Watermark

[nwyles]

Did anyone else read Mia Stainsby's review in todays Sun?  While it was not overflowing with praise, it was certainly better than what I've been reading on this thread. Her main complaint revolved around the "friendly but minimal service".  She also has received several complaints from readers regarding the fact that they do not take reservations after 6:30. Her ratings were 4/5 overall, food 3.5/5,

ambience 5/5, and service 3/5.

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Wow,

Derek, you have name and a title. Nice to see you finally out yourself. I will pop up to get this Sun asap.

I was going to go to Watermark last night for a drink but my friend had already been and was not too keen on returning. That does not bode well as he is a fairly forgiving person. Maybe time to get a new friend ?

[winegeek]

Did anyone else read Mia Stainsby's review in todays Sun?  While it was not overflowing with praise, it was certainly better than what I've been reading on this thread. Her main complaint revolved around the "friendly but minimal service".  She also has received several complaints from readers regarding the fact that they do not take reservations after 6:30. Her ratings were 4/5 overall, food 3.5/5,

ambience 5/5, and service 3/5.

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Wow,

Derek, you have name and a title. Nice to see you finally out yourself. I will pop up to get this Sun asap.

I was going to go to Watermark last night for a drink but my friend had already been and was not too keen on returning. That does not bode well as he is a fairly forgiving person. Maybe time to get a new friend ?

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I thought it was time to stop hiding behind my wife's picture, which if anyone is interested , was taken in Oia, on the Island of Santorini.

I'm still interested in getting to Watermark one day. My expectations are not high, but I'm embarrassed to admit that I have yet to even see the building. It seems like I don't see much besides Joe's, my place on the North Shore, or the occasional golf course .

Edited August 18, 2005 by winegeek (log)

[Andrew Morrison]

Good for you Derek for outing yourself like that. Here is the link to Mia Stainsby's article. My turn in 7 days.

[Daddy-A]

Good for you Derek for outing yourself like that. Here is the link to Mia Stainsby's article. My turn in 7 days. 

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Do you say "crap" in yours Andrew?

A.

[Andrew Morrison]

On second thought, no comment. I might want to write for the Globe one day.

Edited August 18, 2005 by editor@waiterblog (log)

[canucklehead]

I thought it was time to stop hiding behind my wife's picture, which if anyone is interested  , was taken in Oia, on the Island of Santorini.

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Dude - I thought you were a lady.

[winegeek]

I thought it was time to stop hiding behind my wife's picture, which if anyone is interested  , was taken in Oia, on the Island of Santorini.

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Dude - I thought you were a lady.

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Not today

[transfattyacid]

I thought it was time to stop hiding behind my wife's picture,

gee your a geezer !, i thought you were a lass aswell .

which if anyone is interested  , was taken in Oia, on the Island of Santorini.

oh yeah i can see that now you mention it , i always thought your pic was taken in your living room with a very bright table lamp giving it mood.

well it`s good to see watermark is getting some good press.

i came across a very apt Jane Grigson quote the other day " We have more than enough masterpieces. What we need is a better standard of ordinariness."

[Andrew Morrison]

i came across a very apt Jane Grigson quote the other day " We have more than enough masterpieces. What we need is a better standard of ordinariness."

Nice. Thanks. Sometimes, TFA, you kick the wicket square.

[jamiemaw]

I thought it was time to stop hiding behind my wife's picture,

i came across a very apt Jane Grigson quote the other day " We have more than enough masterpieces. What we need is a better standard of ordinariness."

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Well done. And, perhaps, the entire point of this small discussion.

[barolo]

i came across a very apt Jane Grigson quote the other day " We have more than enough masterpieces. What we need is a better standard of ordinariness."

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Perfect. Thanks tfa.

[~cayenne~]

i came across a very apt Jane Grigson quote the other day " We have more than enough masterpieces. What we need is a better standard of ordinariness."

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Excellent quote transfattyacid, so very true! Thanks for posting

[Daddy-A]

This from Ms. Gill's reveiw of Lolitas in yesterday's G&M:

Now, before you armchair critics out there start tsk-tsking about how unfair it is to review a new restaurant so soon after opening (and I know a lot of you were thinking that when I slammed Watermark last week), let me say this: New restaurants do not offer discounts while they work out the kinks. The first few weeks of any new establishment is a critical time when locals rush in to get their first -- and usually definitive -- impression. Most customers, and even chomp-at-the-bit critics, will forgive tardiness if the food is worth it and the service at least attentive. I believe that when a restaurant opens its doors, they either have it or they don't.

A.

[Andrew Morrison]

Gill, the game is up. For the love of all that is good, out yourself.

Signed,

Armchair critic # 43

Edited August 20, 2005 by editor@waiterblog (log)

[Andrew Morrison]

Do you say "crap" in yours Andrew? laugh.gif

A.

Oops. It crept in somehow. Thanks for the subliminal plant.

[winegeek]

Do you say "crap" in yours Andrew? laugh.gif

A.

Oops. It crept in somehow. Thanks for the subliminal plant.

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Andrew,

Do you have a link to your review in the WE? I'd love to read it.

Thanks

[Andrew Morrison]

WE website is soon to be revamped, so my last two columns have been offline. There should be a box on your corner outside JF...

