City Food Magazine - Memphis Blues BBQ, Selbach-Oster Wines, BJ Books Awards, Saravanaa Bhavan, Iron Chef Boyardee, F-word Bill, Announcements, CAMRA Beer Competition, Chefs' Table Dinner, Tequila Kitchen, Noise in Restaurants

WINE EVENTS - (February 20, 2008)
SELBACH RIESLING AND BARBECUE TASTING AT THE TERMINAL CITY CLUB
(Directly from the press release).

German Riesling and barbeque just naturally go together, and Memphis Blues Barbeque House and the Waldorf Wine Group are pleased to announce that Johannes Selbach, of Selbach-Oster Winery will be present for a tasting at the Terminal City Club on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 from 6 to 8 p.m. This is not your stuffy, sit down, swirl your glass kind of tasting! The setting is fun and informal.

The Germans have paired pork with Riesling for centuries. Come hear Johannes Selbach describe how he makes his delicious, award winning wines and then taste them for yourself. Barbequed meats will be provided by Memphis Blues Barbeque House.

Tickets can be purchased for $20.00 from the Terminal City Club. Tickets are limited, call Kathy at 604-488-8643. The Terminal City Club is located at 837 West Hastings Street, in downtown Vancouver.

Memphis Blues Barbeque House first of four locations opened in 2001, and are co-owned by Park Heffelfinger and George Siu.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Greater Details ... and ... EVENTS/Complete Events Calendar

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"OSCAR" WEEK CONTINUES AS ...
(February 20, 2008)

Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks announces the winner of their Second Annual Cookbook Awards to be: Fresh, the bestselling “locavore�? bible from the team at Bishop’s Restaurant.

Says proprietor Barbara Jo MacIntosh: "Keeping in the spirit of honouring everything lovely and local, this year’s Cookbook Awards ceremony will be a fundraiser event for the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s Capital Campaign, which aims to “restore, renovate, and revitalize�? one of the city’s most beloved arts spaces.

You are invited to join them for an evening reception on Tuesday, March 25th at 6:30 pm. Vikram Vij—last year’s winning author and a former protégé of John—will present the award to John Bishop. Guests will enjoy recipes from Fresh paired with local wines. The entire value of your $75 ticket will be donated to the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s Capital Campaign.

Those who wish to make additional donations to the Centre will be issued a tax receipt. Call 604-688-6755 to register.

Also, if you have a friend in an Italian related business (restaurant, supplier, wine agency etc.,) you have until February 29th to enter them in the BC Italian Business Excellence Awards which will be taking place in May this year. For more info, log on to the nominations link at www.iccbc.com/page451.htm. You don't have to be Italian, but you must be a BC resident to nominate a business for the award created by the Italian Chamber of Commerce.

Filed as EVENTS/Complete Events Calendar

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MEDIA HOUND - The Local InK
(February 20, 2008)

Alexandra Gill tries out a new Indian food restaurant on Broadway - Saravanaa Bhavan

$10 Buffet Will Make a Tamil Food Lover Out of You.

Plus, here is the link to Alex's online discussion concerning noisy restaurants. Restaurateurs be warned, in her upcoming reviews she plans to give bonus points to those of you who do the best job of controlling the din and dock from those who do not. Three cheers from this quarter on that move.

Also in todays Globe and Mail:

How green are your fish and chips? Elizabeth Renzetti reports from London on which fish species are sustainable and which are not.

Beppi Crosariol tackles a modern day problem: How to get a bottle of wine through the airport.

MORE FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD

Our local "Iron Chef", Rob Feenie, hardly needed this... In today's Village Voice, food critic Robert Sietsema opens up a can of worms in his lead article "Iron Chef Boyardee" where he claims "Iron Chef America", the televised cooking competition, is "more bogus than even I had imagined".

For the most disrespectful restaurant awards - EVER - check out Anthony Bourdain's and Michael Ruhlman's nominees for the "Golden Clog". (Eater.com has the whole list here.)

As an example of the categories, there's the THE "MARIO" AWARD — for the chef/restaurateur who best multi-tasked, merchandised, multi-platformed and generally whored himself or herself, yet still continued to make significant and valuable contributions to the restaurant landscape."

The winners will be announced this Friday.

Filed in MEDIA/Local Ink ... and MEDIA/The Outside World

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MEDIA HOUND - The Outside World
(February 19, 2008)

Tim Pawsey found our laugh of the day in the BBC News via this posting

Restaurant Sorry Over F-Word Bill.

The scenerio actually comes fairly close to our proposal for a reality show called "F U D FIGHT", where a dining room of the world's most obnoxious customers are pitted against an all-star team of high attitude restaurant staff. The winning team being the one with most members still alive at the end of the show.

Gordon Ramsay tag teaming with Marco Pierre White and Mario Batali vs a typical Brit skinhead soccer fan club would probably do the trick.

