West Coast

Cactus Club Wine Matches: Try this at Home

Cactus Club exec chef Rob Feenie and sommelier-service director Sebastien Le Goff

Scratch the surface of a Cactus Club wine list and you’ll often find what constitutes an unlikely line-up of wines—for what we now refer to as “Casual Fine Dining” restaurants. Much of the reason for more interesting than usual selections (especially at ‘flagship’ locations like Cactus Coal Harbour or Bentall V) is due to the […]

Read more December 2, 2014 Sustainable

Goodbye Raincity Grill & C: Agents of Real Change

Raincity Grill owner Harry Kambolis, at Nu, 2005

Raincity closes Whatever the circumstances, I was saddened by last week’s shuttering of long-running Raincity Grill and, not that long before, of C Restaurant, owned by Harry Kambolis. In the fickle world of dining there are any number of reasons as to why restaurants come and go. (And you can read plenty on line about Raincity, […]

Read more November 17, 2014 Dining

Vancouver’s Brian Fowke Marks Four Years at Kitsilano Daily Kitchen

Brian Fowke as forager. Not so rare, this time. Tim Pawsey photo

Updated, April 3rd, 2014. Kitsilano Daily Kitchen is celebrating its fourth birthday, so I decided to refurbish this post in its honour … and rerun the original piece, whose Courier links are now dead.  You have to hand it to Brian Fowke, who jumped into the local, seasonal movement early. And persevered.   From today’s […]

Read more April 3, 2014 Belly's Best Bites

Hail forage! Where Caesar Rules!

The well foraged Caesar, TP photo

If you’re a regular visitor here (and if you’re not, why not subscribe?!) You’ll know that I have a lot of time for what goes down at forage. (1300 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-661-1400) Right now they’re in the midst of Dine Out madness—serving upwards of 200 customers per night. No surprise that it’s popular, considering […]

Read more January 28, 2014 Belly's Best Bites

Blue Water Café Unsung Heroes: the 10th Anniversary Edition

Unsung Heroes jellyfish, John Sherlock photography

It was a decade ago that Frank Pabst rolled out his first Unsung Heroes seafood festival. Interestingly, at the time, it was considered to be not only cutting edge but a risky proposition. Pabst served ingredients such as sea urchin, jellyfish and poached periwinkles to a segment of the population entirely unaccustomed to such delicacies! […]

Read more January 16, 2014 Dining

The Fish Counter: Vancouver’s Go-To Sustainable Seafood Store Opens on Main St.

In Vancouver, The Fish Counter's Mike McDermid (l) and Robert Clark are fully committed to sustainable seafood

The Fish Counter (3825 Main St., Vancouver, 604-876-FISH [3474]) is the latest endeavour from celebrated Canadian Chef Robert Clark, with business partner Mike McDermid, long time fisheries expert, marine biologist and former program manager at the Vancouver Aquarium. Clark and McDermid’s combined talents add up to a wealth of experience. Clark was the trailblazing chef […]

Read more December 9, 2013 Belly's Best Bites

The Rain at Grain Stays Mainly on the Pane

Dramatic views of the downtown core, table side

 Grain’s slide-away wall brings Burrard Street right inside Regional cuisine is not what first used to come to mind at The Hyatt Regency Vancouver. However, all that has now changed. The main floor bar (just off the lobby, overlooking Burrard near Melville) has been convincingly reinvented and remodeled as Grain Tasting Bar (655 Burrard St., […]

Read more August 9, 2013 Belly's Best Bites

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

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 […]

Read more November 30, 2012 Belly's Budget Best

Rooting Around at Forage Yields Ultimate in Porcine Pampering

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 […]

Read more November 29, 2012 Belly's Best Bites

Great Value Bites and a Smart New Wine at Edible Canada

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 […]

Read more November 15, 2012 Belly's Budget Best

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