Cafe Crema

Happy Thursday great foodie friends, one wet afternoon I happens upon Cafe Crema in West Vancouver near Ambleside. 

Crema (@cremawestvan)

1495 Bellevue Avenue

West Vancouver, BC

V7T 1C3 | Map

The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable and the aromas of fresh baked goods, sandwiches grilling and coffee being crafted by the baristas you settle in to enjoy a nice break from the weather or a rest stop / sip after walking the path along the beach. (They are just near Ambleside beach) 

My sandwich was fresh and filled just right with the tastes of Montreal smoked meat and soft melted cheese! 

We also thought long and hard about needs and wants and decided the wants  outweighed the needs and opted to try the delectable looking Almond Croissants.

The croissant was slightly warm and was the perfect sweet bite to follow the sandwich.

No coffee for us today but it smelled fantastic and we are sure to go back and try a sip or two! 

Treat yourself to a nice break at Cafe Crema, you will be pleasantly surprised.

“YOU GOTTA TRY THIS!”

Sidecut Modern Steak & Bar- Whistler BC

Hi great foodie friends. It’s been sometime since my last blog as life can hop in the way sometimes.

Where did I eat?

Sidecut Modern Steak & Bar

Atmosphere: Westcoast warmth and a balance of contemporary and traditional west coast. 

We happened to go to Sidecut located in Whistler at the Four seasons in September. Knowing we were in for a big meal we kept the appies to a minimum and they ended up not really being the star attraction. 

What I can say is that they are known for their steaks and coupled with a la cart sides that’s is where the star factor showed up! 

I had the WAGYU GOLD LABEL FLAT IRON 8OZ. $44 and it was cooked to perfection! True to its form the Wagyu was ripple marbled which kept it moist and very flavorful. 

Sidecut offers you 1 of 5 choices of seasoning, I chose the Black Angus.

  

I added the CORN AND JALAPEÑO GRATIN $9. This side dish was out of this world good. 

We enjoyed our steaks with a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and the warm fresh bread with Maple butter. 

To finish we shared a few sweet treats. 

I was very happy to see the… 

EVERYONE LOVES LEMON TART 12
meyer lemon, torched meringue
$12 – 

I was impressed with the presentation but honestly that is where the smile ended. If you are going to have a name like Everyone Loves the Lemon Tart  – I think you have set the bar of expectations high. I honestly found it to fall flat, it wasn’t what I expected and wasn’t something that you wanted to keep diving into! Normally I love anything lemon or lime and protect my lemon dessert with my life! 

All in all a nice time with family, a great steak and sides but a sweet ending that wasn’t satisfying. 

All of my opinions are my own and reflect my personal opinions and tastes. 

Would I go back? Yes, the steaks and accompaniments were that good. The prices are a little steep but the quality of ingredients shine through. 

You Gotta Try This! 

Carrot Cake – so delicious

Happy Saturday great foodie friends, it’s has been a long time since my last posting but sometimes life hops in the way.

I tried making this carrot cake today – it’s a play off the “Southern Living” recipe also kown as the best carrot cake.

It’s all about the love that you put into baking and staying as true to the recipe as possible. 

What you will need: 

   
 Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrot

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

What you will do:

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Buttermilk Glaze

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

What you will do:

Put all the ingredients into a good sauce pan (larger as it expands) heat on medium until a slow boil for approx 4 mins. while stirring often. Take off the heat and add in the vanilla and stir.

   

 
 Cream Cheese Frosting  

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used Vanilla bean paste instead) 

Preparation
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

   
 
And ice carefully 

  

For an added treat chop up some pistachios and lightly press them around the outside for that little extra wow

After you have finished, cover keep in the fridge. I promise it won’t last long! 

“You Gotta Try This!” 

2016 Golden Plates – people’s Choice awards

 

Happy Wednesday great foodie friends. It has been some time since my last post but life just sometimes hops in front of passions. That said my family is my passion and I would t change a thing.

This years 19th Annual  Golden Plates awards are out and what I love about them is though we are all not necessarily food critics, we do know what we like and what we don’t! We all spend to much of our honestly made $ to throw it away so we do pay attention to what we like and what we don’t.

This years awards notably have many of my favorites but there are also so many that no one person could ever try them all in one year (well I suppose it’s possible but not probable)

I hope you enjoy!

