les boulettes

To say that I’ve had a busy few months, would be a complete understatement. I was lucky enough to have been seconded from my day job to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. I was a flash quote reporter at Pacific Coliseum, which meant that I interviewed short track speed skaters and figure skaters. For an entire month, I breathed, lived and dreamt the Olympics.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I wouldn’t have traded for anything. But it meant that I had no time to eat out, never mind write about it.

So when my friend Dustin, whom I used to work with on Holland America Line, invited me to join him on a 10-day Panama Canal cruise a couple of weeks after the Games ended, I jumped at the chance.

The cruise was a perfect way to end my fairytale two months and what better way to recount those memories than brunch with Melanie at Café Medina.

Have I mentioned how much I adore brunch? I truly think it is the perfect meal. It lets you sleep in, you can take a long time eating it, you can choose savoury or sweet (or both!) and you can drink alcohol before noon without judgement.

Café Medina is the best place in town for brunch and I know I’m not alone in this opinion, based on the long lines that inevitably form each weekend. I arrived a little before Melanie and put our name on the list. We maybe waited for about 20 minutes before we were offered a seat at the bar. While it would have been an okay place to sit, I asked if we could snag a two-seater near the passway between the front and back rooms.

lavender lattes

Our server, who had a delightful French accent, was happy to oblige.

Mel and I both ordered lavender lattes without hesitation. The first time I tried these little gems, I was a bit leery, but can’t go to Café Medina without ordering one now. Slightly sweet and yes, a little flowery, I could easily get addicted to them.

We had a lot to catch up on, so we decided to get down to business and order. I had a craving for Les Boulettes, which is two poached eggs, spicy Moroccan meatballs with cilantro, and hummus, and a cucumber, and tomato salad on the side

Mel decided to go for the Tagine, which comes with two poached eggs in a spicy tomato stew with red pepper, merguez sausage, sundried black olives, and cilantro. Both came with a large chunk of grilled foccaccia.

Café Medina is run by the same people who own and operate Chambar – the Belgian restaurant next door famous for its mussels and cocktails – as well as the relatively new Dirty Apron Cooking School. In fact, Café Medina’s space started as a private room for Chambar (and still is at night).

The décor is a cross between European coffee house and old school Gastown – and the clientele matches. On any given morning, you’ll find yuppies, families, hipsters, and everyone in between.

tagine

As the room is usually packed to the brim on the weekend, expect to linger over those lattes before your meal arrives. But this was not a problem for us that morning and we happily chatted away until our brunch came.

Café Medina’s brunch isn’t for those who crave the classic breakfast fare. It flits between Middle Eastern and French, but doesn’t land squarely on one geographical region.

The meatballs in my selection, Les Boulettes, were dense but still juicy. They were nestled in a spicy tomato stew with the poached eggs, which were cooked until the yolks were just slightly runny. The hummus and cucumber and tomato salad provided a nice coolness to balance the spice.

Even though we both couldn’t finish our meals, we were tempted by one of their famous waffles and a tea. We couldn’t decide on a topping, so we asked our server (who never once pressured us to leave, despite the continuous line outside) to pick his favourite.

The waffle came still bubbling hot and when we tasted his selection of sauce, we were treated to an interesting flavour combination: raspberry caramel. It was slightly crispy on the outside and buttery soft on the inside. It only took a few bites, but I was in love.

We lingered over our teas and finally left about an hour and a half after we arrived – a long time for brunch. It was nice to not be rushed out, even though there were still a few people waiting to get in. And that’s what I like about Café Medina – just like the best things in life, it’s worth waiting for.

Café Medina
556 Beatty Street
Vancouver |BC
604.879.3114
medinacafe.com

capricciosa pizza

Kate and I had just finished a great yoga class at my new home, Flow Yoga, and were looking for somewhere to grab a good bite to eat, but also get away with our post-yoga glow.

Admittedly, there’s not a lot around that area (Smithe and Burrard) that isn’t a chain. I was curious about Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante, as it used to be the home of a Lombardo’s – the same one that you can find on Commercial Drive. It was pretty busy, so we decided to give it a whirl.

The curiosity was killing me, so I asked our server. Turns out two people – one connected to the Commercial Drive location and the other an independent – opened the restaurant under the Lombardo’s name. The partner tied to Lombardo’s decided not to stay, so the other continued the restaurant under the new name. Everything except the name and a few items on the menu remained the same.

The menu was definitely expanded on the pasta side, which I always thought was a little sparse under the Lombardo’s banner. A few items struck me as a little strange, such as Spaghetti alle Cozze – B.C. Honey Mussels sautéed with garlic in a light coconut curry reduction. But for the most part, it stayed true to its theme of Italian cuisine with touches of BC ingredients.

