eG Foodblog: Daddy-A - Adventures in Lotus Land

[rjwong]

Pat and his family have been running Pappagallo for alomst 15 years now.  They were in a neighbouring strip mall until about 2 years ago when *$'s decided they wanted into the mall, and they forced Pat out.  Luckily Pat has made many many friends in the community and soon had a new space to lease.  The funny thing about it all is that the majority of Pat's regulars from the mall now make the trek across the street to his new location rather than support the Green machine.

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Ohhh, now I get it! It took me a while to figure out that sentence. Pappagallo instead of *$'s, ehh? Brilliant!!

[Pam R]

Daddy-A: Great blog so far!

I was in Vancouver for the first time on a business trip last November. I wish I had been more aware of eG and all you Vancouver egulleters then... I've missed out on so much! I'm taking notes for the next trip.

Thanks.

[Daddy-A]

We live in northern half of Burnaby, cleverly referred to as North Burnaby For those interested in universities, Simon Fraser University is near us. The shopping district is called The Heights, and features shops that have been around since the 1940's. My grandmother used to take me up to The Valley Bakery as a kid. It was bread for her and for cookies for me!

Two of our regular shopping haunts. La Salza, if you're ever in town, is run by a family from El Salvador. They make the best home made salsas, pepusas, pesole, tamales. Service is not always "quick" but the food is fresh and the people are friendly.

A couple doors down is The Pear Tree, one of the finest restaurants in the lower mainland. Chef Scott Jaeger is representing Canada at the 2006(?) Bocus d'Or competition. Unfortunately for us, it wasn't in the blogging cards this week. But if you find yourself in Vancouver, PM me for the details. The Pear Tree is worth the cab ride from downtown!

I've saved the best for last:

Cioffi's Meat Market & Deli. A good old fashioned Italian deli complete with narrow aisles, cured meats hanging from the ceiling, and soccer posters! North Burnaby has a very high percentage of Italian families, so the selection has to be good.

The picture on the left is the cooler with all the parm reg, bocconcini, and other cheeses that don't fit at the deli counter. On the right is the oil and vinegar selection.

The butcher here is another highlight. An great selection and a bunch of guys with knives who know a thing or two about meat.

Those are two pieces of pork shoulder I will be smoking on Saturday. My first attempt at real barbecue and you're coming along for the ride In addition to the pork, I picked up some cured brisket from Neil yesterday. Meat anyone?

I also picked up a few deli items for "J" and I to have tomorrow night ... grilled artichoke hearts, eggplant & tapenade. Friday night is our cocktail evening ... but tomorrow is something a little special. The Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival has been running this week, and we're attending the LARGE festical tasting, as well as a dinner later tomorrow night. We've booked a room at The Pan Pacific Hotel so there will be no DUI ... just lots of tasting! Swirl, spit ... swirl, spit ...

This was my coffee break on the way into the office:

Thanks to Kew & Tepee for the inspiration!

A.

[Dejah]

How about some Tim Horton's or Timbits, eh?

Love that oil and vinegar section.

[mizducky]

Heh. As a former resident of Seattle, I always feel like I have to offer karma-preserving apologies to the universe for the unleashing of the Starbucks blight upon the world. In fact, on one of my past jaunts up to Vancouver from Seattle, I was shocked and slightly mortified to see two *$'s on opposite corners of the same intersection. Even in Seattle itself, they're not quite that out of control (although IIRC, there are at least a couple of downtown Seattle outlets within two or three blocks of each other).

Definitely enjoying your blog. I recall, on another Vancouver visit, discovering a whole neighborhood of Indian/Sikh stores, restaurants, etc.--am I remembering that right? Would you by any chance be taking a visit to that area? There were whole bunches of Indian sweets on display that I didn't get a chance to sample, and want to torture myself by experiencing vicariously ...

[Daddy-A]

Two more meals to go today ...

Many of you have asked for Japanese food. While there are many many excellent choices in Vancouver, I selected one of my regular lunch@work haunts; Shiro Sushi (3096 Cambie Street). I've only ever eaten dinner there once ... lunch at least once a week. I went with the owner of Paradigm Kitchens (the company I work with) who's not very adventurous with Japanese even though his wife is Japanese

This is Bento Box "A" Deep fried scallop, tempura, sashimi ... and the gomae from Justin's lunch that he never eats

The bill is always accompanied by dessert:

Today the Pocky had chocolate and coconut!

As we were leaving, I asked Shiro (owner) if I could take his picture:

He says to everyone in the restaurant, "He is my brother!" and points to our heads!

A.

[Daddy-A]

Daddy-A: Great blog so far!

I was in Vancouver for the first time on a business trip last November.  I wish I had been more aware of eG and all you Vancouver egulleters then... I've missed out on so much!  I'm taking notes for the next trip.

Drops us a line ... I think you'll find us quite ... ummm sociable! Just wait until the weekend and you'll see more on the blog!

A.

