Sunday, January 24, 2010

Olympic Food And Wine In Vancouver

Olympic Food And Wine In Vancouver



Granville Island is Olympic Central for good Eats!

Bridges is the House of Switzerland during the Olympics.  It’s going to be a party in B.C. Canada! The regular menu will be combined with traditional Swiss dishes. They’ll be hosting numerous events and you’ll be able to catch television broadcasts of the Olympic competitions and feats there, too.  Plus, it’s on Granville Island.


Go Fish!

Another Granville fave is Go Fish!  It’s actually right on the docks as you walk from Granville Island toward the Burrard Street Bridge.  They get the freshest fish because they buy it right off the boats, parked alongside the dockside location. There’s nearly always a line, especially on clear sky days.  It’s always well worth the wait. And if the tiny tables are filled up, most people just sit on the seawall and watch the boats go by. This one’s a gem for all of us locavores, especially we who love seafood!

Of course, not to be missed by any account, is the Granville Island fresh local market.  It is Foodie Heaven. No, wait. It is Foodie Nirvana. No, wait. It is a locavore Foodie’s heavenly nirvana!  Schedule some time to linger over all the fresh, delicious and colorful choices. Bring your appetite and be prepared to graze!

More Vancouver Local Food And Wine choices.  Go ahead, explore a little!

Market at Shangri-La –   Indulge in a high-end westcoast meal without breaking the bank. Shhh…it’s still a local’s secret…

Sushi at Tsunami and Shabusen both put you in the heart of the shopping district in Vancouver.  Tsunami has fresh sushi and a variety of other Japanese dishes.  Shabusen is all you can eat sushi.

Pajo’s Fish & Chips – Just off the Steveston docks. Large portions, great fish and great prices.

Beefy Beef Noodle – Tawainese savoury beef noodle soups are great for lunch, and very popular in Vancouver.

Dim Sum at Sun Sui Wah – It’s a busy place, but you can make a reservation.

Griffins – For kids and a great meal, Griffins’ has something for everyone.

All India Sweets – Vegetarian buffet – Meat dishes also available.

Dinner at the Cannery –  Off the beaten path but well worth it. This landmark Vancouver restaurant is losing its lease so be sure not to miss your last chance to take in the view.

Campagnolo – Italian cuisine with  a charcuterie upstairs.

Kam’s Place – curries and Tom Yum soup dished up with friendly service and consistently delicious Singaporean food.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Terminal City Club's Sizzlin' Sommelier

Terminal City Club’s Sizzlin’ Sommelier

Local Food And Wine

I first met Teresa Alampur, Terminal City Club’s sommelier, when we were both putting in a grueling day sorting grapes.  In the middle of  harvest season out in the Okanagan last fall, we found ourselves standing side-by-side at a sorting table, picking through 4 tons of pinot gris.

The day started at 8 a.m. and we all showed up cheerful enough. A few hours into it, after standing on hard cement, picking errant leaves and vine out of the grapes before they were to be pressed, in the cold snap that had descended suddenly on the Valley after the prolonged balmy summer days, and no one was saying too much to one another any more.No one could; even our faces were frozen.

Nine hours later and this trained and credentialed sommelier was still hanging tough, just like the rest of us. And the “rest of us” were mostly grown and griseled guys with steel-toed, insulated boots that buffer the hard ground and thick rubber gloves to protect our hands from the cold and sticky grapes.
A real trouper, that’s what the petite Alampur proved herself to be. She’s a sommelier, then, who has earned her stripes both indoors and out on the vineyard.

Expert wine selections at Terminal City Club's Cuvee.

At Vancouver’s prestigious and exclusive Terminal City Club,  where she is Director of Restaurants as well as Club Sommelier, Teresa oversees the Cuvée Wine Bar which presents a modern cocktail menu and ever changing wine list, a list that is carefully curated by Alampur.

The Terminal City Club is described as “Vancouver’s most prominent private business club” and enjoyed a full renovation in 2008.  It is located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, a city which is consistently rated as number one in the world in terms of quality of life. It is a private club whose tower maintains five floors with 60 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites.

Check online for their weekly and monthly special tastings. The Menu from Cuvee below has likely already been freshened up with seasonal fare.

Cuvee Menu

Charcuterie Plate
A Selection of Dry Cured Meat, Aged Cheese, Club Marinated Olives

Braised Beef Short Rib Sliders
Pumpkin Butter, Brie Cheese

Rice Noodle Wrapped Tiger Prawns
Steamed Pork & Prawn Dim Sum
Light Soy, Chili Sauce

Crispy Fried Calamari
Chili Paste, Japanese Mayo

K.F.C
“Korean Fried Chicken”
Panko Crusted Chicken, Pickled Vegetables, Scallion Soy Glaze

Prawn & Oaxaca Cheese Quesadilla
Avocado Cream

Prosciutto, Bocconcini, Oven Dried Tomato Panini
Basil Mayo, White Truffle Butter
Vancouver Food And Wine * Okanagan Food And Wine

*Local Food And Wine*

 

What Else is there to do and see in B.C.? 


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Dine With A Vampire, Or At Least Like Robert Pattinson And His Twilight/ Eclipse Co-stars

The Vancouver Vampire Culinary Tour...Come Along and Feast on the city's Freshest!

Headed to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics?  Well, you still gotta eat in between all those Olympic events and ogling all the young Olympians.

In addition to the adrenaline-pumping athletic feats the city has on offer in February, there are also tons of tasty foodie treats in which to indulge.  The cold(-ish) weather and the wintry season make it all the more appealing to hunker down in a local pub over a  pot of poutine and a glass of perfectly aged wine or frothy pint of ale.

And for your dining pleasure... take the Vancouver Vampire Culinary Tour!  (Hey, if it's good enough for Edward and Bella...) See the Restaurant Reviews below.


Robert Pattinson digs into Vancouver.

And for your listening pleasure, Vampire Weekend's  "Horchata" off their latest album, Contra.


Monday, January 4, 2010

A Thick, Juicy, Bloody Steak Is All The Twilight Rage At Glowbal Grill And Satay

Continuing on our Twilight trek under Vancouver's New Moon, foraging for the bloodiest best and freshest eats the city has to offer, and we're guided straight to glowbal grill and satay in Yaletown.

Lucky for us, too, this Vancouver favorite has just re-opened after a gilted refurbishing and from January 12th until Jan. 31st, all lunch entrees are half off!  That's a 50% savings on lunch just for being a true blood in the know.




This Pattinson-favored spot has gotten an elegant uplift, befitting a vampire and his entourage. You will now be seated in gold snakeskin suede banquettes and you should be ready for your close-up what with the light from the hammered brass-banded gold chandeliers reflected in the round mirrors hung all around the room.

Executive Chef Erik Heck has created new menu favorites. The "new" restaurant features a Meat Cellar – essentially a glass-walled meat cooler, displaying aged cuts of beef: ribeyes, striploins and tenderloins. Steaks are pulled down and butchered to order.

Don't miss Edward's/ Robert Pattinson's fave, glowbal’s famous spaghetti and Kobe meatballs which remains a menu staple as do the sizzling satays.

Glowbal is open for dinner starting January 12, lunch starting January 13th and for brunch starting this weekend.  Tasty tip: brunch comes with complimentary basket of mini donuts.

More Fresh Cuts at:  Vancouver Food And Wine

glowbal grill and satay bar
1079 Mainland Street
Yaletown, BC
V6B 5P9
T: 604 602 0835
http://glowbalgrill.com/

Read More Here:  Greedy Guts Review

Get The Best Culinary Advice for your city:  Local Food And Wine