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Unforgettable Meals of 2008

We asked 13 food lovers what meal they recall most vividly from the past year. Here's what they said
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Chef Melissa Craig of Whistler's Bearfoot Bistro paired delicate but extravagant bites, like a warm scrambled quail egg served in its shell, with premium Champagnes. Shannon Mendes
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We asked 13 food lovers what meal they recall most vividly from the past year. Here's what they said

Alvin Garden

More than any special occasion or event, my most memorable pleasure of the year was finding real Hunan food at a little place in Burnaby called Alvin Garden. In a culinary scene dominated by the subtler flavours of Cantonese and Shanghainese styles, the uncompromising power of authentic Hunan is a welcome blast: bright, fresh, with a finesse grounded in honest home cooking. Lamb with cumin, beef with pickled peppers, house-pickled cabbage—all sang with a spiciness that outshines even Sichuan food. The most important component of any Chinese meal is the company you dine with, and the capsicum-buzzed pleasure softened by icy beers made for the best kind of communal memories.—Lee Man, food writer

 

La Quercia

At La Quercia, six of us were served family-style, with the chefs choosing our menu and sending out plate after plate of lovingly prepared food. A delicate eggplant timbale was cooked so carefully it had no touch of bitterness. The sliced flatiron steak that followed was served with arugula, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar, and Reggiano; the spiciness of the greens was the perfect complement to the nuttiness of the cheese. The highlight of the night was the best vitello tonnato I have had the pleasure of eating, the tuna sauce so smooth that we fought over the plate’s last drips.—Allison Spurrell, Les Amis du Fromage

 

Lumière

One meal stands out above all others: a private lunch last March at Lumière prepared by Daniel Boulud. Everything about the six-course extravaganza was sensational, from the canapés (Meyer-lemon tarts sprinkled with Osetra caviar) to the desserts (milk-chocolate praline napoleons and coconut îles flottantes with ginger ice cream). But the knockouts, for me, were the elegantly decadent Coquilles St-Jacques “Black Tie” (a black-and-white stack of thinly sliced scallop and truffle wrapped in spinach and golden puff pastry, and served with a rich Périgord sauce) and a robustly satisfying quartet of milk-fed Quebec piglet—belly, boudin blanc, jambon, and loin, each served with its own perfectly matched pickled garnish. Boulud himself won’t be cooking here much when Lumière reopens, but if his team can come close to recapturing the magic of that meal, Vancouver diners are going to be swept off their seats.—Alexandra Gill, food writer

Recent Comments

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by Kodiak on Feb 9 2010 at 1:43 AM

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by Carolmc on Feb 6 2010 at 8:35 PM

I remember staying at the turkey villas and enjoy the local foods. Vancouver apparently has a list of turkey restaurants too. Thanks!

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by Madden12 on Feb 5 2010 at 8:40 PM

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We just celebrated Burns night, 25th of Jan, here in Scotland and I can safely say that haggis is still one of my favorite dishes.
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by MeetNew on Jan 27 2010 at 2:55 AM

I love going out to eat. I have a Tampa home security business and we always are dining out with friends and family. There is something so cool about getting out of the house to eat.

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I love eating out haha. I run a cheap auto insurance company and I really love having fun dining out. My most memorable dining experience is eating at Comanders Palace in New Orleans. It was alot of fun.

by allie143 on Jan 24 2010 at 8:58 PM

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by gregdmurthy on Jan 22 2010 at 5:45 AM

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Sometimes I think dessert is no more than just a waste. You spend a lot of time to manage the presentation, blend, etc. Yet they are so tiny and mostly unhealthy. And you eat all in seconds, lol.. Medela breast pump

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seems to be mouth watering meals i am just wondering how great it could have been. for me i am just rendered to eat by getting food delevered at home. Indian Delivery seems to be the only idea for me.

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by mack on Dec 24 2009 at 11:40 PM

Wow, they look so cutee.. I don't think I have enough heart to eat them, lol.. Nice shots! Online Casino

by Online on Dec 19 2009 at 6:22 PM

In Jan i'm going to BC for vacation and skiing, the food and drinks are great especially their micro brews. The beer of the month earlier this year came from a brewer near Vancouver so i'm going to try and get some bottles to bring back.

by jasonla on Dec 14 2009 at 2:18 AM