EAT! Vancouver 2011

Lorra and Aaron with Gorilla Foods at Eat! Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival

- by Shawn Conner/photos by Robyn Hanson

We spent way too long at last Saturday’s EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival, and ate and drank way too much, and before we even got there I bought a Lady Gaga concert T-shirt for five bucks at a thrift store so you know this day was already going to be more or less a write-off.

What is EAT! Vancouver but a three-day bacchanalia of food booths, cooking demonstrations and, even more spectacularly, maybe the best makeshift bar in the city.

The middle aisles of the Vancouver Convention Centre room in which it was held were given over mainly to people hawking everything from mops to yogurt, with many food samples thrown in. Another aisle was devoted to serving up samples of  cuisine from local restaurants, including East Indian, Peruvian and Mexican fare.

The bar zone, which occupied the northeast quarter of the room, offered a cornucopia of delights, from several different kinds of tequila and rum to a great selection of local microbrews as well as cider. Hats off to Alexander Keith’s for providing the only seated area in the whole alcohol zone.

Food-wise, we sampled grub from Maurya (chana masala), Gorilla Foods (raw vegan), and the Gramercy Grill (blue cheese macaroni – awesome!), among others. Sadly, or maybe not, we spent the majority of our five hours – five hours! – at Eat! Vancouver in the booze camp and missed just about all the cooking demos, including those by Rob Feenie and the Galloping Gourmet, although we did catch (from a distance) a little of the cocktail-mixing demo, which looked fun.

The Gramercy Grill's blue cheese macaroni, with meatball, at Eat! Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

We didn’t have to pay the $16 admission at the gate because we were covering it as media, but we did spend $40 a piece, which bought us 160 tickets altogether; most items ranged from 4-5 tickets each, so you do the math. We left full and not a little tipsy, which didn’t stop us from crossing the street to the Fairmont Pacific Rim for a pricey cocktail in their gorgeous lobby bar, while some dude played ’90s alt-rock classics (“Creep”, for one) on acoustic guitar.

Lobby bar at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

I can’t say I left EAT! Vancouver dissatisfied, but I’m not sure if next time I would spend most of my Saturday there. But thinking back on the booze zone, I’m not sure that I wouldn’t, either.

Calabash food at Eat! Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

The ladies at Dona Cata go for the authentic look at Eat! Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Ebo served up this swell fruity concoction at Eat! Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

The "raw mein" from Gorilla Foods at Eat! Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Vancouver Islands' Sea Cider's Pippins at Eat! Vancouver, June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

And, later that night…

Robyn Hanson at the Fairmont Pacific Rim lobby bar June 11 2011. Shawn Conner photo

14$ + tax and service charge gets you this and a dude playing "Creep" on acoustic guitar at the Fairmont Pacific Rim lobby bar June 11 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Well, we all know how this turned out... Robyn Hanson photo

Eating and drinking in Portland, Memorial Day Weekend 2011

Guttersnipe travel writer Shawn Conner. Photo by Robyn Hanson

A couple of weekends ago, my girlfriend and I drove down to Portland. We stopped the Thursday night (May 26) in Seattle, where we stayed at my favourite cheap-o hotel (The Moore, where they still know a thing or two about how to shape a towel into a bunny rabbit) before driving the rest of the way to PDX Friday. We stayed three nights at the Jupiter Hotel before heading home, make a brief (three hour) detour at Sasquatch, which wasn’t all that brief if you also consider how much driving time – approximately six hours – it added to the trip home.

Towel at the Moore Hotel, Seattle, May 26 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Anyway, a good part of the trip was spent sampling various bars and restaurants, including some new places, and as always when I’m in the U.S. searching for the perfect Happy Hour. Here’s a brief rundown of all the places we went, which may or may not guide you on your next visit to the land of Powell’s Books, microbreweries, and Stumptown Coffee.

Jupiter Hotel, May 27 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Thursday, May 26, Seattle:

The Tin Table – Dead at Happy Hour, but the light is great. It’s in something called the Oddfellows Building, around the corner from Elliott Bay Books; not a bad place for a cocktail and happy hour apps. A pisco sour was one of our drinks.

The Tin Table, Seattle, May 26 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Earth and Ocean in The W Hotel – Have never gotten over the place since seeing Quentin Tarantino at the bar during the Seattle Int’l Film Festival thousands of years ago. Great happy hour appetizers, expensive cocktails. The harissa chicken kebabs with almond yogurt sauce were delicious.

Sazerac in the Hotel Monaco – A deal when it comes to happy hour appetizers. We had a Simplicity pizza (tomato Reduction, Mozzarella, Baby Tomato, Basil), artisan lettuces, and 1/2 dozen oysters.

