Archive for the ‘Culinary Adventures’ Category

A Quest for the Best Mac & Cheese

February 15th, 2011 admin

Mac & Cheese defines comfort food at many restaurants  throughout North America, some go the traditional route with a basic dish of Macaroni noodles and sauce and others jazz them up with different shaped noodles, some add lobster, and other gourmet ingredients. I did not just taste the dish, I ate each full dish. I have spent over a month sampling my away around Vancouver to find the BEST Mac & Cheese!

Note: You may not agree with my opinion as my taste may not be your taste. The prices indicated exclude tax and were for one Mac & Cheese dish. I only visited places in Vancouver, I did not venture into the suburbs on this quest.

In ranking order, these are my favourite Mac & Cheese dishes around Vancouver.

1)    Coast Restaurant  - 1054 Alberni Street – $16

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Very good Lobster Mac & Cheese, creamy, cheesy with lots of lobster pieces, good flavour & rich! Made with Gruyere, blue cheese, sharp cheddar and parmesan with a Bechamel sauce that had a little garlic and shallots. Nicely presented in an All-Clad steel dish! This was the very best I had out of all of the Mac & Cheese dishes I tried, and the price was affordable based on the type of ingredients in the dish.

COAST RESTAURANT

2)              100 Days – 350 Davie Street – $22

Lobster Mac & Cheese with Hennessey bisque

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Big chunks of lobster in this dish making this one super rich and tasty. The Hennessey bisque made this dish, it was absolutely delicious and was a fine meal that came with some greens and garlic toast.

100 Days

3)    Hamilton Street Grill – 1009 Hamilton Street – $13

Mac & Cheese topped with house made Strip Loin Beef hot dog, served with 2 slices of garlic toast

Type of Noodles: cavatappi

Large dish made with gorgonzola, Sardo parmesan, and white cheddar on top. The rich and delicious sauce was made with cream, roasted garlic, splash of Tabasco, leeks and shallots. The Strip loin beef hot dog is seasoned with mustard powder and paprika. Pricewise this Mac & Cheese is value and it is a meal for a great price.

HAMILTON STREET GRILL

4)    Yew Restaurant (in Four Seasons Hotel)  - 791 West Georgia Street – $18

Truffle Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: casareccia

Elegantly presented in a ceramic bowl this dish was made with Farmhouse Cheddar and Black Truffle. The Béchamel sauce is made with milk (not cream) made very creamy, good and rich taste, topped with shaved truffle mushrooms.

YEW RESTAURANT

5)       Au Petit Chavignol – 843 East Hastings Street – $9

Classic Four Cheese Macaroni

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

This dish was made with Gruyere, white cheddar, orange cheddar, stilton. Loaded with cheese, the orange cheddar on top was a nice touch though was not melted enough breadcrumbs were on top of the cheese, but the Stilton cheese was overpowering in taste which overdid my palate.

AU PETIT CHAVIGNOL

6)    Acme Cafe – 51 West Hastings Street – $8

Mac & Cheese served with greens

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Served as a meal this dish was made with a creamy béchamel sauce, topped with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs, baked in white ceramic dish and nicely lightly browned, however I couldn’t taste the breadcrumbs topping.

ACME CAFE

7)       Burgoo Bistro – 3096 Main Street   –  $10

Mac & Cheese

Type of noodles: elbow macaroni

Loaded with aged white cheddar, baked golden brown. This Mac & Cheese was pretty good, gooey, and cheesy goodness. The waiter offered me ketchup, hot sauce and pepper for my mac & cheese and I was a bit puzzled and declined as I wanted to try the Mac and Cheese as they prepared it.

BURGOO BISTRO

8)       Society – 1257 Hamilton Street –  $15.50

Baked Truffled Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Made with Winter truffles and parmesan gratin, this dish was tasty, not over powering with the truffle, the size of the dish makes it easy not to over eat and it is not too rich this way. Nice presentation with little black skillet and served with a slice of garlic toast and greens, however the price was a little too high for this type of dish.

SOCIETY

9)   Crave on Main – 3941 Main Street –  $14

Aged Cheddar Cheese & Macaroni Gratin

Type of Noodles: penne

This dish was topped with a crumbly bread crumb mixture and sundried tomatoes and did not have much flavour. It had a creamy, cheesy sauce, however the whole dish had a bland flavour overall. It’s over priced in comparison to other Mac & Cheese dishes I had around the city.

