#23: Forage - March 7, 2014

The lead-up to our visit to Forage was pretty uneventful, so this introduction is going to be a hodgepodge of completely incoherent thoughts.

Incoherent thought #1: Writing a blog is hard. At first I was super motivated and would write my reviews as soon as I got home. After a while, the thrill faded. Stephen now has to extort me into writing reviews ("If you don't catch up on all your reviews, we can't go to any more restaurants" or "If you don't catch upon all your reviews, you can't watch House of Cards"...ass hat). Last week, I posted something on Twitter to the effect of "Should we go to @Flying Pig, @Kingyo or @Tavola this weekend?" (I was totally too lazy to check my Twitter posts to see if those are the restaurant's actual Twitter handles) and Kingyo was all over it! I quote, "KINGYO KINGYO KINGYO KINGYO....(140 later)...KINGYO!" They tweeted that it was cool that I met Mark McEwan and that they love Top Chef, and then Mark McEwan tweeted them back thanking them. Needless to say, I felt a little shitty when we ended up going to The Flying Pig (review to follow...in like 4-6 weeks if Stephen's threats keep up). I'd like to end up going to Kingyo in a weekend to follow, therefore I have to catch up on my reviews to comply with Stephen's threats.

Incoherent though #2: If I had written this review sooner, I would have said, "I haven't yet found a place like Trois Petits Bouchons where I felt confident enough to tell the staff to bring us anything." However, at The Flying Pig, I got a good vibe so when asked what I wanted to order I replied, "Bring me whatever tastes the best." Unfortunately, it didn't work and the waiter just started describing stuff that was good. I just wanted him to walk away and come back 20 minutes later with something awesome. Didn't happen. Trois Petits Bouchons, you're still the winner!

Incoherent thought #3: And this is actually pertinent to this post. I had the best burger in my entire life at Forage. It was unexpected, and I was stunned when the waiter told us what it was made of. As I mentioned in my review of Romer's, I'm an expert burger eater, and not a self-proclaimed expert burger eater. An actual one. Like I appeared on Burger Week MTL's Top 3 Burger Eaters 2 years in a row. I didn't think Montreal's Art Brgr could be beat, but Forage proved me wrong.

Alright, here we go.

We made a reservation at Forage only about 2 hours before we went. When we arrived we waited a bit to be seated at the bar while our table was being cleared (or so we were told). I don't mind sitting at the bar for dinner. I actually love all the action at and around the bar of any place. We like people-watching, and a busy bar usually has the best views. There were 2 problems with us being at Forage's bar that night. Firstly, there was 15 minutes between the time we got the drink menus and the time someone asked if we were ready to order. It might take that long to get settled at a dining table and pick your meal, but not to choose a drink. Secondly, we sat at the bar a little too long. Based on what the hostess told us, I expected to be at the bar for about 5-10 minutes. With that expectation, we didn't bother looking at the dinner menu or settling into where we were sitting. After 20 minutes we were ready to either be told we'd have to stay at the bar (we had already offered to do that but the hostess insisted it would only be a moment), or get up, move to our table, and get the service started. I know I'm nitpicking about something really dumb, but I felt aggravated about at the time. 

The place was clearly busy, and I felt like they were short-staffed. Eventually, Stephen managed to order the 6oz taster trio plank: Killer Bee, Red Branch and Uber Nutter. Stephen is loving the appreciation for craft beer in BC. Personally, I'm not a fan. He would have ordered any of them again, but expected each of their unique flavours to be a little more pronounced. The Uber Nutter was not nutty enough, the Killer Bee was not sweet enough, etc. Obviously, Forage didn't brew the beer, so we can't hold that against them. 

The trio plank was supposed to come with a featured snack, which we figured would hold us off at the bar until we got out table. It didn't arrive until after we moved to out table and mentioned it to our "permanent" waiter. It wasn't a stellar day for service up until that point. Finally we got it, and it was worth the wait. This is going to sound a little gross, but it tastes amazing: hard boiled, smoked, pickled egg. As you know from my breakfast/brunch-related posts, I'm very particular about my eggs. I don't like egg whites, and I don't like cooked yolks. I am, however, a avid fan of all things smoked and/or pickled. It still had the hard boiled egg texture, but the taste was a mix of vinegar, brine and BBQ. It was an unexpected hit.

The restaurant's concept is shared plates, which I love. I'd take a tasting menu or sharing menu over a 3-course dinner any day. I like to have a variety of smalls things, rather than 1 monstrous, repetitive plate. We ordered the "award winning" seafood chowder, charcuterie plank, perogies, and burger. Here is how they played out.

In addition to being expert burger eaters, as mention in my review of Coast, after our trip to PEI we are also expert chowder eaters. Forage's chowder was alright, but I'd really like to put it head-to-head with a PEI chowder, winner gets to call their chowder "award winning." It was a typical chowder: seafood (generous amount, I'll give them that), some diced veg, heavy cream, roux and topped with a soggy chicharron. Nothing special. It also wasn't very share-able. Overall, it was a lackluster starter, a very small portion for the price, and needs to lose the misleading "award winning" label.

En suite was the charcuterie plank. I'm going to say this now: GET IT. You can't go wrong with freshly sliced, local salami and prosciutto, pork pate, chicken liver mousse, spicy pickled beans, sweet pickled onions, candied walnuts, and IPA mustard. Any combination on their assortment of bread and crostini is amazing. My favourite part of the dish was cracking through the salted chicken fat to get to the chicken liver mousse, and putting both on a piece of bread without feeling any guilt. No crazy cooking techniques involved; another victory for simplicity and high quality ingredients.

Next were the perogies. They were stuffed with roasted squash and swimming in a cheddar sauce. These weren't perogies; they were raviolis. To me, perogie dough is rolled out a lot thinner. Regardless of that, the flavour and texture of the raviolis was wonderful, and a nice twist on a classic. The sauce was meh. The problem with using cheddar is that it often becomes boring and bland in anything besides it's rawest, longest aged form. Unfortunately, Velveeta has more flavour than the best made cheddar sauce. I would have loved a big dollop of sour cream on the perogies/raviolis instead of the cheddar sauce. I wouldn't bother with the perogies.

Here comes the boom! I'm not sure what "Here comes the boom!" is supposed to mean, but it sounds like something my cousin Bobby would say, and he's in the military, and has been to Afghanistan, and jumps out of planes and stuff, so it's theoretically a very intense phrase. The burger. Oh the burger! We didn't initially order the burger. We debated ordering dessert or ordering the burger. Clearly the right choice was made. A burger seems like a simple thing, but really a complex ratio needs to be achieved for it to be great. The bun has to be big enough to contain the burger and toppings, soft enough to be able to fit it in your mouth, dry enough to absorb the juices and sauces so your fingers don't get messy...don't get me started on all the other components. It's just a complicated thing. This burger was perfect. The bun was the perfect size, it was dry enough to soak up the juices, it had a great crust, but it was still moist and chewy. In Stephen's words, "It was a good fucking bun." The bacon was thick-cut, smoked and crisped. It has amazing sweet onions that tasted like they were caramelized in apple juice. The aged cheddar was thick-cut, just like the bacon, so it melted nicely but it's flavour didn't get lost. There was a generous layer of arugula to cut the sweetness and add some crunch. The patty was cooked perfectly medium and was sooooooooo juicy! Here is the big surprise: it wasn't a beef patty! Usually, if you use anything except for beef for burgers, you get a dry brick because of the lack of fat. The patty was a mix of bison and elk, both extremely lean meats. I want to say that some kind of animal fat was added to the patty mixture, but a cross-section of the patty didn't have little "fat buds" as I call them. All that to say, FUCKING AMAZING BURGER.

