The Vancouver Foodster Caesar Cocktail Challenge was a great success featuring unique creations at restaurants and bars around Vancouver, Langley, Maple Ridge and West Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their creation on their menu from May 4-28, 2017. 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, David Peng and Maggi Mei
The Winners are:
1st Place:
Ban Chok Dee
BanChokDee TYG Caesar
Price: $12
Created by: Parinya Loptson
Description: Enjoy the tingling Thai flavours of Tom Yum Soup spices fused with this quintessential Canadian beverage. Topped with an assortment of delights including a Goong Sarong shrimp skewer.
Begins with a Spiced Bacon Caesar Sphere to pop in your mouth and get you started!
Ingredients: -Absolute Vodka, Maekhong (Thai whiskey) , tobacco, horseradish , Worcestershire, black pepper and thai chili sauce. -Lemongrass, Galangal, lime juice, lime leaf, mixed with Caesar spices.-Dried spiced prawns ,smoked bacon bits
Offered: All the time
Ban Chok Dee
20563 Douglas Crescent, Langley
Tel: 778-278-3088
Twitter: @BanChokDeeThai
Instagram: @banchokdeethai
And
Ban Chok Dee
20395 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge
Web: http://www.banchokdee.com
Twitter: @BanChokDeeThai
Instagram: @banchokdeemr
Parinya Loptson
2nd Place:
House Special
Night Market Caesar
Price: the Double is $12 and “The Whole Shebang” is $18
Created by: Bar Manager – Bryan Statham
Description: Transport yourself to the streets of Vietnam with House Special’s Night Market Caesar! Made completely from scratch – this caesar marries a festive house-made fish sauce “clamato,” an exotic 6-spice rim, your choice of lemongrass infused vodka or kaffir lime infused gin, and your pick of street food-style garnishes. Make it a meal and get the whole shebang – a spring roll, betel beef skewer, chicken satay, AND crispy tofu!
Ingredients:
Caesar mix – Tomato juice, fish sauce, sriracha, red chili, worcestershire sauce (vegan option available)
Rim – Anise, Coriander, peppercorn, celery seed, chili, curry powder, pink Himalayan salt
Choice of lemongrass infused vodka or kaffir gin
Offered: All day
House Special
1269 Hamilton St, Vancouver
Tel: (778) 379-2939
Web: http://www.housespecial.ca/
Twitter: @housespecialvan
Instagram: @housespecial.ca
3rd Place (tie):
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market
Stadium District Caesar
Price: $10.50
Created by: Bartender: Mark Ryan
Description: A smoky twist on our Fanny Bay Classic Caesar, the Stadium District Caesar reflects the wonderful neighborhood our Oyster Bar is located in. The smoked pickle juice also nicely pairs with our house smoked Fanny Bay Oysters.
Ingredients: Smoked Pickle Juice Brine, Olive Brine, Lime Juice, Vodka, Clamato Juice, Tabasco, Worchesters sauce, Skewer – Olive and a house smoked Fanny Bay Oyster, Rim – Montreal Steak spice, celery salt, smoked paprika
Offered: all the time
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market
762 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: (778) 379-9510
Web: http://fannybayoysters.com/location/oyster-bar–shellfish-market
Twitter: @fannybayoysters
Instagram: @fannybayoysters
Mark Ryan (middle)
3rd Place (tie):
Hendricks Resto-Lounge
Hendricks Tandoori Caesar
Price: $9.50
Created by: Simon Hawley
Description: House made Clamato juice, Jalapeño & black peppercorn infused tequila, , Tandoori & Cajun spiced rim, Cucumber rose with yogurt raita, pakora garnish
Ingredients: Clamato juice made from scratch using clam nectar, tomato juice, HP sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, chili flakes, Cajun seasoning, tandoori masala, wasabi
Cholula hot sauce, tabasco and lea & perrins.
Infused blanco tequila with jalapeños and black peppercorn.
Tandoori and Cajun spiced rim.
Cucumber rose with yogurt raita, pakora garnish.
Offered: Lunch and dinner
Hendricks Resto-Lounge
Location: 433 Robson Street in The Westin Grand
Tel: 604-647-2521
Web: http://hendricksrestaurant.com/
Twitter: @hendricksyvr
Instagram: @hendricksyvr
Simon Hawley
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:
Hendricks Resto-Lounge
Hendricks Tandoori Caesar
Price: $9.50
Created by: Simon Hawley
Description: House made Clamato juice, Jalapeño & black peppercorn infused tequila, , Tandoori & Cajun spiced rim, Cucumber rose with yogurt raita, pakora garnish
Ingredients: Clamato juice made from scratch using clam nectar, tomato juice, HP sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, chili flakes, Cajun seasoning, tandoori masala, wasabi
Cholula hot sauce, tabasco and lea & perrins.
Infused blanco tequila with jalapeños and black peppercorn.
Tandoori and Cajun spiced rim.
Cucumber rose with yogurt raita, pakora garnish.
Offered: Lunch and dinner
Hendricks Resto-Lounge
Location: 433 Robson Street in The Westin Grand
Tel: 604-647-2521
Web: http://hendricksrestaurant.com/
Twitter: @hendricksyvr
Instagram: @hendricksyvr
2nd Place People’s Choice:
Ban Chok Dee
BanChokDee TYG Caesar
Price: $12
Created by: Parinya Loptson
Description: Enjoy the tingling Thai flavours of Tom Yum Soup spices fused with this quintessential Canadian beverage. Topped with an assortment of delights including a Goong Sarong shrimp skewer.
Begins with a Spiced Bacon Caesar Sphere to pop in your mouth and get you started!
Ingredients: -Absolute Vodka, Maekhong (Thai whiskey) , tobacco, horseradish , Worcestershire, black pepper and thai chili sauce. -Lemongrass, Galangal, lime juice, lime leaf, mixed with Caesar spices.-Dried spiced prawns ,smoked bacon bits
Offered: All the time
Ban Chok Dee
20563 Douglas Crescent, Langley
Tel: 778-278-3088
Twitter: @BanChokDeeThai
Instagram: @banchokdeethai
And
Ban Chok Dee
20395 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge
Web: http://www.banchokdee.com
Twitter: @BanChokDeeThai
Instagram: @banchokdeemr
3rd Place People’s Choice:
House Special
Night Market Caesar
Price: the Double is $12 and “The Whole Shebang” is $18
Created by: Bar Manager – Bryan Statham
Description: Transport yourself to the streets of Vietnam with House Special’s Night Market Caesar! Made completely from scratch – this caesar marries a festive house-made fish sauce “clamato,” an exotic 6-spice rim, your choice of lemongrass infused vodka or kaffir lime infused gin, and your pick of street food-style garnishes. Make it a meal and get the whole shebang – a spring roll, betel beef skewer, chicken satay, AND crispy tofu!
Ingredients:
Caesar mix – Tomato juice, fish sauce, sriracha, red chili, worcestershire sauce (vegan option available)
Rim – Anise, Coriander, peppercorn, celery seed, chili, curry powder, pink Himalayan salt
Choice of lemongrass infused vodka or kaffir gin
Offered: All day
House Special
1269 Hamilton St, Vancouver
Tel: (778) 379-2939
Web: http://www.housespecial.ca/
Twitter: @housespecialvan
Instagram: @housespecial.ca
Thank you to all the bartenders 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 Caesar Challenge entries here.
By: Richard Wolak