Sisters make everything fresh, including sauces, to give their dishes an authentic taste

Mia Stainsby
Sun

They’re a brave and spunky 24- and 26-year-old sister set, earning their way through school for five years, first as caterers and now they run two Mexican places. I have the feeling Annie and Liz Novoa are just getting started.

One of their shops, Cilantro & Jalapeno, at Lonsdale Quay, is a takeout and Mexican grocery store. You can sit and eat in the food court area if you need to eat immediately. The newer spot is on West Broadway and is more of a sit-down cafe.

The menus are identical. There’s the usual Mexican fare (burritos, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, taquitos, tacos, tostados) but they’re increasingly straying from the same-old, same-old and offering dishes like sweet tamales (chocolate chip; goat’s milk caramel spread; rum and raisin) which Annie says is like an equivalent to our muffin.

Also on offer is a Yucatan chicken marinated in a spice mix which includes annato seed. The savoury tamales have an ever-changing filling but they all come with a cilantro and creamy jalapeno sauce or dip.

“We make everything fresh every day; all our sauces, guacamole, salsas, and chop all our vegetables fresh,” says Annie, a graduate of Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts who has worked at Salmon House on the Hill. Liz just graduated from SFU with an arts degree in English and political science.

The tortillas, Annie says, are imported from Mexico. “They have to be good,” she says. Asked what “good” is, she explains she wants tortillas which can be reheated without cracking, have no artificial ingredients and are flavourful. “Ours tastes like they’re fresh out of the factory in Mexico,” she says.

The Lonsdale Quay location is open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and it’s handy to the SeaBus for a take-home meal. The West Broadway location is open to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. It’s closed on Sunday.

– – –

CILANTRO & JALAPENO

Lonsdale Quay, North Vancouver, 604-986-6344 and 736 West Broadway, 604-872-7161.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Set in the former Rossini’s digs in Gastown, Flux Bistro tries to be modern but makes a miscalculation

Mia Stainsby
Sun

The notes for my first visit to Flux Bistro end with a police report file number.

I imagine the report goes something like this: “Bozos leave briefcase, tote bag and books in vehicle. In Gastown, no less! Car vandalized, value of stolen goods about $800.”

The only good that came out of our car break-in was that we discovered we had a hidden coin compartment in the car. Our better-informed vandal had left it agape as if to say, “What! No change? Next time, fill it up!”

I can’t say the meal preceding our misadventure made up for this inkier aspect of Vancouver culture. Flux Bistro had two tables of customers; one table took their leave and then there was only us. Good music eased some of our loneliness but the staff should have been dancing on the tables for us.

When we first walked in, a server walked towards us with a beaming smile; she walked right past us to a male friend walking in behind us. Lots of hugs. Later, she went out to the street to smooch with the guy. Another, more focused server was welcoming enough. There seemed to be no management and the place felt rudderless.

The food was a roller-coaster of ups and downs. The menu mostly features tapas dishes with some entrees on the specials menu. There’s also a more casual lunch menu with burgers, sandwiches and some small plates from the dinner menu.

I thought the chocolate butter poached tuna with salted plum, cured baby bok choy and peanut brittle sounded bizarre but it would be a good test. If the kitchen pulled it off, it could perform magic.

But it was off the rails. Peanut brittle had no business on this plate and the tuna had an iridescent shimmer, which is not normal.

Lox-wrapped halibut with lemon dill vin blanc also had a freshness issue. Panko chicken cutlets with yee mein and shiitake mushroom sauce lacked flavour.

Shrimp and green papaya salad almost had us but the vinaigrette was lacklustre. The one dish that redeemed this meal was a divine dessert — honey almond semi-freddo with white wine pear black pepper tuile. We steered clear of the frozen chipotle white chocolate souffle, leery of strange combinations after the tuna.

On our second visit, the kitchen seemed to be on a better groove, although not completely. Sauteed calamari with tomato garlic butter tapenade smelled too fishy to be appetizing; warm green bean and almond salad had an overly acidic vinaigrette.

However, the Alaska black cod with black bean cream sauce featured fresh fish, lively with flavour. And beef tenderloin medallions with tomato and bocconcini stack and port reduction was lovely. This time, the dessert, a cinnamon genoise layer cake with rose petal buttercream and red wine apricot preserve — with potential explosions of flavour — tasted like we’d kept it waiting too long.

Flux takes over from Rossini’s, which used the big-boned timbers to advantage in its Mediterranean styling. I think Flux, in trying to be modern, made a miscalculation. It’s a dark, crypt-like space. Near-white walls and lighter furnishings would bring out the old-growth timbers and original brick wall.

Owners Brian Redillas and Vincent Wong (also the chef) have assembled an interesting wine list, featuring a lot of small-production wineries from B.C. like Joie, Wild Goose, Mystic River and Therapy (try their Freudian Sip) as well as interesting global wines.

“We’re looking to get more boutiquey B.C. wines, a case at a time if needed. The wine list will keep evolving with the food,” says Redillas.

The food, actually, needs to catch up to the wines.

– – –

FLUX

Overall: 2 1/2

Food: 2 1/2

Ambience: 2 1/2

Service: 2 1/2

Price: $$

162 Water St., 604-678-8800.

Open Sunday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Restaurant visits are conducted anonymously and interviews are done by phone. Restaurants are rated out of five stars.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Immigrant from Mexico serves up dishes that honour the woman who taught her the recipes

Mia Stainsby
Sun

It sounds like a north wind is howling through the phone. I’m stabbing at the volume control but I’m still mis-hearing things. “Did you say the name of your restaurant means widow in Spanish?” I ask.

