Travels in the Land of Giants

Hey, everyone's had mini-marshmallows at some time or another, but most people do not realize their enormous potential. Mini-marshmallows are actually just the tasty seeds used to grow larger marshmallows. For us humans, we like to harvest most marshmallows at their nice handy 1.5" long size (also known as "baby marshmallows"). But venture out into the land of giants around this time of year, and you will see the spectacular harvesting of giant marshmallows from the fields in which they grow. I caught one of the giants' little minions operating the specialized harvesting equipment, collecting the precious confections at their peak. Oh, imagine the s'mores you could make with these babies!

"Now THERE'S a marshmallow!"


A field full of marshmallows ready for harvest time.

The marshmallow farmer carefully moving the freshly picked marshmallow.

Loading up the truck, very gently. Note that some of the vines are still attached.

Speed Blogging

It's summertime, it's hot, and who wants to be in front of their computer all day? So here are some quick 30 second impressions from a slew of restaurants that I've visited in the past, but haven't fully blogged. Whether any or all of these are a match to your own tastes is up to you.

Lolita's South of the Border Cantina (1326 Davie St., 604-696-9996). Delicious, genuinely tasty and interesting food, with very long waits for said food. Hugely busy, cramped, and popular with the cool kids, which makes the wait often just not worth the trouble unless you catch it at a less busy time. Great big glasses of Sangria will help with the waiting. Pricey for Mexican food, but fair for the quality of food. Go there when you have very good company, a lot of time to kill, and when you're not starving.

The Secret Garden Tea Company (5559 West Boulevard, just North of 41st, 604-261-3070). Home of my favourite tea - Creamy Earl Grey. Wonderful little treats for high tea, in a setting perfect for when you have a hankering to feel girly. Demi High Tea (12.95) is also available. I always leave this place happy.

Tacos Mexico Rico (309 West Pender, at Hamilton St., 604-688-7426). Cheap, tasty, and what I can only guess to be authentic Mexican fare in a friendly little quiet hole in the wall.

Kingyo (871 Denman St., near Robson, 604-608-1677). Great izakaya food that will appeal to the foodies who enjoy things like detecting the differences between the three kinds of salt served with their chicken karaage. Take their fresh fish of the day recommendations. I had the best Tai (snapper) that I've ever had there when I visited, but this is the kind of thing that varies constantly. Service is eager, yet sadly inexperienced, and when I went, almost a bit overbearingly attentive, but again, that's something that can vary considerably too. Stunning presentation on some sashimi served in a half-pipe of bamboo and decorated with Japanese Maple leaves. Worth a try, but expect to spend money on it.

Hamilton Street Grill (Yaletown). My second visit there, and my second experience where I had another lovely dinner foodwise, but had some service issues. Can't tell if it's because they're doing the "I'm only putting effort into the service when the customers look like they're going to spend big" or if they are just a bit disorganized in assigning tables to servers. At any rate, it's a good restaurant, with a nice owner/chef, but could do with some front of the house tweaking.

Danny's Wun Tun Restaurant (11666 Steveston Hwy #3050, Richmond, 604-277-3317). If you ever find yourself hungry while at the Ironwood Plaza Shopping Centre in Richmond, this is a nice little wun tun house. The real reason they are noteworthy is because the owners are just totally charming hosts, making this place popular with the Asian and non-Asian crowd.

Milestones, White Rock (3085 152nd St. in the South Point Exchange Shopping Centre of Highway 99). Just a note of caution that not all Milestones are created equal, despite their efforts to standardize. The kitchen at this one just does not seem up to snuff. Recipes must be fairly strict, but I have had over-vinegared, and over-salted food there that is barely edible. I've had mushy vegetables. I've had their spinach dip served in a bowl with tonnes of crusted over spinach dip clinging to the outside of their bowl that makes you wonder if it was from the contents or from another day. I've had a dirty mug brought to the table for my tea. Yes, I'm sure you're about to berrade me for going there in the first place, but it's really the only sit-down restaurant (aside from the new Cactus Club around the corner) in that shopping area, and it just happens to be a convenient stopping point on one of my routes. I have stopped going there. I have not given up all Milestones though. I go to the one on Robson St. sometimes.

Orchid Delight Restaurant (2445 Burrard St., north of Broadway, 604-831-0221). Nice, attractive Malaysian restaurant that shows Vancouver that you don't have to dine in a dive to have good Malaysian food. Solid renditions of tofu goreng ($6), spicy sambal kang kong ($11, it's a green veggie), and roti prata ($4.95) were presented. Good service. Only glitch that night was that I got the spicy sambal, even though I ordered mild, and thought throughout the meal that the spicy must REALLY be killer, if I was having trouble with the mild. Found out from the bill that it was just a mix-up. I was fine though.

So, tally up. Would you like to have dinner with any of these? At the risk of sounding terribly bitter, it seems as if there is almost always some sort of trade-off; do you want beauty, brains, authenticity, "sex appeal," attentiveness, boldness, adventure, and a good heart all in one (restaurant) package, or are you willing to settle for some combination of these? For me, I seek different combinations for different moods, but secretly, I am always questing after the whole package.

Do Chefs Have Groupies?

Okay, just when I start really latching on to Zin (on Robson, near Bute), Chef Chris Whittaker decides to move across the street to O'Doul's at the Listel Hotel. On one hand, I'm thinking, will I still be able to get beautifully executed food at Zin, like the special of the night I had a couple of weeks ago - sablefish, big California scallop, and arctic char, served with a beurre blanc sauce, new potatoes, greens, and so many wonderful oyster mushrooms ($26). Absolutely delicious, and of course perfect service to match. On the other hand, I'm thinking O'Doul's would be such a nice spot if the food, menu and drinks were up to snuff. I had one terribly mediocre experience with pricey, unsatisfying food and somewhat odd service at the bar from the bartender (a menu item promised a trio of appetizers paired with a flight of wine, and the bartender just seemed unwilling make pairings, and made no effort to consult anyone else on the pairings either, and in fact seemed rather against the idea of pairing food and wine in general) one night at O'Doul's long ago, and I haven't been back. There is live jazz there, which could be a lot of fun. I'll check it out once the chef gets settled in.

Our Curry is PROBABLY the Best in the World

Right on! I hate those "Best Whatever in the World" signs, but this I can live with. I thought this sign was a hoot when I passed it, then I realized it was a new express version of the restaurant I was just about to post about anyway. I'm enjoying some leftover curry from Mui Garden, North Road location (4327 North Road, just South of Lougheed Highway, 604-421-8838), as I work on this post. This was my parents' pick for some recent casual family dinners. The best thing about these dinners was not their specialty - free range Hai Nam chicken, but these fantastic live prawns (kept alive in the tanks until just before cooking), deep fried and then tossed in soy sauce.


I must admit I really enjoyed their curry. When I first tasted it, my thought was "wow, this must be really bad for you in some way, because it is damn tasty!" I think it's pretty rich in coconut milk, which is quite fatty. We were having the curry beef brisket, which is a pretty fatty cut of beef too. And to top it off, we were having it with the "Hai Nam style rice" which is cooked in a lot of chicken fat rich stock, so it has an oily sheen and a wonderfully fatty taste. But it's not something to make a regular part of your diet, I suppose. We had their fresh oysters, cooked on the half shell too, at the North Road location, which were quite nice too, and I've had the satays at the Victoria Drive location, and they were good. If you go for the Hai Nam style chicken (steamed with the skin and bones on, cut into chunks), take note that the restaurant uses both free range and non-free range chicken, so be sure to request the free range. If you are used to non-free range chicken, this will be leaner. It's not really my favourite dish, but my parents seem to like it. The decor is very simple and casual. Go for the food, not the ambiance. Or get some take out on Robson, and head to the beach. They all take cash only. There are four restaurants total (Victoria Drive, Main Street, North Road in Burnaby, and Minoru Blvd. in Richmond) plus the new little one at the Robson Public Market (1610 Robson at Cardero, 604-683-7983).