The last note on the food and drink goes to the Brutus: Forage's version of a bloody Caesar. It was absolute crap. I don't even know why we finished them and didn't send them back. Garbage. Don't do it.

The service got significantly better when we were finally seated at a table. We were seated at a nice corner banquette looking out over the bar and the rest of the tables. It was great for spying on what others were ordering (we're creeps, I know). I didn't get our waiter's name but he was friendly and quick. Forage is also known for using local and seasonal ingredients, so we asked a lot of questions about them. We could tell that he was a little rushed by the crowded restaurant because he answered our questions, and had to run off. It was understandable, and he doesn't control the staffing. He did a great job given the circumstances, and was much better than the staff at the bar.

I have a grievance about the sharing concept. Most of the dishes were easily shareable between the two of us, with the exception of the chowder. We couldn't have shared with another person or another couple. There just wouldn't be enough to effectively go around. You'd probably get one bite of something, want to go back for another, and there would be nothing left. If you were a group of 3 or 4, I would highly recommend ordering double of each plate. I think Forage needs to adjust their menu for single, double or triple portions and prices, and allow you to chose what you need for your group. Just a thought. A coherent one this time.

The Trio Plank

The deceptively amazing smoked, pickled egg.

The not so "award-winning" chowder

Incredible. Delicious. Well executed. GET IT!

We cleaned the plate to reveal a very pretty branded plank.

The mediocre takes on caesars: the Brutus

The perogies / raviolis. 

The best bite of the night. The fries and house ketchup were also excellent!

THE STATS - Out of 10

Taste: 8 - Burger and charcuterie plank get 10's, but the rest gets 6's.
Creativity: 7 - I feel like Forage deserves some points for creativity, but besides the elk and bison burger patty nothing was really WOW in terms of creativity. However, I gave them points for the traditional French preparation of the pate and mousse. We would expect every Montreal restaurant to use the same preparation method, but we didn't expect it in a trendy Vancouver joint.
Service: 4 - As I mentioned earlier, the service was crap at the bar. We expected much more from the staff, especially since they preach "local, local, local." You can't just serve local; you have to serve the locals. And serve them well. Our waiter at the table was much better, but he was rushed through no fault of his own.
Bang for your buck: 8 - The plates are very reasonably priced for the volume of food, quality of ingredients, and variety. Stephen's thoughts when he got the bill were, "it's wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be."
Overall experience: 7.5 - Some of the food was fantastic, others were just good, others we could have done without. The service was not where it needed to be for the type of atmosphere they are trying to achieve. We've been spoiled by the staff at Trois Petits Bouchons, Le Bremner, the now closed Baxo (such a shame) and Garde Manger. All of these Montreal legends are known for staff that are passionate about food and have their co-workers' backs. Forage achieving the same quality of staff would be a great improvement.

Would I go back? Stephen says yes, but I say maybe. I was a little disappointed, but Stephen insists on trying more menu items.
Who would I recommend it to? Adult couples. Do not bring your kids under 16 here under any circumstances, even if they are of the well-behaved variety. It just isn't the place. I didn't feel like the plates were as share-able as Forage thinks, so I'm less inclined to recommend it to a big group. If you go with a group, order multiples of each item. It's casual enough and has a suitable price point for a nice, any weekend dinner, but trendy and up-scale enough for a first date or special occasion. It has a great balance in that respect.
For what occasion? Any. Romantic date, birthday dinner with friends, couple's night out, drinks and small bites after dinner. Endless possibilities.
It was better than: The really good parts of the meal were better than l'Abattoir, Fish House in Stanley Park, and Coast.
It wasn't as good as: The Flying Pig or Oakwood (reviews to come!)
Expect: You need a reservation to get a table. We made a reservation and still had to wait at the bar. Maybe it was an isolated event, but the staff was over-whelmed. The crowd is varying, so no matter who you are, you won't feel out of place. The vibe is unpretentious and welcoming overall.

Top 50 Worthy? I'm on the fence. Some parts were epic, some parts were disappointing. If Forage can achieve more consistency of great flavours on their menu, I would label them as being Top 50. I'll probably give them another chance at some point and decide then. This visit was a little too variable. 

#2: Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar - March 19, 2014

I have to give Stephen's boss credit for this one. Stephen reminded him that he owed us a dinner (for reasons unknown to me), and he independently and conveniently chose Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar. I don't mind taking advantage of the opportunity to order some amazing food and writing a blog post about it on someone else's tab. Though a few more meals like this might encourage us to stay in Vancouver a little longer. Hope you're reading this boss-man!

Blue Water is located on a really trendy looking strip of Hamilton Street in Yaletown, reminiscent of some parts Montreal's (fake) Old Port. People from Montreal will understand why the Old Port is in fact "fake", for everyone else, enjoy the cobblestone. We went on a Wednesday, and despite the very high price point and huge square footage, the place was full. I was a little surprised at the apparently average age in the room. Since the place looks like the spots that Don Draper went on networking dinners with potential clients and the wives back in Seasons 1 and 2, most of the guests seemed to be in their late 20's and "shi-shi." That may also be because there is something in Vancouver air and water that causes it's residents to look 10 years younger than their East Coast counterparts. I have a theory on this, but it would likely offend 99% of the Vancouver population, so I'll save it.

It took us a loooong time to decide what we were going to have. I think the waitress came around to take our orders 4 times before we were ready. Our two dinner companions aren't big fans of raw seafood, so the obvious choice of the massive Blue Water Cafe seafood tower at $128 was off the table. Not to worry; they had a scaled-down version that can generously be split by 2 people, or 2 people plus 2 others who just want to taste bits and pieces as was the case for us. It came with prawns, clams, mussels, seared red tuna, smoked salmon jellyfish (yes, jellyfish), scallop ceviche, and raw oysters.

There isn't anything new to be said about prawns, clams and mussels that are served bare. They are either really bad or really good. These were obviously the latter. The oysters were wonderful; salty, delicate and served with a perfect mignonet. The red tuna was just seared on the outside and served like a tartar. It was very fresh and citrus-y. It is worth mentioning that scallop ceviche is really hard to pull off. Blue Water's version was very well executed with hints or lime, cilantro and cucumber. I saved the best for last: the jellyfish. I know it sounds bizarre, and I had never had it before. The texture was very similar to an al dente fine vermicelli noodle. It had a strange crunch and then soft texture, and a flavour similar to calamari. Along with the salmon, it was smoky and salty. Even if you aren't getting a seafood tower, I definitely recommend asking for a bowl of it just to experience the weirdly amazing jellyfish taste and texture.

What better way to enjoy a fresh tower of seafood than with 36+ year old scotch? We each ordered the "Better With Age" flight: Highland Park from the Orkney Islands, Glenury Royal from Stonehaven, and Bruichladdich from Islay. Three different regions of Scotland, three very different flavours of scotch. Young scotch and whiskeys can't hold a candle to real scotch that is 10 years older than you. The Bruichladdich was my favourite. I found the other 2 much more acidic and less smooth than the Bruichladdich. Stephen's boss subsequently looked in to getting a bottle for himself, just to speak to quality of the scotch. 

As a main, I ordered the Ling Cod. It was served with a stew of chickpeas, eggplant, tomatoes and roasted red peppers, and topped with chorizo and a herb pesto. The stew was like guilt-free comfort food. It had a thick texture and smoky notes from the paprika. It tasted like a play on Persian ghemeh from Teheran in Montreal. The stew was the right thickness to accompany the perfectly cooked, dense, white fish, and the pesto hit you with just the right amount of freshness. I understood the need for the meaty chorizo, but I didn't think that the thick slices topping the fish were quite right. I would have better appreciated a very fine dice incorporated into the stew.

