DINER: Corsi & Tsakumis Land DB/Lumiere Spots, Plan For New Wine Bar & Restaurant

by Andrew Morrison | Patrick Corsi and Alex Tsakumis of Kitsilano’s Q4 (formerly “Quattro on Fourth”) have just picked up the old DB Bistro/Feenie’s and Lumiere spaces at 2551 West Broadway. The lease was signed on Friday, and the loose ends of the deal was completed today.

These are iconic locations in the pantheon of Vancouver’s restaurant scene. I can’t count on my hands and feet the number of great cooks, servers, sommeliers, bartenders and managers that worked these rooms and kitchens in years gone by. Few other addresses have spawned so many others. Would we have a Boneta, Ensemble, Farina, Tableau, L’Abattoir, Cadeaux, or Cabana without it? Perhaps not. Would the Cactus Club be anywhere near as tolerable as it is today? Definitely not. The Guggenheimer Dog Gobble would never have happened! Perish the thought…

For the DB/Feenie’s side, they’re thinking about turning it into another Q4 and changing the original on West 4th into something else. As for Lumiere, they’re planning on turning it into a cool little wine bar. Still, nothing is certain just yet. “This literally just happened, and it happened very fast,” Corsi told me this afternoon, adding: “we weren’t even looking!”

Their realtor convinced them to take a peek nevertheless, and they liked what they saw. According to Corsi, the million dollar “rockstar kitchens” (as he puts it) hadn’t been totally stripped. As for the condition of the rooms, they’re apparently in great shape as well. We can expect a quick turn-around. Opening day should come at some point in May.

Bonus weirdness: DB Bistro and Lumiere closed exactly one year ago today.

ALL ANTICIPATED OPENINGS

Rob Clark of C Restaurant Wins Vancouver’s Gold Medal Plates

by Andrew Morrison | The Vancouver Gold Medal Plates went down at the Sheraton Wall Center last night. The chefs vying for gold and the opportunity to compete at February’s Canadian Culinary Championships were as follows: Neil Taylor (Cibo Trattoria), Quang Dang (Diva at the Met), Darren Brown (Coast), Nico Schuermans (Chambar), Cam Smith and Dana Ewart (Joy Road), Nicholas Nutting (The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn), Roger Sleiman (Quails’ Gate Winery), Stuart Klassen (Delta Grand) and Robert Clark (C Restaurant). The wineries in pairing action were all local: LaStella, Black Hills, Sandhill, Aces, Tantalus, Painted Rock, 8th Generation, Quails’ Gate, Laughing Stock, and Foxtrot.

It was the fastest GMP I’d ever judged. At our table (joined by last year’s winner, Rob Feenie, and sequestered away from the 700+ crowd), we plowed through the 10 dishes in just under two hours. We saw very little in the way of drama, but there was some negligence. One dish arrived stone cold, another was fumbled in delivery, and one of the wine pairings arrived corked (swiftly replaced). Temperature aside, there certainly weren’t any duds in the lot; the level of cooking being absolutely top drawer.

We structured the order with the gentlest flavours and lighter whites starting us off and the bolder reds (both meats and wines) shutting us down. Scoring was done for presentation (20 points), texture (20 points), taste (30 points), wine compatibility (10 points), originality (10 points), and wow factor (10 points), adding up to a possible 100 points. The lowest score that I gave was 62, while my highest was 83. The judges scores for each chef/dish are added up at the end in a private room, and the math determines who wins.

