Hello Friends!

I will keep this short and sweet. After a major debacle involving unclear domain ownership, losing the domain and by fluke just recently getting it back, like a phoenix we are reborn  - not anew but as (hopefully) the same eatvancouver.net that you grew to love. It’s been over a year since our setback but I can now accurately refer to it as a “temporary” setback.

The plan for the future is quite simply to, once again, bring you news and reviews from the Greater Vancouver culinary region for your, pleasure and information with a goal of making all of our eats more probable sweet treats.

Stay tuned!

Doran

I received an email recently about a new restaurant themed TV show that is currently in production about first-time restaurant owners starring renowned chef David Adjey (ever watch Restaurant Makeover?) who “swoops in and assists the restaurant owner and his/her team get ready and geared up for their big opening.”

Check out the trailer below!

The production company is currently casting for the show and looking for first time owners located in and around Vancouver that can use some professional help with their opening.

To qualify you must have the following qualities:

• The ideal candidate is a first time restaurant owner that will be opening within 1-6 months.
• The restaurant cannot be a chain or franchise.
• The restaurant must be full service. (no delis,bakeries, take out etc….)
• The restaurant must serve alcohol.
• The restaurant must have atleast 30 seats.
• The owner wants/needs the help of a restaurant consultant.
• The owner is a great character and has other people helping him.
• The owner must be willing to divulge the restaurant budget on camera.
• The owner must be open to having us shoot in the restaurant for approximately 10 days.

With the thriving Vancouver restaurant scene seeing an ongoing assortment of new restaurants on such a regular basis, I hope to see a few Vancouver entrepreneurs take advantage of this show!

If you think your new venture would be perfect for this show please contact:

Heidi Burbela
Frantic Films
416-324-8537 ext.326

Good Luck!!

Here’s the trailer:(way down below ’cause it’s too wide to fit with everything else)

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It’s that time of year again when the season for west coast spot prawns begins. Spot prawns are the largest of the 7 commercial species of shrimp found in Canada’s west coast waters known for their sweet, delicate flavour and firm texture. B.C’s first shipment of these succulent beauties hits the docks on May the 6th and Executive Chef Robert Clark of C Restaurant is slated to get the first shipment.

To bring in the new season, C Restaurant is introducing a Spot Prawn Tasting Menu starting on Thursday, May 6. The menu will feature dishes created by Clark, and as he puts it, “will showcase the fresh and delicious flavours that are perfect for the palette of any seafood lover.”

Some of the new items include a Spot Prawn Sunomono, Spot Prawn Bisque, and a modern spin-off of the traditional Surf and Turf. During the six to eight week spot prawn season, C Restaurant will be receiving their prawn shipments directly from local fishermen to the False Creek Yacht Club located below the restaurant.

The Spot Prawn Tasting Menu is available exclusively at C Restaurant, located at 2-1600 Howe Street in Downtown Vancouver.

View Larger Map

For more information about menu items or to book your reservation at C Restaurant  visit www.crestaurant.com or call 604-681-1164.

Spot Prawn Tasting Menu 2010
all spot prawns were caught locally by the fishermen at Organic Oceans

Spot Prawn Sunomono
cucumber, spring radish, chilled sake
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Spot Prawn Bisque
double smoked bacon, chives, crème fraiche
<><><><><><><>
Leek Risotto
grilled spot prawns, castle blue cheese, tomato consommé
<><><><><><><>
Surf and Turf
spot prawns, braised beef short rib, baby spinach, truffle jus
<>><><><><><>
Choice Of Offerings From Our Dessert Menu
<>><><><><><><>
Coffee or Tea
Chocolate Shrimp and Petit Fours

$79.00

I have been a customer several times at C Restaurant and it is one of the best seafood restaurants I have ever experienced. We haven’t reviewed it here on eatvancouver.net yet, but we will. Let us know if you check this out!

ETHICAL BEAN REVISES PILOT BAG RETURN PROJECT

Two weeks after the announcement of a pilot recycling project, Ethical Bean Coffee CEO Lloyd Bernhardt has decided to revise the company’s bag-return program so that empty coffee bags will no longer be sent to incinerators. Instead, Ethical Bean will store the empty coffee bags at their roasting facility until a more environmentally friendly solution is found.

