For those who have no idea what the title is about, let me explain.

Henry & I have returned to radio land! We now talk about food, wine & travel every other tuesdays at 10:30am as food bloggers/columnist on Deborah Moore’s morning show “Modern Deborah” on AM1470.  This is a recap of the key topics on the most recent show which is somewhat semi-bilingual, since Enlgish is our lovely host Deborah’s first language.  Having lived in Hong Kong for years before coming to Vancouver, her Cantonese is unique and colourful.  The show broadcasts live on air and online to major cities such as Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton. Hope you can tune in.

 A) The Parlour Restaurant

1011 Hamilton Street, Vancouver. 604-568-3322  www.theparlourrestaurant.com

We walk into the newly opened ‘The Parlour’ on a Tuesday night.  At 6pm, the room is already packed, a good sign for sure.  The open-floor room is done in a contemporary casual style – grey stone walls, high ceilings and approchable art pieces and decorations – a place where one will feels comfortable, no matter what one’s wearing and what he or she’s going to order.

The restaurant consists of 2 areas: The front room where most couples and small groups occupy and where the TV/Bar corner station locates. The back room splits into two: the open kitchen and another dining area where bigger groups gather. Our table is may be 5 meters from the kitchen, we are able to see the non-stop action and smell the enticing aroma flowing about.  With an open kitchen, the centre piece of a place like ‘The Parlour’, the dining experience starts off with a win right at the getgo!

What we tasted:

Salmon Tartare – I am a bit skeptical before its arrival thinking ‘it’s just another ‘fish tartare’, but am I awed! The steelhead salmon, smartly mingled with seaweed, bonito, sesame seeds and crushed macadamia nuts, was dressed with ponzu aioli and micro cilantro.  Citrus, sweet and nuttines all come together in perfect harmony.  Henry loves it from the moment he sees the word ‘Salmon Tartare’!

Meatball Minis – Mini burgers these are. Brioche is the bun, reggiano is the cheese and the meatballs are truly Italian.  But the tomato sauce with sambal and caramelized onion sings a different tune. What I like – it’s tiny enough to hold and indulge, but not too filling so I can still enjoy the other stuff.

Yaletown Pizza – We never had tuna on our pizza so didn’t know what to expect.  We both liked what we saw – with sliced of green and cream avocado on top, this pizza stands strongly on its own.  The albacore tuna, raw red onion and green onion remind us of a fine Japanese sashimi dish.  Adding not-too-hot jalapeno and spicy aioli, Yaletown is surprisingly light and refreshing.

Brocco – Broccoli pan-tossed in sweet soy sauce.  This delightful vegetable is very west-coast, definitely Asian-influenced.

After note: I’m going back to try their Chicken quinoa soup and gluten-free pizza. Henry has his eyes on the Arugula Salad.

B) From BC, with Vodka!

Shouldn’t be surprised to find fellow British Columbians wetting their hands to make Vodka, since this is the land filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers.  Especially so in the F&B field, because these folks are all passionate about doing a good job with a healthy-conscience, both on the product and on taking care of Mother Nature!

Thanks to Forage Restaurant (on Robson) for hosting this eye, ear & palate-opening tasting event. And thanks to Chef Chris who once again, made a perfect appetizer trio to pamper us through the tasting!

All three Vodka distilleries love to welcome visitors to their tasting rooms and distillery tours. My suggestion? Check out their websites and make an appointment before you go!

Long Table Distillery: 1451 Hornby Street, Vancouer, BC. 604-266-0177 www.longtabledistillery.com

Pemberton Distillery: 1954 Venture Place, Pemberton, BC.  604-894-0222 www.pembertondistillery.ca

Victoria Spirits:  6170 Old West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC. 1-250-544-8217 www.victoriaspirits.com 

$9.95 Lobster Mania at
Cache

Stephanie Yuen

Seldom do I visit the same restaurant twice within 10 days, yet it happened last week. The restaurant, Cachè Bistro & Lounge, is a new kid in Yaletown, opened about a year ago.  It could be the very simple yet creative but unpretentious food style, could be the weekend jazz, or perhaps the concordant conversation and free-spirited laughter, the place reminds me so much of the movie “Midnight in Paris”. Let me go back to the first evening.