Nancylander Meet and Greet - Ratatouille

"I can't help myself...I like good food, okay?"
- Remy, the Rat in Ratatouille

Is anyone else excited about this movie? What could be better than a Pixar animated story about a rat who has a dream to be a chef at the best restaurant in Paris, but must figure out a way to overcome the considerable challenge of being a rat in a restaurant kitchen. I want to see this movie on the first night that it is in the theatres, and I figure it might be a fun way to meet some Nancylanders. I will be trying to go to "7 something" show at Tinseltown Cinemark on Friday, June 29th. My search on the internet indicates there should be a 7:10 pm show that night. I'll try to get into the theatre by 6:55. If you would like to say hi, meet inside, seated in the theatre. I will wear or carry my blue plaid fedora hat to make myself easily recognized. Afterwards, if there is interest, we can walk to Salt for a glass of wine and nibbles. I'll try my best to post any changes to this plan on here. If you don't wind up finding me, at least you'll still see what should be a great movie. If you want me to look out for you, just type a comment here. I will try and linger near the front of the theatre right after the movie.

Top Five Secret Patios (not Five Top Secret Patios)

Okay, to be honest, none of these are that much of a secret. Generally, keeping your restaurant a secret isn't really good for business anyhow. But for the most part, these do have a nice out-of- the-way feel to them, which is what I'm typically in the mood for these days. The cool kids can hang out at their hot spots and try very hard to look cool. I just want to lurk in the corner, and chill.

1. La Bretagne. (795 Jervis, off Robson. 604-688-5989). Yes, I've spoken about my favourite little neighbourhood crepe place before, but they just got new patio furniture in time for summer and their little patch of outdoors is looking even more inviting as a result. I've been there countless times and I enjoy their food everytime I go. I do enjoy the atmosphere a bit more when it's quiet than when they are in the midst of their weekend brunch rush. They have kir royale on their menu, and a nice slightly alcoholic apple cider, and their menu is surprisingly versatile for a little crepe shop - you really can have a very light meal perfect for summer or get pleasantly filled up with a nice, rich choice. You can have a very light crepe or have one of their very pleasant little salads (I like the one with the goat cheese toasts and tomatoes). Or you might be in the mood for french onion soup and a cheese covered baked crepe stuffed with seafood in wine sauce, and a flambeed dessert special crepe at the end. The bonus? They have great coffee, and they're great at keeping it flowing.


2. Zin (1277 Robson Street, between Bute and Jervis, 604-408-1700). I admit it, I've generally dismissed this restaurant in the past, thinking it all beauty with no substance, at least on the food front. That was due to a pleasant but bland visit back in 2001 when they first opened, and maybe the appearance of their goat cheese fondue at some event or other, which was pleasant enough but not a food epiphany to me like the servers seemed to imply with their praise for the dish. Things have changed apparently. Chef Chris Whittaker has been at the helm since 2003, and it appears he is the man to thank for the interesting globally inspired (yet not fusion) food, dessert, and cocktail menus, as well as the restaurants support of Friends for Life and A Loving Spoonful, and their use of sustainable products.

Since my original visit, I have at least fallen in love with the lounge and have many a time in the last year wished the lounge half didn't close down so early (it's been a while, but I've seen the place close the bar a couple of times before midnight). The plush red modern decor, cosy velvet couches, big arm chairs, fireplace, and small monitors showing not sports, but the food channel all hit my decorating soft spot. So basically, I've been considering Zin a great place to go for drinks, and nothing more.

But then one recent bright evening, I was looking for a patio in the area. Atmosphere was the priority, and I already knew that I loved their cocktail list, so I went for drinks and small plates. I was attracted by their bright little patio strip with shiny metal furniture right out in the prime people-watching property of Robson Street. Service was exceptional, as is often the case with hotel restaurants. But what surprised me was the food that I had. I was in the mood for a big bowl of mussels, but I also chose it because I know it's difficult to mess up. In retrospect, I don't think I needed to worry, but I was very happy with the choice anyway. Their mussels ($12) were quite tasty with white wine, double smoked bacon, garlic, shallots, tomato concasse, and pommes frites piled on top. At first sight, my thought was that I have had bigger pots of mussels before at other places, but theirs comes with those great fries, so it was pretty filling and a nice size for an appetizer. The server suggested some bread to sop up the juices in the bowl, which I love. However, I noticed a 75 cent charge for "extra bread" on the bill at the end, which I didn't expect as bread is so often complimentary (and also since I didn't really get any bread before dinner anyhow). It didnt' bother me much though, and if I had known about the charge, I would have gone ahead with it anyway. The little slices of brown and white baguettes came out nicely warmed and they were perfect for the mussels. I had a tasty, and beautifully garnished coriander gimlet ($5.95 for 1 oz). To start, I was given a nice little amuse bouche of tiny sablefish and arctic char flakes in a sweet marinade which was a very pleasant touch, and gives me some confidence that their fish main dishes are worth trying on another visit. I didn't have much room left in my tummy, and I thought about trying many of their other small plates. Ultimately, it was the chef-inspired cocktail list that lured me, and I had a drink that was much like a liquid dish. It was a masala caesar ($9) - not for the faint-hearted, the tomato drink was intense with the masala spices, but had a lovely refreshing big cucumber pickle spear sitting in it to balance it all out.

A quick look at the tempting dessert list told me it was time to move on. I had the rhubarb brulee which I enjoyed immensely with my Earl Grey. Spiced shortbread cookies, strawberry "chutney" on top, garnished with the prettiest sprinkling of fresh flower blossoms, and the big test? Yes, the sugar crust was thin and crispy and marvelous. The custard itself was thick, heavy, and rich, with little chunks of rhubarb, and quite luxurious in a way - not a classic light and creamy creme brulee texture, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.




It was during dessert that I finally figured out the subtle taste in their tap water. They put slices of cucumber in their water instead of lemon or lime. It's a nice detail, especially for the summer. It's enough to make me wish I had a yard so that I could throw a barbecue party and have pretty glass pitchers of ice water everywhere with slices of cucumber floating in them. I can definitely see myself heading back to Zin for food whether on the patio or indoors after the summer. But I think I better be careful, because it's an easy place to spend a lot of money on a meal. There are lots of intriguing items on their food menu and their cocktail menu, and it makes me want to make my way through their menu.


3. Shebeen Whisky House (9 Gaoler's Mews, Gastown, 604 915-7338). The ultimate historic Vancouver hidden patio. This bar offers 160 scotches, and is situated in one of Vancouver's oldest spots - across from the private courtyard of a 19th century coach house, Gaoler's Mews. We ate from the Shebeen/Irish Heather menu of hearty gastropub grub, out on a table in the courtyard. When we were a bit chilly, we went back inside the glass enclosed back room. The front of the house is of course, The Irish Heather. Pavlova Boy and I had a pint of prawns, a pot pie, meatloaf, a sherry trifle, and I had a Shanty - a sweet mix of a light coloured beer and lemonade.



4. Ap Kung Jung Korean Bar and Grill (1642 Robson, between Cardero and Bidwell, 604-681-8252). A tiny patio in front of the two level Korean restaurant on the quiet end of Robson Street, just before the bustle of Denman St. I had a pleasant little lunch with Bak'n girl there last year on the patio, including one huge plate of fried chicken legs, done in two styles - dry and drenched with a sweet red chili sauce. From our viewpoint, we could watch people relaxing on the Capers patio, enjoying their healthy, organic snacks while we ripped into the fried chicken. One woman looked particularly interested in us - perhaps she was jealous. We also had a nice plate of the translucent potato starch noodles, and enjoyed their selection of banchan, little condiment/side dishes. These pickled tidbits, along with chilled barley tea (I can't remember if they serve this by default or not, but some Korean places do when it's hot, and others give you ice water right away instead) are just perfect for summer. It's casual, cheap, and often bustling with energy, as are the other Korean restaurants in the immediate area. The patio that afternoon was nice and relaxing though. I can imagine it being a great shady dinner spot to get filled up on a particularly hot evening.


5. Senhor Rooster (850 Renfrew St. a few blocks south of Hastings, 604-434-1010). A secret because the patio vision I'm talking about doesn't even really exist yet. Chef Daniel let me have a peek at his latest project - a giant outdoor barbecue that he's busily welding together. I got excited when he said something like "I could put half a cow in here." It's been a few weeks since I had dinner there, so he may have rolled out the beautiful metal monster from it's underground incubation chamber by now. And on Friday and Saturday nights, you can have dinner and then dance; he's got live music -a jazzy trio with a female singer, and a dance floor. That, plus the taste of charcoal on barbecued meat? You've got yourself a party. Try his cornish game hen. His new source is certified organic, and it's really tasty. Service was excellent the last time I went, and I had a great time.

