enRoute Best New Restaurants

[barolo]

Here's a link: Canada's Best Restaurants

And especially for you Pam, here's a link to the Manitoba list: Manitoba's best restaurants

Does anybody have a hard copy of the article? A fellow Manitoba eG'er and I were wondering who contributed to the Manitoba section a couple of days ago.

The list includes mostly things that have been appearing on lists for years (or decades). I don't think any of them would be on my list.

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Pam, the Manitoba contributor is Karen Burshtein; they are all listed at the bottom of this article: Where to eat well, wherever you are

[Amy Rosen]

You can now read this year's (with links to all past) enRoute's Best New Restaurants feature at enroutemag.com, along with several food themed stories from the November issue.

[jamiemaw]

I just don't think most people will ever take an in-flight magazine seriously, whether they should or not.  They will always be associated with puff-pieces and "top steakhouses in Atlanta" articles, and I don't think that's going to change any time soon. 

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Wow, what an old school perspective--or perhaps you haven't flown Air Canada recently. I do frequently, and think that enRoute is one of the most progressive, and best assigned and edited periodicals in the country. Ironically perhaps, the national magazine and airline businesses are very similar here in Canada: Both are 'long thin routes' and business graveyards are littered with their cartcasses.

Far from puff pieces, I find the writing of the likes of Jim Sutherland and Matthew Mallon (from here in BC) to be authoritative and always entertaining.

It's not just for chinless wonders and travelling nabobs either: enRoute's content is necessarily aimed at an enormously wide demographic and--like cereal boxes--has to serve it up in both languages. My only wish is that there were more francophone writers willing to undertake some roadwork.

I also applaud Charlene Rooke, enRoute's editor, for tackling this difficult project, with Amy Rosen and now Chris Johns doing the legwork. It's challenging physically, logistically and financially - essentially the reasons it's never been ventured before. So I'm delighted when the food service industry gains a new voice and receives this kind of national and international attention.

I suppose my own bottom line for a magazine is if I'd pay the cover price at a newstand. In the case of enRoute, and certainly for this issue, the answer's a hypothetical yes.

Not incidentally, as a writer, it's a distinction to have a piece commissioned by enRoute. The assignmnets are interesting and Spafax pays well. The editorial staff are aslo a pleasure to deal with.

I saw some silly remarks about their methodology elsewhere. The list of contributing industry people making their five regional recommendations each year is periodically and geographically refreshed. Essentially it's to ensure that the writer covers the complete waterfront and doesn't miss out any contenders. That's all. Amusingly, some of the very food writers others have suggested be included actually have been in the past. That makes utter bollocks of the notion of 'new' versus 'old' perspectives as promoted by the Monday morning quarterbacks of the blogosphere.

Further, any sentient person experienced in dining in the province's regions (especially in such a small market as British Columbia) would likely make very similar recommendations available to the writer. In support of this hypothesis, I've yet to see any real disagreement with same, especially on the Montreal forum where they've simply flailed.

A final thought. It's really quite unfair to read this issue of enRoute on an Air Canada jet while trying to order from the pay-to-play menu.

Edited November 5, 2006 by jamiemaw (log)

[Andrew Morrison]

Well said, Jamie.

I don't think anyone has linked to the list of winners yet as enRoute's feature only came online a few days ago. Here it is.

Unless I'm very much mistaken, I think the Richard Perle-ing Jamie is referring to ("Monday morning quarter-backing") were some comments left on a recent post of mine. I don't know what the fuss is about. Everyone on the panel is solid. I would imagine the input of Barbara Jo Mackintosh and Heidi Noble would be particularly refreshing. That it's a list that has evolved and mutated over the last five years is a testament, also, to the seriousness with which enRoute takes the task, and usual suspects be damned (the list of panelists that supply Chris Johns with food for thought can be found here). In the end, I believe, it's Chris Johns' palate and experiences that account for restaurants one through ten, and not the favourites of the panelists.

Of more interest than the writers, I should think, are the winners.

