Diner -Yaletown

[Vancouver Lee]

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...

←

Yeah, but step one is admitting that you have a problem.

What problem?

[BCinBC]

After a drink and pre-dinner dessert at HSG, N and I checked out Diner on Friday night. Scanned the room for known eGs and was surprised that there were none. Paopao, we must have just missed you and Yummy.

When we arrived at about 8, they were running at say 80%. There were about 10 covers ahead of us, so we decided to chance it and stay. Yes Canucklehead the ratio of staff per diner was quite high, yet I couldn't figure out what some of them were doing. But they must be friends and family, otherwise I can't see how Heather could afford to pay all of them given her already existing overheads and the fact that she has just opened.

We were tag teamed on the waitress front, which worked fine. They get a solid grade for effort, but one of the girls had to check on a couple of my questions (how much was wine, was it offered by the glass (and how much), could we re-cork the bottle if we didn't finish...).

I already knew what I was going to order, so we tried to put our order in as soon as possible - I got the meatloaf, N got the perogies, and we also ordered a bottle of the Hester Creek cab/merlot (the answers were $32, yes ($7) and yes). Wine prices are a steal for this part of town.

Dinner was on the table at about 8:45. The meatloaf was good; pre-made obviously then fried for a warm-up. Served with mashed potatoes, tomatoes concasse-ed and green beans with a bit of pesto. The perogies were very good, stuffed with potatoes and cheese and served with a "German sausage" and bacon, sour cream and green onions. If somehow you could order the perogies with the meatloaf instead of sausage, that would really be ideal.

Then we put in the order for a chocolate souffle. Turned out to be quite a wait as they started a new batch; they apologised a couple times and wanted to comp us a slice of coconut-mango cake, which was a nice gesture but sadly I actually turned it down (remember the pre-dinner dessert, plus another dessert coming up). I will go back to try that cake another time though.

In the end the wait was totally worth it, it was an excellent souffle. Nice rich chocolate flavours within the delicate cap, and the vanilla ice cream that accompanied on the side (and which I put on top) melted and melded with the warm choc innards. Was it better than Cru's? Knee-jerk reaction is yes, though I really did prefer the sour cherry accompaniment over the ice cream. However I reserve final judgement until I actually do a head-to-head tasting. (More hints Mark.)

Impressions and observations:

1. The booth we sat in (corner nearest the washrooms) was really weird, the cushion was jutting up into my butt all night. Maybe they just need to get broken in, or sat on by someone heavier than I. I hope so.

2. Otherwise I liked the decor, especially for Yaletown. No fuss. It is diner-ish, except for the wooden table-tops. I was dying to take one home to turn into a cutting board.

3. The food overall was very good, with the real highlight being the souffle. Heather's talents are obvious.

4. Although we received our meals without incident, I witnessed 3 plates from 2 other tables being sent back because they were not hot. Timing issues that hopefully get ironed out.

5. As noted profusely in this thread so far, there are wait staff issues that need to get ironed out as well. They are quite aware of this, and are obviously working on it.

6. I watched Heather cook the whole time we were there, and I met her afterwards. She is a sweetheart and indeed a dynamo, but I think she needs some help in the form of a real line cook.

7. One of the nice touches is when you order a coffee, they grind some JJ Bean(s) and serve it to you in a Bodum.

8. Next up on the To Try list are the burger, one of the pastas, the cake, and the tiramisu.

I think she's got a really good thing on the go here, and I wish her best of luck. I'll be back, but I'm going to wait another month or so at least. Go expecting good comfort food and excellent desserts, don't go expecting to be out of there in an hour.

ETA: We were there for about 2 hours.

Edited October 31, 2005 by BCinBC (log)

[fud]

Then we put in the order for a chocolate souffle. Turned out to be quite a wait as they started a new batch; they apologised a couple times and wanted to comp us a slice of coconut-mango cake, which was a nice gesture but sadly I actually turned it down (remember the pre-dinner dessert, plus another dessert coming up). I will go back to try that cake another time though.

Hey Brian,

When you say long wait for the souffle how long are we talking? 45 minutes? did you see her make it?

We walked by before you guys got there for a look-see. The place looked pretty busy. I liked the giant chalk menu (I feel sorry for the person who has to re-do it when stuff gets added/deleted). Funnily enough just as we arrived and peered in we saw a souflee making its way to the table by the window. Now if that isn't perfect advertising and timing I don't know what is.

