Aurora Bistro - Vancouver

[Rover]

I understand this bistro opened during the last week of June. I've driven by and wondered... we need some bistro action in this area! The Chef, Jeff van Geest is apparently a former sous chef from Bishops.

1. Only BC wines are available here ... somewhat limiting

2. Quite a limited menu, especially for appetizers and starters

3. Great looking room, but music was too loud

4. Dessert Menu needs serious help

We skipped appetizers and,

I ordered the flank steak sandwich w/ frites and aoli (flank steak dressed with braised onions and tomates) ... very tasty.

We also ordered the bison stroganoff (came with house made noodles, we think) ... very flavourful.

We found glasses of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc to share with both.

There was absolutely nothing on the dessert menu even remotely tempting.

Chef Jeff emerged from the kitchen. There were three tables occupied in the restaurant. He greeted and brought sparkling wine for the first group (possibly friends?) passed our table and smarmed big time to the table next to us.

We caught some of the "text" which mainly seemed to deal with "out-Bishoping" John Bishop. Chef Jeff seemed to think he was beyond having to deal with high end food for high end people ... we're not quite sure where that was leading!

Chef Jeff stalked back to his kitchen ignoring us entirely. Chef Jeff apparently learned very little from the consumate host, John Bishop, during his tenure. Hospitality is John's middle name and charm may well have been invented by him.

Notwithstanding, the staff were friendly and welcoming and the room was comfortable, airy and pleasant. The Chef thing was really offputting and coloured the whole evening.

There are too many really good spots in Vancouver which have been doing it better and doing it longer - and, have good dessert menus, too.

Lucy Mae Brown and The Ordinary Cafe have nothing to worry about here.

We were seriously hoping for a dynomite bistro in the Main Street part of town. Maybe this one will get there and perhaps it's a little unfair to judge this soon in the life of the restaurant.

Rambling Rover!

[Fat Guy]

We really haven't given Bishop's enough play on eGullet. Perhaps we need a Bishop's thread.

[Rover]

It's interesting you raised that. Almost as a direct result of my Aurora dining experience I began thinking about Bishops. Haven't been back in many years and - Hey, I think it's time!

I'd love to hear from those who have been there recently.

Rover

[Fat Guy]

Rover: Go ahead and start a new topic on Bisop's, otherwise the discussion will get buried.

[Lounge Lizard]

Pardon the cheap plug for my friends but my Cru Restaurant thread is dying. If you have a chance Rover check them out. My inside scoop is that they have taken Rob Feenies sous-chef and Pastry chef. Im dying to know how they are doing and will not be able to see it for myself for a few weeks.

[Rover]

I saw that thread, LL - but I assumed they weren't open yet. Do you know if they're open for lunch? This town could use a few more interesting (quality) lunch spots. Let's see if we can keep up the interest for your friends' place "Cru" - we need some cutting edge experimenters with a reporting bent - go Vancouver, go!

Ramblin' Rover

["T"]

Rover:

I ate at Aurora last week and had almost the identical meal including the wines. My impressions of the the wine list were same as yours, built around price point and not quality. In fact the cab/franc was a poor example of a fine grape. The food was good but the Chef didn't come to our table either, even though he spoke to the table next to us. I'm not saying that the chef needs to hang out with every table in the room but, as you said, he didn't learn a thing about being a host even though John Bishop is perhaps the best in the city for that. It is early to start critisizing this place barely open one week but they better get their shit together because landlords and suppliers arn't the most patient when it comes to new businesses.

[Coop]

Rover: Sounds like the kind of place to avoid. I agree with you on John Bishop, I was a student at VVI when a chef named Ryan Mills ran the a la carte kitchen. He and John were old friends possibly from the Dorchester in London. John used to come in in the evenings and talk with us after service ask us about our plans after graduating and so on. One day about a year later he came up to me at Granville Island, asked me how I was doing and talked about produce. Why one of the citys brightest chefs would want to spend timne talking to a futureless commis like me was surprisisng, but enjoyable.

