Caesar Challenge 2015 Winners

The Vancouver Foodster Caesar Cocktail Challenge was a great success featuring unique creations at restaurants and bars around Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver.  Each restaurant featured their creation on their menu from March 12-April 5, 2015. and their customers voted for their favourites daily throughout the challenge for their People’s Choice favourites.

Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.

Our Media judges for this challenge were: Aaron Alexander, Joe Leary and Dianne Chow

The Winners are:

1st Place:

Stateside Craft

Stateside Craft

B&C Craft Caesar

Description: Ground pepper and pink Himalyan sea salt rim. Obviously Vodka. House made Clamato, made with roasted veg, fresh Roma tomatoes, red wine, secret spices & herbs and clam nectar. Garnished with bacon, Jerky Baron fresh beef jerky stick, a Prawn and assorted pickled peppers and veg.

Created by: General Manager Benn McGuire & Bar Manager Colin Bussiere

Stateside Craft

1601 Commercial Drive

Tel: 604-620-0048

Web: http://www.statesidecraft.com/

Twitter: @statesidecraft

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2nd Place (tie):

Earl’s Restaurant

Earl’s Restaurant

Earls Signature Caesar

Description: An Earls favorite, our signature Caesar blends the classic vodka and clamato with our special 12-spice blend and a jerky stick garnish

Ingredients: smirnoff vodka, clamato + signature spices, beef stick

Created by: Cam Bogue, Beverage Director

Earl’s Restaurant

Earls Yaletown

1095 Mainland Street, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 688-4990

Web: https://earls.ca/

Twitter: @EarlsYaletown

and

Earls Test Kitchen

905 Hornby Street, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 682-6700

Web: https://earls.ca/

Twitter: @earlsTK

2nd Place (tie):

U & I Thai

U and I Thai

U&I Thai Caesar

Description: A delicious blend featuring exotic spices and ingredients creating a mouth full of delicate flavour that tingle your taste buds. On the palate the taste is fresh and green, with the clearly defined flavours dancing on your tongue.  Caesar connoisseurs will appreciate this unique blend of spices and find it hard to stop at just one.

Ingredients: Tamarind juice, dried Chinese plum, garden fresh Galangal root, Basil and Lemongrass is added to the Clam Cocktail base and seasoned with black pepper, salt, Tabasco

Lea & Perrins, and  Angostura Bitters.

Created by: Chef A-guan Phutyeam and Mr. Kittipoj  Chidjarean

U & I Thai

3364 Cambie St, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 875-6999

Web: http://uandithai.com/

Twitter: @uratomjit

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3rd Place:

Salida 7

Salida 7

The 7th Exit

Description: with gin, sherry, beef broth, sangrita and Dickens organic caesar mix with pickled spot prawn garnish and a horseradish foam and serrano chili sea salt rim.

Ingredients: Gin, Fino Sherry, Beef broth, Sangrita, Celery bitters, Dickens Organic Caesar Mix, Serrano chili infused salt rim, Horseradish Foam

Garnish: Pintxo  – Jalapeño pickled spot prawn, marinated zucchini and smoked chorizo.

Created by: Nathan Jackman

Salida 7

52 Alexander Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604 569 3088

Web: http://www.salida7.ca/

Twitter: @salida7gastown

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In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Caesar Creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.

The Winners are:

1st Place People’s Choice:

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American Grille

American Grille

The Kuno Caesar

Description: In-house basil infused gin, hand pressed fire roasted tomato and clam nectar (Caesar mix) topped with a cucumber boat with dill cream cheese, local baby heirloom tomato, nori, salmon gravlax

Ingredients: In-house basil infused gin, hand pressed fire roasted tomato & clam nextar, wasabi, soy sauce, black sesame seed & togarashi rim. Garnish: Cucumber boat w/ dill cream cheese, local baby heirloom tomato, nori and salmon gravlax

Created by: Elisa Rutigliano and Jessi Leak

American Grille

7571 Westminster Highway, Richmond

Tel: 604-232-2804

Web: http://american-grille.com/

Twitter: @GrilleYVR

2nd Place People’s Choice:

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Milestones Grill & Bar

Milestones Grill & Bar

West Coast Fixer

Description:  The mix is Walter and we have added Sauza tequila as well as Howe Sound IPA. We have a culinary garnish of a crab roll, shrimp skewer, pickle, cherry tomato, lime wedge, and lemon.

Ingredients: Walter Caesar mix, worchester sauce, tobacco sauce, kosher salt, sauza rail tequila, howe sound IPA draught, crab salad, Hawaiian bun, shrimp skewer, steak spice, lemon, fresh basil, lime wedge, pickle, cherry tomato

Crab salad: pasteurized crab meat, mayonnaise, fresh cut salsa, green onion, garlic in oil, kosher salt, black pepper

Created by: Executive Chef Jason Rosso and National Beverage Manager Nathan Cameron.

Milestones Yaletown

1109 Hamilton Street, Vancouver

Web: http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/

Twitter: @MilestonesYale

 

And

 

Milestone’s Robson

1145 Robson Street, Vancouver

Web: http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/

Twitter:  @MilestonesRBSN

 

3rd Place People’s Choice:

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Pinnacle Pier Hotel

Pinnacle Pier Hotel

West coast Salmon Gin Caesar

Description: made with local Victoria Gin, house made horse radish, and a tasty piece of candied salmon, spicy bean & blue cheese stuffed olive! But most importantly, the rim is a ground smoked bacon & Cajun spice!

Ingredients: Victoria Spirits Gin, horseradish, candied salmon, blue cheese, olive, bacon, Cajun spice.

Created by: Lobby Bartender’s creation (Dean, Ali, Vanessa and Jason)

Pinnacle Pier Hotel

138 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver

Tel: 604-986-7437

Web: http://pinnaclepierhotel.com/the_lobby.html

Twitter: @PinnaclePier

Thank you to all the chefs and restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured the Caesar Challenge creations on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.

I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Caesar creations! See all the 11 Caesar Challenge Entries Here.

By: Richard Wolak

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