I'm off to Toronto tomorrow, returning Friday. That gives me eight dinners, roughly fifteen meals (minus the turducken/piecaken extravaganza I have planned for Canadian Thanksgiving next Sunday) to enjoy in Vancouver before I leave it - for seven months! Last night, Akemi and I got together with our foodie friends, Nicole and Lan, for the…
April 7, 2013: Foodly Matters! And a Supermovie of the Week Club reminder!
The other night, Akemi and I checked out one of the buzziest Taiwanese restaurants in Vancouver, the well-reviewed, foodie favorite: Kalvin's Szechuan Restaurant. Akemi has a couple of Taiwanese friends who swear by the place and so, more than a little intrigued, we headed out to Victoria Street to see (and taste) for ourselves. The…
February 8, 2013: Pidgin Restaurant!
Akemi and I don't get out as much as we used to but, the other night, we hung up our pots and pans (and packed away the sous vide machine) in favor of a night out. We headed to Gastown to check out Pidgin, one of the newest additions (less than a week old!) to…
December 20, 2012: Your Handy Wildebeest Guide!
Last night, Akemi and I met up with Simon and Sean for dinner at a restaurant I've been eager to check out for quite some time: Wildebeest. According to the restaurant's website, its focus is on "Meat-centric, off-cut farmhouse fare simply prepared with immaculate ingredients and thoughtful creativity", reminiscent of L.A.'s Animal and Toronto's Black Hoof, two…
October 25, 2012: Double Birthday(ish) Dinner!
The other night, Akemi and I went out for burgers with a couple of our very favorite Vancouver friends: Steve, Jodi, and their daughter, Gemma. Per Akemi's request, we ended up going to Romer's Burger Bar for their varied menu offerings and those silly iceberg lettuce buns the ladies seem to enjoy. Steve and Jodi…
October 17, 2012: Birthday festivities and feast!
My Birthday Week festivities continue! How are YOU celebrating? Today, I received a little something from Sis (and by "I", I mean "we" since the contents of the package were for both Akemi and me, and by "a little" I mean a lot). Mexican chocolate, chocolate-covered licorice, multi-flavored chocolate bars (including peanut butter and banana,…
August 25, 2012: The Perfect Meal! Cos & Effect Kicks Off!
Last night, I had THE perfect meal. And, by "perfect", I mean perfect for me. And no wonder given that my dinner was planned and prepared by Chef Rob Belcham. No one knows my culinary likes and dislikes, leanings and particulars better than Rob and the gang from Campagnolo/Campagnolo Roma/Fat Dragon. Fellow owner Tom Doughty…
August 11, 2012: Bao Bei! Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! The Return I!
The other day, our friend and fellow foodie (oh, and culinary apprentice) Simon invited Akemi and I out for dinner. We ended up meeting him (and his friend Sean) at Bao Bei in Chinatown for inspired modern Chinese cuisine. It's a tapas-style menu offering a plates of varying sizes, from the tiny couple-of-bites appetizers to…
July 24, 2012: Dessert and a sandwich and dessert. And more desserts. And Alexander and Sarah!
Seriously. How can anyone say no to freshly baked cookies, even if it means having them for breakfast? In retrospect, they were the perfect food for what lay ahead, full of the carbohydrate and sugar energy I would need to get me through a grueling day of eating. Akemi and I met up with our…
May 30, 2012: Checking out the new kid on the block – Fable Restaurant!
Over on 4th, in the spot once occupied by one of my favorite Vancouver restaurants, Refuel (and my absolute favorite Vancouver restaurant, Fuel, before that), a new restaurant has opened its doors. Almost. The official opening is apparently a couple of weeks off, but lunches and dinners are being served as part of Fable's soft…
April 3, 2012: Fat Dragon!
The other night, Akemi and I attended the soft opening of Fat Dragon, the latest addition to the Vancouver restaurant scene from the guys that brought you Fuel/Refuel, Campagnolo, and Campagnolo Roma. The theme is Asian barbecue - Where East meets South - and Fat Dragon offers a variety of southern comfort-style Asian plates inspired…
August 21, 2010: Vancouver dining suggestions! A modest mailbag!
In the event you're passing through Vancouver and looking for something to eat, here are some interesting dishes I've enjoyed of late... Sweet and sour whole fish - Lin Chinese Cuisine and Tea House (1537 West Broadway). Akemi's favorite - especially the eyes. Cheesecake with raspberry sauce at Cheesecake Etc. (2141 Granville Street). Although Akemi…
June 2, 2009: Oishi Sushi! Yancha na Doggies! Omoshiroi Mailbag!
Green Tea Opera Cake served with Green Tea Ice Cream Hey, when’s the last time I checked out a new restaurant? Trick question. I checked one out last night. But, really, how were you to know? We went to Miku, a fairly new Japanese restaurant on the Vancouver scene that specializes in Aburi-style sushi (“lightly…
February 6, 2009: The Secret Vancouver Restaurant List…and The Mailbag
So you’re in Vancouver and wondering where the heck to go for dinner. Well, if you’re an actor guesting on our show, all you have to do is swing by my office and I’ll provide you with a rundown of my favorite local restaurants. From the Japanese hotdog stand serving up Oroshi hotdogs to the…