“After further consideration and a lively online discussion with both local environmental leaders and our customers, we have decided that incineration of empty coffee bags is not our best solution,” says Bernhardt. Much of the debate took place on Vancouver’s Scout Magazine, which became a forum for opinion on the pros and cons of waste energy, incineration and recycling. “Our mandate at Ethical Bean is to continuously work towards being both just and better. Scout’s readers took it upon themselves to respond, educate and work with Ethical Bean on an answer to empty coffee bags that does not include incineration. It is my belief that open conversations such as this one can lead to change.” The full debate can be viewed online at http://bit.ly/cT3LKm.

All coffee lovers are still invited to bring their empty coffee bags, even those of competitors, to the Ethical Bean Xpress drop-boxes located at the Granville Skytrain station and Commercial Skytrain station, or to the Ethical Bean Café and roasting facility at 1315 Kootenay Street in East Vancouver. Those who bring in 5 bags or more at a time will receive an extra treat:  a cup of fresh drip coffee on the house. Additionally, all who write their name and email address on the side of their bags before returning them will be entered each week into a draw for a free pound of coffee. Anyone across Canada can mail their empty coffee bags, along with their name and email address, to Ethical Bean Coffee, 1315 Kootenay Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 4Y3 and be entered into the weekly draw.

Ethical Bean Xpress will be accepting coffee bags at their drop-boxes from 6:00AM to 6:00PM Monday to Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM on Saturdays. The Ethical Bean Café and Roastery will accept bags from 8:00AM to 5:00PM Monday to Friday.

TURN YOUR BAGS TO STEAM WITH ETHICAL BEAN
Bring your empty coffee bags to an EBX location or the Ethical Bean Café & Roastery as part of a new pilot project recycling initiative.

Ethical Bean Coffee launches a new recycling program on Monday, March 22nd that will reduce the number of coffee bags in landfills and will put a hot cup of coffee into the hands of the environmentally conscious in return.

Eco-conscious coffee lovers are invited to bring their empty coffee bags to the Ethical Bean Xpress drop-boxes located at the Granville Skytrain station and Commercial Skytrain station, or to the Ethical Bean Café and roasting facility at 1315 Kootenay Street in East Vancouver. Those who bring in 5 bags or more at a time will receive an extra treat:  a cup of fresh drip coffee on the house. Additionally, all recyclers who write their name and email address on the side of their bags before returning them will be entered each week into a draw for a free pound of coffee. This program isn’t just limited to Vancouverites. Anyone across Canada can mail their empty coffee bags, along with their name and email address, to Ethical Bean Coffee, 1315 Kootenay Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 4Y3 and be entered into the weekly draw.

All empty coffee bags brought to Ethical Bean will be turned into energy at the Waste to Energy Facility (WTEF) in South Burnaby. Every year the WTEF turns roughly 280,000 tonnes of garbage into 900,000 tonnes of steam. The steam is then used to produce electricity. Considering what a coffee loving community Vancouver is, Ethical Bean is certain that their new initiatives will make a difference.

Says Ethical Bean co-founder Lloyd Bernhardt, “Ethical Bean is committed to being just and better, in everything that we do. That’s why we’re embarking upon a consumer driven coffee bag recycling program and accepting all coffee bags - even those of our competitors - and turning them from waste into energy.” All used coffee bags brought to Ethical Bean will be transported to the WTEF facility in a hybrid vehicle and any carbon created in the trip will be offset by carbon credits to Plug into Green Canada.

The program will rely heavily on the help of eco-conscious consumers. Says Bernhardt, “we’ve been working tirelessly for years to develop a more ecologically sound coffee bag. Once we have a solution that safely protects the quality of our coffee and the hard work of farmers that is more environmentally sound, we will introduce it. For the time being we feel this is the best solution for our customers, and all environmentally aware coffee drinkers.”

