SAL Y LIMON

May 3rd, 2012 admin

Unit #5 – 701 Kingsway, Vancouver

Tel: 604-677-4247

Web: n/a

Twitter:  @Salylimonvan

Advice: order the home-made potato chips over the tortilla chips, visit the complementary salsa bar. No reservations.

Finding an authentic restaurant serving delicious Mexican food has often been a challenge to find in our city, that is until now. Last night, my friend Ajay Masala Puri joined me for dinner to discover this hidden gem. Some would say it’s off the beaten track, and I’d say it’s in the heart of EastVan’s new restaurant row. The décor is simple and you aren’t here for that anyway, you are here for the authentic Mexican dishes. A couple of families run the place together, having been in the restaurant business back in their home country of Mexico.

Super Vegetariana Huaraches

Cordero al Cilantro (lamb) Huaraches

Home-made Potato Chips

Salsa Bar

Brownie con Lechara

I had the Super Vegetariana Huaraches ($8.75) a home-made corn tortilla topped with delicious black beans, vegetables, panella cheese and more goodness. I made my dish a combo for an extra $2 (you have a choice of soup, coleslaw, potato chips or tortilla chips) which included home-made potato chips and salsas from the salsa bar along with a Horchata sweet cinnamon-flavored milk which was also very good. Ajay had the Cordero al Cilantro (lamb) Huaraches ($8.50) and his was a combo as well. We both then shared the one and only dessert, Brownie con Lechara ($3.75) which was Yum.

You will find an extensive menu featuring many Mexican favourites including Sopes, Tacos, Burritos, Huaraches, Quesadillas and Tortas along with very friendly service and reasonable prices. I am already looking forward to my next visit to try the Smoked Chicken Huaraches!

Review by: Richard Wolak

Interview with Mark Tagulao

May 2nd, 2012 admin

Mark Tagulao | Vancouver

Vancouver is home to some of the best pastry chefs in the world, many have worked for the top chefs and restaurants around the world as well as around the city. Star Pastry Chefs is a series of Interviews with some of the top chefs in and around Vancouver, within the interview each chef is to prepare or finish off three of his/her signature desserts.

As early as age 4, Mark was cooking alongside his mom, experimenting with food, and quickly developing his passion for creative cooking. After graduating from university, and going into banking,  Mark then left the world of finance to follow his passion and apprenticed with a local cake decorator before heading overseas. He then trained in the art of Pastry at the Macaron Pastry Training Center in Thailand where he was taught by famous French pastry chef, Eric Perez.   Mark returned to Vancouver and began to develop his career, mastering his pastry skills, cake decorating, sculpting, and eventually, recipe development and teaching.

Most recently, Mark showcased his sculpted custom cakes at Cake Love 2011, and appeared on the Food Network’s Recipe to Riches reality show, has been teaching at the Hungry Oven, a cooking school for kids and launched his own company Marked Edible Designs.

Did you always want to be a pastry chef?

No I wanted to become a lawyer at first, then a dentist. I was in HR then banking, then went into this industry professionally about 2 years ago.

Do you follow or apply a specific food design?

I like to take the traditional and remising combinations and I see everything and how it works, taking inspiration from everywhere.

Where do you get inspiration?

Cookbooks, tv, photography, paintings, sculptures, how things are put together (shapes and colours). Travelling and trying different dishes.

Tell me about your involvement with Cake Love

A group of 5 cake makers decided to create a cake decorating conference in Vancouver which took place in 2011. We are now planning the 2nd annual conference, bringing instructors from all over North America to Vancouver in October 2012.

Mark Tagulao and his Coca Cola Macarons

Is there a pastry chef or two that inspire you?

  • Adriano Zumbo (Australia)
  • Eric Perez (Thailand)

How would you describe your style of desserts/cakes at Marked Edible Designs?

A twist on old favourites.

What is your favourite Pastry Shop in Vancouver?

Sweet Revenge

What are your favourite cities in the world for pastries?

Sydney, Australia and Manilla, Philippines

The 1st Dessert:

Berry Macaron & Green Tea Macaron

Berry Macaron & Green Tea Macaron

What is in the dessert?

