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

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

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

duck breast

One of the great things about being a transplant to Vancouver is that you get a lot of visitors. And what better excuse to explore your city than acting as a tour guide?

So when my university friend, Erik, was in town for a conference, I jumped at the chance to show off the culinary delights of my city.

I was dying to try Le Marrakech – one of the city’s only Moroccan restaurants. I tried to make reservations a few days before, but the system said that they were offline and to check back soon – which I did, and got the same result. So I tried calling, only to get voicemail. But then I just assumed it was ‘cause I was calling during the day and they didn’t open until five.

But when Erik and I walked up to the restaurant and there were bars on the doors with a giant padlock (and it was 5:30 p.m.), I knew something was up. After doing a little investigation later on, despite the fact that there’s nothing up on their website, it seems that Le Marrakech has closed. Their phone lines have now been disconnected, but other than a “closed” notation on urbanspoon.com and foodvancouver.com, there’s nothing to let the general public to know it’s gone. Too bad. I was looking forward to some good Moroccan. Any suggestions?

So there we were, on a random Tuesday in the middle of Gastown. Really, the options were endless. But we decided to check out Guu. I had been to their Thurlow location a number of times, and wanted to see how the Gastown location was different.

First thing of note – it’s a little hidden. We actually walked by a number of times before finally calling directory assistance to get the exact address. Even then, we had to get directions from a security guard next door. Look for the sign and it’s up a flight of stairs.

The venue itself is miles larger than the Thurlow location – which is not necessarily better, just different. And at 5:30 p.m. there was no line-up – virtually unheard of at Thurlow.

guu tataki

Guu is izakaya – which is, as I explained in the Hapa Izakaya review, essentially Japanese tapas. But unlike Hapa – which is sleek, modern and borderline fusion – Guu is straight-up authentic. Well, this coming from someone who’s never been to Japan. But that’s what people tell me anyhow.

The menu can be a little confusing, especially if you’ve never been to an izakaya restaurant before. It took us a while to navigate it and decide how we wanted to order. But one thing that was definitely calling my name was the sake mojito.

I’m not big on cocktails these days – they’re usually too sweet for me. But the mojito (if done well) is typically the exception. And this one was great. Not too sweet at all, and the sake added a nice dimension to the drink. In fact, (and maybe this is the dangerous part) I think you couldn’t taste the alcohol in it as much as you might with a rum version. Nonetheless, I stuck to one. After all, it was a Tuesday.

So after himming and hawing, we came to a conclusion: kimchi pork bibimbap, yaki udon, duck breast, sho lon bo, guu tataki, and maguro with five colour sauce.

The duck breast came first. It was tender and delicate, and the light sauce that came with added some dimension to it. It was served atop a small salad, which gave it a nice crunch.

sho lon bo

Our guu tataki was next. The beef was lightly seared and served with plenty of very finely sliced green onions, which seemed to be doused in rice wine vinegar, and added a bit of tartness. It was also served atop shredded diakon, which also gave the dish some texture variation.

The kimchi pork bibimbap is a Korean hot stone bowl – similar to the ishi-yaki at Hapa. Our very polite sever arrived with the bibimbap and proceeded to whip the hell out of the dish. I then let it sit for a while to let the flavours to meld. Although it was quite flavorful, it was still kind of one note – spicy. Which isn’t entirely too bad, but I think I preferred Hapa’s ishi-yaki, with the tomatos and sprouts and other accoutrements.

The yaki udon was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary. Worth ordering again, I guess, but given the many other awesome things on the menu, I would rush out for it.

I wasn’t sure if I had ever had sho lon bo before, but I will certainly again. They are traditionally a dim sum item, which apparently translates to “soup dumpling.” According to Wikipedia, sho lon bo “are traditionally filled with pork, but variations include other meats, seafood and vegetarian fillings, as well as other possibilities. The characteristic soup inside is created by wrapping solid meat gelatin inside the skin alongside the meat filling. Heat from steaming then melts the gelatin into soup.”

Mmm. Whatever. Little pops of salty, warm flavours bursts – that’s how I describe them. Mental note to self for next dim sum trip.

We finished our meal with the maguro with five colour sauce. Maguro is tuna in Japanese and I was intrigued, yet nervous, to order this dish. I usually like my raw fish quite basic to let the natural flavours shine through. But thankfully they didn’t smother the fish with the sauce, allowing you to add as much as you like.

It was a very pretty dish, indeed, and the tuna was laid atop some equally buttery-soft avocado (doesn’t avocado make everything taste better?). The sauce(s) was a nice compliment to the rich flavour of the tuna and avocado. And the whole dish was topped off with some crunchy sprouts. They sure seem to pay attention to texture at Guu.

maguro with five colour sauce

After we finished our meal, the place was noticeably busier (which seems to be an odd trend with me – really – I don’t go for dinner that early!). One of the things that I’ve always appreciated about Guu (or any other Japanese restaurant), is that there isn’t the whole, “I’m not your server, so I can’t help you” attitude. Our bill came right when we wanted it, along with some frozen grapes (trust me – they’re delicious!).

So it wasn’t exactly the exotic culinary adventure I had in mind for my out-of-town friend, but I think it was definitely a great example of the solid and creative food offerings this city has to offer.

Guu Otokomae (Gastown)
#105 -  375 Water Street
Vancouver | BC
604.685.8682
guu-izakaya.com

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