Ethical Bean Xpress will be accepting coffee bags at their drop-boxes from 6:00AM to 6:00PM Monday to Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM on Saturdays. The Ethical Bean Café and Roastery will accept bags from 8:00AM to 5:00PM Monday to Friday.

Splitz Grill
4242 Main Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V5V 3P9
Phone: 604.875.9711
www.splitzgrill.com
vancouver@splitzgrill.com
Open everyday at 11:30am
Closing times subject to change - for current hours call ahead.

**Stars(out of a possible 4)

I love hamburgers. They are one of my favourite indulgences and I find it hard not to indulge in all of the varieties from time to time. This means from the lowest of fast food “sandwiches” - I don’t know when they stopped being “hamburgers,” or “burgers,” at fast food emporiums, or why - to the loftiest of gourmet creations ala DB Bistro Moderne (though this one is still on my burger agenda). I consider myself, at times, to be a modern day Wimpy.

Recently we were cruising around the Main Street area - an area rapidly becoming a foodist destination - when the Wimpy craving surfaced and, as luck would have it, we remembered Splitz Grill.

A long time Whistler, BC favourite - since 1997 - I have recollections of their hearty hamburgers after a long day on the slopes and have wanted to visit the relatively recent Vancouver location - since January 2008 - for quite some time.

The Splitz Grill menu is split between their “Splitz Classic Burgers”, which includes what you would expect; hamburgers in various sizes alongside a veggie lentil burger, a hot dog, a bavarian smokey and chicken fingers; and what they call “The Wild Side” which is a selection of alternative-to-beef choices like bison, lamb and salmon with a different sausage and chicken fingers. The groupings are a bit odd to me but the menu is simple and easy to figure out. There’s also the sides you expect in the form of fries and onion rings and gravy and the Splitz version of poutine plus a couple of salads.

We were there for classic hamburgers and that’s what we ordered. Two legendary Splitz burgers. A 1/3 pound for my companion and a 2/3 pound for me as I was feeling quite hungry.

At Splitz, like some other hamburger joints, you line up and indicate what you want on your burger so they can customize it for you. Here they have all of the usual items like lettuce, tomato, onions and such as well as some unique Splitz-made items like their homemade Splitz sauce as well as a few extra payment items like aged cheddar or swiss, grilled pancetta bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions.

I like a lot of things on my burger to complement the beef and mingle flavours and textures. I settled on the Splitz garlic mayo, dollop of ketchup and mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, sauerkraut, pickle and the cheddar cheese. We had also chosen combos that included fries and a beverage.

You can see by the pics what the results were like. The 2/3lb burger was substantial. Next time, I will opt for the single patty. This one was, if you can believe it, even too much for me. The beef was flavourful but not overly spiced such that the spice was all you can taste. This was balanced and very nice, although for me, it was overcooked but I do understand this is the local health regulations at work. The bun was fresh and didn’t fall apart too fast. As a quick burger-aside, this is one of my major burger peeves. The bun shouldn’t disintegrate as soon as it gets moist with sauces. It should hold up to this and hold the burger and contents through most, if not all, of the consumption. All the ingredients were fresh and delicious and the flavour meld was just right - I guess particularly considering I customized it.

The fries were fresh cut with some skin on, which I generally like. However, and this is just my personal preference, they were too thick cut for me. I like skinnier fries. They tend to be crispier and not as potatoey. For some reason too, big thick fries seem to go cold faster. I don’t understand why. It doesn’t make a lot of sense but my companion concurred on this point.

Overall the Splitz Grill burger rates high for me, particularly against the competitors in town with similar concepts. I am looking forward to trying a few more combinations as well as taking a walk on “The Wild Side”

I’m not exactly up on my Twilight lore - although I do love most things Vampire - but apparently while the latest film The Twilight Saga: New Moon was shooting here in Vancouver the much publicity hounded star, Robert Pattinson was a frequent diner at Glowbal Grill Restaurant in fashionable Yaletown. His dish of choice was the Kobe Meatballs with Truffled Spaghetti - which, admittedly, sounds delicious. I have been a frequent patron of Glowbal in the past and have been generally very satisfied with the quality of the food.

