Big Upcoming Events For CinCin, Araxi, West and Blue Water Cafe
November 3, 2010
Veteran Top Table restaurant staff have been recognised for their contributions to the Vancouver restaurant scene...
News from Scout supporters CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café
Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Check out all the details on CinCin’s Truffle Festival, the Mayor’s Arts Award for Blue Water Cafe executive chef Frank Pabst, Neil Henderson’s return to Whistler’s Araxi, the Chefs’ Table luncheon at West and the full calendar of holiday events at each Top Table restaurant (including Araxi’s annual involvement in Cornucopia) after the jump… Read more
Araxi’s “Big Guns” Dinner Set To Return During 2010 Cornucopia
September 28, 2010
Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | Araxi.com
News from Scout supporter Araxi
Whistler, BC | On Friday, November 12th, Whistler’s premier restaurant, Araxi, will celebrate a compelling collection of wines in an exclusive winemakers’ dinner during Cornucopia: Whistler’s Celebration of Wine and Food.
These five extraordinary wineries—four from the Napa Valley and one from Walla Walla—are all small, family-owned properties engaged in sustainable farming practices. Each of the wineries has achieved critical acclaim and international followings, and through the course of the evening, introductions to each wine will be led by winery principals, including discussion on technique and terroir. This insider’s tour of excellence in winemaking promises to be Cornucopia’s tour de force.
Executive Chef James Walt has created a distinctive five-course menu that highlights the excellence of the Pemberton Valley’s autumn harvest—alongside globally-sourced ingredients—with each plate married to these prized wines… Read more
Mountainous Foodgasms Erupt Up At “Outstanding In The Field”
July 27, 2010
Michelle and I went up to Whistler last weekend for a wee bit of gastronomic excess with some journalists visiting from the United States (cool cats all). It was bloody hot out, so we borrowed a pretty sweet convertible for the duration, and cranked old Rolling Stones tracks all the way up, singing “Pleased to meet you, won’t you guess my name, wooo-hooo!” Good times…
After checking in at the Westin (hooray for pools), we headed straight for Araxi, this year’s critic’s choice for Best Whistler at the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. It and Bearfoot Bistro are my two Whistler reliables, as their respective chefs – Melissa Craig and James Walt – are two of the best in BC. We couldn’t get up in time to enjoy lunch at BB with the American journos, but they regaled us with tales of noon-hour excess. One of them even fell asleep at the table after the lunch had ended! I had the opportunity of being a judge when Melissa won the Canadian Culinary Championships in Toronto a few years back, so I have pretty good idea as to the excellence of what we missed. Sigh…it sounded fantastic, like a fisherman’s “one that got away” tale. There’s always next time…
The 10 of us – happily received in Araxi’s private room by GM Steve Edwards – were led through five courses prepared by James and his crew (including recently minted sous chef Owen Lightly). Several of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life have been enjoyed in that room, and this one was definitely in the running. It began with a tiny, Caprese-esque salad of GME heirloom tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil sorbet, gazpacho vinaigrette and nasturtiums, crescendo-ed with a plate of Pemberton Meadows shortribs that had been cooking for 72 hours, and finished with white chocolate-pistachio nougat glacé dealt by pastry chef Aaron Heath. Wine Director (and charmer) Samantha Rahn made some great and sometimes brave pairing moves – like saddling the beef up to a seven year old Austrian Gruner Veltliner – but…if I can channel Hopper for a sec, it was pure poetry, man…poetry. Here’s the menu… Read more
Top Table Staff Win Accolades As Major Anniversaries Near…
July 22, 2010
Veteran Top Table restaurant staff have been recognised for their contributions to the Vancouver restaurant scene...
News from Scout supporters CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café
Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Fresh on the heels of an unprecedented 17 awards garnered at the recent Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, Top Table team members will be recognized with two more accolades.
On September 27th, executive chef Frank Pabst of Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar, and restaurant director Brian Hopkins of West, will be inducted into the British Columbia Restaurant Hall of Fame. These awards signal those “who have demonstrated exceptional professionalism working in the restaurant industry by making their restaurant a special experience.”