For starters, is Nu the best new restaurant in Canada this year?

[jamiemaw]

Of more interest than the writers, I should think, are the winners.

For starters, is Nu the best new restaurant in Canada this year?

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That's the whole point of the story i suppose, Andrew: Very few people in Canada know the answer to your question - perhaps only one.

But based upon the criteria Chris Johns elicited, I think he makes quite a compelling case.

Edited November 5, 2006 by jamiemaw (log)

[jamiemaw]

Unless I'm very much mistaken, I think the Richard Perle-ing Jamie is referring to ("Monday morning quarter-backing") were some comments left on a recent post of mine. I don't know what the fuss is about. Everyone on the panel is solid. 

Exactly. It certainly compares favourably with the current FHM World Cup of Lingerie nominess--now that's a list I can take real issue with. Keeley Hazell and Joanna Krupa--nowhere to be seen! Unbelievable--who was on that committee?

There's a remarkable similarity between that list and some of the discussion here and elsewhere: They too can make mountains out of molehills. Of course there's also a difference: In the case of enRoute both the methodology and result are transparent while for FHM only the latter is true.

Edited November 5, 2006 by jamiemaw (log)

[eatvancouver]

I just don't think most people will ever take an in-flight magazine seriously, whether they should or not.  They will always be associated with puff-pieces and "top steakhouses in Atlanta" articles, and I don't think that's going to change any time soon. 

←

Wow, what an old school perspective--or perhaps you haven't flown Air Canada recently. I do frequently, and think that enRoute is one of the best assigned and edited periodicals in the country. Ironically perhaps, the national magazine and airline businesses are very similar here in Canada: Both are 'long thin routes'.

Far from puff pieces, I find the writing of the likes of Jim Sutherland and Matthew Mallon (from here in BC) to be authoritative and always entertaining.

It's not just for chinless wonders and travelling nabobs either: enRoute's content is necessarily aimed at an enormously wide demographic and--like cereal boxes--has to serve it up in both languages. My only wish is that there were more francophone writers willing to undertake some roadwork.

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Again, not really my point. As I said above, maybe people should take Air Canada's magazine seriously. I can't really comment on that seeing as I've only flown it once ( I don't travel within Canada much), and I was heavily sedated. I do remember thinking it cute that they do the announcements in French and English. My comment simply a humorous (or so I had hoped) jab aimed at the negative stereotype associated with in-flight magazines that I do believe is prevalent among Canadians and Americans but perhaps more so among Americans.

[jamiemaw]

Again, not really my point.  As  I said above, maybe people should take Air Canada's magazine seriously.  I can't really comment on that seeing as I've only flown it once ( I don't travel within Canada much), and I was heavily sedated.

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Much is explained. Statements made here and elsewhere - about safety cards and air sickness bags - suggest otherwise:

eatvancouver I think we need to look at the larger issue here, as in why is an in-flight magazine our source for restaurant rankings? As I've noted elsewhere, it's not even the most important document in my seat's magazine holder.

Have you read this issue? Do you have any comments?

Edited November 5, 2006 by jamiemaw (log)

[eatvancouver]

Again, not really my point.  As  I said above, maybe people should take Air Canada's magazine seriously.  I can't really comment on that seeing as I've only flown it once ( I don't travel within Canada much), and I was heavily sedated.

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Much is explained. Have you read this issue?

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The cocktail recipe looks good

But seriously, yeah there are at least two interesting articles in the current issue and it does seem like a quality publication. I would, however, challenge their assertion that Montreal's Raza started the nuevo latino trend.

[jamiemaw]

I would, however, challenge their assertion that Montreal's Raza started the nuevo latino trend.

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Don't leave us hanging. After all, there's a 'sad dearth of said cuisine.' And I mean that.

Edited November 5, 2006 by jamiemaw (log)

[eatvancouver]

I would, however, challenge their assertion that Montreal's Raza started the nuevo latino trend.

