Today’s Special: Whisky bread, Gwynett St

The reservation stars aligned on Saturday. OpenTable presented me with a table for two during prime time at East Williamsburg hot spot Gwynett St. Since opening last fall, the number of positive write ups have been been steadily climbing, with a number of them being published during the last few weeks. My friend and I had a wonderful dinner, letting our hunger guide us to our fair share of menu items, including a maitake mushroom covered in ribbons of salty lardo and a coconut panna cotta touched by all that’s fun and inspiring in molecular gastronomy. The ball got rolling with their baked-to-order whisky bread. With the texture of a biscuit and the aroma of a saloon—in the best possible way—I fell head over heels for this little loaf. The bread could have been cooked a bit longer to achieve a greater contrast between spongy middle and golden crust, but that’s just a quibble. The texture keeps you from filling up on this bread, which has a benefit beyond room for the rest of your meal: leftovers. Toasted and slathered with butter the next morning had me moaning with pleasure and looking to my calendar for an appropriate date to go back for more.

Gwynett St
312 Graham Ave, Williamsburg, New York

The list that details how we will pack our tummies while adventuring away from home can be as essential as the one that reminds us to pack our toothbrush. Here are some post-mortem thoughts on our travels that may be useful to you one day.

I’m not sure if I can be called a New Yorker yet, but having been here a week+ means that I’m slowly losing that feeling that I have another home to return to. Vancouver is previous, the Big Apple is next. I still can’t wrap my brain around it. If this is in fact some crazy dream, I’m getting my fill of some fantastic NYC food so that if I’m pinched, I’ll at least have some extra padding so it doesn’t hurt as much. And as wonderful as it is to be and eat here, I cannot forget all that Vancouver offered me and can offer you if you have a chance to visit. Thus, I’ll pass on my list of favourites in the form of a Packing List. As always with lists like these, my Vancouver eating was by no means comprehensive. I mean, I never ate Chinese food in Richmond, had a Japadog or got my fingers sticky with a Honey’s doughnut. Shoot me. Most of these I’ve written about before, so I won’t go into great detail. This is my list of familiar and much loved, and in time, I’m sure, much missed.

La Quercia

Although this list is not in any particular order, La Quercia will always be my favourite and first choice in Vancouver. The well-executed and comforting Italian menu, the impeccable and warm service, the relaxed ambiance… I was always happy when I stepped through the door. I highly recommend going the alla familiglia dining route when there, but I have also done à la carte with no complaints. I just think it’s much more fun to let the chef decide. Every course then becomes a surprise. And while I usually don’t like surprises, I crave the ones from La Quercia. Agnolotti di Guido, Spaghetti all’Amatriciana, Vitello Tonnato. Be still my heart. Reservations are usually quite hard to get, so if you need a quick fix, check out their daytime affair La Ghianda across the street. I’m very very sad to have left before being able to try the wine bar they are opening next door, L’Ufficio. Tell me all about it when you go.

(Cream and Sugar post 1, 2, 3, 4)

Nook

I always describe Nook as a French bistro that serves Italian food. It’s a tight, loud place in the heart of the West End that you visit for a nice glass of wine and above average bowl of pasta or thin-crust pizza. Cuisine that’s so overdone and so often overly boring. Not so at Nook. True to Italian cuisine, the preparation is kept simple, and the ingredients are always of the highest quality. Nook was the first place where I tried burrata cheese, and so I don’t know how I will ever repay that kindness because I’m now burrata crazy. Being a true neighbourhood place, the staff make a great effort to be friendly and remember your patronage. A no-brainer choice on a Friday night when you don’t want to cook.

Nicli Antica Pizzeria

Nicli was the first to bring true Napoletana-style pizza to Vancouver, and I think that they deserve the top spot after the wave of imitators that came after. Not to say that the others aren’t good, but my vote will always go to Nicli. Yes, the waits can be long, and it’s not the type of pizza you can take out, but that chewy, charred crust is hard to forget. I’ve always really liked the Bianca, but with this style, you can never go wrong with the classic Margherita. And $5/glass house wine? Yes, please.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Peaceful

So, I don’t know if I ever told you, but I don’t really like Chinese food. I think it’s because I’ve never had good Chinese food. One bad dim sum outing over 10 years ago means I’ve never been back, and memories of pineapple chicken balls, day-glo orange sauce and over seasoned fried rice from mall food courts equals an acquired aversion for everything else. But then I finally tried Peaceful Restaurant. I knew that it was a favourite for foodies in the know and had been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, but it took me a long time to finally get my act together and make plans to eat there. The tragedy is that I only got to do it once. Dan Dan noodles, spicy green beans, beef roll and cumin beef sesame flatbread. These four dishes rocked my world and made a crack for Chinese food love to creep in. Again, tragedy that I’m no longer in Vancouver to blow it wide open. New York will have to do.

Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie

Because Bao Bei isn’t “authentic” Chinese food, I never really viewed it through my “I don’t like Chinese food” glasses, but it did get my feet wet. I knew it was a trendy place serving a menu inspired by places like Peaceful. And yes, the prices are much higher than “traditional” Chinese restaurants, and the dishes nowhere near the same. Complaining about these things is missing the point. Bao Bei isn’t trying to be Peaceful. It’s a gem of a restaurant that offers a unique experience. The food tastes good, the room looks amazing, the cocktails are fantastic, the service always good. I’ll pay for that again and again.

Maenam

Ugh. Thai food is so good, but it’s so hard to find places that do it well and are worth the cost. I find it appalling that curries that amount to little more than coconut milk and sugar equal $18 a bowl. Red, yellow, green that all taste the same; pad thai clearly made with ketchup. So sad. Your frown gets turned upside down at Maenam. Palpable spice, fresh herbs, quality meats and fish, wine pairings, fancy cocktails—contemporary Thai food that gets you excited and makes you forget to order by colour.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Vij’s/Rangoli

If you only had one meal in Vancouver, it should be within the empire of Vikram Vij. While La Quercia holds a special place in my heart, Vij’s and Rangoli are  in a class of their own. If you have the time and money, do it up big at Vij’s. If you don’t, go to Rangoli. They are different dining experiences, but the quality of food is the same: amazeballs. All the praise you’ve heard from everybody else is completely true.

(Cream and Sugar post 1, 2)

Cafe Medina

Cafe Medina was my favourite place for brunch. The wait can be long on a weekend, but you get yourself a lavendar latte in a to-go cup and natter away with your friends. Nowhere near diner style with its inventive egg dishes, Liege waffles, and creative coffee concoctions, Medina is the place to go when you remembered to put make up on after you rolled out of bed late on a Sunday. Not stuffy, but certainly not greasy. The perfect place to start or end a date…!

(Cream and Sugar post 1, 2)

Kingyo/Suika

You can’t visit Vancouver without trying an izakaya, and local favourites are the Hapa and Guu chains. My first try was at Kingyo, and I felt it was never matched by others. That is, of course, until they opened up their sister restaurant Suika. Less corporate than Hapa and more charming than Guu, Kingyo and Suika offer fun tapas-style plates that do their job of being the perfect complement to an alcoholic bevvie. There’s usually something for everyone and because of the small plate style, everyone can try what they want. The fish was always incredibly fresh and the deep fried items always worth their calories.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Hawksworth

One of my farewell dinners was in the Hawksworth dining room, and it was truly a special night. Yes, it’s a fancy and expensive restaurant where the server will place the napkin on your lap, but there is no pretense or attitude. I knew this going in because I’d had cocktails in the lounge a number of times and never was disappointed. The food, ambiance and service is worth all the recent hype. The beef short rib appetizer is definitely worth getting, as is the Hotel Georgia cocktail. Go all out and get an appetizer, entree and dessert. Portions are appropriate for splurging. (But, I think you should always eat a “well-rounded” meal!)

Aphrodite’s

Aphrodite’s is overpriced and a pain to get to in deep Kitsilano/Point Grey, but it has the best pie in the city. And I’m a big sucker for pie. Raspberry-rhubarb, apple-blackberry, pumpkin and chocolate-banana cream all made me weak at the knees. I stopped caring about the price per slice because they were too good. AND they make gluten-free pie. Aphrodite’s is also a great place to go when you feel like something homey and healthy like soup and a salad. The food is organic so yeah, I guess, that’s why it’s not that easy on the wallet. Just make sure you have a piece of pie. The happy coma afterward always made me forget the bill.

Finch’s Tea House

Finch’s is the epitome of charm and the place to go for simple, beautiful sandwiches. I say “beautiful” because they are always picture perfect; the fillings are placed just so, and the butcher paper they’re served on is the perfect backdrop. I am a fan of the ones made with the blue brie. Their sandwiches are the type you can easily make at home, but always forget to, so a visit here with a paper and a cup of tea, sitting on what could be your grandmother’s furniture, leaves a strong impression. The perfect place to go if you have a weekday off.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Shiro

Sushi! As ubiquitous as coffee in Vancouver. You can’t walk five feet in Vancouver without coming across a sushi place, and you are hard-pressed to find a Vancouverite who doesn’t crave sushi all the time. At the ready and cheap don’t mean awesome, though. I’ve always been shocked at the low standards Vancouverites will accept when it comes to sushi. You have to spend some time wading through a lot of crap to find the good stuff. I never got to go to Tojo’s, but I did have delicious sushi that was extremely affordable. My favourite of what I did try was Shiro, with Ajisai being a close second.  I liked that it was always full of Japanese people, and I liked that only wild salmon was used at a price cheaper than a lot of places charge for farmed. P.S. Lunch Set G is a crazy-good deal if you are a fan of pork katsu-don.