Oysters at the Sazerac in the Hotel Monaco, Seattle. Robyn Hanson photo

Queen City Grill – Had some great food and drink here during Bumbershoot. Ordered the sauteed wild mushrooms with polenta and pecorino cheese, though there didn’t seem to be much polenta. We weren’t complaining because it was still so buttery-fantastic. Cocktails: one bourbon-based and another rum-based, from what I remember.

The Queen City Grill in Seattle. Robyn Hanson photo

Friday, May 27, Portland:

Besaw’s – Arrived in the city at 1 p.m. and drove straight here for brunch. Excellent huevos rancheros, which I am continually on the look-out for in the “best” category.

Besaw's, May 27. Robyn Hanson photo

The Doug Fir at the Jupiter Hotel – We stopped at our hotel’s bar to get our Happy Hour going. I had their version of a boiler-maker – Old Crow whiskey and a PBR. Measured pour. Thumbs down.

Jupiter Hotel boiler-maker. Robyn Hanson photo.

The Guild Public House – IPAs and grilled dates with blue cheese and almonds wrapped in proscuitto and drizzled with maple syrup.  Yes.

Noble Rot Wine Bar – Excellent fun, sitting at a rounded banquette w/ oldsters. Crafty cocktails like the Spiced Heaven (bourbon and ginger). Happy Hour onion rings.

The onion rings at Noble Rot Wine Bar, Portland. Robyn Hanson photo

The Farm Cafe – Nice and dark, a good place to when you’ve had too much to drink and you don’t want anyone to see your pupils swimming in alcohol. Also it was next to our hotel. It’s also very Portland, i.e. there’s probably a skit about it on the satirical show Portlandia. The gnocchi was so good we had to go back on our last night and make sure we hadn’t just dreamt it. We also had the mascarpone cheesecake with pecans (hey, we were on vacation) and for an appetizer the artisanal lettuces.

Drunk at Farm Cafe, Portland, May 27 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Saturday, May 28:

Old Wives Tales – Don’t be fooled by its kid-friendly mien and the big, well-lit room that gives it a Denny’s-like atmosphere; the food at Old Wives Tales is seriously good, and with a tone of gluten-free options, which is good news if, like us, you’re health-obsessed in between poisoning your liver. I had Joe’s Tofu Scramble, with fresh spinach and asiago cheese.

Jake’s – With its old-school ambiance, Jake’s is the kind of cool, old-fashioned bar you imagine Elmore Leonard characters hanging out in. However it’s downtown and tourist-y, with a get-’em-in-get-’em-out feel. Still, not a bad place for a Happy Hour drink and appetizers; we had the “world-famous” crawfish.

Crawfish at Jake's, Portland, May 28 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Clyde Common – Also downtown, and situated next to the uber-hip Ace Hotel, Clyde Common comes with some uber-hipness of its own. We just had beer because we didn’t feel like paying non-happy-hour prices for the cocktails which, admittedly, looked intriguing (sample names: the Andalusian Buck; the Nasturtium; the Tuning Fork). It definitely warrants a return visit, however.

Typhoon – After I complained to the bartender that at Jake’s couldn’t taste the booze in our drinks, she said she makes real drinks. Still couldn’t taste the rum, however. Food was excellent, or seemed so at the time – better than average Thai.

Sunday, May 29

Bread and Ink Cafe – Too big, too many people, so-so brunch food. Good scones though.

Deco Distillery – There’s a section in the industrial part of town near the Willamette River called Distillery Row. We stopped at Deco, because it was easy to find and opened onto the street. And because they have rum! Ginger-infused rum, coffee-infused rum, and just plain old silver rum. Augustina, who was very helpful in pointing us in the direction of other bars in the area (including the nearby Speakeasy, which oozed personality but smelled like an armpit) poured for us and several others in the mid-afternoon. We walked away with a bottle of the ginger stuff. I still wonder if maybe I shouldn’t have bought the coffee one as well.

Deco rum. Robyn Hanson photo

Augustina at Deco Rum, Portland, May 29 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Deco Distilling, Portland, May 29 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Burnside Brewing Co. – More Portland craft brew, plus pastels and paper to draw on and old Talking Heads playing. Very cool place, and pretty much our last stop except for one return visit to Farm for more gnocchi in the dark.

Monday, May 30 2011

Mostly a travel day – no time for breakfast or even lunch, except for what we bought at a grocery store as well as hot dogs at the Sasquatch Music Festival. On the way home we stopped for a burger-and-brew at the Ram Restaurant and Brewery in North Seattle by the University District. It’s pretty collegiate but the grub is decent and just the kind of solid food needed after driving all day, and to get us home.

Still thinking about that gnocchi at Farm, though.

On the way to Sasquatch, May 30. Robyn Hanson photo.

Goodbye Sasquatch, May 30. Robyn Hanson photo.

