The Restaurants That - National Magazine Awards

I
n a year of change and challenge,
the restaurants that thrived were those that nailed the basics:
great food, smart pricing, and intuitive service. On the 50
pages that follow, we celebrate them. Plus, a look at timeless
rooms, the culinary godfather, and dining fads of yore
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 7 1
restaurant awards
restaurant
of the year
Cioppino’s/enoteca
1133HamiltonSt.
604-688-7466
BluewaterCafe
1095HamiltonSt.
604-688-8078
west
Chef/proprietor Pino
Posteraro keeps a
close watch over the
Restaurant of the Year
2881GranvilleSt.
604-738-8938
C
2-1600HoweSt.
604-681-1164
Vij’s
From left: Shannon Mendes; Mark Maryanovich
7 2 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
1480W.11thAve.
604-736-6664
Bold, hearTY FlaVourS are the
hallmark of Yaletown’s Cioppino’s (Gold),
where chef Pino Posteraro’s pastas are
always stellar (“pappardelle with four-hourbraised veal cheeks and porcini mushrooms
will make you weep,” said one judge) and
his succulent, spit-roasted duck breast with
candied-orange reduction is cooked to juicy
perfection. a stomping ground for Canucks,
politicos, and corporate players, Posteraro’s
room also caters private events for visiting
celebs like Bill Clinton. at Blue water Cafe
(Silver), Frank Pabst’s remarkable menu,
creative sushi by Yoshi Tabo, and a wine list
with amazing depth expertly navigated by
Chris van nus, all contribute to a top-drawer experience. of west (Bronze), one critic
said: “Transitioning between chefs is never
easy. retaining all aspects of west’s superb
service and ambiance, warren Geraghty
has not only carried the mantle, but has
done so under close scrutiny and with great
regional flair.” honourable Mentions to C
(“chef Quang dang is a magician in the
kitchen”) and Vij’s (“a room that, remarkably, never fails to thrill”).
chef of the year
robertBelchamAn ego-free chef who’s making
“some of the best food this city has seen”
IT’S OFTEN said open kitchens
work against cooks, the presence
of customers distracting rather
than inspiring. At Fuel’s front-row
kitchen bar, co-owner and executive chef Robert Belcham artfully
turned that myth around. There, in
full view, he thrives.
“I love everything about this
chef,” a fellow judge confided,
describing Belcham’s food as
“some of the best this city has
seen.” And some of the most
interesting, too, with straightforward, unapologetic presentations of “the nasty bits”—brain,
cheek, jowl, offal, bacon, loin, and
cured whole leg, each sourced
from the same pig and all plated
during the same service. If it’s
hard to imagine this champion of
lardo and foie gras training at a
vegetarian restaurant before taking up residence at False Creek’s
sustainable-seafood-savvy C
Restaurant and then opening his
own room, it’s impossible to forget him dutifully doing bemused,
stoic battle with vegan protesters
during the dinner rush. “Fuel’s
charm and ingredients of choice
are entirely authentic,” a food
writer pointed out. Our Chef of the
Year shares in that authenticity.
Witness his Everyman turn with
buttermilk-fried chicken next
to biscuits smothered in gravy.
Protest that!
Called “Vancouver’s practitioner of nose-to-tail eating,”
Belcham, in his mid-30s, personifies the ascendancy of a new
generation of Vancouver cooks.
A giant of a man, colourfully
tattooed and blessed with the
quiet confidence that comes with
studied ability, he’s earned the
respect of his peers who applaud
his knife skills, his affinity for local ingredients, and his unfailingly
jovial manner on the line.
In December, Belcham and
his partners opened a second
restaurant, the Italian-themed
Campagnolo, to critical acclaim.
(See New & Notable, page 114.)
He’s a chef’s chef, “a total food
dork” as one judge wrote, the
kind who eschews ego in favour
of mentoring and opts for honesty
at the expense of pretence. His
enthusiasm for his tough craft is
exceeded only by the strength of
character required to survive it.
For that, and for the mark he’s
making on the city’s food scene,
we congratulate him.
—Andrew Morrison
Fuel1944W.FourthAve.,604-288-7905
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 7 3
restaurant awards
Best new
restaurant
LaQuercia
3689W.FourthAve
604-676-1007
Cibo
900SeymourSt.
604-602-9570
Voya
1177MelvilleSt.
604-639-8692
LaBrasserie
1091DavieSt.
604-568-6499
LesFauxBourgeois
663E.15thAve
604-873-9733
la QuerCia takes top prize for being
“the perfect neighbourhood restaurant
in the right place at the right time”—our
judges loved the ever-evolving menu of
italian classics and chef/owners lucais
Syme and adam Pegg (ex-Parkside and
Cioppino’s) for constructing “a room with
heart and, more importantly, superlative
food.” Silver to Cibo, where ex-river Café
chef neil Taylor turns out plate after plate
of intensely flavoured rustic northern italian fare. Voya nabs Bronze for Marc-andre
Choquette’s small-plates prowess—“the
impressive lineup is an unmistakable
homage to his time helming the kitchen at
lumière.” honourable Mentions to la Brasserie for addressing the west end’s need for
a no-nonsense bistro (bonus points for the
ridiculously low markup on Champagne)
and to les Faux Bourgeois with its smart
menu brimming with French classics in a
room that truly buzzes.
Best
servIce
west
2881GranvilleSt.
604-738-8938
Bishop’s
2183W.FourthAve.
604-738-2025►►
7 4 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
desIgn of the year
Ping’sCaféHow to make a little go a long way
FULL DISCLOSURE: Some of our
judges for this category design
pendant lighting. Rodney Graham
was commissioned to produce the
are good examples of introverted
dining rooms, the Bronze winner
and own restaurants, and so have
their biases. Because they own
large-scale painting adorning the
back wall. The resulting minimalist
is their extroverted sibling. t h e
c a c t u s c l u b has long
and design restaurants, however,
they understand and respect the
design is visually pleasing, warm,
and inviting—it works. The room
been the design leader when it
comes to chain restaurants, and
work it takes to put a project
together, whether a 25-seat
is proof that you don’t need big
bucks to make a big splash.
kudos to it for “upscaling” casual
dining. At the new Burrard and
takeout joint or a 6,000-squarefoot Temple of Hedonism. This
Silver medallist v o ya is
yin to Ping’s yang. Located in
Dunsmuir location, architect Acton Ostry and an in-house design
year’s Gold winner embodied
all the qualities they deemed
important in successful restaurant
design. P i n g ’ s c a f É on
Main Street considered location,
food concept, and customer
dynamic to achieve a holistic,
branded concept. The street
appearance is discreet, utilizing
original “found” signage, creating
a hole-in-the wall Yoshoku-style
restaurant that pays homage to
the previous Chinese-Canadian
café. As so often in small-scale
projects with a tight budget,
ingenuity was key. The owners
did much of the work themselves
but collaborated with designer
Omer Arbel on the abstract interior
finishes and dynamic porcelain
the Loden Hotel, it also looks
inward, in a look-at-me way, with
open-table planning organized
under a canopy of glitzy crystal
chandeliers. As the room’s in a
hotel, the designers had to appeal
to a broad clientele, and they’ve
done so with a muted yet glamorous palette of pale blue, white,
and black. With its lack of natural
light, the room is more successful
at night, when the well-layered
lighting scheme really shines.
Less successful is the adjacent
lounge, where overly large furniture requires athleticism to make
your way to a window seat.
If the Gold and Silver winners
team brought warmth and human
scale to this large glass box with
detailed, quality finishes. Further
points for the original works
by Andy Warhol, Sir Anthony
Hopkins, and Michel Basquiat (but
points deducted for the projection
screen that descends from the
ceiling to cover Basquiat’s bold
work on game night).
THANKS TO OUR JUDGING PANEL:
JuliHodgson, Hodgson Design
Associates; robertedmonds
and Davidnicolay, Evoke International Design Inc.; Charlene
rooke, editor-in-chief, Western
Living magazine
Ping’sCafé1944W.FourthAve.,604-288-7905
Lucas Finlay
restaurant awards
BluewaterCafe
1095HamiltonSt.
604-688-8078
IngredIent
of the year
Cioppino’s/enoteca
1133HamiltonSt.
604-688-7466
C
2-1600HoweSt.
604-681-1164
Value MaY BrinG diners in, but it’s service that brings them back. west holds Gold
for its concentration on the little things: the
delicately decanted wine, the petits fours
that appear from nowhere, the carefully
refolded napkin you find on returning
from the washroom. John Bishop, this city’s
consummate host, continues to instill his
trademark grace throughout Bishop’s (Silver). Front-of-house, chefs, and sommeliers
construct redoubtable service at Blue water
(Bronze), and honourable Mentions go to
the formal yet approachable Cioppino’s and
C restaurant, where owner harry kambolis
sets a high bar for knowledgeable precision.
Best Bar /
Lounge
BacchusPianoLoungeatthe
wedgewoodHotel
845HornbySt.
604-608-5319
Uva
900SeymourSt.
604-632-9560
Chambar
562BeattySt.
6048797119
SaltTastingroom
45BloodAlley
604-633-1912
Boneta
1W.CordovaSt.
604684-1844
The CiTY’S PoSh lounge scene has
always been vibrant, but recessionistas
are making these economical alternatives to fine dining all the more popular.
