EnRoute Magazine Best New Restaurants in Canada

[eatbc]

Enroute Magazine's Best New Restaurants in Canada 2004:

1. Ristoronte Bronte, Montreal

2. Restaurant L'Utopie, Quebec

3. Cru Restaurant, Vancouver

4. Perigee, Toronto

5. Arbutus Grille & Wine Bar, Brentwood Bay, BC

6. Feenie's, Vancouver

7. Aix Cuisine du Terroir, Montreal

8. Aurora Bistro, Vancouver

9. Bu, Montreal

10. Jane's on The Common, Halifax

[Daddy-A]

OMG!! Jamie got scooped!

6. Feenie's, Vancouver

Feenie's? Really? I mean it's good and all. But top 10? Maybe if I had the benefit of trying every new restaurant in Canada last year (pause while I dream) for comparison. Then again, I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would take it's place.

A.

[Coop]

Only one from Toronto! I smell a western bias. First Celine Dion at YVR, now this.

My congrats to the people at Cru, very deserving.

[shelora]

Arbutus Grille and Wine Bar??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't even speak. That is so pathetic. I have to go breath into a paper bag for a while.

Life is so unfair.

[Coop]

So shelora please elaborate. Does the place blow?

[shelora]

I'm much calmer now that I've had a gin martini. Okay, first of all the poll is pretty much one person's opinion.

Secondly, unless a restaurant has a super solid system, consistency and concept, I think these sorts of polls are misleading and can be unfair to a new restaurant finding their way.

The Arbutus has gone through so many changes of kitchen staff and front of house, that it is very hard to say what is going on there now. I just hope to God they are working out the kinks.

For me, personally, I really don't like teensie weensie food on giant plates with a little smear of some reduction that probably was great if we only had a BIT MORE OF IT! Having had a multiple course dinner out there in the summer, we all got so drunk between the teensie weensie courses, that we were practically begging for bread. What did we eat? Who can remember! Three hours later we wanted to send out for pizza.

The other time I went there, on the pub side (I guess that is where the "grille" comes in), waiters were walking around with plates of food, calling out, "Table one, table one". No hostess had been hired at that point to seat people and it was a nightmare.

Even before the Arbutus was open, it was already being voted best wine list, five star accommodation. I'm very suspicious about those kinds of kudos before opening.

Perhaps the poll could be - best new restaurant with the stipulation of having been open one year.

On the other hand some people like teensie weensie food on small plates with a smear of sauce and can hold their liquor between courses. Or maybe they just take a lot of notes.

s

[Daddy-A]

I'm much calmer now that I've had a gin martini.

Minor issue here ... all martinis are gin. Everything else is a cocktail.

Now, onto the subject at hand ...

On the other hand some people like teensie weensie food on small plates with a smear of sauce and can hold their liquor between courses. Or maybe they just take a lot of notes.

I think those people you speak of live in Montreal

Does anyone know what the criteria is for making this list? If Chambar is any indication, you need at least a year to get your act together.

A.

[merlin]

Have to chuckle as this topic always generates discussion.

Just head over to the Montreal list and scroll back to when last year's announcement was made. The indignation and sputtering that some "canteen" i.e Lisa Ahier's SOBO in Tofino, had been listed as one of the 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada by Amy Rosen was something to behold [smile].

Looks like the Montrealers got their share, fair or otherwise, of the selections this year.

Agree with Coop with his congrats to Cru...nice spot. However, please, please do not mention Celine Dion here...it will ruin my appetite. I have enough trouble with those nauseous Air Canada ads...mind you at least with domestic flights it is probably better to avoid AC's food.

Just back from a couple of weeks on Vancouver Island. Did not get to the Arbutus Grille and Wine Bar but from what I had heard, Shelora has not exaggerated. Did however enjoy Glow World Cuisine in Nanaimo, the Wick and Shelter in Tofino and old time favourites and still darn good spots, Brasserie L'Ecole, Cafe Brio and Zambri's in Victoria.

Only 11 more months to our next trip back out to "paradise" to use Tofino's term.

[Keith Talent]

Thanks for clearing up the Martini thing Daddy, (screw it, I`m not calling you Daddy, the last thing I need is you coming up to me like a drunken Yankee fan all night saying ``who`s your DaddyÉ`

It`s a pet peeve with me too. Martini = Plenty of cold gin, and maybe some other stuff too. Martini`s, like cappuchino and cheesecake don`t come in flavours. Martinis come in gin flavour and that`s all.

(Edit. Don`t ask what all the weird formatting is about, my computer, like the American electorate, seems to have gone insane.)

Edited November 3, 2004 by Keith Talent (log)

[chromedome]

Nice to see a restaurant from the Forgotten Coast make the list. Unfortunately it's opened since I left, so I won't get to eat there for some time.

[Daddy-A]

Anybody (Coop??? ) find it odd that Parkside didn't make this list?

A.

[Coop]

I thought Cru and Parkside should have been on last years list. Perhaps Leslie Chesterman may be the one to ask. She is a regular participant on the other Canadian boards.

[jamiemaw]

I thought Cru and Parkside should have been on last years list. Perhaps Leslie Chesterman may be the one to ask. She is a regular participant on the other Canadian boards.

←

According to enRoute's protocol Cru and Parkside qualified for this year's list, and were duly nominated by the local panel. But only Cru made it through the gauntlet. The reviewer, Chris Johns, maintains that he ate at Parkside twice to make sure he got it right--but to no avail. In my opinion, he must have had two very off nights, something I have yet to experience at Parkside.

Jamie