TO READ TO DO

Golden Plates 2016 Winners

Neighbourhoods

Cuisines From Around the World

Gastronomy

Entertainment & Drinks

All Winners
GOLDEN PLATES WINNERS

Best restaurant overall

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 W. Georgia

Forage, 1300 Robson

Best fine dining

Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 W. Georgia

Bishop’s, 2183 W. 4th

Le Crocodile, 100-909 Burrard

Best mid-price restaurant

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

The Oakwood Canadian Bistro, 2741 W. 4th

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Best budget restaurant

La Taqueria, Various locations

The Naam Restaurant, 2724 W. 4th

Meet on Main, 4288 Main

Best hotel restaurant

Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 W. Georgia

YEW seafood + bar, 791 W. Georgia

Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, 845 Burrard

Best hotel café

Bel Café, 801 W. Georgia

giovane cafe + wine bar, 1038 Canada Place

Beyond Coffee, 1015 Burrard

Best resort restaurant

The Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn, 500 Osprey Lane, Tofino

The Great Room, Long Beach Lodge Resort, 1441 Pacific Rim Highway, Tofino

The Wildflower Restaurant at Fairmont Chateau Whistler, 4599 Chateau Blvd., Whistler

Best casino for eats

River Rock Casino, 8811 River Rd., Richmond

Edgewater Casino, 760 Pacific Blvd. S

Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, 2080 United Blvd., Coquitlam

Best view restaurant

Seasons in the Park, Queen Elizabeth Park (West 33rd Avenue at Cambie Street)

Cactus Club Café, 1790 Beach

Salmon House on the Hill, 2229 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver

Best restaurant considered a Vancouver legend

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House, 777 Thurlow

Bishop’s, 2183 W. 4th

White Spot, Various locations

Best restaurant interior design

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Earls Restaurant, Various locations

Best restaurant atmosphere

Earls Restaurant, Various locations

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Best restaurant service

Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 W. Georgia

Bishop’s, 2183 W. 4th

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Best use of local ingredients

Edible Canada, 1596 Johnston, Granville Island

Forage, 1300 Robson

Fable, 1944 W. 4th

Most romantic restaurant

Blue Water Cafe, 1095 Hamilton

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Bishop’s, 2183 W. 4th

Adesso Bistro, 1906 Haro

Best kid-friendly restaurant

White Spot, Various locations

Old Spaghetti Factory, Various locations

Tacofino, 2327 E. Hastings

Best place for food on campus

Biercraft Westbrook at UBC, 3340 Shrum Lane, UBC

Mercante Cucina Italiana, 6488 University Boulevard

Doughgirls Comfort Kitchen & Bakeshop, 3322 Shrum Lane

Best catering company

The Lazy Gourmet, 1605 W. 5th

The Butler Did It Catering, 620 Clark Drive

Emelle’s Catering and Westside Kitchen, 177 W. 7th

Best chain restaurant

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Earls Restaurant, Various locations

White Spot, Various locations

Best restaurant for people-watching

Tap & Barrel Restaurant, Various locations

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Chill Winston, 3 Alexander

Best restaurant for a birthday celebration

Earls Restaurant, Various locations

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Nomad, 3950 Main

Best restaurant for lingering over dinner

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Bauhaus Restaurant, 1 W. Cordova

Pourhouse , 162 Water

Best restaurant patio

Dockside, 1253 Johnston, Granville Island

Tap & Barrel Restaurant, Various locations

Bridges Restaurant, 1696 Duranleau, Granville Island

Best restaurant in which to hang out on a rainy day

Burgoo, 3 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver

Earls Restaurant, Various locations

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Best restaurant in which to hang out on a sunny day

Local Public Eatery, 2210 Cornwall

Tap & Barrel Restaurant, Various locations

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Earls Restaurant, Various locations

Best restaurant for a first date with somebody you met online

33 Acres Brewing Company, 15 W. 8th

The Flying Pig, Various locations

Torafuku, 958 Main

Best restaurant for a 3 a.m. meal

The Naam Restaurant, 2724 W. 4th

Denny’s Restaurant, Various locations

Lucy’s Eastside Diner, 2708 Main

Best restaurant to cure a hangover

Denny’s Restaurant, Various locations

Yolk’s Restaurant & Commissary, 1298 East Hastings Street

Joe’s Grill, Various locations

Best all-you-can-eat restaurant

Shabusen Yakiniku House, 202-755 Burrard

New India Buffet & Restaurant, 805 W. Broadway

Tomokazu Japanese Restaurant, 201-1128 W. Broadway

Best hole-in-the-wall

Hawke’rs Delight, 4127 Main St

Bon’s Off Broadway, 2451 Nanaimo

Bao Down, 12 Powell

Best food truck

Tacofino, 2327 E. Hastings

Vij’s Railway Express, Mobile locations

Mom’s Grilled Cheese, Mobile locations

Best food court

Metropolis at Metrotown, 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby

Pacific Centre, 701 W. Georgia

Richmond Centre, 6551 No 3 Rd., Richmond

Best takeout/delivery

Peaceful Restaurant, Various locations

Next Noodle Bar, 560 Robson

Bob Likes Thai Food, Various locations

Hon’s Wun-Tun House, Various locations

Best Burnaby restaurant

Anton’s Pasta Bar, 4260 E. Hastings, Burnaby

The Pear Tree Restaurant, 4120 E. Hastings, Burnaby

Hart House Restaurant, 6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby

Best North Shore restaurant

Arms Reach Bistro, 107C–4390 Gallant Ave., North Van

Olive & Anchor, 6418 Bay St., West Van

Canyon, 3135 Edgemont Blvd., North Van

Best Richmond restaurant

Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant, 102-4930 No. 3 Rd., Richmond