7 6 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
This year’s list is topped by Bacchus
Piano lounge at the wedgewood hotel
(Gold), where a good pour of scotch and
a supple leather wingback can take you to
a place where markets don’t crash. “This,”
summed up one judge, “is where grownups go to play.” The intimate uva (Silver)
is a favourite for by-the-glass wine selections (Sebastien le Goff being the hero
behind the list). and noisy, sexy Chambar
(Bronze) will always have a place so long
as they’re pouring those blue fig martinis;
the Belgian beer list, smartly presided over
by on-the-ball servers, doesn’t hurt, either.
honourable Mentions to down-to-earth
Salt Tasting room and the loose-and-loud
Boneta, where “most of the city’s seasoned
liquor enthusiasts can be found.”
Berkshirepork
Best metro
vancouver
destInatIon
FROM THE HOT DOG stand Japadog in
front of the Sutton Place Hotel on Burrard
to the tables at W. Fourth’s Fuel, the
Berkshire swine (aka the “Rolls-Royce
of pigs”) has found a home on dozens of
ThePearTree
Vancouver menus over the past couple
of years. The product of humane raising
without antibiotics, hormones, pens, or
crates, local Berkshire pork is exquisitely
LaBelleauberge
marbled, the integrated fat loading the
tender meat with flavours so clean that
they bear little relation to the bland “other
white meat” produced by factory farms.
HartHouse
In Japan it’s called Kurobuta, or “black
pig”, and it’s often marketed as such in
North America. Though commonly thought
of as a singular breed in its own right, a
SeaHarbour
Kurobuta pig is actually a Berkshire pig
(with or without the marketing lipstick).
The semantics question stems from the
1800s, when British diplomats gave the
Japanese several pigs as portly, delicious
gifts. These were the most prized of the
English heritage breed, and in Kagoshima
Prefecture, the same bloodline has been
maintained. The pig was later made infamous by George Orwell in his dystopian
novel Animal Farm, in which the main
villain, Napoleon, was a burly, “fierce-looking” Berkshire, thought by scholars to be a
caricature of Stalin (“not much of a talker,
but with a reputation for getting his own
way”). While Berkshires can be extremely
stubborn, jokes Dirk Keller, who maintains
much of Vancouver’s supply at his Sloping
Hill Farm in Qualicum Beach, “they are not
mean at all.” Indeed, he deadpans, “any
reference to a person as a ‘pig’ is an insult
to pigs.”—Andrew Morrison
4120E.HastingsSt.(Burnaby)
604-299-2772
485648thAve.(Ladner)
604-946-7717
6664DeerLakeAve.(Burnaby)
604-298-4278
3711No.3Rd.(Richmond)
604-232-0816
globe@yVr
3111GrantMcConachieWay(Richmond)
604-248-3281
we’d walk on our knees to hope if
we thought a brilliant meal awaited. all
these rooms rewarded travel. Burnaby’s
Pear Tree (Gold) sets imaginative fare
(braised Peace river lamb shank with
pear risotto) in a winsome room. la Belle
auberge (Silver) wowed our judges for the
unabashed old-school glory of thoughtful proteins knocking boots with endless
butter and cream. hart house (Bronze)
picked up its game acquiring edwyn kumar to personalize a smart carte. Sea harbour (especially for dungeness crab and
squash in black bean hot pot) and Globe@
YVr took honourable Mentions.
Joel Castillo
►► b e s t s e R v i c e ( c o n t ’ d )
restaurant awards
g r e e n aw a r d
Judges rhapsodized over the chicken
liver and pork cheek pappardelle at
La Quercia, Best New Restaurant
and Best Casual Italian
robClark
Best
regIonaL
Bishop’s
2183W.FourthAve.
604-738-2025
C
2-1600HoweSt.
604-681-1164
root vegetables, little-known artisanal
cheeses, intriguing herbs and flowers. at
C (Silver), visionary rob Clark and playful
Quang dang turn dishes into regional short
stories. raincity Grill (Bronze) continues
its love affair with the city through farm-totable food and a skillful wine list; chef Peter
robertson’s tasting menus are west Coast
101. Fuel’s robert Belcham and Chow’s JC
Poirier (honourable Mentions) revel in the
bounty of our local farms and waters.
Best
smaLL pLates
raincitygrill
1193DenmanSt.
604-685-7337
Fuel
1944W.FourthAve
604-288-7905
Cru
1459W.Broadway
604-677-4111
Chow
Bin941/Bin942
3121GranvilleSt.
604-608-2469
leT uS now PraiSe the bloodhound
chefs among us. andrea Carlson of Bishop’s
(Gold) elevates the overlooked: obscure
7 8 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
941DavieSt.,604-734-9421
1521W.Broadway,604-683-1246
Kingyo
871DenmanSt.
604-608-1677►►
Few chefs have had more to do with
crafting Vancouver’s reputation as an
international food city than Robert Clark,
champion of local, sustainable seafood and
this year’s Green Award recipient. Clark, in
his mid 40s, was cofounder of The Chefs
Table Society of BC and the driving force
behind both the creation of its annual
Spot Prawn Festival and of the Vancouver
Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program. Through
these outlets he works tirelessly to make
diners and chefs more aware of the impact
they have on the world’s oceans through
the seafood choices they make every day.
As executive chef of C Restaurant, Raincity
Grill, and Nu (and a past Vancouver magazine Chef of the Year), he demonstrates
that excellence and conscientiousness in
cooking aren’t mutually exclusive. Over the
last year he further cemented his unofficial
position as the ambassador of our food
and restaurant scene. He secured for B.C.
the 2010 Canadian Chefs Congress, was
recognized as Newsmaker of the Year by
the Canadian Association of Food Services
Professionals, and will represent the
province later this month at the National
Arts Centre’s BC Scene festival in Ottawa.
For all his professional accomplishments,
he’s a humble, straightforward, burly
fellow who picks his words with careful
economy, an unpretentious sort just as at
home with fishermen and farmers as he
is with diners and dignitaries. Together
with his charming (and equally visionary)
employer, restaurateur Harry Kambolis—a
leader in encouraging and adopting ecofriendly practices in his rooms—Clark
has played a dominant role in making our
restaurant trade a model for other cities to
follow.—Andrew Morrison
From left: Shannon Mendes; Joel Castillo
eXeCUTIVeCHeFC, Nu, and Raincity Grill
restaurant awards
►► b e s t s M a l l P l at e s ( c o n t ’ d )
nu
►► b e s t f o R M a l i ta l i a n ( c o n t ’ d )
Bartender of the year
Cibo
1661GranvilleSt.
604-646-4668
Tapastree
a CaTeGorY riFe with great rooms:
Cioppino’s (Gold) leads the way with
hands-on chef/proprietor Pino Posteraro in full command of a stellar menu
and an energized but refined ambiance.
il Giardino takes Silver, thanks to what
one judge called its “resurgent kitchen”
and its deep wine list. la Terrazza
(Bronze), which continues to refine a
sometimes uneven menu, also boasts a
wonderful list. CinCin is consistently
good, if geared more toward the tourist
trade, and Cibo nicely picks up on our
city’s love affair with italian cooking.
1829RobsonSt.
604-606-4680
The BinS haVe dominated this category for years, but Cru (Gold) finally
mixed things up: “They’ve got the most
inventive small plates in the city,” said
one judge. “Sleek, sexy, and sophisticated.” Try the duck confit robed in bacon
if you need convincing. we always love
noshing on beef wellington at Bin 941 &
942 (Silver), but our judges were looking
for a menu shakeup. Meanwhile, kingyo
(Bronze) delivers an ebi mayo that foodies still buzz about. The sleek nu (now
with comfortable chairs!) and unsung
Tapastree share the honorable Mention.
Cioppino’s/enoteca
1133HamiltonSt.
604-688-7466
JoshPapeThe art of “letting booze talk”
aS ParT oF the team that brought us Chambar in 2004, Josh Pape
has evolved alongside Vancouver’s cocktail culture. in its first year, the
Beatty Street restaurant’s bar manager, Mark Brand, won our first-ever
nod for Bartender of the Year. now it’s Pape’s turn. his approach to mixing a drink is straightforward: “keep it simple,” he says, “and let the
booze talk. use only good ingredients and let them do the job.” look
for him behind the wood with Brand at their
new restaurant and bar, The diamond, opening
TheDiamond
6PowellSt.
shortly.—AndrewMorrison
1382HornbySt.
604-669-2422
LaTerrazza
1088CambieSt.
604-899-4449
CinCin
1154RobsonSt.
604-688-7338►►
remember
yourFirst
gooseberry?
A raspberry-coulis splatter
appears beside Lesley Stowe’s
Death by Chocolate pâté
Rim shots! (diced
parsley, pepper,
& carrot garnish)
Carved
zucchini &
radishes
Twentyyearsofdining
innovations:good&bad
by chRis gonzalez
8 2 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
1988
Coffee! Restaurants get hip
to new beans and roasts
Stainless steel
(keeps a shine,
cheaper than
silver)
3689W.FourthAve
604-676-1007
217CarrallSt.
604-688-9779
Senova
4025MacDonaldSt.
604-730-6988
1LonsdaleAve.(NorthVan)
604-924-4444
osterianapoli
1660RenfrewSt.
604-255-6441
TrattoriaItalianKitchen
1850W.FourthAve.