Filed in MEDIA/The Outside World

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ANNOUNCEMENTS (February 19, 2008)

Chef Dennis Green has been awarded the BC Chefs' Fred Naso Award. This award is given each year to a member who demonstrates excellence in promoting and supporting industry training and apprenticeships. Since November 2007, Green has been working as a program manager at go2 (BC's tourism resource association), lending his years of industry experience to the development of PROPEL, a program that currently manages the cook, baker and meat cutter apprenticeship programs. In addition to his role at go2, Green is a Red Seal chef with over twenty years of experience, most recently as Executive Chef at Bishop's Restaurant in Vancouver.

Heidi Noble and Michael Dinn of Joie Wines have just released, and are now taking orders for, their Joie A Noble Blend 2007, Un-Oaked Chardonnay 2007, Rosé 2007 and Riesling 2007 -- all produced on-farm at their new winery in Naramata. For early birds there is a bonus! Anyone who purchases wine during release week (February 18th through February 28th), will be automatically entered into a draw to be eligible to buy one of 20 seats for a “Menu from an Orchard Table Dinner�?. The dinner will be held this August on the site of the original knoll of their legendary "Orchard Dinners" and all proceeds will be donated to The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation. (The foundation offers financial assistance to people who work in food, beverage and hospitality professions when they are in a critical time of need.) Get the fax form for ordering wines here. Or contact the winery through their website.

As previously announced, Heidi and Michael will be accompanying Chef Angus An of Vancouver's Gastropod restaurant to the James Beard House in New York to present a special westcoast dinner this March. To see the menu that Chef Angus has prepared for the event click here.

The Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria has appointed Danielle Bourget as Food and Beverage Manager. Ms. Bourget has an MBA in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Universite Toulouse Le Mirail and work experience with top hotels and restaurants in Quebec, Western Canada and the Caribbean. Most recently, she has been working with her husband, a chef, in their business, Café Vieux Montreal, located in Victoria.

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BEER - (February 19, 2008)
VANCOUVER'S BEST SOURCES

It would seem to be the time of year for very specialized food and drink award ceremonies.

The local division of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has just announced their top picks for the best locally made craft brews, and the best places to find them.

See their awards list here.

Filed in DRINK/Beer.

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Many thanks to the members of the URBAN DINER FORUM
for naming CityFood.com
as their second favourite food website read.

Your kindness, encouragement and willingness to forgive is much appreciated.

(... How did you guess we were out of coffee?)

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ONE NIGHT STANDS - CF's Pick of the Calendar
(February 15, 2008)

Sure we have to work all the time, but of the week's brand new calendar announcements, these are the three we'd most like to trash our typewriter and go dancing for:

Farmstead Wines Dinner for Glan Piero Marrone at Salt Tasting Room
on March 3, 2008
- Rare wines from that quintessential little Italian winemaker matched to great cheese from Neal's Yard, charcuterie from Oyama, and a chance to ogle the swanky new Salt Cellar that Sean Heather has tucked beneath his Tasting Room.

Barbara-Jos Books to Cooks date with Peter Fong of Ganache Patisserie
on February 25, 2008
- What can we say, except that there will be PASTRY!

Select Wines' $350 gala at the Four Seasons Hotel for the Primum Familiae Vini
on March 11, 2008
- So what's a little money? The Baroness Phillippine de Rothschild and all her best buds from the wine biz are not likely to be back in town on the same day, nor with so many great wines in their kit to taste, pour and auction away.

Get all the details here.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Press Releases. ... and EVENTS/2008 Calendar

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CHEFS TABLE SOCIETY FUNDRAISER AT ELIXIR
(February 15, 2008)

The Chefs’ Table Society (CTS) of BC is pleased to announce a very special fundraising dinner at Elixir bistro moderne at the Opus Hotel. Taking place on Monday March 10th, 2008, this unique event brings together Vancouver’s leading chefs, food producers and wine media for an unparalleled collaboration that is sure to be an extraordinary and interactive dining experience. Tickets are $250.00 for six courses including wine pairings, with net proceeds going towards the creation of bursaries and scholarships for young, emerging and student chefs through the CTS. ... CONTINUE READING. ...

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Greater Details .... and EVENTS/Complete Events

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HEADS UP REMINDER
CACTUS FEENIE SPEAKS
(February 15, 2008)

Rob Feenie fans won't want to miss the chef's appearance tomorrow (Saturday) on the Best of Food and Wine Show with Tony Gismondi and Kasey Wilson.

Tune in to CFUN 1490 as the former Lumiere chef explains why he's feeling no pain now that he's seen the light, heard the ching-ching call of casual dining.

He'll be speaking live at noon and the interview will probably last 30 minutes or so. Host Gismondi is known to be prickly about Feenie's corporate appointment with Cactus Club, so this could be juicy.

Also ...

Globe and Mail columnist, Alexandra Gill will be online Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 11 a.m.. PST to take your questions on restaurant noise -- from why it's an issue to what restaurateurs can do about it.

