Scout’s weekly distillation of everything that has happened in Vancouver’s restaurant scene…

Media

The Georgia Straight

Janet Collins thinks Aboriginal Cuisine might be the next new thing, and Jurgen Gothe recaps the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

The Westender

Michael White checks out how the economy is dictating restaurants moves, and I write about three upcoming restaurants: The Diamond, Circa, and Latitude.

The Globe & Mail

Alexandra Gill joins the commoners at Deacon’s Corner (loves it) and Wallflower Modern Diner (hates it).

But please tell me these aren’t fries. We tentatively poke at the brown mound. It has a strange waxy sheen that looks as if it’s been soaking in tepid oil for the better part of the last decade.

I can’t believe the kitchen would serve something so wretched. Or that our server, who has been otherwise quite capable and quick to top up our tea and coffee, doesn’t say a word when she clears the soggy mess that we’ve left practically untouched.

Booyaa ouch.

24 Hours

A friend emailed me this while I was down in Kentucky. Her note read “and you thought all society photographer Michael Schratter did was show up at parties to stand in Malcolm Parry’s shadow and eat free food”. I never…

They say 1 in 10 restaurants make it. It’s a vicious business with razor-thin margins. A chef trying to make a go of his dream has precious time to make his restaurant cash-flow positive before the wolves are howling at the door.

Corporate restaurant chains, on the other hand, need not worry if a new addition to the empire takes a while to become profitable.

After all, the other restaurants in the chain can support it until it can stand on its own, thereby squashing the competition in the neighbourhood.

Look no further than Vancouver’s downtown core. Let’s say, Burrard Street. In which one of the mega-restaurant chains with pretty 20-something waitresses in short skirts did you want to be served your over-priced pasta or burger today?

For the life of me, I don’t understand the attraction.

But ultimately, it’s your culinary dollar, and how you spend it is up to you. Just remember, the way you spend it may determine whether Vancouver’s culinary scene stays vibrant or turns into a homogeneous restaurant wasteland.

Attaboy, Mikey.

The Vancouver Sun

International celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten writes a column for the Sun about his favourite places to dine (so far) in Vancouver. They are Gyoza King, Blue Water Cafe, Boneta, and Vij’s.

Restaurant PR

the following releases are from members of the Scout Community…

From Gastropod/Maenam

Vancouver, BC – This May, Chef Angus An, of the award-winning Gastropod, will bring a new and unique culinary experience to Vancouver at Maenam – world-class Thai cuisine served in a modern setting. Maenam will feature techniques and flavours that are authentic to ancient Royal Thai traditions, paired with the freshest local ingredients.

Maenam will replace Gastropod at Chef An’s West 4th location, and Gastropod will continue as a catering and private dining operation with the intention to re-launch the concept in the future.

Chef An worked with and was inspired by David Thompson, the renowned Chef of Nahm in London, the only Michelin-starred Thai restaurant in the world. It was also at Nahm where Angus met his Thai wife Kate. When the two returned to Vancouver, they decided immediately that Vancouver needed a truly authentic Thai restaurant. “We’ve always had two concepts in mind: fine dining and Thai. We’ve been trying unsuccessfully for over a year to find a suitable location for Maenam,” says Chef An. “We felt that given the current economy, we should shift our to focus to the concept that will offer a more casual experience and lower price points.”

“At Maenam, we’ll respect authentic Thai flavours and technique,” continues Chef An. “Thai cuisine should have a locus of flavours that when combined in the right balance creates a depth and complexity unrivaled by Western cuisine. We aren’t going to assume that Vancouver can’t handle real Thai food.”

Maenam’s menu will reflect the components of a traditional Thai meal, which includes a combination of soups, salads, stir fries and curries, accompanied by rice – with each dish offering a different taste of the flavour spectrum and showcasing a different product. Sampling and sharing will be encouraged, and price points will be set so guests can enjoy a full meal for around $30/person.

Maenam will also feature expertly crafted wine, cocktail and dessert selections, created specifically to pair with Thai cuisine by General Manager and Sommelier Tara Thom, Head Bartender Ben De Champlain, and Pasty Chef Celeste Mah. Rounding out the Maenam team will be Sous Chef Emily Waters, who recently returned from seven months of training with Chef Thompson at Nahm.

Gastropod’s final night will be May 2, and the restaurant will close for renovations and re-open as Maenam the week of May 18. Initially, Maenam will be open for Tuesday to Saturday for dinner, with last call for food at 1 a.m. and last call for drinks at 1:30 a.m. The week of May 25, Maenam will open for lunch as well.