“No, no, no!” comes the distant but distinctly horrified reply. Dona Cata is named after Brenda Cortes’s grandmother, who was a widow. That’s the grandmother who taught her everything about cooking, which led to this busy Mexican cafe on Victoria Drive.

I suggest I redial and try again and the line is better.

“My father was seven and she had nothing. No husband. Someone found her crying under a tree and took her and taught her how to make pork; how to kill the pig and process and cook it. She started when she was very young and she ran a meat shop and taqueria for 25 years. It’s an honour to continue cooking what she taught me,” says Cortes, a teacher who immigrated to Canada five years ago with her husband, also a teacher.

Cortes is pregnant with her second child and she’ll be at the stoves until she gives birth — and then she’ll be right back at it afterwards. “Just like my grandmother. In Mexico, most women work with babies on their back. It’s normal,” she says.

When you walk into Dona Cata, you’ll notice there are 10 bowls of different salsas set out, all in a row — green tomato, avocado, chipotle, chili de arbol, and so on. Spoon them onto your tacos (a specialty here) and other dishes. It’s a sign that she and her husband (he cooks, too) aren’t just running a business. They love what they’re doing.

Tacos are made with several meat toppers and come in two sizes — $1.25 and the two for $5 Campesena tacos with onions, beans and meat. She says burritos aren’t a true Mexican dish, but she sells them too, along with quesadillas and some combination plates. The latter, I found, was a big messy dish, made worse by the paper plate.

I didn’t visit on a weekend so I didn’t try any of the weekend specials — including lamb stew, pozole and shrimp soup.

However, the tacos are nice and fresh and the atmosphere is homey and lively with music, lineups out the door and people coming in for takeout orders.

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DONA CATA MEXICAN FOODS

5438 Victoria Dr., 604-236-2232

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

Mark Laba
Province

Riverhouse

Plunk yourself down on a patio overlooking

Deas Slough, add 25 wines by the glass or 30 different martinis and you’ve got a marriage made in marina heaven. Oh, and there’s food, too. Check out the steamer pot of mussels and clams in ginger, coconut and lemongrass broth, pan-seared giant scallops in a sesame wasabi sauce, Jamaican Rum Ribs or a classic steak. The lunch menu offers more downscale burgers, sandwiches and stuff. True tranquility.

5825 60th Ave., Delta, 604-946-7545

WHERE THE OCEAN MEETS THE ESOPHAGUS

Dockside Restaurant

Magnificent patio with False Creek views and a brewpub on site to boot. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out this is a winning combination. And the food is as enticing as the scenery. The appetizer listings are my favourite, with dishes like the Vancouver Island Oyster Six Pack, the steamed mussel and clam hotpot, wood-oven-baked pizzas or the crispy pork and veggie gyoza. With a pint of the Jamaican Lager, it’s like dropping anchor in a culinary inlet of flavour.

1253 Johnston St., Granville Island, 604-685-7070

Marina Grill

Ponder the engineering feat of the Second Narrows Bridge strutting while enjoying sun and sea on a patio overlooking the Lynnwood Marina. Start with bacon-wrapped scallops or seafood-stuffed mushroom caps before hitting big-ticket items like ribs, grilled halibut, steak and prawns or a burger. Brunch, lunch or dinner is all a pleasure when you hunker down at this marina-side patio hideaway.

1653 Columbia St., North Vancouver, 604-988-0038

Pelagos Restaurant

Really, the best way to eat Greek food is with a great oceanside view so that you can imagine yourself on Corfu or Mykonos while you suck back squid parts, meat skewers and eggplant shlimazels. This place, nestled right on Crescent Beach, offers tranquil seaside eating with beautiful patio seating and a lineup of classic Greek dishes. Try the roast lamb, the broiled quail, the meatballs baked in tomato sauce with feta or the marinated squid or garlic prawns.

2728 O’Hara Lane, Crescent Beach, Surrey, 604-538-6102

Galley Patio and Grill

No bells or whistles here except on the boats in the marina, and the patio is bare-bones concrete simplicity but the view is magnificent. Located on the second floor of the Jericho Sailing Centre, the view sweeps from Locarno Beach and beyond to the North Shore Mountains to the distant city. Beer-battered fish and chips, Jamaican jerk-chicken sandwich with mango papaya salsa, pure Angus chopped-steak burgers, fish tacos, great nachos or mussels steamed in beer, cilantro and lime. And local R&B ales on tap to wash it down.

1300 Discovery Ave., Vancouver, 604-222-1331

Sockeye City Grill

The docks of Steveston make for some picturesque dining and if you enjoy sniffing the briny and listening to the gluttonous shrieking of dive-bombing gulls check out this spiffy sea shanty with an excellent dockside patio. A great spot to gargle fresh oysters and wine but also check out the West Coast paella, the scallop and tiger prawn cannelloni and the West Coast Fisherman’s Pot.