Stephen ordered the Kobe Style Beef Short Ribs. I think Stephen has a habit of ordering short ribs and crème brûlée with the sole purposes of challenging the restaurant's chef. Both seem simple, but are extremely hit or miss. Often, short ribs turn out very tender, but have the offensive and boring flavour profile of shoe leather. The flavours of coffee and ancho chile sauce as described on the menu were perfectly present. The portion of ribs was probably twice the volume of my fish. The ribs came with a generous serving of blanched and sautéed fiddle heads and carrots, and creamy celeriac purée. The sides were traditional takes, but suited the richness of the short ribs. Fries or mashed potatoes may have caused a heart attack.

It was very out of character for me to order the crème brûlée instead of Stephen. I usually go for cheesecake or something really chocolaty, both of which are present on the menu. Looking back on the menu though, "caramel" and "chocolate" in the title probably got me hooked. Definitely no regrets. God was it ever good! I'm going to coin the term "puddle rink" to describe one of my favourite parts of crème brûlée. The top of the crème brûlée should crack like when you step on a frozen-over puddle. Too thin a coat of a sugar topping and you don't get the right cracking sound or the jagged edges around the point of impact. Too thick, and you're jabbing your spoon at the Rideau Canal in February. The crème brûlée itself was a beautiful balance of creamy banana, tart passionfruit, and sweet caramel. To the side was a scoop of sweet and spicy cinnamon chocolate ice cream made in house. The ice cream was just good. I can't complain about it, but I wouldn't rave about it either.

Stephen got the Pomegranate Mascarpone Cheesecake. The cheesecake itself was not very memorable. It was just your run-of-the-mill cheesecake. The same goes for the poached pear compote. The diced pears were sweet and soft, and had nice hints of cinnamon and cloves. However, it was similar to other pear and apple compotes that we'd had in the past. The ice cream was the star of this dish. We love savoury takes on ice cream (just wait until you hear about the ice cream we had at Kingyo, OMG), and the addition of the fennel was amazing. There was just enough pear to balance out the fennel. It was a lovely combination.

Overall, it was a solid meal. It you're a seafood fan, you have to drop by. I will say that had this not been a "business dinner," the meal may not have been as memorable. We probably would have stayed away from the seafood tower and scotch flight, which were the highlights of the experience. I'd recommend going there with the expectation of laying out "a few" extra bucks for not only a great meal, but a memorable experience.

One tier of the seafood tower

Another tier of the tower

The complete tower accompanied with our flights

My delicious ling cod

The very well executed short ribs and their wonderful sides

The creme brulee

The cheesecake

THE STATS - Out of 10

Taste: 8.5 - Simple and delicious flavours
Creativity: 6 - Most of the menu is extremely traditional. I upped the creativity score for the little trendy twists (like caramel crème brûlée, and fiddle heads instead of simply beans) and the jellyfish.
Service: 6 - Our waitress was very friendly and light hearted, but the service overall was satisfactory and unmemorable.
Bang for your buck: 3 - I nearly gave it a 0. The meal is going to put you back. And by "the meal" I mean a real 3-course meal with drinks. Alcoholic drinks. Like scotch. 40-year-old scotch. Not water. Water is for sissies.
Overall experience: 7.5 - It was a nice dinner. The novelty of the tower and the scotch flight, and the ambiance are something you wont get anywhere else. However, it is very expensive, and with the exception of the scotch, it's hard to justify their prices.

Would I go back? Not on my own dime.
Who would I recommend it to? Adults only. I know I say "don't bring your kids" all the time, but seriously, DO NOT BRING YOUR KIDS HERE. It's just not appropriate to walk in with your rug-rats. The space is big enough to accommodate couples, and small and large groups. If you don't like seafood at all, obviously don't come here. You'd be wasting your money.
For what occasion? Only special occasions. Unless you're an A-list celebrity and/or a millionaire, in which case you should go every day. I wouldn't even classify birthdays as being a special occasion for this one. Big anniversary is more like it.
It was better than: Fish House in Stanley Park, and the mains at Coast.
It wasn't as good as: I feel like I could have gotten something similar and maybe even better for $10 less per plate at l'Abbatoir
Expect: A pretentious atmosphere. Like I said, Don Draper, Season 1 and 2 shi-shi. Expect for your wallet to hurt like hell until your next pay check (unless of course you are Don Draper).

Top 50 Worthy? Yes and no. The food was great, however, the restaurant overall is just very inaccessible to most due to it's price point for the experience that you should have here. You should get a tower, mains, dessert and hella old booze. WWDDD: What would Don Draper do? He would order the scotch and a good bottle of wine. But by doing that, you're putting out $250-$300 per head. 

#27: Kaide Sushi - February 28, 2014

Before we left Montreal, a few people warned me not to become a "Sushi Snob" while in Vancouver. If the upcoming rant makes me a Sushi Snob, so be it.

It doesn't make sense that Montreal sushi is so bad in comparison to Vancouver. Many people say that Vancouver has better sushi because the fish is freshly caught off the coast. I don't know what kind of fish you can catch off the West Coast, but the fish isn't going from the water to the restaurant in a short enough amount of time for it to make any material difference. Regardless of where it is caught, sushi-grade seafood is flash frozen (or so the internet tells me) and could sit frozen for a while until it ends up on your plate. All that to say, why does Vancouver seem to have better sushi than Montreal if both can in theory get access to the same grade of seafood? I'm going to leave it at that, because the only other explanations are the quality and experience of the chefs and Vancouver's proximity to Japan in comparison to Montreal...I don't know if talking about that is racist, so I'll just leave it out.

There are a handful of sushi restaurants on the Top 50 list. The highest rated one is Miku at #5, but I'm saving that one for my birthday. I'm going to go with the Omakase option, which apparently is a Japanese phrase meaning "I'll leave it to you!" It will be 100% chef's choice, and comes with a high price tag. Not really the best spot for a random Friday evening dinner.

Near the midpoint of the list is Kaide Sushi, located in Yaletown. We walked there, and it is pretty far down Richard Street. About 3 blocks further, and we'd be knee-deep in False Creek. There isn't much else in the area besides some sleepy condo buildings. I think that fits the criteria of being a "hidden gem."

We were greeted and seated by a lovely waitress. I wish I had asked for her name, so I could directly praise her on here. I don't often start a review off by talking about the staff, but in this case I'll do it now before I forget. She was extremely friendly and appropriately chatty. She asked us where we were from and what we thought about the food in Vancouver, and she made great recommendations of what we should order which didn't disappoint. She was petite and Asian. I don't know what other details I can put out there to identify her, but she was wonderful.

By the time 52 weeks of this culinary adventure are over, I will have learned the lesson that when consuming sashimi, I need to start writing down what I am served. This is the second time that we've had fantastic sashimi and I didn't bother to note what was on the plate. The menus usually say something like "Sashimi Platter," and you get whatever is available. Therefore, I couldn't rely on the menu to remind me. In the pictures there are some obvious ones like shrimp, scallop, tuna, salmon and uni that can be easily identified by some distinguishing characteristics. Looking back at the picture of the Kaide Supreme Sashimi there are two different pieces of white fish that I can't figure out. In any case, it was all delicious. Each piece had a distinctly different texture and taste, and there was not too much of any particular type. I've ordered sashimi platters and received filet mignon-sized steaks of raw fish. No one wants to feel like they need a fork and knife to eat sashimi. Kaide's sashimi was delicate and beautifully sliced into perfect little bites. Evidently you can't be picky when ordering a "mystery platter" like this, and you really shouldn't be. The chefs know what they're doing, and they'll give you their very best. Having said that, try to slip in a word about getting uni. We've had it before Kaide, and the waitress warned us that it was a very unique texture. It is sort of tough on the outside, but its butter in the inside and melts in your mouth.

