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

bistro salad

The news shocked us all. My good friend from journalism school, Irwin, had accepted a job in Cambodia. And he was leaving in a few months. To top it all off, he was heading off to Ecuador for a friend’s wedding for three weeks of the summer – which meant there was little time to squeeze in a J-school reunion/farewell party.

We left the choice of restaurants in his hands. He decided on one of our crew’s favourites – Bistrot Bistro on Fourth.

Bistrot Bistro describes its menu as “traditional French country fare, comprised of the kind of dishes invented to share with friends and family over long, cozy conversation.” It’s true. Maybe it’s the simplicity of the dishes that keeps drawing us back, or maybe it’s the attention to detail. Or maybe it’s the fact that for well under a hundred bucks each, we can have three courses with wine and leave feeling full and satisfied. Whatever it is, we knew a revisit was definitely in order.

The restaurant is tucked into a small space on Fourth, between Maple and Cypress. It looks like a modern-day French farmhouse, with key-lime coloured walls, steel-grey wooden chairs and tealights flickering throughout the space. For the summer, they open the gargage-door-style windows, which let a warm breeze in. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant that night.

From Sunday to Thursday, Bistrot Bistro offers a three-course prix fixe menu for only $26. And lucky for us, they were offering this deal every day of the week for the month of July. We all decided to take advantage of this offer.

Another cool thing they offer is Karma Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, five per cent of their sales will be donated to a local charity or non-profit organization – pretty generous considering the dire state of the current economy.

carrot orange soup

We started off with a giant, crusty baguette, which came with a smooth olive tapenade. The five of us are typically conscious of filling up on bread (especially – gasp! – white bread), but we basically fought over the last pieces to slather on the warm tapenade.

The three gals ordered a half-litre of the Domaine Clos Du Bourg Sauvignon Blanc Touraine to share, while Irwin had a glass of rose (!) and Sam had a Stella. The sauvignon blanc was lovely and crisp – a perfect way to start the meal and a great compliment to my carrot orange soup.

The guys and I had the soup, while Leslie and Pat tried the bistro green salad. The soup was a bit thicker than I expected. It had tons of ginger and was served with two crostinis with blue cheese. It wasn’t a perfect way to start a meal on a hot night, but I would definitely order it again in the winter.

According to the ladies, the salad was all about the dressing, as our server had promised. The salad itself was just mixed greens, but the vinaigrette had shallots, olive oil, garlic Dijon and then balsamic vinegar drizzled on top – apparently it didn’t need anything else.

We were almost unanimous in our choice of main. Four of us ordered the New York steak – two with the peppercorn sauce and two with the blue cheese sauce – while Irwin tried the half roasted chicken au jus. We decided to share a plate of the carrots with glazed almonds (which is big enough for at least five people to share). And all of it came with shoe-string fries and mayo.

I have to say I’ve had better steaks in my life. Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m an Alberta girl and grew up with perfectly barbequed steaks. Or maybe I just find it weird to pan fry a steak. Anyhow, the sauce was definitely tasty (and surprisingly good paired with the frites), and the meat was cooked as ordered. I just don’t think I’d order it again – not ‘cause it wasn’t good, per se, but because I like my steak grilled.

new york steak with blue cheese sauce

Pat and I shared a bottle of the Cave de Rasteau Grenache Syrah Cotes du Rhone to go with our steak and desert. It was delicious – rich and full bodied and tasting of blackberries with a slight touch of pepper. A great compliment to our steak and went well with desert, too.

The carrots were sweet and tender, with a sprinkling of toasted almonds for crunch. Well worth the $3 that they cost (unbelievable!). And Irwin’s chicken looked delicious – crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It was also a lot of chicken, so a dish to consider if you’re especially hungry (or in the mood for chicken).

As I’ve mentioned before, it takes a lot for me to be impressed with fries. I think the mark of a good French fry is that you don’t feel the need to use any sort of sauce.

These were just that.

I hate to say it, but they were like a gourmet version of McDonald’s French fries (from what I remember – it’s been probably five years since I’ve eaten at McDonald’s). Thin and crispy, but still tender on the inside, these fries had a light dusting of salt. They came in two buckets for our table and we dove right into them. And they somehow managed to be not greasy. These fries made it worth the trip.

No, wait – I haven’t mentioned desert yet….

I’ve been to Bistrot Bistro three times and every time I order the chocolate mousse. Although I’m a pretty big chocolate fan, I wouldn’t say I’m fanatical (unlike my friend, Amanda, who keeps a stash in her purse). But if you’d like to have the closest thing to an orgasm without taking your pants off, order the chocolate mousse.

chocolate mousse

The server starts by placing a white bowl in front of you. You’re then left hanging for a bit while they prepare the rest of your table’s deserts. The server arrives with a giant vat of the mousse and then scoops three huge spoonfuls of the glorious goo in your bowl. Honestly? It looks a bit like poo. But never mind the looks. You’ll be eating with your eyes closed in order to savour the chocolately, creamy goodness.

