Siren Song

[Zucchini Mama]

It's the dish that calls me from deep within: "Zucchini Mama...Zucchini Mama...." I can go weeks without it, but a month is too long and yesterday I gave in to the call of the Wild Mushroom Risotto at Trafalger's. It's the meal that calms me, grounds me, and makes me feel all is right with the world. No matter how much I try to order something else on the menu, my mouth always says "I'll have the mushroom risotto, please." It's the meaty mouthfeel of the perfectly cooked oyster mushrooms. It's the piney scent of the rosemary melding with the thyme and aromatic chunks of fresh black pepper (and I mean fresh, frais, fresca). It's the generous flakes of shaved Romano cheese. I think I've been eating it for about six years now. I love the room. The waiters are fantastic and know me well enough to tease me a bit about my predictability. I love the fresh bread and butter, the linen on the table, and the doily under the sugar bowl. I Finish with a latte and a pecan crescent chocolate moon cookie and the world's my oyster mushroom!

As I saw an elderly gentleman sit at the banquette and order his regular risotto, I thought fondly about how I might be coming here twenty years hence with a mauve rinse and tucking in.

Is there a meal that keeps you coming back again and again and again? Do tell.

Zuke

[kurtisk]

Yup!

We go to the Bin (942) quite often and for years, I've always come back to the

Angus Beef Tenderloin phyllo wellington, pecorino parmesan, portabello, chive roast garlic whipped potato, grainy mustard marsala glace [ $14 ].

A glass of Petit Verdot topping it all off can always turn an idle Tuesday into a culinary pinnacle.

k.

[Andrew Morrison]

I must confess that I've started navigating by restaurants. There is always a siren. For starters:

Ikea gravy.

Adesso Bistro's Vitello Tonnato.

Wok fired spicy calamari at the Beach House.

Chicken burrito at Topanga.

Mussels Congolaise at Chambar.

Apple and sausage tart flambe at Lucy Mae Mae Brown holding pocket aces.

Kung Po Chicken at Wild Rice.

Gingerbread pudding at Hamilton Street Grill.

Pork Torino at Stella's.

Coconut Chicken Curry at Rangoli.

Lumberjack Breakfast at Sophie's.

Beef Bourguignon at Burgoo.

Burger with broccoli gratin at Feenie's.

Triple O burger on a Swartz Bay sailing.

Pizza Kolachy.

Carbonara at Cin Cin.

Potato Raclette at George.

Cheesecake at Pagliacci's (Victoria)

Torrefazione coffee (no more - now Cafe Richard from Trafiq in West Van).

Not picking up the check at Lift.

Smarties Peanut Butter cookies from Delany's

Haas chocolates.

[transfattyacid]

I would say mine are :-

Gommae and Pork Katsu @ Hi Nippon 4th ave, i always order it. and crave it by half way through my week.

Normaly followed by other deep fried matter, dynamite roll included.

Pork `n` Greens really, but i doubt i would be understood if i ordered it that way, with my flat vowels getting in the way.

BC Burger and a western plate. funny how these words just roll of the tongue.

Eggs benedict @ Joes Grill 4th ave , though i aint been for a bit , better put that right soon .

[Ducky]

The "Vintner's Duck" at Don Francesco's.

[chef jeff]

Laksa at Hawkers Delight

when the stress of owning a restaurant gets to me, I start to crave a bowl, and head up main street, sit in the window, watch the people walk by and let the flavours of this magical dish take over

Agadashi Tofu and Tuna Tataki at Sushi Yama

fairly pedestrian dishes, but they are done so well. Something about the quality of the bonito that they garnish with adds an almost smokey flavour and aroma

[Daddy-A]

Laksa at Hawkers Delight

Our showroom is just across the street from Tropika, so I'm accustomed to the laksa there. Will have to drive the 3 minutes up to Hawkers next ...

Portobello Mushroom and Red Bell Pepper Curry from Rangoli. Awesome Curry served with paneer!

Fish Taco at Go Fish! Even the staff there are getting worried about me .

A.

[peppyre]

Mee Goreng and a Spring Roll from Hawker's. The craving hits a couple times a month. I absolutely love it and I always end up ordering the same thing but with varying degrees of heat. Funny, Kedah House didn't dispel the Mee Goreng craving.

[SBonner]

The Irish breakfast at the Irish Heather every Saturday and the truffled eggs for Sunday brunch at Aurora Bistro every fortnight.

Stephen

[HKDave]

Nor mei gai (sticky rice in lotus leaf) at dim sum at the Pink Pearl on Hastings. When I come to Vancouver, the Pink Pearl is almost always my first stop after clearing customs. Nobody in Hong Kong makes nor mei gai as good as they do.

[chef jeff]

Actaully, I gotta agree with Dave on that one too!

How's things Dave? Where are you cooking in HK?

[kurtisk]

Actaully, I gotta agree with Dave on that one too!

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Is that the crispy, flakey one?

(Not you, Jeff, the Lotus thingy...)

k.

[chef jeff]

Actaully, I gotta agree with Dave on that one too!

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Is that the crispy, flakey one?

(Not you, Jeff, the Lotus thingy...)

k.

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Wow, work is going to be akward tonight after that comment Kurtis!

The lotus wrapped rice comes, as it says, wrapped in a lotus leaf. They cut it open at the table. The rice is sticky and glutinous, and so fragrat from the lotus leaf. In the middle is chinese sausage, and I think shrimp and maybe chesnuts??

It's been a while. The flavour is incredible. Earthy, salty, sweet and aromatic. Magic

[Andrew Morrison]

Wow, work is going to be akward tonight after that comment Kurtis! unsure.gif

[wesza]

Nor mei gai (sticky rice in lotus leaf) at dim sum at the Pink Pearl on Hastings.  When I come to Vancouver, the Pink Pearl is almost always my first stop after clearing customs.  Nobody in Hong Kong makes nor mei gai as good as they do.

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Thank you all, HKDave, chefjeff, DaddyA, peppre and Zucchini Mama:

Since I'm visiting Vancouver the first without being involved in a project I anticipate enjoying:

At lunch or dinner: Mushroom Risotto

Anytime : Laska and mee goreng

Anytime : Mushroom, Bell Pepper Curry

And most of all: Nor mei gai as I have tried it everywhere and not found any as good as that served on Shanghai Street in Kowloon years ago late at night in the winter at a Restaurant that specialized in Snake Dishes where the Chef emigrated to Vancouver.

I posted late last night on the "Long weekend in BC' thread a thank you to Nick as well as my opinion about Vancouver area Chinese Food. I feel this is validated since I am familiar about over 100 of Hong Kongs best Roast Chefs, Dim Sum and full service Chefs moving to your city as well as many from China.

Now if someone remembers a "Siren Song" about some place that does Breakfast "Kup Dai Congee" and "Noodles" similar to Tai Pai Tung Style my visit will be enhanced.

Since there are only 2 of us visiting this trip from Sunday until Wednesday we will be staying at the Sylvia Hotel and welcome all recommendations.

Sue-On [dejah] suggested I should have attempted to get together with Vancouver eGulleters but my schedule only became possible late last night when I was able to arrange a Hotel since I wasn't aware of the Exposition's dates.

Irwin Koval

[mtigges]

Now if someone remembers a "Siren Song" about some place that does Breakfast "Kup Dai Congee" and "Noodles" similar to Tai Pai Tung Style my visit will be enhanced.

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I'm not positive about Tai Pai Tung style. Not sure what that is, but despite it's neighbourhood and appearance, the Congee Noodle House on Broadway and (just off) Main is the best congee I've had in the city. My ex went there often for breakfast congee.

[Zucchini Mama]

Hey wesza,

Wow, you know how to travel! If you go to Trafalger's for lunch, I would reccomend going a bit earlier than noon as the room is quite noisy once it fills up. I aso like the lemon mousse cake. I liked it better when it was the raspberry lemon mousse cake, but oh well, the beat goes on!

I also vouch for the truffled scrambled eggs and Aurora for Sunday brunch-and the music is great too.

Keep in mind these siren song meals are likely highly subjective, but hey, we eGulleter's know what we love!

Happy Eating!

Zuke

[wesza]

Zucchini Mama, mtigges:

Zuke:

I only wish that I could be in Vancouver early enough on Sunday for Brunch. I will do my best to try several desserts. Dinner at Aurora may have to wait until next visit, sigh.

I have a special memory about Zucchini. My daughter and her fiancé were shipwrecked on a small island off New Guinea after they were saved they visited the top of Mount Willamina where her fiancé officially proposed. In the custom of the Island he officially requested permission for marriage and asked us what would be a appropriate dowry for his bride.