  • Using a mixed berry tea for the filling in the berry macaron.
  • Using a matcha tea for the filling in the green tea macaron.

What was your inspiration behind this dessert?

I love tea, think of a recipe, create the filling, then create the macarons. Adapating recipes.

If you weren’t a pastry chef what do you think you’d be doing?

I think I would be teaching and working with people.

The 2nd Dessert:

Teapolitan Ice Cream Cake

Teapolitan Ice Cream Cake

What is in the dessert?

The ice cream layers were green tea, vanilla/cardamom and earl grey with an almond sponge base.

What was your inspiration behind this dessert?

My love for tea, my friend bought me an ice cream machine for my birthday, I played around.

I understand you recently created the recipes for Cartems Donuterie, tell us how that came about?

Through a mutual friend of Jordan (co-owner of Cartems Donuterie) and I, connected us talking about ideas and then I created the base recipes for chocolate and vanilla and also some specialty flavours – Earl Grey, Bee Stings, and Gluten-free.

What types of dessert oriented products have you been designing/creating?

Cakes, macarons, cookies, ice creams, sugar sculpting, and chocolate making.

The 3rd Dessert:

Genoise Ube

Ube Genoise

What is in the dessert?

Ube essence infused sponge and buttercream.

What was your inspiration behind this dessert?

One of my childhood favourites and its Filipino.

What kinds of classes do you teach?

Sugar pulling, chocolates, cake decorating, macarons.

What are the most unique flavours of Macarons you have made?

Coca Cola, and hopefully a S’mores will be next.

Check out Mark’s Gallery of Cakes

Stay tuned for the next chef in the Star Pastry Chef series.

By: Richard Wolak

LE PARISIEN

May 2nd, 2012 admin

751 Denman Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-687-1418

Web: www.leparisien.ca

Twitter: @leparisienyvr

Advice: Mon -Fri mornings croissants and coffee; brunch on weekends. Lunch & Dinner daily.

Everyone has a love for Paris in one way or another, whether it be Paris in Vegas or Paris in France, now we have Paris in the Westend and I am in love with it.

Croissants

Espresso Macchiatto

From the moment you walk in the room it is as if you woke up in Paris, I visited during the week to start the day with my friend Alejandro and we shared a basket of fresh baked Croissants ($8.50) with 2 plain croissants and 1 chocolate croissant, I had an Espresso Macchiatto ($3.00).

French Onion Fondue

Albacore Tuna Tartar

Cassoulet de Casteinaudary

Braised Lamb Gnocchi

On another day, I had dinner with friends sharing several of the dishes. I loved the outstanding French Onion Fondue ($9) with gruyere, onions, sherry and fresh baguette, it is a french onion soup without the broth; had the Albacore Tuna Tartar ($12) tapenade, pine nuts, oven dried tomato, espelette, croutons. Next was the delicious Cassoulet de Casteinaudary ($20) duck confit, bacon, toulouse sausage, cannellini beans; as well as the delicious Braised Lamb Gnocchi ($20) petit pois, mint and fromage blanc.

Citrus Parfait

Dark Chocolate Mousse

For dessert I shared the delicious and refreshing Citrus Parfait ($7) calamansi curd, blueberry preserve, burnt meringue followed by the Dark Chocolate Mousse ($7) with salted caramel and cocoa nib tuile. Looking forward to my next visit to try Brunch!

Review By: Richard Wolak

French Macaron Baking Class with Chef Marco Ropke

May 1st, 2012 admin

Chef Marco Ropke

On April 13th,  I attended this hands on French Macaron class with Chef Marco Ropke at the Pastry Training Centre. Our class of 10 students were educated on the steps needed to make the best macarons.

Chef Marco making the Macaron batter

Chef Marco piping the Macarons on to the cookie sheet

Macarons in the drying stage

This was my first class at the Pastry Training Centre, Marco demonstrated Macarons to us, we were partnered up and assigned stations where many of the ingredients were pre-portioned for us to then follow the recipe and make on our own.

Students at work

Batch of chocolate macarons my station partner and I made

Macarons the classmates made

During the popular French Macaron class, we learned many of the tricks of the trade to make these very special and tricky little cookies. We worked on various different flavours, colors and fillings.

