the dining diva

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

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

berkshire pork belly

It had been a while since my friend, Melanie, and I had hung out. So I proposed a night of good food, great wine, and some good old fashioned gossip. Since visiting Purple Café and Wine Bar in Seattle, I had flights of wine on the brain. So when I read that r.tl (Regional Tasting Lounge) in Yaletown was doing just that, I knew it would be the perfect venue for my wine-loving friend and I.

I think I’m personally beginning to finally see the effects of the economy on Vancouver restaurants. We had made a reso for seven, and when I met Melanie (late because of the stupid last Friday of the month bike ride), there were only two other tables full.

No matter. Mel and I had a lot of food and wine to get through. Here’s the concept of r.tl: change the regional focus of the menu every three months or so – two different international regions and the third is always BC. When we went, it was Portugal and France.

It was definitely difficult to choose our small plates (no entrees on their menu), as it really all looked so good. We finally settled on oak barrel smoked breast of magret duck, pork alentejana and papas Portuguese.

That seemed to be the easy part. Then there were the wines to choose. After starring blindly at the menu, we called over sommelier and operations manager, Alain Canuel.

wine flight

We told him what we were having and he suggested three wines to go with the dishes: a pinot gris from Kettle Valley in BC to start, Vinzelo Tinto from Portugal to go with the duck and a cabernet sauvignon from Blackwood Lane in BC to go with the pork alentejana.

The pinot was a nice way to start off the meal: crisp and refreshing on a warm night. Soon enough, the duck breast arrived. I think I expected it to be warm, but instead it was cold. Nonetheless, it was delicious. The duck is smoked in-house and served with a small, three-grape salad and crunchy walnuts.

Then, bad news: they were out of the pork alentejana. We decided to try their fresh steamed mussels, which were served that day in a spinach cream sauce. Alain was kind enough to bring us another taster of wine to go with that dish: Director’s Cut Chardonnay from Francis Ford Coppola winery (buttery smooth with hints of vanilla).

The mussels were a bit of a surprise. I don’t think it really mattered what they were served with, as we are both huge fans of mussels (as I’ve mentioned before). The mussels were fresh and juicy (and all of them were open – a huge pet peeve of mine when they’re not. Why serve me mussels that I can’t eat?). The spinach sauce was definitely different – not in a bad way – I’d just never had mussels like that before. The whole thing was finished with a sprinkling of basil, which complimented the sweetness of the plump mussels.

papas Portuguese

I know it’s bad to say one of our favourite dishes was the papas Portuguese, but I really think potatoes are an unsung food. A staple in any kitchen and can be done up any way imaginable, but when done right, potatoes are sometimes just the thing the soul needs. I can imagine coming in for a plate of these and a glass of the Coppola Chardonnay after a day of shopping, a prelude to a night out or after a night of dancing and dining. These were crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and paired with the sweet smoked paprika aioli, they resembled French fries gone gourmet.

We were still a bit hungry and we still had a glass of wine left – the Blackwood Lane cabernet sauvignon. We decided to do things a bit backwards and called Alain over to suggest a dish to go with the wine. He suggested the Berkshire pork belly – which we had been eyeing anyhow.

mussels

The pork was served with hibiscus braised purple cabbage, cipollini onions and a braeburn apple compote. The skin of the pork was crispy and combined with the sweet onions, gave a nice textural contrast to the velvety-smooth meat. I’m telling you – this was the best thing we had all night (and as Alain confirmed later – the most popular). The purple cabbage (which, in my opinion, should only ever be served cooked), finished the dish off to make it a bit sweet and sour. And just as Alain suggested, the Blackwood Lane cabernet sauvignon was a great compliment to the pork.

r.tl is a typically gorgeous Yaletown room, and small enough for the servers to have their eyes on you at all times. Our server was never intrusive, despite the fact that she probably didn’t have too much to do, as the restaurant wasn’t too busy. And I liked that the staff presented each dish when it arrived and gave you a chance to ask questions.

But for Melanie and I, the service highlight was definitely Alain. You could tell he personally carefully selected each wine with the menu in mind. And we appreciated his choices – he didn’t automatically jump to the most expensive on the menu (although most glasses by the flight are around the same price).

