AWESOME THING WE ATE #854: Christophe Bonzon’s “Fabbrica” Tiramisu At CinCin

Celebrity chef Mark McEwan was in town a couple of nights ago promoting his new book, Fabbrica, so Barbara-Jo McIntosh’s Books To Cooks arranged for CinCin chef Todd Howard to prepare several dishes from its pages. You can read the menu full here, complete with all-Italian wine pairings. Howard’s cooking was really top drawer (particularly the steelhead with clams and sausage), but I still can’t stop thinking about the deconstructed tiramisu by pastry chef Christophe Bonzon. I will never look at the ubiquitous dessert the same way again. A few more shots from the meal below…

MORE AWESOME THINGS WE ATE

GOODS: Celebrity Chef Mark McEwan To Prepare Four Courses At CinCin On Nov. 1st

CinCin Ristorante is located in the heart of downtown at 1154 Robson St. | Vancouver, BC | 604-688-7338 | CinCin.net

The GOODS from CinCin

Vancouver, BC | Star of ‘The Heat’ and head judge of ‘Top Chef Canada’, McEwan enjoys a coast-to-coast following. In his new cookbook, Fabbrica, he turns his very able hand to the gusto of Italian cooking. On November 1st, we welcome Chef McEwan to CinCin, for a luscious four-course dinner prepared by Chef Todd Howard. Guests will enjoy antipasti and wine before being seated for this very special Italian feast inspired by the flavours of Fabbrica! Menu and details after the jump…

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GOODS: Private Blends Launched By “Top Table” Wine Directors And “Laughing Stock”

Top Table's partnership with Laughing Stock Vineyards produces two uniquely blended wines

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Top Table’s four wine directors—Araxi’s Samantha Rahn, Blue Water Cafe’s Andrea Vescovi, CinCin’s Sarah McCauley, and West’s Owen Knowlton—are excited to debut their inaugural wine label, Director’s Blend, a duo of personally blended wines produced by Laughing Stock Vineyards in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

Augmenting the extensive international wine cellars at each restaurant, the 2009 Director’s Blend Red and 2010 Director’s Blend White are now available exclusively at Top Table restaurants and represent the first vintages of an ongoing project. Learn more after the jump… Read more

GOODS: Robson’s Venerable “CinCin” Now Open For Lunch, Monday Through Friday

Top Table's CinCin Ristorante is located at 1154 Robson St. in Vancouver, BC | 604-688-7338 | CinCin.net

The GOODS from CinCin

Vancouver, BC | CinCin Ristorante + Bar has opened its doors for weekday lunch, Monday through Friday, complementing its nightly dinner service. Perched above bustling Robson Street in Vancouver’s downtown core, CinCin is the ideal venue to showcase Vancouver, host a business lunch (guaranteed 45-minute departure upon request), or take in a leisurely afternoon with friends. Read more

GOODS: The Spring Line Up Of Events From CinCin, West, Araxi And Blue Water Cafe

Veteran Top Table restaurant staff have been recognised for their contributions to the Vancouver restaurant scene...

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Top Table restaurants and our chefs will be leading a number of exciting upcoming events that speak to our involvement with local farmers, ranchers, purveyors, wineries and breweries. And through other events, such as Dining Out For Life and the Red Cross Red Carpet Soiree, we’re also deeply engaged in our community. We invite you to join with us as we celebrate where we live. Browse the exciting line-up of Spring events after the jump… Read more

GOODS: “CinCin” To Host One of Italy’s Top Brunello Producers At Winemaker’s Dinner

CinCin Ristorante is located in the heart of downtown at 1154 Robson St. | Vancouver, BC | 604-688-7338 | CinCin.net

The GOODS from CinCin

Vancouver, BC | Through her role as wine director of CinCin Ristorante and frequent trips to Verona’s annual VinItaly Expo, Sarah McCauley has had the opportunity to taste the very best wines that Italy has to offer. Every so often, Sarah finds something truly special—a producer “that really captures my attention,” she says.

From the high slopes of Montalcino, Mario and Athena Bollag’s small production Terralsole Winery has steadily developed into one of Tuscany’s top Brunello producers—its Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2004 placed highly in Wine Spectators’ Top 100. Its unique, high altitude terroir and micro-climate promote a singular expression of Sangiovese.

