Celebrate The Arrival of 2010 With Down To Earth Decadence

News from Scout supporters Pied-a-Terre, La Buca, and L’Altro Buca

Vancouver, BC | On December 31st, L’Altro Buca, Pied-à-Terre and La Buca will be opening their doors for those looking to ring in the New Year with classic comfort food in one of three of Andrey Durbach’s award winning dining rooms. Read more

L’Altro Buca Opens In The Old Parkside Location

Last month Scout broke the news that restaurateurs Chris Stewart and Andrey Durbach (interview) would be closing Parkside in the West End and that a new La Buca would soon rise in its place. The revamp and rebrand is now nearly finished, and they will open tomorrow as L’Altro Buca. From the press release… Read more

Parkside Restaurant To Become Second La Buca

Parkside, one of my favourite restaurants in the city, is going to close at the beginning of March for a minor refit and then reopen as another La Buca at the end of the month. Read more

Q&A With Andrey Durbach

Each week, Scout poses 60 questions to a local who has made life in BC that much more interesting. They pick and choose. The minimum response is 20 answers. A Rorschach test, for sure…

Andrey Durbach is the executive chef and co-owner of Parkside, La Buca, and Pied-a-Terre restaurants, and the author of the children’s book Delicious Chicken Soup.

Default drink of choice: Cold beer

Drink you’ll never have again: Instant coffee

Sexiest fashion item for the opposite sex: Choker necklace

Favourite wine varietal: Sangiovese

The person you can imitate: My French Bulldog, Withnail (and yes, I know he’s not a person).

One thing you’d like to change about Vancouver: I’d change the rain into sunshine

Bartender who could sell you anything: Charles Forsberg

The thing that you eat that is bad for you that you will never stop eating: Ice cream

Cheap place for dinner: Phnom Penh

Three things about your neighbourhood that make you want to live there: Cioffi’s; the privacy; the views.

Last place traveled: Montreal

Biggest fear: Rats

Cliche that you use too often: It’s not a cliche, but I do swear a lot

Best sneaker in the world: Lacoste

Best bar stool in the city: Don’t have one

What are you proud of: Maintaining a vibrant and meaningful relationship with my wife while working my entire adult life in the time sucking, soul crushing, pressure cooker of the restaurant industry

The thing that makes you the angriest: People who think that 8:30 is too late for dinner

Saddest thing about Vancouver: The shitty architecture

Talent you wish you possessed: I wish I were mechanically inclined

Musical instrument you long to play: The mixing board

Sport you gave up: Football (the one you play with your feet)

The game you’re best at: Sauce station on Saturday night

Mac or PC: Mac, of course

The scariest situation you’ve ever been in: In the back of a Honda civic doing a 720 across three lanes of traffic on an iced up I-5

Best concert experience ever: Talking Heads, Burning Down the House tour

Describe your tattoos: A half sleeve Ganesha, in full regalia, seated on a lotus flower surrounded by an aura of conch shells, very detailed and brightly coloured.

The dish you’re most proud of: Green pea, mint and ricotta agnolotti with ragu of lamb cheeks

The thing that makes you the most nervous: Irrational people

Town you were born in: Winnipeg

Old television shows you can tolerate re-runs of: Yes, Minister

Quality you admire most in yourself: My capacity for independent thought

Album that first made you love music: Joe’s Garage by Frank Zappa

The career path you considered but never followed: Air traffic control

The one country that you have no interest in ever visiting: China

The thing you’re addicted to: Manchester United Football Club

When Durbach Met Chaplin

Anyone who has ever met Robert Chaplin knows that when I describe him as a delightfully eccentric and multi-talented artist that I am understating on both counts. If you can keep up with him, I guarantee that any opportunity to engage in conversation with Robert will land you somewhere you have never been.

In my mind, this is what must have happened when Robert met chef Andrey Durbach: I picture Robert sitting at a corner table with a dinner crowd buzzing around him. After eating his meal, Robert somehow gains an audience with the chef. Caught off guard by Robert (and his unbridled enthusiasm), Durbach enters in to a passionate conversation about food and – wham – the next thing he knew, there he was, fixing a big pot of chicken soup for a crowd of people who have come to celebrate the launch of a cookbook for kids at Barbara-Jo’s.

I don’t know how it actually went down, the important thing is – it went down, and it was good.

Delicious Chicken Soup | Find it at Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks

One book. One recipe. A chicken soup recipe from Vancouver Chef Andrey Durbach (Parkside, La Buca, and Pied-à-Terre) paired with artwork and book design by local artist Robert Chaplin. A simple idea executed perfectly. This book is wonderful for both kids and grown-ups. It slows you down, makes you giggle and teaches you how to make a really nice chicken soup. Best 20 bucks you’ll ever spend on a chicken soup book.