Diner -Yaletown

[Andrew Morrison]

604-444-4855

That's what I had, but it's not working today.

Thanks anyway.

BTW, 411 is about as much help as Cloutier with 3 left in the 3rd.

[jtcookie]

Took Mrs. Cookie and the 2 crumbs to Diner last evening, pre-football in the 'den'.

At 5:00pm we were the sole occupants, which was fine for them as there was still lots of mise taking place. The service was very relaxed and personable, as well as effusive about all the menu items. One of the brews (Red Devil?) was not available, so we plumped for the Fire Truck Amber, from the vats of Mark James. Fabulous ale, very well balanced, with a vanilla-orange note playing counterpoint to a mellow hopiness. Great drinking for an overcast fall evening.

M.C. and I shared a Fig and Onion tart to start, which was more galette than tart. A freshly baked, very thin pastry base had a generous smear of sweet onion, several fresh fig slices, sprinkle of fresh rosemary and crumbled mild goat cheese. The topping may have benefitted from being heated ensemble for a moment, but that's not a criticism, so much as a reflection on my own "common-heat-for-common-food" fussiness.

Crumb #1 had Fettucine Carbonara, and polished off the whole bowl of lightly coated al dente pasta. Not a lot of sauce in evidence, but that's a common theme at Diner. Crumb #2 went for grilled cheese, a dish he has vast experience with and appetite for. The only stumble of the evening was the burnt exterior to said sandwich. Hey! its got to be easy getting this one right, but for some reason they didn't bother replacing it. (we didn't ask them to, but would expect that conscientious staff not let something like that see the light of day) Over cooked deep fried curly fries, from the McCain's bag, and a nice cole slaw spiked with grated apple completed the plate.

M.C. chose Chicken Schnitzel, which was coated with an eggy dredge instead of the usual flour/egg/breadcrumb combo. Succulent chicken breast, spatzle and chard combined well. I like the lightness the egg batter gives delicate white meat - a very smart pairing.

My lamb shank was great. The moisture was provided by the sweet braising vegetables smothered over the top of a falling-off-the-bone shank that was sitting on a bed of baked Hubbard squash. The pepperiness of the sliced chard leaf was a perfect foil to the rich squash compote.

I'm not a big dessert fan, but I'll return many times if the chocolate souffle is a menu staple. Wow! What impressed me was the confidence of the baker putting a dollop of whipped cream on top of the souffle. The texture is smooth, the structure delicate, but it still had the strength to hold the cream. Top marks also to the cheesecake.

This is minimalist food, in the main executed well, in spare space that will become a neighbourhood favourite. Don't expect saucing, garnishing or frou frou, the prices don't allow for that. I hope the crowds build slowly, as the staff still need to get the measure of the room.

John

[jtcookie]

Oh!, and bring cash. Telus hasn't got them wired yet for Interac.

John

[nwyles]

This is minimalist food, in the main executed well, in spare space that will become a neighbourhood favourite. Don't expect saucing, garnishing or frou frou, the prices don't allow for that. I hope the crowds build slowly, as the staff still need to get the measure of the room.

I agree. It took her five months to build it, most of it by herself. I would like to see Heather survive. She had that much heart to build it, think of what she can do when she is firing on all cylinders.

If any of you food writer types were thinking about publishing something about Diner, let Heather know beforehand so she can weather the storm with her skin and your recommendation intact.

[Ling]

If any of you food writer types were thinking about publishing something about Diner, let Heather know beforehand so she can weather the storm with her skin and your recommendation intact.

←

If the food lives up to the comments noted in this thread, I doubt she is in any danger of being flayed alive.

[nwyles]

If any of you food writer types were thinking about publishing something about Diner, let Heather know beforehand so she can weather the storm with her skin and your recommendation intact.

←

If the food lives up to the comments noted in this thread, I doubt she is in any danger of being flayed alive.

←

Lorna, she is not ready to be stormed at the doors. They are just not ready for that. You can see it.

Captain Hangar Steak

[Andrew Morrison]

I agree and had similar thoughts. I was going to write a full page orgasm (i can do that), but scaled it down to one para instead in a differently themed article.

That being said, don't hesitate to check it out for yourself. I doubt the full force of eGullet couldn't knock this lady down.

