Eat Vancouver

Top Gun J & C Restaurant

Jason — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:46:53 +0000

Target 9: Top Gun J & C Restaurant Address: 8766 McKim Way, Unit 2020 Excel Center, Richmond Phone: (604) 231-8006 Homepage Dim Sum Menu: Page 1; Page 2; Page 3 Dim Sum prices: $3.95-$7.50 for the usual items, order from menu – no cart service Opening Hours: Lunch/dim sum: 9am - 3pm Dinner: 5pm - 10pm Visit date: June 28th, 2008 Visit time: 11:15 AM

A Real Burger

Jason — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:31:29 +0000

I am sorry in advance for being a burger-tease, but I just have to share the news of the new burger place being opened in Arlington VA, by my friend Michael Landrum. Already the owner of a nationally acclaimed steakhouse, this is what he is bringing to the burger world: "As those of you who were too foolish to heed my warning on Monday already know, Ray's Hell-Burger (street name), aka Butcher Burgers (government name), is due to open today, Tuesday, July 1st. We will be serving one thing only--10 ounces of our secret blend of premium and prime aged beef, char-grilled over an open flame. This is the same single-breed, farm-raised beef that we use at Ray's The Steaks and Ray's The Classics, aged in house ridiculously long, hand trimmed to the same exacting standards as all of our steaks, and ground fresh daily, several times throughout the day. Free toppings include: sauteed mushrooms finished with sherry and brandy, grilled red onions, sauteed peppers, charred jalapenos, vine-ripened beefsteak tomatoes, roasted garlic, and dill or bread and butter pickle chips. Applewood-smoked bacon (the same that we use for the grilled bacon app at Ray's The Classics) and guacamole are available for an additional charge. In addition to the regular quality cheeses on offer ('Merkin, aged Vermont white cheddar, imported Swiss, imported Gruyere, aged Danish Bleu/Italian Gorgonzola, smoked mozzarella, Monster, Brie, pepperjack) we wil also be offering a changing selection of specialty and artisinal cheeses--currently, Epoisse, Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue, Queen Anne Stilton, Pa Noble Cave Aged Amish Cheddar, Chimay a la biere, Taleggio, and Bel Paese. Throughout the summer, Hell-Burgers will be served with fresh, buttered corn on the cob and a slice of cold, juicy watermelon AT NO CHARGE!!! Dominion root beer ON TAP and other great sodas and 8-10 flavors of MOOrenko's ice cream for cones and floats (no shakes, maybe later--I don't want to be the one to push shakes into the trite category, too many others stand eager to do so soon enough). Ray's Hell-Burger (imagine the "Hell" part in flamey letters) is located at 1713 Wilson Boulevard in the same strip mall as Ray's The Steaks. We plan to open Saturday and Sunday from noon on and weekdays from 5 pm, for the time being, with expansion into weekday lunch hours possible, maybe. The best part about all this, for me at least, is that since Ray's Hell-Burger is located several doors down from Ray's The Steaks, now whenever someone becomes tantrumishly nasty at the door due to the wait at The Steaks, I can kindly suggest an appropriate alternative destination to them." The price for all of this goodness, including corn on the cob, watermelon and gourmet cheese? $6.95. Are you kidding me? Can you imagine if this kind of joint opened up in Vancouver? It really makes you think about the downright thievery going on at Vera's Burger Shack, and the garbage they call "Vancouver's Best Burger."

Alibi Room

Jason — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:45:36 +0000

Alibi Room (604) 623-3383 Address: 157 Alexander Street, Gastown Homepage Food menu Of all the watering holes in all the cities… a restaurant review By Jason Chin Eat Vancouver writer Saturday, June 28th 2008 ** (of four stars) Alibi Room feels like it was cooked up behind a bar by a couple of industry vets, “You know what I’d do if I started my own place?” The reply, sarcastic in a I’ll-keep-this-going-if-at-least-to-kill-time-kind-of-way: “Yeah, what?” “Well there’d be a huge draft beer list. Stuff you can’t get anywhere else.” “Obviously, what else?” “A kick-ass burger.” “And laid back service, you know, so it’d feel like you were just hanging out at someone’s house?” “Exactly.” You know the conversation I’m talking about.

