restaurant reviews

Chef Hamid Salimian bids farewell to Diva at the Met

May 17, 2013
Chaf Hamid Salimian: on the move TP photo

It’s been only a matter of weeks since we were raving about Chef Hamid Salimian and his remarkable Persian inspired tasting menu at Diva at the Met. But Chef Hamid is on the move.  June 4th, 2013, will be his last day at Diva before he leaves to take up teaching in Culinary Arts at Vancouver Community College. When [...]

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Bella Gelateria’s James Coleridge Named an Ace Bakery Artisan

March 30, 2013
No half measures in James Coleridge

We’re big fans of Bella Gelateria. In part it’s because we never know what the extraordinarily talented James Coleridge will get up to next. Another reason: if you walk by his always-busy storefront at the corner of Vancouver’s Burrard and Cordova, no matter what time of day it is, chances are he’ll be there, working at his latest creations. Through [...]

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From Tapas to Tostadas: Vancouver’s The Mexican Trips the Right Fandango

February 15, 2013
The Mexican partners Roger Creixams, chef Ana Vander and Claudia Roma, TP photo

Something about the shifting scene of the restaurant business intrigues me. And, believe me, it is always shifting. Restaurants come and go, and usually their owners go with them—although sometimes owner and surroundings stay put, and the change comes from within. Case in point: Angus An, who turned Gastropod into Maenam, on a dime, so [...]

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Blue Water’s Frank Pabst Celebrates Sustainable Seafood with Unsung Heroes

January 16, 2013

UPDATED, Jan 17, 2013. It’s a long way from British Columbia to Cornwall, in the South West of England. But, beyond the stunning scenery—which is in some ways quite reminiscent of Canada’s west coast—there are some other similarities. That beautiful part of the world is where, growing up, I learned to appreciate some of our [...]

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12 Newbies in 2012 That Made Vancouver’s Dining Scene Even Better

December 18, 2012

One of the hazards of writing “Best of” / “Year End” lists is that you’re guaranteed to miss one (or more)—even more likely if you’ve been waging a kleenex demolition derby against the lurgy sweeping through Vancouver these days. That said, here’s a greatly expanded version of our best dining newcomers column that ran in [...]

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In Vancouver’s Yaletown, this Pig is Still Flying High

November 30, 2012

One spot that’s an easy lure for lunch—particularly when it’s raining cats and dogs—is Yaletown’s The Flying Pig (1168 Hamilton St, 604-568-1344). There’s just something about this place, from its easy going ways and cosy room with a great buzz to the quality that comes out of the kitchen at very fair prices. They refer to [...]

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Rooting Around at Forage Yields Ultimate in Porcine Pampering

November 29, 2012

We finally managed to get into forage last night for a serious meal. And believe me, it was serious. Chef Chris Whittaker was showcasing pork from Gelderman Farms (Abbotsford) with Audrey and Jerry Gelderman in attendance. Think Porkapalooza—and then some. Part of the conversation revolved around the need to better educate people as to why [...]

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Great Value Bites and a Smart New Wine at Edible Canada

November 15, 2012
Another winner from Okanagan Crush Pad!

A few weeks ago we dropped byEdible Canada at the Market(1596 Johnston St. 604-682-6681) for a post theatre, late night bite. (Somehow a trip to Chile in between derailed our good intentions to post about it sooner.) It’s also been a while since we wrote at length about Edible Canada but there have been more than a few meals and [...]

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Vancouver’s Le Parisien: a Worthy Tribute to the Original Café de Paris – Fall Menu update

October 27, 2012

Updated Oct 23, 2012. It’s not unusual for new restos to tweak things as they go along but we’re more than intrigued by Le Parisien’s just launched “petits plats”—a definite nod to Spanish tapas, with some excellent tastes from chef Tobias Grignon and team. No fiddling with the stalwarts —such as French onion fondue or [...]

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Brews News: Poring over Tastes from Pioneering Portland in Vancouver

October 19, 2012

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. In the last few years there’s been [...]

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