Chef Marco demonstrating the filling for the macarons

Chef Marco preparing the macarons for filling

This was a 4 hour pastry course and each of us left with a selection of macarons prepared in class. Various pastry techniques were covered, this course is a combination of hands-on experience and demonstrations.

Chef Marco piping in the filling on the macarons

The class made a selection of macarons with different flavours and fillings. My station partner and I made chocolate macarons with chocolate ganache.

As in all of their classes, all tools, utensils & equipment are provided. Aprons, recipes, light snacks and beverage are provided.

Finished Macarons

Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver is located at 818 Renfrew Street in Vancouver.

Telephone: 604-569-1680

www.vancouverpastryschool.com

@pastrytraining on twitter

By: Richard Wolak

Poplar Grove Winemakers Dinner

April 29th, 2012 admin

Winemaker Ian Sutherland (left) & Val Tait (right)

I attended this dinner at Tapanade Bistro on April 4th, that featured Poplar Grove Wines along with their Winemaker Ian Sutherland.

Following the welcoming reception that featured the 2009 Poplar Grove Viognier and canapes, we all sat down to dinner.

Now on to dinner and the pairings!

First Course:

Dayboat Halibut

Dayboat Halibut – spring vegetable salad, Spotted Prawn jus

Paired with Poplar Grove Reserve Chardonnay 2010

Second Course:

Fraser Valley Duck Breast

Fraser Valley Duck Breast – carrot puree, confit leg ragu, mustard & cocoa spaetzle, cherry gastrique

Paired with Poplar Grove Merlot 2007

Third Course:

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb – chickpea panisse, ratatouille, rapini, warm olive and anchovy vinaigrette

Paired with Poplar Grove CSM 2008

Fourth Course:

Nostrala – Alpine Style BC Cheese

Nostrala – Alpine Style BC Cheese

Paired with Poplar Grove The Legacy 2006

Fifth Course:

White Chocolate Panna Cotta

White Chocolate Panna Cotta – meyer lemon curd, compressed pineapple, kiwi, basil, almond streusel

Paired with Late Harvest Riesling 2009

 

Executive Chef Justin Cheung

Comments:  All of the wines and courses were well paired, I found the Poplar Grove Reserve Chardonnay 2010 was the perfect match and quite lite to the Dayboat Halibut – spring vegetable salad, Spotted Prawn jus. Poplar Grove Merlot 2007 was delicious with the Fraser Valley Duck Breast – carrot puree, confit leg ragu, mustard & cocoa spaetzle, cherry gastrique; and the Poplar Grove CSM 2008 was outstanding with the sous vide Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb – chickpea panisse, ratatouille, rapini, warm olive and anchovy vinaigrette.

Executive Chef Justin Cheung and his team did an exceptional job with the dishes and wine pairings.

Tapanade Bistro is located at 3711 Bayview Street in Steveston.

Poplar Grove Wines is located in Penticton, BC.

By: Richard Wolak

WIN 2 Tickets to Dish ‘N Dazzle

April 26th, 2012 admin

Enter to WIN 2 Tickets to Dish ‘N Dazzle ($150 value)

Fairmont Waterfront Hotel

May 16, 2012 @ 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

This year’s casual walk about event is sponsored by Wines of Argentina.  The evening brings out the brightest lights on the local culinary scene in support of the hospitality industry’s own charity, the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF).

Event sponsor Wines of Argentina will provide over 80 wines for tasting, more than 10 top Vancouver restaurants will be on hand with food pairings and local bartenders will put their swizzle sticks to the test in a cocktail competition.  There will also be a massive silent auction in support of the BC Hospitality Foundation.

See the menu 

All proceeds will go to the BCHF, which provides financial support for hospitality industry members who are facing extraordinary medical expenses.

Buy tickets here

 CONGRATULATIONS Alisa Sakamoto the winner of the contest (drawn by random.org)

Now for The Contest

Follow these 3 steps:

1) Write a comment below, list your two favourite restaurants in the Vancouver area that has the best service.