108-3800 Bayview St., Steveston, 604-275-4347

Watermark

Just as amphibians are the first warning sign of global warming, Kits Beach serves a similar purpose for the flesh-market of sunworshippers sniffing at the first indicators of summer. Science gets swanky with the geo-thermal cooling and warming system of this beachside edifice and the patio has a magnificent view plus blankets supplied for cooler days. Try the rock salt chili prawns, the lobster gyoza, surf clam vongole or the spicy lamb stir-fry.

1305 Arbutus St., Vancouver, 604-738-5487

Sharkey’s Seafood Bar & Grill

Besides the huge variety of fresh seafood, the view from the patio overlooking the passing boats at the Government Wharf is wonderful. Try the Ladner Express Steamer with a half pound of clams, a half pound of mussels and a quarter pound of prawns steamed in the broth of your choice. There’s also a nice lemon-pepper halibut, oysters deep-fried or freshly shucked, scallops in Pernod and, of course, fish and chips. For landlubbers, plenty of burgers, steaks and chicken dishes.

4953 Chisholm St., Ladner, 604-946-7793

Go Fish

A fantastic fish shack with a catch so fresh you can watch your meal coming up the gangplank and plopping onto your plate with a small detour to the deep-fryer first. The patio overlooks the docks and a bit of a quick-fix fish environment but what great fish and chips these are. Plus, check out the fish tacos, the Po’Boy oyster sandwich or the fresh B.C. spot prawns right off the boat done up with herb garlic butter. Specials depend on the daily catch so you never know what new surprise awaits you when you visit.

1504 West 1st at Fisherman’s Wharf on False Creek, 604-730-5040

Le Bistro Chez Michel

Gallic hospitality at its casual best and a wonderful patio with a panoramic view of the city across the water. It’s hard to resist steak and frites, Calamari Basque or Escargot Nicoise because nobody understands snails like the French. There’s also bouillabaisse, rabbit Dijonnaise or steamed mussels served up in a bevy of broth options. A lunch menu offers the Bistro burger with bacon and brie, pastas, pizzas, or let your belly bask in the warm seafood salad with tarragon dressing.

224 Esplanade West, North Vancouver, 604-924-4913

La Regalade Cote Mer

The French say, “Forget all your other culinary endeavours and your West Coast fusion fiascos; we have the best cuisine in the world.” What I love about this place is they prove the point with a down-to-earth personality devoid of pretension but packed with flavour. Nestled across from serene Eagle Harbour, this patio is beautiful, with the scent of pines and saltwater-laden air. The menu changes daily so you never know what awaits you but in the past entries like smoked black-cod filet with zucchini and garlic sauce, lobster tarragon Shepherd’s Pie or wild salmon with creamed leeks and bacon exemplify the beauty of culinary simplicity.

5775 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, 604-921-9701

Beach House at Dundarave Pier

Real-estate developers have been known to have aneurysms on this spectacular patio imagining what could be if they could only subdivide this lot for waterfront condos. The rest of the patrons are getting hernias trying to lift the wine list. Along with the view, enjoy scarfing back seafood ravioli with a sun-dried-tomato pesto cream sauce, espresso-crusted pork tenderloin with wild fungus risotto or prawns and scallops in a green curry masala.

150 25th St., West Vancouver, 604-922-1414

Lift Bar Grill View

It’s like botox for a building at this spiffy Coal Harbour edifice, which wouldn’t be the only thing receiving facial reconstruction in this neighbourhood. Nevertheless, the joint is inspiring architecturally as is the view from the patio overlooking the water. The upper-deck patio is equipped with two fireplaces to warm the cockles on cooler evenings and the view over Coal Harbour is beautiful. There’s a raw oyster bar, duck two ways that have something to do with molasses lacquer and huckleberries, halibut with surf clams and pancetta and some really good sushi.

333 Menchion Mews, Vancouver, 604-689-5438

Monk McQueen’s

A longtime favourite in Vancouver patio history with two deck levels to choose from offering a spectacular panorama of False Creek and environs. Great seafood, including more oysters than you can shake a Viagra prescription at, but the denizens of the barnyard are not forgotten either. The upstairs is a little flashier, the downstairs more casual but fare like fried cornflower oyster frites, lobster corndogs, grilled veal chop with Stilton cheese and a yam potato pot pie or nori crusted ahi tuna show imagination and flair.

601 Stamps Landing, Vancouver, 604-877-1351

Washington Avenue Grill

There’s nothing quite as meditative, and perhaps profound, as gazing out at Semiahmoo Bay with a large alcoholic drink and some Thai beef pockets. Don’t ask, just visit this place with its great patio and intriguing food. Lobster-stuffed ravioli, Chicken Con Cray with tiger prawns in tandoori cream or Crown Royal glazed ribs. Really, the list just goes on as you drink in a White Rock sunset and let your nerves wash away with the tide.

15782 Marine Drive, White Rock, 604-541-4244

Saltaire

It’s a view that only a seagull would usually aspire to from this rooftop patio that takes in the sweeping expanses of Stanley Park, Howe Sound and rusty freighters chugging away. Tasty food from tapas to dinner, all served up with a West Coast flair, so look for entries like tiger prawn and scallop fettucine, smoked salmon and crabmeat pizza, roasted-red-pepper crab cakes, and the grilled sirloin steak sandwich here is particularly tasty.