In honour of tonights grand opening of the Twilight movie and clearly as an excellent reason for some publicity, Glowbal is offering until December 3rd, a 50% discount on Robert’s fave dish when you present your Twilight movie stub.

Complete text of the press release follows:

glowbal grill’s ‘Twilight’ Special

Half-off glowbal’s famous Kobe Meatballs with Truffled Spaghetti.

Vancouver, BC (November 17, 2009): Sink your teeth into this delicious after-dark offer. The Twilight Saga: New Moon opens on Friday, November 20 and glowbal grill is offering fans of the popular Vampire movie series half-off its decadent Kobe Meatballs with Truffled Spaghetti dinner entree* as the superlative sustenance for the suspenseful flick. Popcorn be damned. Stave your hunger like a superstar.

Twilight: New Moon was filmed in and around Vancouver and glowbal quickly became a favourite haunt for the cast filming in the city. Lead actor Robert Pattinson (who portrays Edward Cullen in the Twilight films) chose the happening Yaletown drinking and dining spot to celebrate his 23rd Birthday, much to the delight of swooning female patrons. Robert’s favourite menu item? The Kobe Meatballs with Truffled Spaghetti, of course. Blanketed in creamy tete-de-moine cheese, tomato-garlic confit and delicate truffles, the pasta comes replete with tasty Kobe beef meatballs. This is a dish to love at first bite.

Once word escaped that Robert and the other cast members frequented glowbal, fan mail addressed, “For Robert’s Eyes Only” started pouring in and once a week a tour bus stops in front of glowbal, so that visitors to the city can follow in Robert’s footsteps and experience the restaurant for themselves. Celebrity clientele aside, glowbal is recognized for its high-energy atmosphere, excellent service, and great food. Plan a visit to take advantage of this bewitching special.

*Guests must present their Twilight: New Moon ticket (or ticket stub) to take advantage of the Kobe Meatballs with Truffled Spaghetti 50% discount. The Twilight offer cannot be combined with any other specials or promotions. Valid November 20 - December 3.

glowbal grill is open daily: Monday through Friday from 11:30 am for Lunch. Saturday - Sunday from 10:30 am for Brunch. Dinner available Sunday through Saturday from 5 pm.

Make your reservations online at http://glowbalgroup.com or call 604.602.0835. Text ‘glowbal’ to 82442 for a mobile directory of all the GLOWBAL restaurants and instant links for reservations and special offers. Check out THE GLOWBAL COLLECTION blog for the latest news on all the restaurants at http://blog.glowbalgroup.com/.

The Fish House in Stanley Park (image: www.fishhousestanleypark.com)

The Fish House in Stanley Park
8901 Stanley Park Drive
Vancouver, BC
Toll Free: 1-877-681-7275
Tel: (604) 681-7275
8901
E-mail : info@fishhousestanleypark.com

I’ve always thought of The Fish House in Stanley Park as “one of those tourist destinations”. You know, every city has them - a place in a prominent city landmark destination that doesn’t have to be particularly good because tourists are going to flock there because of the destination. And Stanley Park is definitely a hot tourist destination.

Somehow, I never made the connection between this “tourist” restaurant and chef Karen Barnaby. I don’t know how I missed it - but I did until I started to research this article. Turns out Karen has been executive chef at The Fish House in Stanley Park since 1995. Who knew? I’m sure plenty of people. Karen is one of Vancouver’s great chefs. Back when I was officially plying my own restaurant trade, I remember Karen from The Raintree Restaurant and I remember just how good that restaurant was and the accolades it was receiving at the time.

It was a surprise during the meal, but no surprise now, that the luncheon we recently experienced at The Fish House in Stanley Park was exceptional. My girlfriend and I decided on a Tuesday night that we wanted to go there the next day for lunch and we met in the parking lot on a grey, slightly drizzly day. One thing to note is while there is ample parking in a lot adjacent to the Fish House, it is subject to the Stanley Park parking fees - a bit of a nit for me but not a huge barrier to entry.

