Random Photo #603: Playing The Jukebox Hero At Main & 25th…

Yesterday, waiting for a cheap turkey dinner at Helen’s Grill (where 1983 retired), I paid an extra 75 cents to hang with tinny Old Blue Eyes, Elvis, and the Big Bopper…

The New East Side Chocolatier You Really Need To Know About

There’s a new chocolatiere in town, and her name is Anne-Geneviève Poitras. She’s a native Montrealer who trained as a pastry chef before moving to Vancouver. Once here, she found it difficult to get her hands on the high quality, single origin chocolate that she wanted, so she decided to do something about it. Read more

Indie Profile: Rebecca & Brandy Of Regional Assembly of Text

The Regional Assembly of Text was opened in August of 2005 by Rebecca Dolen and Brandy Fedoruk. Their space acts as both a studio and a storefront. Focusing on text as a theme, the store features handmade gift items designed and built by the two former Emily Carr Fine Arts grads. Having this venue has also allowed them to curate shows and host events. Each month their “lowercase gallery” (a small space under the stairs) features the new work of a local artist. The pair also host a “letter writing club”, free and open to the public, which gathers to type or hand-write letters to friends or family on the first Thursday night of every month. Their space is located at 3934 Main Street.

Before you continue reading this indie profile, Rebecca and Brandy would also like it to be known that neither of them likes cantaloupe, not even in the least… Read more

First Look At The Brand New “Chaise Lounge” On Main Street

Popped in for a local beer and some sausage, chicken and wee Welsh rarebits tonight at the just opened Chaise Lounge at 4444 Main (the former Wingnut location). As noted in our Anticipated Openings section, it’s a “new, modern-style 40 seat diner” with “concrete walls, graffiti, wallpaper accents and laminated tables” serving “updated and upgraded classic diner food”. I’ll save my notes for my column, but here are some shots (including snaps of the menu) to give you an idea of what to expect. Read more

Preview: The 1st Rendering Of The New “Habit Lounge” On Main

The first and not the last rendering of the new Habit Lounge at 2610 Main Street just landed on my desk, courtesy of two of the owners, David Nicolay and Rob Edmonds (to view the full image, just click it). Read more

Prime Main St. Spot To Get Slick New Diner In “Chaise Lounge”

A new, modern-style 40 seat diner is on its way to the old Wing Nut location at 4444 Main St. (between 28th and 29th). It will be called Chaise Lounge. Read more

“Car Free” Fest Sees Thousands Out For A Main Street Stroll

So yesterday was a Car Free day across several Vancouver neighbourhood drags. I hit the one on Main Street and stayed for dinner at Latitude. The blocks between 12th and King Edward were packed with people on bicycles, skateboards, and their own two feet, with no cars to be seen save for those on the choked up side streets. It went down from noon until 8pm, with seven music stages, a five foot miniramp, Jaks playing skate hockey (with a beer can for a puck), food, kids activities, arts and crafts, and a gabillion vendors selling everything from ceramic pendants to bamboo t-shirts.

The Photos… Read more

Last Call For Cheap Theatre Sex On Main

The committee of council hearing to decide whether the Fox Adult Film Cinema on Main St. and 8th Ave. should potentially have its business license revoked or suspended by the city has caused a stir of emotions, and it’s really no wonder. It has all the mixings for a complicated mess of disagreement and intrigue: prostitution and drugs, a neighbourhood facing gentrification, morality and law, business interests, community safety and undercover investigations. Read more

Campagnolo Gets Delicious In The Daytime

Some excellent news has just landed in our PR mailbox: Main Street’s new Campagnolo is now open for lunch. Direct from the press release…

The search is over. Lower Main now has a great lunch spot. Campagnolo Restaurant, newly-opened by award-winning Fuel Restaurant team Tom Doughty, Robert Belcham and Tim Pittman, debuts its lunch menu.

“There really isn’t another top notch spot to go for lunch in the area,” says owner Tom Doughty. “We’re excited to offer the neighbourhood’s residents and people who work, or just come to play in the area, something fresh and satisfying. Italian-style.”

Campagnolo’s warm and inviting open-seat dining room and wine bar make it the right choice for pretty much anyone looking for lunch. Singles can cozy up to the bar—just as friendly as Fuel’s—and groups of any size fit comfortably in the buzzing dining room. Quick, casual and comfortable, Campagnolo works for everyone: from business lunches and ladies who lunch, to friends catching up.

The menu reflects Executive Chef Robert Belcham and Chef de Cuisine Alvin Pillay’s commitment to using only the finest ingredients in simple, authentic dishes inspired by the Piedmont and Emiglia-Romagna regions of Italy. Dishes include Borlotti & Smoked Ham Hock Soup, Pork Ragu Tagliarani, and a selection of open faced Italian sandwiches (see full menu below). “We want to stick to what we’re really good at, and the focus on simple but fine Italian food,” says Belcham. “The lunch menu is a reflection of that.”