Casual fine dining at Cactus Club

- by Shawn Conner/photos by Robyn Hanson

Last Thursday night, March 10, I was fortunate enough to find myself at the Cactus Club location on Broadway near Granville, feasting on a specially prepared dinner for six.

My girlfriend had won the dinner, valued at $400, for leaving a comment in answer to a question (about favourite wines) on the Cactus Club Facebook page. Her parents, sister and sister’s boyfriend, and myself went along to sample the Rob Feenie specialties that the restaurant chain hopes will position it as “casual fine dining” restaurant, i.e. a cut above franchises like Milestones and Earls.

Mission accomplished, as far as we were concerned.

Incubating in the warm yet brooding back room while rain poured down outside the south-facing windows, we were treated to one of the tastiest, most flavourful meals I’ve had in a long while. The well-thought-out and enthusiastically introduced (by manager Andrew Pace and executive sous chef Kevin Snyder) wine-and-food pairings included BC plonk (mostly whites, though a robust Merlot complemented the meaty third course) with starters tuna tataki and goat-and-feta flatbread, a second course of butternut squash ravioli topped with a succulent prawn, and a headline act of hunter chicken and strip sirloin steak.

Two irresistible desserts, an apple galette (French for “crusty cake”) and peanut butter crunch bar (along with some vanilla bean gelato) finished us off.

Robyn Hanson’s pics do far more justice to the food than my words ever could. Suffice it to say, that night the Cactus Club won over some converts who will no longer think of it as just a wings-and-beer kind of joint.

See more mouth-watering foodie photos on Robyn Hanson’s Flickr page.

 

The Refinery’s second Cocktail Kitchen Series announced

Vancouverites gather to hear who will be the winning bartender and diner at the Cocktail Kitchen Series finale, Feb 7 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

The Refinery’s Cocktail Kitchen Series returns for another round beginning March 2.

The first CKS, which began in the spring of last year and lasted (including finals) until the end of Jan 2011, proved to be very popular with local foodies (and drinkies).

From the press release:

“Season Two offers up new spirit and menu pairings, a completely new roster of bartenders from all over the lower Mainland, and better monthly and series prizes than ever before.

“Brief synopsis on the program: $35 gets each guests 3 cocktails using the featured spirit, crafted by the featured bartender
in their attempt to pair your 3 course menu from the related region. Each week the bartender changes, each month the cuisine and spirit changes. The guests are the judges, and each guest is eligible to win the grand prize*.”

The Refinery’s Lauren Mote has finalized the competing bartenders for March as well as the choice of libation for remaining five months:

Cocktail Kitchen Series for March 2011, featuring Jameson’s Irish Whiskey and the cuisine of Ireland:

Wed March 02 Casey Mackay, Pourhouse & Corby Distilleries
Wed March 09 Max Burrowman, Fairmont Pacific Rim
Wed March 16 Graham Racich & Marlo Panucci, The Refinery
Wed March 23 Wendy McGuinness, Chambar
Wed March 30 Trevor Kallies, DHM Group

And the drink:

APRIL Osake Granville Island Sake VS Japan
MAY Driftwood VS Thailand
JUNE Sherry VS Spain
JULY Buffalo Trace Bourbon VS Calgary Stampede’s Chuck-Wagon
AUGUST Cointreau VS Morocco

Flor de Cana Rum will sponsor the finals this year, in Sept. At the finals, a winning bartender (based on customer ratings) and a winning guest (a raffle) will win a trip to Nicaragua with Flor de Cana.

Cocktail Kitchen Series Season Two – tickets

Cocktail Kitchen finale

Cocktail Kitchen finale at The Refinery, Vancouver, Feb 7 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Last Monday (Feb 7), a hundred+ people gathered at The Refinery. The Granville Street restaurant and bar was celebrating the end of its Cocktail Kitchen series, a seven-month-long competition between the city’s bartenders. Each Wednesday, a different bartender would face the challenge of coming up with three different cocktails to go with a three-course meal based on regional recipes. Diners would rate the food, the drink and the overall experience. The winning bartender from each month was invited to compete again the next month. At the end of it all, one bartender and one patron would win the grand prize of a trip to the Napa Valley.

Congratulations to JT, the winning bartender. Here are some photos from the evening, courtesy Robyn Hanson.

Cocktail Kitchen finale at The Refinery, Vancouver, Feb 7 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Cocktail Kitchen finale at The Refinery, Vancouver, Feb 7 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Bartender Marlo Panucci at The Refinery, Vancouver, Feb 7 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Bartender Marlo Panucci at The Refinery, Vancouver, Feb 7 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Peter Raptis at The Refinery, Vancouver, Feb 7 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Wine Australia Regional Round-Up

Wine Australia Regiona Round-up Jan 28 at the Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Vancouver. Robyn Hanson photo

Wine Australia Regional Round-Up at the Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Vancouver, Jan 28 2011

- by Shawn Conner/photos by Robyn Hanson

Australia Day, apparently, was two days previous. I can’t recall ever having heard of Australia Day before this year, but suddenly Vancouverites were treating it as though it was an actual thing. So I did my part by attending a tasting of Australian wines, the first of three events Australia Wine is hosting in the coming months.