I tried really hard to find something different than my usual, but sometimes tried and true is best. My absolute favourite pizza is the Capricciosa, which has Genoa Salami, ham, artichoke hearts, black olives, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. I discovered this pizza while travelling in Italy eight years ago, where it often called quattro stagioni (four seasons) pizza.

Kate and I also decided to order a carafe of wine (okay, so we may have negated any effects of the yoga class… but so what!). We decided to go with cheap and cheerful and ordered the Naked Grape Shiraz. No, it didn’t exactly blow us away, but it hit the spot that rainy Thursday night.

our cute carafe of wine

The pizza arrived and it was like an old friend returning home. I tore into it so quickly that I forgot to take a picture until I was a slice and a half into it (my first attempt at taking photos with my Blackberry – not bad!).

“I don’t think I’ll be able to finish this,” said Kate, who had ordered a half vegetarian and half Vesuvio (pepperoni , spicy Italian sausage, capicollo and Genoa salami, topped with mozzarella and quark cheese).

“Oh, I’m finishing mine,” I said. “Even if it take me all night.”

What is it that I love so much about the Capricciosa? In a simple sense, I love all of the ingredients separately. Maybe it’s the way earthiness of the mushrooms ground the saltiness of the olives, artichokes, ham and salami. Maybe it’s the occasional hit of spice from the salami. Or maybe it’s like an unlikely couple. It’s hard to imagine the two of them in a relationship, but when you see them together, it just works.

Needless to say, I finished every bite of that pizza (although it did take me a while).

The server said that many people who’ve been to both versions of the restaurant swear they’ve changed the recipes (although he says they haven’t). It doesn’t matter to me. All I know is that my old favourite was just as satisfying as ever. But maybe next time I’ll try something different. Maybe.

Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante
970 Smithe Street
Vancouver | BC
604.408.0808
pacificopizza.com

grilled venison with brussels sprouts

I haven’t felt much like the dining diva these days. I’ve felt like the go-to-parties diva, or the lie-on-my-couch diva – but certainly not the dining diva.

So despite the chaos of the holidays and my strained budget, I was excited when Melanie announced that she had made reservations at Cibo for her birthday. I had been dying to try Cibo for a while and was even more intrigued when En Route magazine named it 2009’s best new restaurant.

Cibo is located in the Moda Vancouver Hotel – a boutique hotel just off Seymour and Smithe. I had been in the liquor store – the Viti Wine and Lager Store – several times and was always impressed with the selection and service. And I had also been a few times to Uva, the wine bar located next door. So it seemed fitting that I try the restaurant as well.

Cibo’s concept is simple: Italian cuisine made with fresh and local ingredients. Seemed like a good match to me. I checked out their menu online ahead of time, and although small but impressive, I waited until that evening to make my decisions.

The interior is beautiful and in some ways is a bit of a contradiction to the menu. Dark, modern and sleek, the walls are adorned with giant pop art canvases. It doesn’t hint of the food that’s to come (which isn’t a bad thing).

Melanie had a great turn out – about 10 or so of her best work and personal friends. So I was interested to see how the restaurant managed such a large crowd.

Melanie, another friend and I spilt a bottle of the cantina santa maria la palma le bombarde cannonau (which I noticed they had jacked up $10 since publishing the menu online). It was a good choice and considering the imposing list, I was happy we were able to find something under $70 (since the majority of the bottles are well over this price). It was light with a subtle berry flavour and a hint of spice.

local mussels

I’m sometimes leery of Italian restaurants who divide their menu by appetizer, pasta (first course), and mains (second course). In Italy, it’s expected that you order one of each, and therefore each of the courses are fairly small. But here in North America, we have different expectations, so it’s always important to clarify with the server the portion sizes. This was the case with Cibo, so Melanie and I split the mussels as our appetizer and then I ordered the grilled venison with horseradish sauce and roasted Brussels sprouts as my main.

While waiting for the appetizers or pasta courses, our table was given a selection of breads. I held off and waited for the mussels, as I know the broth always begs to be soaked up by bread.

The mussels arrive and sure enough, accompanying them are two pieces of crostini. But instead of leaving them naked, they’ve slathered the bread with some sort of aioli. But what about the broth? I try dipping the toasts in the broth and it’s okay, but half the aioli melts under the heat and slides into the bowl.

The mussels themselves were pretty good and the chilis added a nice kick to the usual white wine sauce. But at least four of the mussels didn’t open. Seriously? I’m paying $14 for maybe 20 mussels and a bunch of them don’t open? I wonder how that would have gone over in Executive Chef Neil Taylor’s last restaurant – the famous River Café in London?

I decide to try a piece of the bread as the crostini just aren’t enough to mop up the broth. The bread is very light and is topped with either some caramelized onions or parmesan cheese. It’s good, but definitely not to die for (but maybe I’m already a bit jaded at this point).

The venison arrives and it’s a good thing I had the mussels to start, as it definitely wouldn’t have been big enough for my hungry belly (but I guess you’re expected to order a side).

