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Andy Lynes Tours Vancouver & OK Valley


jamiemaw

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Stovetop - I ate four or five dishes that night and I will describe them all once I have the menu to prompt my failing memory, but it was the two I have already mentioned that defined my reaction to the restaurant.

Robyn - there was plently to like about C and I hope that is reflected in my post. Equally I think I have been explicit about my reservations about the place.

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Day 3 Dinner cont. - Raincity Grill, Le Gavroche & 900 West

Prior to dinner part deux, there was time to make a couple of pit stops to check out 2 of Vancouver's most well established destinations. First up was another Kambolis production, Raincity Grill. The first thing that struck me about the place was the number of people eating indoors. True, that may have been due to limited number of patio seats, but it surely says something that diners simply didn’t go somewhere else or wait for a seat outside. I got the impression that The Grill is something of a social hub for the West End, it has the feeling of a well established, successful restaurant. Chatting to General Manager Brent Hayman at the bar, I learn that the restaurant opened in 1992, and was one of the first places to heavily feature local produce and wines.

Hayman tells me that 90% of his wine sales are BC. This strikes me as something of an achievement, given that Vancouverites still need to be persuaded about the quality of what is on their own door step combined with the perceived kudos afforded by ordering European wines (any feedback on that impression would be much appreciated). The restaurant's programme of 100 wines by the glass is no doubt partly responsible for the success in selling local wines and plays up to the commitment-phobic side of the city's customer base. Just as they would rather not decide too far in advance where they will eat, perhaps they'd rather not invest in a whole 75cl of just one wine.

Chef Sean Cousin's menu has a number of interesting aspects. It kicks off with a selection of 6 canapes served by the spoon, including Bison Sate and Duck Confit Potato Skin with apple and blue cheese. Cousin's is one of the few chefs in the city that I came across serving offal, and his appetizer of Carmelized Veal Sweetbreads, goat cheese, endive, toasted walnuts and cherry vinegar reduction sounded particularly enticing. Raincity was also the only place I visited that had Caribou Shank (another local product?) on its menu, which Cousin "apple braises" and serves with baby vegetables, pearl onion jus, and tarragon. Cheese are local and quite properly includes Poplar Grove Tiger Blue but surprisingly nothing from Carmelis (more about both later in this report).

Next up was Le Gavroche where we arrived just in time to observe the dinner rush. With a wine club to look after and most tables filled, owner Manuel Ferreira barely had time to acknowledge our presence. The team was getting well and truly slammed, which can only be good news for a 26 year old restaurant.

The converted townhouse has a lovely intimate, homely feel to it, quite different from anywhere else I experienced in the city, and terrific views of the harbour and mountains from the small first floor patio. The food is mostly classic French with a few anomalies like Caesar Salad, melon and ham and trio of albacore tuna thrown in for good measure. The big draw here however must be the wine list, with fine Burgundies going for as much as a third less than you might pay for them in the UK if my initial comparisons are anything to go by (more details and examples of which soon).

Final destination for the evening (that will be of interest to you anyway) was 900 West at the Fairmont Vancouver Hotel where I had transferred to from the Wedgie (say, or type, it enough times and it will be true). When I mentioned to someone (who shall remain nameless) in the city that I would be dining at 900 West their response was "Oh, I'm sorry". That's a little unfair, but understandable in a way. In a city with so many great dining options, 900 West might come some way down your list of priorities.

The room is huge and soulless, decorated in the way that only large corporations know how. It was also virtually empty with just 2 other tables out of maybe 25 in total occupied. Things got off to a bad start with a selection of appetizers including the "Signature Ahi Tuna Tower, layers of avocado, tuna tartare, yellow peppers and ponzu dressing". The only possible reason they can still be serving this disaster is because they paid Jeremiah Towers a shed load of money to design it for them. A dull idea, the ingredients were presented in hackneyed tower form and in all honesty did not appear to be the freshest I had encountered on my trip. The kindest thing to all concerned would be to quietly remove it from the menu.

