Mar15
This year’s BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA) and BC Chefs Association’s (BCCA) Healthy Chef Competition turned out some delicious and beautifully-composed dishes in a packed room of food lovers earlier in the week at Vancouver’s Hyatt Regency Ballroom.
Now into its 14th year, this foodie-lovers event (featuring music and both silent and live auctions) also serves as a fundraiser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
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Mar1
So where can you sip 763 wines from 175 wineries representing 15 countries under one roof? Look no further than to the Vancouver International Wine Festival, the largest of its kind in North America.
[Whistler Water onsite: stay hydrated!]
Last night saw the opening of the International Festival Tasting, and the only way to really see those numbers mentioned above is to experience it live.
Glass in hand, I navigated for my fourth year through the different country areas, starting with this year’s chosen region, California. I’m no stranger to this neck of the woods, having spent 19 years living in California. While living seven of those 19 years in the Bay Area within an hour’s drive of three principal wine-growing areas – Napa, Sonoma, and Healdsburg – what hadn’t yet gotten on the wine-growing radar at the time were regions south of the big three.
[Getting fancy with Riedel decanters]
Several spots between Santa Barbara and San Francisco have seen rapid expansion, particularly in Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and the Monterey/Santa Cruz corridor. The Central Coast, home to Silicon Valley, is now known for its Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, and Viogniers.
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Dec31
[World's Largest Lobster sculpture, Shediac, New Brunswick]
I was fortunate to have travelled to several Canadian provinces this past year, as well as dip into the US for a wine festival and trip to the Oregon coast.
Here are five of my favourite travel moments from the past year, in no particular order.
[Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton]
1. Visiting Edmonton’s Art Gallery of Alberta
One of the highlights of a visit to Edmonton is the Art Gallery of Alberta. This imposing structure is not only jaw-droppingly beautiful from the outside, but its interior is filled with impressive modern art throughout its three levels of gallery space.
[Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick]
2. Grand Manan Island: Puffins
Situated 15 kilometers off the coast of Maine in the Bay of Fundy, Grand Manan Island is home to one of the world’s only puffin, tern, and Razorbill auk breeding colonies. Visitors are able to get up close and personal during the birds’ mating season, watching the action through wooden shelters set up around the island.
Sea Watch Tours is the only Canadian outfitter that organizes this tour, which has for decades taken wildlife lovers, film crews, and avid photographers out to Machias Island. This was an amazing opportunity to witness the puffins doing what they do best: feed freshly-caught herring to their young.
[Downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan]
3. Exploring Saskatoon in Autumn
Temperatures might be hovering around -40C at the moment, but in the warmer months of the year, Saskatoon is a fun city to visit, filled with art, nature, and culture, known as the “sunshine city by the river“. Riversdale, a heritage neighbourhood near the downtown core, is teeming with new eateries, Saskatchewan’s first microbrewery, and the Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan which will re-open in the future with over 400 Picasso prints valued at $20 million dollars.
[Cannery Pier Hotel and Spa, Astoria, Oregon]
4. Cannery Pier Hotel and Spa, Astoria, Oregon
Whether you’re here for storm watching or a summer holiday, the Cannery Pier Hotel and Spa has it all: gorgeous, comfortable rooms (all with a view of the Columbia River), a wine hour with locally smoked salmon, Oregon wines and cheeses, and a luxurious onsite spa to take things down several notches.
The hotel was started 100 years ago by the area’s large Finnish community. Astoria is worth a visit for its collection of great eateries and microbrew pubs. Getting your Goonies fix is easy in the city where it was filmed. The Goonies House is atop the city; many of the film’s props and memorabilia are housed at the Oregon Film Museum, Astoria’s former jailhouse.
[Lobby, Tulalip Resort and Casino, Washington]
5. Tulalip Casino and Resort for Taste of Tulalip
Just over the border in Tulalip, Washington is a large casino complex and outlet shopping centre that most people pass on their way to Seattle and points south. But the resort itself is worthy of a stay, with several restaurants, a cultural centre with free shuttle service for guests, and an onsite spa. The hotel lobby is filled with beautiful tribal art and totem poles, while the rooms keep with the Native art theme and are filled with creature comforts and amenities.
[Celebration Dinner table seating]
I stayed here during the 2012 Taste of Tulalip, a two day wine and food lover’s extravaganza featuring wines, spirits, and craft beer from around the world. The weekend’s highlight is the Celebration Dinner, a wine and food pairing that lasts throughout the evening including much dancing and merriment.
I’ve lots of destinations on the horizon and hope to discover a few new gems in my upcoming travels. Happy travels to you in 2013!
Dec29
I confess that it’s been quite some time since my last dinner at Fable Kitchen, so my husband and I decided brunch at Fable was in order, especially given the fact that the Kitsilano restaurant would be closing its doors for the holiday week.
Since their opening last May, Fable has been a pretty busy little restaurant. Chef Trevor Bird has a reason to smile, as he’s likely one of the most talked about and busiest chefs in Vancouver this year. The Montreal native ended Season Two’s Top Chef Canada with runner-up honours.