With our dear friend Bosco Henry & I went there for the first time last Tuesday.  We shared amongst us work stories, wines and multi-courses. Tuesday is a commonly quieter week night for restaurants, so we rolled the evening at a leisure pace as we sipped the wine, cracked up jokes while indulging into Chef Alex’s made-public French cuisine (he used to run a private dinner club at his home Kitchen).  Started off with a handsome wood-board of cheese, charcuterie and Chef’s home-made orange confit, onion jam, fig puree and poached apricot.  A perfect cold plate to share and to warm up the appetite, and with a glass of Tinhorn Merlot ’09 in hand, we took our time. When Manager Hunk removed the board and the merlot, the Foie Gras on house brioche, Escargot in flaky pastry and the PEI mussels paraded onto the table.

A good beginning

  For main, we shared the double-rolled Seafood Crepe, an order of exotic Lamb Rack and Seared Duck Breast drizzled with blueberry demi. To my delight, the seafood, the lamb and the duck were all local products.  We had a silver tree of mango & chocolate for dessert.

Came Saturday, Henry wanted to go and listen to live jazz there and I desired for both – the jazz and the French food.  There’s drizzles in the air when we parked our car and walked through crowds of weekend fun-seekers towards Cachè.  Jazz this evening was both music and songs performed by a couple of young brothers who took the room back to the 30’s and 40’s – so mellow and so much fun!  Thanks to an early light dinner we intended to make room for more food at Cache`, we opted for the wood-board of cheese and charcuterie to go with the wine and the light and cheerful rhythm, and an order of garlic toast on the side. While my finger was busy digging into the cheese and meat, my feet were swaying to the young chaps’ easy-going guitar drumming. The night got even better when my dessert order Crepe Suzette – golden, aromatic, thin and fluffy with the right amount of sweetness – showed up. What a splendid way to enjoy a Saturday evening – more jazz please!     

Cachè lines up their evenings with all sorts of fun menu offerings and entertaining programs. Go online and check out their early dinner special, their $35 3-course dinner ($12 wine-flight), and their weekend Brunch menu.  March is the ‘$9.95 Lobster Mania‘, best to make a reservation, from what I have been told, every night is an early sold-out! 

Coming up in April is the ‘Welcome to Spring’ - Cache’s first Wine-paired dinner – hosted by Chef Alex and Henry Yuen, our very own Wine Columnist! An authentic French rabbit dish will be the entrée. This 5-course wine-paired French dinner completed with complimentary reception cocktail for $85 all-inclusive, and only 30 seats are available! Well, what’re you waiting for?

Cache` Bistro & Lounge

1269 Hamilton Street, Vancouver. 604- 558-1269   http://www.cachebistro.com

Stephanie Yuen
(Chinese article: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/stephanieyuen/?variant=zh-hans)

As a huge fan of Lin Chinese Cuisine and a friend of Chef Zhang and Madam Miao (who looks after the dimsum department and the floor), I’m well aware of Zhang’s desire to dip his hands into ‘modern Chinese cuisine’.  I remember him telling me how such a restaurant was lacking in Vancouver and that the availability of bountiful local ingredients and savvy diners who seek for nothing less than original and flavourful would make it very feasible. Though I had my doubts, I was not going to wrack his dream.

Then came the news that they found the location and Lin’s sister restaurant would soon be opened.  This was obviously not a bit surprising; instead, we anticipated the official arrival of Zhang’s new born baby patiently.

The soft opening finally took place in the 3^rd week of December. When my family went there on a cold, wet night for our pre-Christmas dinner and to check it out, the store front was still austere, and the restaurant sign “Sen森Bistro” above did not really say much at all.  “We have to be sure both the kitchen and the floor are ready before we make any big noises.” Chef explained.

