Food Media Omnibus #534: On Ghosts, Whores, And Gangsters
December 10, 2009
Scout (2009): two staff members expedite at one of the Irish Heather's Long Table Series' suppers in Gastown
Once again we present our weekly Food Media Omnibus, a collection of all the local food writer’s most recent works in print. Enjoy…
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In the Vancouver Sun, Joanne Sasvari reviews Fishworks on the North Shore and Shannon Kwantes enjoys South Surrey’s new “Tap”.
In the Westender, I check out Mis Trucos on the Davie strip.
In the Globe & Mail, Alexandra Gill returns to review Coal Harbour’s Irashai Grill.
In the Georgia Straight, Judith Lane points out some great lunch spots (I’m dying to test drive Cru for lunch).
In the Vancouver Courier, Tim Pawsey dishes on wine label art.
The West End’s infamous Maxine’s Hideaway is destined for the wrecking ball to make room for apartments. Sniff. It’s an interesting read – full of ghosts, whores, tunnels, gangsters, and sugar magnates.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s travel editor pays Vancouver a visit, dines at Stepho’s (WTF).
The National Post tries to steer young chefs into “casual fine dining” chains. Er…don’t.
In the North Shore News, Deana Lancaster sizes up C Food, the new cookbook from C Restaurant, and Mangia with Quattro, the new cookbook from Quattro. Read more
Food Media Omnibus #533: If Main St. Fire Opened Door For Earls…
November 19, 2009
The morning after the Main St. fire that destroyed Slickety Jim's, Zocalo, Kishu Island Sushi, and Lugz.
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In the Westender, I take in the simple comforts scene at Timbre on Commercial Drive.
In the Georgia Straight, Tara Lee talks boozy sauces, Jurgen Gothe goes off on an entertaining wine-making philosophy safari; and Craig Takeuchi writes a para on Robson’s frenetic Donburi-ya.
In the Vancouver Courier, Tim Pawsey writes up Chambar’s new signature beer.
In the Globe and Mail, Alexandra Gill falls for Gastown’s new hotspot, Pourhouse.
In the North Shore News, Deana Lancaster reports on a Cornucopia lunch with Crave/Fraiche chef Wayne Martin.
In the Toronto Star, we learn that seal meat lands on the menu at Parliament Hill (psst…Liberation BC…go fetch).
In the Vancouver Sun, Denise Ryan tries to get the tears a-flowin’ over the fiery death of Slickety Jim’s with a line-up of old school brunch alternatives. It’s kind of hard when another Canwest story thinks the fire happened in a “strip mall”. They should be more careful. With such provocative language, they might attract an Earls. Read more
Food Media Omnibus #532: Eating Egg From Raymond Louie’s Face
November 5, 2009
In the Westender, I review Gastown’s new Pourhouse.
In the Globe and Mail, Alexandra Gill reviews 8 1/2 (the old Soma location).
Tim Pawsey blasts City Council liquor by-law fumbling in the Courier.
Meanwhile in the Georgia Straight, the input of Annette O’Shea of the Yaletown Business Association on the liquor by-law debate totally baffles: Read more
Food Media Omnibus #531: Local Restaurants Ripped & Reviewed
October 26, 2009
In the Westender this week, I review Au Petit Chavignol. If you’ve never been, go. I freakin’ loved it, and have been on a fondue jihad ever since…
In the Globe & Mail, Alexandra Gill returns to review Yaletown’s Charm Modern Thai (it ain’t all that pretty), while Chris Johns gets pretty darn clairvoyant in his Gold Medal Plates predictions.
In the North Shore News, Deana Lancaster reviews Persepolis.
In the Vancouver Sun, Mia Stainsby reviews The Buzz, a cafe inside Harrison Galleries on Homer, and highlights the work of the BC Chefs Association on the downtown east side. Read more
Food Media Omnibus #529: Top 50 Things To Scarf In Vancouver
October 9, 2009
Stephanie (and a margarita) from Lolita's on the cover of this week's Westender
In the Westender, I do a cover story recommending 50 of my favourite things to eat or drink in Vancouver.
In the Globe and Mail, Alexandra Gill and Chris Johns do a strange he said she said on the end of Gourmet. That’s two weeks in a row for Gill sans review. Seriously, that’s enough. Read more
Food Media Omnibus #528: No Fun City To Relax Booze Laws? Pfft!
October 1, 2009
In the Globe & Mail, Alexandra Gill writes about Chinese moon cakes. Without any blood splattered, I closed the newspaper feeling deflated, as if I’d been robbed of my weekly Tarantino-directed car crash starring Carrie Bradshaw.
In the Vancouver Sun, Mia Stainsby is very pleased with The Diamond and Joanne Lee-Young explains the deal with Alain Raye opening a La Regalade in the Philippines.
In the Westender, I review Stella’s on Cambie. Plenty of mistakes and almosts, but a swell neighbourhood joint nonetheless.
The Times Colonist talks to Jo Zambri of Victoria’s award-winning Zambri’s.