604-732-1441
The
icewine
cometh
Cape gooseberries
sprout on every
dessert plate in town
1993
Carpaccio
fever
1864W.57thAve.
604-266-8643
ThiS CaTeGorY ShelTerS unusual delights. Chambar (Gold) delivers
welcome eastern Mediterranean and
african alternatives to Pacific rim ennui.
Three decades in, José and Paco rivas at
la Bodega (Silver) still turn heads with
kidneys, blood sausage, and offal. The
new irish heather (Bronze) is one more
reason to celebrate one-man-industry
Sean heather; leitao (roast suckling pig)
Thursdays make us treasure Senova.
Okanagan wines hit menus
after Mission Hill wins Gold
for its 1992 Chardonnay
Goodbye, butter.
Hello, oil and
balsamic
Chipotle,
chipotle,
chipotle!
1277HoweSt.
604-684-8814
LaBuca
Salt Spring Island lamb
562BeattySt.
604-879-7119
TheIrishHeather/
ShebeenwhiskeyHouse
gustodiQuattro
Left: Mark Maryanovich
Ilgiardino
Chambar
LaQuercia
Best other
european
LaBodega
Best casuaL
ItaLIan
Best formaL
ItaLIan
900SeymourSt.
604-602-9570
SiMPliCiTY winS the day. la Quercia
(Gold), low-key and intimate, made an
instant name for itself this year with
brilliant execution. Silver winner la Buca
also turns out unfailingly excellent fare in
modest surroundings. Gusto di Quattro
(Bronze) nails it in north Van, and osteria napoli punches well above its weight
on the east Side. italian kitchen fills out
a roster that give lovers of trattoria-style
italian food plenty to cheer about.
Tapas, tapas
everywhere
Rob Feenie brings
square plates to
Lumière (thank you,
Charlie Trotter and
Daniel Boulud)
Over-the-top
washroom
design
1998
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 8 3
restaurant awards
Best casuaL
french
Best formaL
french
LeCrocodile
Pied-à-Terre
100-909BurrardSt.
604-669-4298
Bacchusrestaurant
atwedgewoodHotel
845HornbySt.
604-608-5319
485648thAve.(Ladner)
604-946-7717
1616AlberniSt.
604-685-3924
remember?
iF ConSiSTenCY iS a great chef’s hallmark, then Michel Jacob of le Crocodile
(Gold) is at the pinnacle of Vancouver
haute cuisine. Bacchus’s lee Parsons
(Silver) raises local ingredients to the
sublime (sweet corn velouté with chive
chantilly and luxurious risottos studded with golden chantrelles and sweet
peas)—the relais & Châteaux designation also persuades. Pretend you’re
driving to Grandmère’s in the country
and drop into ladner to Bruno Marti’s
la Belle auberge (Bronze) for fresh,
imaginatively prepared dishes that range
from the ridiculous (fois gras with plum
compote) to the transcendent (wild boar
with morel sauce). honourable Mentions
go to lushly romantic le Gavroche and
cosy, gracious Five Sails.
The prix-fixe vision of
Pied-à-Terre helped it get the
nod as Best Casual French
Gold leaf
gilds consommés
and desserts
Wine goes ABC:
anything but
Chardonnay
Heirloom tomatoes,
courtesy Stoney
Paradise Farms
8 4 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
New
buzzword:
organic
The (affordable) black
summer truffle adorns
almost everything
Short
ribs go
from
throwaway
to luxe
Duck duos,
lamb trios
2004
2153W.FourthAve.
604-731-5020
HidekazuTojo
MistralBistro
HeaDCHeF/ownerTojo’s
Anyone who first sits across the bar from
2585W.Broadway
604-733-0046
the diminutive, bell-shaped Hidekazu
Tojo comes away knowing they’ve had a
unTarniShed BY the Cambie Street
construction outside, Pied-à-Terre (Gold)
maintained its hold this year. andrey
durbach’s 34-seat gem is a neighborhood
haunt perfect for refined prix-fixe lunches
or late-night lingering over French vino
that anticipates the happy Cambie life
to come. west Van’s la régalade (Silver)
kept its place, too, by keeping up with our
desire for basic country dishes: pork sirloin
with sautéed potatoes and apples keeps
locals from bothering with the lion’s Gate
Bridge. with his deft, Japanese-influenced
touch, don letendre has put his own spin
on French cuisine at elixir (Bronze). his
sablefish with braised daikon and trufflescented dashi is a knockout. honourable
Mentions go to Bistro Pastis (an honest
room dishing succulent rabbit and lamb)
and the intimate Mistral Bistro.
Meet the
vegetable
purée
Meatballs
swoosh
Allô bistros,
allô moules frites!
Sideways says: Pinot
Noir, yes. The Atkins Diet
says: starch, no
Left photo: Shannon Mendes; Right illustration: Joel Castillo
410-999CanadaPlace
604-844-2855
1999
350DavieSt.
604-642-0557
BistroPastis
FiveSails
103-2232MarineDr.(WestVan)
604-921-2228
elixirattheopus
Legavroche
3369CambieSt.
604-873-3131
Larégalade
LaBelleauberge
LIfetIme
achIevement
aw a r d
Invasion of
the New York
chefs
Sustainability.
The 100 Mile Diet.
Ocean Wise
Salt cries:
charcuterie!
life-changing gustatory experience. Plates
of exquisitely delicate sushi mosaics, each
a reinvention of a classic, come fast and
furious. “Always consistent in his execution, he can make a simple plate look as
beautiful as it tastes,” said one judge. “He
told me, ‘Japanese chefs don’t need a food
stylist,’ and when our plates came out,
I had to agree.” He works magic on the
stovetop, too: witness his smoked black
cod in a slightly sweet fish broth, gossamer
tempura-battered albacore tuna, and
Dungeness crab cakes. Born in Kagoshim,
in 1950, Tojo learned to cook in Osaka. At
21 he came to Vancouver, where he found a
place at Jinya, then the city’s premier Japanese establishment. In 1988 he opened his
room at 777 W. Broadway, moving to 1133
W. Broadway two years ago. “He singlehandedly brought not only sushi but an
awareness of Japanese cuisine to the city,”
says Vikram Vij, who did the same for Indian
cuisine. “Tojo paved the way for all great
sushi chefs in town.” Not to say diligence
doesn’t leave room for mischievousness.
“There’s always a funny story to tell after a
night with Tojo,” says Vij. “He’ll be grabbing
or pinching you somewhere he’s not supposed to, and it’s always like, ‘Tojo, c’mon,
we’re in the public eye.’ He doesn’t care. He
does his own thing.” His own thing includes
2009
Sliders/mini burgers
sweeping the Best Japanese category since
it was introduced in 1992. Which makes
him the incontrovertible choice for this
year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 8 5
restaurant awards
Best
seafood
►► b e s t f o R M a l J a Pa n e s e ( c o n t ’ d )
front of house
Miku
BluewaterCafe
en
1095HamiltonSt.
604-688-8078
C
1133W.Broadway
604-872-8050
Coast
1257HamiltonSt.
604-685-5010
goFish
1505W.FirstAve.
604-730-5040
CoMPeTiTion iS FierCe in a town
where pale salmon takes on an immoral
stink. happily, this produces seafood temples we all can worship at. Blue water Cafe
(Gold) delivers an embarrassment of oyster
selections, plus immaculate sushi by Yoshi
Tabo. Take your party into the 72-person
private wine room and order three-tier towers of naked shellfish. See and be seen on
the waterfront patio at C (Silver), where executive chef robert Clark has championed
sustainable seafood for years. and perennial
sushi favourite Tojo’s (Bronze) continues to
draw celeb guests and ordinary souls who
happen to know what’s best. honourable
Mentions to Coast, for giving Yaletown a
communal table where they can nosh on
prawns, and that happy shack Go Fish
(the opposite of a Yaletown joint), where
couples park themselves on the seawall and
poke through oyster po’boys and battered
fish next to the boat that brought them in.
Best formaL
japanese
Tojo’s
1133W.Broadway
604-872-8050
rawBaratBluewaterCafe
1095HamiltonSt.
604-688-8078►►
8 6 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
PremierCrew
Over 20 years, great servers become institutions
Joe Fortes maitre d’ (and B.C. restaurant hall of Fame inductee)
Frenchygagne➊has a passion for excellent service, which is why
one customer gave him a Cadillac el dorado as a Christmas gift.
For Gagne, the real reward is the opportunity to turn someone’s
crummy day around. andreaVescovi ➋ our Sommelier of the Year
(as chosen by the international Sommelier Guild) is wine director
at Blue water Cafe. Born into an italian family of chefs and vintners,
he grew up steeped in the culture of wine and food. he loves developing wine cellars and “bringing joy and goodwill to the dinner
table.” in 1972, 21-year-old BonnieFong ➌ started as a busboy at
hy’s encore. he never left. well into his fourth decade, he’s served
everyone from robin williams to ronald reagan’s son. “For me,” he
says, “walking into hy’s is like coming home.” after working with
Pino Posteraro in Tuscany, MassimoPiscopo➍became the floor
manager at Cioppino’s when it opened. For him, it’s the customers
who make things fresh and exciting—the best thing about his job is
“the constant contact with people, which i think keeps you alive.”
when she was 25, Lidiaranallo ➎ left a bank job to help husband
Claudio run la Piazza dario. She learned the ropes from her brotherin-law, a veteran server, and after 20 years of doing every job in the
room she says her toughest challenge is finding staff who get that,
in good times and bad, “you must go out and do your best.” Pierre
rosso (notshown), a 26-year veteran of service at le Crocodile,
says: “human nature always surprises me. how we can be so sweet
at times and so crazy at other times?”
