Closing Soon

[jamiemaw]

The Long Goodbye to a Downtown Dining Room

A decade ago, the Hotel Vancouver regained its architectural birthright. Spurred on by CP Hotels VP Michael Lambert (who invented the highly successful Griffin's all-day concept where the Spanish Grill once stood) and architect David Thom of IBI Group, the team set about revealing the once-elegant bones of the hotel's lobby and common areas.

It had been a brutalist renovation in the sixties, when Hilton Hotels had taken over management of the flagship property, that spurred them on. In the style of the day, Hilton had dropped the lobby ceilings and installed the Timber Club, a salute to beef, game and three-martini lunches, where the wooden charger plates of local timber barons hung on the walls. That dark and grim redesign hadn't aged well. No wonder Greenpeace started in Vancouver.

But in the mid-90s, Thom, Lambert, and Lambert's successor, John Williams, opened up the ceilings, patched and regilded the plasterwork, and behold, a star was born.

Well, make that a Stars. Because they also appointed Jeremiah Towers, the owner of the famous Stars in San Francisco (the first of the big box SF fine dining rooms) as a consultant. The team rebranded the dining room, installed a demonstration kitchen and handsome horseshoe bar, and glamoliers and other pretty glassworks. Oh yes, and a new menu, including his signature Tuna Tower, the epitome of California cuisine--light, refreshing, and occasionally local, even if the mid-90s meant more ahi than albacore. The dramatic new room was to be called 900 West, after the hotel's street address and, in the style of that day, an edgy salute to the roaring 90s.

At the press conference that launched the new restaurant and recast bar, Towers threw away the speaking points carefully crafted by CP PR-person Sue Kavanaugh and gave one of the most patronizing speeches ever heard in local culinary circles. Towers' resume was impressive, to be sure, with lengthy stints at Chez Panisse and the success--both critical and commercial--of Stars SF. But the collective eyeroll that day was chilling. There was a group cringe, as Towers announced, in so many words, how he would reinvent our local cuisine and show us hayseeds how to do it. Later, we bought Sue Kavanaugh a drink or three, and simplified her corporate acronym to CPR.

900 West, after a buzzy few months, struggled, often playing to quarter-full rooms or worse. And a year or so afterward, when the absentee Towers opened a new Stars in Seattle, 900 West was already hobbling. Towers' contract wasn't renewed, and despite management aiming the menu towards local, contemporary and seasonal under chefs like Dino Reinhart, still it couldn't gain traction. Meanwhile Griffin's and the adjacent lounge turned in all-star numbers. Despite the efforts of crack F&B director Edel Forristal (now at the Four Seasons Whistler), a nifty wine list that included instructional flights and strong PR push, it wallowed.

A couple of years ago, the now-Fairmont branded chain relaunched 900 West as a contemporary "sea and steakfood" house, replete with noirish logo. Same room, but with a simpler menu, focussed on Hotel Vancouver's executive chef Robert LeCrom's exacting relationships with beef and seafood suppliers. And, in a neat departure from tradition, the price of the meal, including starch and vegetables, was inclusive. Side dishes were well-made, from scalloped potatoes to housemade ketchup and excellent horseradish. The Angus prime rib was outstanding and for a minute the room became a bit of a media hangout, especially when CTV took over their nearby studio.

That's history now. Earlier this week, Fairmont quietly announced, like the demise of the Panorama Roof a few years ago, the closure of 900 West next week. Dysfunctional as a restaurant space, it now becomes, perhaps ironically, a private function space.

Shame.

Jamie

Edited September 26, 2004 by jamiemaw (log)

[Sam Salmon]

for a minute the room became a bit of a media hangout, especially when CTV took over their nearby studio.

←

As good a reason as any to avoid the place I'd say.

[Coop]

This is a very interesting story Jamie. Oddly enough I was paired up with a fellow named Franco Anglieso (spelling?) at the golf course on Saturday. As so often is the case on a beautiful day golfing talk gets around to work, food, wine etc. It turns out Franco had a managment position at the hotel during this time. His claim is that 900 West never did even 35% the covers that the Timber Club did.

It sure underwhelmed me the one time we ate there. The entree pricing was pretty spectacular though!

[Jerry_A]

My only memory of this place is from several years ago. I was attending our companies annual Christmas party at the Hotel Vancouver and just moments before the inevitable drunken escapades and debauchery began (cursing at and calling our CEO names, passing out on the dance floor, smashing the ice sculpture on the ground, you know, the usual) I slipped away for the safe confines of 900 West for a dinner with my fiancee. I remember adequate food, average wine, great coffee, and spectacular company. The food never warranted a return visit, but after just celebrating our third wedding anniversary the place still holds a special spot in my heart...just not in my stomach.

[barolo]

I remember having pheasant at the Timber Club in the early 70's when I was a student. It is all easy to laugh at now, but it was my first "fancy" restaurant experience and I still have fond memories of the Hotel Vancouver from those days.

[paul mitchell]

I can just see Tower gallavanting around the dark empty room with one of his young Thai boyfriends - I heard some interesting stories of 900 West from my Chef who was a part of that opening team.

Edited September 28, 2004 by paul mitchell (log)

[shelora]

That was a wonderful obituary, Jamie.

S