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant, Various locations

Fisherman’s Terrace Seafood Restaurant, 4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond

Best Surrey, Delta, White Rock, and Langley restaurant

Tasty Indian Bistro, 8295 120th St., Delta

My Shanti, 15869 Croydon Dr., Surrey

Central City Brew Pub + Restaurant, 13450 102nd Ave., Surrey

Best New Westminster, Port Moody, Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam restaurant

Pajo’s, Various locations

Cockney Kings Fish & Chips, Various locations

Thai New West, 424 E Columbia St., New Westminster

My Greek Taverna, Various locations

Best Whistler restaurant

RimRock Cafe, 2117 Whistler Rd., Whistler

Red Door Bistro, 2129 Lake Placid Rd., Whistler

Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar, 4222 Village Square, Whistler

Most vegan-friendly

The Naam Restaurant, 2724 W. 4th

The Acorn, 3995 Main

Heirloom Vegetarian, 1509 W. 12th

Meet on Main, 4288 Main

Best gluten-free dining

The Acorn, 3995 Main

The Wallflower, 2420 Main

Panne Rizo Bakery & Cafe, 1939 Cornwall

Meet on Main, 4288 Main

Best organic dining

Bishop’s, 2183 W. 4th

The Acorn, 3995 Main

Heirloom Vegetarian, 1509 W. 12th

Best African

Simba’s Grill, 825 Denman

Harambe Ethiopian Restaurant, 2149 Commercial

Fassil Ethiopian Restaurant, 5-736 E. Broadway

Axum Ethiopian Restaurant , 1279 E. Hastings

Best barbecue

Gyu-Kaku, Various locations

Great Wall Mongolian BBQ, Various locations

Memphis Blues Barbeque House, Various locations

Best Caribbean

Calabash Bistro, 428 Carrall

The Reef, Various locations

Havana, 1212 Commercial

Best chicken

Homer St. Cafe and Bar, 898 Homer

Nando’s, Various locations

Phnom Penh Restaurant, 244 E. Georgia

Best Chinese (Cantonese)

Kirin, Various locations

Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant, 102-4930 No. 3 Rd., Richmond

Hon’s Wun-Tun House, Various locations

Best Chinese (Shanghainese + northern style)

Peaceful Restaurant, Various locations

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant, Various locations

Shanghai River Restaurant, 7831 Westminster Hwy., Richmond

Best Chinese (Taiwanese + other)

Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, 163 Keefer

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant, Various locations

Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle, Various locations

Best Continental

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Tuc Craft Kitchen, 60 W. Cordova

Bauhaus Restaurant, 1 W. Cordova

Best dim sum

Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant, 102-4930 No. 3 Rd., Richmond

Kirin, Various locations

Pink Pearl Chinese Restaurant, 1132 E. Hastings

Best fish and chips

Go Fish, 1505 W. 1st

Cockney Kings Fish & Chips, Various locations

The Fish Shack, 1026 Granville

Best fish/shellfish

Blue Water Cafe, 1095 Hamilton

Coast, 1054 Alberni

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House, 777 Thurlow

Rodney’s Oyster House, Various locations

Best French

Le Crocodile, 100-909 Burrard

Bistro Pastis, 2153 W. 4th

Les Faux Bourgeois, 663 E. 15th

Best fries

Fritz European Fry House, 718 Davie

Belgian Fries, 1885 Commercial

Frites Vancouver, 1011 Granville St

Best Greek

The Greek by Anatoli, 1043 Mainland

Stepho’s Souvlaki Greek Taverna, 1124 Davie

Takis’ Taverna, 1106 Davie

Best hot pot

Fatty Cow Seafood Hot Pot, 5108 Victoria

Won More, 201–1184 Denman

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, 405–5300 No.3 Road, Richmond

Best Italian

Ask for Luigi, 305 Alexander

CinCin, 1154 Robson

Anton’s Pasta Bar, 4260 E. Hastings, Burnaby

Best izakaya

Hapa Izakaya, Various locations

Kingyo Izakaya, 871 Denman

Guu, Various locations

Best Japanese

Miku Restaurant, 70-200 Granville

Minami, 1118 Mainland

Kishimoto Japanese Kitchen + Sushi Bar, 2054 Commercial

Guu, Various locations

Best Korean

Sura Korean Royal Cuisine, Various locations

Damso Modern Korean Cuisine, 867 Denman

MDG Ma Dang Goul, 847 Denman

Best Latin American

La Taqueria, Various locations

Cuchillo, 261 Powell

Chicha, 136 E. Broadway

Best Lebanese

Nuba Restaurant and Café Nuba, Various locations

Babylon Café, Various locations

Saj&co, 813 Davie St.