Cafe Carthage

I stumbled upon Cafe Carthage (1851 Commercial Dr at 2nd Ave, 604-215-0661) on the Drive and had a wonderfully satisfying meal. This is a Tunisian and French restaurant, and just the perfect "little something different" with a restful atmosphere that I was looking for to feed myself after running an errand in the area after a long week at work. A big plate of Couscous Carthage ($18.25), which had lamb sausage, a chicken leg and a lamb shank and autumn vegetables and tomato sauce, was hearty and flavourful. Unfortunately, I only had the patience to take the one blurry photo before setting my camera aside and excitedly digging into the mound of food.

It came with a sauce boat of harissa, the red Tunisian hot sauce made with chilis. I kept trying this sauce to see if I could like it. It was a pleasantly complex chili sauce with a big kick of heat, but I detected a distinct rose flavour, which I've never been fond of. I have looked the sauce up since (try the link) and apparently a well-known expensive version of the sauce does include rose petals. It was certainly fun to be introduced to a new condiment for me though.


In fact, much of the pleasure of this particular meal was in this feeling of being transported to another place. Maybe even another time. This doesn't feel like a typical Commercial Drive hole in the wall. Instead, it's quite an elegant little oasis. Dark wood everywhere, middle eastern tile work, wonderful lamps hanging from the ceiling, white and navy blue tablecloths and napkins, and female servers dressed up all in black, looking particularly proper and demure. In fact, one server's dress with black lace and heels was the perfect outfit to make me feel like I suddenly walked into a period film about French colonial Tunisia, or at least what I might imagine French colonial Tunisia to look like because I really have no knowledge of Tunisian history (maybe it's just what she likes to wear and really has no relation to the restaurant. Anyhow, I liked it). To add to this immersive experience, I had the Moroccan tea, sweetened, with lots of fresh mint and an appropriate small glass to drink from.

Having spotted other people's big dishes, I knew that I wouldn't have room to try an appetizer, but I managed to squeeze in some dessert. Their dessert menu is filled with French classics. I went with the creme brulee. This had a lovely custard, but the burnt sugar topping was too thick for my taste. I prefer just the thinnest little crisp sugar coat. I was certainly tempted by the chocolate ganache cake on the menu, but just didn't feel like something so heavy after my couscous gorge. I also had a Tunisian coffee with dessert, which is very strong and thick (with the grounds settling down to the bottom, like a Turkish coffee), served sweetened, in a metal flask, with an espresso cup and saucer to pour into. I quite liked that. Service was excellent, and the room had an overall relaxed and refined feel to it on this pleasant sunny summer evening. I really enjoyed this restaurant, and part of the charm was that it is so different from other restaurants on the Drive, and the frenetic energy that I associate with the neighbourhood in general. Check out their website, linked above, for a history lesson on Carthage. Check out their restaurant for a stimulating meal in a place where you can slow down and explore it.

Just one last note - I never did get to try the previous incarnation of the restaurant, Zanzibar, the Moroccan cafe. From Adam's list, I see that the owners were different, and the place was a much more casual affair, without credit card and alcohol. Cafe Carthage has both, and is more upscale.

Underrated?

Is there any dish, restaurant, or food-related item that you think is undeservedly flying under the radar? Do you want to put the spotlight on one of your favourites? Did something food-related make you feel like you got your money's worth and then some lately? Do you feel like you're the number one fan of some food? Is there some food item that the people around you just don't get? Tell me your underrated items. This is a much harder list to make than the overrated one, since internet foodies tend to be a very well-networked bunch; hidden treasures just don't stay hidden for long (even when you want them to). This is a difficult list for me too because I usually blab my finds right away in here. I'm not really keeping any secrets from you, dear Nancylanders. Well, there IS one secret I haven't shared - when no one's looking, I really like to eat Chef Boy R Dee Beef Ravioli. There. I said it. Do you still respect me? Oh well. I am what I am. Though I suppose if a can of beef ravioli gave me super-human strength my love of it might be more understandable. I feel like I just admitted I still sleep with a stuffed animal from my childhood. Same sort of thing, really. Anyhow, back to the underrated. Just a few to get started:

• Thousand Year Old Eggs. One of those love 'em or hate 'em things, I guess. Well, love 'em, hate 'em, or fear 'em...
• One of my current favourite cocktails actually resides in a mega-chain: the Mister Tea (vodka, Earl Grey tea, passionfruit liqueur, lemonade) at Earls (at least the one of Robson St. upstairs, particularly if you're sipping one while soaking up the sun and people watching from a perch on their patio. But just one problem - the straw is awkwardly too short for the pretty tall glass). Certainly the masses go to Earl's and I've always felt it's a particularly overrated chain in the past (in part due to a particular food reviewer who is a fan), so I don't mean that Earl's is underrated. It's just sort of a novelty for me to be a new-found fan of something on their menu, and for any foodie to be unabashadly touting something from one of the big casual fine dining chains. Well, I love Earl Grey tea. The fact that it's named after a beloved 80's icon doesn't hurt either. I pity the fool that makes fun of this post!
• Korean food, in general. It took me a while to get it, and I think there's a lot of potential for plenty of other people in the city to get more familiar with it. Maybe Vancouver needs a Korean "Earl's" to make it more accessible to the masses.

Overrated?

Have you had a good rant lately? Here's your chance. Has some particular dish, restaurant, or vaguely food-related item disappointed you lately? Did something make you feel ripped off? Are you tired of hearing about something? Do you find yourself wondering what all the fuss is about after trying some food item that the rest of the world seems to rave about? Let's start an overrated list. I'll go first:

• Godiva Chocolates ("Did I just pay almost $3 for a mediocre tasting, clumsy chocolate?" Yes, I do mean one chocolate.)
• The quality of movie theatre popcorn in town (It seems like forever since I've had really good popcorn. I mean, even the stuff we used to make in the grimy little cart at the UBC Film Club was better, and we didn't ask anyone to sell their only child for a bucket of the stuff either)
• West (No hate mail please. It's just not my cup of tea...)
• Griffins brunch buffet and dessert buffet at the Vancouver Hotel
• Rachael Ray
• Turkey legs at Disney World It's certainly amusing to see everyone walking around gnawing on massive turkey legs, but really it's a bit sickening too.
• and the master of the overrated: Starbucks. (and before any Starbucks fans write to tell me what I'm missing, do me a favour and go order an espresso drink from the Elysian Room on 5th Ave, off Burrard, then get back to me). And for goodness sakes, stop supporting the evil empire already. As much as world domination plots fascinate me, do you really want to see a Starbucks plopped next to, say, the ancient pyramids of Egypt?

And The Winner of the Best New Restaurant of the Year is...

Nu! Though the news of this is certainly not new. Here are photos from the EnRoute Air Canada Magazine 2006 award ceremony/press release/cocktail party in that I was invited to way back in November that I have talked about in other posts. Vancouver was well represented by Nu, in first place, and Rare, placed at No. 5. I was a much bigger fan of Rare, personally, but now that patio season has rolled around again, I will probably find myself at Nu again. Though I do hope they have some time to mix things up a little and rework their menu. Their stuff is exciting and fun the first couple of times, but I want to see new (haha, sorry, I just can't stop) things from them. I have not had a chance to re-visit Rare, after their (sous?) chef Quang Dang left. The party was a great time though, and my first media event resulting from this blog, so this was all quite exciting for me. I was once frenetically invited to talk on CBC Radio, but wound up missing out on that opportunity unfortunately. The event organizers for the EnRoute Magazine event, in an attempt to be coy about who won, sent out the invite to the event with the address and yet not the name of the restaurant. Nu had an opportunity to show off their game at this event in the form of neverending cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, including one of their most talked about signature items - a little fried oyster impaled on beer-filled pipet. This is meant to squeeze the cold beer right into the hot little oyster as it goes into your mouth. I'm happy enough with a dry, crispy, salty battered oyster without the beer, myself, but it's certainly fun to try.


Crispy Oyster with Granville Island Lager Injection



Ginger Beer Cocktail - this is a really nice cocktail that I have ordered a few times at Nu. Lots of interesting things happening in it, with the spicy ginger beer and the muddled mint.