Order. The. Chocolate. Mousse.

By the time we finished desert, it was just after ten and the tea lights began to give a soft glow to the place. The servers didn’t rush us out and chatted with us about Irwin’s new gig. It felt kind of like a dinner party winding down. And really, what more could you ask for when dining out with friends?

Bistrot Bistro
1961 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver | BC
604.732.0004
bistrotbistro.com

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

terrine de campagne, compote de raisins

It was the end of a very long, tiring day and week – and I was very much looking forward to trying out Jules. I had walked by a few times and was drawn to the warm candlelight flickering off the crystal chandeliers and always packed house.

But when I met my friend, Irwin, at six on the dot, it was just us and another couple. “I guess it’s not that busy this early,” I said to the hostess as she took my coat.

“Don’t worry – it’ll get busier,” she said.

Irwin was waiting at a small table for two by the window, which looked over the increasingly busy Abbott street. It was anyone’s guess as to where the parade of well-dressed guys and gals were heading. Pre-Juno party stuff? BC Fashion Week shows?

I wasn’t familiar with most of the wines on the wine list, so asked our server what she thought. She gave me the low-down of the three dry-ish whites on the list and I chose one that was subtly sweet and had a dry kick I was craving that night.

The menu was small-ish, but well-thought out. We finally decided on starting with the terrine de campagne, compote de raisins (that’s country style pâté and grape chutney for those who don’t speak French).

The pâté came and along with it was the promised grape chutney (is anything these days that basically resembles a jam now called chutney?), but also pearl onions, cornichons, Dijon mustard, and a treble clef of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

While I thought the pâté was really tasty – that perfect blend of meatiness and spice – it was so crumbly. And I like my pâté to be a little bit smooth. Not “wazzed up in a blender” smooth, but like there was some actual elbow grease that went into mixing the components.

But our basket of baguette and butter always remained full (and no extra charge on our bill, which is always appreciated), and it was a perfect way to start our meal and evening.

Our server, Celia, was perfectly attentive – even when the room started to get busier. I think she reflected the French bistro style perfectly – casual, but not flippant.

We both wanted to save room for desert, so we ordered mains on the smaller side. I had the moules frites (steamed mussels in white wine with garlic and parsley, served with French fries), while my friend had tagliatelles a la crème champignons et julienne de legumes (linguini with a cream sauce and sautéed mushrooms and minced vegetables).

steamed mussels in white wine with garlic and parsley

My mussels were just as I craved – tender, juicy and bathed in enough wine and garlic to satisfy. I always think that the best mussels are done simply – and these were just that. And, as my friend pointed out several times, “Those mussels are huge!”

The fries were okay. I think it takes a lot for me to be impressed with fries. Yes, they were hot. Yes, they had just enough salt. And yes, they weren’t cut too thick or too thin. Or maybe it was just the lingering guilt in my head from just finishing my cleanse. Anyhow, I was glad that she brought two condiments: ketchup, for the North American pallet; and mayo, for those who prefer their fries the European way (my choice).

Irwin said his pasta was good, but hard to criticize as it was just pasta. He thought the noodles should have been a bit more al dente, and also a bit more hand made, “but it’s also a bit ridiculous to criticize pasta when ordering it in a French restaurant, I suppose,” he said.

The sauce, he said, was tasty although on the plain side, but he did like the combo of the winter vegetables with it. “But again, it is pasta,” he said. “If it was macaroni and cheese I would have ordered it too.”

linguini with a cream sauce and sautéed mushrooms and minced vegetables

And then it was time for desert. I have a hard time resisting French deserts. For me, they seem to always have just the right amount of sugar (I’m not a fan of anything super sweet) and are not too complicated (like some chain restaurants’ molten lava brownie cake with eight kinds of ice-cream, whip cream, chocolate, strawberry and caramel sauce… all topped with a maraschino cherry).

So I was glad to dig into a crème caramel and drool over my friend’s crème brûlée – which is normally my first choice, but I hadn’t had crème caramel in about five years, so I decided to go with that.

And I didn’t regret it. The texture of the flan was perfect – soft, buttery and smooth. It swam in a pool of golden caramel, which was a little on the sweet side, but somehow I didn’t seem to mind – it is basically pure sugar after all.

My friend’s crème brûlée was also good – but nothing out of the ordinary.

Just as my friend and I were slowly savouring the last bites of our desert, I looked over to see a completely full room – and it was only 7:30. Something to definitely keep in mind when I return for my second, and probably not last, visit to Jules.

Jules Casual French Bistro
216 Abbott Street
Vancouver, BC
604.669.0033
julesbistro.ca