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OPENING SOON
A SNEEK PEAK AT THE MENU FOR TEQUILA KITCHEN
(February 15, 2008)

A first look at the new menu for Tequila KItchen. (Opening in Yaletown in March 2008)

Laura Enriquez, Emiliano (Emi) Nunez and Claudia Ibarrondo, along with Executive Chef Juan Gonzalez, are pleased to share with you a selection of menu items that will be featured on the menu at Tequila Kitchen. The restaurant is currently closed for renovations and due to open in early March. It will be the first restaurant in Vancouver to feature the following type of traditional regional Mexican cuisine. ...CONTINUE READING ...

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Greater Details ...RESTAURANTS/Previews

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THE LOCAL INK - (February 14, 2008)
THE REAL REASON WHY RESTAURANTS ARE SO NOISY

Alexandra Gill produced an excellent article for the Globe and Mail yesterday concerning the problem of high decibel noise in restaurants. Well, we love her for that because there are many restaurants in this town that we have regretfully had to put on the no-go list for that very reason, and it is about time that restaurateurs came to grips with the fact that some of their customers do not want to leave their establishments toting a two-day case of laryngitis along with a doggie bag. Alex, you go, girl!

That being said however, we do think that Ms. Gill missed one obvious point about why restaurants insist on cranking up the volume beyond all reasonable levels. It is because for many of their customers, the noise serves a vital function - that of camouflage. Say you are twenty and still living at home. You've just strapped on a pay cheque's worth of high heels and staggered down the cobblestones of Yaletown to the latest hot boite for dinner. Extreme noise could be your best friend. After all, if the person sitting right next to you cannot hear a single word you are saying, it goes a long way to hide the fact that you are of limited intellect and in possession of little or no personality. For all they know, instead of that shreiking giggle, you were quoting the Economist. While on the other hand, their deafness can highlight the fact that you have exquisite taste in haircuts, personal trainers and shoes.

Think we are wrong about this? Imagine how your opinion of the America's Next Top Model contestants would improve if you had to watch the show with the mute button on.

Of course the "cool people don't mind" the din. Too often being cool merely equates to what you look like, and if you have just spent a disproportionate amount of time applying sparkle dust to your décolletage or importing the latest high tech cell phone from Iceland, you can sit and flash semaphore messages at each other with these things without conversation running any interference.

When you are young, looking good is your best selling feature, maybe your only selling feature, so it's the right move to keep the ball down in that end zone. But when you get a little older, okay, maybe a lot of a little older, you are forced to acknowledge that your brain has become more developed than your pecs or your bust line, and if it's not allowed to get off the bench you're not going to get any game time.

Chances are, the person in control of the dial on the sound system is the youngest gum snapper in the room, or else the guy with the worst mid-life crisis. He's part of the conspiracy of the "monosyllabic = mysterious" fraudsters to tilt the playing field, and he needs to be dragged to the penalty box by his ear.

(Check the newsstand later today for the links to this week's local restaurants reviews.)
Filed in MEDIA/local ink .... and RESTAURANTS/Trends and Issues

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WHO'S GOT IT - THE BUZZ METER For - February 26, 2008

(The most requested information on the site as measured
by Google keyword counter.)

PEOPLE:

1) Wayne Martin - Chef, Crave/Fraiche
2) Jeremie Bastien - Chef, Boneta
3) Sophie Taverner - Mixologist, Boneta
4) David Hawkswork - Chef, Hotel Georgia
5) Christopher Flettt - Mixologist, Chow

PLACES:

1) O Bistro - Restaurant, Victoria
2) Blue Water Cafe - Restaurant, Yaletown, Vancouver
3) Fraiche - Restaurant, West Vancouver
4) Gomorrah - Future Restaurant, Vancouver
5) Mark Anthony Wine Stores - Wine Stores, Various Locations, Vancouver and Victoria
6) Tequila Kitchen - Restaurant, Yaletown, Vancouver
7) Motomachi Shokudo - Restaurant, West End, Vancouver
8) C Restaurant - Restaurant, Downtown, Vancouver
9) Fuel - Restaurant, Kitsilano, Vancouver
10) Cafe Media - Cafe, Crosstown, Vancouver

THINGS:

1) ERM Biosource
2) Granville Island Sake
3) BC Culinary Olympic Team
4) Chefs' Table Fundraising dinner
5) restaurant trends

BEST QUESTION OF THE DAY:

?

WHO'S INTERESTED IN OUR FOOD AND WINE SCENE ...

Number of countries logging in (in 2007): 140

Number of cities worldwide (visiting yesterday): 125

Top ten cities for number of viewers (visiting yesterday):

1) Greater Vancouver, BC
2) Seattle, Washington
3) Victoria, BC
4) Kelowna, BC
5) Toronto, Ontario
6) Winnipeg, Manitoba

7) Calgary, Alberta
8) Melbourne, Australia
9) Montreal, Quebec
10) New York, New York

Cities with most page counts per visitor (visiting yesterday):

1) Ashburn, Vermont
2) Sofia, Bulgaria
3) Ucluelet, BC
4) Clearbrook, BC
5) Munich, Germany
6) Montreal, Quebec
7) Hong Kong
8) Paris, France
9) Edmonton, Alberta
10) Cairo, Egypt

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