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“DB Bistro Moderne” Enters Fall With Six Deals On Six Nights…

db bistro moderne is located at 2551 West Broadway in Vancouver, BC | 604-739-7115 | www.dbbistro.ca

News from Scout supporter db bistro moderne

Vancouver, BC | West Broadway’s db bistro moderne is entering Autumn with a unique deal for each night of the week save Monday. These include specials on each of chef Nathan Guggenheimer’s gourmet burgers (paired with a beer), cocktail deals, tableside apple tarte tatins, 45-day dry-aged Kettle Ridge Cote de Boeuf, and more. Take a look at all the details after the jump… Read more

Nathan Guggenheimer Up To Old Tricks With New Oyster Comp…

DB Bistro chef de cuisine Nathan Guggenheimer is a fun-loving shit disturber. His kitchen talents aside, it was he who dreamed up last year’s memorable Guggenheimer Dog Gobble (a truly terrifying hot dog eating contest for debaucherous restaurant industry staff). Now he’s got it in his head to host an oyster shucking showdown. A $10 entrance fee gets you in, a pint of Tree Brewing Co. beer, plus the loan of a chef’s towel and shucking knife. First place wins a wine-soaked dinner for two at sister restaurant Lumière. Second gets lunch for two at DB Bistro. Third scores winner a DB Bistro gift card. I presume fourth place receives only scorn and ridicule. They’re probably going to be sending out a press release with all the skinny, but we already have some of the awesome details – like the rules and what’s in store for spectators – after the leap. Read on, mothershuckers… Read more

Poll: Your Picks For The Top 10 Outstanding Patios In The City

After several feints and false starts, summer is finally here with a hunger to catch up and fry us. The temperature is supposed to climb up to 30C for a few days in a row this week, with hardly a cloud scheduled save for the occasional fluffy drifter (for the landscape painters). That means our patios will be in full swing, and I, presumably like you, am eager to anoint as many as I can with my little bum for cold beers, quality people watching and glorious sunshine. I’ve listed my Top 10 favourites below in no particular order, and I’m curious as to how you’d rate them. Read more

Db Bistro Moderne To Continue “DINE OUT” Menus All Summer

db bistro moderne is located at 2551 West Broadway in Vancouver, BC | 604-739-7115 | www.dbbistro.ca

News from Scout supporter db bistro moderne

Vancouver, BC | db Bistro Moderne Vancouver is pleased to announce the continuation of special Dine Out Vancouver prix-fixe pricing, all summer long.  “It was an easy decision for us,” comments General Manager Chris González. “Our loyal clientele asked, and we answered with an enthusiastic commitment to continue the $38 and $28, three-course, prix-fixe menus we originally created during the popular Dine Out promotion.” Read more

10 Minutes With New “DB Bistro” Chef, Nathan Guggenheimer…

For our 64th interview on Scout, we chat with Nathan Guggenheimer, who was recently promoted from his sous chef position at Lumiere to the chef de cuisine job next door at DB Bistro. He is also the principal organiser (and namesake) of the restaurant industry’s annual Guggenheimer Dog Gobble, something of a shoe fetishist, and an all around quality guy.

SCOUT Q&A

First memory? Standing and crying outside of school on my very first day of kindergarten, refusing to go inside (my mom took me home).

First album that made you love music? Meatloaf ‘Bat of Hell’. Not the second one! That was crap.

The first three things you do every morning? Open my eyes, hit the snooze button, think about what I have to get done throughout the day.

Three things about your home base of Kitsilano that make you want to live there: It’s close to work, close to [Lumiere chef] Dale Mackay, and jogging on the beach.

The thing that excites you most about your new position at DB Bistro: Getting to work directly with Daniel.

The thing that you eat that is bad for you that you will never stop eating: The fat drippings that are left over in the pans from the meat section.

Default drink of choice when you walk into a bar or restaurant: one shot of Campari, two ice cubes, one splash of water. Read more

Nathan Guggenheimer Named New Chef de Cuisine At DB Bistro

db bistro moderne is located at 2551 West Broadway in Vancouver, BC | 604-739-7115 | www.dbbistro.ca

News from Scout supporter db bistro moderne

Vancouver, BC | Nurturing and promoting talent from within is a trademark of Daniel Boulud and the management style of his restaurant group. So it comes as no surprise that the new Chef de Cuisine for DB Bistro Moderne in Vancouver has been a sous chef at the restaurant since it’s opening in December 2008. In fact, Nathan Guggenheimer, just promoted to lead the kitchen of this French inflected British Columbia bistro is a veteran of both DB Bistro and its adjacent more upscale sister restaurant, Lumière. Read more