At first glance, I’m leery. The Brussels sprouts have been oven roasted, which sounds like a delicious way to cook the mini cabbages. But as they were all different sizes, they obviously needed different cooking times. So the little ones were over done and the bigger ones were either just right or slightly under done.

The venison did look like it was cooked as suggested – medium rare. But my first bite into the meat told me how well Cibo handled large parties – it was cold. If it wasn’t Melanie’s birthday, or if we weren’t part of such a large group, I might have sent it back (and probably should have). But instead I chose to suffer in silence.

On my second bite of the meat, I decided to try it with some of the horseradish sauce. Two seconds in, my nose began burning so much I really did think it was on fire. I thought that maybe I had taken too much, or it was a fluke bite, so I tried again. Nope – same inferno in the back of my nose.

cibo latte

Everyone was full from the meal, but we did all order the chocolate nemesis to share, which is also on the River Café’s menu. It was truly delicious. It was like a chocolate mousse cake, but slightly denser.

And we all decided to end the meal with a coffee drink, and I ordered a latte. They did a lovely job with the presentation – in the same style as Caffé Artigiano.

I really wanted to love Cibo. On one hand, the menu itself is simple yet creative in its execution. But on the other hand, they seemed to miss some basics:

• crostini doesn’t need anything on it when serving it with mussels
• different sized food needs different cooking times
• don’t serve mussels that aren’t open
• horseradish shouldn’t blow out the back of your nasal cavity
• …and the simple rule I learned while serving at the Olive Garden – hot food served hot!

I’m not so sure I’ll be back at Cibo any time soon – unless it’s for a piece of chocolate cake and a latte.

Cibo Trattoria
900 Seymour Street
Vancouver | BC
604.602.9570
cibotrattoria.com

grilled jerk chicken

Catching up with friends over dinner is probably my favourite thing to do. And luckily, I have friends who are not afraid to try new restaurants. So when Candace and I scheduled a catch-up over dinner, I immediately began scouring my mental list of places I wanted to try.

A few friends had been to Revel in Gastown, and aside from knowing they’re the place that serves hot-out-of-the-oven cookies at closing time, I hadn’t heard much about them. I quickly scanned their menu online and it seemed like a good locale for Candace and I.

Revel is located in the heart of Gastown, which seems to be the hottest spot to open a restaurant these days. They’ve been around for over a year now and seem to be a popular spot for a late-night bite, as their kitchen is open until 1:30 a.m. But seeing that Candace and I were meeting at 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, we obviously didn’t get a chance to experience that scene.

The space is an eclectic mix of modern and retro – and the music reflects that. I think the music went from rock to electronic to indie all in the course of one night.

It was pretty quiet when we arrived, but I suppose that’s to be expected on a rainy Tuesday in November after work. We may have took a while to decide on a wine, but our server was not afraid to jump in every few minutes to see if we had made a decision. We finally decided on a bottle of wine, only to be told minutes later that they had run out. What is with my bad luck of ordering bottles of sold-out wine these days?

Our second choice, the Adobe Sauvignon Blanc, arrived without incident. It was probably a little too fruity for my taste, but maybe that was also because it was cold and dreary outside.

As we decided that we were both going to order mains, we chose the Spanish Merienda to start, which is marinated olives, cheese, spiced nuts, and sliced baguette.

During this time, we alternated between two servers who were either bored or not communicating to whom we belonged to. Each time one of them showed up at our table, they seemed confused that the other had already been there. Better than no service at all, I suppose.

spanish merienda

A merienda is a midday meal had in Spain to fill in the meal gap between lunch and dinner. I liked the concept. Besides, any time you can incorporate cheese, nuts and olives into your meal, it’s good to me.

The plate arrived with two small pieces of baguette, one small piece of cheese, six olives and a bunch of nuts – spicy almonds, roasted chickpeas and seasoned hazelnuts. The olives were delicious and cured in-house. But I only had three of them. The cheese was tasty, but that was also maybe two bites. So I filled up on the nuts.

The hazelnuts were basically tasteless, while the chickpeas burst when you bit them and had the consistency of sawdust. I only ate them because I was so hungry. The spicy almonds were good and definitely had a subtle kick to them.

We both decided that we needed something substantial for our main, and both ordered the grilled jerk chicken, which came with coconut rice and beans, coleslaw, and was topped with a mango puree.

The chicken was delicious. The spice wasn’t overpowering and the mango puree added a nice sweetness to the dish. The coconut rice and beans was also sweet, but packed with coconut flavour. The “coleslaw” was just shredded cabbage and onions. I only ate it because I was so hungry.

Was I impressed with the food at Revel? Not particularly. But would I go again for drinks or a late-night bite? Probably.