2) Follow us both @vanfoodster @bchospitality and retweet the following on twitter:

I entered to win 2 Tickets to @bchospitality Dish ‘N Dazzle via @vanfoodster http://bit.ly/JdcoQZ #ContestGiveaway  RT to enter!

3)    Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vancouverfoodster

All submissions will be entered to win for the random draw. The winner of this contest will be announced via twitter and posted.  The contest giveaway is to enter to Win 2 Tickets to Dish ‘N Dazzle (value $150).

Fine Print: Contest will run until 11pm on 5/3/12 You must enter your full name and twitter address if you have one and register with your email address when entering the contest.

Vancouver Foodster is @vanfoodster on twitter and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/vancouverfoodster and on Google+

ALWAYS SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

April 26th, 2012 admin

4298 Main Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-876-6110

Web: n/a

Twitter: n/a

Advice: Alaskan King Crab season happens once a year, generally in March, contact the restaurant in advance for reservations. Go with a group of friends to share dishes.

I joined up with a group of friends for what turned out to be a 12 course dinner celebrating Alaskan King Crab. My friend and fellow writer Stephanie Yuen chose the restaurant as it’s known to be one of the best for Alaskan King Crab and other dishes. Our dinner was made up of 4 Alaskan King Crab dishes along with some of their other speciality dishes. At the big round table along with Stephanie and me, there was Henry, Cassandra, Rosana, Maria, Natalie, Matt, Nikki and Jason.

Crab & Fish Maw Soup

Garlic & Ginger King Crab

Deep Fried Crab

To begin we had the Crab & Fish Maw Soup followed by the outstanding and flavourful Garlic & Ginger King Crab and then the delicious Deep Fried Crab.

Royal Tofu

Tossed Noodles in crab jus

Baked Portugese Fried rice in the shell

The next round of dishes included their house specialty Royal Tofu which I loved, along with the Tossed Noodles in crab jus and the tasty Baked Portugese Fried rice in the shell which was the last crab dish.

Steamed Scallop and Eggplant in black bean sauce

Pork Chop with walnuts in mayo sauce

Goose in greens

Taiwanese Lettuce

The next round of dishes featured some of their off the menu dishes, I loved the Steamed Scallop and Eggplant in black bean sauce and didn’t care for the Pork Chop with walnuts in mayo sauce or the Goose in greens, and I liked the last savoury dish the Taiwanese Lettuce.

Mung Bean Soup

Honey Pumpkin with walnuts.

For dessert we were served their warm Mung Bean Soup along with my favourite dessert of the two the Honey Pumpkin with walnuts.

The menu is filled with Cantonese and some Taiwanese dishes and they are open late into the wee hours of the next morning should you be on the search for a late night of eating.

Review By: Richard Wolak

The Fairmont Waterfront Spring Menu

April 25th, 2012 admin

I was invited to the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel last week to sample their Spring Menu as it launched as well as to meet Executive Chef Dana Hauser.

Minted Split Pea Soup

King Crab on a Pogo Stick

Caesers shooters with Effingham Oysters

I loved the Minted Split Pea Soup as well as the King Crab on a Pogo Stick along with the Caesers shooters with Effingham Oysters.

Making Cocktails

The cocktail master was at work creating and serving up delicious spring inspired cocktails.

Pastry Chef, Stephanie Greenslade and her Honey Comb Ice Cream Cones

Lemon Thyme Drops

Pastry Chef, Stephanie Greenslade presented a selection of garden inspired sweets and treats and my favourites were the Honey Comb Ice Cream Cones , Lemon Thyme Drops, and  Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches.

The reception took place in Herons West Coast Kitchen + Bar, at The Fairmont Waterfront and featured a great band for our listening pleasure to go along with the wonderful bites and delights.

The hospitality team at the hotel is comprised of Daniel Kaeflein, Director of Food & Beverage; Ian Pullan, General Manager; Dana Hauser, Executive Chef; Mark Wadsworth, Exec Sous Chef and Chris Nielson, Sous Chef.

Herons West Coast Kitchen is located at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, 900 Canada Place Way in Vancouver and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, an all-day menu and dessert; check out their website for the menu and hours.

By: Richard Wolak

 

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