Archive for December, 2008
December 31, 2008 at 7:55 pm · Filed under Free Pour, Simon Ogden
Is it really New Year’s already? Good Lord. Is it me, or did 2008 just fly by? My head is still spinning. Time to put the brakes on and take a look at the state of the union for a minute. It’s a funny one this year, there’s an air of concern both within the industry and amongst the clientele about the coming year, a palpable uneasiness that I haven’t felt at previous New Year celebrations. (Mind you, my bar is in the Financial District, which may account for a higher anxiety quotient.) The restaurant community here is already starting to feel the pinch, and even new rooms are choosing less expensive digs. How will the bar industry fare in the coming year? Are Vancouver’s booze peddlers recession-proof, or will we see a reflective dip in the tip pool? Should we start to panic?
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December 31, 2008 at 10:47 am · Filed under Paul Kamon, Pictorial, Recipes, Special To UD
I am a bit of a shameless coffee and cookie junkie. So, when I recently had the opportunity to visit with long-time UD Forum member “Biscotti Queen” (a.k.a. Your Secret Chef) at her home to learn some of her baking secrets for this double-baked Italian cookie classic, I happily trekked through the snow to do it. ~ PK
Recipe inside…
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December 30, 2008 at 10:48 pm · Filed under Food Media & Reviews, Keith Talent
The Chicago Tribune looks into a crystal ball and predicts how 2009 will go for restaurateurs. They predict slimmed down menus, more local produce, the slowing of organics, increased comfort foods, more signature dishes, city style restaurants outside the city core, more emphasis on carryout, more minimum purchases, more promotions and easy reservations. All things we’re already seeing, so maybe predicting the present isn’t that impressive, it’s called reporting. Regardless, an interesting read.
～KT
December 30, 2008 at 5:35 pm · Filed under BC Brew, Beer, Food Media & Reviews, Kitsilano, Restaurant News, Rick Green
According to chef Robert Belcham and his team, cold weather comfort food is meat braised in beer. To share that sentiment, Fuel is featuring throughout the winter a different dish each Tuesday evening prepared with a beer from R&B Brewing, a local, award-winning craft brewery.
More inside…
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December 30, 2008 at 12:41 pm · Filed under Opening Soon, Paul Kamon, Restaurant News
UPDATED: March 20/09
The former site of the iconic Tomato Fresh Food Cafe, a prominent casualty of the Cambie RAV line expansion, which also had a short run as a New Orleans Diner called Dadeo, is being renovated and reborn as the second location of Stella’s Tap and Tapas Bar.
According to restaurateur Dean Mallel of the Incendio Group of Restaurants, they will be serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch and will be keeping many of the same elements of the Drive location with the addition of a few new ones. The bar/lounge will feature “a big wood bar, distressed antique floors…a fireplace and lots of stone work.” The dining room will have a “Parisian bordello” look and the restaurant will offer an expanded wine and cocktail program as well as a deep Belgium beer list with a few surprises, including “internationally-sourced exclusives”. The menu will be value-based and will focus on fresh, seasonal and local.
The new location is scheduled to open on May 1st. Cambie scores! ~ PK
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