Bud Kanke
By Tim Pawsey
The restaurant biz can be precarious at the best of times. But few have enjoyed as much success as Vancouver’s Bud Kanke, who this year retired after conceiving, co-designing and nurturing no less than 11 restaurants over 41 years. A chartered accountant by trade originally, the ever-sanguine Kanke considers that, along the way, eight were successful.
By Tim Pawsey
Blessed with a happy marriage of abundant year-round fresh ingredients, a diaspora of ethnic influences and limitless culinary talent, Vancouver is hailed as a foodie’s paradise by critics and casual diners alike. A broad offering, from corner cafes to craft brew–fuelled pubs to edgy, contemporary regional rooms, means this city is never short of choice. The only challenge might be deciding where to go and what to order. Where’s well-travelled readers weigh in with their taste-filled finds in the 16th annual Where to Dine awards. (more…)
Smoked salmon pizza (front), chicken saltimbocca with roasted beet salad (left) and asparagus risotto (top right), at Zefferelli's Spaghetti Joint. Photo by KK Law
Robson Street offers no shortage of high haunts. For solid pasta, pizza and other country-style Italian fare, head to Zefferelli’s Spaghetti Joint (pictured). Earls serves casual fare and offers a lively bar scene, while polished CinCin yields a busy open kitchen and wood-fired specialties in a warm Tuscan setting. —Tim Pawsey
Bitter Tasting Room. Photo by KK Law
It’s all about the beer at Bitter Tasting Room. This beautifully restored 1909 Gastown ale emporium offers only the best craft brews on tap and by the bottle, from BC and beyond. Purists hoist freshly poured pints of Driftwood Fat Tug IPA, R&B Milk Stout and Unibroue’s heavy Maudite, while a suitably matched gastropub menu tempts with cassoulet, Scotch eggs and artisan links by master sausage maker Drews Driessen. BC wines are also offered for the less hop-headed.—Tim Pawsey
Chinois Restaurant photo by KK Law
Yaletown’s newly minted Chinois, a cozy brick room that brims with funky, vibrant art, blends classic Chinese fare with smartly sourced local ingredients. Faves from the glass-walled kitchen range from barbecued pork, roast duck and kung-pao chicken to steamed sablefish and jumbo prawns with candied walnuts.—Tim Pawsey
Corned Yarrow Meadows duck with pickled North Arm Farm vegetables, foie gras walnut and quince, at Diva at the Met. Photo by KK Law
Executive chef Hamid Salimian of Diva at the Met crafts modern plates to please both palate and palette. Favourites include Northern Divine caviar on fluffy brioche; bone marrow and veal tongue with pickled local vegetables; and wafer-thin Sunshine Coast sturgeon over salmon roe and side-striped prawn, teased with slices of dill ash–cured scallop. Dishes are paired with well-chosen wines.—Tim Pawsey
Truffles Fine Foods Cafe. Photo by KK Law
Even though it’s not quite patio season, these blooming spots still prime the taste buds.
1 Shaughnessy Restaurant Enjoy bucolic views and West Coast fare in the heart of VanDusen Botanical Garden. Pop by Truffles (pictured) in the dramatic new visitor centre for more casual bites.
2 Seasons in the Park In the tranquil surroundings of Queen Elizabeth Park, savour West Coast cuisine along with downtown and mountain views.
3 The Fish House in Stanley Park Sustainable seafood is on the menu at this quaint house in the heart of the park.
4 Horizons Restaurant Head up Burnaby Mountain for regional cuisine in a stunning, vista-kissed setting bordered by rose gardens.
5 Hart House Restaurant This Tudor-style mansion, nestled among flowering shrubs and manicured lawns in Burnaby’s Deer Lake Park, caters to classic tastes.—Tim Pawsey
Sous-vide duck breast with balsamic reduction and mandarin-and-toasted-almond green salad, at Trafalgars. Photo by KK Law
Socially conscious diners find no shortage of eco-friendly options.
1 Laidback Trafalgars (pictured), a tasteful West Side bistro, along with its bakery sibling, Sweet Obsession, has almost completely eliminated garbage with a revolutionary in-house composter that makes garden-ready compost in just 24 hours.
2 More than just a pretty place, the upbeat Cactus Club Cafe chain employs sustainable policies across the board, from sourcing local ingredients to waste-water reduction.
3 The Observatory and more casual Altitudes Bistro, atop Grouse Mountain, use power from the resort’s own wind turbine and observation tower, the Eye of the Wind.
4 O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar adheres to Green Table, Ocean Wise and Get Local programs that put ethically raised local ingredients and carbon-neutral practices first.
5 The grandfather of regional seasonal cuisine for 27 years, Bishop’s continues to offer almost all organic, understated plates, delivered in an intimate, art-filled setting.—Tim Pawsey
Wild Rice in New Westminster. Photo by KK Law
Hop on the SkyTrain to explore Westminster Quay on the Fraser River, and check out modern Chinese specialist Wild Rice, which recently opened this second location, overlooking the water. On the menu: creative plates such as seared Ocean Wise albacore tuna with ginger shallot daikon and black vinegar reduction, or, more traditional, Chinese barbecued Sloping Hill pork on rice. For more cutting-edge Asian tastes and seductive cross-cultural cocktails, drop by Xi Shi Lounge in downtown’s Shangri-La Hotel.—Tim Pawsey
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