With the pass of the previous decade and advance of the new one, it’s time to examine what I’ve learned over the past ten years. (Oh, and the pedantic “the decade doesn’t change until next year,” argument holds no truck here math geek. Society has unilaterally declared that a new decade has begun. Go tilt at some other windmill.) This was the decade I went from enthusiastic outsider patron to sometimes columnist with a bent for petulance with the fourth most popular food site in Vancouver (among 25-35 year old left handed colour blind fencing enthusiasts.) So quite the mountain summited there. Enough with the foreplay, lets get it on:

*Nothing determines how “good” a restaurant is more than the skill of it’s P.R. person, inevitably an attractive woman. Not the kitchen, nor the staff, nothing has as much bearing on the first couple years as the media relations officer. Vancouver is full of whores willing to say anything nice in print about a new place to become an insider. It’s always been bad, it’s getting worse. A massive proportion of the reviews in this town are shoddily reworded press releases bylined by social climbing wannabes. I’m not certain if Vancouver is alone in this, but the fraternity between restaurateurs and the media is shocking and unethical.

*Hype is never good. The more hyped somewhere is the more disappointing it will be. It’s better to follow Les Faux Bourgeois model, under-promise and over-deliver.

*CFD’s are choking the innovation out of the city. Yes they are fantastically successful business models, they are also Hoovering up all the cash that would otherwise be going to new concepts and people starting out. Creativity and grassroots incubation are being stifled by all the mid-market cash going to these established concepts.

*There are few things a brunoise of sautéed breadcrumbs can’t improve.

*The higher the markup on the winelist the worse the food will be.

*I began the decade mocking the hippies and their precious overpriced organics. I left the decade a committed (or should I say semi-committed, I do love mangoes. And wine. Coffee. Olive oil. Pasta from Italy. So maybe I’m not even a semi-locavore) locavore spending twenty bucks on an organic chicken. Which proves yet again that real societal change comes from dirty leftist freethinkers who you might not want to share a table with but occasionally have a good idea when they manage to drop the bong for a few minutes. They did manage to come dangerously close to undoing their good works however with the continued asinine assertion that white people could wear dreadlocks.

*This is the decade Asian foods came into the mainstream. In 2010 not knowing what constitutes a good xio long bao is as gauche as ordering your ahi (something we’ve stopped eating in the past decade,) well done.

~KT

Even after a short-lived rally and possible, albeit slow, uphill revival under the guidance of Chef Brian Fowke, the mountain proved too high to climb. The little Italian/French Bistoria, smacked up by the critics right out of the gate, had a hard time regaining a steady and sure footing to rebuild upon and relied on steap discounts to keep the clientelle coming, inevitably leading to a dire numbers game that eventually caught up with them and the bill paying owners who finally decided to pull the plug. ~ PK

Executive Chef Julio Gonzalez-Perini has just given his notice at CinCin. Sous chef of Araxi, John Ferris is running the kitchen during the interim. Top Table’s search continues…

On a side note, I have a Keith Nicholson rookie card for trade. I am looking for a 2006 All-Star David Hawksworth or Feenie. Must be in mint condition to be considered. ~ PK

Canada’s first beer cocktail competition will be held at The Refinery on August 17, featuring beer from Whistler Brewing. Come see what our local bartenders have concocted as successors to the Black Velvet, Irish Car Bomb, and Ogre Juice.

Contestants must devise a cocktail using either Whistler Black Tusk Ale, Classic Pale Ale, Honey Lager, Premium Export Lager, or Weissbier. They will then have to create it live, behind the bar at The Refinery, using their own ingredients and the supplied beer.

Judging the competition will be Bruce Dean (President, Whistler Brewing), Chester Cary (Canada’s first Certified Cicerone), Joanne Sasvari (The Vancouver Sun), Andrew Morrison (Scout Magazine), and yours truly.

The winning bartender will receive a TaylorMade golf bag; a case of Whistler beer; and a day of golf, dinner, and drinks for two at Pemberton’s Big Sky Golf & Country Club, voted Best Course in BC by the Vancouver Sun Golf Guide 2009.

After the competition, General Manager, Lauren Mote, and her team will be serving a special Whistler Brewing Company beer cocktail list, along with paired canapés from Chef Michael Carter.

Whistler Brewing Cocktail Challenge
Monday, August 17 @ 3:00pm
The Refinery
1115 Granville Street, Vancouver

~ RG

An announcement will be coming very soon from Top Table announcing the appointment of Julio Gonzalez-Perini (formerly the chef of Federico’s Supper Club, The Beach House, Villa del Lupo) as the new executive chef at Cincin.

There is no word on whether Mr. Francois Gagnon will stay with the Top Table group of restaurants.

View the official press release here.

~ PK

Locked up tight for the last few nights without notice and a disconnected phone are always bad signs for a restaurant. Is Le Marrakech Moroccan Bistro in Gastown the lasted casualty to fall away in the never-ending quest to put bums in seats?

Thanks to Stephen for the tip. ~ PK

Chow restaurant and lounge will be closing their doors.  Tonight (Sunday, May 10th) will be the last night to enjoy a fine meal with the very talented Chef Poirier and crew at the critically-acclaimed South Granville restaurant. With diners tightening their belts in the deflating economy, Chow has become another high-profile victim in a rapidly shrinking fine-dining market.

Our well wishes go out to all the staff and their families.  ~ PK

From the press release:

Says owner Peter Raptis, “Lauren brings a level of energy and new passion that pairs perfectly with the Refinery concept”…” On behalf of my business partners Ryan Newman and Raymond Staniscia as well as Executive Chef Michael Carter, “we are delighted to be working with her.” 

As General Manager Lauren will oversee all front of house operations including the wine and cocktail program. 

Congratulations to Lauren and The Refinery. With the sidewalks nearing completion, the downtown Granville strip is about to awaken with a whole new look, and we like it. ~ PK

(Image by: Heather Goldsworthy)

UPDATE: May 2, 2009

One of Vancouver’s most talented and dedicated bartenders, Mr. Jay Jones, has given his notice at Voya  this morning and will be opening a new place of his own design called “Pourhouse” in the old Flux Bistro location (162 Water Street) just southeast of the steamclock in Gastown. The opening is planned for the end of summer.

The Pourhouse will have 135 dining seats with 25 bar seats. The bar program will be “spirit focused” and the overall concept will be “back to basics drinking and eating,” says Jones.   

Jay’s business partner and executive chef  of Pourhouse will be the well-travelled Chris Irving (formerly of The Pointe at the Wickanninish Inn, West, and Gordon Ramsey’s Petrus).

This project is looking to be a great addition to a neighborhood in full transformation.  We are looking forward to the opening, gentlemen.  ~ PK