Best casuaL
japanese
Kingyo
871DenmanSt.
604-608-1677
ZestJapaneseCuisine
2775W.16thAve.
604-731-9378
Lime
1130CommercialDr.
604-215-1130
yuji’sJapaneseTapas
2059W.FourthAve.
604-734-4990
HapaIzakaya
Joel Castillo
4422W.10thAve.
604-730-0330
ToJo (Gold) continues to redefine
Japanese food in Vancouver, with a
firm grasp of seasonality and local
ingredients. (See lifetime achievement
award, page 85.) Yoshi Tabo’s offerings
at the raw Bar (Silver) “fit seamlessly
into Blue water’s menu in a way that
makes you forget that the raw fish here
is some of the best in the city,” said
one judge. newcomer Miku shakes up
the Japanese scene in Vancouver with
a scorched approach to sushi (otherwise known as aburi-style). “when
Seigo-san [the Japanese owner] visits,”
advised one judge, “go. and blow the
budget on the omakase dinner.” honourable Mention to en for creative fusing of italian and Japanese techniques.
2-1600HoweSt.
604-681-1164
Tojo’s
1055W.HastingsSt.
604-568-3900
1516YewSt.,604-738-4272
1479RobsonSt.,604-689-4272
TiGhT CoMPeTiTion in a category
where hundreds of sushi joints and
plenty of izakayas clamour for top
honours. Gold to kingyo where “koji
zenimaru and his raucous crew offer a
playful take on Japanese small plates.
exuberance and a wild sense of fun
are grounded in tight techniques.”
at zest (Silver), a serene and elegant
room offers a modern backdrop for
Yoshi Maniwa’s take on traditional
Japanese dishes like soba crab rolls,
a nori-wrapped duo of crisped buckwheat noodles and crab meat. at lime
(Bronze) there’s some serious culinary
skill behind the sushi bar with executive chef Masaaki kudo, formerly of
Tojo’s and Blue water Cafe’s raw Bar, at
the helm. “First-class sushi and sashimi
finally arrives on the drive,” said one
judge. honourable Mentions to Yuji’s
for creative sushi rolls like the kamonegi with grilled duck breast and black
sesame seeds, and hapa for introducing
the city to the izakaya experience.
Best formaL
chInese
Kirin
102-1166AlberniSt.
604-682-8833
SeaHarbour
3711No.3Rd.(Richmond)
604-232-0816
SunSuiwah
102-4940No.3Rd.(Richmond)
604-273-8208
redStar
8298GranvilleSt.
604-261-8389
Shanghairiver
110-7831WestminsterHwy.(Richmond)
604-233-8885
Gold winner kirin manages to get
all the elements just right: top-notch
food, great service, and smart menus.
“The owners say that their goal is not
to be the best hong kong-style Chinese restaurant but the best Vancouverstyle Chinese restaurant,” reported one
judge—“and they’ve succeeded.” Sea
harbour (Silver) boasts the perfect mix
of innovation and classic technique,
best seen in its crab and kabocha
squash hot pot. The richmond location of Sun Sui wah remains a bastion
of local ingredients cooked with classic
Cantonese and hong kong techniques.
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 8 7
restaurant awards
t h e g o d fa t h e r
its king crab promotion remains the
best of the bunch, despite competition from all over the lower
Mainland (not to mention China
and hong kong). red Star gets an
honourable Mention for spectacular roasted meats (our judges loved
the whole roasted suckling pig), as
does Shanghai river for housemade
Shanghainese classics.
allintheFamily
Umberto Menghi is a founding
father of our haute cuisine,
having mentored many of
the chefs whose rooms—
and whose own protégés
—have come to embody
the city’s fine dining
John Bishop
Bishop’s
Jeff Van Geest,
Diva at the Met
Michael Allemaier,
Terrace at Mission Hill
Best casuaL
chInese
Scott Kidd, Lift
James Walt, Araxi
Geoff Kitt,
Sooke Harbour House
Chen’sShanghai
Gennaro Iorio, La Terrazza
Dino Renaerts,
Diva at the Met
KoonBoSeafood
Carol Chow,
Gusto di Quattro
Vikram Vij, Vij’s
Pino
Posteraro
Cioppino’s
Sean Riley,
Sanafir
Andrey
Durbach
Parkside/
La Buca/
Pied-à-Terre
Barbara-jo McIntosh, Books to Cooks
Geoff Lundholm, Moustache Café
Rob
Feenie
Feenie’s/
Lumière/
Cactus
Club Cafe
Don Letendre,
Elixir
Stefan Mahon &
John Blakely,
Bistro Pastis
Ned Bell,
Cabana Grille
JC Poirier, Chow
Sean Sylvestre,
The Beach House
David
Hawksworth
West/Hawksworth
Thierry Busset &
Mark Perrier,
CinCin
8 8 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
Jeremie Bastien,
Boneta
Colleen McLean,
Irish Heather
Kitchen
Confidential
For a video of chefs
spilling secrets and
telling tales, visit
Videos.vanmag.com
Marc-Andre
Choquette,
Voya
Romy Prasad, So.Cial
Mario Enero, La Rua
Cam & Allison McKinnon, Greedy Pig
6236FraserSt.
604-324-8855
Shanghaiwonderful
Umberto Menghi: Amanda Skuse; Andrey Durbach: Chris Mason Stearns
Michel Jacob
Le Crocodile
4850ImperialSt.(Burnaby)
604-437-0828
HoyuenKee
Adam Pegg &
Lucais Syme,
La Quercia
Quang Dang,
C Restaurant
5682FraserSt.
604-323-1218
alvingarden
John Corsi,
Pied-à-Terre
Dennis Peckham,
Hart House
8095ParkRd.(Richmond)
604-304-8288
110-8380LansdowneRd.(Richmond)
604-278-8829
The ineViTaBle waiT for a lunchtime table is a small price to pay for
the lower Mainland’s best xiao long
bao (soup buns), freshly made to
order and bursting with clean rich
broth at Chen’s Shanghai (Gold).
don’t be fooled by the nondescript
minimall location of koon Bo Seafood (Silver); large families pack in
nightly for well-executed Cantonese
comfort food. house-made pickles
brighten a stir-fry of beef and young
ginger as well as the hand-shredded chicken salad with strands of
jellyfish and crispy wonton skins. at
alvin Garden (Bronze), fiery hunan
fare, a flavour profile marked by the
bright heat of Szechuan peppercorns,
punches through the damp Vancouver weather to warm the soul. honourable Mentions to ho Yuen kee
for the out-of-sight crab dishes and
Shanghai wonderful for its deeply
authentic Shanghainese cooking.
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 8 9
restaurant awards
Best
IndIan
Best
dIm sum
Kirin
102-1166AlberniSt.
604-682-8833
Vij’s
1480W.11thAve.
604-736-6664
gingeri
rangoli
323-5300No.3Rd.(Richmond)
604-278-6006
1488W.11thAve.
604-736-5711
SunSuiwah
ashianaTandoori
102-4940No.3Rd.(Richmond)
604-273-8208
440Kingsway
604-874-5060
ne
grandHonourHotPot
ChutneyVilla
147E.Broadway
604-872-2228
1905W.Broadway
604-736-8180
5668GranvilleSt.
604-263-3983
God iS in the details, and kirin earns
Gold for seasonal changes to incorporate
the freshest ingredients; Silver goes to
Gingeri for simple dishes sharply executed. Travel to the richmond location
of Sun Sui wah (Bronze) for excellent
service, and to Grand honour (honourable Mention) to rub shoulders with wellheeled hong kong expats.
accomplished room up another notch
with new dishes like beef short ribs in
cinnamon and red wine curry; it may not
be traditional indian, but it’s the heart
of our indian culinary experience. next
door, rangoli (Silver) dishes indisputable
value for eating in (barring those pinchy
chairs) and—a godsend—grab-and-go.
ashiana Tandoori (Bronze) continues
to excel; rick and Sonia Takhar remain
two of the warmest hosts in the business.
honourable Mentions go to eclectic,
innovative Chutney Villa and to akbar’s
own, currying favour with heavy hits of
flavour at every turn.
Best
Korean
w
Ca
Te
g r av e ya r d s
of gastronomy
go
SuicideLocations
ry
Where only the daring
would open a restaurant
Hanwoori
akbar’sown
VanCouVer oFFerS an excellent
range of convincing alternatives for
the nights you can’t get a table at Vij’s.
Speaking of Vij’s (Gold), Vikram and
Meeru dhalwala kicked a ridiculously
5740ImperialSt.(Burnaby)
604-439-0815
1355HornByST.
Currently: nothing. In 2006, Rare revamped Bis
Moreno into a more inviting room, with cooking as
mature as it was young. Chef de cuisine Colleen
McClean led a small, all-female, lab-like kitchen
reflecting the best of what was locally available. It
lasted 25 months, then went the way of…
2 0 0 3 Bis Moreno
2 0 0 2 Mr. Greek Taverna (never opened)
2 0 0 1 Zinfandel’s
1 9 9 8 Etoile
1 9 8 1 Massimo Ristorante Italiano
1 9 7 9 La Maisonette
JangMoJib
1719RobsonSt.(multiplelocations)
604-642-0712
Insadong
301-403NorthRd.(Coquitlam)
604-936-3778
ChoSun
3486Kingsway
604-434-1222
9 0 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
1265/1269HaMILTonST.