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Don't leave us hanging. After all, there's a 'sad dearth of said cuisine.' And I mean that.

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I don't have any hard dates for you, but I know Nuevo Latino has been around long before Raza. Patria in New York, for instance, must have been around much longer than Raza.

[kissmekate]

I would, however, challenge their assertion that Montreal's Raza started the nuevo latino trend.

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Don't leave us hanging. After all, there's a 'sad dearth of said cuisine.' And I mean that.

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I don't have any hard dates for you, but I know Nuevo Latino has been around long before Raza. Patria in New York, for instance, must have been around much longer than Raza.

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Perhaps they were referring to Canadian Nuevo Latino cooking? Certainly Nuevo Latino dining had been around in the States since the early eighties. It started in Miami, as you would imagine, but really gained attention, and the moniker Nuevo Latino, with Chef Douglas Rodriquez who is referred to as the father of Nuevo Latino cuisine in the United States. He also got his start in Miami but was responsible for moving the cuisine style out of the Cuban market into the haute cuisine market throughout States.

We dined at Patria, his restaurant in New York, in 1996 or 97 and it was like nothing we had ever tasted or seen. It was exquisite, exciting food both in taste and presentation. Recently we ate at his restaurant in Miami and found his Nuevo Latino cuisine has continued to evolve, the flavours slightly more subtle now, but still exciting and exquisite.

I have never tasted anything that even comes close to those flavours in Vancouver and have not dined at Raza. I suppose it's not a surprise however that the cuisine crossed the border to our East Coast first given the influence of Latin cuisine on the US East Coast. Though having said that, it's always a surprise to me that the Mexican influences in California cuisine never seemed to drift our way? I suppose it may be the lack of Cubans and Mexicans on our West Coast, we turn instead to Asian flavours and embrace Indian spices, as is our ethnic mix here.

When I took classes at CIA Hyde Park we did a class pairings wine with spices. It was an interesting class lead by Montreal wine expert and senior CIA instructor Michael Weiss. The spices we worked with were mostly various types of chili peppers. Clean hot spices, very Cuban and Mexican rather then Indian spices or Asian flavours, speaking to the influence of the Latin cuisine on the East Coast.

[barolo]

It's not just for chinless wonders and travelling nabobs either: enRoute's content is necessarily aimed at an enormously wide demographic and--like cereal boxes--has to serve it up in both languages.

Here's enRoute's definition of its audience:

enRoute readers are highly mobile people who live, work and play on a global scale. The magazine is read by nearly 1 million passengers a month and can be found in the seat pockets of Air Canada aircraft and in Maple Leaf™ Lounges and select Star Alliance™ lounges around the world. It is also distributed at more than 100 upscale outlets across Canada (hotels, boutiques, health clubs, restaurants and lounges). Air Canada passengers (64 percent male/36 percent female) are affluent business travellers from major Canadian cities andhighly educated frequent flyers with disposable incomes far above the national average.

[zapata]

I would, however, challenge their assertion that Montreal's Raza started the nuevo latino trend.

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Don't leave us hanging. After all, there's a 'sad dearth of said cuisine.' And I mean that.

←

I don't have any hard dates for you, but I know Nuevo Latino has been around long before Raza. Patria in New York, for instance, must have been around much longer than Raza.

←

Perhaps they were referring to Canadian Nuevo Latino cooking? Certainly Nuevo Latino dining had been around in the States since the early eighties. It started in Miami, as you would imagine, but really gained attention, and the moniker Nuevo Latino, with Chef Douglas Rodriquez who is referred to as the father of Nuevo Latino cuisine in the United States. He also got his start in Miami but was responsible for moving the cuisine style out of the Cuban market into the haute cuisine market throughout States.

We dined at Patria, his restaurant in New York, in 1996 or 97 and it was like nothing we had ever tasted or seen. It was exquisite, exciting food both in taste and presentation. Recently we ate at his restaurant in Miami and found his Nuevo Latino cuisine has continued to evolve, the flavours slightly more subtle now, but still exciting and exquisite.