Revel has a casual feel to it that seems to be more appropriate for hanging out after the movies or getting together with a bunch of friends. But given the amazing selection of restaurants in Gastown, I’d choose to spend my money on dinner somewhere else. Somewhere where I didn’t have to eat something just because I was so hungry.

Revel
238 Abbott Street
Vancouver | BC
604.687.4088
revelroom.ca

ironman omelette

I can’t remember the first time I ate at The Elbow Room. Guaranteed, it was sometime during Journalism school. My memories of brunches with friends, family, boyfriends, and first dates all blend into each other. I think I’ve probably eaten there more than anywhere in Vancouver.

So it seemed fitting that I introduce Melanie to one of Vancouver’s institutions.

The only problem: I had just started my cleanse, which meant no dairy, wheat, or sugar. It wouldn’t be impossible – it might just be a bit scary, seeing that The Elbow Room prides itself on borderline abusive service.

We met at noon on a Sunday, and as usual, the place was packed. The menu can seem a bit daunting at first, but is basically divided into traditional breakfast fare, bennies, omelettes, and lunch dishes (including their freshly-made burgers).

Melanie decided on a country-style breakfast, which came with two large eggs, five strips of Montreal style bacon, hash browns and toast.

I decided to try my best to stick to the cleanse and I think I did okay. I ordered the Ironman omelette, which is sautéed spinach, grilled tomato, white onion and red and green bell peppers and topped with hollandaise. I nixed the hollandaise and the toast, and ordered a side of hash browns.

I winced when I ordered and prayed for no abuse, but long-time owner, Patrick, was kind. That’s the thing with The Elbow Room – you never know when you’re going to get picked on.

According to The Elbow Room’s website, it was started in 1983 by Patrick Savoie and Brian Searle. It was originally located on Jervis Street, and then they moved to their present location and also acquired a new partner, Soheil Sadri, in 1996.

country-style breakfast

The walls are lined with photos of mostly C and D-list celebrities who have eaten at the restaurant – although look hard and you’ll find photos of Tom Seleck, Hilary Swank, and Sharon Stone.

Our meals arrived and they were hearty as usual. I honestly can’t say it was the best omelette I’ve ever had, but it also wasn’t something that I would ever choose to order – the cleanse made me do it!

The Elbow Room’s omelettes are a little different than I’m used to. The omelette is laid on top of the fillings rather than incasing the filling in the egg. And the hash browns are real hash browns, and not the deep-fried potato wedges that some other breakfast joints are trying to pass off these days. They’re lightly seasoned, so I don’t even feel like I need ketchup.

Part of what makes The Elbow Room’s so-called lackluster service is that they bring you your first coffee or tea, but refills are up to you to get. I’ve seen a few people make the mistake of asking for more coffee – it’s a guarantee to get picked on for the rest of your meal.

Cleanse or no cleanse, I finished my entire meal. Melanie, on the other hand, had not. Part of what makes The Elbow Room so appealing is their commitment to the community. Everyone who doesn’t finish their meal must make a donation to A Loving Spoonful – a charity that provides meals to those living with HIV/AIDS.

So we cheerfully made our donation and shuffled our way past those waiting in line. We could still hear the squawks from the servers outside. The Elbow Room might not be winning any awards for their creativity, but what they lack in culinary genius, they make up in heart. And that’s what makes me come back again and again.

The Elbow Room Cafe
560 Davie St
Vancouver | BC
604.685.3628
theelbowroomcafe.com

the cure

Kate and I had just finished a workshop with renowned yogi, Chris Chavez, at Flow Yoga – where I had clearly been the crappiest student. I know that’s not very yoga of me – we’re supposed to be all on our own journey and there is no competition, etc., etc., — but it was true.

So I needed a good glass of wine and a scrumptious meal before the inevitable physical pain set in. And, to top it off, I had made the (insane) decision to start another 12-day cleanse the next day. Needless to say, there was a lot of pressure on this meal.

I thought that Pourhouse in Gastown would be a nice fit. It was close for Kate to hop on the SeaBus and being very new (they haven’t even had their official opening yet), it piqued my curiosity. I had been a semi-regular at the space’s last restaurant, Flux Bistro, so I was interested to see how it had been transformed.

Kate and I arrived just before nine and as the place was packed, we took a seat on one of the couches in the lounge area to wait for a table. The décor can be described as modern vintage. A gorgeous Douglas Fir bar curves towards the ceiling and frames the bartenders below. The couches and the armchairs in the lounge look like they belong in an antique store. But the dining area is lined by a glass and tile railing with radiators spaced in between.

We ordered a bottle of Viu Manent Carmenere Reserve and waited. And waited. And waited. And I know that we were probably a little more than impatient given our yoga-fueled hunger pains, but it was probably 10 minutes before our server came back… only to tell us they couldn’t find that bottle of wine. So we continued to wait.