Best Malaysian

Banana Leaf, Various locations

Kaya Malay Bistro, 1063 W. Broadway

Tropika, Various locations

Best Mediterranean

Medina Cafe, 780 Richards

Nuba Restaurant and Café Nuba, Various locations

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca, 1133 and 1129 Hamilton

Best Mexican

Las Margaritas Restaurante y Cantina, 1999 W. 4th

La Taqueria, Various locations

La Mezcaleria, 1622 Commercial

Best Middle Eastern

East is East, Various locations

Afghan Horsemen Restaurant, 202-1833 Anderson St., Granville Island

Afghan Chopan, Various locations

Tamam: Fine Palestinian Cuisine, 2616 E. Hastings

Best noodles

Peaceful Restaurant, Various locations

Legendary Noodle House, 1074 Denman

Noodlebox, Various locations

Shaolin Noodle House, 656 W. Broadway

Best North Indian

Vij’s, 3106 Cambie

Indian Oven, 2006 W. 4th

Maurya Indian Cuisine, 1643 W. Broadway

Best South Indian

House of Dosas, 1391 Kingsway

Chutney Villa, 147 E. Broadway

Dosa Corner, 8248 Fraser

Best Pacific Northwest

AnnaLena, 1809 W. 1st

Blue Water Cafe, 1095 Hamilton

Bishop’s, 2183 W. 4th

Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 W. Georgia

Best Persian

Afghan Horsemen Restaurant, 202-1833 Anderson St., Granville Island

Zeitoon, Various locations

Cazba Restaurant, Various locations

Best pizza by the slice

Straight Outta Brooklyn Pizzeria, 350 Robson

Nat’s New York Pizzeria, Various locations

Pizza Garden, Various locations

Goldies Pizza, Various locations

Best pizza takeout/delivery

Pizzeria Farina, 915 Main

Pizza Carano, 4241 Fraser

Pizza Garden, Various locations

Uncle Fatih’s Pizza, Various locations

Best pizzeria

Nicli Antica Pizzeria, 62 E. Cordova

Via Tevere, 1190 Victoria

Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante, 970 Smithe

Best poutine

La Belle Patate, 1215 Davie

Fritz European Fry House, 718 Davie

Belgian Fries, 1885 Commercial

The Spud Shack Fry Co., 352-800 Carnarvon St., New Westminister

Best ramen

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, 1690 Robson

JINYA Ramen Bar, 270 Robson

Kintaro Ramen, 788 Denman

Best seafood

Blue Water Cafe, 1095 Hamilton

Coast, 1054 Alberni

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House, 777 Thurlow

YEW seafood + bar, 791 W. Georgia

Best Spanish

España, 1118 Denman

The Sardine Can, 26 Powell

Cabrito Tapas-Bebidas, 2270 Commercial Dr.

Best steak

Keg Steakhouse & Bar, Various locations

Gotham Steakhouse & Bar, 615 Seymour

Hy’s Encore, Various locations

Black + Blue, 1032 Alberni

Best sushi

Tojo’s Restaurant, 1133 W. Broadway

Miku Restaurant, 70-200 Granville

Minami, 1118 Mainland

Kishimoto Japanese Kitchen + Sushi Bar, 2054 Commercial

Best tacos

La Taqueria, Various locations

Tacofino, 2327 E. Hastings

Sal y Limon, 701 Kingsway

Gringo, 27 Blood Alley Square

Best tapas

España, 1118 Denman

Bodega on Main, 1014 Main

The Sardine Can, 26 Powell

Best Thai

SalaThai Thai Restaurant, Various locations

U & I Thai, Various locations

Maenam, 1938 W. 4th

Bob Likes Thai Food, Various locations

Best Vietnamese

Phnom Penh Restaurant, 244 E. Georgia

Green Lemongrass, 8180 Westminster Highway

Baoguette Vietnamese Bistro, 1184 Denman

Best wings

Wings Tap & Grill, Various locations

Library Square Public House, 300 W. Georgia

Baoguette Vietnamese Bistro, 1184 Denman

Best Chef

Mike Robbins (AnnaLena), 1809 W. 1st

David Gunawan (Royal Dinette), 905 Dunsmuir

Mark Perrier (Savio Volpe), 615 Kingsway

Best new restaurant

AnnaLena, 1809 W. 1st

The Mackenzie Room, 415 Powell

Royal Dinette, 905 Dunsmuir

Best neighbourhood for restaurants

Gastown

Kitsilano

Main St.