Following the sashimi, we had the Roll Combo:  the 501 roll, half a California roll, and half a Manhattan roll. It was 13 pieces in total. The 501 roll had 3 kinds of fish (salmon, crab and tuna I believe), and 3 kinds of vegetables (cucumber, avocado and asparagus). Surprisingly, the texture of asparagus works in sushi. The roll was a little large for my liking. I prefer to not look like a squirrel when I'm chewing sushi. The California roll was traditional with crab, avocado and cucumber. This was the first time I've had a Manhattan roll, with salmon, avocado, cucumber and cream cheese. All three were delicious. I rarely think much of sushi rice, but Kaide's had a light texture and flavour that made me notice it. It incorporated well with the other fresh ingredients, and wasn't just a starchy filler or a binder.

We were still a little hungry after those rolls, and we spent about 15 minutes arguing about what we should order next. We had settled on the Venus, but asked the waitress what she would recommend. I can't seem to find the roll on the menu Kaide has posted on their website. The waitress mentioned that they do not have a deep fryer on site, so they don't do tempura. Instead they put cornflakes in this particular roll to make it crunchy. Sounds strange right? It totally works! The texture isn't quite the same as tempura and neither is the flavour, but this was our favourite roll. It also had avocado and shrimp in it, but the crunch was the star of the show. This is a must-order next time we go.

It is rare that we don't order dessert, but I've never been to a sushi place that had memorable dessert. We skipped dessert at Kaide in favour of Thierry on Alberni (review to come soon). I'm tempted to give Kaide the title of our "Go-To Sushi Place." The price point was very reasonable for the quality of sushi. The rolls didn't cost that much more than Sushi Shop's crap-in-a-box. Everything was prepared in front of us (we sat at the bar) and tasted fresh and light. It is sort of a hole in the wall but once you find it you're going to wish you skipped lunch and breakfast and you'll want to spend the evening.

The Supreme Sashimi Platter!

The Roll Combo

Yes, those are cornflakes and really big tiger prawns.

 THE STATS - Out of 10

Taste: 8.5 - Everything was so yummy! Even after getting your fill, you're going to be craving more, and anticipating the next time you go there.
Creativity: 7 - Most of the rolls were very traditional, and you would surely find something like a California roll at any sushi restaurant. I bumped up the creativity score because of the way they get around not having a deep fryer with the Corn Flakes. Sometimes weird works.
Service: 8 - Our waitress was absolutely wonderful. She was perky and friendly, without being overbearing and obnoxious. She was a genuinely sweet girl, who was quick to deliver our orders, and wasn't shy to make recommendations. Overall, service was speedy and effective.
Bang for your buck: 8 - The reality is that seafood is expensive. Sashimi-grade seafood is even more expensive. You're eating pretty much everything raw, except for maybe the shrimp and the rice. It has to be good quality ingredients. For what you're getting, the price is very reasonable.
Overall experience: 8.5 - It was a great casual Friday night dinner.

Would I go back? Yes. I would go back every Friday for the rest of my earthly days if I could.
Who would I recommend it to? Adults, any group size, casual occasions. It's not a very romantic spot, and it doesn't pretend to be. Don't take your wife here for your anniversary, but do take her here to give her a break from the kitchen. I don't know anyone who makes home-made sushi on a remotely regular basis, so it's always a nice treat. It's not the place for your picky friends; either you're a sushi person or you're not. The space is not huge, but tables are well spaced and can accommodate big-ish groups (6-8 people). Going with a big group is very different from going as a couple, because you could order 1-2 different rolls per person, and share the variety. It did feel like a very lively place, so go get a bunch of friend together and order a few beers and saki!
For what occasion? Casual. Group birthday celebrations, regular Friday night get-together, that type of thing.
It was better than: Montreal sushi.
It wasn't as good as: TBD - we're going to Miku in a few weeks, so we'll see.
Expect: Fast service and a great variety of traditional and unique menu items. Also expect to not immediately find the place. If you think you've passed it, keep walking. You'll eventually find it.

Top 50 Worthy? It's solid sushi, and I got the impression that it is consistently amazing. I have no hesitation in labelling them as a Top 50 restaurant.

#9. Via Tevere Pizzaria - February 22, 2014

These next few paragraphs are just observations. I'm not going to make some long-winded socio-economic or political analysis out of those observations. It's more of a "I'm just saying..." kind of thing.

When we looked up Via Tevere on GoogleMaps, it didn't seem that far away. We would have to walk a few blocks and then hop on the 20 bus for about 20 minutes. When we got on the bus, we noticed that there was a supervisor there. Not suspicious; we assumed that he was evaluating the driver, or that that the driver was new or something like that. After a few stops, we noticed that the people getting on were not showing bus passes or paying the fare. The supervisor was just waving at them to get on. Soon the bus was packed with people of all ages (including kids) wearing tattered clothes and looking like they hadn't bathed in weeks. The bus reeked of alcohol and a lot of the passengers could barely stand. We stuck out like sore thumbs. Suddenly, we arrived at a strip of abandoned buildings, with hundreds of people standing, sitting and laying in the streets. There were shopping carts of full plastic bags, tarps on the ground with random items for sale, and bottles in paper bags being passed around. Nearly everyone got off the bus at the next stop.

One block to the west, we were in downtown Vancouver, in an area that looked similar to where we live. Montreal has it's share of sketchy neighbourhoods, but I was shocked as how sudden the change was and how concentrated it was, and just as shocked at how quickly everything seemed to go right back to "normal" after that stop.  

Montreal has a lot of people in this situation. I would probably cross 15 of them between my doorstep and work. There is no particular area where they are and aren't. In Vancouver, if you never ventured out in that specific direction, you would be totally ignorant to the fact they exist. It's just different than I'm used to... turns out we had just crossed through what is referred to as East Hastings.

Eventually we got to the corner of Commercial Drive and William Street. We got off the bus and walked 2 blocks to Via Tevere. During that walk we were unsure if we were in the right place. Sure enough, the tiny dinning room was there. There were a few people waiting outside, but they were parties of 4 or 6. The pair of us were seated after about 10 minutes. There were only 10 tables or so. The beautiful blue-tiled pizza oven and prep station took up nearly as much space as the seating area.

We knew what we came for, and it wasn't apps and salads. We looked at the tables to either side of us, and not one couple was sharing a single pizza. It helped justify our pre-adventure decision to each order a different pizza. Each pizza is big enough to be generously shared between 2 people, maybe even 3 if you're a group of light-weights. However, I strongly recommend against it. You can take whatever is left over to go, and we ate it the following morning. It might have been even better next day.

I ordered the Filetto: San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic and basil. I wanted to see how well they could pull off a very simple Neapolitan pizza. Stephen ordered the Capricciosa: tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, salame, artichokes, mushrooms and olives. Basically he ordered Via Tevere's version of "all dressed" pizza.

From my seat I could see them preparing our pizzas, from hand-stretching the dough, to topping them, to slipping them into their 900-degree wood-burning oven. Considering the menu say the pizzas only spend 90 seconds in the oven, we were waiting a fairly long time for them. We ordered drinks while we waited. Stephen ordered a Negroni (his drink of choice... I can't stand them) and I ordered something lemon-y with basil in it. I can't recall what it was called. They were both very reasonably priced and expertly-mixed.

After about 25 minutes of staring at pizzas being prepped right next to us, ours arrived! They smelled and looked glorious. GLORIOUS! There must be some hardcore ventilation system there because we never noticed the intoxicated smell of anyone else's plates before ours arrived. I briefly picked up my folk and knife to eat my first slice, but quickly ditched them. This pizza is definitely meant to be eaten with your hands. The thin, crisp and chewy dough allows for it, without the topping slipping off the end onto your plate.