On a busy weekend leading to Christmas, we headed over just past the restaurant’s 10:30 am opening. Several tables were already occupied, but we were luckily seated right away at a table within close proximity to Chef Trevor and his team.
The coffees are rich and full of flavour (we ordered Americanos). While my husband decided on the Fable Eggs with rustic bread, lardons, mushrooms, potatoes, kale and tomato jam ($12), I tried the scrambled eggs with Curtis Luk’s brioche, served with sautéed spinach, bacon, and parmesan ($12). Chef Curtis was a fellow Top Chef Canada contestant who’s made his way to Vancouver to join Fable’s culinary team.
This wonderful dish is my primary reason for writing this post and has become hands-down my favourite brunch dish in the city. That foamy parmesan top keeps a cool head above warm scrambled eggs and the rest in the little jar that it’s served in.
From the slightly crunchy, mildly sweet homemade brioche to the fluffy eggs, delightfully herbed rosti with chive butter, and spinach and bacon gracing the eggs, I was in heaven. The layering keeps the eggs at a good temperature while the soft parmesan can top the bread or be eaten with the eggs. Either way, the combination of flavours and textures made this brunch into an experience that I aim to dig into many more times.
By the way, we were able to purchase a jar of Fable’s slightly sweet, rich tomato jam to take home. We’ve been enjoying it with toast and eggs over the past week. Jars of fruit preserves are also available in a variety of sizes.
As we headed out, I asked chef Trevor if he has plans to travel back east during Fable’s week off. None whatsoever was his reply, happy to stay close to home and take some much-needed downtime. And then he returned to his mixing bowl, preparing for the morning’s next order.
Fable Kitchen is located at 1944 West 4th Avenue and will resume regular hours on January 3, serving up dinner from 5:30 pm and weekend brunch from 10:30 am to 2 pm.
Dec28
Though I’d never had the chance to dine at O’Doul’s Restaurant at Vancouver’s Listel Hotel, I’ve enjoyed Head Chef Chris Whittaker’s food at several events around the city. Forage, open for one month as of this writing, is Chef Whittaker’s dream restaurant brought to life. He was looking for a way to marry his philosophy of locally-sourced food with a completely sustainable operation. He’s a forager at heart, growing his own veggies, catching his own fish, canning preserves, composting his family’s waste, all in the true spirit of keeping as light an environmental footprint as possible.
Originally from northwestern Ontario, he left in 1999 to follow his dreams of becoming a professional chef. He’s worked for five years at the now-defunct Pacific Palisades Hotel (back when it was part of the Kimpton chain), later working for five and a half years at O’Doul’s, the space where Forage has now blossomed from.
I was invited together with a couple of other food lovers in the media (Fred Lee and Joshua McVeity) to sample several dishes off the menu. Forage opened its doors in November, and has seen a steady stream of customers from locals, businessmen, hotel guests and foodies curious about Chef Whittaker’s new digs.
The clean, modern space is welcoming and warm, with a central bar located just past the entrance. I like the little design touches such as the Forage-branded candle holders and little moss-filled jars containing those nifty battery-operated tea lights.
Once seated at the bar, there’s a wealth of drink choices available. Look for 10 BC craft beers on tap (this year’s seasonal is Russell Brewing’s A Wee Angry Scotch Ale), bottled Cascadia beers, Sea Cider’s ‘Pippins’ craft cider, cocktails, and wines on tap and by the bottle. Sweet, sour, and savoury cocktails ($12 each) cater to several palates.
I particularly enjoyed the 2010 Blue Mountain Pinot noir with our flatbreads, charcuterie plate, and bison tongue ravioli. That dark fruity aroma and medium body with its velvety smooth tannins is such a great accompaniment to many of the dishes here.
The 2010 is sold out, however there’s a March 2013 release date for the 2011 Pinot.
We also sampled Nichol Vineyards‘ 2011 Pinot gris, excellent with one of the restaurant’s go-to appetizers, cracklings and popcorn, but it fell short of wooing me for the meatier dishes to follow. It has a drier finish than what I normally look for in a dinner wine, but the colour is delicate with a light golden hue, and it has pear, apple, and grapefruit notes with a long finish.
One by one, the appetizers came out. Cracklings and popcorn ($6), as mentioned earlier, has become somewhat of an institution at Forage. Duck fat and pork rinds with popcorn, oh my! Such a great little dish to start the evening off, with the subtle smokiness of the crackle mixed in with Chilliwack corn kernels.
The spicy kale and apple chips ($5) were also a great combination of flavours and textures, but what I enjoyed the most was the gnocchi and brown butter ($6), served in a little iron skillet. Warm, soft goodness here.
The squash pierogies ($12) are served with birch syrup vinegar reduction, smokey potatoes, and scallion crème fraîche. Another winning combination of heart-warming comfort food.
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Dec28
2012 has seen a wonderful mix of comedy, drama, musicals, and small productions around Vancouver. As I did in 2011, I’ve rounded up my 10 favourites to share with you for 2012.
1. Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Two and a half hours of pure, intimate entertainment as Zachary Stevenson lets his inner Buddy Holly seep out of his pores. A musical romp through the era of radio DJ’s, the trials and tribulations of making it big, and a disastrous ending to a young rising star.