Throughout the evening, Executive Chef Todd Howard will present a special multi-course menu paired with the wines of the Terralsole portfolio, while winemaker and proprietor, Mario Bollag will offer commentary and insight into his remarkable wines, and the label artwork that he creates. Read more

Vancouver’s Best Bartenders Let Loose With Beer And Booze

Yesterday, local bartenders were asked to craft cocktails incorporating beers from Whistler Brewing Company in a timed competition. Held at The Refinery, the showdown included efforts from fifteen barkeeps in all, which meant my palate was in for something of a rude ride for over three hours (I was judging). Much fun was had, and some of the drinks were very impressive. Here’s what it looked like from my end, a recap of who made what with which ingredient and how it looked through a blender of tasting notes and photos. Thirsty? Giddy-up… Read more

Sid Cross Shares His CinCin Tasting Notes

Sid Cross is doing a little guest-blogging for us this week as we cover the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. Widely considered one of the finest palates in the world, Sid’s list of honours and accomplishments are staggering. He is Wines Committee Chair for The International Wine & Food Society (www.iwfs.org) headquartered in London England; an Officer in France’s prestigious Ordre du Merite Agricole; a Membre d’Honneur of the L’Academie du vin de Bordeaux (and the only Canadian to receive that honour); and he has been named The Gourmet of the Year by The Society of Bacchus America. He’s also co-founder and an advisor to The Chef’s Table Society of BC, and an all around gent, first class… Read more

No, Gordon Ramsay Is Not Opening Here

I seldom do “process” posts, but thought this might be interesting for the restaurant scene wonks among us as it charts how easily a story can come together and then fall to pieces…

There was some down low Gordon Ramsay chatter in the local restaurantosphere over the last few weeks (if I ever use that word again you can kick me hard in the shins). Plenty of frigate birds, if you know what I mean. Lots of vague emails and anonymous texts. Most of it had Gordon Ramsay partnering up with local restaurateur Jack Evrensel, owner of Araxi, West, CinCin, and the Blue Water Cafe. The “word”, according to the frigate birds, was that The Swearer had been hanging at Araxi in Whistler of late and that he and Jack were stewing something up together. Juicy stuff for food nerds like me (and maybe three of you).

I knew the former to be true. Ramsay had been up in Whistler, and I knew he’d dined at Araxi. But I had no clue as to the veracity of the latter claim, which reeked of rumour. Naturally, I was excited at the prospect of a Ramsay-Evrensel venture, and expended no small amount of energy trying to nail down some more info. As you are probably aware, the international celebrity chefs seem to be picking the West Coast over Toronto when it comes to expanding their empires northwards (witness Vongerichten and Boulud), so this seemed an entirely plausible development. The “who is next” question always brings up the same three names and Ramsay’s is at the top of the list (Mario Batali and Jamie Oliver are the other two). None of this was particularly shocking, but it would be news nevertheless. I’m not a very good gumshoe, but I’d had the good luck to publish the news on Boulud and Vongerichten before anyone else, and I was hoping for a hat trick.

Fuel to the fire was added when I went on Gordon Ramsay’s official website. There I found a headline that read something along the lines of “Gordon Ramsay will appear on CBC’s ‘The Hour’ with George Strombosoandso tonight!”. I was 90% certain – total dumbass that I am – that I might have a little scoop in the works. I had the feeling.

But I didn’t have the story. I couldn’t nail down a third source; my second source conflicted with my first; and the PR people involved weren’t returning my calls (which is generally a sign of promise). I honestly thought that the news of Ramsay and Evrensel joining forces was going to break on Strombosoandso’s show, and I was not the least bit chuffed about it.

When I watched the show (with a growing sense of pointed dread), Ramsay declared something that I wasn’t expecting at all. It was his intention, he said, to open a restaurant in Toronto before Vancouver. He was very non-committal about the timing, so much so that it sounded as if he was just trying to please and appease the Front Street audience.

And with that, thud went the scoop, and poof went the rumour. It didn’t sound like Mr. Potty Mouth Footballer would be coming here or Whistler any time soon. With shoulders thus shrunk, I erased what I’d accrued so far, turned my computer off, and opened a beer.

But in almost every rumour there is a kernel of truth that germinates to make the weed of rumour. The following day on Toronto’s CityNews, Ramsay announced that the winning chef from his television show, Hell’s Kitchen, would be awarded with some work at Araxi. From the lion’s mouth:

I was in Whistler two weeks ago at the Araxi restaurant, which, the new winner of Hell’s Kitchen gets a job there – they source everything within 100 miles. The food, the wine, and everything, all sourced locally. It’s amazing. That’s a template for every restaurant to follow.

Take away the hyperbole (not everything at Araxi is sourced within a hundred miles – the pastry chef, for example, is from Ontario), and it’s not much of a story at all. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea who the “new winner” of Hell’s Kitchen is (I don’t watch the show), so I can’t gauge with any measure of confidence if this is a big deal, a little deal, a gimmick, or Jack just doing a customer a solid.

What do you think?