Things picked up considerably with the slow roasted prime Alberta rib, carved table side by the chef. Cooked for about 20 hours and normally served in 18oz portions, this was beef to kill for. Gloriously buttery, meltingly tender and so delicious that despite being full, I couldn’t stop eating it. I found the veal jus served with it overpowering, I wanted to taste the meat, not the sauce. I would have preferred a simple thin gravy, but in all honestly, the meat stood by itself.

Dessert of crepe suzette prepared table side was another hit. An all time classic that I haven't had in years, it was a nice piece of theatre, flames and all, and wonderful to eat. Despite its shortcomings, I couldn’t help but like the place, however, entrees from the grill and gueridon work aside, a long hard look at the overall product is required.

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Hayman tells me that 90% of his wine sales are BC. This strikes me as something of an achievement, given that Vancouverites still need to be persuaded about the quality of what is on their own door step combined with the perceived kudos afforded by ordering European wines (any feedback on that impression would be much appreciated).

I can't speak for all Vancouverites (despite my best attempts) but in our wine cellar we have about 75% BC wines. There are 3 general rationals for this:

1) "Provincialism" We like to buy local to support the region

2) Simplicity. Given there are vast numbers of wine producing regions in the world, and that focussing on more than a couple would be an injustice to all of them, we have selected BC as one of those regions. We also have wines from Australian, California, and 2 or 3 others.

3) Cost. We ain't wealthy by any stretch, and the local stuff tends to be better value for the price.

Personally, I'm not all that concerned about "kudos" for the wines I order ... but I have received many upon ordering some of the better BC labels.

DA

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Thats interesting and very good to hear. The next time I visit Vancouver (and believe me, there will be a next time) a big plus for me will be to drink local wines of quality at relatively bargin prices and its an angle that I will be pushing in at least one of the print articles to come out of this trip.

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I was in Vancouver recently to eat for a week. I went to many of the restaurants that you visited and also loved Feenies, Lumiere and Barbra Jo's. I wonder, did you get to Vij's? It was an incredibly memorable Indian fusion dining experience. They have a nice website that does justice to the establishment: http://www.vijs.ca/index_in.htm

I found it to be one of my all time favorite dining experiences.

Jeni Britton

Jeni's Fresh Ice Creams

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Andy, most of the caribou served in western restaurants comes from our northern territory of Nunavut. Nunavut is 1,900,000 square kilometres in size and has only 29,000 people, so there is lots of room for caribou! At the restaurant where I work part-time, we serve caribou and muskox tenderloins from Nunavut producers.

Most of the bison comes from here in Alberta.

Nunavut website

Nunavut's Parks

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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Day 4 - Floata and Rangoli

I've only got myself to blame. I was warned not to go, several times. But it fitted conveniently into my schedule: I needed to go back to Chinatown, and I needed to do it early morning. Floata restaurant is in Chinatown and opens at some godforsaken time in the morning. The only drawback is that it serves some of the most mediocre dim sum I have ever encountered.

The barn like room on the second floor of a shopping mall on Keefer Street must hold around a 1000 people and makes for quite an impressive scene. Customers collect food from a table in a corner or from trolleys wheeled up and down the aisles. I spent $15.00 on enough food to feed a family of four and left nearly all of it. Plate after plate of steam prawn dumplings, spare ribs, hom sui gok, sesame rice dumplings and the like were pushed aside. The grey and unappetizing congee in particular was a travesty, but a useful comparison for the following morning's miraculous breakfast at the Congee Noodle House, more of which later.

It was fortunate I suppose that I had breakfasted so lightly as I had a lunch appointment with chef David Hawksworth at Rangoli. With a good 45 minutes I hand I referred to my street map and decided that 1480 West Eleventh was walk-able from Keefer Street and that it would put a nice edge on my appetite.

Now, you may not be aware but, in addition to my impeccable credentials as a food and drink writer, I am also an authority on matters of travel. I can therefore tell you with complete confidence, backed up by my first hand field studies, that Floata and Rangoli restaurants are precisely a-bloody-long-way-from each other and not-as-close-as-they-look-on-the-map. In addition, my research has revealed that West Eleventh is the Vancouver equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle for taxis, especially when you desperately need one.

