SpongeG
May 22, 2008, 1:33 AM
from an edmonton paper...
Vancouver’s Coastal Cuisines
Coastal cuisine a gourmet’s dream
JEREMY DERKSEN / snowzone@vueweekly.com
http://www.vueweekly.com/uploads/dish-vancouver.jpg
Pic from vue weekly
The coast has a strong allure for many of us Edmontonians, landlocked as we are. In our small circle, we’re one of several families who make regular pilgrimages to Vancouver. For me the primary reasons are the sea, the beaches, the mountains and my ex-pat Edmontonian friends who live there. But food always plays an important role, whether it’s a reunion dinner among friends or grabbing a bite on the way between various adventures. Having savoured the city’s diverse offerings over several years, it’s now one of the things I look forward to most.
Vancouver has become an internationally recognized culinary hotspot, driven by the celebrity of “rock star” chefs like Rob Feenie. But with a scene as big as Vancouver’s, there are so many famous, big name places—Lumière (where, until recently, Feenie was chef), Nu, West, Quattro, Cin Cin—they can sometimes overshadow some of the other, lesser-known talents. But look beyond the brilliant glare of Michelin stars and you’ll find a diverse palette worth sampling: the trendy local tapas joints, the spices of the Silk Route, the noodle-houses filled with miniature Buddhas, fish right off the wharf and, of course, that narrow, tucked-away sushi counter with beads hanging in the entrance.
In my frequent visits, I’ve discovered a scene that is one of the most creative and influential in Canada, drawing on a fresh supply of fruit, vegetables and seafood, with Okanagan wines and exotic spices to further inspire local chefs. Many of the city’s up and coming chefs have mentored with or taken their cue from those aforementioned “rock stars.” And they’re part of a growing scene that is so competitive that diversity and creativity are essentials, says Jordan Stewart, which breeds, “a contagious enthusiasm about experimentation. And frankly there isn’t a better place for it. You’ve got such a mix of cultures and an abundance of fresh food.”
Stewart—a former Edmonton service industry veteran—is a founding partner in Chill Winston, a successful tapas lounge in Gastown. Since opening two years ago, it has garnered rave reviews and earned mention as one of the top five patios in the city. Set in a red-brick heritage building on Alexander Street, Chill Winston presents innovative twists on classic dishes such as its “Big Ribs,” braised with red wine and molasses, or tuna tartar (Ahi tuna marinated in sweet soy and sesame, served with a dungeness crab and avocado spread and miso vinaigrette). Despite being a larger restaurant, they also produce everything in-house (no prepackaged foods) and source primarily local, organic ingredients.
In fact, local and organic have a long history in Vancouver dating back to 1986, when local restauraeur John Bishop opened his namesake restaurant, Bishop’s, and became one of the originators of the movement.
Mark McEwan, executive chef at Sanafir, also emphasizes the fresh, local and creative aspects of Vancouver cuisine. “Being a port of call, there’s such a rich diversity of people. That transfers into the cuisine. And you’ve got so much to pull from—fresh produce and wine from the Okanagan, and the ocean is right there.” McEwan has been at Sanafir for nearly two years, but prior to that, he did a tour of duty in several of Vancouver’s more well-known establishments, including the Sequoia Grill (formerly the Teahouse), Seasons in the Park, the Sandbar and Cardero.
Sanafir takes its theme from the Silk Route, and McEwan thrives on experimenting with flavours from India, Asia and the Mediterannean.
Everything comes in trios, with a sample from each of the flavours of the different countries. McEwan explains that he finds as much inspiration in exotic spices such as urfa or ras au haount as the fresh ingredients on hand locally.
While the spices of the Silk Route are one way to enhance the dining experience, some local establishments use different approaches to add flair. Maxine’s Hideaway, a popular hangout off of Davie Street, plays up the infamy of the building it inhabits—a former bordello—by offering up cabaret nights. The Reef, a Carribean jerk and curry joint on Main Street, lures customers and saps their will to leave with a laidback island reggae vibe. And then there’s Samba, where waiters carry meat on swords, proffering it to customers.