After another 10 minutes, our server returned to tell us the reason they couldn’t find the wine – they were out. So we ordered the Galil Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. And just as our server arrived with that bottle and poured our first glasses, our table was ready.

It’s always a little awkward when a server doesn’t offer to carry your drink from the lounge to the dining area. But it’s made even more awkward when you have a giant yoga bag to also carry. And the tiny restaurant is packed.

But Kate, our wine, our bags and I made it in one piece to our table – a very cozy booth that could have easily fit four. We sunk into the seats and began to look at the menu.

beef shortribs

Pourhouse’s concept is modern comfort food. It seemed a little in opposition to the décor and ambiance of the restaurant – white tablecloths and comfort food just don’t seem to go together to me. But somehow, they pull it off.

As it was taking us a long time to decide on an entrée, Kate and I decided to start off with The Cure – a selection of cured meats with condiments. It came with gherkins, mustard and sweet onions, as well as a basket of different breads. The three meats were all made from pork and treated slightly differently. We had a hard time deciding which one was our favourite – each one was flavourful and could have easily stood on its own.

When our server came back (no hurrying to get our entrée orders in – which was a nice touch), we asked her which one was her favourite. She recommended the beef shortribs, which are braised in espresso and served with carrot puree and browned sweet potato.

We were sold.

The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and the espresso added a rich dimension to the sauce. We both were blown away by the carrot puree, which we were told, was just carrots and apple juice. While the sweet potatos, which were made to look like French fries, were tender and slightly crispy on the outside. Genius.

And our Galil Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon turned out to be an excellent pair with both our appetizer and main. It’s a medium-bodied wine, with notes of dark berries, cocoa and spices. And being from Israel, it’s kosher, which is a bonus (if that’s something you look for).

Our server was knowledgeable and it was obvious that she had tried most items on the menu. We were never rushed into making a decision, even though the place was still packed at 11 p.m. It was a nice contrast to the lackluster service we received when we were in the lounge area. I’ll chalk that up to pre-opening bumps.

warm chocolate cake

Kate and I couldn’t resist taking a look at the desert menu. Even though there’s just four items, I think there’s something for everyone. And for Kate and I, it was the warm chocolate cake. It takes a little extra time, as it’s made from scratch, but it’s worth that wait.

The cake was moist, rich and decadent. They paired it with a caramel ice cream, which could have also stood on its own. It was a lovely ending to a fabulous evening.

As Kate and I finished up our tea, we were pleasantly surprised by the bill – which came in at just $118. And even though it was well past midnight by the time we finished, the place was still packed. I felt lucky to have discovered this Gastown gem before its inevitable rise to Vancouver culinary stardom.

Pourhouse
162 Water Street
Vancouver | BC
604.568.7022
pourhousevancouver.com

Italian sausage, chilles and sweet onions pizza

It was the kind of evening that already felt European. John and I had just spent a few hours checking out the Vermeer, Rembrandt and the Golden Age of Dutch Art exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery, and wanted to grab a bite to eat nearby. So to continue on the European theme, we decided to try Nook – a new Italian trattoria that just opened on Denman and Robson.

When I walked by a few nights before, the place was jam packed. It was just the same the night John and I went – even though it was nearly 8:30. But we only needed to wait a few minutes before a cozy table opened.

The West End is full of authentically ethnic restaurants, but a lot of them lack polish. Nook is different. Although it’s small (maybe only enough seats for about 25 and 10 of them are along the bar/kitchen), no space is wasted. Modern smooth lines paired with classic tiles on the floor and in the open kitchen create a sleek, but still relaxed diner.

We ordered a bottle of the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riparosso Illuminati to start. The wine list is small, but carefully selected (all Italian, with the exception of the rose). We were both surprised at the wine, as neither of us had tried it before, and found it to be full-bodied with hints of raspberries and cherries.

Because I couldn’t decide on just one dish, we decided to share a pizza and a pasta dish – the Italian sausage, chilles and sweet onions pizza and the spaghetti Bolognese.

The pizza is made in their wood-stone oven, so I was excited to see how that would compare with some of my favourite pizzas in town (namely Marcello’s on Commercial). Although the flavour combination was rich and robust, I was a little disappointed in the crust (which can make or break a pizza, in my opinion). It was a little on the soft side. Not exactly soggy, but certainly not crispy either. But the sausages were juicy and the sweet onions were mild and not overpowering.

Would I order it again? Probably. It was still really good – just not as good as I expected.

spaghetti Bolognese

The spaghetti Bolognese was also simple, but flavourful. The meat was tender and the sauce still light. I was surprised to learn that a classic Bolognese sauce actually doesn’t have a lot of tomato, so it wasn’t as heavy as some others that I’ve tried. It was almost like an olive oil sauce with meat. And the hits of garlic also shone through, creating a dish that isn’t exactly innovative, but comforting all the same.