[BCinBC]

^ Yeah it was about 45-50 minutes, from scratch. We could see her dark blue KitchenAid spinning away back there.

[Andrew Morrison]

Diner gets the Tim Pawsey nod in a review out in today's Courier.

LilyKate must be pissed.

[drinkingchef]

Anybody know if they have a website. I would love to check out the menu online. Eventhough I'm sure the majority of the menu has been covered in this thread, I'm interrested in taking a peak at the winelist an unfortunately am too far away to do it in person

[Andrew Morrison]

Diner has no website, no email, and no PR. Just Heather @ 604-444-4855. Still cash only, I believe, too.

I love it.

There was not much to speak of in my notes as far as the wine department is concerned, perhaps about 10-15 options total (including Gray Monk's Pinot Gris), but it isn't a vino-centric place by any stretch of the imagination. If it were to have any liquid focus at all, it would be beer, sodas, and milkshakes (there's a canteloupe martini that I've been meaning to try, too).

Happy dining. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Edited November 1, 2005 by Andrew Morrison (log)

[PaoPao]

Definitely don't miss the Cantaloupe Martini, it's one of Yummy's favs.

New menu item tonight is Steamed Mussels with a homemade role to sop up the juices. My dinner was a Patty Melt which was awesome, served with Fries and Coleslaw. It's not on the menu but damn it was good.

[Vancouver Lee]

Definitely don't miss the Cantaloupe Martini, it's one of Yummy's favs. 

New menu item tonight is Steamed Mussels with a homemade role to sop up the juices.  My dinner was a Patty Melt which was awesome, served with Fries and Coleslaw.  It's not on the menu but damn it was good.

←

What is a Patty Melt? An open-faced burger?

[kontemporary]

LilyKate must be pissed.

←

Not LilyKate anymore, but "LK Dining Lounge"

[PaoPao]

Definitely don't miss the Cantaloupe Martini, it's one of Yummy's favs. 

New menu item tonight is Steamed Mussels with a homemade role to sop up the juices.  My dinner was a Patty Melt which was awesome, served with Fries and Coleslaw.  It's not on the menu but damn it was good.

←

What is a Patty Melt? An open-faced burger?

←

Ahh Lee, your in for a treat you Baron of Burgers.

On her menu she has a Grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich. She uses fresh bread that she bakes there, stuffs it with cheese and Ham and Grills the whole thing in Butter to a Crispy Golden Crunchy Brown.

While awesome as this is I like Hamburger better than Ham so I asked if she could just throw one of her burger patties in there to replace the Ham.

A short while later, what they had called a "Patty Melt" was delivered to my table heaping with Fries and Slaw. It was delicious ......

[makanmakan]

^^

oh my gawd, that sounds good!

[Vancouver Lee]

Definitely don't miss the Cantaloupe Martini, it's one of Yummy's favs. 

New menu item tonight is Steamed Mussels with a homemade role to sop up the juices.  My dinner was a Patty Melt which was awesome, served with Fries and Coleslaw.  It's not on the menu but damn it was good.

←

What is a Patty Melt? An open-faced burger?

←

Ahh Lee, your in for a treat you Baron of Burgers.

On her menu she has a Grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich. She uses fresh bread that she bakes there, stuffs it with cheese and Ham and Grills the whole thing in Butter to a Crispy Golden Crunchy Brown.

While awesome as this is I like Hamburger better than Ham so I asked if she could just throw one of her burger patties in there to replace the Ham.

A short while later, what they had called a "Patty Melt" was delivered to my table heaping with Fries and Slaw. It was delicious ......

←

Funny you should mention the ham and cheese - that's what I had last week! It was pretty good, but a little overcooked for my taste and a little thin (issues I suspect are due to the much-talked-about growing pains).

A burger-grilled cheese combo???? My arteries are shrivelling up just thinking about that!

Did she make a wider, thinner patty than the usual ones? The burger I saw was seriously thick, i.e. way to thick to fit well in between two slices of cheese, no matter how much gooey melted cheese there was in between to hold it all together! lol

You didn't happen to snap a photo, did you?

[PaoPao]

Definitely don't miss the Cantaloupe Martini, it's one of Yummy's favs. 

New menu item tonight is Steamed Mussels with a homemade role to sop up the juices.  My dinner was a Patty Melt which was awesome, served with Fries and Coleslaw.  It's not on the menu but damn it was good.

←

What is a Patty Melt? An open-faced burger?

←

Ahh Lee, your in for a treat you Baron of Burgers.