Pinky’s opened at 1265 in 2008. Pink ponyskin
barstools, tufted leather banquettes, and flocked
wallpaper screamed next-gen steakhouse. It
closed a year later. Next door, Charm Modern
Thai’s red walls, gilded mirrors, and plush banquettes are meant to banish memories of…
2 0 0 7 Flite
2 0 0 7 Lucky Diner
2 0 0 6 Diner
2 0 0 5 LK Dining Lounge
Left: Shannon Mendes; This page: Jenny Reed
On-point seasoning
secured Best Other Asian
for Kerrisdale’s Spice
Islands Indonesian
Make The Trek to Burnaby’s hanwoori
(Gold) for the bold, soothing flavours
of korean comfort food. Soups like the
rich beef rib (kalbi tang) are a particular
strength on the menu; authentic grilled
ribs and spicy chicken are also excellent. Jang Mo Jib (Silver) offers classic
korean-style dining and l.a.-style kalbi;
grilled dumplings and seafood pancakes
are perfect for late-night snacking. at
insadong (Bronze), located at the nexus
of Coquitlam’s korean shopping and dining district, find bubbling hot pots like
spicy gojuchang-based soondooboo jigae
(creamy silken tofu and kimchi in a rich
seafood broth) and steamed pork belly
served with napa cabbage and oysterspiked kimchi. loud, lively chatter is
the backdrop at Cho Sun (honourable
Mention), where large groups of korean
expats and like-minded carnivores gather
for generous portions and survival-of-thefittest-style eating.
1809w.FIrSTaVe.
Mon Bella Ristorante’s casual new “bistoria”
(opened in November) breathes new life into a revolving space. Can former Rare chef Brian Fowke’s
delightful hodgepodge of a menu, mostly French
and Italian comfort foods on small plates, forestall
the fate that awaited…
2 0 0 7 Industry
2 0 0 4 Vintropolis
2 0 0 1 Tarsus
1 9 9 9 Sienna
1 9 9 2 Carpaccio’s
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 9 1
restaurant awards
Cobre scooped
Best of the Americas with
its zesty pan-Hispanic
food and ace drinks
ne
Best
thai
ne
w c
at
e
go
ry
Salathai
3364 Cambie St., 604-875-6999
102-888 Burrard St., 604-683-7999
Montri’s Thai
3629 W. Broadway
604-738-9888
Sawasdee Thai
4250 Main St.
604-876-4030
Chilli House Thai Bistro
1018 Beach Ave.
604-685-8989
The Burrard Street location of
Salathai (Gold) is frequented by visiting celebrities and even the Thai royal
family, but it’s the homey, family-style
atmosphere of the Cambie Street location
that has been popular with locals for over
9 2 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
20 years. The pungent sweetness of Thai
basil elevates pad see-iew—a simple stir
fry of rice noodles with your choice of
meat—beyond the pedestrian. Tapioca
pudding, served with coconut milk and
chunks of banana and jackfruit, “both
warms the heart and pleases the palate,”
said one judge. Montri’s Thai Restaurant
(Silver) sometimes suffers from inconsistency now that its namesake chef is
no longer at the helm. “But,” offers one
judge, “there are gems to be had when the
kitchen is firing on all cylinders. Yum-nua
is a zesty salad of grilled beef tossed in
a lime dressing with chilies, tomato, lettuce, onion, and mint. And the pad Thai
borders on the sublime…if you order
it on the right day.” At Vancouver’s first
Thai restaurant, Sawasdee (Bronze), Busaba Poonpem’s larb gai, a delicious salad of
minced chicken tossed with cilantro, lime
juice, toasted rice, and a generous dose of
chili, is as authentic as it gets. Honourable Mention to Chilli House Thai Bistro,
“a waterfront jewel,” said one judge, “that
sparkles with authentic Thai delicacies
and spectacular views of False Creek.”
Best
vietnamese
w c
at
e
go
ry
Phnom Penh
244 E. Georgia St.
604-734-8898
Pho Tan Vietnamese
4598 Main St
604-873-3345
Pho Thai Hoa
1625 Kingsway
604-873-2348
Thai Son
373 E. Broadway
604-875-6436
Vancouver Vietnamese
4136 Main St.
604-872-3455
Perennial winner Phnom Penh
(Gold) is still a cult favourite among lo-
restaurant awards
Best
other asIan
SpiceIslandsIndonesian
3592W.41stAve.
604-266-7355
CaféKathmandu
2779CommercialDr.
604-879-9909
BananaLeaf
820W.Broadway,604-731-6333
1096DenmanSt.,604-683-3333
3005W.Broadway,604-734-3005
wildrice
117W.PenderSt.
604-642-2882
azia
990SmitheSt.
604-682-8622
aT kerriSdale’S Spice islands (Gold)
subtle indonesian spicing reaches new
heights with careful shadings of cloves,
cinnamon, nutmeg, and chili. The menu
at Café kathmandu (Silver) reflects nepal’s influences from neighbouring China,
india, and Tibet, but nepalese food is
“lighter, brighter, and more restrained
9 4 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
t h e o L d fa I t h f u L s
yesterdayonceMore
Five rooms that just say no to passing fancy
williamTell 765BeattySt.,604-688-3504 o P e n e d 1964 o n t h e M e n u French
onion soup, escargots Burgundy t h e c o R n e R ta b l e The quietest room
in town nurtures intimacy. our couple starts with dubonnays over caesar salad, then shares Châteaubriand with a rich red. Tableside service
continues with flaming crêpes Suzette and Café diablos for two.
Legavroche1616AlberniSt.,604-685-3924
1979 o n t h e M e n u
rack of lamb c o R n e R ta b l e dad’s been coming here since he was a kid
himself. The family of four is dining early to catch a show; owner Manny
Ferreira suggests they return for “Madame’s” lili Cake afterwards.
oPened
TheCannery 2205CommissionerSt.,604-254-9606 o P e n e d 1971 o n
the
Salmon wellington, chocolate Sinn Cake c o R n e R ta b l e it’s
Grandpa’s 70th. The little ones are having pasta alfredo, their parents are
learning about Café de Paris sauce. There’s house-made birthday cake,
and specialty coffees for the grownups.
Menu
PhnomPenh244E.GeorgiaSt.,604-734-8898
o P e n e d 1985 o n t h e M e n u
“none cancelled, we only grow!” c o R n e R ta b l e an asian quartet comes
in late. Papaya salad, deep-fried garlic squid, beef curry,
noodles, lotus root. Tsing Taos and black bean ice crush
to drink, and durian sticky rice to finish.
JoeFortesSeafood&ChopHouse
777ThurlowSt.,604-669-1940o P e n e d
1985 o n t h e M e n u Cobb salad,
cioppino t h e c o R n e R ta b l e Two
commercial realtors stop in for happy
hour. The pianist plays “The Girl From
ipanema.” Bob Skinner, resident shucker
since day one, sets up an oyster feast.
The William Tell’s classic steak tartar:
it’s seasoned tableside and served,
egg-topped, with toast points
Courtesy The William Tell
cal foodies for its dynamic duo of lemonpepper squid and chicken wings. Butter
beef is a meat lover’s delight: tissue-thin
slices of barely seared beef dressed with
cilantro, garlic chips, and a limey nuoc
mam sauce. Service at family-run Pho
Tan Vietnamese restaurant (Silver) is
earnest and welcoming, and, as one judge
noted, “the understated atmosphere is a
welcome respite from garish fluorescent
and neon lighting so common in Vietnamese restaurants.” Come after 3 p.m.
and order the banh xeo: a popular street
snack in southern Vietnam, it sees bean
sprouts and seafood wrapped in a turmeric-laced rice-flour crêpe studded with
shrimp and scallions. a change in ownership brought a much-needed face-lift to
Pho Thai hoa (Bronze). house special
pho dac biet is a slurptastic carnivore’s
delight: a jumble of fatty brisket, soft tendon, tripe, and meatballs with noodles in
light, clean broth. honourable Mentions
go to Thai Son and Vancouver Vietnamese for outstanding pho.
restaurant awards
than that of its neighbours. Go for the
bhatmaas,” suggested one judge. “It’s a
surprise for the palate: crunchy toasted
soybeans fried with minced ginger,
garlic, and chilies, and tossed with coriander.” Banana Leaf wins Bronze for
the sambal green beans, beef rendang,
and black pepper Dungeness crab—all
must-orders. Wild Rice’s invitingly
decorated room (Honourable Mention)
is the perfect venue for “the smartly
crafted dishes that balance traditional
Chinese cooking with modern sensibilities and easy-to-down cocktails vivid
with ginger infusions, lychee juiciness,
and lip-smacking tamarind.” Azia also
earns Honourable Mention for beautifully presented dishes in a dramatic,
modern room.
Best of the
Americas
Cobre
52 Powell St.
604-669-2396
are served in traditional El Salvadorean
style with chimol (cooked salsa) and
curtido (pickled cabbage salad). Doña
Cata (Bronze) is a similarly unassuming mom-and-pop room, churning
out deliciously authentic Mexican fare
like spiced al pastor tacos and enchiladas. A range of flavours from across
Central and South America is on offer
at Baru Latino (Honourable Mention),
and well-executed dishes and a warm
Caribbean vibe makes Lolita’s (Honourable Mention) a great (if raucous) place
to while away an evening.