That said, the opening paragraph runs thus:

Watermark on Kits Beach surprised me. I was one of the gaggle who mocked the building while it was under construction, referring to it’s prison-like shell jokingly as The Gulag Architectureno with a Luddite’s penchant for wrapping idiocy in sentimentalism. In my defense, much of my toddlerdom and many a pre-pubescent summer revolved around the old concession stand it recently replaced. I had loved the tantalizing parade of wet, sandy-bottomed girls, the halcyon stench of vinegar and weed, and the ever-present promise of rollerskaters bailing headlong into the pavement to the tune of Blondie‘s Heart of Glass. But sitting on the patio gazing out to sea with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, I was aghast at how cheap my memories were. 1978 was a load of absolute crap, I thought. Watermark is gorgeous.

[BCinBC]

I love the rollerskater image, Andrew. However, when you choose sauv blanc and an ocean view over sandy-bottomed girls...

My in-laws are going to Watermark with some friends of theirs. The friends, who I believe are usually sensible in the food dept (Salade-d-F patrons), actually chose Watermark over Cru. Hmm, is what I thought. I am still waiting to hear about it.

[Megs]

I had dinner at Watermark last friday with a girlfriend. I was peeved too about the no reservations after 6 thing (I DON'T like to wait), but we went at 8:30pm and only waited 10 minutes or so for a patio seat, and there was tons of lounge/bar space for us to have a drink while we waited.

I loved it! The food was great, the service was perfect, the view can not be beat (even after the sun was down), and the atmosphere is exactly what I wanted it to be. It was busy, but not super-loud, and the room is so nice and open. The no- smoking patio ROCKS, and frankly, I don't have one single complaint. Everything was great!

My complaint now is that it's gonna be booming and I'll have to wait for a table because of their stupid reservation policy

[jamiemaw]

I had dinner at Watermark last friday with a girlfriend.  I was peeved too about the no reservations after 6 thing (I DON'T like to wait), but we went at 8:30pm and only waited 10 minutes or so for a patio seat, and there was tons of lounge/bar space for us to have a drink while we waited.

I loved it!  The food was great, the service was perfect, the view can not be beat (even after the sun was down), and the atmosphere is exactly what I wanted it to be.  It was busy, but not super-loud, and the room is so nice and open.  The no- smoking patio ROCKS, and frankly, I don't have one single complaint.  Everything was great! 

My complaint now is that it's gonna be booming and I'll have to wait for a table because of their stupid reservation policy   

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What did you and your friend order, Megs?

[Megs]

We had...in no particular order...

The fire roasted chicken skewers...fabulous peanut sauce, of which I asked for more of even though my mouth was on FIRE (I am very sensitive to spicy food but tend to ignore that and suffer because I love it)...it was an interesting dish though- it wasn't a tenderloin strip on a skewer as I had expected it to be- it was, I believe (could be wrong), ground chicken (still breast meat) on a popsicle stick, shaped like a paddle more so than a popsicle (am I making any sense?). Good nonetheless.

Also had the albacore tuna tartare with the ponzu sauce.....loved it...had a bit of caviar on top, served with great little crispy crackers. Very tasty, nice and simple.

We tried the vegetarian gyoza as well, as I am a sucker for a potsticker. They were very good, but otherwise no different than you would get at say, Kitsilano Sushi.... really, how much can you do with a vegetarian potsticker though?

My friend had the wok island clams....I don't do shellfish, but she said they were fantastic, and I tried the broth, which was really tasty.

We also ordered the "hot stone flatbread", which they don't have, instead substituting a sesame rosemary flatbread (not sure what the difference is), which was nonetheless good...the olive tapenade was delish (and I don't even like olives), and the fresh salsa was also yum.

My favourite thing of the evening was the bottle of Blue Mountain Pinot Gris, but that applies anywhere I drink it....

All in all, I left stuffed (in a good way), tipsy, and happy, vowing to return- I'm going to take my boyfriend there for his birthday next week. As much fun as I had with my girlfriend, the view and the atmosphere (and the wine!) made me pine for my boyfriend. A suprisingly romantic spot!

(Added bonus- it's in walking distance...well, walk there, roll me home anyway... )

[jamiemaw]

We had...in no particular order...

The fire roasted chicken skewers... etc. SNIP

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Thanks for the report, Megs.

[Keith Talent]

I'd like to call on the local media to band together and call for a moratorium on Watermrk reviews. I've read more reviews of this joint than I care to mention. And the first was still the best. Thanks Alexandera. I swear to God I saw a review scrawled on a stall wall in the north end washrooms of Pacific Centre yesterday.

[jamiemaw]

I'd like to call on the local media to band together and call for a moratorium on Watermrk reviews. I've read more reviews of this joint than I care to mention. And the first was still the best. Thanks Alexandera. I swear to God I saw a review scrawled on a stall wall in the north end washrooms of Pacific Centre yesterday.

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I trust that will forgive those of us with a monthly deadline. I cracked off four visits and filed mine before Alexandra and still hope to shed fresh light on the mysteries of smelt corn dogs. Besides, it might offer some relief for the fabulous Wilson bros.

J.

[SBonner]

Helen and I popped into Watermark yesterday for a bottle of bubble and some appetizers after a walk along the beach. Service was on the ball but the food.... We had the lobster dumplings (way too doughy), vegetarian gyosas (dried out) and the chickpea and lima bean puree (not bad and refreshing with our wine). Wine service sucked; I ordered a bottle of Blanc de Noir Brut from Domaine Chandon, It arrived without an ice bucket and no glasses After a five minute wait the glasses arrived and the wine tasted pretty good while admiring the view. We both ordered an Irish coffee to warm up after 40 minutes on the patio...they showed up luke warm, with no whip cream, or sugared rim (not a big deal) but I like my coffee hot.

Just short impression of this place and no plans on going back in the near future.

Cheers,

Stephen