On her menu she has a Grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich. She uses fresh bread that she bakes there, stuffs it with cheese and Ham and Grills the whole thing in Butter to a Crispy Golden Crunchy Brown.

While awesome as this is I like Hamburger better than Ham so I asked if she could just throw one of her burger patties in there to replace the Ham.

A short while later, what they had called a "Patty Melt" was delivered to my table heaping with Fries and Slaw. It was delicious ......

←

Funny you should mention the ham and cheese - that's what I had last week! It was pretty good, but a little overcooked for my taste and a little thin (issues I suspect are due to the much-talked-about growing pains).

A burger-grilled cheese combo???? My arteries are shrivelling up just thinking about that!

Did she make a wider, thinner patty than the usual ones? The burger I saw was seriously thick, i.e. way to thick to fit well in between two slices of cheese, no matter how much gooey melted cheese there was in between to hold it all together! lol

You didn't happen to snap a photo, did you?

←

I believe she did flatten the patty a bit to get everything stuck together. Unfortunately no pictures, sorry.

This isn't good ... I'm starting to get "Diner" brain as I have already planned my next meal there: The same Patty Melt but with Bacon this time and Coke with Tiramisu bringing everything home. Coincidently today I was reading about a new Medical procedure that actually scrapes out the inside of your arteries. Good to know!

[Andrew Morrison]

Ha, I know what you mean. I'm sitting over here across the Strait sharing my little Sith lord's Halloween take and all I can think about is chocolate souffle. It's funny how romances begin....

[makanmakan]

^^i hear ya! i'm going on friday night and this week can not go any slower. patty melt, and souffle, here i come!!

[transfattyacid]

Me and the missus had an early dinner @ diner tonight.

I had chicken schnitzel with spaetzle ( served with an apricot - onion - mustard seed chutney ) .

And Wifee enjoyed her meatloaf & mash .

Mexican chocolate souffle and a lemon meringue pie for afters.

We like Diner :] .

Mr Maw walked in as we were paying ( sorry i didn`t say hi ), so Diner may not remain a yaletown 'secret' for long.

[Irishgirl]

There were three of us sitting there tonight. My husband and I were sitting between you and Jamie.

Schnitzel, Corn chowder, Perogies (we will go back for these alone), Souffle and Cheesecake.

Loved the music selection. Lots of Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James.

[hopkin]

Second visit to Diner tonight, loved it. Lamb and Pork dishes were great, desserts were extraordinary.

Not sure if it has been mentioned yet, but Heather lives in White Rock on a 5 acre farm where some of the ingredients for Diner are grown.

[transfattyacid]

There were three of us sitting there tonight.  My husband and I were sitting between you and Jamie.

Schnitzel, Corn chowder, Perogies (we will go back for these alone), Souffle and Cheesecake.

Loved the music selection.  Lots of Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James.

←

Harsh, aint i the ignorant sod then. Saying that i wouldn`t have recognised you, but hi all the same :]

Yeah i was torn between the ribs , some danish number with polenta if memory serve`s and those peogies, great menu don`t ya think ?

Makes me wanna go back and eat it all .

[Andrew Morrison]

TFA, Irishgirl, and Jamie: what time did you go, was it really busy, and how were they holding up under the onslaught?

[Irishgirl]

We arrived between 7:30 and 8. There were three dueces (including us) when we started. Three more tables arrived during our stay.....2 dueces and a 4 top. It also looked like someone from the neighbourhood came for takeout.

We had Heather's sister as a server. Very sweet. She was very concerned about how long the souffle was taking....which we were perfectly prepared to wait for. I think that they were nervous because i was turned around in my seat quite often, as i was trying to read the rest of the board. (The wine entries were written in a blue or green chalk which was hard to make out...and I was playing a guessing game at what they were) Plus my husband had a hard time reading it as well....and kept asking questions.

We were happy with the results, and they were so concerned about the souffle, that they sent out two soufflees and two cheesecake.....whoa. Double the dessert, double the pleasure.

[privatejet]

We were back again tonight. They had only one table plus a seat or two at the bar available when we arrived.

Had desert this evening -the chocolate souffle was as hyped, the cheesecake extremely light and fluffy, but the consensus at our table was that the creme brulee beat them all. Great texture, with a wonderful vanilla flavour.

[transfattyacid]

TFA, Irishgirl, and Jamie: what time did you go, was it really busy, and how were they holding up under the onslaught?