Best
STEAKHOUSE/
chops
Gotham Steakhouse
Morton’s The Steakhouse
750 W. Cordova St.
604-915-5105
Hy’s Encore
2062 Commercial Dr.
604-879-2600
637 Hornby St.
604-683-7671
Doña Cata
Hamilton Street Grill
5076 Victoria Dr.
604-436-2232
1009 Hamilton St.
604-331-1511
Baru Latino
Pinkys Steakhouse
2535 Alma St.
604-222-9171
1326 Davie St.
604-696-9996
Cuban-Brazilian-Mexican
restaurant Cobre (Gold) grabbed the
top spot from two-time winner Doña
Cata thanks to a combination of zesty
dishes (like tamale sliders and chicken
taquitos with homemade guacamole),
inspired cocktails, and solid service in
a polished room. If Cobre represents
the sleek and sexy Latin restaurant,
then Rinconcito Salvadoreño (Silver)
is its counterpart: an inconspicuous
spot on Commercial. Diners stream in
nightly for the city’s best handmade
pupusas: thick corn tortillas topped
with cheese, beans, pork, or all three
Best bbq
Memphis Blues
1873 W. Fourth Ave.
604-732-6769
The king of steakhouses does
it again. A six-time winner, the opulent
Gotham (Gold) serves Porterhouses and
filets cooked to perfection. Consistency
is the hallmark of Mortons (Silver), and
its aged USDA Prime is unmatched. At
Hy’s (Bronze), 22-ounce slabs of beef
and steak tartare recall the golden age
of dining; as one judge said, “It’s like
hearing an old Sinatra tune you haven’t
heard in years and can’t get enough of.”
Looking for something less formal? A
laid-back atmosphere and quality certified Angus steaks make Hamilton Street
Grill (Honourable Mention) the ideal
neighbourhood steakhouse, and femalefocused Pinkys (Honourable Mention)
serves manageable portions in a trendy
but casual Cactus Club-style room.
1342 Commercial Dr.
604-215-2599
1465 W. Broadway
604-738-6806
1629 Lonsdale Ave. (North Van)
604-929-3699
Dix BBQ & Brewery
871 Beatty St.
604-682-2739
Migz BBQ on Broadway
2884 W. Broadway
604-733-3002
Bronco Belle BBQ
615 Seymour St.
604-605-8282
Rinconcito Salvadoreño
Lolita’s
9 6 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
restaurant awards
4567 Lougheed Hwy (Burnaby)
604-299-7993
Succulent rib Meat falls right
off the bone, and a simple pulled
pork sandwich was enough to send
one of our judges “floating out of
the room” at Memphis Blues (Gold),
where the meat is always tender and
sides like cornbread, beans, and slaw
come supersized. A commendable
beer list and over a dozen smokedmeat sandwiches and burgers to
choose from make Dix BBQ & Brewery (Silver) the ultimate pre-gameat-GM-Place hangout. Your best bet
at Migz BBQ on Broadway (Bronze)
is the Pig Out Platter: three meat and
two side dishes are meant to feed
three, but you’ll need a couple extra
friends to help. On a budget? Bronco
Belle BBQ (Honourable Mention) in
Brentwood Town Centre serves up
big helpings of Texas-style meat for
pocket change.
Best CASUAL
CHAIN
Cactus Club Cafe
588 Burrard St. (multiple locations)
604-682-0933
Earls
905 Hornby St. (multiple locations)
604-682-6700 ►►
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 9 9
restaurant awards
►► b e s t c a s u a l c h a i n ( c o n t ’ d )
Joeys
507 Burrard St. (multiple locations)
604-915-5639
The Keg
742 Thurlow St. (multiple locations)
604-685-4388
Milestones Grill + Bar
1109 Hamilton St. (multiple locations)
604-684-9111
Butternut squash ravioli with
sage butter, tuna tataki with yuzu
vinaigrette, and barbecue duck clubhouse on pecan loaf—all signature
dishes by star chef Rob Feenie—have
taken Cactus Club’s (Gold) menu to
new heights. As our judges put it, this
fun, lively chain dominates the category, pushes culinary boundaries, and
redefines the term “casual dining.”
Earls (Silver), the chain that inspired
the category, still offers “some of the
most consistent eats in its class,” one
judge commented. The grilled prawn
tacos are a must, and the wine list has
some of the city’s best-priced bottles.
Joeys (Bronze) is all about stellar
drink specials, lavish décor, and
attractive staff—and if those aren’t
enough, a diverse menu offers something for everyone. The second-floor
patio at the Granville and Broadway
location is prime for people-watching
come summer. The Keg (Honourable
Mention) is favoured for consistency,
smooth service, and, of course, tasty
steaks, while Milestone’s (Honourable
Mention) scores points for its solid
brunch.
Best NORTH
SHORE
La Régalade
103-2232 Marine Dr. (West Van)
604-921-2228
Fraîche
2-2240 Chippendale Rd. (West Van)
604-925-7595
Gusto di Quattro
1 Lonsdale Ave. (North Van)
604-924-4444 ►►
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 1 0 1
restaurant awards
►► b e s t NO R TH SHO R E ( c o n t ’ d )
The Beach House
150 25th St. (West Van)
604-922-1414
The Observatory
6400 Nancy Greene Way
on Grouse Mountain
604-998-5045
Alain Rayé’s La Régalade (Gold) is
the perpetual winner here for good
reason: his fresh ingredients and
traditional French cuisine entice not
only Shore residents but downtown
diners who brave bridge traffic for
entrées like the leg of lamb for two,
served in a Dutch oven. High on the
hilltop, Fraîche (Silver) focuses on
seasonal cuisine and, as one judge
put it, has “food that manages to
match the spectacular location.” At
the foot of Lonsdale, Gusto di Quattro (Bronze) excels at pasta. Honourable Mentions go to The Beach
House for well-executed seafood and
The Observatory for regional cuisine
in a stunning setting.
Best PRODUCER/
SUPPLIER
Organic Ocean
1505 W. First Ave.
604-862-7192
When Steve Johansen created
Organic Ocean 10 years ago with
lifelong friend Dane Chauval, he
began with an age-old idea: quality
over quantity. From the start Organic
Ocean, a small group of half a dozen
independent fishermen, believed in
sustainability and dealing directly
with their customers. Johansen, 41,
delivers the product himself to the
kitchens he supplies (which include
C Restaurant, Blue Water Cafe,
Raincity Grill, Fuel, Campagnolo,
and Vij’s). If chefs have questions or
concerns about where or how the
product is harvested, he can answer directly: he caught it himself.
“Historically, suppliers haven’t been
able to answer those questions,” says
Robert Clark of C Restaurant, but
with Organic Ocean, “I know when, I
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 1 0 3
restaurant awards
know where, I know who.” Ditching
the derby mentality, whereby fishermen grab as many fish as they can,
Johansen and his crew take their time
to preserve the quality and freshness of their product. “There’s a lot
of pride put into it,” says Johansen,
sitting on Fisherman’s Wharf, where
his boat, Organic Ocean #1, makes its
home. “It’s very personal.” Chauval,
meanwhile, spent the past summer in
Haida Gwaii with his wife and kids,
fishing for salmon, lingcod, and halibut. “The fish up there are so beautiful,” says Johansen. “The whole area
is pristine.” And through carefully
managed, sustainable practices, the
team at Organic Oceans intends to
keep it that way.
The Producer/Supplier of the Year
award is voted on by The Chefs’ Table
Society of British Columbia, a province-wide nonprofit collaboration of
culinary professionals
Best
WHISTLER
Bearfoot Bistro
4121 Village Green
604-932-3433
Araxi
4222 Village Sq.
604-932-4540
Fifty Two 80 Bistro
4591 Blackcomb Way
604-935-3400
Hy’s Steakhouse
14-4308 Main St.
604-905-5555
4242 Village Stroll
604-932-4442
Il Caminetto di Umberto
On the eve of 2010, all eyes turn
to Whistler, where Melissa Craig, star
of the open kitchen at Bearfoot Bistro
(Gold), helped her room displace
long-time category winner Araxi. At
the popular chef’s table, opt for the
house-smoked caribou with balsamic
blackberry jus. James Walt of Araxi
(Silver) makes simplicity appear
simple with rigorously conceived
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 1 0 5
restaurant awards
fresh meats and fish; try seared red
tuna with caponata or wild salmon
with herb and Pemberton arugula
crust. With its lively bar, white-linen
service, and warm lighting, Fifty
Two 80 Bistro (Bronze) strikes the
right balance between hipster and
fine dining. Honourable Mentions: a
seductively dark interior welcomes
steak-savvy diners to Hy’s Steakhouse, while impeccable service at Il
Caminetto di Umberto complements
a fine range of daily specials.
Best
VICTORIA
Brasserie L’École
1715 Government St.
250-475-6260
Cafe Brio
944 Fort St.
250-383-0009
Zambri’s
110-911 Yates St.
250-360-1171
Stage
1307 Gladstone Ave.
250-388-4222
The Marina Restaurant
1327 Beach Dr.
250-598-8555
Brasserie l’Ecole (Gold) remains
a bright spot on touristy Government
Street, with splendidly comfy French
country food and a wine list that’s
small in size but huge in intelligence.