CRAVE ON MAIN

10)     Whole Foods – 510 West 8th Avenue – $5.50

Mac & Cheese

Type of Noodles: elbow macaroni

Their Mac & Cheese is on offer most days and it is on their hot buffet bar and is sold by weight. I scooped a portion on to the plate and this was tasty, rich and cheesy, however there was too much butter and when heated in the microwave it is was too oily.

WHOLE FOODS

Do you have a favourite Mac & Cheese from a restaurant around Vancouver or in the suburbs?

Feel free to add your comment here and name the place and their location, the cost of each excluding tax and why you think they are the best!

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest, The BEST List Tags: , , , 6 Comments »

Noodlemania in Richmond

December 11th, 2010 admin

On November 30 I took part in a tasting tour ‘Noodlemania’ Dine Around Richmond event to a few restaurants specializing in Noodles. The 3 places that I visited on this tour which was hosted by Tourism Richmond, all were Asian though each specialized in different types of noodle dishes from thin, thick, flat, long, curly, rice, sweet potato, fried and more. I knew that we would be taken around Richmond to experience some of the different types of noodle dishes, however I didn’t know until the night there of that all the places we were visiting were all Asian. Yes within the Asian restaurant community the restaurants feature many different types of noodles, however it would have been more educational if we had been taken to one Asian, one Italian and one American for contrasting purposes. Here are the highlights of my favourite noodle dishes from the tour.

Spicy Stage Café

150-4731 Garden City Road

Richmond

604-270-8873

  • Tom Young Soup Noodle
  • Szechwen Soup Noodle

Thai Tom Yum Soup

Szechuan Spicy Soup

G-Men Ramen Noodle House

3778 Sexmith Road

Richmond

778-296-3779

  • Special ToriGara Shio Ramen
  • Tonkotsu Ae Soba (soupless)

Tonkatsu Shio Ramen

Tonkotsu Ae Soba (soupless)

Northern Delicacy

4151 Hazelbridge Way

Richmond

604-233-7050

  • “Dan-Dan” Noodles in Black Sesame Soup
  • Glass Noodles with Shredded Chicken
  • Fried Handmade Noodles with Shredded Pork in Fish Flavoured Sauce

"Dan-Dan" Noodles in Black Sesame Soup

Glass Noodles with Shredded Chicken

Fried Handmade Noodles with Shredded Pork in Fish Flavoured Sauce

These are only a taste of the many different noodle dishes one can have at the many different types of Asian restaurants in and outside of Richmond.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Flavours of Italy Gala

November 23rd, 2010 admin

On November 18th I attended the Flavours of Italy Gala tasting & dinner held at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel. This 8th annual dinner event was hosted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce Western Canada and featured over 100 Italian wines for guests to taste.

To begin the evening event, I had the pleasure to taste some of the fine Italian wines and Amarone that went well with Parmessan Cheese, Rice Balls, Olives, Panettone along with the delicious Gelato from Bella Gelateria.

Guests took their seats and the Gala Dinner got underway with an elegant meal and wine pairings. A few notable passionate foodies at my table were Pino Posteraro Chef & Owner of one of my favourite restaurants Cioppino`s Mediterranean Grill along with James Colleridge Master Gelato maker of my favourite gelateria which is Bella Gelateria.

To Start

Bresaola with baby arugula, exra virgin olive oil and grana padano

paired with Pinot Noir – Tenuta Maggiore

Bresaola with baby arugula, extra virgin olive oil and grana padano

Milanese Style – Risotto with Saffron Butternut Squash Ravioli topped with jumbo prawn

paired with Lugana Monte Cicogna

Milanese Style Risotto with Saffron

Followed by a palate cleanser Sorrento Lemon Sorbet

Sorrento Lemon Sorbet

Special Presentation by Chef Pino Posteraro

Pino Posteraro Chef & Owner of Cioppino`s Mediterranean Grill

Followed by the main dish, Ossobuco on a bed of Polenta and Gorgonzola with wine reduction and seasonal vegetables

paired with Amphorae – Tenuta Maggiore

Ossobuco on a bed of Polenta

Followed by, Cheese Platter: Grna, Taleggio and Provelone

paired with Amphorae – Tenuta Maggiore

Cheese Platter

Ending the meal with, Panettone Tiramisu and Gelato Al Torrone

paired with Pinot Noir Brut – Fattoria Colombini

Panettone Tiramisu and Gelato Al Torrone

Thousands of dollars were raised in the live auction that included a generous donation by Chef Pino Posteraro with monies raised going to support the Michael Cuccione Foundation.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest, Winemakers Dinners Tags: , , , , , , No Comments »

Chef Chris Mills James Beard Experience

November 2nd, 2010 admin

Last Thursday October 28, I had the pleasure of dining at a special dinner held in Joey Burrard’s Wine Room with a group of about 55 media who were invited for The James Beard Experience by Executive Chef Chris Mills.