235-15th St., West Vancouver, 913-8439

Fiddlehead Joe’s

The East Coast fiddlehead in Vancouver is kind of like Bill Murray in Lost in Translation. Out of place, a bit hangdog-looking and doesn’t understand the language. Thankfully, this place has embraced this strange veggie and given it a nice home on Pacific plates. Great seawall patio where you can drink in both a fine view and a fine wine list, too. Watch roller bladers bounce off railings while chowing down on the Drunken Chicken Salad, braised pork belly or spicy crusted Digby scallops.

1-1012 Beach Ave., Vancouver, 604-688-1969

DECKS IN THE CITY

Chill Winston

A cool cobblestone patio overlooking Maple Tree Square and the mottled metal statue of Gassy Jack sets the scene with nothing but a small iron railing to separate you from panhandlers and other wildlife. Nevertheless, it’s a thriving and bustling atmosphere, fun, frivolous, and beer-and-martini fuelled. The food’s pretty good, too. Excellent red-wine-braised beef ribs are a sure bet as is the oven-roasted duck breast or the orange roughy with salsa verde and tomato confit. Definitely a great place to chill and take in the uber-urban view.

3 Alexander St., Vancouver, 604-288-9575

O’Doul’s

The Old World opulence of this restaurant interior gives way to a small and smoke-free courtyard patio. Cuisine is Pacific Northwest with the odd twist like cumin and chili-seared tiger prawns and scallops or Wenzel duck breast with wild rice and yam rosti and blackberry demi jus, not to mention steaks and lighter lunch fare. Wine list leans heavily on Okanagan picks, which is another strength of this place.

1300 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-661-1400

Cafe Il Nido

Here’s a city gem as hidden as a Mafioso in the witness-protection program. This courtyard patio tucked away between the Manhattan Apartments has that la dolce vita atmosphere and Italian dishes as finely crafted as a Fellini film. The menu builds on the classics with inventive inspiration culminating in creations like rare seared tuna on shiitake rice cake with scallion pesto, barbeque duck fettucine in a sweet chili sauce with aged ricotta, or fusilli with Italian sausage and mushrooms whipped up with veal jus and mustard cream. The wine list proves to be as eclectic as the dishes.

780 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-685-6436

Mill Marine Bistro

This is where the upwardly mobile and nubile trendsetters of Coal Harbour hunker down when they need to escape the condo canyons and suck up some sun. Boasting one of the largest patios in the vicinity with a view of all the scenic harbour stereotypes, which means it’s a great place to stretch your legs and suck back a pint. A concrete water park for Coal Harbour kiddies completes the scene so parents can enjoy a martini and throw back health-conscious pub fare while the kids romp only an olive-pit spit away.

1199 West Cordova St., Vancouver, 604-687-6455

The Artful Dodger Pub

Miss those days where you and your horse could mosey up to the local watering hole like John Wayne? Well, this place can actually accommodate you with a corral for parking your beast while you chow down and enjoy some drinks. Wonderful patio blooming with colourful flowers and a whiff of country air mingling with your burger. Check out the homemade chicken pot, shepherd’s or steak and kidney pies, the Dodger clubhouse sandwich or the Philly cheesesteak, a pleasing taco salad or nuzzle up to one of the schnitzel variations. And every day offers a different food and drink special.

2364 200th St., Langley, 604-533-2050

Joey’s Mediterranean Grill

Joey Tomato changes its name and goes a little upscale at this Broadway venue and the second-floor patio with its Casablanca-feel motif manages to remain secluded from the busy street action beneath. I’m a fan of their fish tacos, the rotisserie chicken, Panang prawn curry bowl and the grilled chicken Cobb salad. The Mediterranean and the Asian mingle on the menu with tasty results and the drink list aims to please every taste bud and nerve ending in your body.

1424 West Broadway, Vancouver, 604-732-5639

Yoshi

This is a raw fish vista. The rooftop patio overlooks Stanley Park and there’s a shrine-like tranquility where your belly, if not your mind, can attain a Zen-like state of being. The dishes here are as artfully arranged as the view, balanced for a sense of visual and flavourful harmony. From the robata grilled array to the sushi, sashimi to temaki, this is Japanese cuisine done up with elegance and style.

689 Denman St., Vancouver, 604-738-8226

Nevermind

Smells like teen spirit to me, though a few clicks over the drinking age in their clientele. It’s a youthful feel that could make the botox spurt from the pores of older folk trying too hard and flexing their face muscles. Nonetheless, it’s an OK patio out front but around the side the eatery provides great Adirondack chairs, which to me are the height of summer lazing and imbibing. After one of the burgers, pizzas or satay plates and a couple of cocktails or martinis like the Young Jedi or the Drunken Monkey, just try getting your ass out of one of these suckers.

3293 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-736-0212

Crave

Walk straight through this place to the back door, where you’ll find a cozy brick courtyard patio enclave hidden away from the shenanigans of Main Street. This casual bistro balances comfort with swankier culinary endeavours owing to the ex-Four Seasons chef Wayne Martin, who has downscaled his talents for the food-loving proletariat. On the menu look for the poutine with truffle parmesan fries and shortrib jus, the mussels with wild-game chorizo, the chipotle BBQ back ribs or a great buttermilk-fried-chicken Cobb salad. A small wine and beer list is more than sufficient for this well-grounded food.