A big thanks to all these restaurants for such fantastic food memories. And a big smooch to all my friends who shared these experiences with me. I feel like I might have used “unique experience” one too many times. But what can I say? They all ARE unique experiences. Go. Enjoy. Get full. Walk it all off along the sea wall.

Today’s Special: Sweet and sour eggplant, Ensemble
I know I’m not alone when I say that Dale was not my favourite contestant on Top Chef Canada. My Alberta roots were fond of Connie and my Eastern sensibilities bet on Rob to win. But, Dale won, and we all moved on. Dale moved on by opening up the restaurant Ensemble, and word has it, he’s got a sports bar in the works (where his winnings are going?). My lack of love for him meant it’s taken me a while to give him a chance and try a restaurant that people seem to be liking. The room and service are much less stuffy than I expected and despite the care and artistry that goes into the food, Ensemble has a strong neighbourhood-haunt vibe. Hooray! There is no better place than the West End for neighbourhood-ness. In addition to some fancy cocktails worth their price tag, I had the winning pulled pork and the precious pavlova, and both were delicious enough to leave me wanting a repeat visit. The star of the show though was the sweet and sour eggplant, recently and rightly listed as one of the best things to eat in Vancouver. Almost too pretty to eat, this dish will erase all memories of any watery or rubbery eggplant you’ve ever had to suffer through. Smooth and rich, these little stumps are nestled in baba ghanoush and topped with cool yogurt and sweet tomato. Very precious, Dale, but very perfect.

Ensemble
Smithe & Thurlow, Vancouver

Today’s Special: Short rib, Suika
Growing up, my taste for Japanese was more teriyaki than toro. As sushi became overwhelmingly mainstream, I learned to navigate the maki and nigiri menus enough to have a few favourites (mostly veg, cooked items, and salmon). When faced with living in a city where its inhabitants eat sushi as much as they drink coffee and practice yoga, I was a little worried. But then I was introduced to the izakaya. Traditionally, it’s a spot where you go to drink beer and eat greasy food. In Vancouver, it’s a spot where you go to drink beer and fun cocktails, eat inventive greasy things and creative sushi and sashimi, and are greeted and served by staff who go out of their way to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. I was spoiled in my first izakaya adventure with a trip to Kingyo in the West End, probably the best in the city. When I heard that Kingyo had opened up a sister shop across the creek, a small posse was there a.s.a.p. I had read the wonders of the short rib; a large, tender mass of beef covered in an addictive sweet glaze. The fork and knife were hardly necessary, as it yielded sweet morsels from the lightest prod of our chopsticks. Down a few cocktails made with their homemade ginger ale along the way, and you’ll be singing “arigato” all the way home.

Suika
West Broadway & Fir, Vancouver

Today’s Special: Arctic char with fennel risotto, The Marc
I was very disappointed when I heard that Il Portico was closing… for a parking lot. I have many fond memories of many meals and parties there over the years — for instance, my last meal in Edmonton before moving to Toronto; a Christmas party where I ate too much; a Christmas party where I drank too much; a dessert date with Sugar. When news came to me here in Vancouver that its former manager, Patrick Saurette, would be opening up a new restaurant nearby, The Marc, I was excited to try it out on a recent trip home. Elegant and modern but not stuffy, I think The Marc is sure to make its mark (sorry!) on the Edmonton dining scene with its French bistro-inspired menu. The skin on the char was perfectly crisp and seasoned, and the fennel risotto had a flavour that was assertive enough to stand up to the fish. If only it was a short drive away, I’d be back to sit on the large patio with one of their cocktails and an order of pommes frites.

The Marc, Edmonton

I do wish Jared the best.  I hope that he’s kept the weight off and is still enjoying his new jeans.  But I’m glad a corner has been turned, and our current foodie culture is embracing real sandwiches with a strong hug.  And by “real,” I mean ones that focus on a few simple ingredients put together with thought and care.  No dyed vegetables, no corn-syrup-masked-as-condiments, no sawdust bread, no Frankenstein meats.  The kind that remind you of turkey sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving — perfect, slow-cooked meat that barely needs any extras.

Enter Meat and Bread.  Vancouver’s new sandwich spot where you will find three variations of the meat and bread marriage along with a grilled cheese for vegetarian good measure.  And that’s it.  What did I just say?  A few simple ingredients put together with thought and care.  More is not needed.