Everyone's had pizza before. Fresh, frozen, delivery, pizzas of every kind. For that reason, it's extremely difficult to describe how delicious Via Tevere's was, and why it was. The Filetto was incredible. Never underestimate the power of fresh and authentic ingredients that are well treated. It's an easy thing to screw up, but when done well, are phenomenal. The tomatoes were tangy but sweet, the cheese was creamy and salty, and the slightly-wilted basil was a kick of freshness. Stephen's Capricciosa was everything but the kitchen sink, just as we expected it would be. It had every flavour and texture you could want on a pizza, without it tasting greasy and heavy.

You have to experience Via Tevere for yourself to truly appreciate what I'm trying to say. All the ingredients are put on the pizza in their rawest possible form. Obviously the artichokes are boiled or steamed and of course the prosciutto and salami are properly cured, but besides that, nothing else is done to the toppings. Simple and delicious on their own. Go there, and find out!

For dessert, we ordered the Tris di Dolci: a trio of their 3 desserts. On the right was the Torta Caprese, a gluten-free chocolate cake with almonds and walnuts, and a splash of orange liquor. It was our least favourite. It wasn't "rich" like the menu described it. It was quite dry and bland unfortunately. In the centre was the Graffe con Nutella, essentially a donut with drizzled Nutella and sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar. It was our favourite of the three. It's hard to go wrong with a freshly fried donut and Nutella. To the far right was the Tiramisu. It was pretty traditional, and by "traditional" I don't mean that fake crap made with whipped cream and tea cookies drenched in Taster's Choice instant coffee. They have a lot of Tiramisu's like that in Montreal, and I was under the impression that I didn't like Tiramisu because of it. This one was the real deal with very rich mascarpone cream and bitter-sweet espresso-dipped ladyfingers. I highly recommend that you exercise self-control when consuming your pizza, and stop with enough space left for dessert!

As far as atmosphere goes, things are constantly moving. Tables turn quickly (which means you won't wait too long at the door), they are pretty close together (the couple next to us kept commenting on how good our desserts looked), and wait staff squeezes their way between the tables to delivery the hot pizzas (now you see them, now you don't). It is a great place to sit down, eat, then get up and go. I wouldn't plan to go with a crowd or with the intention of spending the evening chatting away. The staff was nice and polite, but not memorable. They just did what they had to do. I don't think these observations are negatives, but rather are inherent given how small the place is.

The beautiful tiled wood-burning oven. Apparently a direct import from Napoli!

Our cocktails

The Filetto

The Capricciosa

The dessert trio!

THE STATS - Out of 10

Taste: 8.5 - Like I said before, "GLORIOUS," fresh and simple.
Creativity: 4 - I can't give them much more than that, because it's Neapolitan pizza. It's creative only in the sense that it is being very well recreated in North America.
Service: 5 - Our pizzas were a little slow to arrive, but otherwise the service was nice. I put a lot of weight on service, since it can change the dynamics of a meal entirely. The service was unmemorable, so I couldn't give it higher.
Bang for your buck: 7 - The price of the pizzas were a little high considering the ingredients, and I'm sure the place is making tons of money on those margins. Having said that, we did take half of each pizza home and ate it for breakfast the next day. The dessert are a good value though at $12 for all 3 options.
Overall experience: 8 - The food was amazing and definitely worth the trip out there. Having eaten a lot of pizza both on the East and West Coast, there aren't many places you can get pizza like Via Tevere's.

Would I go back? Absolutely. On a night that we are experiencing a little cabin fever and have time to make the trek out there, I would definitely go back.
Who would I recommend it to? Couples, even if one or both of you are picky eaters. The size of the restaurant, the volume level, and the proximity to other tables causes you to become a little anti-social. Go with your significant other who has been your significant other for a while, because it will be a pretty silent dinner. That can be awkward with someone you are just getting to know. I wouldn't recommend it to even small groups because no matter when you go, there will be a line. It is much easier to get a table for 2 than a table for 4. Please don't bring your kids. If your kids are hungry for Via Tevere pizza, park outside and take it to go. No one wants your stroller crammed between 2 tables, or your kids screaming echoed through the joint.
For what occasion? Basic dinner out. Nothing fancy. It's not quite special-occasion-worthy.
It was better than: The pizza was better than Italian Kitchen's.
It wasn't as good as: Pizza Pinnoli and Il Focalaio in Montreal; I know not the same style, but very few pizzas can compete with Pinnoli and Focalaio.

Top 50 Worthy? Yeah. They have an edge because everyone goes there for great, authentic pizza, and they have mastered it. At a typical Italian restaurant, one person could order pizza, another order pasta, another veal scallopini, and another a risotto. Chances are that not all 4 are going to be amazing, and attempting to do 4 things well instead of just 1 often doesn't work out. At Via Tevere, there is pasta and antipasto plates on the menu, but I didn't see anyone actually order it. The focus is definitely a speciality-within-a-speciality, and they do it damn good enough for Top 50.

Italian Kitchen - February 16, 2014

So here is how we ended up at Italian Kitchen.

As I mentioned in a previous post, on the second day of my new job, my boss treated me to Trattoria in Kitslano. Trattoria is one of many members of the Glowbal Group, including Coast. As you may remember, I was not at all pleased by the mains that were served to us at Coast. After I write up my blog posts, I usually post "THE STATS" portion of the post as a review on TripAdvisor. However, for Coast I just couldn't restrain myself from copying and pasting the entire post to TripAdvisor. I felt that strongly about the disappointing mains, and it was a completely honest review.

"Tara A," a Guest Relations Manger, left a response to my review asking me to email to discuss my meal with them directly. I wrote them a very polite note about my experience, and received a response from Coast's Executive Chef Pedro Gonzalez. I very much appreciated being contacted by a Chef, instead of a Maitre D' or front manager who really knows very little about the food preparation and execution process. He explained the cooking and quality assurance processes for the two dishes we had that night. I re-iterated that regardless of what controls were in place, I was just not satisfied with the dishes. I offered Chef Gonzalez the opportunity to offer us some sort of compensation for the sub-par mains, and unsurprisingly he did.

Here is why that is unsurprising. Some people think that it is impolite and just plain wrong to send food back to the kitchen, or to ask to be compensated for a poor meal. Consider the following example. I'm an accountant at a Big 4 firm. Say a client asks me to prepare a formal memo on a particular topic, with beautiful, colourful diagrams, and reliable source references. If I come to them a week later with a report written in sloppy point-form slang, a coffee cup stain on the diagrams, and references to Wikipedia, how do you think they'd feel? Do you think they'd pay me for it? Don't you think they'd tell me to re-do it, if not fire me? It wasn't what they ordered, and I didn't do my job. If your food does not look and taste as good as it did on the menu, it wasn't what you ordered and the kitchen staff didn't do their job. It's the exact same thing.

A few days later, we received a pair of Glowbal gift cards in the mail courtesy of Chef Gonzalez and Coast. Chefs and restaurant managers listen up! Glowbal and Chef Gonzalez are doing it right. That is how you properly handle a situation where a customer is not satisfied. 

By now you've gathered that we didn't go back to Coast to use them. It was a rainy Sunday evening and we really wanted some (hopefully) delicious comfort food, so I suggested that we use the Glowbal gift cards at Italian Kitchen. I really wanted Stephen to taste the epic Fusili Lunghi I had at Trattoria, and Italian Kitchen has the same owners and menu. We promise we will go to back to Coast eventually, and I have no doubt they will redeem themselves when we do.

Alright, so on to the good stuff: what we ate.