Best place for casual cooking classes

The Dirty Apron Cooking School & Delicatessen, 540 Beatty

Quince, 1780 W. 3rd

The Gourmet Warehouse, 1340 E. Hastings

Best professional culinary school

Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, 101-1505 W. 2nd

Vancouver Community College, 250 W. Pender

Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver, 2725 Main Street

Best cooking store

Ming Wo, Various locations

The Gourmet Warehouse, 1340 E. Hastings

Cook Culture, Various locations

Best specialty food store

The Gourmet Warehouse, 1340 E. Hastings

The August Market, 3958 Main

Whole Foods Market, Various locations

Bosa Foods, Various locations

Best farmers market

Trout Lake

Nat Bailey

Kits Farmer’s Market

Best specialty grocer

Urban Fare, Various locations

Whole Foods Market, Various locations

Bosa Foods, Various locations

Best store to buy organics products

Whole Foods Market, Various locations

The August Market, 3958 Main

Choices

Best picnic supplier

Granville Island Public Market, 1689 Johnston

Whole Foods Market, Various locations

Meinhardt Fine Foods, 3002 Granville

Best deli

Oyama Sausage Company, 126-1689 Johnston, Granville Island

Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli, 4142 E. Hastings, Burnaby

Santa Barbara Market, 1322 Commercial

Best butcher

Windsor Quality Meats, 4110 Main

Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli, 4142 E. Hastings, Burnaby

Jackson’s Meats and Deli, 2214 W. 4th

Best seafood store

Granville Island Public Market, 1689 Johnston

The Daily Catch Seafood Company, 1418 Commercial

7 Seas Fish Co., Various locations

Best specialty cheese store

Les Amis du Fromage, Various locations

Benton Brothers Fine Cheese, Various locations

Bosa Foods, Various locations

Best grocery store café

Whole Foods Market, Various locations

Urban Fare, Various locations

Meinhardt Fine Foods, 3002 Granville

Best retro café/grocer

Le Marché St. George, 4393 St. George

The Mighty Oak, 198 W. 18th

Harvest Community Foods, 243 Union

Best retro diner

Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe, 2095 W. 4th

Lucy’s Eastside Diner, 2708 Main

The Templeton, 1087 Granville

Best diner

Lucy’s Eastside Diner, 2708 Main

Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe, 2095 W. 4th

The Templeton, 1087 Granville

Best bistro

Tableau Bar Bistro, 1181 Melville

Au Comptoir, 2278 W. 4th

Medina Cafe, 780 Richards

Best comfort food

Burgoo, 3 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver

liquids + solids café & market, Various locations

Romer’s Burger Bar, Various locations

Best pub food

The Irish Heather Gastropub, 210 Carrall

The Charles Bar, 136 W. Cordova

Mahony & Sons Public House, Various locations

St. Augustine’s, 2360 Commercial

Best appetizers

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Romer’s Burger Bar, Various locations