Barely open and tongues all over town are already wagging about their porchetta.   Unfortunately, lunch rush meant they were temporarily out of the pork, so I went with the day’s special:  roasted chicken, caramelized onion jus, apple and cabbage slaw.  All come on warm ciabatta, with house mustard and sambal and all are $8.  The chicken was unbelievably moist, the bread perfectly chewy and the condiments an appreciated touch.  Loved the cutting boards the sandwiches were served on and loved the simple space of high ceilings, lots of brick and great natural light.  My ringless fingers loved that the focus on flesh-filled sandwiches attracts a disproportionately large number of well-dressed Y-chromosomes for my viewing pleasure.

Some early reviews have been a bit hard on the size of the sandwiches given the price, but I had no complaints.  Even bringing up such an issue is tedious these days.  Do we really need to review the difference between quantity and quality?  I appreciated that my large appetite was satiated and that my small hands were not bested by the sandwich.  I’m sure I had room for their daily side soup or salad, but today I was not interested.  Maybe next time.  And next time will be soon given that I saw the fresh porchetta roast come out.

Another Canada Line lunch adventure for the books.

Meat and Bread
370 Cambie Street
Vancouver

Slightly confused and pessimistic about the lottery system the City decided to use for successful vendors, I’ve waited to see where favourable reviews would fall.  One of the clear leaders of the initial pack is Re-Up BBQ, a cart selling pulled pork sandwiches.  With many kudos already received, a nod to The Wire and trendy pulled pork, I had to try them first.  Only two short blocks from the Canada Line, it was a lunch adventure away from Fairview that I looked forward to all morning.

For $6.75, you get a beautiful, soft bun filled with tender meat, tangy cole slaw and a good dose of their BBQ sauce.  The sandwich is nicely wrapped and comes with plenty of (thank you!) napkins to wipe the necessarily messy deliciousness off your cheeks and chin.  Round off the experience by sitting on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery on a muggy fall day and you’ve got yourself a near perfect downtown lunch.

If it was Bodie minding the stash, it would have been perfect-perfect.

So, for the love of Omar, get thee to Re-Up!

Re-Up BBQ
700 Hornby (Hornby & Georgia)
Vancouver, BC

Can’t wait to go back!

Le Pigeon

Bunk

Clyde Common

Por Que No Taqueria

Broder Cafe

Ruby Jewel Ice Cream

Alotto Gelato

Rontoms

Mio Gelato

Nel Centro

Pearl Bakery

Tastebud Bagels

Pine State Biscuits

Portland Farmers Market

]]> http://creamandsugar.ca/portland-restaurants-recommendations/feed/ 5 http://creamandsugar.ca/vietnamese-vancouver-chau-kitchen/ http://creamandsugar.ca/vietnamese-vancouver-chau-kitchen/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:18:03 +0000 cream http://creamandsugar.ca/?p=895 It’s been just about a year since my trip to Vietnam.  With friends there, I think of it often.  And fondly.  I haven’t tried any more Vietnamese recipes since moving to Vancouver, but I haven’t much tried any recipes, really.  Vancouver’s dining options make it so easy for me not to cook.   Especially when so many of the options are so good.

But anyway, back to my story.  The grey of Vancouver is like the cold of Edmonton.  It gets to you in January and you long for something else.  Like Vietnam in February.  I’ve had some bare bones Vietnamese here—dodgy pho et al—like I got at home.  But, what I’ve been craving to wash away the Vancouver grey is the colour and perfume of the fresh food that embraced you every day on the streets of Vietnam.

I caught a little whiff of that tonight when at Chau Kitchen and Bar.  Although not really “authentic” Vietnamese, I could taste Vietnam.  I liked what I tasted.  A lot.

Two of us shared four dishes:  papaya salad, pork and mint salad rolls, jungle vegetable curry, and caramel pork.

I will order all again and have a number of other dishes I would like to try.  The pork was almost the same as the version I had when in the Mekong Delta.

Thanks to Chau, I can happily say ciao to January.
(I’m sorry, I had to.)

Along the Mekong.

Chau Kitchen and Bar
1500 Robson St
Vancouver

For my first visit, my party and I ate our way through 9, n-i-n-e, courses.  This time, I noticed you could do a 5- or 9-course family style set menu. Remembering my previous food baby… my dining date and I chose the 5-course menu.   As the kitchen takes your food allergies and aversions into consideration, what follows is the perfect fresh and seasonal menu created just for our table.  I noticed that the table over did 9 courses and had none of the same dishes as us.  Methinks that’s pretty cool.

Some days I dream about those perfect soft, but supportive pasta pillows.  Other days I want to savour little spoonfuls of that light-as-air soufflé.  All days usually require a moment where I want to twirl al dente spaghetti.

House-smoked trout

Parmigianno souffle

Fennel salad with walnuts and blue cheese

Spaghetti ai frutti di mare

Gnocchi with walnuts and gorgonzola

Ruby trout with chanterelle sauce

Saffron and quince tart, chocolate mousse, tiramisu

Dreams can become reality:  I already have another reservation.

La Quercia
3689 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver