Archive for the ‘Culinary Adventures’ Category

Argentina Dinner at the Waldorf

October 21st, 2011 admin

Last week I had dinner at The Waldorf Hotel to indulge in their Argentinean menu that is being featured this fall by Chef in Residence Rodolfio Sanchez. This was a culinary adventure in to the food and drink of Argentina. The new menu co-created by Rodolfo Sanchez, Cesar de la Parra and Ernesto Gomez features modern takes on the Argentine Asado: a sacred ritual where a nation’s obsession for fire, meat and wine are one and the same.

Hearts of Palm, Avocado and Roasted Tomato Salad

1st dish:

I had the Hearts of Palm, Avocado and Roasted Tomato Salad  ($11) Sherry vinaigrette and salsa golf (tomato, brandy

+ Grilled Prawns  $6

+ Flank Steak  $7

Chorizo Argentino

The 2nd dish:

Chorizo Argentino ($10) Polenta-parmesan mousse, grilled tomatoes and Malbec wine reduction and homemade mayo sauce).

 

Roasted Eggplant Tartare with Goat Cheese Quenelle

The 3rd dish:

Roasted Eggplant Tartare with Goat Cheese Quenelle ($10) Slowly roasted eggplant dressed with garlic, oregano, paprika, olive oil and vinegar.

Beef Alomo

The 4th dish:

Beef Alomo ($ n/a) with blood sausage, confit onion and potato

Short Ribs - Asado de Tira

The 5th dish:

Short Ribs – Asado de Tira ($17 for regular portion)  With garlic mayonnaise, tomato-celery salad and sliced potatoes.

Dulce de Leche Flan with Chantilly Cream

The 6th dish:

Dulce de Leche Flan with Chantilly Cream ($8)  Caramel custard with dulce de leche and whipped sweet vanilla. cream

Each dish was well presented and gave me a taste of the cuisine of Argentina. My favourite dishes were the Palm, Avocado and Roasted Tomato Salad; Chorizo Argentino and the Dulce de Leche Flan.

Chilled Mate Infusion

They also offer some unique cocktails such as the Chilled Mate Infusion with Lime, Vermouth and Gin $9. Mate is a herbal and grassy infused beverage reminiscent of green tea (has many health benefits).

There are also 5 wine selections by the glass or bottle to pair with each of the dishes.

More Information about this special menu can be seen here.

Waldorf Hotel Dining Room

1489 East Hastings St, Vancouver

Tel: 604-253-7141

Web: www.waldorfhotel.com

Twitter: @waldorfhotel

Advice: open at 5pm for dinner service seven days a week.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest, Tastings Tags: , , , No Comments »

Best Beef Burger & Fries in Vancouver

October 18th, 2011 admin

Over the past 8 weeks I have ate my way through 10 of the best burgers all over Vancouver, West Vancouver and North Vancouver to the places that either were faved by readers alike or were on my must visit list.

You can’t judge the burger on its own, most of the time you will find fries on the side of your burger, hence this quest was not only about finding the best and most delicious beef burger it was about finding the best fries and my results are based on this combination of the burger and fries. There are many aspects of what makes a great burger, starting with the bun (was it home baked or from another bakery), the type of cheese, the sauce, the toppings and most of all the meat!

My Best Beef Burger quest was for the best ‘Premium’ or ‘Upmarket’ burger that is over $10, and not from chain restaurants with over 4 locations.

Note: The prices indicated exclude tax.

In ranking order, here are the Best Beef Burgers & Fries in Vancouver.

1)    The Oakwood – FIRST PLACE

The Oakwood

The Burger

House ground AAA Shoulder, crispy buttermilk fried onions, alfalfa sprouts,  smoked cheddar cheese, secret sauce, texture and flavour of the bun, perfectly done meat juicy and flavourful,  pickles, and tomato.

Everything is home made from the brioche bun to the buttermilk fried onion, to the pickles, and smoked cheddar

My take: This was the most unbelievable burger I had on this quest and one that I would repeatedly order in a flash. Every single ingredient here is a standout from the juicy meat, to the freshly baked poppy brioche bun, to the amazing fries and the home made ketchup.

Cost: $16

The Oakwood

2741 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Tel: 604-558-1965

Web: www.theoakwood.ca

Twitter: @theOakwoodKits

 

2) Stackhouse Burger Bar– SECOND PLACE

 

Stackhouse

Stackhouse Burger

6.5 oz local prime rib patty with pancetta, Portabellini, Guinness cheddar, chipotle aioli and butter lettuce served on a brioche bun with Russet potatoes fries and seasoned to perfection with fleur de sel.

My take: This is definitely the second best burger I had on this quest, Stackhouse specializes in burgers and this beef burger is one that stands out, the meat was perfectly cooked, the brioche buns are baked fresh, the portabellini and Guiness cheddar pack a punch that delivers a sensational taste.

Cost: $15

Stackhouse Burger Bar

1224 Granville Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-558-3499

Web: http://www.stackhouseburgerbar.com/

Twitter: @StackhouseBB

 

3)       Romers Burger Bar – THIRD PLACE

Romers

Man’s Man Burger

All-natural Heritage Farms range-fed Angus beef, Thick-sliced applewood bacon, local creamery amber ale cheddar, onion strings, smoked alder salts, vine-ripened tomato, whole grain mustard. Added a side of the Fresh-Cut Fries with truffle oil and regianno.

You can ‘Pimp Your Burger’ by adding savouries, marvelous mustards, different types of cheeses and more.

My take: Another place that specializes in burgers and this Man’s Man beef burger is another one that stands out, the meat was perfectly cooked, the brioche buns are baked fresh, the onion strings and Amber ale cheddar along with the smoked alder salts made for a mouth-watering experience.

Cost: $11 burger and $7 fries

Romers Burger Bar

1873 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Tel: 604-732-9545

Web: http://romersburgerbar.com/

Twitter: @romersburger

 

4)    Refuel – FOURTH PLACE

Refuel

The Burger

Ground chuck 28 day aged beef, smoked bacon, Stony Paradise farms Tomatoes, aged cheddar cheese, mayo, home made bun by their own bakery at Campagnolo. Hand cut fries blanched and fried.

My take: The beef is aged from 28-35 days and the flavour comes from the aging process, the burger is fried on the grill and the meat is juicy and delicious. The ingredients are superb and these sweet red tomatoes with the aged cheddar cheese pull it all together on their home-made bun.

Cost: $16

Refuel

1944 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Phone: 604-288-7905 ‎

Web: www.refuelrestaurant.com

Twitter: @refuel_bar

 

5) Au Petit Chavignol – FIFTH PLACE

Au Petit Chavignol

Cheese Burger

Ground AAA beef chuck, toasted bun from Island City Bakery  with Leerdammer cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, pickle, secret sauce, Dijon mustard, ketchup, homemade seasoning salt and frits.

My take: The meat was juicy and tender, but the combination of the Dutch Leerdammer cheese with the caramelized onions have made this burger. The Frites had a good crunch and very lightly salted.

Cost: $12 for burger, Add lettuce & Tomato +$1, Add caramelized onions+$1½

Au Petit Chavignol

845 East Hastings Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-255-4218

Web: www.aupetitchavignol.com

Twitter: @petitchavignol

 

6)    The District –SIXTH PLACE

The District

The No. 13 Burger

Tenderloin & Sirloin beef with tapenade & caramelized white onion mayo, cumin Gouda, secret sauces on a bun made by Fortuna bakery. Awesome fries with seasoning and a good tarragon tartar sauce on the side.

My take: this was a huge burger, the meat tasted good but fell apart too easily which made the burger difficult to eat.

Cost: $16

The District

13 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver

Tel: 778-338-4938

Web: http://www.thedistrictsocial.com

Twitter: @districtsocial

 

7)    Market by Jean-Georges – SEVENTH PLACE

Market by Jean-Georges

Truffle Burger

Two Angus beef burger patties topped with Brie cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, tasty pickles, truffle aioli on both sides of the bun, fries on the side with a light crunch, ketchup on the side.

My take: This was quite the heavenly rich burger with its 2 beef patties, brie cheese and truffle sauce, my only downside was that the fries could have been just that much better.

Cost: $18

Market by Jean-Georges

1115 Alberni Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-695-1115

Web: http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/vancouver/shangrila

Twitter: @MARKETjg_Van

 

8)    The Teahouse – EIGHTH PLACE  

The Teahouse

Chefs Burger

Canadian Angus beef, aged applewood cheddar, bacon, balsamic braised portabelini, lettuce, tomato, Dijon remoulade, big kaiser bun made by Terra breads, with fries.

My take: The meat was perfectly done, moist and delicious, the balsamic braised portabellini and the aged applewood cheddar was a wonderful combination and the big Kaiser bun just added to the great burger. The fries were disappointing, they were thin and too salty for my liking.

Cost: $16

The Teahouse

Ferguson Point, Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver

Tel: 604-669-3281

Web: http://www.vancouverdine.com/teahouse

Twitter: @The_Teahouse

 

9)    Beachside Forno – NINTH PLACE

Beachside Forno

 

House-Made Wagyu Beef Burger, caramelized onions, pancetta, white cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes on a house-made milk bun and house-cut fries and ketchup on the side.

My take: The type of beef used while being top notch wasn’t moist and flavourful like the others relying on the caramelized onions and cheddar to lift it to the next level.

Cost: $16

Beachside Forno

1362 Marine Drive, West Vancouver

Tel: 604-926-3332

Web: http://www.beachsideforno.com/

Twitter: @Beachside_Forno

 

10) Gerard Lounge — TENTH PLACE

Gerard

Beef Sirloin Burger

Canadian Angus beef, white cheddar, bacon, mushrooms, Portuguese bun, horseradish aioli & red pepper relish

My take: Although huge in appearance that didn’t make up for the overall taste of the burger. The meat was a little too dry, and the bun would have been so much better had it been a Kaiser or Brioche.

Cost: $17

Gerard Lounge

845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604.682.5511

Web: http://www.vancouver.suttonplace.com/restaurant/Lounge_Menu.htm

 

Note: I know there are more restaurants around the Vancouver area that have Burgers & Fries and I was unable to get to all of them on this quest.

Which Beef Burgers & Fries are your favourite from a restaurant around Vancouver or in the suburbs?

Feel free to add your comment here and name the place and their location, the cost of each excluding tax and why you think they are the best!

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest, The BEST List Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 5 Comments »

Fish & Chips: Untraditional Challenge

August 30th, 2011 admin

While I was doing my Traditional Fish & Chips quest, I had a curiosity about how the ethnic eateries around the city would prepare Fish & Chips in their style of cooking. I challenged several restaurants and their chefs to create a version in their ethnic style.

Note: These Fish & Chips dishes are not on the regular menu at most of these restaurants, hopefully they will feature this Fish & Chips dish on their menu as a special.

Here are the tasty results of my quest, in no particular order:

1)    Atithi Indian Cuisine

Atithi

Style: Bengali

On the Plate: Catfish (2 large pieces) in batter with mustard and cilantro with fries, coleslaw topped with ketchup

On the regular menu: No

Chef: Roy Abishek

Location: Atithi Indian Cuisine, 2445 Burrard Street, Vancouver

TwItter: @eatindianatithi

Web: www.atithi.ca

 

2)    Hapa Umi

Hapa Umi

Style: Japanese

On the Plate:  Lager beer battered halibut, Crispy potato wedges, Shibazuke, Katso tartar

On the regular menu: Yes

Chefs: Tomoki Yamasaki and Ben Berwick

Location: Hapa Umi, 909 West Cordova Street, Vancouver

Twitter: @HapaUmi

Web: www.hapaumi.com

 

3)    Provence Mediterranean Grill

Provence Mediterranean Grill

 

Style: French

On the Plate: Sablefish panko crusted deep fried, French fries and arugula

Served with: preserved lemon & Dijon beur blanc and Chive mayo

On the regular menu: No

Chef: Alessandra Quaglia

Location: Provence Mediterranean Grill, 4473 West Tenth Avenue, Vancouver

Twitter: @ProvenceVanCity

Web: http://www.provencevancouver.com/mediterranean/

 

4)    Bob Likes Thai Food

Bob Likes Thai Food

 

Style: Northern Thai

On the Plate: Basa fish fried and mixed with tamarind, shallots, peanut,… on the side (as chips) rice marinated with curry paste, lime leaf and deep-fried.

On the regular menu: No

Chef: Tai Keattivanichvily

Location: Bob Likes Thai Food , 3755 Main Street, Vancouver

Twitter: @boblikethaifood

Web: www.boblikesthaifood.com/

 

5)    Roaming Dragon

Roaming Dragon

 

Style: Asian

On the Plate: Tempura battered salmon, Togarashi-spiced fries, and tartar with pickled ginger, yuzu, cilantro + side o’ slaw.

On the regular menu: Yes

Chef: n/a

Location: Roaming Dragon, SE Corner of Burrard & Robson, Vancouver

Twitter: @dragontruck

Web: http://www.roamingdragon.com/

 

 

6) NU Restaurant

NU Restaurant

Style: Modern Greek

On the Plate: Feta and tomato batter on cod with herbs and feta and shaved olive on top, Lemon potatoes that were deep fried, Tzataki with parsley oil and a Grilled lemon wedge.

On the regular menu: No

Chef: Jeremy Keighley

Location: NU Restaurant, 1661 Granville Street, Vancouver

Twitter: @nurestaurant

Web:  http://www.nurestaurant.com/

 

If you would like to order one or all of these Fish & Chip dishes contact each restaurant individually or tweet them to encourage the restaurants to add the dish to their menus.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Great Ideas, Latest, The BEST List Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment »

The Best Fish & Chips in Vancouver

August 9th, 2011 admin

The restaurants for the best fish & chips in Vancouver are the ones that have been making this dish for quite some time. There are so many variables that come into play with fish & chips around the city and I have done my best to outline those for you. Some will wrap your take-out in eco containers or newspaper, others will serve it to you on a plate and presentation does count too. Most serve salmon, halibut and cod, some serve coleslaw as an accompaniment with the dish, most serve tartar and all of them will tell you they have the best chips in the city.

So where and how do I begin, over the past 4 weeks I have ate my way through a multitude of dishes all over  Vancouver, Richmond and West Vancouver to the places that either were faved by readers alike or were on my must visit list. I didn’t just taste the dish I ate the whole dish, if I didn’t finish the dish (there were a couple) it meant that I didn’t care for the dish.

You can’t just judge the fish or fries alone, there is a reason the dish is called Fish & Chips. On this quest I focussed on the Traditional British style although some have a bit of a Westcoast influence, since this is British Columbia after-all. I found battered fish that was made with either beer or soda in the batter, some of the fish was panko breaded, some were greasy, some of the places had the most delicious fries and some had no flavour, I had thick cut and regular sized and round, salted and unsalted, hand-cut and machine cut .

Note:  The prices indicated exclude tax.

In ranking order, these are my favourite Fish & Chips in and around Vancouver.

Note: The following first four places tied at 1st place as they were equally the Best.

 

(1) Fish Cafe (4 way tied for 1st place)

Fish Cafe

One the Plate: Fish & Chips – 2 large pieces of halibut, fries, tartar sauce and ketchup with lemon wedges.

The halibut was very good, the battered coating was golden in appearance and tasted really good.  The fries were perfectly done and tasted great, Tartar sauce was good and chunky. In the batter well it is a secret I am told.

Presentation: served on a newspaper type of paper on a frying pan

Ocean Wise: Yes

Served with: White and Malt Vinegar

$ 18.95 Halibut Fish & Chips

$ 14.95 Salmon Fish & Chips

Fish Café is located at 2053 West 41st Avenue in Vancouver.

 

(2) Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House (4 way tied for 1st place)

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House

On the Plate: Halibut & Chips : 1 piece of halibut, fries, tartar sauce and ketchup with lemon wedges.

The halibut was delicious, the battered coating was made with soda water, golden in appearance on the outside, crispy and tasted really good.  The fries were thickly cut, perfectly done and tasted great, the coleslaw was nice and light, tartar sauce was a tad too smooth for my liking though tasted good.

$24.95 Halibut & Chips

Presentation: served on a newspaper type of paper on a plate.

Served with: Malt Vinegar

Ocean Wise: Yes

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House is at 777 Thurlow Street in Vancouver.

 

(3) Coast Restaurant (4 way tied for 1st place)

Coast Restaurant

On the Plate: Fish & Chips – 1 piece of salmon, halibut and cod along with fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce and ketchup with a wrapped lemon to squeeze.

My favourite was the Salmon which was moist and flavourful, the battered coating was lightly salted, golden in appearance and tasted really good. Second favourite was the Halibut which was perfectly cooked and flavourful and lastly was the cod. The fries were perfectly done and tasted great, the coleslaw was also very good. Tartar sauce was good and chunky. Their batter is made with lager from Hells Gate and they also use a mix of all purpose and a light rice flour as the base for it.

$ 19.95     Halibut Fish & Chips

$ 18.95     Salmon Fish & Chips

$ 17.95     Cod Fish & Chips

Presentation: served on black and white checkered paper on a plate

Ocean Wise: Yes

Served with: White and Malt Vinegar

Coast Restaurant  is located 1054 Alberni Street in Vancouver

 

(4) Go Fish (4 way tied for 1st place)

Go Fish

On the Plate: 1 piece of halibut, fries, pacific rim coleslaw, tarragon tartar sauce and lemon wedge

I tried all of the fish options and my favourite was the Salmon which was moist and full of flavour on the inside, then the Halibut and lastly the cod. The battered coating is made with Red Truck Lager to give it a clean and delicious taste, golden brown in appearance, the coleslaw was the best that I have had anywhere and the tarragon tartar sauce was wonderous.

$13 Halibut Fish & Chips

$10 Salmon fish & chips

$9 Cod Fish & Chips

Presentation: served on a plate

Ocean Wise: Yes

Served with:  Malt Vinegar on request

Go Fish is located at 1521 West Broadway, in Vancouver.

 

(5) Raincity Grill   (2nd place)

Raincity Grill

In the Takeout Container: Halibut Fish & Chips – 2 pieces of halibut + 1 extra piece with fries and greens.

The halibut with a the battered coating which was made with Lighthouse Lager was lightly sea salted, golden in appearance and tasted really good. Served with fries that were a bit too salty (also with sea salt) and greens with eco wooden utensils.

$10  Halibut Fish & Chips

Presentation: Fully bio degradable containers and cutlery

Ocean Wise: Yes

Served with:  White & Malt Vinegar packages to go

Raincity Grill is located at 1193 Denman Street in Vancouver

 

(6) Dundarave Fish Market (3rd place)

Dundarave Fish Market

On the Plate: 1 piece of halibut, fries, sassy sesame coleslaw, round sand dollar fries, tartar sauce, baja sauce and lemon wedge

The halibut was moist on the inside with a really good battered coating that is made with soda and a secret recipe, golden brown in appearance, the sand dollar fries were thin and not greasy, lightly seasoned, the sassy sesame coleslaw was very good, the two sauces worked well from the classic tartar sauce to the baja sauce.

$14.95 Halibut Fish & Chips

Presentation: served on a large oval plate

Ocean Wise: n/a

Served with:  White & Malt Vinegar

Dundarave Fish Market is located at 2423 Marine Drive in West Vancouver.

 

(7) Dockside Restaurant (4th place)

Dockside Restaurant

Fish & Chips – 2 large pieces of halibut, fries, sweet and sour tartar sauce, and ketchup

The halibut was very good, the battered coating was golden in appearance and tasted really good.  The fish was a bit too greasy. The fries were perfectly done and tasted great, Tartar sauce was good and chunky.

$16 Pilsner Battered Halibut Fish & Chips

Presentation: fish and condiments served on a plate, fries served in a bowl

Ocean Wise: Yes

Served with:  Malt Vinegar on the table

Dockside is located at 1253 Johnston Street (Granville Island) in Vancouver.

 

(8) Pajo’s Fish & Chips (5th place)

Pajos Fish & Chips

Fish & Chips – 1 piece of salmon, halibut and cod along with fries.

tartar sauce and ketchup

Favourite was the Halibut which was moist and flavourful, the battered coating golden in appearance and tasted really good. Second favourite was the Salmon which was perfectly cooked and lastly was the cod. The handcut  fries looked ok but had no flavour, made with no salt.

$14.99     Fish & Chips with 1 piece of Halibut, Salmon and Cod

$1.59         Coleslaw – chopped up served as a side dish

Presentation: served in a paper cone.

Ocean Wise: No

Served with:  White & Malt Vinegar on the table

Pajo’s at the Wharf, Steveston 604-272-1588

Pajo’s at Garry Point, Steveston 604-204-0767

Pajo’s at Rocky Point, Port Moody 604-469-2289

Pajo’s at Gates Park, Port Coquitlam 604-461-5527

 

(9) Fresh Local Wild (6th place)

Fresh Local Wild

Fish & Chips – 2 large pieces of salmon, fries, tartar sauce

The salmon was very good, the light tempura  coating was very light in appearance and tasted really good.  The fries were awesome and tasted great, Tartar sauce was good

$12 for Salmon Fish & Chips

Presentation: fish and fries served in plastic basket with tartar sauce dolloped on top.

Ocean Wise: Yes

Fresh Local Wild is a Food Truck located at the corner of Hastings and Burrard most of the time. Follow them on Twitter @freshlocalwild for hours.

 

(10) The Fish House   (7th place)

Fish House

Fish & Chips – 2  pieces of Haddock, fries, tartar sauce

The haddock was not too my liking, the batter coating was crispy and made with the Red Truck Ale, was golden in appearance and tasted really good.  The fries weren’t all that tasty, Tartar sauce with Old Bay was good.

$17.95 for Fresh Haddock Fish and Chips

Presentation: fish and condiments served on a plate, fries served in a bowl

Ocean Wise: Yes

The Fish House is located at 8901 Stanley Park Drive in Vancouver.

 

Note: I know there are more restaurants around the Vancouver area that have Fish & Chips and I was unable to get to all of them on this quest.

Which Fish & Chips are your favourite from a restaurant around Vancouver or in the suburbs?

Feel free to add your comment here and name the place and their location, the cost of each excluding tax and why you think they are the best!

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest, The BEST List Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 10 Comments »

A Quest for the Best Mac & Cheese

February 15th, 2011 admin

Mac & Cheese defines comfort food at many restaurants  throughout North America, some go the traditional route with a basic dish of Macaroni noodles and sauce and others jazz them up with different shaped noodles, some add lobster, and other gourmet ingredients. I did not just taste the dish, I ate each full dish. I have spent over a month sampling my away around Vancouver to find the BEST Mac & Cheese!

Note: You may not agree with my opinion as my taste may not be your taste. The prices indicated exclude tax and were for one Mac & Cheese dish. I only visited places in Vancouver, I did not venture into the suburbs on this quest.

In ranking order, these are my favourite Mac & Cheese dishes around Vancouver.

1)    Coast Restaurant  - 1054 Alberni Street – $16

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Very good Lobster Mac & Cheese, creamy, cheesy with lots of lobster pieces, good flavour & rich! Made with Gruyere, blue cheese, sharp cheddar and parmesan with a Bechamel sauce that had a little garlic and shallots. Nicely presented in an All-Clad steel dish! This was the very best I had out of all of the Mac & Cheese dishes I tried, and the price was affordable based on the type of ingredients in the dish.

COAST RESTAURANT

2)              100 Days – 350 Davie Street – $22

Lobster Mac & Cheese with Hennessey bisque

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Big chunks of lobster in this dish making this one super rich and tasty. The Hennessey bisque made this dish, it was absolutely delicious and was a fine meal that came with some greens and garlic toast.

100 Days

3)    Hamilton Street Grill – 1009 Hamilton Street – $13

Mac & Cheese topped with house made Strip Loin Beef hot dog, served with 2 slices of garlic toast

Type of Noodles: cavatappi

Large dish made with gorgonzola, Sardo parmesan, and white cheddar on top. The rich and delicious sauce was made with cream, roasted garlic, splash of Tabasco, leeks and shallots. The Strip loin beef hot dog is seasoned with mustard powder and paprika. Pricewise this Mac & Cheese is value and it is a meal for a great price.

HAMILTON STREET GRILL

4)    Yew Restaurant (in Four Seasons Hotel)  - 791 West Georgia Street – $18

Truffle Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: casareccia

Elegantly presented in a ceramic bowl this dish was made with Farmhouse Cheddar and Black Truffle. The Béchamel sauce is made with milk (not cream) made very creamy, good and rich taste, topped with shaved truffle mushrooms.

YEW RESTAURANT

5)       Au Petit Chavignol – 843 East Hastings Street – $9

Classic Four Cheese Macaroni

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

This dish was made with Gruyere, white cheddar, orange cheddar, stilton. Loaded with cheese, the orange cheddar on top was a nice touch though was not melted enough breadcrumbs were on top of the cheese, but the Stilton cheese was overpowering in taste which overdid my palate.

AU PETIT CHAVIGNOL

6)    Acme Cafe – 51 West Hastings Street – $8

Mac & Cheese served with greens

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Served as a meal this dish was made with a creamy béchamel sauce, topped with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs, baked in white ceramic dish and nicely lightly browned, however I couldn’t taste the breadcrumbs topping.

ACME CAFE

7)       Burgoo Bistro – 3096 Main Street   –  $10

Mac & Cheese

Type of noodles: elbow macaroni

Loaded with aged white cheddar, baked golden brown. This Mac & Cheese was pretty good, gooey, and cheesy goodness. The waiter offered me ketchup, hot sauce and pepper for my mac & cheese and I was a bit puzzled and declined as I wanted to try the Mac and Cheese as they prepared it.

BURGOO BISTRO

8)       Society – 1257 Hamilton Street –  $15.50

Baked Truffled Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Made with Winter truffles and parmesan gratin, this dish was tasty, not over powering with the truffle, the size of the dish makes it easy not to over eat and it is not too rich this way. Nice presentation with little black skillet and served with a slice of garlic toast and greens, however the price was a little too high for this type of dish.

SOCIETY

9)   Crave on Main – 3941 Main Street –  $14

Aged Cheddar Cheese & Macaroni Gratin

Type of Noodles: penne

This dish was topped with a crumbly bread crumb mixture and sundried tomatoes and did not have much flavour. It had a creamy, cheesy sauce, however the whole dish had a bland flavour overall. It’s over priced in comparison to other Mac & Cheese dishes I had around the city.

CRAVE ON MAIN

10)     Whole Foods – 510 West 8th Avenue – $5.50

Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Their Mac & Cheese is on offer most days and it is on their hot buffet bar and is sold by weight. I scooped a portion on to the plate and this was tasty, rich and cheesy, however there was too much butter and when heated in the microwave it is was too oily.

WHOLE FOODS

Do you have a favourite Mac & Cheese from a restaurant around Vancouver or in the suburbs?

Feel free to add your comment here and name the place and their location, the cost of each excluding tax and why you think they are the best!

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest, The BEST List Tags: , , , 6 Comments »

Noodlemania in Richmond

December 11th, 2010 admin

On November 30 I took part in a tasting tour ‘Noodlemania’ Dine Around Richmond event to a few restaurants specializing in Noodles. The 3 places that I visited on this tour which was hosted by Tourism Richmond, all were Asian though each specialized in different types of noodle dishes from thin, thick, flat, long, curly, rice, sweet potato, fried and more. I knew that we would be taken around Richmond to experience some of the different types of noodle dishes, however I didn’t know until the night there of that all the places we were visiting were all Asian. Yes within the Asian restaurant community the restaurants feature many different types of noodles, however it would have been more educational if we had been taken to one Asian, one Italian and one American for contrasting purposes. Here are the highlights of my favourite noodle dishes from the tour.

Spicy Stage Café

150-4731 Garden City Road

Richmond

604-270-8873

  • Tom Young Soup Noodle
  • Szechwen Soup Noodle

Thai Tom Yum Soup

Szechuan Spicy Soup

G-Men Ramen Noodle House

3778 Sexmith Road

Richmond

778-296-3779

  • Special ToriGara Shio Ramen
  • Tonkotsu Ae Soba (soupless)

Tonkatsu Shio Ramen

Tonkotsu Ae Soba (soupless)

Northern Delicacy

4151 Hazelbridge Way

Richmond

604-233-7050

  • “Dan-Dan” Noodles in Black Sesame Soup
  • Glass Noodles with Shredded Chicken
  • Fried Handmade Noodles with Shredded Pork in Fish Flavoured Sauce

"Dan-Dan" Noodles in Black Sesame Soup

Glass Noodles with Shredded Chicken

Fried Handmade Noodles with Shredded Pork in Fish Flavoured Sauce

These are only a taste of the many different noodle dishes one can have at the many different types of Asian restaurants in and outside of Richmond.

By: Richard Wolak

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Flavours of Italy Gala

November 23rd, 2010 admin

On November 18th I attended the Flavours of Italy Gala tasting & dinner held at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel. This 8th annual dinner event was hosted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce Western Canada and featured over 100 Italian wines for guests to taste.

To begin the evening event, I had the pleasure to taste some of the fine Italian wines and Amarone that went well with Parmessan Cheese, Rice Balls, Olives, Panettone along with the delicious Gelato from Bella Gelateria.

Guests took their seats and the Gala Dinner got underway with an elegant meal and wine pairings. A few notable passionate foodies at my table were Pino Posteraro Chef & Owner of one of my favourite restaurants Cioppino`s Mediterranean Grill along with James Colleridge Master Gelato maker of my favourite gelateria which is Bella Gelateria.