As for the all BC wine list, I don't know why Restaurant whores want to immediatly limit the amount of business they can attract. If the food and service was really good then maybe I would over look the BC wine thing and perhaps have a beer. I don't think from what I have read that is the case.

Anyone recomend some where for me and Mrs Coop to have a lunch on Saturday. Right now we are leaning to returning to West.

[Fat Guy]

Maybe someone wants to start a thread in General Topics regarding "working the room: meeting-the-chef/restaurateur."

[Fat Guy]

Right now we are leaning to returning to West.

It's not really possible to go wrong with that choice.

[Rover]

Coop, you might like to try The Ordinary Cafe at 1688 West 4th (Santa Fe old location). It's an intimate room a little on the funky side, extremely informal. The food is great and the staff aims to please. The wine list isn't massive but there's something for everyone without breaking the bank. They have an interesting and extremely reasonable early bird menu. This is a fun place to have dinner and might just loosely fall into the bistro category! 604.742.8386. The Chef is Dennis Huang.

Good Luck

[Coop]

Rover I have heard others say the same about the Ordinary. may give it a try. On the subject of that address what a grave yard. Anyone remember these tennants:

Coco's, The previously mentioned Sante Fe and The Sonoma Grill. Were there others?

[Feedme]

Hmmm, I had no complaints about my visit to this innovative eatery. My friend and I split a bunch of stuff just to get a sense of the menu. The zuccini blossoms stuffed with black smoked cod blew my mind, the pheasant stuffed with wild mushrooms and served with wilted greens and a port reduction was incredible, the vegan cabbage rolls stuffed with pastachios, dried cranberries, carmellized pecans (I think) and served on a wild pea shoot reduction was truly devine...the creme brulee was just how it oughta be.

Personally, I don't care if the Chef comes out and chats (I'm not fussed about whether the Chef can schmooze i.e., I've got a dinner companion to take care of conversation). Yes a varied wine list is nice to have but my god people this guy can cook, give him a break. I think this place deserves a fighting chance. In fact...I'm going there tonight to do my bit!

[M'd]

My most memorable dining experiences have always been those where I was NOT "schmoozed". ---Perfect service, perfect food, perfect wine, and perfect company! A beautiful room or a view helps too.

In a formal setting, with an "important" dining companion(s); I feel it would be completley classless and inappropriate for the Chef, or the Maitre 'd, or even the server to chat me up, or show boat at my table. Obviously if she/he is a friend of mine or of my dinner guest(s) that is one thing. And there are many other circumstances too, in which it would VERY appropriate or enjoyable to have the Chef address my table. But I do not beleive that we should be offended if the Chef doesn't come to our table just because he went to another table. Would that not defeat the purpose of making the "schmoozed" table feel special if the entire room received the same?

I am not saying that I dissrespect Mr. Bishop for his skills as a host.--far from it. I am just saying that I would not consider Aurora's chef in the wrong for not visiting every table in the house.

The food sounds awesome, and we are going to try it next week or so.

This week we are going to Cru again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

M'd

[young one]

May be time to give this place another try.

I've been hearing some good things on the street about this place. Van Geest is a young chef that is trying an interesting take on things and has a clear direction in mind.

There is room to grow which is great; any chef that thinks they know everything will become stale in their creative capacity VERY fast.

["T"]

I didn't find anything interesting or different at Aurora but I still wish the guy the best.

[gastropimp]

I've not got a vested interest in the place, let me begin by saying, but I find that Jeff's passion for our local food scene is strong and honest. I've enjoyed every meal I've had there, the brunch is inspired, and my wife (vegetarian) feels like there is choice for her as well. Where else could you get downtown dining with Main Street prices?

I think Aurora fits Main St. perfectly as a classy, edgy neighbourhood bistro in a neighbourhood that is edgy, artsy and quite up and coming. Jeff has the passion and vision to pick this location (arguably quite challenging,) and make it fly, quite stylishly. I admire his guts and determination. I will continue to return as often as I can.

[gourmetgal]

Bumping this one up again. Okay, so this place has been open for just over a year now. When it open, there were lots of mixed reviews. Has anyone been back recently? If so, what was your experience?

Tried going this past winter and wasn't able to get in, as their "wine guy/manager" said the wait would be about two hours. Just wondering if it would be worth trying again?

Cheers

["T"]

Since I live a few blocks away my wife and myself end up there quite a bit. The food is good, well presented but, the wine list still bugs me out.

Great sunday brunch.

[Daddy-A]

Just wanted to say "Congrats" to Jeff & Kurtis for the fantastic write up they received in The Straight! CLICK

Go back and read this thread from the beginning. Amazing what a little perserverance and a lot of talent can do eh?

A.

[fud]

Just wanted to say "Congrats" to Jeff & Kurtis for the fantastic write up they received in The Straight!  CLICK

Go back and read this thread from the beginning.  Amazing what a little perserverance and a lot of talent can do eh?

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That's a really glowing review! I recognize so many labels and now I know who stole the Nichol's bottles I was after when I was in the naramata bench!

I read a write up in - I think it was Exclamation - on Aurora. It was a blurb next to a blurb on Habit. Again another really positive writeup focussing on Jeff's fearless innovation. Pair these two reviews together and you get the bottom line:

"Excellent Innovative Food, Unsurpassed local BC wine selection"

Plus who can boast these things AND be like 1 block from an army surplus store?

[annanstee]

Interesting- I was really surprised to see the initial negative buzz on this place- I went there for the first time very recently, and thought both Jeff and Kurtis were very warm hosts. And given the local seasonal focus of the menu, the BC wine list makes total sense to me-and I would happily drink BC exclusively.

[chrisstearns]

Go back and read this thread from the beginning.  Amazing what a little perserverance and a lot of talent can do eh?

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Good write-up.

I think Kurtis's wine program deserves some attention -- not as one of the 'blockbuster' lists in the city (full of trophies we don't really want to order), but one that fits the concept of the restaurant perfectly, pairs with the food beautifully, and offers great value to boot. Complaints about the list being "small" are misguided; It's focussed, concise, and full of the best local stuff. What more do you need? I'd like to see more everyday restaurateurs build wine lists like Aurora's.

And Daddy-A, as for the negative posts early in the thread, I didn't see a lot of informed criticism there. What I saw was a lot of tiresome whining about a perceived snub. That said, your comment about perseverance is valid; Aurora has undeniably improved since it opened, and I'm sure it will continue to.

[jamiemaw]

Go back and read this thread from the beginning.  Amazing what a little perserverance and a lot of talent can do eh?

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Good write-up.

I think Kurtis's wine program deserves some attention -- not as one of the 'blockbuster' lists in the city (full of trophies we don't really want to order), but one that fits the concept of the restaurant perfectly, pairs with the food beautifully, and offers great value to boot. Complaints about the list being "small" are misguided; It's focussed, concise, and full of the best local stuff. What more do you need? I'd like to see more everyday restaurateurs build wine lists like Aurora's.

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Hear, hear all 'round, Chris.

Kurtis's 'Cellar' list now offers some wonderful vertical opportunities as well, with bottle flights of Kettle Valley pinot noir (99 - 01) and the ballbuster King Merlot 01 available; and Poplar Grove, Nota Bene (99 - 03), Fairview, BO, and Stag's Hollow.

These are much more than conversation pieces and I applaud KK's application of diligence to good taste - rather than an agent's list, with the detective work involved it reads more like a secret agent's list.

[chrisstearns]

rather than an agent's list, with the detective work involved it reads more like a secret agent's list.

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Was it the Township 007 that gave it away?