[Xando Head]

Husband and I went to Diner for the first time on Friday night. We were the only ones there for the duration of the meal, but since I had a 6am flight the next morning, we were there pretty early -- around 6pm-ish. This place has the potential to be a complete gem. Service and flow is a little new; as Neil says, you can feel it. But it's very friendly and I am quite sure they'll find their groove in a short while.

I had the perogies with german sausage and husband had the carbonara -- and we finished our meal by sharing the lemon meringue pie. (and I do believe that husband was with the PaoPao group last night for dessert -- I'm sitting here jet-lagged in Washington, DC, and I do believe he'd forgotten to mention the whiskey-laden milkshake to me! )

The perogies were delicious -- so fresh and flavorful -- and even light, if that's possible with perogies. I am not a carbonara fan, so didn't try it but husband was very satisfied. I can't wait to try the meatloaf. That's definitely next on my list.

My only very mild complaint was that the seats in the booths near the bar seemed to be placed a little too close together, but if that's the only complaint, I ain't complaining. Maybe husband and I just have big feet and sharp knees

I really am happy to have a more casual place like this in Yaletown. I know this isn't in the cards yet, but while we were eating, I said to husband, "Can you imagine if they did breakfast?!"

Edited October 24, 2005 by Xando Head (log)

[canucklehead]

This is minimalist food, in the main executed well, in spare space that will become a neighbourhood favourite. Don't expect saucing, garnishing or frou frou, the prices don't allow for that. I hope the crowds build slowly, as the staff still need to get the measure of the room.

John

←

Well said - the components of everything is technically bang on and smart. But - saucing is minimum/non-existent. I thought the schintzel would have been improved with a lighting saucing or lemon wedges - but these are really minor minor quibbles.

I also hope that crowds build slowly - the staff are young and seem a little inexperienced. Heather did ALL of the cooking herself the night I was there - including whipping up the kick-ass souffle from zero-sixty in no time flat. I would hate to see the place overwhelmed and burnt out from too big of a hit early on.

It is clearly a labour of love - and I am looking forward to dropping in often for a late evening after work meal in the future. Nice place to decompress and have a good value/mellow little meal...

[Ling]

Lorna, she is not ready to be stormed at the doors. They are just not ready for that. You can see it.

Captain Hangar Steak

←

I have no intention of storming anyone's door. I just want a souffle...?

[~cayenne~]

Took Mrs. Cookie and the 2 crumbs to Diner last evening, pre-football in the 'den'.

At 5:00pm we were the sole occupants, which was fine for them as there was still lots of mise taking place. The service was very relaxed and personable, as well as effusive about all the menu items. One of the brews (Red Devil?) was not available, so we plumped for the Fire Truck Amber, from the vats of Mark James. Fabulous ale, very well balanced, with a vanilla-orange note playing counterpoint to a mellow hopiness. Great drinking for an overcast fall evening.

M.C. and I shared a Fig and Onion tart to start, which was more galette than tart. A freshly baked, very thin pastry base had a generous smear of sweet onion, several fresh fig slices, sprinkle of fresh rosemary and crumbled mild goat cheese. The topping may have benefitted from being heated ensemble for a moment, but that's not a criticism, so much as a reflection on my own "common-heat-for-common-food" fussiness.

Crumb #1 had Fettucine Carbonara, and polished off the whole bowl of lightly coated al dente pasta. Not a lot of sauce in evidence, but that's a common theme at Diner. Crumb #2 went for grilled cheese, a dish he has vast experience with and appetite for. The only stumble of the evening was the burnt exterior to said sandwich. Hey! its got to be easy getting this one right, but for some reason they didn't bother replacing it. (we didn't ask them to, but would expect that conscientious staff not let something like that see the light of day) Over cooked deep fried curly fries, from the McCain's bag, and a nice cole slaw spiked with grated apple completed the plate.

M.C. chose Chicken Schnitzel, which was coated with an eggy dredge instead of the usual flour/egg/breadcrumb combo. Succulent chicken breast, spatzle and chard combined well. I like the lightness the egg batter gives delicate white meat - a very smart pairing.

My lamb shank was great. The moisture was provided by the sweet braising vegetables smothered over the top of a falling-off-the-bone shank that was sitting on a bed of baked Hubbard squash. The pepperiness of the sliced chard leaf was a perfect foil to the rich squash compote.