Nomad, 3950 Main

Best salads

Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods, Various locations

The Foundation, 2301 Main

Railtown Cafe, 397 Railway

Best sandwiches

The Dirty Apron Cooking School & Delicatessen, 540 Beatty

Finch’s Tea & Coffee House, 353 W. Pender

liquids + solids café & market, Various locations

Best soups

Burgoo, 3 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver

The Stock Market, 1689 Johnston, Granville Island

liquids + solids café & market, Various locations

Best vegetarian

The Acorn, 3995 Main

The Naam Restaurant, 2724 W. 4th

Meet on Main, 4288 Main

Best veggie burger

Meet on Main, 4288 Main

Romer’s Burger Bar, Various locations

The Naam Restaurant, 2724 W. 4th

Best burger

Romer’s Burger Bar, Various locations

Vera’s Burger Shack, Various locations

Cannibal Cafe, 1818 Commercial

Fatburger, Various locations

White Spot, Various locations

Best brunch

Medina Cafe, 780 Richards

Nomad, 3950 Main

Fable, 1944 W. 4th

Best breakfast

Yolk’s Restaurant & Commissary, 1298 East Hastings Street

White Spot, Various locations

Catch 122, 122 W. Hastings

Best bagel

Solly’s Bagelry, Various locations

Siegel’s Bagels, Various locations

Rosemary Rocksalt, Various locations

Best bread bakery

Terra Breads, Various locations

Purebread, 159 W. Hastings

Batard Boulangerie and Cafe Moderne, 3958 Fraser

Best pastry bakery

Beaucoup Bakery & Café, 2150 Fir

Notte’s Bon Ton Pastry & Confectionary, 3150 W. Broadway

Fratelli Bakery, Various locations

Best gluten-free bakery

The Smallflower Cake & Bakeshop, 47 W. Hastings

Lemonade Gluten Free Bakery, 3385 Cambie

East Village Bakery, 2166 E. Hastings

Float On Bakeshop & Cafe, 4384 Fraser

Best desserts

Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie, Various locations

720Sweets, 3278 W. Broadway

Thierry, 1059 Alberni

Best ice cream

Earnest Ice Cream, 3992 Fraser

Rain or Shine Homemade Ice Cream, Various locations

720Sweets, 3278 W. Broadway

Best gelato

Bella Gelateria, Various locations

Mario’s Gelati, 88 East 1st Avenue

La Casa Gelato, 1033 Venables St

Best frozen yogurt

Qoola Frozen Yogurt Bar, Various locations

Menchie’s

Pinkberry

Yogen Fruz

Best chocolate shop

Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie, Various locations

Purdy’s Chocolates, Various locations

Beta 5, 413 Industrial

Mink, a Chocolate Café, Various locations

Best doughnut shop

Cartems Donuterie, 534 W. Pender

Lucky’s Doughnuts, Various locations

Lee’s Donuts, 122-1689 Johnston, Granville Island

Best restaurant for a working lunch

Tap & Barrel Restaurant, Various locations

Cactus Club Cafe, Various locations

Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar, Various locations

Best eatery with live entertainment

Ten Ten Tapas, 1010 Beach

Libra Room, 1608 Commercial

Guilt & Co., 1 Alexander

East is East, Various locations

Best pre-theatre restaurant

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Siena, 1485 W. 12th

Cibo Trattoria, 900 Seymour

Best pregame restaurant

Library Square Public House, 300 W. Georgia

Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery, 560 Smithe

The Pint Public House, 455 Abbott

Best restaurant for watching the game

Boston Pizza, Various locations

Shark Club, Various locations

Local Public Eatery, 2210 Cornwall

Best hotel lounge

Lobby Lounge Terrace + RawBar at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, 1038 Canada Place

1927 Lobby Lounge at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, 801 W. Georgia

Opus Bar, 322 Davie St.

Best bar lounge

The Keefer Bar, 135 Keefer

Pourhouse , 162 Water

UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar, 900 Seymour

Best bartender

Matt van Dinther (Nomad), 3950 Main

H (Notturno)

Julia Diakow (Tacofino), 2327 E. Hastings

Best restaurant B.C. beer selection

Alibi Room, 157 Alexander

Craft Beer Market, 85 W. 1st

BierCraft Restaurants, Various locations

Best restaurant imported beer selection

BierCraft Restaurants, Various locations

Craft Beer Market, 85 W. 1st

Alibi Room, 157 Alexander

Best restaurant wine list (B.C.)

Edible Canada, 1596 Johnston, Granville Island

Vancouver Urban Winery, 55 Dunlevy

Notch8 Restaurant & Bar, 900 W. Georgia

Best restaurant wine list (imported)

Blue Water Cafe, 1095 Hamilton

Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty

Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 W. Georgia

Best wine bar

UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar, 900 Seymour

Salt Tasting Room, 45 Blood Alley

Grapes & Soda, 1541 W. 6th

Best winery/vineyard restaurant

Miradoro Restaurant, Tinhorn Creek Winery, 537 Tinhorn Creek Road, Oliver

Quails’ Gate, 3303 Boucherie Road, Kelowna

The Sonora Room, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, 500 Burrowing Owl Pl.

Best restaurant for cocktails

The Keefer Bar, 135 Keefer

Pourhouse , 162 Water

Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, 845 Burrard

Best restaurant for drink specials

Colony Main Street, 2904 Main

Cascade Room, 2616 Main

Granville Room, 957 Granville

Best restaurant for a stiff drink

The Blackbird Public House & Oyster Bar, 905 Dunsmuir

Pourhouse , 162 Water

Shebeen Whisk(e)y House, Behind 212 Carrall

Best pub

Doolin’s Irish Pub, 654 Nelson Street

Bimini Public House, 2010 W. 4th

Storm Crow Tavern, 1305 Commercial Dr

Best brewpub restaurant

Steamworks, 375 Water

Yaletown Brewing Co., 1111 Mainland Street

Steel Toad Brewpub & Dining Hall, 97 E. 2nd

Best local distillery

Odd Society Spirits, 1725 Powell Street

The Liberty Distillery, 1494 Old Bridge Rd., Granville Island

Long Table Distillery, 1451 Hornby St.

Best imported beer

Deschutes

Guinness

Sierra Nevada

Best local brewery

Granville Island Brewing, 1441 Cartwright St., Granville Island

Postmark Brewing, 55 Dunlevy Avenue

Central City Brewers + Distillers, 11411 Bridgeview Drive, Surrey

Best new brewery

Big Rock Urban Brewery, 310 W. 4th

Doan’s Craft Brewing

Callister Brewing Co

Best brewery tasting room

Brassneck Brewery, 2148 Main Street

Granville Island Brewing, 1441 Cartwright St., Granville Island

33 Acres Brewing Company, 15 W. 8th

Best locally brewed beer

Granville Island Brewing – Lions Winter Ale, 1441 Cartwright St., Granville Island

Parallel 49 – Gypsy Tears, 1950 Triumph Street

Postmark Brewing – Blonde, 55 Dunlevy Avenue

Best B.C. beer brewed outside Vancouver

Driftwood Fat Tug IPA, 102-450 Hillside Ave., Victoria

Phillips Brewing Blue Buck, 2010 Government St., Victoria

Four Winds IPA

Best Canadian beer brewed outside B.C.