3941 Main St., Vancouver, 604-872-3663

Joe Fortes

If you ever get the itch to light a big fat stogie with a C-note and snort up some hundred-year old Scotch on a rooftop, this is the place to do it. According to history Joe Forte was a humble guy whose main goal in life was looking out for the good folks swimming in English Bay. He may be the antithesis of the power brokers sucking back oysters and puffing on stogies on this snazzy rooftop patio, but really, everyone deserves to look like a millionaire now and again. Steaks, chops, fresh fish selections including the daunting seafood tower on ice, plus one of the best Cobb salads in the city make this patio a hedonistic summertime ritual.

777 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-669-1940

Brix

Enter the inner sanctum of this courtyard patio that evokes a bit of European charm amid the warehouse-chic renovations of Yaletown. Always intriguing food with a great late-night-eats and small-plate menu. For mains try the Nicola Valley venison scalloppini or Szechuan cured pork tenderloin on udon noodles, or tapas dishes like prosciutto wrapped sea scallops or smoked rainbow-trout crepe bundles. Late-night offerings include a Kobe beef chuck burger, a kabob platter, and afterwards you can get gooey over a dark chocolate fondue. Plus an excellent wine list to lubricate the proceedings.

1138 Homer St., Vancouver, 604-915-9463

Savory Coast Cucina

The name is a bit misleading since the only coastline here is along the sea of Robson St. shoppers. But this Tuscan-tinged patio setting succeeds in secluding you from the hordes below and the statuary trickling water from its grimacing gargoyle mouth adds a little Old World quaintness. Savoury indeed, with items like seared tuna carpaccio, veal-cheek garganelli, sirloin and spicy sausage rigatoni, Dungeness crab risotto, lemon braised lamb shanks and some intriguing pizza entries like the duck construction with goat cheese, sweet onions, duck confit and Kalamata olives. The wine list ain’t half bad either.

133 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-642-6278

Arm’s Reach Bistro

The bright yellow patio umbrellas mark the spot accented against the mountain and ocean backdrop at this quaint bistro where the road ends and the sea begins. Truly the embodiment of outdoor West Coast dining, with nature in all its glory and food that equally embodies the spirit of the Northwest. Look for the prawn salad with a champagne and poppyseed vinaigrette, steamed mussels in coconut milk, green curry and lime juice, The Spicy Reach spaghetti with tiger prawns and wine-cured chorizo, Fraser Valley roasted duck breast with a fig and tawny port reduction, or potato crusted local wild salmon with blood-orange buerre blanc and and shrimp risotto. All beautifully constructed for the eye and palate.

4390 Gallant Ave., North Vancouver (Deep Cove), 604-929-7442

Kingston Taphouse and Grille

Not just one but two patios live up to this joint’s billing as an urban oasis in the heart of the city. A garden patio on the second floor, lush with exotic shrubbery, a Mexican fountain and antique fireplace, plus the palm-tree-graced rooftop space that’ll have you crooning “Midnight At The Oasis” after a few drinks. Great ahi tuna springrolls or calamari for starters and entrees like chorizo penne, Kung Pao chicken, baby back ribs brushed with chipotle sauce or a red curry prawn bowl. Along with a toothsome chuck steak burger and a variety of savoury thin-crust pizzas, the Flat Iron steak sandwich on gorgonzola-imbued bread is a winner.

755 Richards St., Vancouver, 604-681-7011

Bridges

This place is so quintessentially West Coast it would make a great location shoot for a Kokanee beer commercial. The lower-level bistro patio packs in the crowd for burgers, mussels, pizzas or fish and chips but, if you’re looking for a more refined shindig, try the second-level dining-room terrace for a fancypants view matched by the fancypants food.

1696 Duranleau St., Granville Island, 604-687-4400

Green Acres

John B. Neighbourhood Pub

This patio has always been a Coquitlam crowd-pleaser, especially the smokers who enjoy a little nicotine with the oxygen-generating surrounding foliage, but the beer-enthusiast community and wine weenies aren’t neglected, either. The eating gets serious with grilled offerings like New York steak and crabcakes, scallops and bacon, and rack of lamb with a Guinness demi glaze. And, of course, there’s the tasty pub-grub offerings of burgers, nachos, chicken wings, an oyster poor boy, paninis and even a taco pizza. An award-winner with locals year after year and the neighbourly hospitality borders on Mr. Rogers if he ever kicked back with a coupl’a pints and a plate of ‘tater skins.

1000 Austin Ave., Coquitlam, 931-5115

Hart House Restaurant

Ah, to the manor born, even if it’s only for an afternoon or evening. The patio overlooks luxurious lawns fronting Deer Lake where the Queen playing croquet wouldn’t seem out of place if she didn’t mind the odd bit of duck poop; this is true pastoral patio serenity. The Tudor mansion in the background doesn’t hurt either, nor does the great menu. Put your molars to work on roasted lamb sirloin, prosciutto-wrapped poultry or seared Weathervane scallops with English peas, smoked ham hock and crips polenta.

6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, 604-298-4278

The Flying Beaver Bar & Grill

If you have a fetish for float-planes this is your place. Named for the famed Canadian-made De Haviland Beaver aircraft, one of the best bush and seaplanes ever built, the legacy of perfection (albeit in pub food in this case) lives on here. A panoramic patio overlooks the Fraser River and beyond, where you can watch the planes take off and land on the water while you put your incisors to work dispatching a great array of burger offerings, pizzas, sandwiches and an enticing appetizer list spanning everything from nachos to pepper-fried squid rings.