From Cibo

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Starting Monday April 20, Cibo Trattoria will offer “Meatball Mondays” – where guests can enjoy full meal, including a hearty plate of meatballs accompanied by salad, bruschetta and a glass of wine for $25 (or $19 without wine).

Chef Neil Taylor’s recipe includes a combination of Pemberton Meadows beef and Sloping Hills pork – ground in house – combined with garlic, fennel seeds, chili and wild oregano, and braised in a rich and gutsy San Marzano tomato sauce.

The bruschetta and salad will change weekly, based on the freshest local ingredients available, and wines will be hand selected by Sommelier Sebastien Le Goff to showcase the unique and interesting varietals and regions of Italy.

Meatball Mondays will be available in addition to Cibo’s regular menu, and will be served at Uva and Cibo until 10:30 pm.

For more information or to make a reservation, please call 604.602.9570

From West

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Vancouver, BC – Diners needn’t wait for a special occasion to dine beautifully at West. Multi-dimensional menus capture exceptional value, as well as executive chef Warren Geraghty’s bold Springtime flavours.

“Maybe it’s too-well kept a secret,” said restaurant director Brian Hopkins, “but at West, you can experience the best the city has to offer at very reasonable prices. It’s simply great value, whether for a casual drop-in or a more orchestrated evening.”

Menus are changing regularly, highlighting the first arrivals of Spring, and they’re available all evening, seven days a week.

Springtime Menus Present Several Alternatives

3 distinct ways of dining at West

• Seasonal à la carte menu
• $55 prix fixe menu, 3 courses with selection per course, as well as amuse bouche and petit fours
• Chef Warren Geraghty’s tasting menus (all under $100)

3 locations to choose from

• At the Bar: Enjoy after work, pre theatre or late night cocktails and conversation with bar manager David Wolowidnyk; full menu is available.
• At West’s dual Chef’s Tables: It’s an up close culinary theatre as the energy of the kitchen leaps right onto your table.
• And, of course, our intimate Dining Room, where West’s legendary service is choreographed nightly by restaurant director Brian Hopkins.

Each menu sings to the wine and the West wine team. Led by wine director Owen Knowlton, West’s wine program now offers 24 wines by the glass, with several under $10. Owen particularly recommends the ’04 Ricossa, which he calls “the best value Barbaresco ever to come out of Italy” and a perfect match with Spring lamb at $12.50 per glass. To begin, try the new Van Westen ’06 Vino Grigio from our own Naramata Bench, at $9.50 per glass, which Owen terms is “a supple, refreshing start to Chef’s first course dishes.”

We very much look forward to seeing you soon. West’s outstanding contemporary regional cuisine and seamless service has garnered much critical acclaim, both locally and internationally. Cocktails and fresh pressed juices are crafted behind the gleaming cherrywood bar, and the highly awarded wine collection is housed in a magnificent, temperature-controlled wall of wine. 2881 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 604 738 8938. www.westrestaurant.com

From Le Vieux Pin

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It’s that time of year again! Le Vieux Pin is happy to announce the release of the 2008 whites and rosé on April 15th. Our Sauvignon Blanc will only be available through the winery, our website: www.levieuxpin.ca and select restaurants with the ever popular Vaila rosé along with the Gewurztraminer available through the winery, restaurants and select private wine shops. To order any of the new releases go to www.levieuxpin.ca or call our order desk at 604.697.0988
For appointments call us at the winery 250.498.8388

Vaïla Pinot Noir Rose 2008, $25 incl.tax
A favourite every year and always in demand, this pink gem is the perfect garden party wine. Made through the old Burgundian method of Saignée, this rosé is produced from free run juice and entirely steel tank aged. It is a fun, yet delicate wine absolutely made for summer. There are heaps of strawberries and pink grapefruit on the nose with underlying tones of watermelon and violets. The palate is dry, spicy, strawberry sorbet and some savoury cardamom notes. We produced 509 cases from the 2008 vintage and orders are rolling in so if you already love this wine we recommend you act fast. If you haven’t tried it yet, where have you been? Get to the winery. Food Pairing: Prosciutto, Cornish game, poolside BBQ

Gewurztraminer 2008, $25 incl.tax
With less than 20 cases produced last year, very few people got to try this wine. In order to share the love we’ve produced 318 cases of the 2008 vintage. We recommend getting here early if you want a chance to try it. The main ingredient is organically grown fruit from the Westbank region, which brings lightness and acidity to the wine. Then we added a small amount of fruit from Oliver to give it a little extra depth. The nose on this Gewurztraminer offers up lots of honeysuckle, orange zest, with hints of rose petal and lavender. There is crisp acidity up front that lends to light delicate citrus flavours of white grapefruit and lychee with a fresh, long finish. This wine is well structured and balanced. Food Pairing: Endive salad, fruit and cheese plate on a sunny Sunday brunch