Beet Chip with Creme Fraiche



Tuna Tartare



Lobster Bisque. I think I enjoyed this little cup of soup the most out of the bunch of nibblies that came out. These were all labour intensive hors d'oeuvres incidentally. Almost all of them required the serving staff to come back and grab the serving vessel, utensil, or lab equipment it came with. I'm not too sure about this trend. The little cups or chinese spoons do make for beautiful presentation, and opens up a variety of foods that would not otherwise be able to be served in this format, and the staff were quickly swooping in to collect them, so you weren't left trying to find a place for the little things, but I quite enjoy the more old-fashioned idea of being creative with various edible carriers.



This is me getting on TV! And yes, a coworker confirmed for me the next day that he saw me on the news.



My Favourite Part of Nu's Decor - the Neon Chandelier



Harry Kambolis accepting Best New Restaurant in Canada for Nu



Tim of Rare which made No. 5 in the Top Ten New Restaurants in Canada. A very friendly guy and I hope all goes well for his new restaurant. I haven't heard anything about Metro since chatting with him about this at this event in November, but I'll look out for it. There is a slew of new restaurants I want to try these days, and it sounds like some of them have had enough time to get into their groove.



Nu's Kitchen



The Busy Bar (note the lovely cocktails ready to go, and Jamie Maw)



Duck Rillette with Cranberry Jelly, and a stubby pretzel to eat it with



Drunk and hungry for something more substantial, I tottered along the seawall until I found myself at Fiddlehead Joe's. I posted about my lovely experience there before, and I was truly pleasantly surprised by the place. Below are the photos from this again. For more details, see my Christmas post.



Beet Panna Cotta, Fiddlehead Joe's



Meringue in Chocolate Chili Sauce

Lucky Diner

This one even surprises me. I mean, I expected to like this place before I even got there, just because I knew that it is one of Sean Heather's establishments, and I can tell the man has taste in food, style (someone who really appreciates the Gastown neighbourhood) and lures quality staff just from having gone to Salt. But a diner in Yaletown? For a girl who loves going to old dingy Chinese-run "authentic" diners that still have 70's glassware hanging around and duct tape on their vinyl booths, isn't this place going to feel overpriced, ingenuine, and snooty? The answer? Not at all. I loved it. I loved it so much, I had to go back just to make sure it wasn't the Jim Beam bourbon milkshake (which I loved too) that was making me bourbon goggle the place. I ate at this place three times in the span of a week and a half (partly because I almost lost my new camera there). Something about the place makes you feel as if whatever you are eating is the best in its class. I found myself wondering "are these the best onion rings I've ever had?" and that's a hell of a lot of fun when you find yourself thinking that thought for just the garnish! There were a few lovely batter-covered onion rings stacked on top of the steak dinner I ordered on a return visit. They just go ahead and call their Reuben "The Best Dang Reuben Sandwich" which is what I ordered on my first visit. With a side dish, it was only $11, which I thought was really reasonable since the time I bought some of Mike Vitow's corned beef at Granville Island, the smallest chunk I could get was $10, which made about a sandwich and a half. So upon seeing the prices, I was pretty happy and feeling like I was going to get good value, which was a nice surprise in Yaletown. I wasn't even expecting the $11 to include a side dish. For my side dish, I chose the green salad since I figured ordering fries on top of ordering a fat reuben and a bourbon milkshake must break some sort of law of decency somewhere. I'm all for indulgence, but sometimes you've got to set some sort of limit. The dressing on the salad was nicely balanced - something that I think I must be a bit sensitive to these days, as a lot of times, I feel like dressings are too sour. And on top of that, have you ever received an "amuse bouche" in a diner? The charming and attractive waiter brought me a lovely bowl of their tomato cumin soup. Very yummy. Um, I mean the soup, of course...

Anyhow, this restaurant is really suited to my taste lately. High quality food in a completely casual and comfy environment. I wouldn't be able to find a speck of snootiness in that establishment if I had a magical snoot-detecting magnifying glass. Okay, that was an awkward phrase. Let me elaborate. That steak dinner I mentioned with the great onion ring garnish? It also had for its veggie sides: golden beets, braised fennel, and swiss chard! I've had this theory about the key to setting up a really successful restaurant is to set yourself up to exceed people's expectations, and this place is perfect for that. Make it a diner so that people are just expecting typical fare, and then blow their socks off with the ultimate versions of those classic comfort foods. The steak dinner also came with buttermilk smashed potatoes, and the meat was tender and not overcooked (which I'm also a bit sensitive about, having recently had a medium rare order come to me totally brown at a chain restaurant). So I got this great main dish that would hold its own in a finer dining establishment, yet I felt totally comfortable sitting in the room with my grungy work cargo pants. The perfect comfort food restaurant. The slogan? "Come sad, leave happy." The burger I had one night was really thick and beefy, on a great housemade roll, and it had a wonderfully agressively horseradishy sauce on it. (I think it takes some balls to put a sauce like that on a standard item like a burger, and have the confidence that people will like it). I had the fries with that one and found myself playing with the thought "are these the best fries I've ever had?"

And just now, as I'm typing this post (a redo of a post I worked on earlier but lost during my recent computer death), I just did a search for the link to their online menu again, and found the news on Urban Diner that the place is closing! Just when I found my perfect "neighbourhood" restaurant. They even get their coffee from the place I like getting my coffee from - JJ Bean. Oh well, all good things must come to an end I suppose. I just wished I had found it earlier. I really wanted to make my way through the entire menu. I especially wanted to try the mac and cheese, and potato salad. Looks like I'll be trying to make my way back before the place closes, if it hasn't already. Perhaps someone will take over, for a third time (it was originally Diner before Lucky Diner, and I didn't have any interest in visiting then). Anyhow, it may not have been appreciated by the masses, but I certainly was a fan.

New Nancyland Game

I'm starting to think that I'm pretty predictable these days. Honestly, I don't think I'm that hard to please when it comes to restaurants. Mainly, I just want the staff to be nice to me, and I want tasty food at prices that make me feel like I've gotten good value for my money. This can happen at high-end or low-end restaurants of course. And unfortunately, so can the converse. Anyhow, here's my new game. I call it: "Did Nancy Like It?" The rules are simple. I'm going to name a restaurant that I just tried for the first time. Just guess whether I liked it or not, using the sum of your foodie knowledge from word-of-mouth reports, foodie reading, perhaps your own experiences at the restaurant, and your familiarity with my habits. I have one friend who rarely agrees on restaurants with me, to the point where I think he now checks out a restaurant if he sees a negative review from me. Does this bother me? Absolutely not. To each his own! To make this game really test your local foodie knowledge, I'm not going to bother giving you any background knowledge, or even a link to the restaurant website. There is, just like in any fun game, an element of chance too, because every good restaurant could have a bad day, and I guess a bad restaurant could have a good day. Since I'm only visiting once, anything could happen. So Nancylanders, let's see how you do...

Tonight I went to Lucky Diner, in Yaletown.

So, "did Nancy like it?"

Birthday Nachos and Sashimi Salad

Okay, this is my kind of sports bar. Ebisu on Robson (604-689-8266, 827 Bute Street, website not up at time of posting, but should come soon), occupying the old Hooter's upstairs space at Robson and Bute, is a totally Vancouver joint. First of all, you can find both nachos (complete with ground beef and avocado for only $9 - beat that, any sports bar in town) AND Japanese tapas offerings like sashimi salad. When I was there, a group of what looked to be Japanese students were there for a birthday, and got the PA system Happy Birthday song, as well as candles in one of their nacho plates. Cute, eh?

As always, expectations have a great deal to do with how one receives a restaurant, and I've read some online comments that this place doesn't measure up to the creativity of Guu or Hapa Izakaya which are nearby, or Shiru-Bay in Yaletown. However, from what I can tell, they are going for something different anyway. The place has a huge screen, and smaller screens at the bar, showing the hockey game when I was there. That immediately gives you a more casual atmosphere than any of the other izakayas. They continue the sports bar theme by offering typical sports bar offerings like the nachos, and pitchers of beer at really reasonable prices, so you can come here to drink, watch sports and nibble very casually. Pitchers Sunday to Thursday are only $9.99, going up to $12.99 on weekends. Pitchers of white or red sangria are $12 for the small and $18 for the large. Wings are $4.99 for a half dozen, and can come salt and peppper (like I enjoyed), or with sports bar type sauces like spicy hot, teriyaki or barbecue. I had a sashimi salad ($9.55), while not mind-blowing, was very competent, with fresh sashimi, and a pleasant creamy dressing, mango and tomato concasse, and good mesclun. I also had their oyster motoyaki, which is three Royal Miyagi oysters with cheese, creamy sauce, spinach and mushrooms baked in the half shell for only $5. There are a wide range of fancy rolls in the menu that look good too in the $10 - 13 range.

