi (octopuses?), lightly grilled, served with an extremely rich tomato sauce. Somehow it tasted like porterhouse steak.

Lingua Brasata

I have become jaded to the tricks of sous vide, and I assume it took days to make the tongue that appeared on my plate fork-tender. I'm buying tongues next time I'm at T&T. What really made this dish, however, was the use of warm cucumber in a tomato sauce, which paired well with the slightly organ-y flavour of the tongue, highlighting rather than suffocating it. Pemberton potatoes made a second appearance here, and nobody complained.

At this point, Brad brought us a bottle of sparkling Italian Muscat, which was a real treat. I have to mention that the service all night was outstanding, and this was just a small example. Brad picked up on our interest in actually eating their food and was happy to engage us and answer our questions. Must have been on red alert since we booked through OpenTable, you know you have food nerds on your hand when that happens, eh? And Mr. Fowke was visible at the pass all night, toiling away. We dared not interrupt him. ;)

Tiramisu

Easily the best tiramisu I've had. There is a galaxy of mediocre tiramisu out there, and this was a welcome departure and a good end to the night. (With an espresso, of course.)

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  • 1 month later...
would like your suggestions please...

what are the top BC bubblies?  and which oyster house in YVR actually has any of the top 3?

and of course the price, if possible.  cheers.

I might suggest a Blue Mountain Rose' 2004 or even Sumac Ridge Stellar Jay Brut and the only place I think that you could find them with oysters in Van is the Blue Water Cafe or possibly Joe Forte's. Don't even consider Rodney's.

"Why then, the world is mine oyster, which I with sword, shall open."

William Shakespeare-The Merry Wives of Windsor

"An oyster is a French Kiss that goes all the way." Rodney Clark

"Oyster shuckers are the rock stars of the shellfish industry." Jason Woodside

"Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster."

Eleanor Clark

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Joe Fortes it is!  i'm going gorge on oysters and sashimi and wash it all down with Stella Jay.

thanks Oyster Guy in Whistler.  i've just checked out some oyster places' sites and thought i'd give JF a go

cheers

Sit at the oyster bar and say hi to Oyster Bob for me...........

Glad I could help.

"Why then, the world is mine oyster, which I with sword, shall open."

William Shakespeare-The Merry Wives of Windsor

"An oyster is a French Kiss that goes all the way." Rodney Clark

"Oyster shuckers are the rock stars of the shellfish industry." Jason Woodside

"Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster."

Eleanor Clark

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  • 1 year later...

This year there will be 207 restaurants offering prix-fixe menus at $18, $28, or $38 per person. Menus will be posted on April 19th.

Do they normally post the restaurants at the same time or before?

健啖家(kentan-ka):A hearty eater

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

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cool idea - Dine Out Vancouver Tasty Tours and Edible Eats. I quote:

"New for Dine Out Vancouver 2010 are a variety of culinary classes, tasty tours and edible events. Starting in advance of Dine Out Vancouver on April 22 and running until May 6 there are some 40 different daytime culinary events being offered, starting at just $20."

The Edible BC Chef-Guided Granville Island Market Tour sounds particularly awesome.

健啖家(kentan-ka):A hearty eater

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

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