I'm not a big dessert fan, but I'll return many times if the chocolate souffle is a menu staple. Wow! What impressed me was the confidence of the baker putting a dollop of whipped cream on top of the souffle. The texture is smooth, the structure delicate, but it still had the strength to hold the cream. Top marks also to the cheesecake.

This is minimalist food, in the main executed well, in spare space that will become a neighbourhood favourite. Don't expect saucing, garnishing or frou frou, the prices don't allow for that. I hope the crowds build slowly, as the staff still need to get the measure of the room.

John

←

Such a well written review, beautifully worded. Sounds very professional, column worthy. Looking forward to the opportunity to check this new place out.

Edited October 25, 2005 by ~cayenne~ (log)

[makanmakan]

had to go again

first day for lunch for the diner gang. there were 2 other tables when we walked in and as they left, two other tables got occupied. good to see that they're getting a bit of traffic.

both my friend and i had the perogies. i was in carb heaven! perogies were lovely. great texture, and not super dense and heavy. flavour was nicely enhanced by sauteed onions and bacon. the bavarian sausage was very tasty as well.

yup, my new favourite place!

[canucklehead]

I've gone back a couple of times with larger groups (6-8) and the strain of serving a busier place definitely shows. The food quality is still good - and that chocolate souffle is still stellar - but the wait times are pretty trying. A meal for a large group stretches out to about 2 or 3 hours. Not good for those on the run.

I will continue to comeback for that souffle though... heavenly. And they are introducing a gingerbread pudding souffle.... Just kidding Neil!

Seriously - I think that the Vancouver Courier is posting a review soon - and if it is positive - this place is going to get slammed hugely (God help them). So if you go - be patient (and keep it to small groups), or just drop by for the souffles and you will leave satisfied.

[Ling]

I had the chicken schnitzel with spaetzel and the chocolate souffle today. I agree with some of the other posters who commented that some sauce would be nice with the schnitzel. (Not that the chicken was dry, but sauce is comforting, and diner food should illicit memories of your mom's hearty home-cooking ) The spaetzel was nice--chewy, peppery. I liked Mooshmouse's meatloaf better though. The souffle was indeed excellent--nice crust, very moist and airy on the inside. I also tried the lemon meringue tart. The curd is a bit too sweet and rich for me, and the meringue was also quite sweet. The meringue is crisp--think burnished meringue cookies.

I concur with canucklehead's comment about the waiting period for the food. Lunch today for 6 ppl took much longer than I anticipated, although I didn't mind so much because the company was good.

[Vancouver Lee]

If anyone is going back soon, someone at a different table ordered a burger today, and it looked wonderful. Hand-made patty about an inch and a half thick, lots of cheddar.

Someone please order one and post your impressions soon!

[Andrew Morrison]

Dude, after about two or three bites of a burger there yesterday, I asked to have one of their prepped patties weighed.

2/3lb hand molded. Cooked medium. Subtly flavoured. Perfectly textured Positively massive. Pungent garlic aioli hung around for a while but ultimately succumbed to soda gun coke refills. Could have used some extra savoury or tang (perhaps even bacon), but that's just me and my baggage. For burger purists and fans of $8.95 accessibility...WOW.

Like any new place, they'll likely sit on their labour with volume so low. Though this might sound weird, wait times should go down as soon as they start getting rocked. If you go in the next week or so, you might be able to witness the end of it's Age of Innocence.

[makanmakan]

^^ do i see the next burger club meeting?

[mtigges]

Just got back from lunch. A mixed review follows. Nice comfy seats. Really loud music, but it was old Stones, so I guess that's ok. Plus someone else asked to have it turned down. They have Red Truck! While not a fantastic beer it is fresh, and very locally brewed. They also have Russels Pale Ale, and R&Bs lager. Two good beers.