You can't go to Italian Kitchen and not order the Burrata & _________. It doesn't matter which one you pick; I'm sure they are all amazing. We ordered the Burrata & Pancetta, which was on a crostini with corn, leeks, sage, and corn nuts. Though the portion is small (2 crostinis) and could only be shared between the two of us, the savoury accoutrements and creamy fresh burrata is an amuse-bouche to die for! You'll never want to eat plain old mozzarella again!

We also ordered the Bruschetta Sampler. This app can easily be shared between a group of 4. It consists of one piece of flat bread topped with chickpea hummus, tomato basil bruschetta, pesto, and buffalo mozzarella. The flat bread is cut in a way that there are 16 generous pieces, 4 with each of the toppings. First off, anything on that fresh and yeasty flat bread would have been amazing. My favourites were the hummus and the pesto. Since we would later be eating pasta and pizza, we were very grateful for the toppings to contrast all the carbs.

Obviously I ordered the Fusilli Lunghi since I had raved about it, and Stephen ordered the Prosciutto di Parma pizza. The fusilli was good, but it just wasn't the same as at Trattoria! I even ate it again at Trattoria this past week to be sure I wasn't crazy. It is definitely much better at Trattoria. I think it has to do with the ingredients ratio. At Trattoria, the ratio is about 2 parts fresh pasta with cream sauce, 2 parts mushrooms, and 1 part pancetta. At Italian Kitchen, it was more like 3, 1, and barely there pancetta respectively. I was a little disappointed that I had gone on and on about it being the best pasta dish of my life, and the Italian Kitchen version was nothing special. All that to say...the Fusilli Lunghi at Trattoria is EPIC. At Italian Kitchen, not as much.

On to the pizza. The dough was not what we expected. It looked similar to the flat bread dough we had with the bruscetta, but it was a little more dense and chewy. We also expected the crust to be thin and crispy, but it was thicker and soft. Despite all that, it was damn good pizza. Every component had its place. The proscuitto was salty and meaty, the burrata was creamy and smooth, the arugula was fresh and bitter, and tomato sauce just brought it all together and made it comfort food. It was balanced and "light" comfort food at that, since the ingredients aren't piled on for inches high. Lucky for us, it left us with room for dessert!

A few years ago, "salted" in a dessert description grossed me out. These days I've changed my tune to "You had me at 'salted.'" Having said that, I didn't get too far down the dessert menu since "salted" is the first word on it. Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart...chocolate ganache, salted caramel sauce, walnut streusel, and Earl Grey gelato. The pieces of the dessert were pretty much as described on the menu. You know the reaction when you go "Yep, that gelato is definitely Earl Grey flavoured." It was like that. Each component was delicious and near perfection on its own, but all together a crunchy element was missing. There was a spiral of hard candy which may have been intended to be crunch, but though pretty and crafty, it was impractical and didn't quite fit. Besides the lack of crunch, it was a great salty and sweet end to the meal.

Each of Glowbal's restaurants has a list of great promotions. My favourite is Trattoria's $11 Pasta Tuesdays (any of their pastas for $11! In some cases, that's 50% off!). We took advantage of not 1, but 3 promotions going on when we went during the late-afternoon Sunday. Firstly, we got 2 rounds of the $5 cocktail of the day (available daily from 3-6pm). They were very well mixed cocktails and they definitely don't stiff you on the booze. Secondly, each of the appetizers were 50% off (available daily from 3-6pm). Thirdly, we took advantage of the Alberni St. Early Bird special, which gives you a free 2nd entrée when you order 2 apps and an entrée (available daily from 4-6:30pm). The combination of all these specials definitely allowed our post-Coast gift cards to go much further than expected!

My biggest regret about our dining experience was not ordering off the "Art of Sharing" section of the menu. Near the end of our meal, I saw a couple at a neighbouring table order a very generous antipasto platter and pasta platter. It was more like a trough with mountains of 4 different kinds of pasta. A trough! Of pasta! It was one of the most glorious things I had ever seen, but I have no idea how the two of them could possibly consume that much food. Had it been more than the two of us, I think we would have been game.

Here is another reason why Italian Kitchen is awesome. They sent us a Thank You card! I have never gotten anything like that before, and I'd go back just because someone took the time to show their appreciation for our patronage. Nice touch Italian Kitchen!

The delicious $5 cocktails

The bruschetta sampler

The burrata and prosciutto

The side by side

Our mains!

And the salty-sweet, lacing some crunch, finale

`

Nice touch from the Italian Kitchen staff!

THE STATS - Out of 10

Taste: 7.5 - Most of what we had was fantastic. I downgraded them from a 9 because the Fusilli Lunghi was just not as amazing as Trattoria, and the dessert needed a little crunch.
Creativity: 6.5 - It is tough to give them higher in this category because it is close to traditional Italian food. Some little twists are taken, but the food isn't quite innovative or daring.
Service: 7.5 - The service was quite friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, and we were served at a perfect pace. Also, the Thank You card was a really nice touch.
Bang for your buck: 8.5 - Definitely check out what promotions are going when you go. The menu is already reasonably priced for what you're getting, but no one ever complained about getting a discount. Especially since the specials are likely for menu items you would be ordering anyway.
Overall experience: 8 - It was just what we needed that rainy Sunday.

Would I go back? Yes. I feel like you can rely on the food and service to be consistently well prepared and presented, which allows the restaurant to lend itself to any occasion, or no occasion.
Who would I recommend it to? Groups of adults (up to 8 comfortably), couples, and families with teen-aged children (I'm still against bringing young children to restaurants). The food is traditional enough that even picky people (including moody teens) will find something they will enjoy. The food is casual, unpretentious and shareable, which makes it great for family and/or friends gatherings.
For what occasion? I wouldn't take someone on a first date here, but any other occasion is fair game.
It was better than: Bistro 101, The Fish House in Stanley Park, Coast (take 1 of Coast anyways)
It wasn't as good as: l'Abattoir, Via Tevere, Trattoria (for the Fusilli Lunghi)

Top 50 Worthy? I think so. The food has the potential to bring Italian Kitchen into the Top 50 within the next year. I think the menu, ambiance and service can easily create a loyal customer-base that will have patrons coming back again and again.

#22. Bistro 101 - February 12, 2014

I was pretty excited for Family Day weekend. That is until I came down with a hardcore strain of the west coast common cold. Nine days later, I'm still coughing like an 80-year-old chain smoker and going through Kleenex so fast I regret not buying shares of Kimberly-Clark. I had to take the Friday off of work and was sick in bed the whole 3-day weekend. We had planned to go to Science World, to the movies and of course out to dinner. All those plans were obviously scrapped, and I watched 3 seasons of Downton Abbey incapacitated on the couch instead. So that explains why I haven't posted in a few days.

Our first Valentine's Day together, Stephen took me to the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) for dinner during the "Montreal en lumière" festival. We had an amazing 7-course dinner prepared by the ITHQ students with the guidance of guest chef Jason Wilson, and it was perfectly paired with Washington wines specifically selected for the event. Culinary schools are a hidden gems that you wouldn't normally think of when picking a place for dinner or lunch. Firstly, the young and creative chefs-in-training are sure to deliver an awesome meal. Second, you'll probably pay between 50-75% less for a 3-course meal than if you ordered identical plates at an established restaurant. Thirdly, you're helping future culinary talent get practice, and then when they make it big you can say you ate their food before they were famous. Fourth, if you want to impress a date with really shishi-looking food (you'll know what I mean when you see the pictures below) culinary schools surely won't disappoint. Wherever you are, research culinary schools in your area, and give them a try.

