I arrived at my hotel in the early afternoon after the ferry ride from Vancouver Island. I selected this hotel in Richmond, which is a Vancouver suburb, because it was close to the airport and I had an early flight home the next morning. I'd already turned in my car at the airport and taken the shuttle to the hotel so I needed a close-by place to eat. I asked the concierge for a good Chinese restaurant within walking distance. As it happens, the Chinese who fled Hong Kong before the communist takeover settled in this area. I was hoping for a good, authentic Chinese meal. At first she gave me the name of a place that she said most people liked. I asked her what she liked (she was Chinese). She volunteered that she really like Kirin. I got direction and went to my room to change.
I left the hotel and headed east down the town's main street. A block or so down the street I see the Kirin sign across this busy boulevard and above a pair of glass doors on the side of a highrise parking garage. I am dubious. I weaved my way through traffic (there are no traffic lights or crosswalks nearby) and up to the doors. There is no signage except for what I saw from across the street and no menu to peruse. I enter the parking garage and begin the climb up three flights of concrete stairs, following small arrows marked "Kirin". I'm thinking, what kind of Chinese restaurant is going to be named after a Japanese beer? And in a parking garage? As I get to the third floor landing I come to a pair of large beautiful wooden doors. I feel better. I open the door and enter into a different world.
I stand for a moment in a lush waiting area with dark red velvet walls and rich dark wood accents. The hostess, who was talking on the phone, gave me the sign to please wait. She was involved in an intense conversation that held enough English words for me to tell that she was explaining the menu to someone on the other end. I waited. After a reasonable amount of time she ended her conversation, grabbed a menu and whisked me through an equally elegant ante room and into a large hall. The hall was filled with linen covered tables of many sizes. In the center were tables for large groups and they were surrounded by smaller four person tables. There must've been 40 tables and I was the only diner. I was seated at a table at the back of the room overlooking the street. A well-dressed older lady came over and asked if I'd like tea. She brought me jasmine tea and I began to look at the menu. She hesitated for a moment after serving the tea and I asked if I could have some time with the menu. She smiled. Also, I said that I would like a leisurely dinner and that, if it was permissible, I would order one course at a time. She smiled and walked away.
I decided on my first course and began to sip my tea. I'd brought along a book and I began to read. Shortly after I began to read she returned. By this time the dining hall began to fill. It was very enjoyable to watch and listen. I couldn't understand a word but the melodic sounds were engaging. Anyhow, it's time for the eating to begin. The first course was steamed fresh scallops dressed with black bean sauce (the scallops were so succulent and buttery, the sauce so light...I ate them very deliberately,savoring each bite). When I had finished this course I picked up the menu and selected the next. When I had chosen I once again picked up my book. Yes, she arrived shortly with a smile. Her English was not so good but we had established communication. Because I liked the black bean sauce I selected a steamed Rock Cod with spicy black bean sauce. A short time after I ordered a young girl brought over a live Rock Cod, which had been taken from their tank. She showed me the fish and simply said, "Two Pounds." I nodded "OK" and she walked away. After what seemed like a long time the serving was delivered. It was well worth the wait. The fish was so perfectly done and the sauce was so perfect for the fish. I took a very long time to totally enjoy each morsel.
Was I satiated? Not quite. I again picked up the menu. Maybe a small bowl of fish maw consomme. I set the menu down, picked up my book, and, again she arrived smiling. I ordered and consumed the soup in short order. The broth was rich, the dumplings were tender and the ham was very tasty. It was perfect for this stage of my meal. What next? I didn't hesitate. This time I caught her eye and she came to my table, I think to ask if I was finished. When I asked for Peking Duck she looked surprised and said that it had two courses. I indicted, fine. She smiled and scurried away. Some time later, who knows how long (I was having too much fun watching and listening to the other customers), the first duck course arrived.