I'm not really a sports bar person. I'm not that into beer, and tend to only drink it when there's some interesting microbrew or Belgium beer available, or if I'm just being social with a group. I'm not really into watching sports. And I'm a little bit picky about food, and rarely find pubs and sports bars to have a menu or level of food quality that appeals to me. I do, however, enjoy a nice casual atmosphere with cushy seating, a good plate of nachos or wings, and the freedom to drink and nibble rather than have a full meal. Ebisu seems to be the perfect sports bar for non-sports bar people. There is a huge variety of food to choose from, and it appears, from my three choices, to be good quality. There is a wide range of drinks at reasonable prices, including the hot sake I had for $7.95, beer, sangria, wine, shooters, "martinis," as well as premium sakes, champagne, and wine. The music is upbeat and "clubby" but I didn't mind it too much. The booths are big and comfy, and the high ceilings and room to stretch out make it a much different atmosphere from other izakayas in town.

The crowd on a Tuesday were all young, urban Asians gathering socially. No one was really watching the sports on screen. I went mid-week, and the atmosphere was low-key enough for me, and service was fine. Apparently it can get quite busy on weekends. Overall, from my one visit, I think this is a nice place to get drunk.

Kiwi Berry

I discovered Kiwi Berries last week! They're soft-skinned, hairless tiny versions of Kiwi Fruit, that you can just pop into your mouth directly, which most people don't do with the big hairy ones. I have actually seen friends just bite right into a regular kiwi, and enjoy eating the hairy skin and all. As a result, I've tried it myself, and it is indeed not as itchy and irritating as one might guess from appearances. But I still went back to just eating the flesh after that. With Kiwi Berries, you can, just like the marketing blurbs say, eat them like grapes. I tend to pluck that tiny bit of stem off them, so I think it's more like eating strawberries than grapes. They're sweet, flavourful, and addictive. I saw them in the little corner independent grocery store near my place, and decided to try them, but I wasn't expecting them to be as wonderfully sweet as they were. I first thought that they were "baby kiwis," but of course that doesn't make any sense, as fruit in general doesn't get sweet until they mature, whereas a baby vegetable like a zucchini is wonderfully sweet and tender. But then again, zucchini and other squash ARE the fruit part of the plant, bearing the seeds. They just have the capacity to grow huge and unsweet. Kiwi Berries are actually a marketing name for another species of fruit closely related to kiwi fruit that is called hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta), so this is as big as they get, and they grow in big, adorable bunches on the vine.

I can see them hitting the local fancy dessert garnish scene:
"What's this?"
"Oh that's a kiwi berry. Kiwi berries are the new gooseberry."

But I'm sure there will always be a place for the original kiwi fruit. For one thing, they have always reminded me of some particular private parts, perhaps like peaches, mangoes, and bananas to some. You do lose that pleasant body part association with these tiny, hairless ones. But I've had that conversation with a few people, and maybe this is one of those "is it just me?" things. But there's definitely a general fruit - body part association that doesn't happen, say, with dairy products. Um, wait a second...I mean, grain products (please don't write me to tell me about the history of sexual imagery in grain products. I am happy to be unaware, thank you.). For another thing, it's just kind of fun to scoop the flesh out of kiwi halves, kind of like eating soft-boiled eggs out of the shell. And also, I have no idea how expensive those kiwi berries were. I like my grocer, and I just trusted that it couldn't be too bad. But I suspect that I probably could have bought a lot of kiwi fruit for the same price. But certainly worth the splurge, if there was one. Anyway, have fun with your fruit...

Missing Pho-to

I just realized I had my camera with me while at a little Pho restaurant and didn't think of taking a picture. I was coming home from a great bike ride on my new super-cool folding bike, and randomly picked a small restaurant on Hastings street. Success! Pho 888 (2474 East Hastings, just East of Nanaimo St., 604-258-9092) was nice, clean, and had good food. I just had their combo that included a small house special pho, a salad roll (it had prawns and pork in it), and a can of pop. Not normally something I'd whip out the camera for anyway, but the food was good, and I was quite pleased. Maybe I'm easily impressed because the Vietnamese place closest to my place still insists of giving lemon wedges instead of lime wedges with their pho. The broth was decent, and the peanut sauce for the salad was good too. It really hit the spot. I also like the fact that the big pot of jasmine tea came out right away after I was seated (with no charge).

I also randomly picked a place on the way to the bike path (Brunette-Fraser Greenway, which I recommend also), and found a great little Chinese run diner/family restaurant place to have an all-day breakfast special. I've unfortunately forgotten the name, and wasn't really intending to blog it either. I do love those type of places, with the comforting old 70's style glassware and decor, and the Chinese owner lady who gives impeccable service (gotta love those bottomless coffee warm-ups) and a cook in the back who knows how not to get crusty bits on sunny side up eggs, and knows how to make a seriously fluffy pancake. There's also the great bonus of being able to read the day's paper, which is always kicking around places like this. I think this one was around the 4000 block of Hastings, just one door in from the Northeast corner, because I remember noticing the going out of business sale signs in the Helen's children's clothing store with the great girl-in-a-swing neon sign.

Though these two restaurants probably don't sound all that blogworthy, there are two things that made them noteable for me. First, I like spinning the roulette wheel of unknown small restaurants. I was feeling lucky today. And just that element of chance makes the successful spontaneous pick all that more satisfying (as opposed to the intent research that usually goes into my restaurant picks for myself, and anyone who might ask for a personal recommendation). The Chinese family restaurant felt especially like a gamble because I walked into an entirely empty room on a Saturday afternoon, and almost walked right out (you could see my thought process all over my face, I'm sure, after I opened the door: uh oh, empty room, bad sign...oops, she saw me, too late!). Thus, when the attractive breakfast plate arrived, it was like a wonderful little jackpot...of fat and sugar. Secondly, I enjoyed these places because they really had a lovely neighbourhood feel to them. East Hastings feels more like a real community than dining downtown. In both restaurants, regulars walked in and were treated by the staff like old friends. I like that down-to-earth "homeyness." I guess I have a nostalgic fondness for East Hastings because it reminds me of my roots, having been raised nearby. Anyhow, I'd go back quite happily to both of those places if I was in the neighbourhood, and I would probably not ever go to Anton's - drove past the queue , which must have had about 20 starving student types standing outside to get their cheap pasta. I wanted to pull over and say, "People, this is Vancouver...you don't have to line up for cheap food." Incidentally, the pho special I had was $8.25. Or $5.50 for just the pho. The breakfast special was about that too. The real question is, how expensive was it all calorically? Here's hoping my bike ride was at least enough to break even.

Sentimental Saves

Have you ever had such a sentimental association with a restaurant that you wind up "saving" it and not returning, or alternatively, returning often to relive the memory? Minato Sushi (992 West Broadway, 604-732-6554), a little sushi joint in the mini mall at Broadway and Oak, is one of the former type for me. I had my very first official date ever in that restaurant, eons ago, while I was still in university. The boy I went with quickly became my first love, and it was everything I could have wanted from a first relationship. Let's call him Breadboy, since he was the one who taught me to bake bread, and in fact was the first person to ever teach me to cook. How funny it is to remember myself so timid in the kitchen. Cooking is really (as so many things in life are) all about just deciding to have the confidence that you can do it. Not being one to follow "the rules" of dating, or at that point in my life, to even be aware of them, I remember I wasn't shy with the ordering. I didn't hide my hunger, nor did I really comprehend that he would be so insistant in paying for the whole meal. Back then, sushi was still a big treat, even the mediocre stuff, and we both loved it. Yay! Something in common for the nervous young would-be couple. So we ordered. And ordered. I have this memory of boat-load after boat-load of sushi coming at us, and us both gorging ourselves happily, while getting more and more comfortable with each other. We're talking a fricken' fleet here, and all-you-can-eat sushi hadn't really descended upon the city yet. Anyhow, Minato still stands, and for me, it's like a little monument that holds that beautiful memory of that first date. I never went in again after that first date. I moved away, and I moved back, and I often smiled fondly when passing the restaurant, but I would never go back. It wasn't really a purposeful thing. Often, if I was looking for a restaurant in the area, I would be with another boyfriend, and always felt that I would wind up being too sentimental going back there, and figured that wouldn't be terribly considerate to whomever I was dating at the time. I mean, how boring would it be to have dinner with someone mooning over their first date at that restaurant. That's what blogs are for, hee, hee! Well, on the spur of the moment recently, I went to Minato's, alone, for a quick bite on my way from one place to another. It's just the same all these years later. It's good and reliable, and relatively cheap. And I know it's just a sushi joint. But it's made it through all these years in this town full of sushi joints. And I'm glad.