Chris and his team will be presenting this dinner to James Beard House in New York on November 20th. I heard that the NY dinner is already sold out for this prestigious event, Chris believes that just because an event of this kind is sold out it must be spectacular, therefore he has invited media to a special preview dinner in Vancouver as well as Seattle, Calgary and Toronto to taste the meal and have their servers take care of everyone to perfect their presentation in advance of the night in New York.

Chef Chris Mills (2nd from right) & his team

Gatherings from the Pacific Rim is the theme of the menu that Joey Restaurants Executive Chef Chris Mills has created, collecting recipes and ingredients from places he has visited in the Pacific Rim.

This is the second time that Chef Chris Mills will present to the James Beard House, as he was invited back to perform at the venerable culinary institution, an honour which he is most proud of.

A selection of Hors d’Oeuvres were served before dinner along with the Peter Lehmann “Barossa Blonde”, Australia. Each represented the Pacific Rim which included their Pacific Tuna Chopsticks, Chicken Tacos, Japanese Hummus (my personal favourite of all) and Peaches & Cream Chicken ‘Corndogs’.

The Dinner began with the First Course:

Citrus-Cured Haida Gwaii Salmon with Dungeness Crab Flan & Cornbread

Paired with the L’ecole 41 Chenin Blanc, Washington

Second Course:

Alaskan Black Cod, BBQ Pork Belly & Squash Dumpling in a Matsutake Mushroom Broth

Paired with the Sandhill “Small Lots” Viognier, BC

Third Course:

Selection of Apple Slices to cleanse the palate

Fourth Course:

Licorice Lacquered Duck Breast, Summer Cherry Conserve, with a Hazelnut-Crusted Korean Duck Roll

Paired with the Sonoma Cutrer “Russian River Valley” Pinot Noir, California

Fifth Course:

45 Day-aged Beef Rib Eye with Yukon Gold Potato, Braised Oxtail & Black Trumpet Mushroom Lasagna & Bellman Farm Carrots

Paired with the Efeste “Ceidleigh” Syrah, Washington

Sixth Course:

Vietnamese Banana Cake with Tropical Fruit Salad & Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Paired with the Inniskillin Okanagan Riesling Ice Wine, British Columbia

A team of six chefs and two apprentices, along with JOEY’s regional managers and sommeliers will be travelling with Chef Mills to New York City for the dinner on November 20th where they will cook for 110 guests.

Chef Chris Mills is the Executive Chef for the JOEY Restaurants Group.

The James Beard Foundation is located in New York City, check out their website here: James Beard Foundation.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Seafood in Steveston

October 9th, 2010 admin

Fisherman`s Wharf in Steveston

On September 30, I dined at three different restaurants in Steveston with a group of media to taste a variety of different seafood dishes as well as a few others at some notable restaurants. This Steveston Village tour was organized by Tourism Richmond to showcase some of the area’s finest eateries!

Steveston Village

Fisherman`s Wharf

We started off at Steveston’s Fisherman’s Wharf where Frank Keitsch of Organic Ocean talked about the history of Steveston. He walked us around the Public Fish Sales Float and told us about the fishermen and about his company Organic Ocean and their sustainable harvesting practices, they supply many of the restaurants around Vancouver with sustainable fish and prawns.

at Fisherman`s Wharf

Walked to the first restaurant, Tapenade Bistro 3711 Bayview St, Richmond, 604-275-5188 where Vince (owner) welcomed all of us along with Chef Alex Tung, both of whom I have met before when I dined at Tapenade.

Tapenade Bistro feature menu

As dinner began, I had a glass of La Frenz Riesling 2009 which was perfectly paired with the first dish Sardines – Pan seared, Tapenade herb garden puree, radish, grape tomato, saffron cucumber, tomato confiture, rouille.

Sardines – Pan seared, Tapenade herb garden puree, radish, grape tomato, saffron cucumber, tomato confiture, rouille.