←

Hi Andrew

As i said up thread, we were in early, half-6-ish sit down . There were a couple of dueces and a young family ( 2 adults 2 very well behaved kids ) when we arrived. By the time we were on puddings we had the place to our selves. When we were paying irishgirl and Mr maw had arrived.

If this constitutes an ' onslaught ' then so be it.

There was no eGullet conspiracy, not that i`m aware of. And dinner @ Diner was not premeditated on our behalf until wifee got home from work.

But tell me Andrew. You sound very concerned about the level of business that Diner can handle. Why is that ?.

Do excuse my ignorance here, as i am but a mere cook. But correct me if i`m wrong, are you feeling slightly guilty, in the fact that you may have contributed to the very ' onslaught ' of which you speak by writing about Diner in the WE ?.

( utterly dull disclaimer :- not read the piece my self ).

Now forgive me if i`ve got it all wrong again, but surely the person ( heather, bless her ), who`s tasks include counting the shiny things that her customers so generously leave behind in leu of refreshments taken at her charming establishment. Would prehaps prefer you to not dissuade her future patrons from embarking on such a pleasant experience. In order to have enough of the said "shiny " things to open again next month. After all, there is yaletown rent to pay.

I can understand your view , to a point. After only enjoying one meal at Diner i feel personally attached to the place already. The style , or lack of, depending on which side of the design fence you choose to sit, and the menu concept speaks to me in many ways . I find myself wishing then on to fulfill their inherent potential.

Maybe Diner has so much character, soul and personality. That when it`s in the firing line next to some of the monsterous eateries of yaletown, that we become over protective of this small and personal space.

Maybe we are both getting too paternal, but Diner is not one of our offspring about to go to war with the masses, it`s primarliy a business. And a good, honest one at that. A business that has to learn from it`s own experience. We have all had a bus load walk in when we`ve least expected it and learnt how best to deal with, and prepare for, these situations.

Diner also will have those nights and the ensueing morning afters, and rise to the challenge of operating in the market place, change ( hopefully not too much ), modify and adapt to this. I would be interested to see if the fabled chocolate souffle lasts on the menu, i certainly hope it does as those ubiquitous 'molten chocolate cakes' are both boring to make and eat. and this pudding makes for a well needed alternative. But this may have to be streamlined in order to meet demand, either operationally or logistically.

Any way just the voices in my head again.

do carry on as you were.

[Andrew Morrison]

Wow. Great post, and all good questions and points.

Do excuse my ignorance here, as i am but a mere cook. But correct me if i`m wrong, are you feeling slightly guilty, in the fact that you may have contributed to the very ' onslaught ' of which you speak by writing about Diner in the WE ?.

Big yes, but with respect to the fact that the audience of the WE is small I don't think it's plausible my words could make any difference. The review in question comes out this morning. A relevant excerpt:

For me, the question of whether or not Yaletown was ready for Diner has been answered as some positive word of mouth is already beginning to spread. What remains to be seen is whether or not Diner is ready for Yaletown. There are several restaurants nearby where the food, drink, service, and ambience eclipse it by a factor of a 10, but this 40-seat treat is such a refreshing departure from the neighbourhood norm that it deserves to be coddled and protected like an indigenous species staring at the brink. It can also cook. So be gentle with it, people. The wait times might be long and the service a little manic, but like any good friend, perfection is not something we seriously consider.

You wrote:

I can understand your view , to a point. After only enjoying one meal at Diner i feel personally attached to the place already. The style , or lack of, depending on which side of the design fence you choose to sit, and the menu concept speaks to me in many ways . I find myself wishing then on to fulfill their inherent potential.

Agreed. Having spent so much of my life in restaurants, I've never been able to stop cheering for the good ones.

Maybe Diner has so much character, soul and personality. That when it`s in the firing line next to some of the monsterous eateries of yaletown, that we become over protective of this small and personal space.

You're bang on target. I wrote:

Diner can be seen as an apology for Yaletown’s occasional haughtiness and as an answer to its glaring deficit of casual restaurants. It’s arrived just in time, for the upwardly mobile crowds have been in danger of dictating thus: if you don’t plan on opening a quasi-celebrity cheffed cash cow staffed by blondes and marketed to Hummer-lovers dressed to the nines, then you should take your little pipedream and drive it back to the sticks in a rear-facing infant carseat. It’s unfortunate, but there it is.

I'll probably get some guff for that.

Anyway, it's nice to be close to the same page as you, TFA, and I've never known a "mere" cook in my life.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Andrew Morrison (log)