The Island customs was most dowry's were paid for by live pigs. Since my daughter was a Fish, Chicken Cheese eating sort of vegetarian I felt that the Dowry should be paid by her favorite vegetable. My price was 17 giant Zucchini that was obtained from Alice Waters [Chez Pannise] supplier for payment in full.

Since we Catered the wedding at our Restaurant in Mendocino, included in the menu was "Dowry Zucchini". My son Collects Truffles and Wild Mushrooms off the Mendocino Coast so I'm fortunate to sometimes enjoy truffled eggs at home or something that I like even more is Rice permeated after standing with Truffles before cooking. To be decadent I make this Rice together with Free Range Hainan Chicken Steamed with some of the chicken fat Straits style [Hainan Chicken Rice]. Only addition is shaved very aged Parmesan Cheese and a few drops of Chili Oil. To me that East meeting West my way.

mtigges:

"Tai Pai Tungs" are the food stalls often known for serving certain dishes better then any other place locally in Hong Kong, Singapore or thru out Asia. They are also often refered to as "Hawker Stalls" as there are several places it seems in Vancouver based on serving this type of food. Congee Breakfast with Fried Bread and Black Tea with Sweetened Condensed Milk is a popular Hong Kong Chinese Breakfast the same stalls serve a European Style Breakfast thats simply made of Toast covered with Canned Pork and Beans with Black Tea or Coffee with the Sweetened Milk. The Congee/Noodle Shops are a little up scale serving many varieties also with Fried Bread and Steamed Pork Liver or Kidneys.

To me thats what makes a real Breakfast ever since I lived in Hong Kong. Another special Breakfast that we made at home for years or ordered in Restaurants was a Bowl of Whipped Seasoned Eggs Steamed to appear like custard in a Wok, then enjoyed over Rice or Noodles. Another of my "Siren Song" favorites.

Irwin

[Zucchini Mama]

What a great zucchini story! I love it.

Hainan chicken with truffled rice-well...that sounds like a recipe for my imaginary French Vietnamese restaurant which I described in an eGullet post on a thread where we were designing our ultimate Vancouver restaurants.

Enjoy Vancouver!

Zuke

[Ducky]

Irwing:

Having also lived in Hong Kong and other corners of Asia I can relate to some of your cravings.

For congee and noodles we always go to the Kwong Chow - on Main St. just north of 16th. You really cannot go wrong with this place which is very close in all respects to my old regular congee shop in Causeway Bay.

[peppyre]

Well, after all this talk of Siren Song meals, I went to Hawker's on my way home from work and dinner tonight will be my Siren Song.

[chocomoo]

Lately I've been craving the pork belly with preserved vegetable ("mui choy") from Four Seas on Cambie & Marine. Mmmm, pork belly.... It's kinda oily like almost all the rest of the dishes at Four Seas, but so delicious I've had the same dish at other Chinese restaurants, namely "Two Brothers" on Granville & 70th, but I don't like it as much because they use "lam yue" in the dish. I have no idea what "lam yue" is in English, by the way. I don't even know what it's made from. [Lam=sounds like Cantonese for "south", Yue=sounds like "rain"). The pork belly at Four Seas is soya sauce based.

[canucklehead]

I have no idea what "lam yue" is in English, by the way.  I don't even know what it's made from.    [Lam=sounds like Cantonese for "south", Yue=sounds like "rain").  The pork belly at Four Seas is soya sauce based.

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Lam Yue is fermented tofu - it has a sharp salty - almost blue cheese - tang to it. It is most often used to cook lamb hot pots and stir fried water spinach (tong choy).

The water spinach is known to give you charlie horses if you eat to much of it. It's happened to me.

[Paul B]

Whenever we hit Cafe de Paris on Denman, I always end up ordering the cassoulet. It's the best I've had in the city.

And the tako yaki at the food court in the Aberdeen Centre, Richmond, are a must when we're in that neck of the woods.

[chocomoo]

Lam Yue is fermented tofu - it has a sharp salty - almost blue cheese - tang to it.  It is most often used to cook lamb hot pots and stir fried water spinach (tong choy). 

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Oh yeah! I thought it was fermented something... I do like lam yue though - in those "little chicken biscuits" (gai zai bang), lam yue roast chicken, lam yue roasted peanuts, & also lamb hot pots & tong choy (for a minute I was thinking "tong ho", as in chrysanthemum leaves, which I DESPISE. It's one of the few vegetables I won't eat).