Campagnolo buzzes with activity and laughter. Though spacious and open, the atmosphere is warm and intimate in the 65-seat open dining room and beautiful, 25-seat wine bar. Campagnolo serves affordable, casual Italian dining in a warm and welcoming space. Campagnolo is open for lunch seven days a week from 11:30am – 2:30pm, and dinner nightly from 5pm. Seating is available on a first come first serve basis, and reservations are available only for parties of eight or more. Campagnolo is located at 1020 Main Street, Vancouver BC. For more information please call 604.484.6018 or visit: www.campagnolorestaurant.ca

Campagnolo Lunch

Antipasti

Marinated Olives spiced hazelnuts, orange -5
Crispy Ceci peperoncini, mint, citrus -8
Octopus Salad roasted peppers, cucumber, lemon -10
Carne Cruda grana padano, celery, pepe nero -8
Seared Albacore Tuna salt roasted onions, treviso, chives -12
Borlotti & Smoked Ham Hock Soup soffritto, parsley -8
Heirloom Beet & Arugula Salad ricotta salata -9

‘”The Cure” Salumi

Coppa di Testa -7
Prosciutto -10
Guanciale -8
Paté di Campagna -9

Primi

Tagliarini pork ragú, basil, pecorino -15
Penne zucca, ricotta, white bean, chili -13
Carnaroli Risotto globe artichoke, tesa, marjoram -16

Piadine

Fiordilatte roasted tomato, spinach, basil -11
Porchetta cipolle, farmer’s cheese, fennel -12
Tuna Conserva black olive, celery, romaine, garlic chips -13

Dolci

Panna Cotta vanilla, citrus, hazelnut -7.5
Olive Oil Cake spice roasted pears, cinnamon crema -7.5
Nutella Tart chocolate & frangelico -7.5
Formaggi house selection of three Italian cheeses -9

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Scout’s Own Campagnolo Shots

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Scout Magazine is dedicated to supporting and promoting cool, interesting, and independent Vancouver businesses through the publication of their press releases and event information. To get your sales, promotions, news and events up on our front page, send us an email here and we’ll do our best to share it with our readers.

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Wallflower Modern Diner Opens On Main St.

Wallflower Modern Diner opened last night at 2420 Main (formerly Aurora Bistro). The diner concept is going to see something of a renaissance this year, with the recession-weary and cash-worried looking for cold comfort for change rather than hot air for a cool breeze, and this place looks to fit the bill. The menu is about 80% straight-up comfort food. Think pot pies, poutine, French onion soup, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, burgers, wings, nachos, and Reubens. Prices are in the $7 to $15 range. Total sweetspot territory.

Given how nice it was to begin with, owners Matt and Lisa Hewlitt have understandably kept much of Aurora’s shell intact (wooden walls, curved bar hutch, ceiling fans, ancient floors, et cetera). This made it a little strange at first. As someone who will look back on the old place very fondly, it was hard not to get tripped up by the parallel dimensional optics. I half expected to see former owner/chef Jeff Van Geest sit down for a Sun God or polymath server Rich Hope polish a glass.

It’s certainly its own place, but it’ll probably take some getting used to for those familiar with the award-winning room that once was. The old bar has gone, or rather expanded, gaining a half-dozen seats and now running lengthwise with the room (feng better). Several of the old plywood tables displaced by this new focal point have seen their tops sanded down and incorporated into bar (stoking recyclers to no end). The stools are soft and cozily backed, and though I am not generally a fan of flat screen televisions, the one they have isn’t all that bothersome.

The lighting is certainly more atmospheric than it was before, which I like, and the music is just as eclectic as it was in Aurora’s time, sort of a Smiths-Stones-Dinosaur Jr tone that gelled with the neighbourhood. There are a few personal touches here and there, too. They keep a lego model of the bar on hand that they used as a construction reference (complete with a tiny block next to the micro lego glass washer that reads “RESTAURANT” in thin blue Century Gothic font), and those who contributed to the build were given a brush and told to paint a flower on the inset wall above the long banquette (the fabric of which remains that thinly weaved grey tweedish stuff).

Wait, I just got the whole flowers on the wall thing! Wallflower. Took me long enough. It’s weird, but I like it, and though I kinda feel dirty doing so, life moves on.

Best of luck Matt and Lisa. It was really nice to meet you.

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Andrew Morrison is a west coast boy who studied history and classics at the Universities of Cape Town and Toronto after an adolescence spent riding skateboards and working in restaurants. He is the editor of Scout Magazine, the weekly food and restaurant columnist for the Westender newspaper, and a contributor to Vancouver and Western Living magazines.

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