Everyone was awed by the contemporarily-toned dining room with gorgeous colour schemes and marble table tops, a 180-degree turn from the shabby dining room of Lin’s for sure.  Replacing the dimsum counter is a private room (a karaoke room if you so desire) with two huge tables fit for 50 persons. The interior design indicates this is no neighbourhood hole-in-the-wall joint, but a Chinese eatery with a different concept. By the time we finished dinner, my doubt about another ‘modern Chinese restaurant’ was gone, cool interior design, appropriate service (young bilingual staff) and a new spectrum of Mandarin cuisine, evidently, Sen is in a league of its own!

The cold plates – visually displayed inside the cold case standing in a corner of the dining room – are meant to be like salads and are great for sharing. Mostly refreshing vegetarian choices, they are served in oriental bowls such as pickles and kimchi. Chef used a variety of roots and vegetables and will be changed according to market supplies. Amongst other cold appetizers (listed on the menu) we ordered, we all fell in love with the Broad Bean Mash.

Chef Zhang has definitely shifted into a new gear when he designed the menu items for Sen.  Since Chinese restaurant menus never give you any insight or imagination about the dish, too bad Sen fails to avoid falling into the same track.  Knowing this particular well enough, we let Zhang took care of the ordering for us.   

Entrées came as nicely plated individual servings, but the portions were big enough to be shared, especially when more than one course was ordered.  We had quite a few landed on our table: Sable fish with sauté green onion, flambé salmon, w0k-fried prawns with garlic chili sauce, roasted fruity chicken drumsticks, Braised pork with pumpkin in soy-bean paste…some came with noodles, some with rice, some with pan-cakes or steamed buns. Even the stone-hotpot rice was attractive, and the dessert, inviting! I have been back a few times since, with friends and families, with fellow foodies, trying out different menu items. The verdict?  Chef Zhang delivered! 

However, I refuse to call Sen Bistro a ‘modern Chinese restaurant’.  What we saw were handsome presentation of authentically prepared and cooked Mandarin dishes infused smartly with west-coast influences.  I like what my dear friend Nathan Fong’s (who I invited to dine at Sen on a later day) description “Renewed Mandarin Cuisine”!

Six weeks later today, there are more signs out front, young able and bilingual staff walking and serving the floor wearing a smile, the wine list will be ready any day.  Chef Zhang and Sen Bistro are ready!  

Stephanie Yuen (Chinese posting: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/stephanieyuen/?variant=zh-hans)

Dine Out Vancouver, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                      January 18 to Feb www.dineoutvancouver.com                                                                                                                                                               

      With 240 restaurants to choose from, it’s impossible to try even 10% of the offered dine-out menus over 17 days, no matter how hard you attempt. Quite difficult for anyone to lay out a strategic plan when there are restaurants booked solidly even before the Dine-out begins. Frown no more, to make sure you’re in the game, let your fingers do the walking first! Checking who the players are this year online is a must – it provides good information about the restaurant. Please do take a look at the dine-out menus of those restaurants you’re interested in to see if they appeal to you before reserving a table – after all, you’re going there to eat, right?

Quite a few restaurants offer ‘Extra’ side-dishes to compliment your meal, they’re worth paying attention to; some are simply great for sharing!

Please do take a look at the wine-pairing suggestions too when you get there, the boss/wine guy/bartender/sommelier always do a fantastic job serenading to our own BC wines nicely while enhancing your dining pleasure.

I would start with the $18-dollar ones. Why not if you can go and have a great time with a yummy 3-course dinner for $18? Of course you cannot compare the $18 restaurants to the $28 or the $38 groups and expect the same ambiance, service and décor. Just bear in mind they are different dining experiencex and styles of cooking, yet it no way means you’ll enjoy less at the $18-menu establishments.

My top picks are:
Bistro 101 (Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts): One of your friends or their kids may be cooking in the kitchen of this renowned culinary school with a comfortable restaurant that has been serving awesome meals and pastries!
Fish Shack: Freshness all the way – definitely a great place for sharing and trying every thing on the menu.
Judas Goat Taberna: Fun ambiance, homey food and a unique room.
Fresh (Surrey): Don’t overlook the effort and chef power of the suburbanites who embrace local farmers and produce while doing a great job with it.
Wild Rice (New Westminster River Market): A lovely open-concept dining room with a view. Good excuse to go and explore the handsome boardwalk.