The building is beautiful and in such a beautiful setting in the Park and really only a short walk in from English Bay. We had no reservation but were greeted warmly and promptly seated in a lovely booth. The restaurant was moderately busy.

The lunch menu runs the fish and seafood gamut from a wide variety of local items from the ubiquitous salmon and oysters and BC sablefish to some imported exotics like Mahi Mahi and Ahi Tuna, Altantic Lobster, East Coast Scallops and Smoked Alaskan Black Cod. The lunch menu has six Ocean Wise selections and for the non-water creature eaters there’s a Prime Rib burger, Chicken Ciabatta and Tomato Boccancini Penne Pasta.

We settled in and settled on splitting the prepared to order Clam Chowder to start, followed by an order of the steamed Mussels and then I chose the Angel Cakes as a main and my girlfriend chose the Lobster Tails meal.

Clam Chowder at The Fish House in Stanley Park

I love clam chowder, particularly the Boston style white clam chowder. If it’s on the menu at a seafood restaurant, I will generally give it a go. And I have had many a Boston Clam Chowder during my once frequent trips to Boston. Unfortunately, all too often it’s a thick sludge made with too much cream and/or too much flour, potato starch or - gasp, as I’ve had on one occasion - corn starch. I’m sure you’ve come across this kind. Overloaded with potato and your spoon stands up in the middle of it. It’s all gloop and it’s all wrong.

This Clam Chowder was simple and simply delicious. A silky fish broth with just the right amount of cream so that it was still broth but rich and luxurious. The right balance of clams, vegetables and potato with fresh clipped chives on top and perfectly seasoned. As I told our excellent server, my only disappointment was that I was sharing it.

Steamed Mussels at The Fish House in Stanley Park

We mopped up the last drops of the soup with lovely bread and butter that was replenished promptly in time for the Steamed Mussels. These were absolutely fresh, really plump and meaty in a light tomato based broth with hints of cilantro and coconut milk laced with sea asparagus. The mussels themselves were delicious but I found the broth a bit too tomato tangy to lap on on its own. The portion was generous and quite frankly I was nearly filled up before my main even arrived.

Angel Cakes at The Fish House in Stanley Park

The Angel Cakes are a unique combination of angel hair pasta mixed with crab meat and asiago cheese formed into a cake, battered in panko and then deep fried to a crisp golden brown outside and a soft creamy textured centre inside, then dribbled with an ebi mayonnaise. I had been warned by our server that they were rich and this was no understatement. They were very rich, but equally as delicious, served with a fresh wild greens salad drizzled with a light balsamic vinaigrette that offset and sliced through the rich flavour of the cakes very nicely. Delicious.

Lobster Tails at The Fish House in Stanley Park

The Atlantic Lobster Tails ranked amongst the sweetest lobster meat I have ever tasted. Served simply and with a proper clarified butter, they were accompanied by steamed kale, yellow beets and mashed potato. Each of the vegetable items uniquely prepared, seasoned and flavourful on their own.

You’d think it would have been enough but we don’t like to skimp and we both like something a bit sweet, particularly when the meal has been so good that it’s evident the desserts will be too, and, as such we caved on the recommended dessert. Pumpkin Chiffon Cheesecake topped with Poppycock - likely homemade (you may be familiar with this popcorn, caramel and nut treat) and a sprig of fresh mint. The cheesecake was in between that whipped light style and the heavier New York creamy style. It was, like very other item of the afternoon, bloody delicious.

The Fish House in Stanley Park has started me on the road to a whole new attitude towards those seemingly “tourist” destinations. I can’t wait for another opportunity to return there! Thanks Karen!

Thanks!

Doran

This is a quick message to let you know that we’ve been hit by a Wordpress Virus that messes up all of the links on the site. We are working to fix this and expect it to be done today but it may take a bit longer.

In the meantime, if you want to read a post you still can you just need to examine any links and edit them down to the original URL. In most cases this will mean removing a “#” sign or some other text that may look like this: %&(%7B$%7Beval(base64_decode($_SERVER%5BHTTP_REFERER%5D))%7D%7D|.+)&%/

Thanks for your patience and we will have an update on this later today.