Steam Whistle Brewing

Mill Street Brewery, 55 Mill St., Toronto

Alexander Keith’s

Best B.C. wine/winery (red)

Burrowing Owl, 500 Burrowing Owl Pl., Oliver

Blasted Church, 378 Parsons Road, Okanagan Falls

Le Vieux Pin, 5496 Black Sage Rd., Oliver

Best B.C. wine/winery (white)

JoieFarm Winery, 2825 Naramata Road, Naramata

Blasted Church, 378 Parsons Road, Okanagan Falls

Burrowing Owl, 500 Burrowing Owl Pl., Oliver

Le Vieux Pin, 5496 Black Sage Rd., Oliver

Best private wine store

Legacy Liquor Store, 1633 Manitoba

Firefly Fine Wines and Ales, 2857 Cambie Street

Everything Wine

Best private liquor store

Legacy Liquor Store, 1633 Manitoba

The Brewery Creek Liquor Store, 3045 Main Street

Darby’s, 2001 Macdonald

Best private beer store

The Brewery Creek Liquor Store, 3045 Main Street

Legacy Liquor Store, 1633 Manitoba

My Liquor Store, Various locations

Best independent coffee shop

Revolver Coffee, 325 Cambie

Beaucoup Bakery & Café, 2150 Fir

Bump n Grind Cafe, 916 Commercial

Best coffee shop (local chain)

JJ Bean Coffee Roasters, Various locations

49th Parallel, Various locations

Caffè Artigiano, Various locations

Best coffee shop (national chain)

Tim Hortons, Various locations

Starbucks, Various locations

Waves Coffee House

Best fair trade coffee shop

Ethical Bean Coffee, 1315 Kootenay

Trees Organic Coffee & Roasting House, Various locations

Revolver Coffee, 325 Cambie

Best tea house

The Secret Garden Tea Company, 5559 West Boulevard

DAVIDsTEA, Various locations

O5 Rare Tea Bar, 2208 W. 4th

Best juice bar

The Juice Truck, 28 W. 5th

Jugo Juice

The Juicery Co., Various locations

Best energy drink

Red Bull

The Juice Truck, 28 W. 5th

Rockstar

Best beer festival/event

Vancouver Craft Beer Week

Hopscotch

Brewery and Beast

Best wine festival/event

Vancouver International Wine Festival

Cornucopia

Naramata Bench Wineries Spring and Fall Events

Okanagan Wine Festivals

Dine Out Vancouver

Food Truck Festival

Eat! Vancouver

Congratulations to all of my restaurant friends and for the ones that I haven’t tried yet I will do my best to add at least a few per month.

Please revel in the culinary wonderment that BC has to offer and take a look at how our food scene has changed for the better. Whether you are looking for great chain restaurants or Farm to Table or even gluten free, BC has a plethora of choices abound.

You Gotta try this!

 

 

 

Sauder research-Foodies more satisfied with their lives

Research | Foodies more satisfied with their lives

December 9, 2015Tagged: All News, Faculty, Press Release, Research

Thank you Sauder and Yann Cornil and Pierre Chandon for the enlightening view on eating for the right reasons.

  
People who revel in the tastes, sights and scents of food report higher well-being than those who eat simply to satisfy their hunger, according to a new study from UBC’s Sauder School of Business.

The researchers also found that having a deeper appreciation doesn’t lead to extra pounds, finding there is no correlation between idealizing food and above-average body mass.

“Here in North America, we’re in a society that considers food to be the new tobacco – and that’s the wrong approach,” said Assistant Professor Yann Cornil, the lead author of the study. “Eating pleasure does not need to be the enemy of a healthy lifestyle. Instead, we should help people appreciate all that’s beautiful about food, and build up more of a food culture.”
Cornil and his co-author defined eating pleasure as being either epicurean – the full sensory experience – or visceral – satisfying an impulse . The pair surveyed people to determine how they enjoyed food, and then surveyed them about their general well-being and tendencies to overeat. They compared this data with body mass index of the participants.
Epicureans scored higher on well-being, had less interest in large servings and were equally distributed across the body mass index. The researchers also found epicureans can’t be stereotyped, as they were evenly distributed across age, income and education levels.
Cornil says his findings could inform public health campaigns that too often demonize rich or fatty foods as leading to high rates of obesity and diabetes.
“Loving food doesn’t mean you’re going to eat too much of it – it depends on the kind of pleasure you derive from it,” he said.
“If you eat to satisfy your impulses, then you’re more likely to overindulge and eat large portions mindlessly. But if we teach people to appreciate food for its aesthetics, its symbolism and its rich flavours, then their first bite will the best one, and they’ll be more likely to choose smaller portions.”
The study, “Pleasure as an ally of healthy eating? Contrasting visceral and Epicurean eating pleasure and their association with portion size preferences and wellbeing,” by Yann Cornil and Pierre Chandon, is forthcoming in the journal Appetite.