The $28 category:
There are lots of hidden gems and big names here. For those who are comfy with the mid-range price tag or diners fidgeting with the fine-dining mode, promise you’ll find lovely restaurants that offer excellent menu choices in this category.

Forage – Unassuming but cozy dining room, hearty yet creative dishes and beautiful pasta. One of you has to order the crispy skin Pork Belly.
Café Pacifica – Pan Pacific Hotel’s glorious view and impeccable service is good enough luring factor.
Pastis – At $28, the 3-course dinner is a steal.
Sylvia Hotel – Three words: historic, nostalgic, ocean view.
Campagnolo – Casual comfort Italian food – my favourite place for thin-crust pizza and salad.

The $38 category:
Come on, indulge yourself; take your parents, go with your buddies, colleagues; go taste some of the best restaurants in Vancouver. 3-course set-menus do not mean they’re not for sharing. Steak lovers beware, there are renowned steak houses in this category!

Black & Blue – Find out what ‘Blue ribbon’ beef is, you’ll be impressed! Make sure you try the Crispy Jalapeno creamed corn.

5 Sails – If you can enjoy a masterfully prepared meal in this gorgeous room for $38, you’ve captured the spirit of ‘Dine-out’!
Coast – Seafood prepared just right.
Joe Forte – Have not been yet? What’re you waiting for?
Yew – Definitely one of the best hotel restaurants in town.

Stephanie Y

Food lovers agree; being a foodie in Vancouver is so much more fulfilling! If one decides not to cook for a year, he or she would end up dining in a different restaurant/venue every night. From hole-in-the-wall surprises to elegant luxurious dining rooms; a $5-bowl of noodle to 3-digit wine-paired dinner; home-style chow to award-winning dishes prepared by celebrity chefs; or a special dinner event like no others, the choices are astounding!

As someone who cooks with passion and eats for a living, I appreciate the fact that Metro Vancouver offers one of the best culinary scenes, if not the most vibrant. If I were to say yes to all the invitations – job-related or not – the non-stop food actions would be far too overwhelming for my palate and digestive system. Being a veteran food writer who had the pleasure of doing so for decades; and hats off to getting older and a little bit wiser, I learn to choose and say no, thanks. Yet, every time I bite into a sensational piece of divinely cooked morsel, my eyes will close, my nose wiggles and my palate still sings, “Heleluja!”

Executive Chef Wiles of Pan Pacific Hotel lures diners with artistic skills

Allow me to share a few of those “Heluluja” 2012 moments with you.

An intimate ‘Afternoon Tea’ with my mom and sisters, at Shaktea where I discovered the best scones in town at SOMA (South of Main Street).

Watching Dimsum Chef Miao making those thin-skinned xiao long bao in high speed and cautiously biting into a fluffy, juicy, steaming hot one at Lin Chinese Cuisine on W. Broadway.

Those thin cuts of almost melt-in-my-month beef at the “All You Can Eat Prime Rib Dinner” at The Brasserie at the Coast Hotel on Denman. (Available Fridays and Saturdays only)

At the recent Chef’s Challenge at Cornucopia. The hard-to-master Cheese Souflle was the grand winner.

         Stuffing my mouth with a thick fat juicy piece torn off from the mega rack of veal with all the trimmings, at Campagnolo near the Skytrain Station on Main.  

Tasting Julia Child’s recipes at Pastis on W. 4^th, while sharing food thoughts and laughters with Proprietor John Blakeley.

Sniffing and biting into the warm Durian & Mango Tart at Kaya Malay Bistro on W. Broadway and watching my dining companions shove it away!

Breakfast at Provence at Marinaside, with a book in hand and no appointment to rush to.

Judging and digging into the winning dish (by Araxi) “Cheese Souffle” at the recent Chef’s Challenge to kick of the 2012 Whistler Cornucopia.

Watching the steams escaping from the hot pot of free-range chicken in wine and herbed broth, anticipating the joy of picking up a piece of tender and aromatic chicken piece, at Ken Chinese Restaurant on Kingsway.