Whistler’s Pique confirms that Araxi’s executive chef James Walt is definitely one of the coolest dudes wearing whites today.
In the North Shore News, Deana Lancaster checks out meal prep house, Indishpensable.
The Georgia Straight wonders if the city council dinosaurs are slowly evolving from their seemingly permanent puritanical stupor regarding our liquor laws. Psst. No. Though the article certainly shapes a case for tangible progress, don’t count on anything material in the near future beyond a few Potemkin allowances made during the Olympics (so we don’t all look like pubescent dweebs to the global grown-ups). Whether we want to admit it or not, City Hall is still a place where good ideas that combat Vancouver’s international reputation as a yawn-accelerating glass house are put to death and ineloquently eulogized. Why? Because those of the chamber invariably consider the opinions of people who wouldn’t know a good time if it sat directly on top of their faces. Seriously, come hither, dear comet. I really think we’re ready.
Also in the Straight, Jurgen Gothe digs Malbec for Fall and – ahem – Yellowtail Shiraz/Grenache.
Cherries and Clay: still a freakin’ awesome website, even if one its publishers can waltz into a room and instantly win 2 weeks in Chile by dropping his business card in a fishbowl (damn you, Kurtis).
All Anticipated Openings
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Food Media Omnibus #526: On Mis Trucos Love And Wine Scandals
September 18, 2009
In the Vancouver Sun, Mia Stainsby goes back to school at the Dirty Apron and positively reviews Mis Trucos while spirits journo Joanne Sasvari tries on some tiki cocktails and Anthony Gismondi tells of a Canadian wine scandal that should cost some bureaucrat jackasses their tongues (Gordon Hamilton elaborates).
In the Vancouver Courier, Tim Pawsey also digs Davie’s new Mis Trucos.
In the Globe and Mail, Alexandra Gill applauds the look of the new Keg in Yaletown but pooh poohs its big box culinary limitations. Also, Beppi Crosariol does a good job having a good job.
I write up La Taqueria in the Westender. Read more
Food Media Omnibus #525: The Financial Times Pays Van A Visit
September 10, 2009
In the Georgia Straight, Kate Dubensky investigates Vancouver’s many banh mi (Vietnamese sub) sandwich options and Jurgen Gothe goes sipping off the beaten path.
In Whistler’s Pique, we learn that after a crappy winter, business boomed for the alpine resort town’s restaurants.
The best, most fascinating story I’ve ever read on local octopus, and I’ve read none plenty.
In the Vancouver Sun, Mia Stainsby interviews celebrity chef David Rocco, star of the The Food Network show Dolce Vita. Read more
Food Media Omnibus #525: New Restaurants & HST Battle Cries
August 27, 2009
Food Media Omnibus: who wrote what about Vancouver's food and restaurant scene this week...
Tim Pawsey digs Nook on Denman St. in the Vancouver Courier.
I do a cover story on upcoming new restaurants for the Westender (Corner Suite, Bao Bei, Pourhouse, The Keefer Bar).
In the Globe & Mail, Alexandra Gill sails over to Bowen Island to sample the food and drink. She slams Doc Morgan’s Pub & Restaurant but loves Blue Eyed Mary’s, Snug Cafe, and Artisan Eats Café & Fine Foods. Also in the Globe, food writers Alexandra Gill and Chris Johns (interview) take reader questions on what it’s like being a restaurant critic.
Deana Lancaster pens a great recap of the 1st ever Okanagan Feast of Fields for the North Shore News.
Our farming friends Virginia and Jens Jacobsen of Polderside Farms (the best poultry in BC) get profiled in the Chilliwack Times.
The Vancouver Sun lets us know that Vancouver watering holes and restaurants are failing to adhere to LCLB rules regarding alcoholic beverage sizes and prices. Wow. Like, gotcha! Also in the Sun, superstar chef Jean Georges Vongerichten writes up his staff at Market.
Times Colonist: Some Victoria restaurants are preparing to battle the big bad BC Liberals over their hated HST by annoying their own generous guests with information slips and petitions. Psst. Customers look to be led away from the real world by restaurants, not steered back towards it. Ancient restaurant proverb says: to fight the power, one must first fight the dumb.
Balls: late night staff at West Van’s Village Taphouse confront and scare off armed and disguised robbers.
Food Media Omnibus #524: On Coast And At Home With Harry K
August 21, 2009
Food Media Omnibus: who wrote what about Vancouver's food and restaurant scene this week...
Mia Stainsby writes on life at home with restaurateur Harry Kambolis (C, Nu, Raincity) and his wife Michelle in the Vancouver Sun.
Alexandra Gill writes up the new Coast positively in the Globe & Mail. Owner Emad Yacoub points out to her that his out-of-the-gate glut of customers are the rounders, that “trendy flock of scenesters who swoop through the hottest new places to see and be seen”. Best quote I’ve since heard in reaction to that line: “everyone else just calls them douchebags”.