Late for my appointment, sweating from the midday sun and feeling like a complete idiot, I was pathetically grateful to be greeted by the smiling face of Vikram Vij, offered glasses of both Chai (spiced, sweet Indian tea) and fresh lemon-ginger drink. I was also relieved to find that Chef Hawksworth was also late for our meeting, although the feeling didn’t last for long as I discovered that when we agreed to meet "at the restaurant" David had meant West while I had assumed he was thinking of Rangoli.

What this mix up did afford me was a short time to chat to Vikram and get a small insight to his way of doing business. Vij's opened in 1994 to some initial confusion from the punters. Upon finding that the usual suspects (chicken tikka masala et al) were not being offered, a few customers walked out. But Vij has patiently and successfully educated his dining public and now there are queues for a table at the restaurant.

Vij tells me that it's important to him that everyone is treated equally in his restaurants, which is why he refuses to take reservations. Its first come, first served for everyone, including local celebrities. Over the period of that one lunchtime, I notice that Vij is as good as his word and no one is singled out for special attention. We all get it.

Greeting customers, checking if they have any questions about the menu, answering the phone, waiting tables, sorting out a mini-crisis in the kitchen as a large order for Rangoli's take away range comes in and sitting for a while with David and I to explain the food (but not eating, he says he can never relax enough to eat in his own restaurants) Vij is the definition of the hands-on restaurateur. More than that, he is a force of nature.

Vij's kitchen is staffed entirely by women as he believes only they truly understand the complexities of the cuisine, that it is not something that can be taught quickly to just anyone. Perhaps this is one reason for his slow expansion (Rangoli was opned with in the last year), as it would appear that there is certainly a huge demand for what he produces. Apparently there are offers on the table to sell Rangoli's take away products via supermarkets. It will be interesting to see what comes of that as Vij strikes me as a man of great integrity and someone who would need 100% control and confidence in anything sold under his name.

And the food… yoghurt and garlic marinated Chicken Breast; local Portobello mushrooms and Red bell pepper curry in fenugreek cream curry; wild Salmon and potato cakes with bengali curry; lamb and saag; pork vindaloo (a dish made with vinegar:vind and potato:aloo and not the searingly hot curry sold to lager monsters in the UK); mint and mango chutney; naan and raita.

Although Rangoli is a very casual café with chairs and tables that would look more at home in my daughters infant school (and seems to say "don't hang around too long, there are all these other people waiting know"), what is served on the plate makes eating there a fine dining experience. This is food of exquisite and complex flavors, of subtly layered spices and delicious condiments. The breads are fantastic. Don't be fooled by the surroundings, this is serious cooking that is profoundly satisfying to eat.

I promised Vikram that I would drop by that night to see Vij's in full swing and maybe enjoy a beer and some snacks at his bar. Alas, the evening got away from me and I didn't make it. But is there is one thing that will bring me back to Vancouver (and there are many) it will be to eat at Vij's.

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Day 4 - Dinner Part One: Parkside

A walk back through South Granville and over the Granville bridge afforded great views of the city in a high wind and scorching sun providing me with an attractive all over red-raw look for the evening. A swift glass of Blue Mountain brut sitting at the bar in the Fairmont over freebie spicy fried chicken (a highly recommended pre-dinner activity by the way. It’s a grand and comfortable space with a terrific pianist and I'm told its where the city's movers and shakers come to do deals) before cabbing it down to Parkside for my first meal of the evening.

I should note at this point that 2 meals a night is neither good for the health, digestion or sanity, but was the unfortunate result of too many restaurants and too little time. Neither venue really gets the full attention it deserves and it provides for a slightly stressful, but still enjoyable and quite exciting evening. And this particular evening wasn't going to end for quite some time.

Now I should say straight up than when I arrived at the restaurant chef Andrey Durbach shook my hand and told me that he reads my articles on The Daily Gullet. (he didn't say that he liked them, just that he read them). I don't know why, but for some reason I liked the man on sight. Sometimes you just hit it off with people, its just one of those inexplicable things. I also immediately liked the restaurant, despite that fact that it couldn’t tell me that it reads my articles, but that's the kind of fair minded, evenhanded guy I am. Like Le Gavroche, Parkside offers Vancouver something a little different. The dining room has a very European feel to it, the dark- wooded interior gives it a sort of mature sophistication that you might more usually encounter in London or Paris.