[Daddy-A]

Definitely enjoying your blog. I recall, on another Vancouver visit, discovering a whole neighborhood of Indian/Sikh stores, restaurants, etc.--am I remembering that right? Would you by any chance be taking a visit to that area?

You're probably talking about the Punjabi Market ... Main - Fraser, 41st - 49th. I'll try to drop by this weekend, probably Sunday. I could use a couple samosas!

A.

[barolo]

Great blog Arne. They are all interesting, but it's especially interesting to see reactions to Granville Island and other Vancouver spots that we take for granted.

[Daddy-A]

Dinner tonight was the result of the shopping I did at Granville Island at the beginning of this blog.

Fresh halibut fillets marinading in miso, lemon and EVOO. One of the best things that resulted from my time working at Longliner Seafoods was a pretty good working knowledge of how to cook fish. This marinade was suggested to me by a customer almost 20 years ago, and I still use it!

On the grill are red, orange and green peppers, and thin slices of Japanese eggplant ... all are brushed with EVOO and then s&p.

Vinaigrette for the salad ...

... made with grapeseed oil (the recipe calls for EVOO, but I like grape seed oil in dressings better), red wine vinegar (big jug on the right ) garlic, orange peel, pine nuts, s&p. Turn a hand blender on it to get this:

I'd like to take credit for that recipe, but it's from "Moosewood Cooks at Home", still one of my favorite cookbooks.

If you'll indulge me for a moment:

On eGullet, we often discuss how food and family are closely linked, which is why I've been telling you about my family ... kids, dogs, "J" (who has yet to make an appearance in this blog ). The pepper mill above belonged to my grandmother. It was the one kitchen "tool" she would let me use when I was a kid. When we were going through her belongings after she passed away, it was the first thing I asked for. And best of all, it's the best damn pepper grinder I've ever owned!

Now onto dinner!

One of the great things about halibut is how durable it is. If the fillets is about 1" thick it'll hold up on the grill just fine. Anything thinner and I'd have some foil underneath to keep it together. My kids give me a bad time about making the grill marks cross (on everything you do Dad!) but I like the way it looks

The eggplant is plated beneath the halibut, and the peppers are julienned and served on the salad. The rice is basmati. And since it's St. Patty's day today, "J" & I shared a bottle if Granville Island Irish Stout. Halibut is Irish, right?

No guesses as to what we had for dessert:

Tomorrow ... wine, cheese and lunch al fresco. Pray for sun!

A.

[Daddy-A]

How about some  Tim Horton's or Timbits, eh?

Timmy Ho's?? You know Dejah, ever since Winnipeg lost the Jets, you guys have just been mean!

Now THAT's a donut! A honey-glazed old-fashioned from Lee's on Granville Island. On Monday, I'm gonna show you something called a Rolly-Polly that'll make even this donut look anemic.

A.

[Mooshmouse]

Halibut is Irish, right? 

No guesses as to what we had for dessert:

Tomorrow ... wine, cheese and lunch al fresco.  Pray for sun!

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Yeah, about as Irish as I am!

Dinner looked tasty but, true to form, it's dessert that I'm salivating over!

See you at lunch tomorrow. And don't worry: it'll be blue-sky gorgeous.

[peppyre]

I have a feeling there may not be sun, but hey, it's Vancouver, it's only water.

Liquid Sunshine!

That Halibut looks fantastic. Grilling fish is something that I just can't get to work. I tried it once and the fish just shredded. Did you oil the grill?

[Tough Cookie]

Great pictures! I now have a HUGE craving for a doughnut, and I'm not usually one for sweets.

The halibut looks awesome. Could you tell us the recipe for the marinade?

[Daddy-A]

That Halibut looks fantastic.  Grilling fish is something that I just can't get to work.  I tried it once and the fish just shredded.  Did you oil the grill?

Yes, oiling the grill is important. So is a hot grill. My grills are cast iron so they hold the heat really well. Once the grills are hot, put the fish on (helps if the fish is at room temp)m leave the grill open, and drop the heat. Let the fish cook for about 5 minutes (lid closed) before you try to move it, using a wide spatula. If the fish looks too flakey, just leave it. It'll still cook all the way through, it will just take longer.

There are only two fish I can grill successfuly on this grill ... halibut (filets & steaks) and salmon (steaks, or filets w/ skin-on). The filets in each case need to be quite thick.

A.

[Mooshmouse]

I have a feeling there may not be sun, but hey, it's Vancouver, it's only water. 

Liquid Sunshine!

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Okay, you're right. I was being overly optimistic before checking The Weather Network.

But you never know. Start sun-dancing y'all.

And Arne, tsk tsk tsk for withholding that photo of a glorious Lee's doughnut! Honey-glazed old-fashioned is one of my faves.

[*Deborah*]

Oh, am I jealous of that cheesecakse, it looks like my favourite, creamy kind!

Arne, I think you and Shiro were separated at birth: not just your heads, but your smiles are so similar!