Name that Vancouver Restaurant No. 7

Okay, rev up those restaurant guessing engines. This one isn't exactly a full restaurant. It's a fantastic coffee shop with amazing food. Savories AND sweets! And oh my, those sweets... It's almost my ultimate dream coffeeshop that I'm still questing after. Great coffee, great atmosphere, nice staff, not too loud, and great food. Very reasonable prices to boot! The only things that are missing are 1. being open late night - it's current hours are 8 am - 8 pm (understandable as it's owner operated, and the fact that he's there is part of the charm), and 2. being closer to my place. It's on the North Shore, which I don't get out to that often, but that one is a minor quibble, since it's actually transit accessible - just a few blocks away from the seabus terminal. Are those enough clues for you? Okay, just one more, that should seal the deal if you have been there. The owner is an artist. Guess away!

Email Eaten

Was my email yummy, Hotmail monster?! Just a note to say that I really do appreciate any and all correspondence through the email account I set up for this blog: nancyland-vancouver_foodie_fun@hotmail.com, but being a hotmail account, it actually resets itself and erases all emails and saved emails if the account isn't checked regularly. Oops! My apologies if any of you have written me at that account in the last while - they're all gone and that's why you haven't heard from me. Please do write again. Feel free to put a message in the comments section of any of the posts to direct me to your private email as well. Thanks!

I am alive!...and more importantly, still eating!

Sorry for the absence, Nancylanders. I have been distracted, working lots, and also in a mild state of hibernation for this winter, but things are warming up, and I'm going to chew my way out of this coccoon. But not to worry, I have not been starving these last few weeks, and I have some great finds to post. To start, here's one a wee bit further out of the city core than my average post.

Looking for a lazy weekend day adventure now that the weather is warming up and the days are longer? Be a tourist in your own town. Toss your bikes in your car and visit charming Fort Langley. Bike the Fort-to-Fort trail from the original Fort Langley site in Derby Reach Regional Park to the town of Fort Langley, if you like that sort of thing, then wander around the cute shops, historical museums, have a coffee at Wendel's, the coffee shop/bookstore right in the middle of town, treat yourself to a funky hat (or two, like I did when I went) at the hat store, and then have a nice dinner at the Lampliter afterwards. I asked the hat lady what her favourite restaurant is, and she really came through for me. She recommended the Lampliter Gallery Cafe (9213 Glover Road, 604-888-6464) a few doors down, and also the Adobo Grill for something a little more low-key. Incidentally, I've tried the "what's your favourite restaurant?" tactic with a couple of gas station attendants while in unfamiliar territory (because I usually have to stop and get gas), and I haven't been all that successful. Usually the answer is much too diplomatic, such as "there are lots of restaurants on so-and-so road." So it was a real pleasure to get this tip. Cosy little room, wonderful fine dining service, complete with confident and friendly wine reccomendation (which was also a real pleasure to get considering I wasn't really dressed for the restaurant, as it was a last minute decision after a long work day), and really tasty food. I had the cornmeal crusted mahi mahi special ($17.95), which was served with a delicious ratatouille, vegetables, and choice of starch. I chose the potato, which was a lovely potato strudel made with phyllo pastry. The fish was served with a creamy leek sauce. Very tasty, and the meal was that much better because this restaurant experience was way more refined than I was expecting to be able to find "out there" at the last minute. Mind you, I was drinking a little wine, and I was very hungry after work (just a cold cheese sandwich for lunch), so that always makes everything taste even better. Another little pleasant surprise there too (wine snobs may look away now) - I really enjoyed the local pink wine I had - Jackson Trigg's white merlot. The best part of the meal was the dessert, with a really good cup of coffee to accompany. Having resisted the temptation of getting an appetizer, I was able to fit in their amazing dessert sampler ($8.50). It consisted of three small portions of some beautifully high quality desserts, nicely plated with fruit and whipped cream: passionfruit mousse that was intensely flavoured with the fruit, yet totally cloudlike in texture; a warm maple bread pudding with ice cream; and a really delicious Belgian chocolate mousse torte . And for me, a good chocolate cake is hard to find. This dessert sampler is worth the trip in itself. Afterwards, ride your bikes back to your car to burn it all off (if you have time before dusk, otherwise, drive your car to town before dinner). The restaurant takes reservations, they're open for lunch and they're closed Mondays and Tuesdays. I remember dropping by Fort Langley in hopes of Sunday Brunch one summer day, and the restaurants were just packed, so reservations are probably a good idea.

The Pear Tree

I picked The Pear Tree (4120 Hastings St., 604.299.2772) for my birthday dinner with two close friends back in October. A safe choice for a special occassion. It's an intimate place, with everything clean, simple and beautiful - a little oasis of elegance on Hastings Street. It's not just "good for Burnaby," but just plain good for any part of town. I'm going to let my horribly fuzzy photos speak for the meal. Rest assured that everything tasted as lovely as it looked. I was even enamored enough with the butter presentation to take a photo of the little elliptical pat. And the bread basket was filled with buttery little brioche-like things, which I liked. As Bac'n Girl noted, many of the dishes had the pleasant little crunch from sea salt that hasn't dissolved. It's a nice little stylistic touch to the cooking. I'm glad to finally post about this meal, as Chef Scott Jaeger recently represented Canada in the Bocuse d'Or culinary competition in Lyon France, ranking 7th in the world, among 24 teams, with this menu. Congratulations!

I've read some complaints online about uppity service, but we had great service and plenty of warmth. At least for me, husband and wife owned restaurants have their own particular charm that comes through, kind of like visiting someone's home. The name of the restaurant, The Pear Tree, in fact probably refers to various folklore tales involving a husband, a wife, and a pear tree, but I'm not sure which one, as there are tales of deception and infidelity. There's probably a cute story about the choosing the name of the restaurant. It had been years since I last went to the Pear Tree, and they used to have only half the space. The room looks great. The menu remains small, yet it all sounds quite appealing, so I still had difficulty choosing. Contrast that with some restaurants who have extensive menus but it's like looking at your closet full of clothes and declaring "I have nothing to wear!" - some menus might have many choices, yet there still doesn't seem to be anything to eat. I can't remember many details about the desserts, but my chocolate dessert with ice cream was great, and I remember the sugar topping to Potato Salad Boy's crème bruléé to be quite crisp, and it was amusing to see him attack the big garnish.

Cute Butter

Lobster Cappuccino, dashi custard with fresh Atlantic lobster foam

Terrine from the Table d'hote menu, with slaw and brioche toast

Orange Caramelized Scallops with Double Smoked Bacon Risotto

Wild Queen Charlotte Coho Salmon, Maple Seared, served with Chive Potato Froth

Scallops (as a main dish portion)

Halibut from the Seasonal Table d'Hote menu

Chocolate Dessert from Table d'Hote Menu

Lemon Tart

Crème Bruléé

It was a great birthday meal, among several great birthday meals that week or two (including that amazing meal at Rare, a Chinese restaurant lunch on my birthday with the parents that included lobster with noodles, a Nancyland meet, Shiru-Bay, and the monthly birthday potluck lunch at work too). Here's to aging and eating well.

"Enough With the Valentine's Day $%*@ Already!"

