Dining In Grand Style

[SBonner]

It was great to see Eli (owner of Steamwork's) in the newspaper yesterday with his plans to create a NY steak house/casual dining room in the historic and very grand designed CPR Train station which is now the terminus point for the seabus, WestCoast Rail, and Skytrain. If any one has been or even looked at website for New York's Grand Central Station with its amazing foodhalls and restaurants you can only wish the best for our station. Any comments on this great venture and what you would like to see in the CPR Train building? I'm surprised that with the volume of traffic flowing through this location that there has not been an effort for better quality shops and services to evolve.

Cheers,

Stephen

Edited March 9, 2006 by SBonner (log)

[nwyles]

Do you have a link to the article ?

[SBonner]

Do you have a link to the article ?

←

Steamworks CP Rail Building

Neil,

Here is the link.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/bu...9b-b199d0130217

Should be a very cool addition to the Gastown cityscape and food scene. I should also note that the buidling is actually the Canadian Pacific Building not CN

Cheers,

Stephen Bonner

Edited March 9, 2006 by SBonner (log)

[Vancitygirl]

Oh I am in a nasty mood today. Sorry I have to inflict it on you all, but........here goes:

Let's hope they hire an entirely different kitchen staff than Steamwork's.

Here's the nice mood - Love the concept though.

[SBonner]

Oh I am in a nasty mood today.  Sorry I have to inflict it on you all, but........here goes:

Let's hope they hire an entirely different kitchen staff than Steamwork's.

Here's the nice mood - Love the concept though.

←

Possibly another thread...but a bad experience? I'm at Steamworks usually twice a week but usually to drink the beers. Service staff has always been very friendly to me so no compliants on my end.

Stephen

Edited March 9, 2006 by SBonner (log)

[shelora]

Oh I am in a nasty mood today.  Sorry I have to inflict it on you all, but........here goes:

Let's hope they hire an entirely different kitchen staff than Steamwork's.

Here's the nice mood - Love the concept though.

←

A great concept indeed. I'm hoping they can do it up right.

Personally, I'd like to see an oyster/chowder bar over a steak house. But what the hell do I know?

[kurtisk]

Personally, I'd like to see an oyster/chowder bar over a steak house. But what the hell do I know?

A more appropriate concept, for one!

k

[SBonner]

Personally, I'd like to see an oyster/chowder bar over a steak house. But what the hell do I know?

A more appropriate concept, for one!

k

←

Some good points. Based on the menu's at Steamworks I could envision Eli's team having seafood as well. The station has lot gowing for it...walk by's, parking, and public transportation if you drink too much. From the article it appears that Eli is travelling to some of the great train station of the world for inspiration. I'm looking forward to a nice glass of wine or beer under those amazing 20 metre ceilings.

Stephen

[Sam Salmon]

Fabulous Idea!

A unique destination restaurant and once the new Stadium is built the sky's the limit.

Let's hope he pulls it off!

I've transited the place so many times over the years-even caught a train to the Interior there once

The most memorable eatery I ever recall was Franks for The Memories.

[kurtisk]

once the new Stadium is built the sky's the limit.

I don't think that's set in stone yet. They've only had the first public forum on it with at least three more scheduled.

My initial instinct is to go for it, but:

a) I don't live around there.

and

b) I've not done the proper research to be fully aware of the pros and cons.

Info here & here...

k.

Edited March 10, 2006 by kurtisk (log)

[SBonner]

Thanks Kurtis,

I live in Gastown.. so I'm a big supporter of the Whitecaps stadium. If it happens it looks pretty spectacular, Image watching a football match with the mountains in the background then having a pint or glass of wine at the "Station" or Steamworks. I'm all for it being a Gastown tax payer if this is the future for the hood.

Cheers,

Stephen

Edited March 10, 2006 by SBonner (log)

[Foodie in Vancouver]

I have eaten in the steak restaurant in Grand Central Station and was fortunate to attend the opening of the station following the renovation. The restaurant is owned by a basketball player whose name escapes me - I want to say Michael Jackson but I know that is very wrong. Anyway it is Michael something and apparently he was/is famous. The restaurant overlooks the grand hall and it should feel more special than it does. But to me the steakhouse concept seems wrong. When I ate there a family of 6 at the next table ordered a humongous steak (64 oz if I recall correctly) and the mother served everyone as if it were Sunday dinner. That was the only memorable part of my dinner. Everything else was so meh. I was faintly embarassed for the Station to have to be a part of the steak restaurant/basketball shrine/celebrity atmosphere. She deserves so much better.

The opening, however, was magical and it made you wish that you could save every grand building everywhere. Everytime I am in NYC I go to to station and wonder at the marvel of the restoration and how close they came to demolishing it. It brings a tear to my eye everytime.

And as for the food stores - amazing. Unbelievable variety, everything from an honest-to-goodness butcher (no shrink wrap in site), fishmonger, vegetables, tea, coffee, olive oils, wine store and so on and so forth. Shop for dinner, catch a train home. Good concept - better than a steakhouse. I always have to remind myself that I am staying in a hotel and purchasing fresh fish is not a good idea no matter how wonderful it looks.

[~cayenne~]

I have eaten in the steak restaurant in Grand Central Station and was fortunate to attend the opening of the station following the renovation. The restaurant is owned by a basketball player whose name escapes me - I want to say Michael Jackson but I know that is very wrong. Anyway it is Michael something

←

Jordan

[eatrustic]

The Basketball player is Michael Jordan a little known athlete from the 90's who was known more for his business acumen than his skill on the court

All the fancy restaurants in Grand Central never really appealed to me as there was sooo much more to see in the big city, but the fast food vendors in the lower area are amazing. The space itself is amazingly well restored.

It seems the fancy restaurants in G.C.are tourist destinations while the fast food vendors are for the commuters. It would be nice to have a similar split in amenities.

I would hope that any food service operation going into such an important space would represent Vancouver in it's best possible light, with seafood as a main feature. A certain Kit's Beach restaurant comes to mind as a sellout to the highest bidder at the cost of this city's culinary reputation!