Link – click here to go directly to the Sauder posting
If you want to know some other great foodies to follow and watch please let me know what region that you live in and I would be pleased to pass on some of the top foodies to help  suggest some great spots to eat or for some great suggestions for some wow recipes to try! 

You Gotta see This! 

Follow me on Twitter @BCfoodieblogger or Instagram @bcfoodieblogger 

Temper Pastry & Chocolates

 BC – West Vancouver – Temper Pastry 

  The Metro Vancouer area doesn’t know how lucky they are to have so many out of this world patisserie’s and such talented chefs behind them. 

The North shore is home to Chef Steve Hodge and he is the magician behind Temper and the flavors from the great spot in West Vancouver’s Dunderave. Stop in for everything from a perfect coffee, artisan sandwiches or a VIENNOISERIE or a delectable pastry. This location has a great ambience and is a perfect spot for a healthy or sweet lunch or your morning coffee with your favorite pastry. I would say yes every time if someone asked me to go to Temper.

  
The Apple bite- warm, inviting and mouthwatering 

  

Aptly named after Chef Hodge’s little pumpkin Charlie 

   
   
Pastries, artisan sandwiches, chocolates, coffee 

As well as a great atmosphere to sit and enjoys the fresh treats of the day.

Temper is now set for the holidays with his already popular Bûche Noël is available for order in Raspeberry Cherry, Chestnut or Caramel Apple. 

There are also show pieces galore ready to wow your kids (big or small) 

  
  
Rum & eggnog truffle 

Lastly you will likely always have a friendly hello shot your way from the very cordial Chef Hodge who is born and raised in his native NorthShore (West Van) and approaches his business like the European counterparts like Chez Christophe who greet or say hi to their guests.

I say yes to Temper for your everyday or special occasion treats! 

You Gotta Try This! 

Study pegs value of food reviews

Happy Wesnesday great foodie friends – 

Found a great article from Sauder Business School – UBC on 24 hours News. 

This is exactly what drove me to food reviews as it is a tool I have always used. Further to that you get to know different writers in different areas who you feel are honest and real to their word reviewers with culinary knowledge.

Thank you Michael Mui and 24 Hrs. As well as Marketing Professor Chunhua Wu out of the Sauder School of Business at UBC 

   
 It’s your first time travelling to a new place — say, Vancouver — and you’re looking for somewhere to eat. And since you don’t have anyone to ask, chances are good the search will take you to a food review website.
This is the idea that led marketing professor Chunhua Wu, out of the Sauder School of Business at UBC, to figure out just how much value restaurants get out of these reviews.
And if you were a new person in Vancouver searching online, his findings suggest that the search just contributed $1.50 to the local restaurant economy.
To arrive at that conclusion, however, Wu had to find people regularly using these sites, and how many actually visited the restaurants after reading the reviews.
His answers were found in Dianping.com, the largest consumer review website in China, which gives users discount cards if they check in to an eatery.
The findings suggested 15% of the users actually showed up to eat shortly after reading the reviews, based on about 5,000 users’ browsing habits for the top seven hotpot restaurants in Shanghai.
At those restaurants, the average person is likely to spend $17 (prices converted from Chinese currency), and Wu calculated how much value each review reader, on average, contributes to the restaurants’ incomes, regardless if someone shows up — it was about $1.50.
“We found it’s very interesting there’s so many online reviews but we don’t know whether consumers value this, or whether it would change the profitability of restaurants,” he said.
“If you have 200 potential customers looking at your (review) website today, if you have really high consistent ratings, it will give you 200 times $1.50.”
The study is limited, however, in finding out how different types of reviews might impact whether customers show up, since he picked only the top restaurants.
“The content is more important than the rating … it contains more information than just the numerical ratings, people read the messages and try to figure out how it can fit their own taste,” Wu said.
Other questions include whether score ratings are consistent — if they aren’t, customers might not trust the review.
Things like the “star status” of a reviewer and their accuracy also matter, as do the number of upvotes given to reviews considered more “useful” than others.
Ian Tostenson, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, agreed with the author that reviews are more likely to matter if tourists are reading them.
“The emphasis is on people if they are travelling to places, where there’s no reference point. They’re looking for something they feel is an independent point of information. They don’t have friends, they don’t have anyone to tell them — those online reviews, in that case, work better,” he said.
All told, the average total each of the seven restaurants got out of people reading reviews was about $7,300 per year.