Restaurant Reviews

Fable Kitchen: the Perfect Spot for Bubbles and Lunch

November 6, 2013
Anna Spinato prosecco

  Kits hotspot Fable Kitchen is now open for weekday lunch. We had a sneak preview the other day—and a chance to test drive several of chef Trevor Bird’s plates, some new, some borrowed from the evening list.  The array of tasty plates reconfirmed our earlier good impressions of this very locally-driven kitchen, which has been […]

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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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Fat Bastard Revisited and Gabrielle Meffre at Le Crocodile (Video)

April 20, 2013
Best selling Fat Bastard Chardonnay

I’m not sure why but I always figured that cheekily named “Fat Bastard” had to have something to do either with the guy who might drink it (me) or the guys who made it—Thierry Boudinaud and Guy Anderson. But here’s the real story, as told by Fat Bastard co-owner (and Gabrielle Meffre globe-trotting sommelier) Anthony Taylor.   […]

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Bella Gelateria’s James Coleridge Named an Ace Bakery Artisan

March 30, 2013
No half measures in James Coleridge

Bella Gelateria’s 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 […]

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Diva at the Met Chef Hamid Salimian Redefines the Tasting Menu

March 24, 2013
A small but seriously addictive "snack", crispy chicken skin, TP Photo

I’m feeling just a tad guilty because I’ve spent the last few days thinking about chef Hamid Salimian’s amazing Persian-inspired tasting menu that he rolled out for us the other evening. Guilty, because the timeline for this menu is short. It runs only until March 29th, when it will be retired for another year. I […]

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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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Hired Belly’s Best Dine Out Vancouver $28 Menus with Wine Pairings

January 17, 2013
Dine Out offers a chance to experience Maenam

The $28 menu selections are probably the toughest to sort through, because they represent the most competitive price point. It’s good to see so much action here; and we’ve tried be somewhat eclectic in our choice. Any middle to upper tier place where you can enjoy a three course dinner for two plus glasses of […]

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SYL at TWB – OK? Provence Marinaside Unwraps a Smart New Wine Bar

January 17, 2013
Alessandra and Jean Francis Quaglia: smartly tapped into changing tastes with their sleek new TWB, Tim Pawsey photo

We’ve always felt Provence Marinaside is one of Vancouver’s more under-appreciated rooms—but that might just be about to change with the arrival of TWB, which stands for (drum roll) The Wine Bar—at Provence. (We’re a tad over initial names but TWB is AOK for now.) Owners Jean-Francis and Alessandra Quaglia have turned what used to […]

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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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