Sauvignon Blanc 2008, $35 incl.tax
We love it and we’re not afraid to say so. A staff favourite and a production of only 203 cases mean this wine will ‘disappear’ very quickly. This is without a doubt one of the most unique examples of this varietal available. The majority of fruit came from our Lumeno vineyard by Osoyoos Lake where the steep north facing slope allows for a cool microclimate in a warm macroclimate. With stringent canopy management and leaf removal the resulting fruit has tropical flavours while the cool nights allow for great natural acidity. The wine was partially fermented in oak using 36 month air-dried Billon French oak, with the rest in steel tank. The finished wine has big pineapple, passion fruit, citrus, and hints of lemon meringue pie on the nose with a mouth coating palate full of lemon, lime, vanilla spice and great acidity. Food Pairing: Lobster, King crab legs (because you ought to be spending $30 a pound with this wine), more lobster and oysters. Preserved lemon risotto is also a favourite.

From Cru

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(Vancouver, BC) – Vancouver’s CRU Restaurant is welcoming spring with two special dinner events featuring Poplar Grove Winery and Whistler Brewing. We are also offering a special pre-show dinner menu for theatergoers who will attend the upcoming production of Les Miserables at the Stanley.

The Poplar Grove Winery Dinner on Monday, April 20 features one of BC’s best-loved wineries. Join owner and winemaker Ian Sutherland for an intimate look at his premium Naramata Bench wines. The wines will be paired with a five-course dinner prepared by Executive Chef Alana Peckham. $95 per person.

Beer lovers will get their turn on Monday, May 25 at a dinner showcasing beers from Whistler Brewing. Guests will be introduced to the full range of high-quality, all-natural beers from this local favourite, matched with an outstanding five-course dinner. $65 per person.

In conjunction with the much-anticipated upcoming Stanley Theatre production of Les Miserables (May 14 – July 19), we are also offering a special pre-theatre dinner menu. Book your table at CRU for 6:00 pm or earlier and enjoy our regular prix fixe menu for only $37. This is a great way to avoid the stress and inconvenience of having to wait for a table before the show! CRU is open every night from 5:00 pm.

Poplar Grove Winery Dinner
Monday, April 20 2009 at 6:30 pm
$95 per person

Whistler Brewing Dinner
Monday, May 25 2009 at 6:30 pm
$65 per person

Pre-Theatre Dinner Menu
(Les Miserables Production Runs May 14-July 19)
$37 per person

CRU Restaurant
1459 West Broadway, Vancouver
Reservations available by telephone only at 604-677-4111

Restaurant News Redux (In Case You Missing Anything)

Opening Soon

The Fiddlehead Joe’s space on the False Creek seawall has been picked up the Daniel Hospitality Group (Mill Marine Bistro, Delilah’s, etc) and will soon open as an easygoing comfort food joint called the Burrard Bridge Marine Bar & Grill, just in time for summer. The seating will be the same/similar to that of FJ’s, with 60 seats inside and another 60 on the sun-soaked patio… (READ FULL POST).

Lisa Henderson and Larry Nicolay, former owners of Tofino’s superb Raincoast Café, are opening a new restaurant at 3250 Main St. called Latitude. Located in the old Budapest Restaurant spot, the totally redone room will see 46 seats with a 6 seat marble bar and a small patio out front. The design is coming courtesy of Evoke ID, the design firm responsible for… (READ FULL POST)

This is interesting, and no April Fool’s joke. For over a year the massive location at 1050 Granville has been something of a running joke in the restaurant trade. Someone sunk a huge amount of money into the building and then couldn’t pay his contractors, etc and had to sell. The restaurant wonks among us know this to be Dolce, a stillborn concept that we never got to see. Well, a group… (READ FULL POST)

Regular readers may recall that we made mention of a new Gastown project a couple months ago involving some well known players. Since then, however, it has sat on Scout’s Anticipated Openings™ page, gathering internet dust under the title of “Gastown Secret”. For real, the owners have been so mightily secretive about it that we were even discouraged from commenting on the… (READ FULL POST)

Openings

No, I’m not kidding. A James Bond-themed restaurant called Shaken Not Stirred is opening in what used to be the Plan B location in Yaletown. I shit you not, the slogan is “Food To Die For”. A tipster took the above photo of the sad-looking, circa Moonraker window sign and sent it over last night (thank you). The former owner, Glenn Cormier, confirmed the sale to… (READ FULL POST)

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