Chef Lawrence Munn’s charcuterie-curing room adds depth to the
Italian-sponsored menu at Café Brio
(Silver); sweetbread-stuffed ravioli
with grilled scallions in a red-wine
sauce is a classic. It’s hard to find a
ristorante rustica as good as Zambri’s
(Bronze) even in Italy—sophisticated
farmhouse cooking that Vancouver is
now beginning to embrace. Honourable Mentions to sleek, contemporary
bistro Stage (don’t miss the langos, a
savoury Hungarian fry bread taken
to new heights with Maldon sea salt
and garlic) and view-blessed Marina
Restaurant.
Best
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 1 0 7
restaurant awards
Best VANCOUVER
ISLAND
Sooke Harbour House
1528 Whiffen Spit Rd. (Sooke)
250-642-3421
Amusé Bistro
1753 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd.
(Shawnigan Lake)
250-743-3667
Sobo
311 Neill St. (Tofino)
250-725-2341
The Pointe
at the Wickaninnish Inn
500 Osprey Lane,
Chesterman Beach (Tofino)
250-725-3100
The Aerie Dining Room
600 Ebedora Lane (Malahat)
250-743-7115
Every PROPONENT of regional
dining owes a debt to locavore granddaddy Sooke Harbour House (Gold);
the creative interplay between chef
Edward Tuson and owners Frédérique and Sinclair Philip always works
on the plate. Amusé Bistro (Silver)
in the Cowichan Valley delivers
proof positive that a short menu
celebrating local ingredients means
a talented couple can create a better
restaurant than many a resort with
more resources. Sobo (Bronze) hits
the sophisticated bohemian sweet
spot with a seasonal menu featuring
those Killer Fish Tacos plus oysters
encrusted with cornmeal. Another
Tofino mainstay, The Pointe at the
Wickaninnish Inn, gets Honourable
Mention, as does Malahat’s recently
redone Aerie Dining Room.
Best RESORT
DINING
The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn
500 Osprey Lane,
Chesterman Beach (Tofino)
250-725-3100 ►►
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 1 0 9
restaurant awards
►► b e s t r e s o r t d i n i n g ( c o n t ’ d )
Sooke Harbour House
1528 Whiffen Spit (Sooke)
250-642-3421
Long Beach Lodge Dining Room
1441 Pacific Rim Hwy. (Tofino)
1-877-844-7873
The Aerie Dining Room
600 Ebedora Lane (Malahat)
250-743-7115
Rosemeade Dining Room
at the English Inn
429 Lampson St. (Victoria)
250-388-4353
The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn (Gold) pairs cedar inside
and the waves of Chesterman Beach
outside with an accomplished menu.
You’ll find land-based fare like duck
breast paired with potato gnocchi,
and marine treasures like braised
Pacific rockfish with local mussels, tomato ragout, gin, basil, and
saffron aioli. Sooke Harbour House
(Silver) brings the garden indoors
in dishes like salmon with rosemary
crème fraîche and chive oil, sautéed
morel mushrooms, and potato,
beet top, and kale. Unwind in the
Long Beach Lodge’s Dining Room
(Bronze) with chef Joshua Anker’s
take on a global-modern menu
matched with local sources. Honourable Mentions go to slow-food
chef Castro Boateng of the Aerie
Dining Room and Richard Luttman’s
sophisticated Rosemeade Dining
Room in Esquimalt.
Best
OKANAGAN
Waterfront Wine Bar
104-1180 Sunset Dr. (Kelowna)
250-979-1222
Cabana Grille
3799 Lakeshore Rd. (Kelowna)
250-763-1955
Bouchons Bistro
105-1180 Sunset Dr. (Kelowna)
250-763-6595 ►►
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 1 1 1
restaurant awards
fect lake views contextualize seasonal
tasting menus; the well-stocked cellar
means a perfect pairing for every
1560 Water St. (Kelowna)
course. Over at Quails’ Gate, newly
250-868-8805
arrived Old Vines Patio chef Roger
Sleiman (Silver) reflects the seasons on
Seven Six Four Restaurant
wine-friendly menus; pair a firm Merlot
12-4600 Lakeshore Rd. (Kelowna)
with a Wentzel duck breast or a Family
250-764-7645
Reserve Pinot Noir with wild arctic
caribou. Frederic Desbiens, executive
It’s an unprepossessing little place
chef at Bacchus Bistro at Domaine de
(and not on the water), but Waterfront Chaberton (Bronze), excels at classics
Wine Bar won Gold because of the fine like boeuf bourguignon and braised
dishes that emerge, almost miraculously, lamb shanks; Langley’s never had it
from its tiny kitchen. Cabana Grill took so good. Honourable Mentions go to
Silver thanks to its casual atmosphere
CedarCreek’s relaxed Vineyard Terrace
and chef Ned Bell’s deft touch with local and friendly, uncomplicated Grapevine
ingredients, and Bouchons took Bronze Restaurant at Gray Monk.
by neatly recombining the elements of
a French bistro with crisp service and
a cleverly chosen wine list. Recently
renamed Fresco scored points for its
elegant marriage of local food with local
wine, and Seven Six Four Restaurant
scored points for its tasty breakfasts and
Thomas Haas Patisserie
and Cappucino Bar
winning desserts.
128-998 Harbourside Dr. (North Van)
604-924-1847
►► b e s t o k a n a g a n ( c o n t ’ d )
Fresco
Best
LAST COURSE
Best WINERY/
VINEYARD
DINING
The Terrace at Mission Hill
1730 Mission Hill Rd. (Kelowna)
250-768-6467
Old Vines Patio Restaurant
at Quails’ Gate
3303 Boucherie Rd. (Kelowna)
800-420-9463, ext. 252 250-769-2500
Bacchus Bistro at
Domaine de Chaberton
1064 216 St. (Langley)
604-530-9694
Vineyard Terrace at CedarCreek
5445 Lakeshore Rd. (Kelowna)
250-764-8866
Grapevine Restaurant
at Gray Monk
1055 Camp Rd. (Kelowna)
250-766-3168
It’s hard to imagine a more idyllic
al fresco dining locale than the Terrace
at Mission Hill (Gold)—picture-per-
CinCin
1154 Robson St.
604-688-7338
West
2881 Granville St.
604-738-8938
Ganache Patisserie
1262 Homer St.
604-899-1098
Diva at the Met
645 Howe St.
604-602-7788
“If you want quality desserts and
are willing to forgo glittering lights and
plush seating, there’s really only one
destination, and Thomas Haas is it,”
raved a judge about our Gold winner.
Thierry Busset at CinCin (Silver) impresses with treats like roasted cherries
served with kirsch, raspberry coulis,
and ice cream. West’s (Bronze) chocolate-filled Charlottes are irresistible
and Ganache Patisserie’s (Honourable
Mention) seasonal pastries are inspired.
Diva at the Met (Honourable Mention)
fostered talent like Thomas Haas and
itself delivers a stellar last course.
m a y 2 0 0 9 va n m a g . c o m 1 1 3
restaurant awards
the Best neXt
new&notable
Recently opened rooms
we’re likely to see at next year’s
Restaurant Awards
DBBistroModerne
Under the guidance of Daniel Boulud,
Dale MacKay (left) commands the kitchen
at the elegantly renewed Lumière while
Stephane Istel (right) helms the hipper, more
energetic DB Bistro Moderne
1 1 4 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
“Milan diSCo,” offered one guest in reaction to the beige, the dark wood, the mirrored
surfaces and the brightly tiled walls. “Gstaad
fondue hut,” suggested another. The room’s energetic design reflects daniel Boulud’s dynamic,
bi-coastal, bi-continental cuisine. The local outpost shares many of the classic French dishes
of its older new York sibling but shows more
restraint. The tarte flambée, an upscale flatbread
layered with fromage blanc, bacon, and onions,
Evaan Kheraj
2563W.Broadway
604-739-7115
restaurant awards
►► n e w a n d n o ta b l e ( c o n t ’ d )
is common to both rooms, although
not available in the $75 truffle-layered
version offered back East. The infamous db burger remains a worthy fetish
object with its braised short rib and
black-truffle stuffing for $28. Vancouverites have wisely embraced the phenomenal orecchiette pasta as their own.
The Frenchest items on the menu are
the desserts—apple tart, chiboust, clafoutis—although the chocolate sundae
with hazelnut rice krispies and coffee
ice cream will appeal to even the most
ardent Francophile. Chef de cuisine
Stephane Istel learned his stuff at the
elbow of the master, Monsieur Boulud,
and it shows.—Chris Johns
Lumière
2551 W. Broadway
604-739-8185
Think of the tiny streetside alcove
as the entrance to the rabbit hole. Part
1 1 6 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
the heavy curtains, walk into the dining
room, and it’s like stepping, if not into
Wonderland, into something plush and
timeless and slightly surreal. Is this really
Vancouver? With only 40 seats and a cosy
little bar, the room exudes a feeling of deep
intimacy, accentuated by the thick carpet
and heavily padded seating. Executive chef
Dale MacKay has clearly benefited from
his extended collaboration (in New York,
Beijing, and here in town) with Daniel
Boulud; his food seems at once more complex and simpler than before. A parade of
tiny dishes (none smaller than the Lilliputian array of amuse bouche—think elegant
vodka-cured hamachi with caviar and the
tiniest beets) begins, each plate artfully arranged. The delights keep piling up, from
a slow-baked arctic char to a psychotropic
duo of beef (red-wine-braised short rib
and seared rib eye) and on to a dessert of
caramelized pineapple with coconut rice
and piña colada sorbet. After the major
renovation undertaken last year, Lumière
emerges an even more polished jewel in
our culinary crown.—Chris Johns
Market
1128 W. Georgia St.
604-695 1115
Beyond the buzzy little bar, the
main dining room features an abundant use of precious metals—including
scalloped banquettes backed with gold
chainmail—and gets a lot of things
right. Little touches (the butter and the
wine were served at exactly the right
temperatures) quickly add up. JeanGeorges Vongerichten has called this
restaurant “a collection of my greatest
hits,” and executive chef David Foot
interprets them through local products.