4760 Inglis Drive, Richmond, 604-273-0278

The Point Pub

A very cozy patio with lots of pastoral shrubbery to create a secluded sanctuary between the brickwork of Port Moody’s main strip. If the night should cool down there’s even a nifty gas fireplace outside to warm your tootsies. Classic pub grub wonderfully done with no unpronounceable ingredients gracing your nachos, chicken strips, baked chicken wings with a great sauce lineup, burgers, steaks or salads.

2524 St. Johns St., Port Moody, 604-936-1400

River’s Reach Pub

A pleasant foliage-filled patio with heat and covering for inclement weather so, in the middle of a downpour, you can still sit outside, sniff the ozone and scarf up a burger and a beer. This place, filled with atmospheric antiques and photos of bygone days, also boasts a huge and varied menu. Great burger selections, from the Big Mouth to the Firehall, layered with jalapeno and banana peppers, or try the baby-back ribs lathered in Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce. For seafood lovers there are mussels steamed in wine and butter, grilled halibut or a nice filet of broiled salmon. Plus pizzas, steaks and a wackload of poultry dishes.

320 Sixth St., New Westminster, 604-777-0101

Dublin Crossing

The interior is so impressive you many not want to wander out onto the patio but it ain’t a bad place to while away some time and wash down a pint with your bangers and mash. Not much of a view but fresh Langley air with just the right balance of cow patties and car fumes. Pretty classic pub fare, some hit and miss depending on what you order, but check out the Pub Pie with steak and Guinness gravy and the amazing homemade ice cream.

Unit 101-18789 Fraser Hwy. Langley, 604-575-5470

Par For The Patio Course

Hazards Restaurant

Expansive view of the Fraser Valley and Mount Baker, beautiful patio jutting out over the greenery and dishes spanning everything from eggs benedict to salmon, from ribs to sandwiches.

Westwood Plateau Golf, 1630 Parkway Blvd., Coquitlam, 941-4219

Eagle’s Nest Bar and Grill

Nestled amid stunning mountain scenery, which you can think about along with great burgers, wraps, chicken wings and cold pitchers of beer while you’re hacking out divots on the back nine.

Golden Eagle Golf Club, 21770 Ladner Rd., Pitt Meadows, 460-1111

Morgan Creek Golf & Country Club

A stunning setting of rolling greenery and a seat on the patio, gnawing on baby back ribs, the Everest nachos, the Creekside clubhouse or the New York steak sandwich will help you forget the 30-over-par you shot on this championship course.

3500 Morgan Creek Way, Surrey, 531-4262

Meadow Gardens Wedge Bar and Grill

The name of the place pretty much describes the patio panorama except for the addition of people swinging nine-irons in the distance. Ponder it all over paninis, burgers, quesadillas and a brew with a view.

19675 Meadow Gardens Way, Pitt Meadows, 465-5474

Westward Ho Public House and Grill Room

A pastoral setting, the serenity broken only by the sound of golfers swearing and searching the shrubbery while you watch from the patio, chowing down on some tasty grub. But the best spot here that speaks of summer to me is the beer and hotdog stand on the 10th green.

University Golf Club, 5185 University Blvd., Vancouver, 224-7799

Lakeside Grill at Mayfair Lakes Golf Club

The clubhouse building juts out like a Frank Lloyd Wright creation with a touch of Stealth bomber but its pointy prow is softened by the magnificent mountain and meadow backdrop. The menu covers just about everything except advice on your backswing.

5460 No. 7 Rd., Richmond, 604-276-0511

© The Vancouver Province 2007

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Sun

Choose from a menu specializing in game meats while enjoying lovely views of a vineyard and lake at Nk’Mip Cellars

Mia Stainsby
Sun

I visited the Osoyoos area recently and have to say my most memorable food stop was at a Rock Creek roadside diner, where we stopped for coffee and local colour.

I asked for a scone, which I rhymed with stone.

“Good try! It’s scone!” the waitress corrected, rhyming with yawn. “And we’re out!”

“How ’bout the blueberry muffin?” I asked, having hallucinated some as I walked in.

“Frozen solid!”

I wished she were popping gum and rolling her eyes at me to complete the vignette. It’s a diner — I’d have been disappointed if she didn’t have attitude. And who cares if my pronunciation of scone was as right as hers?

In Osoyoos, we tried the restaurants at the Spirit Ridge Resort and at its next-door-neighbour, Nk’Mip Cellars. They’re both just a few minutes from downtown, at the end of Rancher Creek Road on Osoyoos Band territory. The gorgeous adobe-style winery is run by the band and the resort is a Bellstar Hotels and Resorts operation.

Of the two, Nk’Mip Cellars offers the more sophisticated dining experience. It’s more attractive and more service-oriented, and serious about food — it translates into an expensive affair with lunch dishes costing $20 and up. (It’s only open for lunch but, starting in July, they’ll have a small-plates menu from 4 to 8 p.m.)

The food is described as “aboriginal inspired” and the chef, Charles Stover, puts an emphasis on game meats — guinea fowl, rabbit, boar, caribou.

The menu is a little confusing to navigate as there are platters (cheese, smoked meat, combination, sampler) and add-ons of vegetarian, game and seafood dishes, as well as a choice of two-for-$16 appetizers.

I opted for roasted quail with wild mixed rice and sourdough apricot dressing, and the bannock with balsamic caramelized onions. My husband started with wild boar-wrapped scallops and caribou sausage starters, and the wild mushroom ravioli for the main. The meats could have been juicier but everything else was competently cooked.