Valentine's Day is definitely the worst day of the year to go to a restaurant. I like to people-watch when I go to restaurants and make up back-stories for all the interesting characters that I spot. Valentine's Day diners just make themselves such easy targets for this sport. Half of the female diners clutch grocery store roses that were procured at the last minute, male diners go slack jawed when they see the bottom line on the bill, and both genders order the cheapest thing on the menu and no booze because they picked a restaurant with a price point out of their comfort zone because they never go out and felt like they would treat themselves, but really end up depriving themselves of what they really did want to eat. I'm not a Valentine's Day hater, but gentlemen, take your ladies out on dates as often as your can to nice places, and give her decent flowers on random Tuesdays. Don't save it for Vday. All that to say, I had no interest in going to a restaurant on the 14th, so we went on the 12th instead.

Bistro 101 is the restaurant at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, located just outside Granville Island. Another benefit of going out for our Valentine's Day dinner on the 12th was that we could take advantage of Bistro 101's Wine Wednesdays when all bottles of wine are 50% off. It basically makes the wine the same price as you would pay at the liquor store (if not cheaper). Paired with a 3-course dinner at $26 per head, the value for your money can't be matched.

Before we received our apps, we were treated to an assortment of fresh breads and an amuse bouche. The entire meal is perfectly portioned, so I highly recommend that you indulge in a piece of each of the 6 or so different types of breads that are served. Cornbread, whole grain, poppy seed, choux...they were all delicious. The amuse bouche was a salmon mousse macaroon. The meringue was similar to a traditional macaroon, but the filling was rich and fresh. This is the second time I've had a savory macaroon. In fact, the last was at the ITHQ event (it was fois gras... and it was epic)! Kudos to the culinary student that executed these, they were fantastic and I would love to try more savory preparations.

We went on to the Sea Scallops with Crispy Cauliflower and Avocado Mousse and the appetizer of the day, a sous vide venison. I was a little worried about Stephen ordering the venison since we had terrible venison at Patrick Guilbaud, a 2-Michelin Star restaurant in Dublin, Ireland. Then again, I've never associated deer with Ireland. The sea scallops were smaller than I had expected, but they were well seared and buttery in the middle. The texture of the crispy cauliflower and radishes added the contrasting textures and flavours that scallops crave. I had high expectations of the avocado mousse, but it had little flavour and was more of a foam than a mousse. A little more density and salt would have helped. As for the venison, it was a visually stunning and complex dish. The medium-rare game-y meat was accompanied by blue cheese cream, capers, sweet chili sauce, roasted beets, arugula, caramelized onions, and flavoured coarse salt...pretty much every texture and flavour profile you could ask for. On their own, each of these elements was okay, but all together in one bite they were amazing. The students could teach Patrick Guilbaud a think or two about making a great venison dish!

My entrée was the best plate of the night: Squid Ink Pappardelle, Chorizo, Winter Squash and Prawns. I love fresh pasta. I would have happily eaten just the pasta. It was fantastic, and everything else was a welcomed bonus. The chorizo was spicy but not too hot and the squash was sweet and slightly charred around the edges. Two of my ultimate favourite textures also joined the party. First, prawns were cooked just to the point of being opaque, so they weren't chewy and rubbery. Second, the roasted grape tomatoes were intact on the plate, but burst in your mouth when you bit them. Timing is everything with these two, and having them as only 2 of many elements on a plate is tough to achieve. 

Stephen ordered the Braised Lamb Shank with Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes and Brussel Sprout Leaves. The lamb tasted like lamb. Go to the grocery store, buy some lamb, cook your lamb, and taste your lamb. Did it taste like lamb? Probably not. Did it feel like you were chewing on a piece of a Hunter of Scotland rubber boot? Probably. Lamb is so easy to screw up. Kudos to the student chefs for showing lambs' true potential. Their lamb was shredded which made it extra tender. The mashed potatoes had a great consistency and buttery taste according to Stephen (I'm still not a mashed potato fan). There were also roasted red and yellow bell peppers on the plate, which strangely were the first thing we smelled when the plate arrived. I didn't even know bell peppers had a distinct smell, but this dish proved me wrong. Overall, the braised lamb was a solid dish, but mine was definitely better.

Dessert was good, but not very memorable. I found myself eating them, but not really paying attention to what I was putting in my mouth. There weren't any "Ooooo Aaaaahh" moments. I had the Black Forest Flourless Chocolate Cake. It sort of tasted like a denser version of cake from a Betty Crocker box. The white chocolate mousse on the cake didn't really have much white chocolate flavour, and it just looked weird on the plate pipped out in a random and inelegant way. The cocoa nib ice cream was good, but it wasn't quite an ice cream. It tasted slightly watery and had partially crystallized. Stephen ordered the Mocha Verrine. The dark chocolate mousse bottom layer of the verrine was quite good, and so was the vanilla shortbread top later. However, the white chocolate mocha mousse and lemon gelée in the middle together had a panna cotta texture that didn't quite fit with the other layers. It felt confused and the presentation missed the mark. The verrine glass was far too large and the swoosh on the plate was unnecessary.

As far as service goes, it didn't quite meet my expectations. It was quite slow, and we often found ourselves talking over empty plates for 10 minutes. It took another 10 minutes after our dessert plates were taken away to be offered the bill. The restaurant wasn't particularly busy (less than half the tables were occupied), and the staff was clearly running un-dinner-service-related errands. I guess the difference between Bistro 101 and the restaurant at ITHQ is that ITHQ is also a hotel management school, and therefore there is a higher focus on service and hospitality. Still, strong service is essential for any decent restaurant, so I believe a higher emphasis should be put on it at Bistro 101 for the students' benefit.

Scrumptious fresh breads!

Salmon mousse savory macaroon. Could have used some better plating, but it was delicious.

Sea scallops with avocado mousse and roasted cauliflower nibs

Sous-vide venison, beautifully plated.

Squid-ink papardelle with chorizo and prawns. Delicious!

Braised lamb with whipped butter mashed potatoes and crisp brussel sprout leaves

Flourless de-constructed black forest cake.

Mocha verrine

THE STATS - Out of 10

Taste: 7 - The ingredients were definitely fresh, but some were better cooked and applied better than others.
Creativity: 8 - Many cooking and plating techniques are used, since the students need practice across the board. You wouldn't get all of these techniques in one visit at any other restaurant
Service: 4 - It was quite slow, mousey and unmemorable
Bang for your buck: 8 - For $26 per head for 3 services, you're definitely getting great value. I know I didn't give the most raving review, but for $26 I feel good about it. It's highly unlikely you would get a similar 3-course dinner for less than 3 times that price per head. Also, take advantage of Wine Wednesdays!
Overall experience: 7 - Considering that students are manning the kitchen and dining room, it was a nice experience.

Would I go back? Yes. The menu changes monthly, and they also have a 3-service lunch for $20. I would definitely go back.
Who would I recommend it to? Adults, any occasion, any group size. It definitely isn't suitable to young children, or even teenagers that would be intimidated by the plating and flavour combinations. It is not the best place for picky "meat and potatoes" types, but they could probably work their way around the menu to find something they like. The dinning area is small, but there is ample space between tables, so large birthday party groups wouldn't disturb the neighbouring couples having a romantic night out.
For what occasion? Valentine's Day of course, birthdays, anniversaries, "just because," etc. There are no limits!
It was better than: I don't know if we've had enough comparable sit-down experiences. For now, Bistro 101 sits on the bottom of my resto totem pole, but probably not for long
It wasn't as good as: The appetizers/dessert at Coast, l'Abattoir, Fish House in Stanley Park
Expect: Expect to eat the students' gourmet culinary experiments using seasonal ingredients, and different textures and cooking techniques than you wouldn't necessarily see in other established restaurants.

Top 50 Worthy? I don't think so. The food was good, but I find it hard to believe that there aren't 50 better restaurants in Vancouver. The student did great work, and the food was on-par with my expectations, but it probably isn't one of the Top 50.