With all the lush parks and beaches, perhaps it’s only natural that even the street vendors are upping the ante. For the streetside connoisseur, one of the most interesting examples of fast-food “fusion” is a Japanese twist on the classic North American hot dog. Japa Dog, which has been featured in Maclean’s, serves hot dogs with toppings like miso, teriyaki, nori and daikon. Even fish and chips can be an adventure. Go Fish, right on the wharf at False Creek, serves fresh (daily), locally caught salmon, cod, halibut and shellfish battered with beer from the nearby Granville Island brewery.
For Vancouverites, getting street-side takeout and picking your own view may be one of the city’s most empowering activities. Prime ocean views don’t come cheap in a city where real estate prices are through the roof. But if you want to rent a view, the Sequoia Grill on Ferguson’s Point in Stanley Park is an excellent vantage point offering a white-linen table service and excellent plates. For higher ground, both Altitudes Bistro and the Observatory Restaurant up at the top of Grouse Mountain look out over the entire city and the ocean.
With Vancouver about to host the Olympics in 2010, it seems things are heating up in the industry. Though hesitant to attribute the current activity to the Olympics, Stewart did acknowledge it’s getting more competitive.
“In some cases, chefs are being traded like hockey players, and it’s front page news when they leave to open their own places. I don’t know all the details, but I think it signalled a real change in the scene when Rob Feenie and Lumière parted ways,” Stewart confides. “And there are rumours that New York chefs are looking at Vancouver as fertile ground.”
(One, acclaimed New York chef Daniel Boulud, is already on his way. He plans to open a Vancouver version of his successful NY resto, DB Bistro Moderne, in partnership with Lumière.)
Rumours aren’t uncommon in an industry that Stewart says is actually quite small. “It’s a little bit incestuous—everybody knows everybody. You end up with a really deep backroom culture.” Critics and industry veterans circulate on review blogs like Urban Diner. But while the current wave of restaurant openings may be crowding the backrooms, McEwan takes it in stride.
“Any time there’s a major worldwide event, everyone wants to get in and make some cash. But when the dust settles after the Olympics, we’ll see who survives.”
Like the hundred plus sorbets at La Casa Gelato, not every flavour will be to everyone’s taste … but some are fantastic, and you’ve got to love the selection.
http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=8573
Vancouver’s Coastal Cuisines
Coastal cuisine a gourmet’s dream
JEREMY DERKSEN / snowzone@vueweekly.com
http://www.vueweekly.com/uploads/dish-vancouver.jpg
Pic from vue weekly
The coast has a strong allure for many of us Edmontonians, landlocked as we are. In our small circle, we’re one of several families who make regular pilgrimages to Vancouver. For me the primary reasons are the sea, the beaches, the mountains and my ex-pat Edmontonian friends who live there. But food always plays an important role, whether it’s a reunion dinner among friends or grabbing a bite on the way between various adventures. Having savoured the city’s diverse offerings over several years, it’s now one of the things I look forward to most.
Vancouver has become an internationally recognized culinary hotspot, driven by the celebrity of “rock star” chefs like Rob Feenie. But with a scene as big as Vancouver’s, there are so many famous, big name places—Lumière (where, until recently, Feenie was chef), Nu, West, Quattro, Cin Cin—they can sometimes overshadow some of the other, lesser-known talents. But look beyond the brilliant glare of Michelin stars and you’ll find a diverse palette worth sampling: the trendy local tapas joints, the spices of the Silk Route, the noodle-houses filled with miniature Buddhas, fish right off the wharf and, of course, that narrow, tucked-away sushi counter with beads hanging in the entrance.
In my frequent visits, I’ve discovered a scene that is one of the most creative and influential in Canada, drawing on a fresh supply of fruit, vegetables and seafood, with Okanagan wines and exotic spices to further inspire local chefs. Many of the city’s up and coming chefs have mentored with or taken their cue from those aforementioned “rock stars.” And they’re part of a growing scene that is so competitive that diversity and creativity are essentials, says Jordan Stewart, which breeds, “a contagious enthusiasm about experimentation. And frankly there isn’t a better place for it. You’ve got such a mix of cultures and an abundance of fresh food.”