Parkside's menu also has a more European feel to it than others I had seen up to that point, which is not surprising when you learn that chef Durbach has worked in the UK. It reminded me a little of London's Chez Bruce restaurant, where Durbach staged for a few weeks: terrine of duck, potato and foie gras with toasted brioche and spiced apple compote or crispy skin Cornish hen, sauce Colbert, sarladaise potatoes, fresh artichokes, peas and favas, could sit quite comfortably on a Bruce Poole menu.

We ate on the patio. Surrounded by shrubbery, you could almost imagine yourself in the grounds of an English stately home. It’s a lovely, peaceful spot, perhaps unique in the city, and a great place to dine, especially on food as good as a fine vitello tonnato or an excellent dish of fillet of halibut, wild mushroom jus, pearl onions and smoked bacon. I should say at this point that my dining companions were less enthusiastic than I was about the food, having experienced better on previous occasions, and we all agreed that roast duck with spiced yam puree, onion tarte tatin and fresh berry eau de vie sauce was a misconceived and poorly executed dish (which does not appear on the current menu).

You can drink very well here for very little money, certainly from a British visitors point of view. The wine list leads with "60 under 60" i.e. 60 bottles all priced less than $60 (approx. £25.00), and features younger wines from around the globe as well as decent showing from BC. A reserve and bin end list is mostly priced below $200 with a single bottle of Mouton Rothschild 1983 reaching the dizzy heights of $800 (£329.00 – to put that in context, a bottle of the '82 (a slightly better vintage) at London's The Square restaurant sells for £950.00).

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Day 4 Dinner Part Two - Tojo's

If there's one thing I'll always carry with me from my time in Vancouver, it will be the imprint of Tojo's right palm after he slapped me, very hard, on the back as we posed for a photo together at the shushi bar of his restaurant. That and the mental scars from the photos taken on his patio. If you dine at Tojo's (and particularly if you are a food writer) and he suggests a photo of the both of you together, run. Fake a heart attack, feint, start abusing his rich/important/powerful/famous customers. Do anything, but get the hell out of there before it's too late. You have been warned.

What can I tell you about Tojo? Well, not much that won't get me sued, or shot on sight the moment I step foot in BC again, so let's move onto the food shall we. You'll be surprised when you enter Tojo's restaurant. Not half as surprised as you will be if you foolishly allow him the opportunity to slap your back, but surprised nevertheless. Housed in what appears to be a shabby office block, the dining room is unprepossessing, although does benefit from stunning panoramic view of downtown Vancouver. But its all about the food here and Tojo's highly individual take on the art of sushi.

We ate a lot that night, a lot of spanking fresh snapper and tuna; a huge morel mushroom and a couple of courgette flowers stuffed with prawns and then deep fried; the famous BC roll (made from BBQ salmon skin and salmon); the Northern Lights roll of zucchini, prawn tempura, mango and avocado wrapped in cucumber. The dishes and the saki kept coming. It was a highly impressive display and no doubt deserves its reputation as one of the top sushi places in BC. I won't be going back as my aging mind and body can't stand that sort of abuse, but don't that stop you from experiencing a pretty extraordinary restaurant.

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Day 4/5 - Bin 941, Skybar, Congee Noodle House, White Spot

Bin 941's owner used to be in a punk band in the early 80's which maybe one reason why the place is so cramped, crowded and noisy. If you're looking for a more comfortable experience, why not try the mosh pit at a Metallica gig, or Oxford Circus tube station at 5.30pm on a Friday evening? I've had more relaxing times slam dancing in the front row of a Stupids gig than trying to drink a pint of beer in Bin 941. But people love the place. In fact they love it so much that they are willing to form an orderly queue by the toilets for the chance of a seat. It's a scene to be sure.

Final destination was to be Skybar, the trendy Downtown nightclub. The last time I went to a trendy night club was in 1980 (London's Heaven) and then it was only to see A Certain Ratio. I just don't do trendy. Unless of course I'm invited by 3 gorgeous women, then it just seems downright rude not to go along. Just to keep them company you understand. We blagged our way into the VIP room which was, well, a room with some seats and a bar and music was playing. Quite similar to the rest of Skybar really. I was deflated to find that the open air terrace was closed, as I had planned to dance myself silly until dawn. A crushing disappointment.