I have never tasted anything that even comes close to those flavours in Vancouver and have not dined at Raza. I suppose it's not a surprise however that the cuisine crossed the border to our East Coast first given the influence of Latin cuisine on the US East Coast. Though having said that, it's always a surprise to me that the Mexican influences in California cuisine never seemed to drift our way? I suppose it may be the lack of Cubans and Mexicans on our West Coast, we turn instead to Asian flavours and embrace Indian spices, as is our ethnic mix here.

When I took classes at CIA Hyde Park we did a class pairings wine with spices. It was an interesting class lead by Montreal wine expert and senior CIA instructor Michael Weiss. The spices we worked with were mostly various types of chili peppers. Clean hot spices, very Cuban and Mexican rather then Indian spices or Asian flavours, speaking to the influence of the Latin cuisine on the East Coast.

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Perhaps they were referring to Canadien Nuevo latino restaurant...Raza is the first nuevo latino restaurant in the country.

Mixing latin cooking, products and French tecniques...

here is the web site

www.restaurantraza.com

The Chef owner is Peruvian...

[jamiemaw]

Perhaps they were referring to Canadien Nuevo latino restaurant...Raza is the first nuevo latino restaurant in the country.

Mixing latin cooking, products and French tecniques...

here is the web site

www.restaurantraza.com

The Chef owner is Peruvian...

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I would have thought that Baru might have beaten them to the punch by half a dozen years or so.

[zapata]

Perhaps they were referring to Canadien Nuevo latino restaurant...Raza is the first nuevo latino restaurant in the country.

Mixing latin cooking, products and French tecniques...

here is the web site

www.restaurantraza.com

The Chef owner is Peruvian...

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I would have thought that Baru might have beaten them to the punch by half a dozen years or so.

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??????????????????????

[Andrew Morrison]

Baru Latino. Suerte.

[zapata]

Perhaps they were referring to Canadien Nuevo latino restaurant...Raza is the first nuevo latino restaurant in the country.

Mixing latin cooking, products and French tecniques...

here is the web site

www.restaurantraza.com

The Chef owner is Peruvian...

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I would have thought that Baru might have beaten them to the punch by half a dozen years or so.

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??????????????????????

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Come on...this restaurant is a bistro..and the food(menu) is not latin...where is the mate cocido, aji panca, aji amarrillo, maiz morado, huacatay,quinoa, cana de azucar, mote, chulpi,, chirimoya, lucuma...cancha etc...who is the chef??? In Montreal are more then 30 latin little restaurant...and restaurant like this one..but not like Raza....here is the web site one more time www.restaurantraza.com

and look how is in the kitchen who is the Chef , where he comes from..and sous chef

[seanw]

I dunno who the current one is, but i believe it has a fairly useful alumni with Nico of Chambar amongst them. I guess he was in a nuevo belgo latino phase back then. fwiw i know what you mean Z.

[nwyles]

I dunno who the current one is, but i believe it has a fairly useful alumni with Nico of Chambar amongst them. I guess he was in a nuevo belgo latino phase back then. fwiw i know what you mean Z.

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Sean,

you speak in riddles.

Spell it out man.

FWIW, I do not know what you mean.

[barolo]

Over at City Food Rhonda May reports on enRoute's latest choices for top new Canadian restaurants:

The complete list goes as follows:

1) Nota Bene (Toronto)

2) Le Local (Montreal)

3) Harbord Room (Toronto)

4) Chef's Table (Calgary)

5) Boneta (Vancouver)

6) The Only on King (London)

7) Lucien (Toronto)

8) Fraiche (West Vancouver)

9) Liverpool House (Montreal)

10) Stage (Victoria)

[Cap'n Crunch]

Congrats to all the winners.

Nice to see some good representation from some great Vancouver restaurants

This had come along same time as the Where Magazine awards. They had also given a nod to Boneta, which was well deserved, however, last year they won runner-up in the same category.