As we were lingering over our last glass of wine, the place started to slowly empty out. All that was left were a few tables, enjoying good conversation amidst the flickering candlelight.

Nook isn’t exactly breaking new ground in Italian cooking. But maybe that’s not what they’re trying to do. Sometimes, just like a piece of good art, it’s the classics that keep you coming back for more.

Nook
781 Denman Street
Vancouver | BC
604.568.4554
nookrestaurant.ca

tuna tataki

While it’s true that sushi joints are a dime a dozen in this town, finding a Japanese fine-dining experience may prove to be a bit more difficult. That is unless you find yourself at Tojo’s.

When Melanie and I were deciding on a restaurant to celebrate our first year of friendship (cheesy, but true), the list was stellar. They included up-and-coming spots, tried and true favourites, and Vancouver institutions. But the one that kept coming up again and again was Tojo’s.

Sure, we’ve both had some fabulous sushi and Japanese since moving to Vancouver (many of which I’ve already blogged about). But Tojo’s seemed like such a challenge. Could Japanese food really transcend sushi and izakaya?

Tojo’s is in an unlikely part of town for such an upscale restaurant. But there on West Broadway, sandwiched in between medical buildings and the occasional coffee shop, is Tojo’s unassuming front entrance.

The first thing I noticed was how the space was so bright and open. There’s a little lounge to the left and the open kitchen right in front as you walk in. There are several private booths around the periphery, and tables for two to 10 scattered throughout. I was a little disappointed we weren’t seated at the bar where we could watch the chefs prepare our meal, but still had a good view if I wanted it.

tojo's crab

Melanie and I decided that in order to have the true Tojo’s experience, we needed to try the omakase, which is basically a tasting menu. You choose the price: $60, $80, $110, or “and up.” Mel and I decided $80 would be just fine (and really, well beyond what I had ever paid for a meal already). Our server asked us if we had any allergies and suggested the Quail’s Gate chardonnay as a perfect match to our meal (and I have to say, the wine list was very reasonably priced, with a small, but nice selection).

The first course was tuna tataki, which is lightly seared marinated local wild albacore tuna with ponzu sauce. Heaps of fresh ginger and daikon topped the dish and gave it a nice bite. The tuna was soft and fresh – a great dish to open our palate and tease our senses. The ponzu sauce was slightly sour and was a great compliment to the spicy ginger and mild tuna.

Our next dish was not on the regular Tojo’s menu. Served in a crab shell, it was a light salad of fresh crab with seaweed, Japanese pickles and topped with a mayonnaise-like dressing.

Here’s the thing: I don’t really like crab. There. I said it. It’s not that I dislike it – it’s just that I would never choose to order it. Compared to scallops, prawns or lobster, I just don’t think it has any flavour. So maybe that was why I had a hard time liking this dish. Or maybe it was the pickles (which I normally love). Again, I didn’t hate it – I just didn’t love it.

halibut cheek

It was around this time that I noticed Hidekazu Tojo himself in the open kitchen. A small and unassuming man, Tojo worked like an artist – quietly moving across the line with knife in hand, carefully carving his dishes. It was pretty awe-inspiring.

The third dish was halibut cheek, which was sautéed with a creamy soy garlic sauce. Now this was a fish I could live off of. The fish was meaty, but still flaked easily. The sauce was almost curry-like in its consistency, but was buttery and rich with a definite kick. When we asked our server what the spice was, he wouldn’t tell us. “Tojo’s secret,” he said.

Our server, by the way, seemed to be preparing for Last Comic Standing. Only unfortunately, much of it was lost in translation. When he presented the halibut cheek, he said, “This is savoury sauce. Me: “Oh, a savoury sauce.” Him: “No, savoury sauce.” Mel: “Um, yeah. A savoury sauce?” Him: “Safeway sauce.” Me: “Oh, the sauce is from Safeway? Oh, okay.” (laughs uncomfortably).

Bad jokes aside, we learned that all the chefs take a turn one night a week serving. Which, speaking as someone who spent many years as a server, is a great idea. Not that I would have survived one minute on the line, but it sure would give you an appreciation of how the customer tastes the food.

suntan tuna

Next up on our culinary tour was the suntan tuna – red tuna wrapped in nori seaweed with a light tempura crust, served with sour plum sauce. I’m not a huge fan of tempura – I usually find it too greasy. So for me, this was just the right amount of crunch. The plum sauce had hits of smoky chipotle, while the red tuna was richer than the albacore tuna (which is the tuna most of us are used to eating raw).

And just when I wondered what they could possibly serve us next, the piece de resistance arrived – a selection of four rolls and two pieces of sashimi.

The red snapper sashimi was chewy and a little disappointing. Snapper is one of my favourite types of fish, but it was difficult to eat. I actually liked the sardine sashimi, but Mel couldn’t stomach it. It had a slightly oily and subtly smoky flavour and reminded me of the pickled mackerel our family has at Ukrainian Christmas dinner.