2. The Merry Wives of Windsor
Shakespeare with a dash of beat. This was a colourful, merry production with an amazingly talented cast. Windsor, Ontario painted in a completely different light! Scott Bellis and Ashley Wright share a few hilarious scenes together. The 60′s tunes and set design are the icing on the cake.
3. Red
A peek into the life of eccentric Russian abstract expressionist Mark Rothko, brilliantly performed by Jim Mezon. His emotions fly about the studio, ultimately landing on his apprentice, Ken (David Coomber). Rothko ultimately rejects the Four Seasons Restaurant commission (considered at the time to be one of the most expensive commissions in the history of modern art). This serves as a tribute to both the artist’s temperament and (perhaps encouraged by Ken) artistic morals.
4. Santaland Diaries
It’s New York City, 1991, heading into a busy holiday season at Macy’s department store. Enter one soap opera-starstruck elf, who for the next hour and change knocked the red and white-striped stockings out of the Revue Stage audience. Ryan Beil is a comic genius in Santaland Diaries, the one-man campy monologue written by David Sedaris. The run was not only extended, but now all shows have sold out.
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Dec24
It’s been another whirlwind year of working, snapping photos, and writing in our gorgeous coastal city filled with cultural offerings. And the world didn’t end last week. So for those reading this, I wish you all a very happy holidays. Hopefully you’ll be sharing the coming days with those who bring joy to your life.
[Experiencing Christmas Market, Vörösmarty Square, Budapest, December 2006]
Whatever the remaining days of 2012 have in store for you (perhaps a few days of curling up with a good read and some crazy good warm drink), I hope it’s an enjoyable time for you all. Cheers!
Dec21
The Fish Shack has been open just shy of two months now, and I finally had the chance to visit over lunch this week.
What I like about this restaurant is the attention to detail, particularly when it comes to oysters. An entire fresh sheet is dedicated to selecting your oysters (plus the catch of the day). Just look for the red FS stamp over the fish and oyster choices on offer.
Buck-a-shuck is available from opening until 5 pm daily. This deal also includes some of the premium oysters, depending on what’s in fresh that day. Two oyster pros on rotating shifts help answer questions customers have about oysters. Think of Todd Atkinson and Ian Peck as your oyster stewards! During lunch, I learned that premium oysters differ from regular ones in one way: the premiums are not beach oysters. Premiums also have little to do with size.
[Executive Chef Alfred Contiga with oyster man Todd Atkinson]
Speaking of pros, Ian Peck came in 4th place in the 2008 World Oyster Shucking Competition, after winning First Place in the Canadian Championship. That translates to perfectly shucking 18 oysters in 1:05 minutes!
10 years ago, Ian worked at Rodney’s Oyster House in Toronto, served as Rodney’s Vancouver’s in-house champion for two years, later joining the Chewies team in Kitsilano before landing at The Fish Shack. Todd was an original partner at Rodney’s, and most recently the owner of Todd’s on 6th, a small café off Granville Street. When he learned of Glowbal Group’s plans to open a fish restaurant with an oyster bar, he couldn’t pass up the chance.
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Dec20
It’s a testament to Chipotle’s success when in San Francisco, one of the most beloved taqueria cities, a line forms to the door. I discovered Chipotle about two and a half years ago, on a visit to SF, one of my former homes. Heading down Market Street towards the Ferry Building, l discovered a very busy Chipotle with a steady stream of customers. Many had already placed their orders via the restaurant’s iPhone app.
After my burrito lunch there, I was hooked. I’d previously lived in San Francisco for seven years, which allowed plenty of time to find a few favourite burrito spots.
For every burrito-loving San Franciscan, there’s at least one burrito place laid claim to as their home joint (mine happens to be El Toro at Valencia and 17th).
Now back to the Chipotle story. This is their first Western Canada location, with five in Toronto. The chain started with a Denver restaurant 19 years ago and has grown to over 1,400 stores around the globe.
The Vancouver store is located at 818 Howe near Robson, in the former Urban Barn space. The interior design is modern, well-lit with clean lines, and has an organized seating plan. There are tables as well as stools with long high-top tables, inviting conversation.
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Dec17
[L to R: Cassandra Cavalli, Eric Carbery, Lisa Ovies, Tony Alcantar, Justyn Shippelt, Rachel Schaefer, Alex Barima]
Looking for a fun way to enjoy an evening out next week? Windy City Women’s got you covered. The Vancouver-based improvisational troupe will perform their latest production Liquid from December 19 to 22 at Havana Restaurant’s Theatre on The Drive.
Not your typical joke-for-joke play, Liquid is a full-length, entirely improvised two-act performance, based solely on audience suggestions and contributions. The ultimate success of Liquid rests on the actor’s ability and stamina to run a completely unplanned, unscripted play without ever leaving the stage. Act one begins with a simple suggestion from an audience member. I was the lucky audience member at last night’s preview to start the ball rolling. This is an insanely talented group of six men and women who make improv come off easier than it is.
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