Romer's Burger Bar - February 1, 2014

Burgers! Finally! Even though there is close access to local beef and organic local beef, surprisingly there aren't a lot of burger joints in Vancouver.

I wrote the UFE in 2012. If you're an accountant you know what that is, and if you're not an accountant, Google it. It was brutal. Stephen was actually writing it at the same time... we were a really happy couple that summer....not. About 2 weeks before the big exam, I couldn't handle studying any more. I didn't want to be within 50 feet of anything accounting related. Obviously the first of those 2 weeks was spent worrying that I was going to fail and go through a summer of hell next year. To take our minds off the UFE, during the second week Stephen and I had the brilliant idea of participating in Montreal Burger Week. Not only participate, we challenged ourselves to go to every single burger place on the docket. There was a point system in place where you earned points every time you Facebook checked-in or tweeted that you were at one of the burger restaurants or when you voted if the burger was good, and you could convert the points to prizes. After about 9 burgers in 3 days, I caved. I just couldn't handle any more beef and bun. However, we were among the top points earners. Unfortunately, despite emailing the organizers of Montreal Burger Week like crazy, they only sent us half of the prizes we earned. Still waiting on my $100 gift card for Mbrgr guys!!

Anywho, we love burgers. I'm not going to reveal too much, but our wedding menu has burgers on it! Get excited invitees!

We had heard about Romer's from a few co-workers, and decided to try it out even though it wasn't in the Top 50. These would be the first Vancouver burgers we have indulged in.

Though they had a Dine-Out Vancouver menu, we opted for à-la-carte since we didn't feel the need for 2 appetizers, 2 burgers and 2 desserts. The menu is pretty comprehensive. Besides burgers, they offer Mac & Cheese, fish & chips, street tacos, and salads (for that friend who couldn't possibly order something with red meat on a bun... oh no carbs and calories oooo... GTFO). They also have lots of interesting starters like deep fried pickles. Obviously we ordered them. I love pickles and I love deep fried, so what could go wrong? These tempura-battered wedges of pickle genius are amazing. They don't taste the way you think they would. Right now the flavour you have in your mind is swallowing a big glug of pickle juice, but its nothing like that! Trust me, they're delicious. Crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside, the fried, un-salted batter tames the saltiness and vinegary tang of the pickles. The blue cheese dressing adds a much needed creamy element to the starter. We're going to have to talk to our caterer about adding these to our menu.

After much deliberation, we finally decided on the Man's Man Burger and the Magic Mushroom Burger. We had debated ordering the The Chorizodor and Romer's Righteous Rib Burger, but we asked our waitress which burgers she thought were best, and ordered what she recommended. Actually, to paraphrase her: "All our beef is organic and our buns are fresh, so you could order just the meat and bread and it would be great." We didn't go that route, but her other recommendations didn't disappoint! The Magic Mushroom had perfectly caramelized onions and portobello mushrooms that weren't drowning in oil and salt. It's surprisingly hard to get those two right. The herb Boursin cheese was the creamy and salty element, which was balanced out with much-welcomed bitter arugula. The beef was well treated and was thick, juicy and cooked perfectly medium. In terms of taste, there was nothing special about the bun. However, the bun to filling ratio is very important. A great burger shouldn't fall apart in your hands, with the filling falling out the back end. The bun should be big and spongy enough to handle all the condiments and toppings. Romer's buns kept my burger intact and my fingers clean, so it was a winner.

The Man's Man Burger was also pretty fantastic. It had ooey-gooey amber ale cheddar, amazing thick-cut applewood bacon, and crispy onion strings that put it in our Top 3 Burgers Ever list. It's up there with Montreal's Art:Brgr. Romer's makes all their own sauces (except Heinz Ketchup and Frank's Red Hot). This burger had both their whole-grain mustard and olive oil mayo. The bacon was the real star of this burger. I'd order a few pounds of it for Sunday brunch if I could. I'm not sure how many strips were in it, but every bite we took had this bacon in it. It was an awesome staple burger.

As a side, we ordered the share-able fries. They have 3 kinds: sea-salt, truffle oil and parmesan and garlic. We got half sea-salt so we could test out their basic fries, and half garlic because I'm not a huge fan of truffle oil. Real truffles or bust. Don't try to fool me with truffle oil. That shit ain't fancy. The fries were meh. They were fresh, but weren't crispy enough. They had the same texture as frozen McCain fries. I've seen and tasted more sea salt on fries at Wendy's, and thought he garlic scent was intoxicating, the fries just couldn't handle it.

I was ready to get the bill after that, but then our waitress told us about their Drunken Donuts: 10 freshly fried mini-donuts, with 3 alcoholic dipping sauces. Stephen's eye's lit up when she told us about them, so even though I'm not a huge donut fan, I couldn't say no. What arrived was a glorious tower of soft and fluffy fresh delights, drizzled with just enough glaze for a hint of sweetness. The dipping sauces, in ascending order of deliciousness were, Kahlua-Nutella, Maple-whiskey and Limoncello lemon curd. Adding alcohol to the sauces was brilliant given the sweetness that needed to be broken up a bit. These are definitely not to be missed. Keep a little space for them!

In terms of decor, the place is pretty standard red on black. It has a bar in the middle, one wall of banquettes, and a dozen or so tables of 2 or 4. Everything is clean and new, but it's nothing special. It looks like a regular sports bar. Service was quite good and quick. Our waitress told us about each burger without reading off the menu, recommended burgers, and easily sold us on dessert.

Overall, it was a solid introduction to Vancouver burgers and we're looking forward to tasting more!

View from our table of the bar

Pickles & Beer! Amazing deep fried pickles!

Magic Mushroom Burger... that cheese was sooooo yummy!

Stephen's Man Man's Burger... Monstrosity! 

Beautifully cooked.

Drunken Donuts with fantastic dipping sauces!

THE STATS - Out of 10

Taste: 8.5 - Amazing fresh ingredients with great combinations in their burgers. The fries were boring though.
Creativity: 7 - If you look at the menu overall, there are some pretty creative dishes. Some of the burgers are standard, but deep friend pickles get extra points.
Service: 7 - Friendly service, and gave us a great sales pitch on each of the burgers and dessert
Bang for your buck: 6 - The burgers are priced a little high for what they are. They are an average of $12 each, without sides. I'd like to see them up the price by $1 but include fries.
Overall experience: 8 - Great burgers and dessert, mediocre fries, good service, pretty plain decor and vibe.

Would I go back? Definitely. Just look at the menu. You can't possibly try everything you'd want to in one visit. I want to try a few more burgers and their mac & cheese. We'll see if they can maintain these stats the second time around!
Who would I recommend it to? Couples and small groups. The place isn't huge, and I didn't see any tables of more than 4, so having a big gang there might be tough. It's a good place to hang out and have a few on-tap craft beers. I wouldn't really recommend this place to families, though I did see a few small children there. This isn't Boston Pizza. Leave your kid at home.
For what occasion? This isn't a place for special occasions. It's a great Friday night go-to place. You probably wont stick around for very long after your meal if you do go with friends. They do have tv's all over the walls, so it might be a good spot to catch a game.
It was better than: Stephen says it's better than Montreal's Burger Bar, but I disagree.
It wasn't as good as: In my opinion, Montreal's Burger Bar and Art:Brgr. At least Burger Bar has decent fries.
Expect: Just a great burger. There wasn't a line at 1pm on a Saturday, but I'm not sure if you'd have to wait in the evening or for a weekday lunch. The atmosphere is very casual, so don't bring a hot date here, unless she's the pizza and beer type.

Top 50 Worthy? Nah, but we knew it wouldn't be. If there is a Top 50-worthy burger out there though, we sure would love to hear about it!