Spreading smoked chicken liver and foie gras parfait on piece after piece of baguette at Le Parisienne on Denman.

The skillfully-prepared and plated 8-course dinner at Grand Dynasty, prepared by Chef Sam Leung; with perfectly paired wines from Villa Maria of New Zealand.

Experiencing my first Veggie Burger while uttering “wow, that’s so good” remarks at Luke’s Corner Bar & Kitchen on Granville during the Burger Challenge organized by my dear friend Richard Wolak, the Vancouver Foodster.

Watching Executive Chef Wiles performed his finishing touch on the 4-coursed dinner in the cozy dining room at Café Pacifica.

Yes, life is good for food lovers here in Vancouver!

The action-packed Lin Cuisine

Happy holidays to you all!

Stephanie Y          (Original Chinese article please log onto: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/stephanieyuen/?variant=zh-hans)

One of the most memorable meals I had recently took place at Grand Dynasty Chinese Restaurant on Broadway (at Heather). Hosted by Sir George of Villa Maria Estate Winery all the way from New Zealand, this multi-coursed luncheon proved that when effort and attention are paid, pairing wine with Chinese cuisine can be as enjoyable as pairing with any other fine fare.

Anyone who’s attended a Chinese banquet knows the drill – when we say multi-courses, we’re talking about at least 10 or more.  Each course is cooked in different way and often involves complex flavoured-seasoning and wok technique, rendering various texture and umami.  To choose a wine to go with each dish is not only a challenge, it is not recommended since going through 10 or more different bottles of wines within few hours is not what savouring Chinese food or appreciating wines garners.   

Savvy wine-drinkers probably know that New Zealand’s wine quality and production volume are on the rise.  The current number of 698 wineries and 2.35 billion liters of wine is something British Columbia can only dream of.  Their Sauvignon Blanc has been receiving rave reviews.  New Zealand encompasses 1000 miles from North to South, a vast geographic and climatic spectrum grants different wine zones with regional characteristic, giving their wines their own structures and attributes.  As a result, their Chardonnay, Riesling, Shirah, Merlot and Pinot Noir have all been claiming global attention.       

Established in 1961, Villa Maria Estate Winery has been regarded as one of the pioneers in the nation, more can definitely be said of Sir George, the heart and soul behind what Villa Maria is and all the awards received.

The 7 wines we tried that day were their flagship wines, poured freely to allow guests to swirl, taste and sip with the beautifully prepared East meets West courses prepared by Executive Chef Sam Leung, served contemporary style.   

 1) Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011: The soft aroma of fresh fig and mild citrus wakes up the palate.

2) Private Bin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011: Fruity and lengthy with refreshing tropical flavour.   

3) Private Bin East Coast Pinot Gris 2011: The subtle sweetness of melon balances beautifully with the spicy note.

4) Private Bin Hawkes Bay Merlot 2011: Classic berries and ripened plum with a touch of smooth vanilla.

5) Marlborough Private Bin Pinot Noir 2010: Fruit forward sensation and complex body that lingers.

6) Marlborough Private Selection Pinot Noir 2009: Full-bodied and lengthy, the texture and flavour keep elevating the wow factor to higher levels. 

7) Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006:  Carefully selected de-stemmed grapes give this wine the smooth structure and a round tannin.

And now, some of Chef Leung’s creative dishes.

Stephanie Yuen

Stepping into the warm and welcoming dining room of the neighbourhood restaurant from the rain in a wet, gloomy evening seems like a clip from a feel-good movie. That was exactly how I felt the other night as I pushed the door and found myself inside the affable Le Parisien – a hungry soul yearning for a good time with friends and a tableful of hearty food!   

November in the west coast means single-digit temperature and lots of rain – ah, the season for comfort food, those that remind you of food your mom, aunties and grandma cook for the family.

Take for instance, the Beef Tongue “Pastrami” with Gribiche Sauce (Mayonnaise-style sauce made with hard-boiled egg) or the Cirspy Braised Pigs Trotter with Lentils, Frisee Salad in Ginger Vinaigrette. When was the last time you bite into sheet-thin beef tongue and a medallion of golden pig trotter that went though hours of preparation and braising?  Lucky me, this evening, right here at John Blakeley’s homey restaurant, I had both, and each bite was drenched with full flavour.