We polished off a shared ricotta cheesecake with organic berries within seconds of its arrival. And our server, who took pride in her first nations heritage, didn’t miss a step — she was keen, informative, chatty and attentive.

We ate on a lovely terrace overlooking the vineyard and Osoyoos Lake. First nations music, softened with flutes and calm, drifted through the al fresco space.

From Nk’Mip you can look across to the patio at Passatempo at Spirit Ridge, where we had lunch another day. The view isn’t quite as bucolic, as the guest swimming pool stands between the view of vineyard and lake. People pad back and forth, some nice to look at, some not.

Passatempo, Italian for “passing the time,” is part of the the hotel so it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner entrees are in the $21 to $35 range here.

I had a quinoa salad with spinach, fried chickpeas, feta cheese and tiger prawns ($10) and my husband had grilled organic grass-fed beef striploin with grilled tiger prawns, and fries ($18).

The quinoa salad was healthy and delicious, save for the prawns, which were chewy. My husband’s striploin was well-done instead of medium-rare, and very chewy; the accompanying prawns were the same as mine but the fries were good, and obviously cooked in clean oil.

To be fair, we didn’t sample much of the menu. Owner/chef Brad Lazarenko sources local organic ingredients. Suppliers include a local cheesemaker, beef from Williams Lake, organic fruit and vegetable growers and local fair-trade coffee roasters.

Service was minimal and, even with coaxing, it was hard to get a smile from our passive server.

While you’re there, check out the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre and go for a careful walk through rattlesnake country.

– – –

AT A GLANCE

Nk’Mip Cellar Winery

1400 Rancher Creek Rd., Osoyoos

250-495-2985

Passatempo at Spirit Ridge

Rancher Creek Rd., Osoyoos

250-495-8007.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Pelagos Greek Restaurant came recommended by a friend and more than lived up to its advance billing

Michelle Hopkins
Sun

Good friends, fine wine and great food. Much has been written about cherished memories made over a great meal.

A recent night out with my dear friend, Sharon, was one of those moments. It was a rare night out with my travelling friend so we wanted to make it special, looking for a place with a spectacular waterfront view and delicious Greek food.

We found both at Pelagos Greek Restaurant in Crescent Beach.

Pelagos is housed in a Greek-style building right on the waterfront and its authentic Greek decor makes me yearn for a trip to the Mediterranean.

Pelagos came highly recommended by Sharon. She has been a number of times over the years and she always goes back because she can count on consistently delicious food, good service and a magnificent vista.

We pulled up a chair and after much catching up (in which our friendly, but unobtrusive waitress, Kristine, gave us time to leisurely order), we perused the extensive menu. I contemplated ordering a house specialty called Ortikia: two broiled quails cooked in olive oil and lemon, served with rice, roast potatoes, fresh vegetables and a Greek salad.

Alas, I am a creature of habit, so I order the Spanakota, a succulent breast of chicken stuffed with spinach and feta and all the fixings. Sharon went for the juicy eight-ounce New York steak with tiger prawns. The steak was tender and the tiger prawns fresh.

Meanwhile, we started out our dinner with an appetizer for two. We both decide on a combination of three dips — tzatziki, homous (chick pea, garlic, lemon and oil), and Taramosalata, which is a fish roe dip mixed with mash potatoes, garlic, lemon juice and oil. All are excellent on the restaurant’s homemade pita bread.

Next came an excellent Greek salad with its classic blend of tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, black olives and red onions tossed with good quality olive oil, all crowned with creamy feta.

Eight years ago, chef and owner James Christopherson purchased Pelagos Greek Restaurant.

“When an opportunity came up to go into partnership to own a restaurant with a friend I jumped at it,” James explained later in a telephone interview. “I bought him out about a year and a half ago.”

Asked what his signature dishes are, he doesn’t hesitate: “Our rack of lamb and roast lamb are very popular. Our calamari is also a popular feature because it’s light, fluffy tender and tasty. We also sell a lot of seafood; sole, halibut, prawns and salmon.

“We’ve gotten away a little bit from just serving the regular Greek fare because of the location; customers are demanding more seafood.”

Right now, the ample outdoor patio (which seats 60), is blooming with a burst of colourful flowers and is a fabulous spot for people-watching or to watch the waves lap on the beach.

– – –

AT A GLANCE

Pelagos Greek Restaurant

2728 O’Hara Lane, Crescent Beach

604-538-6102

www.crescentbeach.bc.ca/pelagos

Open for lunch Thursday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner Monday to Sunday from 5 p.m.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

At Denman Street’s Legendary Noodle, the specialty is handmade on-site, fresh and tasty

Mia Stainsby
Sun

His dad opened the first Legendary Noodle on Main Street in 1996 and three years ago, his family opened another in Richmond. And now, ta-r-ram! Brock Lee, the son, is slowly taking over the family business.

He recently opened the third Legendary Noodle, only this one not only serves hand-crafted noodles, it’s high in theatrics.

When I walked through the beaded curtains on Denman Street, I expected to see actress Gong Li sitting down to a bowl of noodles. It feels like a slice of China with some of its history in the simple wooden antique tools and devices like water and spinning wheels that Lee imported.