Scout Photos: Goodbye January We’re So Bummed To See You Go…

Michael Eckford photobombs competing barman Geoff Robinson (who would ultimately win) at the Inniskillin icewine cocktail competition held at The Diamond on January 18th

It’s been a good and interesting month. It began with my friend Nathan, notorious dog gobbler and sous chef at Lumiere, inviting my wife and I to dine at the Relais Gourmand restaurant. Not since a lunch with the CCC folks at West a couple of months ago had I done a fine dining, multi-course affair with paired wines and petit fours or felt compelled to don a jacket while in a restaurant, so this was something of a special occasion. For certain, I’d been on a tear reviewing inexpensive restaurants for the newspaper, and felt like I’d paid enough dues in poutine, ramen, and burgers to warrant a little foray back into the world of refined excess. I don’t mean to say that I had deserved or earned it, but rather that I supped and drank heartily and naturally in good conscience. Read more

Db Bistro Moderne Given “Three Diamond” Rating By AAA/CAA

db bistro moderne is located at 2551 West Broadway in Vancouver, BC | 604-739-7115 | www.dbbistro.ca

News from Scout supporter db bistro moderne

Vancouver, BC | Proprietors David and Manjy Sidoo and Daniel Boulud are extraordinarily pleased to announce that, db Bistro Moderne, Vancouver, has been awarded AAA/CAA’s prestigious ‘Three Diamond’ rating, just one year after the new restaurant opened its doors.

“We are just thrilled to be awarded three diamonds already,” says David Sidoo. “The rating validates the confidence that Daniel and Manjy and I had in the db Bistro concept for this market, and theenthusiasm with which our clients have embraced Daniel Boulud and Chef de Cuisine Stephane Istel. Daniel, Manjy and I wish to thank our outstanding restaurant team and our loyal clients, for an excellent first year.”

To receive an AAA/CAA (Triple A) Three Diamond rating a restaurant must meet specific criteria regarding the skill level and professionalism of Chefs and management, authentic mastery of traditional and contemporary cuisine, consistent delivery of an identifiable concept, individualized and refined service, restaurant comfort and décor, and overall packaging of a distinctive concept. Read more

How Many Weiners Can You Cram In Your Face In Just 5 Minutes?

Scout is proud to present the 1st annual Guggenheimer Dog Gobble, a hot dog eating competition held at Pourhouse for the Vancouver restaurant community on the afternoon of November 2nd (beginning at 3pm). Organised by Lumiere and DB Bistro sous chef Nathan Guggenheimer and Pourhouse co-owner Jay Jones, the friendly scarfdown is being held with generous sponsorship from Okanagan Spring (beer) and Windsor Meats (hot dogs). Anyone currently employed in the local food and beverage trade is welcome to register by adding their name in the comments below (please also email your contact and t-shirt size info to Nathan at natointhesquare@hotmail.com).

As the event draws nearer we will be posting more details, but in the meantime, take a look at the rules… Read more

New York Times Leads With The Econopalypse VS Daniel Boulud

Renowned chef/restaurateur Daniel Boulud (of Vancouver restaurants Lumiere and DB Bistro Moderne, plus a gabillion others from Beijing to Florida) was given a four page treatment in The New York Times’ business section yesterday. It covered plenty, but the impending arrival of his much ballyhooed Read more

Twenty Questions At DB Bistro With Star Chef Daniel Boulud

The interview above was recorded today at DB Bistro.

With lauded restaurants in New York City (Daniel, DB Bistro Moderne, Café Boulud, Bar Boulud), Palm Beach (Café Boulud), Las Vegas (Daniel Boulud Brasserie), Beijing (Maison Boulud à Pékin), and Vancouver (Lumiere and DB Bistro Moderne); several cookbooks to his credit and a popular television show (“After Hours with Daniel”), Daniel Boulud is one of the world’s most celebrated chef/restaurateurs and a definite force of nature. Read more

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