But there were more!

A plate of Smoked Herring and Warm Potato Salad came first to brush us up. Smoked Herring may not be on everyone’s food list, but who can say no to potato salad!

The Mimosa Salad of Butter Lettuce and Egg refreshed our palates.  As the evening proceeded with interesting conversations of local news, fun jokes and Hollywood gossips; we spoiled ourselves heartily with beautiful wines and a parade of not-too-usual classic French cooking.

Our main – The enthralling Sole Farcie dressed with Tarragon Cream delivered such aroma, we all took a deep breath. The meat is so moist and tender, all you can hear were ‘Oohs’ and ‘Aahs’! The Crepe, painted with dripped chocolate, fresh berries and cream, agreeably took the evening to another high note!  As we said our goodbyes, we all agreed we have to do this again, soon!

On top of a Three-course menu for $29.00, Le Parisien also presents The Nasty Bits Volume for the month of November.  Go to their website to check out the menu and to reserve a table.

Le Parisien   http://www.leparisien.ca

751 Denman Street, Vancouver.

604-687-1412

Text/photo: Stephanie Yuen

They don’t mind going all the way to Richmond or Burnaby to shop for specialty foods.  “They” refers to foodies who pay attention to what they put in their food and home chefs who are serious about what they cook with. In case you are not too sure what ‘specialty foods’ is, follow them to Alderbridge Way in Richmond or Marine Way in South Burnaby, to where Galloway Specialty Foods – the well-established food store who is the maestro of ‘specialty foods’  – are located.

Some say ‘Specialty Foods’ can be any food items that you, your culture and culinary background are not familiar with, some say they simply are not your everyday ingredients, others referring them to ingredients with a special purpose.  Himalaya peppers are common to Nepalese but unheard of in North America, Edamame (green soy beans) are staples for Chinese and Japanese but not in Europe; Asian and aboriginal herbs with medicinal properties; even quinoa, pine nuts, wild rice and wood ears are good examples of ‘specialty foods’. What about a frozen package of real coconut meat?

At Galloway’s Burnaby store, over 9000 grocery, organic, home and personal care products are offered. Hence the best place to come face to face to some of the more common and in-demand items. Come take a look and find out for yourselves what they may be.  There are dried goods such as herbs, spices, beans, fruits and flours; canned food, juice and rose water; familiar grocery items such as curry powder, nuts and grains, gourmet items such as goji berries and calimyrna figs; and sweets such as candies and chocolates. Some are must-haves for any kitchen; some alien-like specialty items and perhaps unheard of names, such as Harissa from Morocco, Piquillo peppers from Northen Spain, Carnaroli rice from the Andes.  Many shoppers agree and enjoy the fact that they often learn new things when they visit Galloway’s. Your first visit will definitely be an eye opener and a good inspiration for a new chapter in culinary creations. Like me, you’ll likely pick up a package each of Ccocolate gojiberry and chocolate ginger – they are meant to accompany TV-watching, book-reading and sharing with your chocolate-loving friends! 

Galloway’s first opened in downtown Vancouver in 1936 when Vancouver was still a town rather than a city.  Their passion and vision on food led them to their iconic achievement in the specialty food category decades later. Besides herbs, ‘s spices, grains and flours, Galoway’s was first known to be the place to go for ethnic foods, gourmet ingredient and baking needs.  Today, in both the Richmond and the Burnaby locations, they take care not just foodies, home cooks and career chefs, with items like black cocoa to red quinoa (keen-wa), gluten-free and sugar-free goods, fresh herbs from S.E. Asia, fine spices from the sunny West Indies to exotic Africa, rich oils from Portugal to Australia, they also look after the needs of folks with special dietary needs and health concerns.  