But it was the rolls that really blew us away – and made us question how we could ever go back to the humble California roll (which is claimed to have been invented by Tojo, but some reports state otherwise).

Nonetheless, we were presented with the Great Canadian Roll – Atlantic lobster with asparagus inside with smoked Pacific salmon on top. Unfortunately, I think the lobster was overpowered by the smoked salmon, but was still tasty all the same.

tojo's rolls

The Pacific Northwest Roll was West coast Dungeness crab and avocado inside-out with scallop and flying fish roe on top. The fish roe offered a nice crunch, while the scallop practically melted in my mouth.

The final two were my favourites. And believe it or not, one of them was the spicy tuna roll – something I eat on a nearly weekly basis. The spice was not too overpowering, while the finely-chopped tuna was juicy and packed full of flavour.

It was the Golden Roll, though, than I will go back and order a whole one to myself. Crab, scallop, salmon, and sweet shrimp are rolled in an egg crepe and topped with roe. It was rich, yet delicate and each bite offered a new taste experience.

And then, just as we were debating our favourite dish, our server slides a green tea crème brulee in front of us. Seriously? Crème brulee? My favourite desert of all time? You have got to be kidding me.

And it did not disappoint. Topped with melon (which I normally hate), this desert was a perfect ending to our epic meal. The crème brulee was just as it should be – a crispy crust that hid a delicate, creamy custard.

green tea creme brulee

When our bill came, we weren’t surprised, but it was still hard to swallow. But was it worth it? Absolutely.

According to Tojo’s menu, “In Japanese, omakase literally means ‘entrusting.’ Here it means that you are entrusting Tojo to arrange your meal.”

And I can’t think of a better person to trust to arrange my meal than Hidekazu Tojo.

Tojo’s Restaurant
1133 West Broadway
Vancouver | BC
604.872.8050
tojos.com

spicy tuna roll | wild salmon & mango roll

Sushi joints in Vancouver are about as common as Starbucks. There seems to be one on every street corner – especially in my neighbourhood – the West End. I think everyone has their favourite hole-in-the-wall. And my favourite on Davie Street is definitely Downtown Sushi Bar.

I began going to Downtown Sushi when I started running more and more errands on Davie. And sushi is perfect healthy, but quick, meal. Fast food for the health-conscious, if you will.

What I’ve always liked about Downtown Sushi is that they have a big menu with innovative rolls, but also my traditional favourites. They have huge windows that open to the street, making it feel a bit like a patio. And now, the even bigger draw for me? They have brown rice sushi (which is getting more common these days, but is still hard to find).

Today I decided to grab some sushi to go as I had an armful of fresh produce from my stop at the West End Farmer’s Market. I ordered miso soup (as usual), goma-ae (a cooked spinach salad with sesame sauce), and a spicy tuna roll and a wild salmon and mango roll both on brown rice.

I was a little shocked when my bill came to $15, but after adding it all up, I guess it made sense. It just seemed a little expensive for what was supposed to be a cheap lunch. But maybe it was a lot of food for lunch. I think my server thought so, as she included two sets of chopsticks in my to-go bag. Well, let’s be honest – not the first time that has happened.

The chefs (who prepare the food in an open kitchen) swiftly made my lunch and it was ready in less than five minutes. Take that McDonald’s!

goma-ae salad

Unfortunately, my eyes were a bit bigger than my arms, and as I shifted the six bags I was carrying home, the smaller bag with the miso and goma-ae fell to the ground. Pow! Instant soup-in-a-bag. Crap. Oh well. That’s what I get for being greedy.

At least my sushi and goma-ae remained in their designated containers. The goma-ae was definitely tasty (and they didn’t overload the sauce on it – a common complaint of mine with goma-ae). But I don’t really think it was $4.95 worth of spinach and sesame sauce. That’s probably what made my meal add up.

But at least I still got my iron. Did you know the body absorbs the iron from cooked spinach much more easily than it does from raw spinach? It’s also an amazing source of vitamin K and A.  So eat up that goma-ae!

Spicy tuna is one of my favourite sushi rolls. I like the Downtown Sushi version as they chop the tuna quite fine and then place the spicy sauce inside the roll (and not on top as some other places do). It’s just a little bit spicy, but definitely flavourful (I don’t feel I need soy sauce).

Even though I ordered fairly common dishes, Downtown Sushi also has some pretty original stuff, like the Stanley Park roll (eel and yam tempura with avocado), the Davie roll (wild salmon, prawn tempura, spicy tuna and avocado), or the Maple roll (cream cheese, smoked and wild salmon with avacado).