The first duck course was the skin which had been fried and cut into small pieces. Along with the skin were pieces of green garden onions, sweet buns and a thicker, stronger black bean sauce. So, I placed some black bean sauce on a bun and rolled a piece of duck skin and a piece of green garden onion into the bun. Each bite had the crunchy tang of the onion, the sweetness of the duck skin and the almost chocolate taste of the sauce. There were lots of bites and each was delicious. Now I was getting full. I'm just about finished with this portion when they brought a large platter of duck meat when had been combined with many other ingredients to make what looked like a mound of sweet corned beef hash. Along with this course was a plate of large, crispy green lettuce leaves. I did the best I could. I rolled the duck hash (for lack of a better term) into the lettuce leaves. I was full but the crunch of the fresh lettuce and the sweetness of the duck was so wonderful that I actually ate most of what they served.
Finally, I pushed back. My tea was gone so I just picked up my book and waited for my angel to arrive. It didn't take long for my check to arrive, I paid and wandered out through the mass of tables. I tried to focus on the music of the language as I walked away but I was too full. Yes, I was too full but I was, oh, so satisfied. I can't wait to one day soon return to this lovely place. But, alas, now it's off to home and Pua.
Yes, I'll spend time with the main woman in my life for a few weeks and then it's off to France and England. What culinary adventures will they hold? I'll let you know.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Victoria: ambiance and eating
I took the south ferry from Salt Spring Island to Victoria. The evening was cool on the water but the sky filled with brilliant shades of red and yellow as the sun passed into the west.
The drive into Victoria brought back memories. Memories of the kindness and hospitality of Victoria's residents despite the continual surge of tourists. Memories of how clean and almost sparkling the city was and continues to be. What a great place to visit.
I drove through the center of the city and into the first residental neighborhood past the hustle and bustle. Down a side street just a couple of blocks from the marina is the Anderson House Bed and Breakfast where I had made plans to stay for a couple of days. As I neared the house I noticed that the old Victorian homes had been largely replaced with newer, more modern places. The Victorian-style Anderson House stood out as a vestige of what was quite probably a glorious past. As I pulled into the driveway I couldn't help but wonder if I'd made a mistake. The older homes on each side of this home were not in a good state of repair and the exterior of the Anderson House was what one might call rustic. However, much to my pleasant surprise, the accomodations were very nice and quite spacious. The home was elegantly decorated and the breakfasts were very good. Janet's pancakes were excellent, there was abundant fresh fruit and homemade breads. It is definately a place to which I would return. Also, a major benefit was that the home is within easy walking distance from the city center.
I easily walked to the Empress Hotel which hosts what is quite probably the signature event in Victoria, if not Canada. There is nothing quite like high tea at the Empress. Sitting in overstuffed chairs in an old English sitting room gazing across the long green lawn toward the marina, I wondered at the vagaries of life. This high tea is perfect tranquility punctuated occassionally by sipping your tea and munching fresh baked pastries. It is true decadence and I loved it. After tea I wandered around the downtown a bit to work off some calories and to make room for what I knew was going to be an outstanding dinner.
Couched amidst a group of small shops away from the noise of the city center is this little gem of a place called Zambri's. I entered the restaurant to the sound of light jazz and to the hum of friendly banter between friends. The owner and hostess seemed to know every person who entered and greeted them as old friends. She asked where I would like to sit and I selected the bar. From that vantage point I could monitor the comings and goings and I had a excellent view of the kitchen. So, I began with a glass of Poggio al Tuffo and a tray of seasoned olives-something to help me through the menu.
Then, the eating began. I began with a salad of fresh blueberries, octopus, and raw fennel covered by a light dressing (the blueberries and octopus went together so well...who'd a guessed), followed by my primi of Gnoochi with mushrooms covered by a gorgonzola and creme sauce (so tender) with a side of fresh greens dressed with garlic and chili, with that I had an '04 Valpolicella, for my secondi I had a pan grilled lamb scaloppine lightly dressed with a puttanesca sauce on a bed of polenta (the lamb was perfectly cooked, the puttanesca was perfectly spiced), with this course I had a '03 Brunello. After two hours of eating and drinking I barely had room for the expresso and a peach tarte in a light crust with pastry creme...I needed the sweet to compliment the spicy puttanesca. So, after sitting for a moment to gather myself, I was about to waddle out the door but I was stopped by the chef, Peter Zambri. I was happy to have the opportunity to thank him for such an outstanding meal. I waddled to the car and drove back to my large, comfortable bed. I wondered if I could do this again tomorrow night.