According to owner Annie Kara, “We shop the world for you, selecting products of the highest quality from around the world and bringing them right to you! We have knowledgeable staff, some whom are culinary professionals, who are always happy to provide you with recipes and culinary advice. Our goal at Galloway’s is to help expand your culinary horizons!” Galloway’s did such a wonderful job, they outgrew the small store on Seymour Street and moved to Richmond. The south Burnaby location is the second retail store with a large warehouse on Marine Way in south Burnaby in a newly erected industrial complex opened two years ago.

Words and pix: Stephanie Yuen

PNE is finally here, so are the different shapes and forms of yummy treats. Some of which are fit to indulge into only annually, hence ideal for PNE!

The funny thing is, before entering the fair ground, all food virtual, diets and habits seem to have been left at the gate.  Once you see the smokes floating, aromas drifting and line-ups forming in front of those picturesque food trucks, your palate start to wonder too. Everywhere you look, someone is holding or biting onto one, may be two food items.  Even babies have a pink cotton candy in hand.  Ah – all your senses are telling you – time to eat!

A visit to my favourite savoury store – Henry’s BBQ Chicken is a must.  The half chicken is perfect for sharing between the two of us.  With an icy cold drink in hand, this is a good food stop to set the mood.

PNE & Mini-donuts go side by side.

After browsing around and saying hello to the animals, we grab a bag of mini-donuts to snack on while we laugh our heads off at the Super Dog Show.  This year, it comes with a new format and a new stage, but the dogs, big and small, remain to be the celebrities of the show.  How can you not go see the dog show when you’re in PNE?

The one thing PNE offers which is definitely good for us is the walking required from point A to point B, at least that’s how I feel.  All the walking surely helps burn off the food consumed earlier, allowing us room to chow down more.  So off to the Rib Fest we go. 

The Rib Fest is made up of four or five Rib kitchens, all equipped with a huge grill up front.  On the grills are racks and racks of beef and pork ribs, and pans of pulled pork.  The ½ rack of juicy and mean-looking jumbo-sized beef ribs for $13 at Smoking Gun is calling us. We throw in two bugs more to get the coleslaw and beans (surprisingly generous portion!) and make it a complete dinner. Not a bad deal at all. We sit close by the beer garden and listen to Abra Cadabra singing Waterloo as we enjoy the finger-licking, face-smashing ribs. We have been enjoying the free concert at the Beer Garden for the last few years, even with the cost of the pint of beer, it still is a lovely way to enjoy a summer night!

Last course – dessert of course! Having sweet tooth is one thing, biting into deep-fried processed food such as Wagon Wheels, Cheese cakes, Oreos and Fennel cakes dripping with Maple syrup and whipped cream is another.  Someone even comes up with the foamy idea of deep-frying balls of kool-aids – what a way to lure and confuse the kids! I won’t dispute the possibility that anything deep-fried and sweetened with syrup and cream is somehow enticing to certain people, but sharing with 3 or more will be a sensible thing to do, for me for sure. Hey, but that’s PNE, all these sinful sweets are simply part of the make-up! Maybe the two of us were able to share one DF Oreo few years ago, today we opt for the skewer of chocolate -coated fresh strawberries. But not before we go and get the amusement riders of those high-flying, loud-screaming, crazy-swirling and fast-dropping rides provide us.

Oh, PNE, still the highlight of the west coast summer!

Everyone has one or more ugly dining experiences, one that the owner, chef and/or waiting staff believe  they’re the best in the world and ignored the fact that you as a paying customer are  entitled to express a suggestion or an opinion. This one was a bit scary since I was all alone in the dining room, trying very hard to defend against a husband and wife team.

Although the daily menu upfront told me they specialized in Italian cuisine, this cafeteria style kitchen restaurant, hidden in a tiny strip mall located in a residential area in S.E. Vancouver has a somewhat Japanese name. Hungry and curious, Some exp I decided to give it a try.

It was 1:15pm  on a Friday when I walked in, a couple occupying a table was the only customer there. Pinned on the wall was a copy of a famous downtown Italian restaurant’s menu reminding diners the chef once worked there as a chef.  “Boy, was I happy I bumped into this little neighbourhood eatery here. This may be a worthy culinary discovery!’ I told myself as I sat down!