Okay, I fully admit it; I'm a romantic. A sentimental fool. And I have my girly-girl moments, especially when playing the part of the wooee in a new relationship, with a suitably gallant wooer hovering about. But I'm very happily single right now, and yet I am still getting bombarded with unnecessary Valentine's suggestions and advice through the mostly food related email mailing lists that I am on. Yes, I know receiving a heart-shaped cheese - like the mini couer aux petales de roses from Les Amis du Fromage pictured here, especially as part of elaborate home-made candlelight meal would make me absolutely melt; or conversely, would be so fun to include in a romantic meal that I could make for someone special. The cheese is a "fermier (farm made) heart-shaped, young raw milk chevre, produced in the Loire valley. It has a sprinkle of wild rose petals on top. This young cheese has a delicate, crumbly texture and has a tangy sourness that is sure to make it a perfect choice for a goat cheese salad for two" the email tells me. But I think sending this out to all the sentimental, single foodies is just cruel. It may sound like I'm not as happily single as I say I am, but hell, I was happy enough before imagining all the lovey dovey couples around me giving each other cheeses from Les Amis!

Incidentally, not all of that advice I'm getting in email looks all that helpful, so here's a quick rant. One article gave advice for Valentine's gifts that "don't scream stalker." I can imagine too many men taking to heart the message that you don't want to appear too eager or like a "stalker" by giving too romantic a gift too early in the relationship. I say don't worry about this too much. Good chocolates and flowers, are a cliché for a reason, and if your date is threatened by them or by another gift, perhaps that's just a sign that the two of you shouldn't be dating. I mean really, think back to the last time you were really attracted to someone - would you freak out it they gave you wonderful chocolates? Actually, I can't think of anyone that I wouldn't like to receive wonderful chocolates from, but that's probably just because I like receiving chocolates. Note that I'm talking only about women receiving them from men because I can only speak from my point of view. Maybe some men would think "stalker" if they got a really good Valentine's gift from a new flame, but most likely they'll just think "oh damn, I hope my gift is good enough." or "oh my god, I didn't get her anything."

Well, enough of my false bah humbugging. I really do like Valentine's Day, whether an active participant or just cheering on from the sidelines. Why else would I subject the single foodies who read my blog to even more of the Valentine's propaganda I'm supposed to be complaining about - by the way, apologies if you are one of them (just go get your mum something nice if you're really down about it, or donate to the food bank, or just find someone nice and randomly do something nice for them). And while I love the classic chocolates and flowers, if you have the stuff it takes to wow someone with something personal and creative, go for it. Here's an example from a movie I just saw, "Stranger Than Fiction." The character that Will Ferrell plays is just about to win the heart of the baker played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. There's a lot of build-up to why this gesture is so sweet, but I won't get into it because I hate spoiling movies for people. So what's the gift?...

...Why, he brought her flours, of course!

Chocolate and Zucchini, a Paris Food Blog

Just a quick note to highlight one of the latest additions to my links list, Chocolate and Zucchini. Although I like to focus on local foodie sites, I thought Nancylanders might like to daydream about little food adventures in Paris once in a while. I certainly am, as I research travel in Europe, looking for potential adventures for my trip in September. This blog caught my eye while I was dreaming about El Bulli again, and doing a search on how people get reservations. Turns out I thought about the restaurant only a few months too late. As Clotilde Dusoulier, Chocolate and Zuchinni blogger, found out, they take requests for reservations for their May through September season in October of the previous year. Look here for her terrific account of her meal, complete with photos, and even practical information such as cost (with their water, coffee, and wine - which they let the sommelier decide without limits - it looks like their thirty-five course tasting menu cost the equivalent of $330 CAD/person, before wine $250). I think this blog is inspirational also because she wound up quitting her day job as a software engineer, two years after starting to blog, to write about food full-time. She has Chocolate and Zucchini cookbook coming out soon!

Some Days I Just Feel Scattered, Smothered, Covered...and Chopped, Chunked, Capped and Topped

I admit to being a very nostalgic person, and the enjoyment of food to me has a lot to do with the context in which it is experienced. Minutes ago, I had a nostalgic craving strike me suddenly. Striking is absolutely the word I want to use for that, like having a big, plump, friendly chef (he has a bushy, black moustache for some reason) sneak up behind me on tip toes and wack me swiftly on the head with a big baguette. After the impact, I imagine him laughing "Ha HA!" in a big booming voice, which means "Crave that, you fool!" Heehee, don't worry, I'm not on anything. Imagine my hallucinations if I actually was!

Well, if any of you have been to the Waffle House, maybe you'll understand this one. The American Deep South is scary and charming all at the same time, and the food is no different. There's a lot of charm to be had in the food, even (or maybe I should say especially) the greasiest junkiest food down there. It's a place where the greasy spoon chain, and the really old burger joint can become iconic places of history. I have no problem with that. I loved the Waffle House when I was down there, for a place to get breakfast, but especially as a place to go late into the night. It's a place where hash browns aren't just hash browns, like they are up here. They're a meal. A greasy, messy, beautiful pile of a meal. Here's how to have them:

"scattered" across the grill

"smothered" with onions

"covered" with cheese (you know what I'm talking about here, right? Yah, I'm not ashamed; I eat processed cheese)

"chunked" with diced ham

"topped" with chili

"diced" with diced tomatoes

"peppered" with jalapeno peppers

"capped" with mushrooms

What a wonderful, cheap indulgence it was for me - a "starving" (yah, I know, well, it's as close to starving as I get) student living in Athens. Just a handful of dollars for the whole mess of it, plus a cup of bottomless coffee. It even includes entertainment - I used to love watching the system - the cook, master of the grill, brandishing his trusty spatula, sucking in the hollered lingo-laden orders from sassy waitresses, and shooting out the food like a machine - keeping their cool, in the middle of all that sizzling, spinning and bubbling around them. Now that I think about it, the hollering is a bit like some of the izakayas around here. Except you go to Waffle House after the drinking, not during. I had my first serving of grits ever in a Waffle House, late night, post-partying. I was a bit skeptical about the whole concept of grits, while my friend enthusiastically tried to convince me of their merit. I think the main selling point was that you have to have them smothered in butter and cheese... They turned out to be okay, but he treated the ordeal like it was a rite of passage. And of course, because of that, it remains a cute, warm WaHo (to borrow a blogger's term of endearment) memory for me. Okay, I have to go buy some potatoes now.

The Dine-Out Burn-Out

Does anyone else find themselves saying "bah humbug!" to the yearly end of January, beginning of February Dine Out Vancouver (DOV) event? Yes, I know there are some good deals out there, but is it worth wading through the incoming herds of "frugal" suburbanites, the need to book dinner nearly a month in advance, and the on-the-edge servers who are just one "water only table" away from snapping like the sugar topping of your creme brulee? Jason Chin, a fellow blogger at Eat Vancouver.net, is opting out this year. And I think I am too. So, for anyone else displaying the symptoms of Dine-Out Burn-Out, here is a quick top five list of under $35 non-DOV bargains to be found in our great food city. They're not necessarily going to be fine dining, but you should be able to eat very well, and be treated very nicely, without breaking the bank.

5. Senhor Rooster (Renfrew St., at Venables, four blocks south of Hastings), Rack of lamb about $35. You can pretty much order whatever you want off their menu and get out well under $35 a person, but go ahead and splurge on the whole rack of lamb if you get a chance. I don't see it on the online menu, but it is probably on the specials list when you go to the restaurant. You might think this price is comparable to the rack of lamb at other restaurants, but you'll often find you get a half rack or less at the same price elsewhere. I haven't had a chance to try the new location, but it's open for business. Next time I go, I'm going to try to call ahead and try their salt-encrusted Cornish game hen.

4. Raincity Grill (Denman at English Bay) Early Bird Menu $25 between 5-6 pm. I haven't tried this one out myself yet, but I've had a number of nice meals at Raincity over the years, and hope to try this out sometime. Three courses of West Coast focused food in a crisp, clean room.

3. Rinconcito Salvadorean Restaurant (Commercial Drive, between 4th and 5th Ave.) Lots of food for $25 each - my friend and I ordered enough food to stuff ourselves silly, including their famous papupas (flat corn tortilla filled packages of pork beans and cheese at $2.50 each), a whole fried fish with beans, rice, avocado and salad, a mini chicken tostada salad, fried yuca root with fried pork chunks, yummy tamarind drinks (non-alcoholic), and carmelized plantains with vanilla ice cream.

2. Sakae Sushi Restaurant (Downtown, Thurlowe and Alberni St.), Dinner Set $24 More authentic Japanese food than you can shake a stick at. Well, maybe not if you're really good at shaking sticks...at any rate, it's a lot of high quality food for under $25.