“The water wheel on the wall was used for transporting water in the rice fields,” says Lee, of the antique. “It’s all about labour. The theme is tied to this restaurant. Here, everything is done by hand.”

Lee was recently featured in a segment of Glutton For Punishment on the Food Network. In it, he was trying to teach celebrity chef Bob Blumer how to be a noodle master. And that’s what he is — like his father and grandfather — he can drag, stretch and cut noodles in the blink of an eye. If prodded, he can even skip rope with the noodles he makes without the noodles touching ground.

At his Denman Street noodle spot, you’ll see the New York Times piece lauding the noodles at the Main Street location. Well, you’ll find the same menu — the same simple food — at all locations but on Denman, there are a couple of new dishes: Noodles Perfumed with Olive Oil, Lemon, Garlic and Green Onions and Dumplings in Hot Sour Soup with Mushrooms and Bamboo.

I tried the former and slurped away, while doing a Jim Carrey, stretching my neck around my partner to see the master stretching and forming noodles. The starters, pan-fried dumplings (also made by hand, a la minute), were delicious as were the fried pea shoots with garlic. There are a handful of rice-based dishes on the menu too but I wasn’t enthralled with the rice with lamb shank and green beans. The meat was way too salty.

The noodles can’t taste any fresher because they are made in-house with techniques Lee started to hone from the age of 13.

“It takes at least half a year to understand the dough — the temperature, the hardness, the taste. You boil it for 20 seconds and it’s done; fresh,” he says. Pastry flour is the best for elasticity, he adds. It’s just flour, salt, a little oil and water.

Oh, and another thing. Most noodle dishes are $6.50 to $6.99. Starters are $2.50 to $4.50. How antique is that!

– – –

LEGENDARY NOODLE

1074 Denman St., 604-669-8551. Open daily, 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Also at: Empire Centre, 1300 — 4540 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-207-9226 and 4191 Main St., 604-879-8758.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Vancouver and West Van franchises dish out a combo of good food, nice digs and a room with a positive vibe

Mia Stainsby
Sun

If you want a lesson on just how to act when life throws you a punch, take a page out of Scott Morison’s book.

The one-time reject of BCIT’s hospitality and tourism program went on to be something of a tycoon in the local restaurant industry. He and a partner started up the chain of enormously successful Cactus Club restaurants; he sold his share and opened the first Browns Restaurant in North Vancouver in 2004 and then, soon after, another in Yaletown.

He offered Browns chainlets to franchise owners and the most recent to open were on Fourth Avenue and in West Vancouver’s Village at Park Royal Mall; both opened on the same day last month and there’ll be more to come.

The menus are the same, although the Fourth Avenue location cut back on some items because of kitchen constraints. Both have lots of eye candy on the floor.

At Park Royal, we were greeted by a bevy of blondes. Our server — super friendly and cheerful — wore a black bustier made family-friendly with a black top worn under it. The decor is modern with a touch of retro (blow-up Ken Lum-like photos of Santa Monica in the ’70s and touches of Rob and Laura Petrie decor). It’s more spacious and a touch more sophisticated and quieter than the Kits location, where by the end of my meal, I approached meltdown from the incredible din of music and chatter bouncing off the hard surfaces of tile and wood.

Despite its separation from Cactus Club, Brown’s feels like a close relative. The menu is smaller but with the same affordable price points. It hasn’t changed much since its debut three years ago but now there’s an executive chef dedicated to working on the menu.

“There’ll be menu changes in the summer and fall,” says Carl McCreath part-owner of the Fourth Avenue operation.

You’ve got the selection of salads and starters, burgers and sandwiches, “spa” bowls, and entrees (three out of seven are steaks). At the Fourth Avenue location, I liked the green papaya salad, an enormous serving of refreshing flavour. Lobster wings are tasty, although there are gentler ways to handle delicate lobster meat than to mimic chicken wings. The most expensive dish, a 10-ounce New York steak, proved juicy and worth the $28.

I’m not sure why the Halibut Bowl was served in a bowl, as it was fish, rice and salad and would have been easier to eat on a flat plate. The halibut was nice and fresh, though.

As they sailed by my table, I noticed many of the Browns appetizers could win look-alike contests — golden brown, bite-sized edibles. At the Park Royal location, kung fu chicken (golden bite-sizes) came with a too-treacly chili sauce; wok-fried squid was tasty with a fresh ginger relish; the Hollywood burger approached fast-food quality except at twice the price of $9.

I wasn’t enthralled with dessert at either location — a key lime pie was more like custard pie with a tiny bit of tang; a chocolate banana bread cake with vanilla ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauce and whisky butter was too dry and miserly with the sauces. The drink menu features smart, affordable wines, daily drink specials and a few celebratory items like the Moet & Chandon and some reserve bottles of wine.

As the crush at the door shows, Browns is successful with its formula of decent enough food, nice digs, servers who show they’ve some training under their belts, and positive vibes that could lift one out of drowsiness or depression.

– – –

BROWNS SOCIAL HOUSE

Two new locations:

2296 West Fourth Ave., 604-733-2420

Village at Park Royal, 900 Main St., West Vancouver, 604-922-9306

www.brownsrestaurantbar.com

Open for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week and brunch on weekends

Overall: 3

Food: 3

Ambience: 3 1/2

Service: 3 1/2

Price $/$$

Restaurant visits are conducted anonymously and interviews are done by phone. Restaurants are rated out of five stars.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007