The waitress, whom I guessed was the wife, came out with a simple menu inserted inside a plastic folder and a cup of cold water. But the day’s specials were written on a white board set at the corner at the back. I went and glanced over it and opted for the Beef Shank in wine jus with vegetables and potatoes for $13.00.  She took the order and disappeared into the back, minutes later, came out with a little girl and started to do what looked like bead works at one of the tables. I was quite contented reading a book I carried with me. In a kitchen eatery with the simplest décor and a one-man kitchen, I knew not to expect too much of a service!  

I was the only one in the restaurant when the nicely plated and decently-portioned beef shank arrived. She then disappeared to the back. The vegetables were tasty; the jus had good consistency but was too thick and salty for my liking, especially when there’s no bread, no pasta or rice to go with. 

I returned to my food, while spinning my thoughts to see if I should ask for a side order of rice, bread or pasta to help soak up the jus. But I decided to have a cup of coffee instead. So I asked for one. By the time the coffee arrived, I had enough of the entrée already. While sipping coffee I started contemplating the idea of ordering dessert. So I asked if they had dessert. “Tiramisu.” “Home-made?” I went for it.

The coffee was half-gone when the waitress delivered the very moist and authentic tiramisu but disappeared again. By the time I consumed a couple bites, the coffee needed refilling.  Since the waitress was not around, I had to go to the back and asked the chef to do the topping-up.  He came, asked how everything was. That’s when the incident started.

After 15 seconds of chit-chatting about his culinary background and that they’re indeed a husband and wife team, I complimented on the plating and portion. Then I asked if I could make a suggestion.

 ‘Of course’, he said, but his body language was telling me to choose my words very carefully.

‘The beef shank is quite enjoyable, but the jus would go better with rice or pasta. I’m willing to have less meat but some rice instead.”

“You should have asked for rice!”

“Oh, I would have, but was not aware this is an option.”

“Well, if you read the other menu item on that board over there, like the Lemon Grass Pork Chop, it’s served with rice, you should have guessed!”

“Oh, sorry but I did not pay attention to the other menu items. The waitress didn’t say anything about that!”

 ”How would she know? It is up to you to ask!” He raised his voice.

“I had no idea what the dish is like and that it doesn’t come with rice, how could I ask before I see what’s on the plate?“

“Wow, all my other customers know, they never complaint!”

“I’m sorry but this is the first time for me. It would be nice if your wife mentioned that when I ordered. In other restaurants, they usually tell you.”  

“Tell me where you can find a dish like this for $13? You come here for the food, not service!” His tone changed to high gear, his facial expression intensified.

“I’m not complaining about anything, I was just saying it would be nice if the beef shank is served with rice!”

“Too bad, this is how the kitchens I worked at are like. You know what, you haven’t seen anything yet! Don’t tell me what to do. You just like to complain, don’t you? You guys make me sick!”

From the point on, the situation got really ugly.  He kept raising his voice while telling me I was being unreasonable and rude. “I’ve seen your kind; you’re one of those who likes to go around restaurant complaining to get free meal!!”  Who knows what kind of experiences this chef had or imagined, or he simply has to say things to justify his argument.  “This is a hole-in-the-wall eatery, with those prices, customers had to take whatever’s thrown to them!”

He was throwing his arms around and all of a sudden raised a hand to stop me from saying anything, and yelled, “This is my restaurant, I run it they way I like!”

Having heard the commotion, the wife came in and stood by his side.  The very angry chef told her, “She complained about everything, even your service!!” Obviously upset at the situation and me for making a comment, she told me I had no right to complain.  But the out-of-control chef rubbed in further by convincing her I was the one who started it and kept on saying ‘How dare she tells me what do to!” The wife instantly shot a disgusting stare at me and joined the force to prove they’re right and I’m trying to scamp a free meal by complaining!

With them standing 4 feet away and me sitting down at the table in an empty room, all I could do was to shake my head and put on a smile. I paid the bill and left.

I have no idea how well this place is doing but with few customers during a Friday lunch, I could only imagine their frustration. Running a restaurant as a family business is tough, being in such a location is even tougher. I do wish them the best of luck!