The Fat Badger: making good use of a familiar space CLOSED I knew when I walked into The Fat Badger (1616 Alberni St., Vancouver) for the first time that it would stir my emotions. After all, there are few buildings in Vancouver with which I have a stronger connection than this West End [...]
Good pints and more ... We’ve waxed poetic (and otherwise) over the years about what used to pass for a pub in Vancouver. Having been eclipsed for so long by Victoria (which benefitted maybe just a tad from being the seat of political and bureaucratic power), Vancouver is finally coming into its own. [...]
Tap & Barrel: wines on tap and dazzling downtown views, Tim Pawsey photo We owe a debt of thanks to Blasted Church’s Brent Hayman for being the first to give us the heads up on the burgeoning tap wine business, earlier this spring. He introduced us to Steve Thorp and Mike Macquisten at Vancouver [...]
Encounter with a perfect pint, Tim Pawsey photo If there’s one thing the Hired Belly finds hard to resist it’s a decent pint, particularly when it's properly poured, and at the right temperature. I’m sure it’s one of the many very sound traits inherited from my dad—who I still sorely miss. Growing up, beer [...]
eTap burger: worth a bite, Tim Pawsey photo UPDATED, August 27th, 2012. Sadly, Dale Mackay has had to close both Ensemble and Ensemble Tap. Here are the pertinent excerpts from today's press release... “I learned quickly that opening a restaurant in the heart of Vancouver is something I should have done after building my business [...]
WHERE Vancouver (to whom the Hired Belly supplies considerable calorific content) yesterday unveiled the 15TH Annual Where to Dine Awards. The well attended (and well-run) event was hosted in superb fashion by Blue Water Café, who, as usual, catered to their industry peers with an array of seafood towers, sushi and more, not [...]
Recently we broke bread (and sipped some excellent '05 Burrowing Owl Cab) with Jeremy Roncoroni. He’s the dynamo behind Vancouver’s St. Regis Hotel (602 Dunsmuir St., 604-681-1135), who’s been busy turning that property into one of the city’s most successful boutique business properties. How successful? You should check out what guests are saying [...]