I was relieved to see the restaurant was filling out by the time we left (seriously – does no one in this town eat before nine these days?), and it’s a shame we were too stuffed for desert.

smoked breast of magret duck

But no matter – r.tl is a restaurant you could easily visit every few months and never be bored. I just hope this hidden gem doesn’t end up another unfortunate victim of this terrible economy. Because great service, food and value like r.tl’s are somewhat of an anomaly these days…

Regional Tasting Lounge
1130 Mainland Street
Vancouver | BC
604.638.1550
r.tl

Campagnolo

The milestone birthday is a cause for a celebration. And for someone who likes food as much as I do, choosing a great restaurant for that celebration is a difficult choice. I didn’t want something too out-of-reach for some of my friends, but yet it had to be something that would rise to the occasion.

So I chose Campagnolo to celebrate my 30th birthday.

Campagnolo is a restaurant that I had heard a lot about, despite the fact that it only opened about six months ago. It was added to Condé Nast Traveller’s 2009 Hot List Tables and mentioned in Vancouver Magazine’s restaurant awards in the new and notable section.

Plus I loved the concept – locally sourced ingredients served Northern Italian style. And the people behind it have a great pedigree – the chef, sommelier and front-of-house manager are all from Fuel.

One of the quirkiest things about the restaurant is its location. When I was giving the address to my friends, one said, “Oh yeah – there’s some really hot restaurants opening up on South Main.”

“Um, yeah,” I agreed. “But Campagnolo isn’t in that part. It’s more north. Like, next door to the Ivanhoe?”

“Oh,” he replied. “Well, if that’s what you want…”

But trust me. It’s well worth the trip to the edge of the Downtown Eastside. The room itself is kind of downtown loft meets mountain lodge. We sat in the back by the bar, which gave us a lovely view of the binners walking by (okay, so the view is not the reason to go). The ceilings are laced with exposed pipes, and are framed by a honey-comb pattern of fir slates.

It was a bit challenging for me (especially during a relaxing birthday dinner) to be critiquing all the food that came by our table that night. But let me give you a little sample of what we had.

To start, a bunch of us ordered the crispy ceci, marinated olives and the pan-fried spot prawns. I decided on the Polderside chicken brasato and shared a side of the soft polenta for my main.

Ceci is chickpeas in Italian and I don’t think my friends and I knew what we were getting ourselves into when we ordered them. They’re made by taking cooked chick peas and drying them off before frying. They then toss them up with some lemon olive oil, mint and peperoncini. They’re lightly crisp on the outside, but then buttery soft on the inside. It’s like taking hummus and frying it. Do not go to Campagnolo and not try these!

The olives were delightful and you could tell they were cured in-house. The hazelnuts added a nice crunch to the dish, and they all hinted of the orange that was used to make them.

I had never had spot prawns before (a shame considering I live so close to the boats that drop them off next to Granville Island). I suppose I didn’t expect them to be so… whole. Maybe I expected them to be de-veined and not served so rustic-style. Don’t get me wrong – I love rustic food (Campagnolo actually means “country bumpkin” in Italian). But it seemed like a lot of work to get through to the actual meat of the shrimp.

Seeing that it was my birthday and all, I decided to have a glass of the Mionetto, Pergolo Prosecco Spumante to go with my dinner. I thought their wine list was small, but diverse enough and reasonably priced. I liked that it focused just on BC and Italian wines. And even though I didn’t try it, several of my friends raved about the Allegro cocktail – amaro montenegro, amaretto, and limonata served tall over ice.

Some thought our server over-explained each dish and the concept of the restaurant (when he found out he hadn’t been there before). But I personally loved to hear the story of the place and each of its dishes. But maybe I’m just kind of nerdy like that.

Our mains were all great, but don’t expect them to look pretty. As I mentioned, this is Italian done rustic. But the flavours and care that were put into each dish were well noticed.

The pastas, I should mention, are meant to be a first course – they are not North American sized. Having said that, I think that the concept of having pasta as a first course is a great one, but then it should be priced accordingly. Fifteen bucks for a small bowl of pasta seems excessive to me.

The chicken was delicious and fell right off the bone. I didn’t expect the dish to be so soupy though. Should I have ordered some bread to sop up the juices? But the polenta was gorgeous. I have a sweet spot for cornmeal dishes, as one of my favourite Ukrainian dishes is a cornmeal casserole. The polenta was creamy and thick and melted in your mouth. I imagine there was a tonne of butter, but who cares? It was my birthday after all.

We finished the night with a citrus panna cotta (complete with birthday candle!), and I had the Batasiolo Moscato d’Asti desert wine. I should have been bold and tried a grappa, but maybe I’ll leave it for next time.

The panna cotta was creamy and smooth, with just a hint of citrus and crushed hazelnuts on top. It was a perfect end to a perfect birthday dinner.

Campagnolo
1020 Main Street
Vancouver | BC
604.484.6018
campagnolorestaurant.ca