My last day in Vancouver began later than I'd planned and with a great deal more pain than I'd expected. Turns out that champagne, wine, saki and beer don’t mix. Who'd have thought it. Help was on hand however in the form of writer Nathan Fong (who had accompanied me to Tojo's the previous night) who whisked me down to the Congee Noodle House for a restorative breakfast of pearly white congee with sablefish and cilantro and noodles stuffed with savoury Chinese donut. This is the only hangover cure I have found that works, and fast.

More classic hangover food in the form of a terrific White Spot Triple 0 with fries and chocolate shake (thump: the sound of McDonalds/Burger King et al being well and truly knocked into a cocked hat) on the way to the airport and my Vancouver adventure was over. As I flew to the Okanagan, I repeated the official "isn’t Vancouver great, but don't go and tell everyone about it" mantra in my head:

"It rains 12 months of the year, the natives are not only somewhat surly but unattractive to boot and the food and wine sucks."

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Oh No! Didn't you try the food at Bin? It is worth the cramped quarters and loud music. Next time, try Cru as well, just a few blocks from West and Vijs, on Broadway off Granville. A favourite of local egulleters.

Thanks for your hugely entertaining account.

Can't wait to hear about the OK.

The sea was angry that day my friends... like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

George Costanza

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my aging mind and body can't stand that sort of abuse

:laugh::laugh:

Tojo's, Parkside, and 3 babes at Skybar. I hope you're not looking for any sympathy here Andy! That's the kind of abuse I could deal with.

Bring on the Okanagan!

DA

3 days until the Oregon Brewfest!

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Stovetop - I ate four or five dishes that night and I will describe  them all once I have the menu to prompt my failing memory, but it was the two I have already mentioned that defined my reaction to the restaurant.

Robyn - there was plently to like about C and I hope that is reflected in my post. Equally I think I have been explicit about my reservations about the place.

I was thinking. You didn't care for Tom Aikens as much as I did either. So it's probably a matter of personal preference. My husband's favorite restaurant in Vancouver last trip was Tojo's. That didn't quite "float my boat". I think my mind automatically downgrades a loud cramped place like Tojo's a notch - and upgrades a pretty lively patio at a place like C a notch. Of course - I'm talking about higher end restaurants price-wise. I don't expect anything in the way of atmosphere when I go to a BBQ joint. Robyn

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Oh No! Didn't you try the food at Bin?

No, they were trying to tempt me but I just couldn't. I now have some idea of what gavage feels like.

Thanks for your hugely entertaining account.

I'm very glad you have enjoyed it. I really had no intention of writing nearly 10,000 words about my trip, this was really only going to be a sort glorified aide memoire for me. But once I started, I felt that I wanted to do some sort of justice to the people I met and places I went.

Given that this has taken me a little longer than I planned, the OK Valley is going to have to wait until after I have met a few deadines, but I'll post again as soon as I can.

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Thank you Andy, for allowing us a glimpse of our own backyards through your eyes.

I was interviewing an Irishman names Peter O'Connor yesterday. He lives in Dublin but roams the world promoting Baileys Irish Cream whose sales are skyrocketing. Interestingly, and just like the fact there are Messrs. Haagen and Dazs, there was/is no Mr. or Ms. Bailey, despite a "signature" on each bottle. Perhaps that explains why there is no apostrophe in the name.

He pronounced the Wedgewood Hotel one of the very top properties he has ever stayed in. He was ecstatic, the way Irishmen can be. And I beleieve he became rather fond of the town as well--he took a glass of La Frenz on an oceanside terrace and asked why anyone would ever leave this place.

I'm looking forward to reading the OK Valley posts, and perhaps some more detailed thoughts about David Hawksworth's and Michael Knowlson's opinions on the differences between operating a restaurant in the UK and Canada.

Perhaps C is an acquired taste, a place that requires a few visits. I had one of the very best lunches of my life there last summer, and continue to enjoy the spirit, adventure and ethic of their program.

I posted a travelogue regarding a journey on the Orient Express. Although not completely food-centric, it mentions a number of London restaurants as well as the food aboard.