Dungeness crab dumplings arrive on
a silver platter held aloft by one of the
attractive staff and are accompanied
by a meyer lemon and celeriac tea. A
long, deep braise imbues short ribs
with dark soy flavours, and rosemary
crumbs (crumbs are the new foam) add
textural intrigue. Desserts are uniformly
old school (pavlova, anyone?) and
include a smash hit: apple confit with
restaurant awards
►► n e w a n d n o ta b l e ( c o n t ’ d )
green-apple sorbet, which may well
be the ultimate expression of the fruit.
For those not already familiar with the
Alsatian-born, New York-based Vongerichten, this greatest-hits compilation
is sure to garner new fans—especially
while introductory bargain pricing is in
effect.—Chris Johns
Regional Tasting Lounge
1130 Mainland St.
604-638-1550
The room ITSELF—beyond the sliding, tinted-glass front door—is muted,
modern, and grown-up. The greeting
is warm and pleasingly understated.
The bar, at the far end, is just right for
perching, sharing cocktails, or dining
solo. The food concept—a revolving
array of regionally based small plates—is
where things could get tricky. There’s a
West Coast side to the menu, and a side
that changes every three months. If you
enjoyed, say, the salt-cod fritters and pork
1 1 8 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
alentejana (Portugal and France were
recently featured), what’s to say you won’t
hanker for them as you peruse, say, the
Spanish and Middle Eastern offerings that
might show up next time? The service
is reliable, the wine list imaginative,
the prices reasonable. The question is
whether executive chef Erik Smith, a jack
of all culinary trades, can master them
all. And whether a fresh dining concept
can separate this elegantly imagined
restaurant from its Yaletown competition.—Jesse Spencer
Campagnolo
1020 Main St.
604-484-6018
Had the guys from Fuel gone off
their rockers? Opening a new room,
just as the recession bit hard, in one of
the sketchiest parts of town? Sure, Rob
Belcham is a superbly talented chef, Tom
Doughty a resourceful sommelier, and
Tim Pittman a gracious host. But how
would they transform the rather dowdy
Main Street space (formerly Adega, an
old-school Portuguese restaurant) into
a modern Italian spot that would attract
trade from more congenial neighbourhoods? The answer is delivered course by
course in a cool, almost stark room, all
concrete and raw fir, that warms as it fills
with diners. Try the house-made salumi
for starters, along with crispy ceci (chickpeas) peperoncini. The tagliarini are firstrate, or go for the flatiron steak with salsa
verde for a whack of protein. Afterwards,
a grappa or digestivo to complement the
olive oil cake or panna cotta will leave
you happily replete. Campagnolo (“country bumpkin”) is a happy convergence of
minimalist décor, satisfying fare, careful
wine list, and appealing price points. The
bar in back is a funky, laid-back place to
chat. Crazy, all right, but not like a bumpkin. Like a prescient fox.—Jesse Spencer
For 1000+ restaurant reviews visit
Vanmag.com
restaurant awards
works in the
restaurant industry and frequently
contributes to this magazine.
B i l l J o n e s is a chef, author of
nine cookbooks, and food consultant
based in the Cowichan Valley.
D J K e a r n e y is a sommelier
instructor for the International Sommelier Guild and a chef and wine
writer for Wine Access magazine.
J o i e A lva r o K e n t is a freelance
food writer whose work appears in
Vancouver magazine, Eat magazine,
and Best Places Vancouver.
Q u b i c L a m is a freelance writer
and a wine columnist for Sing Tao
Daily and Evergreen News.
D e a n a L a n c a s t e r is the food
and wine editor for the North Shore
News and Look magazine, and a contributor to Sunset magazine.
L e e M a n is a freelance food writer;
his work has appeared in Vancouver
magazine, Eat magazine, the Vancouver edition of Time Out, and Best
Places Vancouver. He also judges the
Chinese Restaurant Awards.
Chris Gonzalez
judges
is a regular
contributor to Western Living magazine and also works as a research chef
and food stylist.
C h r i s t i n a B u rr i d g e is the
drink editor for Vancouver magazine
and executive director of the B.C.
Seafood Alliance.
S i d Cr o s s is a wine columnist
for Western Living, a judge for this
magazine’s wine awards, and cofounder of the Chefs’ Table Society
of BC. He was recently voted into
the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame as
a Friend of the Industry.
M u rr ay B a n c r o f t
1 2 0 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
is a freelance food writer with expertise in
Chinese cuisine.
J a m i e M a w was for 15 years the
food editor of this magazine. He was
recently inducted into the British
Columbia Restaurant Hall of Fame.
B a r b a r a - j o M c I n t o s h is an
author, a former restaurateur, and
the owner of her own bookstore,
Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks.
J a s o n M c R o b b i e promotes
regional roots and global flavours as
a freelance writer and videographer.
A n d r e w M o rr i s o n is the editor
of the food-forward Scout website,
food columnist for the Westender
newspaper, and frequent contributor
to Vancouver magazine.
T i m Paw s e y writes on food and
wine for the Vancouver Courier, North
Shore News, and Where Vancouver, and
co-edits Zagat’s Best of Vancouver
D av i d S c h o l e f i e l d is the chief
judge for Vancouver magazine’s International Wine Competition.
M i a S ta i n s b y is the indefatigable
Br e n d o n M at h e w s
restaurant critic and food writer for
the Vancouver Sun.
S t e p h e n W o n g is a freelance
food and wine journalist and cookbook author.
M e t h o d o l o g y Judges were di-
vided into specialized teams. Anyone with a
perceived conflict of interest in a particular
category was excluded from judging in that
category. We thank them all for their time
and extraordinary dedication.
PA R TIAL P r o c e e d s from the
20th annual Restaurant Awards, held on
April 14 at the Sheraton Wall Centre, were
donated to the Food Runners program (run
by the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society), which receives quality food donated
from restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, and
schools, and delivers it to meal-providing
agencies. Food Runner saves 725,000
pounds of food yearly, creating 1.25 million
meals for people in need.
A c c o u n t i n g services for tabulating
the results provided by Jill MacKenzie, CGA
restaurant awards
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival
WINE LIST AWARDS
Gold
M ET R O VANCOUVE R
P l at i n u m
Br o n z e
Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar
West
The Beach House
(West Van)
Bistrot Bistro
Bravo Restaurant + Lounge
(Chilliwack)
Brix
Diva at the Met
Earls
The Flying Tiger
Joe Fortes
Goldfish Pacific Kitchen
Gramercy Grill
Gudrun
Lift
Nu
Onyx (White Rock)
Pair Bistro
The Salmon House
(West Van)
La Terrazza
Zest Japanese Cuisine
Gold
C Restaurant
Chambar
CinCin
Cioppino’s
Fuel
Salt Tasting Room
Vij’s
S i lv e r
Cactus Club Café
The Fish House in Stanley Park
The Observatory
Pearl on the Rock (White Rock)
Provence Marinaside
La Quercia
Rangoli
Seymour Golf+Country Club
(North Van)
Yew
1 2 2 va n m a g . c o m m a y 2 0 0 9
Honourable
Mention
Hart House
Haus Europa (Gibsons)
Restaurant 62 (Abbotsford)
Tomato Fresh Food Café
The William Tell
WHISTLE R
Br o n z e
The Landing West Coast Grill
(Nanoose Bay)
Nautical Nellies (Victoria)
Panache at Bear Mountain (Victoria)
The Pacific (Victoria)
Honourable
Mention
Stage Wine Bar (Victoria)
Catch (Calgary)
The Living Room (Calgary)
S i lv e r
River Café (Calgary)
Br o n z e
Chef’s Table (Calgary)
Raw Bar (Calgary)
Honourable
Mention
La Ronde (Edmonton)
Gold
Araxi
INTE R IO R
S i lv e r
Br o n z e
Rimrock Café
The Wine Room
(Fairmont Chateau Whistler)
All Seasons Café (Nelson)
Sal’s Prime Steakhouse (Kelowna)
VANCOUVE R ISLAND
The Rotten Grape (Kelowna)
Honourable
Mention
P l at i n u m
Sooke Harbour House
ALBE R TA
S i lv e r
P l at i n u m
Atrevida (Galiano)
Il Terrazzo (Victoria)
Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro
(Calgary)
S o mm e l i e r
of the Year
Andrea Vescovi,
Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar
Sp i r i t e d I n d u s t r y
Professional
John Schreiner
Congratulations to our
2009 Trade Competition Winners