I arose the next morning, had a nice light breakfast and began walking around the city. I had to make room for tonight's meal. In preparation for dinner I had a very light lunch-a pint of homemade strawberry ice cream. Now I felt ready for Cafe Brio. Situated on a busy street but bien cached behind a nice little courtyard was this lovely little culinary jewel. It had much different ambiance than Zambri's. Rather than being like a friendly neighborhood place it was a very efficient, attentive place. It was warm and friendly but not in the "I'm happy to see you again" style of Zambri's. Once again I elected to sit at the bar and there I met J J, the bartender and my guide through the menu. One concept this restaurant followed and I really liked was that they offered small portion sizes so that the guest could try many different things, and that's what I did. I started with a Lagavulin to settle me down so that I could focus on the menu.
To begin this dining experience I had a roast summer squash & goat cheese agnolotti (the raviolis were perfectly done, thin and al dente, the creme was very sublte and the dish was well spiced), for this evening I'll be drinking a bottle of '04 Barolo; my second course was a dungeness crab spaghettini (the crab was slightly buttery and excellent, the pasta was al dente and the dish was dressed with the perfect amount of olive oil and peccorino); the next course was a crispy poached cornish hen served with crushed potatoes, braised greens and was dressed with a mushroom and tomato sause (three distinctive tastes that blended together so well it made me want to cry); finally, and I know that I'm not having dessert tonight, I had duck sausage occhi di lupo pasta ( tender, not greasy, with perfectly done pasta and accompanied by diced red onion to compliment the duck...and I lied to you, with this I had an excellent Cote du Rhone). I'm telling you, I was about to explode but I was so happy. I can only hope that my future trips have this much taste. Once again, I waddled.
The next morning provided a light breakfast and a desire to stay for more fine dining but, now that I was to fat I began my drive north to spend a few days on the sailboat and hopefully settle down. I'll tell you, though, the best meal of this trip is yet to come. Next episode, the chinese dinner from nirvana.
The drive into Victoria brought back memories. Memories of the kindness and hospitality of Victoria's residents despite the continual surge of tourists. Memories of how clean and almost sparkling the city was and continues to be. What a great place to visit.
I drove through the center of the city and into the first residental neighborhood past the hustle and bustle. Down a side street just a couple of blocks from the marina is the Anderson House Bed and Breakfast where I had made plans to stay for a couple of days. As I neared the house I noticed that the old Victorian homes had been largely replaced with newer, more modern places. The Victorian-style Anderson House stood out as a vestige of what was quite probably a glorious past. As I pulled into the driveway I couldn't help but wonder if I'd made a mistake. The older homes on each side of this home were not in a good state of repair and the exterior of the Anderson House was what one might call rustic. However, much to my pleasant surprise, the accomodations were very nice and quite spacious. The home was elegantly decorated and the breakfasts were very good. Janet's pancakes were excellent, there was abundant fresh fruit and homemade breads. It is definately a place to which I would return. Also, a major benefit was that the home is within easy walking distance from the city center.
I easily walked to the Empress Hotel which hosts what is quite probably the signature event in Victoria, if not Canada. There is nothing quite like high tea at the Empress. Sitting in overstuffed chairs in an old English sitting room gazing across the long green lawn toward the marina, I wondered at the vagaries of life. This high tea is perfect tranquility punctuated occassionally by sipping your tea and munching fresh baked pastries. It is true decadence and I loved it. After tea I wandered around the downtown a bit to work off some calories and to make room for what I knew was going to be an outstanding dinner.
Couched amidst a group of small shops away from the noise of the city center is this little gem of a place called Zambri's. I entered the restaurant to the sound of light jazz and to the hum of friendly banter between friends. The owner and hostess seemed to know every person who entered and greeted them as old friends. She asked where I would like to sit and I selected the bar. From that vantage point I could monitor the comings and goings and I had a excellent view of the kitchen. So, I began with a glass of Poggio al Tuffo and a tray of seasoned olives-something to help me through the menu.