The second dish was Brooked Peninsula Ling Cod and Pan roasted, Paradise Valley Pork Belly Confit, fleur de Dijon Spaetzle, ragout of guanciale & brussel sprouts, salsa verde, paired with La Frenz Pinot Noir Reserve 2007, however I preferred the Riesling with the fish over the Pinot Noir.

Brooked Peninsula Ling Cod and Pan roasted, Paradise Valley Pork Belly Confit, fleur de Dijon Spaetzle, ragout of guanciale & brussel sprouts, salsa verde,

The next restaurant was Dave’s Fish & Chips 3460 Moncton Street, Richmond, 604-271-7555 this family owned restaurant has been around for over 32 years and is an institution for fish and chips.

Salmon, Halibut and Cod battered Fish

Mushy Peas

I tried the Salmon, Halibut and Cod battered fish along with the fries that were made with Kennebec potatoes, loved the coleslaw too. Also had some of their Mushy Peas which is a British favourite that has found its way on to their menu.

And the last restaurant was the Blue Canoe #140 – 3866 Bayview Street, Richmond, 604-275-7811 located on the wharf. I loved this place, perhaps it was the dining room with the big wooden canoe hanging from the ceiling or the great view of the marina. The food is intriguing, first of all they have one of the largest beer menus I have seen outside of downtown Vancouver with over 30 different types of beer, have an extensive wine list as well. We were served a selection of beers along with several dishes that showcased their seafood selections.

Prawn Toast

Mussels, Clams and topped with Haystack Fries

Grilled Scallop Salad

Ginger Soy Ahi Tuna in a citrus soy marinade with a sesame slaw salad

Local Salmon in a Jar

The first dish was the Prawn Toast and it was toasted with a layer of prawn paste and sesame seeds with a sweet honey dip and it was ever so yum!  The next dish which I probably wouldn’t have ordered if I had been doing the ordering was delicious Mussels, Clams and topped with Haystack Fries done canoe style – with white wine, garlic, fresh lemon, chives, bacon, stilton cheese. The next dish was the Grilled Scallop Salad, a skewer of Scallops, salad of endive, radish, chorizo and caper cream dressing. I skipped on the Oysters and went straight into the next dish which was the Seared Ginger Soy Ahi Tuna in a citrus soy marinade with a sesame slaw salad and on to the last dish which was one of my favourites the Local Salmon in a Jar,  house smoked red spring and poached sockeye. yogurt, dill, with almond biscuits for spreading.

There are a lot of restaurants in Steveston Village, many are seafood oriented and worth discovery!

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

A Quest for the Best Cinnamon Buns

September 28th, 2010 admin

Cinnamon Buns or Cinnamon Rolls are a staple snack at cafes and bakeries throughout North America, there are bakeries and cafes that boast their buns to be the best and there are chains that specialize in the one and only cinnamon goodness. I have spent a month sampling my away around Vancouver to find the BEST Cinnamon Bun or Roll.

Note: You may not agree with my opinion as my taste may not be your taste. Most of the buns and rolls are from independents with a few chains though I did steer clear from the national chains that only make cinnamon buns. The prices indicated include tax and were for one cinnamon bun/roll. I only visited places in Vancouver, I did not venture into the suburbs on this quest.

In ranking order, these are my favourite Cinnamon Buns and Rolls around Vancouver.

1) Grounds For Coffee 2565 Alma Street – $3.73

Gooey, big, the most perfect amount of cinnamon, thin layers of dough, topped with tasty white icing, delicious taste and the very best that I had.

GROUNDS FOR COFFEE

2) Cobs – Multiple locations – $2.80

Large, perfect amount of cinnamon, thin layers of dough, topped with tasty white icing, lots of layers of goodness.

COBBS

3) Crème de la Crumb – 466 Granville Street – $3.64

Small for the price, good amount of cinnamon, topped with the best vanilla bean white icing, tasty. The icing is what makes these buns so good.

CREME DE LA CRUMB

4) Solly’s –3 locations — $3.08

Good size, perfectly textured with layers of flakey dough, moist, full of cinnamon, tasty.

SOLLY`S

5) Bean Around The World –multiple locations — $2.70

Gooey, big, good amount of cinnamon , topped with white icing.

BEAN AROUND THE WORLD

6) Kaplan’s –5775 Oak Street — $3.08

Huge, yeasty texture dough that was a bit dry, lots of cinnamon and lots of raisins.

KAPLAN`S

7) Whole Foods Cambie – 510 West 8th Avenue

Gigantic, full of rains, dense, topped with honeyed pecans.