When we arrived early Friday evening, the Buschlen Mowatt was knee-deepwith eager imbibers. Les Amis du fromage had laid out a spread of cheeses, crackers, grapes and olives, sculptural art (by Romanian-born Canadian artist Sorel Etrog) bloomed on the walls and Aussie acts INXS and Men At Work whispered from the ceiling speakers.

But the main attraction was 60 different pours from more than 30 vineyards. Most of the offerings were Cabernet Sauvignons, Shiraz, and Chardonnay, though I wasn’t paying enough to the whites. To avoid becoming overwhelmed by the selection, this wine amateur stuck mostly to the reds, specifically the cabs. I was in search of something that would make me forget my current favourite while staying in the same price bracket (under $25).

While I didn’t find something to steal me away from my beloved California cab J. Lohr, looking was certainly fun. I did come across an alternate to Wolf Trap, my go-to $16  choice,; Next of Kin has a light, smooth feel and an aroma of blackberry and spice. On the high end of the price spectrum, the Dead Ringer Cabernet Sauvignon (retail approx. $60) from the Wirra Wirra region was delicious, with a lingering spicy flavour.

Two other wines, neither a cab, impressed. The Money Spider, a roussanne 2008 from D’Arenberg (available at Liberty Wine in Vancouver), was described by wine expert Robert Parker in these terms: “unoaked. Light gold-colored, it has an enticing bouquet of honey, candle wax, and melon aromas followed by a vibrant, ripe, smooth-textured wine with layers of flavor.”  Couldn’t agree more, Bob. A petite syrah (or “Durif”) from the Nugan Estate, described by the vineyard’s website as “deep crimson with a youthful hue,” was also a stand-out, though once again I’ll have to leave it to others – in this case, Nugan’s own website – for a proper description: “aromas of ripe raspberry, plum and cherry… with a generous palate of raspberry and plum pudding.” Easy to like, in other words.

Wine Australia is hosting two more events in the coming months:

Event #2: Down Under Mix Up

Date: Friday, April 29th, 2011
Time: 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Details and Tickets available here: House Wine

Event #3: Summer Sipper

Date: Saturday, June 25th, 2011
Time: 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Details & Tickets available here: House Wine

 

Buffalo Trace tasting at Brix

Buffalo Trace coasters

- text by Shawn Conner/photos by Robyn Hanson

One thing I’ve always loved about Buffalo Trace is its name. It’s got to be a good bourbon if the makers have the cojones to name it after wild animal scat.

However, I was somewhat disappointed to learn that the drink, my go-to bourbon when I’m feeling flush, is not named after road apples. Harlen Wheatley, master distiller and Buffalo Trace brand ambassador, maintains that the bourbon is actually named after trails used by buffalo, or maybe the trail left by buffalo – which, I maintain, still brings us back to my original interpretation.

Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley at Brix in Vancouver, Jan 20 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Mr. Wheatley was in Vancouver this week to host a dinner-and-bourbon-cocktail pairing event at Brix Restaurant in Yaletown (how come these things never happen on Commercial Drive?) Thursday, Jan 20. Before the dinner, a few of us media types were treated to a preview of the food, which was heavy on the meat – a “trio of pork” and New York strip sirloin with a baby russett potato, as well as caramelized onion soup with duck confit – to go with the bourbon.

Robyn Hanson photo

To start, Jonathan, the Brix bartender, mixed up a “Seelbach” cocktail (named after a Louisville, Kentucky hotel, now owned by Hilton) with Spanish sparkling wine (cava), angostura bitters and Cointreau, along with the bourbon; it had a kick like a mule.

The Seelbach cocktail, made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, at Brix Restaurant, Vancouver, Jan 22 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

The Buffalo Trace Manhattan was similarly delicious, definitely a cut above the average Manhattan, and was a good argument for using higher-end bourbon in mixed drinks. (Although I won’t be substituting Buffalo Trace in my Jack-and-Cokes anytime soon). Just for comparison’s sake, we followed up the mixed drinks with some straight-up (in a chilled glass) BT and, the piece de resistance, a dab of the Eagle Rare single barrel 10-year-old, which runs about $60 a bottle.

Eagle Rare 10-year-old bourbon. Robyn Hanson photo

Oh well, next time I’m flush…

Thanks to Cate Simpson of Simpson PR, Harlan Wheatley of Buffalo Trace Distillery, David Hannay of Brix and Dan Lee Harris of Dana Lee Consulting for the excellent start to our Thursday night.