Double-Down: Au Petit Café & Long’s Noodle House

Jason — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:15:11 +0000

The World’s First Double-Down Target 2.4: Au Petit Café Address: 4851 Main Street Phone: (604) 873-3328 Menu: Page 1; Page 2; Condiments Photo Hours Photo Visit date: May 9th, 2008 Visit time: 12:00 Noon --ratings--

Knightafter did it again…

Jason — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:07:48 +0000

The last time I posted Knightafter's phodown my brother called me to ask how it felt to see someone do a better phodown. I tried to explain to him that you really can't say one is better than the other; they're just different. That makes sense. Right? Well, I may have to change my tune. A couple of weeks ago Knightafter sent me his new expanded phodown, with a whopping 43 restaurants on it. 43. Let that sink in for a second. That's a lot of pho in a short amount of time. Besides the sheer awe and respect I feel for this man, I also want to talk to his cardiologist. Seriously though, I feel like Daniel-san in Karate Kid III, going around thinking I'm the king of phodowns when secretly Kreese's buddy has been training this super-athlete. It's ridiculous. Anyhow, click the image above or here for Knightafter's updated phodown. And keep in mind that Pho 66 is now closed. Enjoy!

Raincity Grill’s takeout window opens

Jason — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:10:01 +0000

Takeout Raincity Grill for lunch by the beach? Sounds like a plan to me. Press release follows.

Picnic Season At Raincity Grill Vancouver, BC… Alongside the emergence of sunglasses and flip-flops, the opening of the takeout window at Raincity Grill is marking the start of Vancouver’s beach season. Opening on June 6th for the summer, be sure to pick up a Raincity Grill to-go lunch on your way to English Bay, Second Beach, Stanley Park or wherever your local summer excursions take you. This year, the takeout window at Raincity Grill will serve up fish and chips for your summertime snacking. $10 gets you beer-battered halibut and chips, accompanied by tartar and slaw all served in eco-friendly containers. With packaging that is 100% biodegradable and compostable, recyclable in the conventional paper stream and produces no toxic release when incinerated – Raincity Grill provides take-out without the guilty conscience. Since 1992, Raincity Grill has defined Pacific Northwest cuisine, showcasing the unique ingredients of our local waters and small-lot farms – year round. Home of Canada’s premiere restaurant 100 Mile Menu and an award-winning Pacific Northwest wine list, Raincity Grill is dedicated to the bounty of our backyard. Overlooking English Bay in the heart of Vancouver’s West End, take in the ever changing seasons of Vancouver by way of the view and the food at Raincity Grill. Visit the restaurant at 1193 Denman Street in Vancouver, online at www.raincitygrill.com or call 604-685-7337.

London Bridges

Jason — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:42:55 +0000

Urban Diner recently linked to this article by Globe and Mail writer Alexandra Gill, in which she has a go at West and their relatively new chef Warren Geraghty. Any testaments to the veracity of this article are best left to those perceptive diners who have been to West in the past year (i.e., not me), but I would like to draw attention the most important line of the review:

Seriously, if I have to taste one more bite of truffle-specked black cod marinated in miso consommé, I might be forced to rip out my tongue.

I just want to say for the record that I totally understand what Ms. Gill is going through. In fact, now that you mention it, I've noticed that my diamond shoes have been a bit tight lately. And I actually saw a man panhandling a few blocks from my apartment the other day! Can't we do something about this? At least I think he was panhandling, but even if not, walking around with a lidless Starbucks cup is dangerous enough as it is. To be honest, I don't know how me and Ms. Gill put up with this shit.

Rachael Ray on the art of sex

Jason — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:12:22 +0000

This little clip reminds us of the importance of context. As someone who has been annoyed by Ray for half a decade now, it's also completely hilarious to my sophomoric sensibilities.

Spot Prawn Brunch @ Figmint, June 8th & 9th

Jason — Sat, 31 May 2008 09:56:21 +0000

From the Eat Vancouver mailbag, news of a potentially interesting brunch special. Read more to read more.

The Xiang Cuisine

Jason — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:22:43 +0000

The Xiang Cuisine (Xiang yuan Hunan shifu) (604) 437-0828 Address: 4850 Imperial Street, Burnaby Menu: Page 1; Page 2; Page 3; Page 4; Page 5 Tastes of Hunan Heat A Quick Bite By Desmond Cheung Eat Vancouver writer I hadn’t been fired up by any Hunan heat in Vancouver since the closing of Hu Nan Chinese Restaurant (see Eat Vancouver review ‘South of the Lake, North of the River’) over a year ago. So when our ever-attentive editor told me that some fellow foodies had recommended the Xiang near Metrotown, we didn’t hesitate to gather a group of friends to try it out. I’d never been to Burnaby either, so this seemed as good a reason as any to head that way.