I decided to go middle of the road and order my latest favourite: the wild salmon and mango roll. I discovered this roll when I had my friend, Melanie, over for dinner one night. She said it was pretty common in Bermuda where she had lived for two years. This tropical treat immediately gives you the feeling of summer. Both the salmon and mango are a bit sweet, and now seem like such a natural pairing to me.

the miso soup that wasn't meant to be

The brown rice on both rolls was still tender and sticky (as sushi rice should be) and both rolls were topped with ground toasted sesame seeds – a nice crunchy touch.

So even though there are more sushi restaurants in this town than I’ll ever be able to try, I know my favourite (for now) is Downtown Sushi. But maybe next time I’ll stay seated at one of their tables. After all, consuming one bowl of miso soup per day can help cut the risk of breast cancer.

Downtown Sushi Bar
1205 Davie Street
Vancouver | BC
604.689.2833

district mussels

It seems that all I’m doing these days is attending farewell parties. But at least with my co-worker Kate’s farewell, I knew that I’d be able to see her almost any time I wanted (unlike Mr. Cambodia, Irwin).

Much to our chagrin, Kate took a new job with another company. After five years of being with us, it was time for her to spread her wings. So although I was sad that I wouldn’t have my friend to chat with every day, I was proud of her – and knew I’d be seeing her outside of work just as much, if not more.

As our department comes from almost all corners of the Lower Mainland, many of our get-togethers begin on the North Shore where our office is located. So for Kate’s farewell dinner, we decided on the district.

I had been there once before for wine and appies, and thought it was a needed edition to the Lower Lonsdale scene. Full of quirky and ethnic eateries, Lower Lonsdale isn’t exactly trendy. But maybe the district can change that?

It’s a small space, currently only holding about 25 or so people (although I think they have completed their expansion next door), so as we were a party of 10, we had to order in advance. My co-worker Adam, who is a bit of a district regular, raved about the 8 oz. tenderloin. And since I had been craving a good steak, I decided to try it.

The district’s menu is a combo of sharing plates and entrees. It’s pretty small, but for a space that size, I appreciate it. I get scared when I see a tiny restaurant with a large menu – how can they possibly master all those dishes?

the no. 13 burger

Their wine list is also small, but mighty. According to their drink menu, “the district social house only pours BC wines in a nod to supporting local growers and vintners. The majority of our boutique wines come from an area in the South Okanagan called the Naramata Bench just above Penticton on the eastern shores of Okanagan Lake.”

Now there’s something that appeals to my “eat and drink local” mentality.

Adam and I decided the Road 13 Red – Honest John’s would be a perfect compliment to our steaks. I took it pretty easy that night, but several of my co-worker’s tried the mojitos and caiprinhas (the official drink of Brazil – my latest vacation destination – only six more weeks!).

The current space is very intimate and perfect for a romantic evening – and thankfully the couple sitting next to our group had a good sense of humour and didn’t mind us intruding on their evening. The kitchen is wide open and watching the two chefs cook was like watching a well-choreographed dance.

As a woman, I also have to give them props for a lovely bathroom. They do also have a small patio, so hopefully with the expansion, that will expand as well. It did seem a bit of a shame to be cooped inside on such a gorgeous night, but we weren’t the only ones. The place was very quickly packed, and we arrived very early at 5:45 (they don’t take resos after six on the weekends).

After lingering over our wine (simple, clean, and fresh), our meals arrived. As it’s always hard for me to get a bite of everyone’s meal during a group dinner, I’ll just focus on my steak.

The steak was baseball cut, which I don’t think that I had ever had before. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s called baseball cut because of its rounded shape. The sirloin is one of the leanest cuts and is probably one of the most flavorful.

8 oz. tenderloin

The steak was carefully grilled to medium rare (my favourite) and was lightly seasoned with a blend of pepper and other spices. I don’t think that a good piece of meat needs too much seasoning and this steak definitely delivered – each bite was a flavour explosion. The meat was paired with frites (good, but nowhere as good as Bistrot Bistro), and something that looked like a cross between asparagus and broccoli.

After doing some googling, I discovered that I had been served broccolini – a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, Chinese broccoli, that does taste like both broccoli and asparagus. It was sweet, buttery and delicious. I actually invited more people to taste my broccolini than my steak.

I think our group was supposed to leave after two hours, but since there wasn’t a line at the door, they allowed us to stay as long as we wanted. And considering Lower Lonsdale also lacks in good places to drink, our restaurant table quickly turned to lounge after dinner.

The district’s blog describes their expansion as having “a lower ceiling, fireside lounge kind of a feel with touches of brick, hardwood and halogen.” Hmm… sounds good to me. I’m not so sure the district is the perfect place to spend a hot summer night, but for good food, service and wine, it’s the place to be in Lower Lonsdale. So hop on the SeaBus and try one of Lower Mainland’s soon-to-be newest hotspots.

the district
013 Lonsdale Avenue
North Vancouver | BC
778.338.4938
thedistrictsocial.com