Anyways, our very attractive wait person took our orders promptly. One meatloaf, two burgers. The meatloaf arrived about 20min later, and was delicious, the mash potatoes tasted like potatoes, not butter or mascarpone. The beans were perfect, and the meatloaf, while good undersized compared to other portions that went out subsequently - it was an end piece. Then our two burgers which came up about a minute after the meatloaf, were promptly served to another table which hadn't yet finished their soups. Hmmmm. But, this was kind of a double snafu since one of those burgers had a salad, and so were very seemingly according to the waitress destined for that table. So, it would seem that both the line and the wait staff were a bit to blame. Our burgers arrived about 5 minutes after, but obviously hurried. They were very good though, and the size definitely lived up to the previous posts.

They apologized quickly and politely about the mess - up, they knew that I knew through eye contact what had happened. We were served a tiramisu gratis after we were done. It was by far the best tiramisu I have ever had.

$65 for the three of us, that includes 8 beers, which are very reasonably priced at 3.75. I don't know if Iain will blackball me for saying this, but 3.75 for red truck is almost a dollar less than you get straight at the brewery. It was a good lunch all in all. I wanted to try the schnitzel, but I was thrown off by this talk of 2/3 lb burgers. It was a very good burger, with arugala and yellow and red tomatoes, but all in all, I think I prefer the Save-On-Meats burger for pure dripping diner-style burger.

I will be back.

[inanimate]

Had lunch there today. I had the burger and fries, my friend the perogies.

We were the first two in and wait time was a little long with that in mind. almost 30 minutes I think? fries were great (thin, crispy, nicely salted) and the burger was massive. Despite being a grand carnivore, maybe even too big and I almost dislocated my jaw eating it. But it was juicy and tasty.

Music was a bit loud, but we didn't bother asking them to turn it down. Drink refills came without having to ask.

Good food, but I think they could use a little work on their mise to speed things up a touch as things didn't look that well organized behind the counter.

I still need to go back for the meatloaf and maybe grilled cheese on those days.

[Andrew Morrison]

WE review out this Thursday.

[Vancouver Lee]

^^ do i see the next burger club meeting? 

←

The Burger Club Express may pull into the Diner station at some point, just not right away. We'll let Diner work out some of the kinks before we descend on them.

...the burger was massive. Despite being a grand carnivore, maybe even too big and I almost dislocated my jaw eating it....

←

You say that like it's a bad thing.....

[PaoPao]

We were just in again on Friday night, this place is picking up steam fast. I had the burger which was delicious and my wife had the Penne w/ Rose sauce, sweet Sausage, and peas which was excellent as well. Loved the new fries they serve with the burger, nice and crispy with a peppery sole slaw. Dessert this time was the Lemon Tart and the Choc. Soufflé. Both of which were damn yummy. I had wanted to try the Tiramisu but unfortunately they were out that night.

Service and food (including the timing for getting the plates to the table) were good but I could see the stress mount as the place quickly filled. I think at one point they had more people than Lilykate and Coast combined.

Heather and the staff are really giving it 100% working out opening kinks. With a review from Andrew coming out shortly I just hope they do this quickly before they really get swamped.

Nevertheless it's a fantastic addition to the 'hood and has fast become a regular spot for us.

[Andrew Morrison]

With a review from Andrew coming out shortly I just hope they do this quickly before they really get swamped.

While it's doubtful my review will send people in droves, I hope they get a handle on wait times as well. Keep in mind there is no better motivator than a busy room to light a fire under things.

I spoke to Heather yesterday afternoon over the phone, and she hinted that the schnitzel will likely see a dijon aioli on the side shortly.

I'm off on an island recce this morning, but I'm thinking of little else beyond Red Truck, chocolate souffle, and Duran Duran cranked.

[canucklehead]

okay - I admit that I am OCD but I introduced some more friends to Diner last night.

Looks like manpower issues are being tackled aggresively - more people on the floor and behind the counter - new server seemed to be much more knowlegdable.

Burger was excellent - served last night close to rare. Arugala pesto pasta was very nice - herbal and peppery. Lemon meringue pie has been reworked and is now topped with a italian meringe that I love - and sweetness seems like it has been cut back. Chocolate souffles good as ever - but a little drier than before.

Good to see them work through their issues and it is interesting seeing Heather adjusting and fine tuning the restaurant. My main fear is that their popularity may mean actually having to wait for table.

[Mooshmouse]

okay - I admit that I am OCD but I introduced some more friends to Diner last night.

←

You know, Lee, there is a twelve-step program that you can try for stuff like that...