Then, the eating began. I began with a salad of fresh blueberries, octopus, and raw fennel covered by a light dressing (the blueberries and octopus went together so well...who'd a guessed), followed by my primi of Gnoochi with mushrooms covered by a gorgonzola and creme sauce (so tender) with a side of fresh greens dressed with garlic and chili, with that I had an '04 Valpolicella, for my secondi I had a pan grilled lamb scaloppine lightly dressed with a puttanesca sauce on a bed of polenta (the lamb was perfectly cooked, the puttanesca was perfectly spiced), with this course I had a '03 Brunello. After two hours of eating and drinking I barely had room for the expresso and a peach tarte in a light crust with pastry creme...I needed the sweet to compliment the spicy puttanesca. So, after sitting for a moment to gather myself, I was about to waddle out the door but I was stopped by the chef, Peter Zambri. I was happy to have the opportunity to thank him for such an outstanding meal. I waddled to the car and drove back to my large, comfortable bed. I wondered if I could do this again tomorrow night.
I arose the next morning, had a nice light breakfast and began walking around the city. I had to make room for tonight's meal. In preparation for dinner I had a very light lunch-a pint of homemade strawberry ice cream. Now I felt ready for Cafe Brio. Situated on a busy street but bien cached behind a nice little courtyard was this lovely little culinary jewel. It had much different ambiance than Zambri's. Rather than being like a friendly neighborhood place it was a very efficient, attentive place. It was warm and friendly but not in the "I'm happy to see you again" style of Zambri's. Once again I elected to sit at the bar and there I met J J, the bartender and my guide through the menu. One concept this restaurant followed and I really liked was that they offered small portion sizes so that the guest could try many different things, and that's what I did. I started with a Lagavulin to settle me down so that I could focus on the menu.
To begin this dining experience I had a roast summer squash & goat cheese agnolotti (the raviolis were perfectly done, thin and al dente, the creme was very sublte and the dish was well spiced), for this evening I'll be drinking a bottle of '04 Barolo; my second course was a dungeness crab spaghettini (the crab was slightly buttery and excellent, the pasta was al dente and the dish was dressed with the perfect amount of olive oil and peccorino); the next course was a crispy poached cornish hen served with crushed potatoes, braised greens and was dressed with a mushroom and tomato sause (three distinctive tastes that blended together so well it made me want to cry); finally, and I know that I'm not having dessert tonight, I had duck sausage occhi di lupo pasta ( tender, not greasy, with perfectly done pasta and accompanied by diced red onion to compliment the duck...and I lied to you, with this I had an excellent Cote du Rhone). I'm telling you, I was about to explode but I was so happy. I can only hope that my future trips have this much taste. Once again, I waddled.
The next morning provided a light breakfast and a desire to stay for more fine dining but, now that I was to fat I began my drive north to spend a few days on the sailboat and hopefully settle down. I'll tell you, though, the best meal of this trip is yet to come. Next episode, the chinese dinner from nirvana.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Vancouver Island
As an overview of the trip, I departed Hawaii expecting a relaxing time with friends. I arrived to watch the finals of a local grass court tennis tournament and to a fine dinner at the Beach House in Qualicum Beach, where my friends live and which was the base for my trip. The next day's activites included an antique auto show in Parkville as well as a music and art festival in Comox. The next couple of days were spent aboard my friend's sail boat mostly putzing around, which was very relaxing and playing a little tennis. The following day I departed Qualicum Beach to visit a Buddhist retreat center on Salt Spring Island (review to follow)and then traveled on to spend a couple of nights in Victoria. My days in Victoria were excellent. I wandered the city during the day and had excellent food at night. The first night I ate at Zambri's and the second night at Cafe Brio (reviews to follow). I drive back to Qualicum Beach for two more days on the sail boat. My final two days were spent getting back to the Vancouver airport. I spent my final evening in Richmond, BC, which is Vancouver's chinatown, where I had the finest Chinese dinner I have ever had at Kirin (review to follow). I'll work on improving the quality of my presentation and I look forward to sharing my adventures. A hui hou.
Where to Begin
After a sabbatical to Vancouver Island I've decided to begin documenting my food, travel and spiritual adventures, so stay tuned
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)