Field Trip #587: An Araxi Feast In The Great Outdoors At Pemberton’s North Arm Farm…
August 15, 2011
We recently got away up to Pemberton to take in one of chef James Walt’s outdoor Araxi dinners at Jordan Sturdy’s stunning North Arm Farm. The weather was uncharacteristically cool and the sky more dramatic than previous visits, but the food and drink (all wines from Mission Hill) stole the show.
RECEPTION
Garden Back to Eden Tomato Gazpacho
Yarrow Meadows Duck Liver Parfait with Rosemary
Tofino Dungeness Crab Roll with Cucumber Pearls
Mission Hill Martin’s Lane Riesling, 2010
Schramm Vodka Cocktails (Pemberton Valley)MENU
North Arm Zucchini Flowers
stuffed with Okanagan goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes
Root Down organic greens with red pepper vinaigrette
Mission Hill Perpetua, 2008Cherry Wood Hot Smoked Barkley Sound Sockeye Salmon
roasted North Arm beets, english pea and green tomato salsa
arugula flowers with beet caviar
Mission Hill Quatrain, 2007 (magnum format)Pemberton Meadows Natural Beef
crispy slow cooked beef cheek fritter, pepper and rosemary roasted sirloin
North Arm rainbow chard and baby carrots
Mission Hill Oculus, 2004 (magnum format)North Arm Strawberry Ice Cream Bar
strawberry ice cream dipped in dark chocolate with chocolate crust
Agassiz hazelnut financier with Okanagan apricots
Mission Hill Late Harvest Riesling, 2005
Altogether it was a stunner of an evening, and as per usual, we’re telling the story by way of photographs with captions as memory serves (short form: it was amazing). Should you want to enjoy one of these outstanding al fresco suppers, there are two more on the horizon taking place in the very same spot. August 27th will see Araxi pair up with Naramata’s Foxtrot Vineyards and Napa’s Trefethen Family Vineyards, and then September 11th will witness chef Walt plate alongside pours from sister wineries Le Vieux Pin of Oliver and LaStella of Osoyoos. Find out how to attend here.
ARAXI SUPPER ON NORTH ARM FARM
MORE FIELD TRIPS
GOODS: Menu And Wines Confirmed For Outdoor “Araxi” Supper At North Arm Farm
July 23, 2011
Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | Araxi.com
The GOODS from Araxi
Whistler, BC | The menu and wines have just been confirmed for the araxi longtable @ north arm farm event on July 30th, the first in a trifecta of outdoor dining experiences taking place this summer at Pemberton’s picturesque North Arm Farm.
Araxi’s wine director, Samantha Rahn is thrilled to be showcasing a range of outstanding wines from Mission Hill Family Estate, which represent the very best of their current portfolio. Ingo Grady, Mission Hill’s Director of Wine Education and one of the province’s foremost wine authorities, will lead guests through the wine pairings that he has personally chosen to accompany Chef James Walt’s menu. Take a look after the jump… Read more
GOODS: “Araxi” Set To Launch Long Table Supper Series At Stunning North Arm Farm
June 9, 2011
Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | Araxi.com
The GOODS from Araxi
Whistler, BC | Araxi Restaurant is excited to announce araxi longtable @ north arm farm, a series of outdoor dining experiences taking place this summer at Pemberton’s picturesque North Arm Farm, located 20 minutes north of Whistler, British Columbia.
A progression of Araxi’s strong partnership with Pemberton’s farming community, the inaugural year will kick off with four events: Saturday, July 2nd; Saturday, July 30th; Saturday, August 27th; and Sunday, September 11th.
With dozens of ingredients grown just footsteps from Chef James Walt’s outdoor kitchen, diners will enjoy a four-course menu featuring the valley’s freshest produce, beef from its pastures, day-boat catches from our coastal fisheries and wines from leading producers. Each event will begin at 3:00 p.m. with a reception and farm tour led by North Arm Farm’s proprietor Jordan Sturdy.
The 60-acre North Arm Farm is certified organic, and has more than 45 acres planted with multiple varieties of vegetables (six varieties of carrots alone), stone and berry fruits, and herbs. Chef Walt has enjoyed a lengthy ‘growing relationship’ with the Sturdy family, planning seasonal menus around their just-picked produce, and visiting frequently during the growing season. Details after the jump… Read more
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
James Walt’s “Araxi” Cookbook Nominated For James Beard Nod
March 23, 2010
Congratulations are in order for chef James Walt of Whistler’s Araxi. His cookbook, “Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant”, has been nominated for a James Beard Foundation Book Award in the category “Cooking from a Professional Point of View”. Also nominated are Peter Meehan and David Cheng’s “Momofuku” and the French Culinary Institute tome “The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts”. The winners will be announced on May 2nd, 2010. Good luck, James!