Stewart—a former Edmonton service industry veteran—is a founding partner in Chill Winston, a successful tapas lounge in Gastown. Since opening two years ago, it has garnered rave reviews and earned mention as one of the top five patios in the city. Set in a red-brick heritage building on Alexander Street, Chill Winston presents innovative twists on classic dishes such as its “Big Ribs,” braised with red wine and molasses, or tuna tartar (Ahi tuna marinated in sweet soy and sesame, served with a dungeness crab and avocado spread and miso vinaigrette). Despite being a larger restaurant, they also produce everything in-house (no prepackaged foods) and source primarily local, organic ingredients.
In fact, local and organic have a long history in Vancouver dating back to 1986, when local restauraeur John Bishop opened his namesake restaurant, Bishop’s, and became one of the originators of the movement.
Mark McEwan, executive chef at Sanafir, also emphasizes the fresh, local and creative aspects of Vancouver cuisine. “Being a port of call, there’s such a rich diversity of people. That transfers into the cuisine. And you’ve got so much to pull from—fresh produce and wine from the Okanagan, and the ocean is right there.” McEwan has been at Sanafir for nearly two years, but prior to that, he did a tour of duty in several of Vancouver’s more well-known establishments, including the Sequoia Grill (formerly the Teahouse), Seasons in the Park, the Sandbar and Cardero.
Sanafir takes its theme from the Silk Route, and McEwan thrives on experimenting with flavours from India, Asia and the Mediterannean.
Everything comes in trios, with a sample from each of the flavours of the different countries. McEwan explains that he finds as much inspiration in exotic spices such as urfa or ras au haount as the fresh ingredients on hand locally.
While the spices of the Silk Route are one way to enhance the dining experience, some local establishments use different approaches to add flair. Maxine’s Hideaway, a popular hangout off of Davie Street, plays up the infamy of the building it inhabits—a former bordello—by offering up cabaret nights. The Reef, a Carribean jerk and curry joint on Main Street, lures customers and saps their will to leave with a laidback island reggae vibe. And then there’s Samba, where waiters carry meat on swords, proffering it to customers.
With all the lush parks and beaches, perhaps it’s only natural that even the street vendors are upping the ante. For the streetside connoisseur, one of the most interesting examples of fast-food “fusion” is a Japanese twist on the classic North American hot dog. Japa Dog, which has been featured in Maclean’s, serves hot dogs with toppings like miso, teriyaki, nori and daikon. Even fish and chips can be an adventure. Go Fish, right on the wharf at False Creek, serves fresh (daily), locally caught salmon, cod, halibut and shellfish battered with beer from the nearby Granville Island brewery.
For Vancouverites, getting street-side takeout and picking your own view may be one of the city’s most empowering activities. Prime ocean views don’t come cheap in a city where real estate prices are through the roof. But if you want to rent a view, the Sequoia Grill on Ferguson’s Point in Stanley Park is an excellent vantage point offering a white-linen table service and excellent plates. For higher ground, both Altitudes Bistro and the Observatory Restaurant up at the top of Grouse Mountain look out over the entire city and the ocean.
With Vancouver about to host the Olympics in 2010, it seems things are heating up in the industry. Though hesitant to attribute the current activity to the Olympics, Stewart did acknowledge it’s getting more competitive.
“In some cases, chefs are being traded like hockey players, and it’s front page news when they leave to open their own places. I don’t know all the details, but I think it signalled a real change in the scene when Rob Feenie and Lumière parted ways,” Stewart confides. “And there are rumours that New York chefs are looking at Vancouver as fertile ground.”
(One, acclaimed New York chef Daniel Boulud, is already on his way. He plans to open a Vancouver version of his successful NY resto, DB Bistro Moderne, in partnership with Lumière.)
Rumours aren’t uncommon in an industry that Stewart says is actually quite small. “It’s a little bit incestuous—everybody knows everybody. You end up with a really deep backroom culture.” Critics and industry veterans circulate on review blogs like Urban Diner. But while the current wave of restaurant openings may be crowding the backrooms, McEwan takes it in stride.
“Any time there’s a major worldwide event, everyone wants to get in and make some cash. But when the dust settles after the Olympics, we’ll see who survives.”
Like the hundred plus sorbets at La Casa Gelato, not every flavour will be to everyone’s taste … but some are fantastic, and you’ve got to love the selection.
http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=8573