To Start

Bresaola with baby arugula, exra virgin olive oil and grana padano

paired with Pinot Noir – Tenuta Maggiore

Bresaola with baby arugula, extra virgin olive oil and grana padano

Milanese Style – Risotto with Saffron Butternut Squash Ravioli topped with jumbo prawn

paired with Lugana Monte Cicogna

Milanese Style Risotto with Saffron

Followed by a palate cleanser Sorrento Lemon Sorbet

Sorrento Lemon Sorbet

Special Presentation by Chef Pino Posteraro

Pino Posteraro Chef & Owner of Cioppino`s Mediterranean Grill

Followed by the main dish, Ossobuco on a bed of Polenta and Gorgonzola with wine reduction and seasonal vegetables

paired with Amphorae – Tenuta Maggiore

Ossobuco on a bed of Polenta

Followed by, Cheese Platter: Grna, Taleggio and Provelone

paired with Amphorae – Tenuta Maggiore

Cheese Platter

Ending the meal with, Panettone Tiramisu and Gelato Al Torrone

paired with Pinot Noir Brut – Fattoria Colombini

Panettone Tiramisu and Gelato Al Torrone

Thousands of dollars were raised in the live auction that included a generous donation by Chef Pino Posteraro with monies raised going to support the Michael Cuccione Foundation.

By: Richard Wolak

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Chef Chris Mills James Beard Experience

November 2nd, 2010 admin

Last Thursday October 28, I had the pleasure of dining at a special dinner held in Joey Burrard’s Wine Room with a group of about 55 media who were invited for The James Beard Experience by Executive Chef Chris Mills.

Chris and his team will be presenting this dinner to James Beard House in New York on November 20th. I heard that the NY dinner is already sold out for this prestigious event, Chris believes that just because an event of this kind is sold out it must be spectacular, therefore he has invited media to a special preview dinner in Vancouver as well as Seattle, Calgary and Toronto to taste the meal and have their servers take care of everyone to perfect their presentation in advance of the night in New York.

Chef Chris Mills (2nd from right) & his team

Gatherings from the Pacific Rim is the theme of the menu that Joey Restaurants Executive Chef Chris Mills has created, collecting recipes and ingredients from places he has visited in the Pacific Rim.

This is the second time that Chef Chris Mills will present to the James Beard House, as he was invited back to perform at the venerable culinary institution, an honour which he is most proud of.

A selection of Hors d’Oeuvres were served before dinner along with the Peter Lehmann “Barossa Blonde”, Australia. Each represented the Pacific Rim which included their Pacific Tuna Chopsticks, Chicken Tacos, Japanese Hummus (my personal favourite of all) and Peaches & Cream Chicken ‘Corndogs’.

The Dinner began with the First Course:

Citrus-Cured Haida Gwaii Salmon with Dungeness Crab Flan & Cornbread

Paired with the L’ecole 41 Chenin Blanc, Washington

Second Course:

Alaskan Black Cod, BBQ Pork Belly & Squash Dumpling in a Matsutake Mushroom Broth

Paired with the Sandhill “Small Lots” Viognier, BC

Third Course:

Selection of Apple Slices to cleanse the palate

Fourth Course:

Licorice Lacquered Duck Breast, Summer Cherry Conserve, with a Hazelnut-Crusted Korean Duck Roll

Paired with the Sonoma Cutrer “Russian River Valley” Pinot Noir, California

Fifth Course:

45 Day-aged Beef Rib Eye with Yukon Gold Potato, Braised Oxtail & Black Trumpet Mushroom Lasagna & Bellman Farm Carrots

Paired with the Efeste “Ceidleigh” Syrah, Washington

Sixth Course:

Vietnamese Banana Cake with Tropical Fruit Salad & Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Paired with the Inniskillin Okanagan Riesling Ice Wine, British Columbia

A team of six chefs and two apprentices, along with JOEY’s regional managers and sommeliers will be travelling with Chef Mills to New York City for the dinner on November 20th where they will cook for 110 guests.

Chef Chris Mills is the Executive Chef for the JOEY Restaurants Group.

The James Beard Foundation is located in New York City, check out their website here: James Beard Foundation.

By: Richard Wolak

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