Hurry back friend.

Jamie

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Isn't the whole idea of Bin 941/2 to be cramped together - for instance I am a lanky six foot five and from time to time I get the chicks but the super hot ones are usually out of my range and pocketbook - but at Bin I am in there like swimwear with the lasses - so pushed up against their push up br-'s - it's like the Cecil but that much closer and yr munching confit instead of cheeseburgers.

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It has its market, that is who they serve, if you do not like it, then the next time do not go, there are not there to please everyone, well for that matter is any restaurant not there to please everyone, we in the business do chose our customer just as you the customer chooses the places you go, why is it that people need so much affirmation to go to a restaurant, do like most public pay your money take your chances, learn the hard way. I feel that a bad restaurant usually does not last, usually??

Cook To Live; Live To Cook
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Bin 941's owner used to be in a punk band in the early 80's which maybe one reason why the place is so cramped, crowded and noisy.

Hmmmm....

I was part of the punk scene in Vancouver in the early-mid 80's. Which band did Martin front? Anyone know?

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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Like any other city with a booming scene, in those days, there were a great many local bands who would not have become known elsewhere. And that's not counting the various ad-hoc side projects of established bands' members. Vancouver at that time had a lot of so-called "fuck bands" (because they were just "fucking around", you understand). I remember, for example, the Flunkees (punked up Monkees covers) and the Themester's Union (punked up retro TV themes) with great affection.

Popular local alt-rockers The Reptiles had a country incarnation called Tex Tiles and the True Moral Fibres of the South: they did old-school country tunes with a great deal of affection and something of a poke in the ribs. In their version of "Ring of Fire", for example, they pulled out kazoos to do the horn parts; their take on Jack Scott's "My True Love" was an outright spoof called "My Tree Love"...("I Cedar in the bar...she was obviously quite Poplar...").

====================================================

Okay, that was OT. But I did mention ribs.

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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  • 1 month later...

The main purpose of my visit to Vancouver and the Valley was to research a number of articles. I'm delighted to say that these are now begining to appear in the UK press. The first item to appear was my contribution to Restaurant Magazine's regular "Dictionary of a Gastronerd" feature. Great Britian now understands the meaning of the term "Tapatiser".

The same magazine publishes my interview with David Hawksworth on October 13 and will be printing "Big in Vancouver - Salmon Candy" at some point in the near future. "Overseas Viewpoint Vancouver" will also be published mid-October, this time in Square Meal Trade Brief - an industry only publication. My feature for Olive Magazine "20 Things to do in Vancouver" has been put back from the December 2004 issue to the June 2005 edition. In addition, I have two pieces about the Okanagan under consideration by several magazines.

I still have every intention of writing up my time in the Okanagan and will set about it very soon indeed, so stay tuned.

There is a slight possibility that I may be returning to Vancouver in early November, which I am very excitied about. What is certain is that Chef Hawsworth will be cooking for an invitied media audience in London in late November and I have been fortunate enough to be invitied along. I will certainly report on what should be a great night, and very probably a bit of an eye opener for UK food journalists.

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The main purpose of my visit to Vancouver and the Valley was to research a number of articles. I'm delighted to say that these are now begining to appear in the UK press.

<SNIP>

There is a slight possibility that I may be returning to Vancouver in early November, which I am very excitied about.

Great news Andy ... I'm sure the tourism industry here is very greatful.

Any chance your visit will coincide with our "Big NIght" event at Neil's place? We'd love to have you join us!

Arne

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There is a slight possibility that I may be returning to Vancouver in early November, which I am very excitied about. What is certain is that Chef Hawsworth will be cooking for an invitied media audience in London in late November and I have been fortunate enough to be invitied along. I will certainly report on what should be a great night, and very probably a bit of an eye opener for UK food journalists.

Andy,

Could you provide a little more information about the Hawksworth event in London? Sponsors, attendees etc?

And congratulations from all of us; to think that all of this was begun over cleansing ales in London at the beginning of the summer! And I echo Arne's invitation--we have quite a menu shaping up for our Big Night dinner--it would be a pleasant coincidence if you could join us!

Jamie

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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