WHOLE FOODS

8) Melriches –1244 Davie Street — $2.91

Big, dry bun, not a great tasting dough, right amount of cinnamon, with few raisins.

MELRICHES

Do you have a favourite Cinnamon Bun or Roll from a bakery or café around Vancouver or in the suburbs?

Feel free to add your comment here and name the place and their location, the cost of each including tax and why you think they are the best!

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, The BEST List Tags: , , , 6 Comments »

An Evening at the Italian Opera Buffet

September 18th, 2010 admin

Last Saturday evening I dined at Café Pacifica inside the Pan Pacific Hotel for their Italian Opera Buffet. I was invited by the Pan Pacific to come and experience their Italian Opera night, it was a discovery of sorts for me as I hadn’t heard about this unique dinner with live opera singers.

Every Saturday night, it is Italian Opera night in this restaurant, ideal for your date night, wedding anniversary, birthday or to treat yourself to a personal indulgence. Accomplished Opera singers accompanied by piano as the entertainment while you dine at this Italian themed buffet.

Began the meal with a selection of salads and antipasti from one of the stations, favourites here were the Tomato Caprese, white asparagus, grilled vegetables, shrimp salad, and olives. Next was a visit to the entrée station where I had Duck leg in Barolo with polenta rounds along with Vegetarian Canelloni both dishes were outstanding; from here I visited the Pasta station and the Chef prepared a dish of wholewheat rigatoni, with shrimp, scallops, vegetables, pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and tomato sauce. The last station was the dessert station where I loved the Elize, chocolate hazelnut slice and the plum almond tart. While enjoying dinner and a great conversation, the two opera singers sang Italian opera for our listening pleasure.

Italian Opera Dinner happens every Saturday night from 6pm-9pm and is $49 per person at Cafe Pacifica.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Latest, Restaurant Promotions Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Moon Cakes at Pan Pacific Vancouver Brunch Sept 19

September 11th, 2010 admin

Pastry Chef Hans Pirhofer (L) & Executive Chef Daryl Nagata (R)

I took part in a media tour and tasting the other day, led by Pastry Chef Hans Pirhofer at the Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver where he and Executive Chef Daryl Nagata made their specialty Moon Cakes. These Moon Cakes are unlike any you may have had before, these are made with all Canadian ingredients including Nk’Mip Late Harvest Riesling, Filburts, Walnuts, Quebec Maple Syrup, Fireweed Honey and other ingredients.

Pastry Chef Hans Pirhofer

For one day only, Sunday September 19th you can savour some of the Canadian Moon Cakes made by the pastry team lead by Pastry Chef Hans Pirhofer. The Pan Pacific Vancouver will recognize one of the most important dates in the Chinese calendar, the Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival.

To celebrate the rising of this year’s September 22 full moon, on Sunday, September 19 the Pan Pacific Vancouver’s renowned Sunday Brunch will take on an Asian theme, featuring a host of specialties with the highlight being these uniquely Canadian Moon Cakes.

The Pan Pacific Vancouver has kept their Moon Cakes authentic in terms of crust and form, the Pan Pacific Vancouver Pastry Team has concocted fillings that showcase Canada’s bounty with ingredients including Ice Wine, filberts from Agassiz, sun-dried cranberries and dried Okanagan fruits and berries.

“We were one of the first teams in Canada to celebrate the bounty of our great land by using Canadian ingredients in making Moon Cakes,” says Daryle Nagata, Executive Chef of the Pan Pacific Vancouver. “From late harvest wines to regional fruits, berries and nuts, our Moon Cakes are an authentically Canadian representation of the Moon Cake.”

Moon Cakes are traditionally given to friends and family members as a token of friendship, longevity and good luck. The Pan Pacific Vancouver will present their unique Ice Wine Moon Cake to each guest at the Moon Festival Sunday Brunch, September 19.  The lavish buffet will feature the luxury hotel’s most popular items including fresh seafood, carved Alberta beef, omelets made to order as well as specialties from China, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Korea.

Moon Cake

Moon Festival Celebrations at the Pan Pacific Vancouver

Sunday Brunch, September 19 at 11:30am – 2:30pm

Entertainment: The Golden Pearl Trio

Brunch: $49 per person, taxes additional

For reservations and information please call 604-895-2480.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Great Ideas, Holiday Fare, Latest Tags: , , , , No Comments »
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