And thanks for the Cioffi reminder, I don't get over there often enough.

[Ling]

That cheesecake! Could you tell us what sets Pappagallo's cheesecakes apart from others you've eaten? And what's that in the case underneath the strawberry cheesecake--it looks like a banana cream pie cheesecake to me! I might have to make a trek out to Burnaby....that thick graham crust looks so tempting.

(And I'm bringing cookies to share at our "al fresco" lunch tomorrow )

Edited March 18, 2005 by Ling (log)

[Daddy-A]

Good morning. I've had a number of requests in this blog to discuss my kitchen. Chef Neil and I were discussing this the other day ... the whole question of "what does a professional kitchen designer do for their kitchen?", is much the same as "what does a chef have for dinner?". Often it's pretty ordinary. Functional, but ordinary.

But before we begin ...

All hail the Altar of Java

An overview shot of the whole kitchen. Materials we used: Cabinets: Laminate (Tawny Satinwood), Countertops: Corian (Tumbled Glass), Backsplash: Tile From DalTile (2x2 Mosaic - Almond w/ Bottle Green inserts), Flooring: Forbo Marmoleum (Desert w/ Bottle Green inserts)

Our range Probably the biggest change in the kitchen as we went from electric to gas. Range: Dacor RSD30 (Dual Fuel), Hood: Rangemaster 36" 850 CFM. This shot also gives a good look at the backsplash. The green insert pattern is repeated on the floor.

This is what "J" refers to as "The Bridge" (think Star Trek). The raised bar is 1.5" thick maple butcher block. The bar stools are from Sears (of all places!). Dishwasher: Asko 1400 series.

This wall is opposite the sink, 90 degrees right of the range. The fridge is a Maytag (forgot the model number) with a bottom mount freezer. This is a good example of experience dictating my choices. I've been suggesting bottom mounts to clients for years. After seeing them in finished projects, and hearing feedback from clients, this decision was a slam dunk.

The section to the right of the fridge is sort of a snack/bar area. Behind the glass doors above the microwave are all our wine glasses, martini glasses, etc. What's really cool is how they open:

Of course, the whole area is lit up like a Christmas tree. Looks really cool when the other kitchen lights are off.

The Sink: Corian (872 in Bisque), Faucet: Grohe Ladyluxe Cafe. The window is new as well. Notice how the tile fills in the opening around the window. We wanted the kitchen to "fit" into the 1950's feel of the home ... that's a technique that would have been used. The cabinetry above the sink houses lighting, and is also available for storage ... we usually hide the candy there after Halloween.

I wanted to show this picture for two reasons: first, the pull-out is pretty cool. We use it to store oils, vinegar and rice. Second, the curved cabinet is a direct copy from the original kitchen. There is another pantry in the kitchen that also has curved doors.

Finally, my butcher block! Not only usefull for cutting, but a nice backdrop for eGullet Dinner! photos!

So there it is ... I hope you enjoyed the tour. Coffee anyone?

A.

[Daddy-A]

That cheesecake!  Could you tell us what sets Pappagallo's cheesecakes apart from others you've eaten? And what's that in the case underneath the strawberry cheesecake--it looks like a banana cream pie cheesecake to me! I might have to make a trek out to Burnaby....that thick graham crust looks so tempting.

Pappagallo's cheesecake is just very creamy and rich. Like I said, I really prefer the German style of cheesecake (where you kinda chissel pieces off it?) but Pat's cheesecakes are a more than acceptable alternative.

I can't remember what else he had in the display case ... I do know they make a really good tirramisu (sp?) and their biscotti are fantsatic (raspberry, white chocolate and black pepper!!!).

Make sure you call me for directions Ling ... don't want you getting lost on Burnaby Mountain!!

A.

[Susan in FL]

Your kitchen is gorgeous. I adore it. I want it!

I have intentions to get black appliances, but unfortunately can't afford a plan for when yet. Nevertheless, I've been looking at black refrigerators. I would also like to have a range much like yours and your photos helped visualize for me what it would look like in that scheme.

But your kitchen is so clean...!?

[Lone Star]

Gorgeous kitchen!

[Daddy-A]

  But your kitchen is so clean...!? 

Confession: those are some promotional shots taken about 2 years ago, just after we finished. So, no, our kitchen isn't anywhere near that clean!

A.

[bleudauvergne]

I was just going to get worried about you, Daddy A, the kitchen being so clean. Those drawer racks are wonderful. All the wood and rounded edges, I just love that color you chose for the walls as well. What I really love is the way that same color is echoed in the patterns in your floor and also the wall tiles. Very subtle and it gives a very tasteful playful theme to the whole kitchen. Close to neutral and classic but at the same time, very contemporary.

[Susan in FL]

  But your kitchen is so clean...!? 

Confession: those are some promotional shots taken about 2 years ago, just after we finished. So, no, our kitchen isn't anywhere near that clean!

A.

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Whew. I feel better now.