1. Mistral (W. Broadway at Trafalgar), Three Course Lunches $18 - 22. Another one on my Places To Try Soon List. I've heard good things about this one, and the menus look great. And if you're a guy looking to impress a lunch date, this should do, don't you think?

Sakae Japanese Restaurant, Downtown

When did my comfort food become Japanese cuisine? Maybe it stems from my very first trip away from my parents, just after graduating from highschool - I had a glorious six-week homestay experience in Osaka, Japan. It was like I found another place in the world that felt like being home, even though it was completely different from being actually home, which was (and is now) Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Sakae (745 Thurlowe St. off Alberni St., 604-669-0067), hidden in a tiny, downtown, underground mini-mall of restaurants (next to Samba Brazillian Barbecue, and Aki Japanese Restaurant), is my current favourite traditional Japanese restaurant. By traditional, I mean both that the food feels quite authentic, and also that the menu offers what the original wave of Japanese restaurants in Vancouver offered - not izakaya small plates, but sushi, sashimi, tempura, noodle dishes, robata, rice dishes, and combinations. I just came back from having a fantastic dinner set ($24), which I thought was delicious and good value. They currently have a sushi, sashimi and unagi don dinner set, and these are not your run-of-the-mill Vancouver dinner sets. Be forewarned though, that in the summer time, I was looking for their dinner sets and they didn't offer them, but they're back now. I chose the sashimi one, which had a beautifully fresh plate of sashimi (garnished with real shiso leaf, and a very fragrant wasabi - maybe it's freshly grated?). I chose to start with this part separately, and it had lovely slices of salmon, mackeral, a very good amaebi, and snapper, I think. Then an exciting array of goodies came on a tray. There was a generous portion of grilled marinated black cod that was really tasty. There was a good chiwan mushi (savoury steamed egg custard) with assorted meat bits, topped with a pretty slice of fishcake. I enjoyed the delightful plate full of small cold things including egg omelet, a seafood pate, lotus root slices, a deep fried breaded dumpling ball, two meaty balls on a pick, and a pate topped with eel. There was also a little bowl of zaru soba, and a fried dumpling served in sauce, covered with bonito flakes (sorry, I don't know what it was exactly, but it was tasty). There was a really tasty sunomono type salad (but not the type with the noodles swimming in lots of liquid). It had a sweet, vinegar dressing, as well as a thicker orange dressing, and was fragrant with the smell of fresh cucumber. It had chunks of a white-coloured protein (maybe a clam?), and chewy transparent, colourless threads, that I think were some sort of seaweed product. There was a dish of daikon and cucumber pickles too. I also received a big bowl of rice garnished with what I'll call salmon pixie dust and a very nice miso with clams in their shells and tiny bits of shiso. Does this sound like a lot of food? It was. And I was happily stuffed. I also had a small bottle of warm Gekkeikan sake ($4.50), perfect for coming in out of a snowy, wet night. The room is quiet and cosy, and like a little underground hideaway - a nice, place of stillness to replenish your energy stores (both mental and physical) or have a quiet talk with someone about life.

Service was perfect tonight, with my tea cup being refilled diligently, and every bit of hospitality displayed despite my disheveled jeans, sweatshirt, and raingear appearance.

Now here's my big confession for this restaurant to end this post. I've lived closeby to this restaurant for about 8 years now, and I only learned about this place less than a year ago and I heard about it from, of all people, someone in Seattle! This place is a part of my neighbourhood, and I had to have a tourist point it out to me in order for me to pay attention to it! An eGulleter in Seattle was recommending a Japanese restaurant to someone else in Seattle who was going to visit Vancouver. The Seattlite who was due to travel was asking my advice, and the other Seattlite piped up. I am very glad s/he did. It's a wonderful little hidden gem, made all the more charming because it is off the radar for many. Shhh, don't tell too many people.

New Year's Food

One new year's day, my friend Bac'n Girl invited me to her family's home for their traditional Japanese New Year's Day lunch. It was an impressive feast, with hand-pounded mochi and all sorts of interesting things to eat. Maybe you have some new year's food traditions. If not, you can always make up something. Here's hoping you eat something noteworthy tomorrow. And here are some traditions from around the world. Cheers!

Red and Green Food

Beet Panne Cotta

Just a quick post on Christmas Day to wish Nancylanders happy holidays! This bit of red and green was a delightful dish I enjoyed at Fiddlehead Joe's (1-1012 Beach Ave, 604.688.1969) on the north side of the False Creek Seawall, under the Burrard Street bridge, amongst all the Concord Pacific highrises. The beet "panne cotta" was soft and silky, made from organic roasted beets, served with goat cheese, gorgonzola and organic greens ($10). The meal I had at Fiddlehead Joe's was really a pleasant surprise. I had never paid much attention to this little restaurant on the water, despite having cycled and walked past countless times. It's actually been around for about seven years. Service from the bartender (in retrospect, I'm wondering if it was Fiddlehead Joe himself?) was absolutely delightful and the little dishes I had were creative and tasty. I also enjoyed a soup that was like tasting the forest in a bowl - fiddlehead (as you may know, they are unopened Ostrich fern fronds, and have an appealing coiled shape) and forest mushroom soup ($6). It was a nice brown, earthy broth, which I thought was quite fun, at least conceptually. As for flavour, I'm more of a thick, creamy soup person, so I might not order it again, but it was good and worth trying. I also had some great pomme frites with a mayonnaise based dip. And last but definitely not least, I had a fantastic dessert. The chocolate chili sauce had just a perfect amount of heat to really make this dessert interesting. It worked perfectly with the crisp rounds of meringue and the dense chocolate mousse underneath ($8).


Toasted Meringue with birds eye chilli infused chocolate mousse

I actually wound up going to this restaurant on the spur of the moment, as I was trying to sober up from the EnRoute magazine cocktail party at Nu where they announced their Best New Canadian Restaurants awards. The funny thing is that this experience at Fiddlehead Joe's won me over more than anything else that evening. I'll definitely check it out again sometime. I was in the mood for something light and interesting that evening, but they also have "medium plates" for $15 and "large plates" for $24. I'm now eyeing the trio of quail under the medium plates section of the current dinner menu. They serve brunch and lunch too. In fact, it seems as if they're always open. I'll also keep it in mind for large groups, as the restaurant was almost entirely taken up by a large group when I was there eating at the glowing bar, and the staff seemed to be doing quite well with them.

The Best Restaurant in the World? Guess I'll Have to Take Their Word For It

I'm drooling over the thought of my very first trip to Europe in September 2007, which starts in Spain. Naturally, I'm thinking ahead to the meals. This is my naïve line of thought: "Hey, isn't elBulli in Spain?" A quick look at the elBulli restaurant's website confirms that they were touted as the "Best Restaurant in the World" as voted by 500 critics, chefs, and gourmets from around the world that put together the 2006 list of the World's Best Restaurants for The Restaurant magazine. "I know about this trip nine months in advance, maybe I can save up all my money for one unbelievable meal, or a snack, or..something..." I poke around the site and find the very serious "synthesis of elBulli cuisine" - twenty-three statements laid down like restaurant commandments. The pretension of it all feeds my curiousity rather than squelches it like I might expect it to. I skim through the bios of the chefs. Again, very serious stuff. *CLICK* - the reservations page. They are filled up for the 2007 season. Aw, man. The whole year. Well, I really shouldn't be surprised. I know how hard it is to get in to even the French Laundrey. So then, feeling a bit silly for thinking this would be easy, I go looking for the menus, to really rub it in. The history of all of their dishes from 1983 - 2006 are photographed and catalogued beautifully. I've borrowed the phrase graduate level dining before, but I think the phrase really applies here. The geek in me savours the elegantly organized documentation of their creations. Is this place overrated? Who knows? Possibly, but I would so like to take that gamble and experience it in person. I mean, I just started slow with the food porn on their site by clicking on last year's cocktails...and even that looks wildly creative. Also, I'm actually quite fond of foams, so I'm good to go. So join me and feast, virtually, upon some wonderfully ambitious food and drink here. You'll have to click your way through. There is always an English option (EN), go past the ad for the books, and click the "enter to elBulli.com" at the bottom of the screen. Find the catalogue under gastronomy. Bon appetit!