The BC Restaurant Hall of Fame was founded six years ago by the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association, and annually honours “the greats” of the province’s culinary community. Jack Evrensel, proprietor of Top Table Group (and 2007 inductee) said, “This is a true distinction and a great honour for Frank and Brian, as well as being a real credit to the other team members in their respective restaurants.” Read more
Top Table Eateries Win Big At The Van Mag Restaurant Awards
May 20, 2010
CinCin, Araxi, West, and Blue Water Cafe take home awards at the 2010 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards
News from Scout supporters CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café
Vancouver & Whistler, BC | We are pleased to share with you that Top Table restaurants were recognized an unprecedented 17 times at the 21st annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards held Tuesday, May 18th at the Sheraton Wall Centre. A panel of 19 judges acknowledged Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin and West, before a standing-room only audience of British Columbia’s leading restaurateurs, chefs and service professionals. Read more
Top Table’s New Awards, Spring Menus And Upcoming Events…
April 28, 2010
Keep up with award-winning Top Table restaurants CinCin, Araxi, West, and Blue Water Cafe at TopTable.ca
News from Scout supporters CinCin, Araxi, West, and Blue Water Café
Vancouver + Whistler, BC | Top Table restaurants were successful again this year at the annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Wine List Awards. Convened on Friday, April 23rd at a luncheon to kick off the final weekend of the 32nd festival, Blue Water Cafe and West won two of only three Platinum Awards, while CinCin won one of five Gold Awards, and Araxi, Silver.
The Wine List Awards draw upon restaurants from across British Columbia and Alberta, with judging criteria measuring each restaurant’s wine program philosophy and how successfully wine and food pairing goals match it. Further criteria include the quality of wine education for staff, an accessible and user-friendly list, and the provision of value at all price points.
We would also like to congratulate Owen Knowlton, wine director of West, who was nominated for Sommelier of the Year, a distinction awarded to Blue Water Cafe’s Andrea Vescovi in 2009 and Chris Van Nus in 2007.
Top Table’s wine libraries are also perennial recipients of the ‘Best of’ Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. Read more
Dessert Guru Thierry Busset To Open Pâtisserie With Top Table
April 14, 2010
Acclaimed CinCin chocolatier-pâtissier Thierry Busset to open atelier on Alberni St. in partnership with Top Table
News from Scout supporter Top Table
Vancouver, BC | Chocolatier-Pâtissier Thierry Busset is preparing to open his atelier in partnership with the Top Table Group later this year.
Under a bright awning that recalls the storefront pâtisseries of his native France–and simply reading thierry–the 220 square metre space will be dedicated to the creation of classic chocolates, pastries, cakes, and a variety of that Parisian icon: the macaron.
With the lease just signed and plans advancing rapidly for an Autumn 2010 opening, thierry will be located in Vancouver’s downtown core.
“The shop will realize a longtime dream of mine,” Busset says. “Everything will be made on the premises and we will work in the style of the atelier, with our work space open to the retail area.”
Marc Bricault, who has worked with Top Table on projects at CinCin and Araxi, and who designed the wine room at Blue Water Cafe, will be designing the space featuring clean, modern lines, and with both indoor and outdoor seating. Read more
Top Table Restaurants On The Most Romantic Night Of The Year
March 11, 2010
Award-winning Top Table restaurants CinCin, Araxi, West, and Blue Water Cafe are celebrating Earth Hour
News from Scout supporters CinCin, Araxi, West, and Blue Water Café
Vancouver + Whistler, BC | Like yours, our Olympic memories are rife with wonderful individual moments and the spirit that celebrated excellence at every turn. We enjoyed a great mix of our regulars and locals at each of our restaurants – Araxi in Whistler, and Blue Water Cafe, CinCin, and West in Vancouver – along with many visitors, royals and celebrities of an extraordinary diversity. Read more
Top Table Restaurants Opening Doors And Corks To Medalists
February 5, 2010
Award-winning Top Table restaurants CinCin, Araxi, West, and Blue Water Cafe to pop corks for Olympic medalists
News from Scout supporters CinCin, Araxi, West, and Blue Water Café
Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Winning an Olympic medal is no easy feat. The road is long, the sacrifices many, and the support structures that enable athletes to reach the podium are elaborate. But ask an Olympic athlete the key to their success, and the reply is almost always, “My family and friends.”
Araxi in Whistler, and Blue Water Cafe, CinCin, and West in Vancouver, will salute winning athletes during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics by helping them toast family and friends at the restaurants’ bars with a complimentary bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte champagne.
“We want to congratulate the bronze, silver and gold medalists from all countries, and give them the opportunity to toast those closest to them, that took them to the pinnacle of their sport,” said Jack Evrensel, proprietor of Top Table. “Top Table is all about teamwork, and so are the endeavours of Olympic athletes – this is a simple way to show our appreciation.”
Medalists: Reserve in advance through Top Table’s restaurant directors, bring your medal, and the bubbles will begin to flow. Read more
Top Table Cookbook Collection From Vancouver’s Top Toques
December 1, 2009
Purchase signed copies of all three Top Table cookbooks (West, Araxi, Blue Water Cafe) this holiday season
News from Scout supporters West, Blue Water Cafe, and Araxi
From the good folks at Top Table comes word of a gift set – “an inscribed collection of the year’s top cookbooks” – just in time for the holidays. More after the leap… Read more
