Vancouver Magazine

Vancouver's Best Car Sharing Company

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:17:56 -0400

Traffic’s heavy in Gastown, and I’m meant to be on the North Shore in half an hour. Looks bad, and this 2008 Toyota Matrix isn’t helping: it is, put generously, sluggish in the 0-to-60 department. I own a tiny fraction of this Matrix; it’s one of 250 or so automobiles in the Modo car co-op, to which I’ve belonged since 2010. For me, owning a little bit of a lot of cars is better than owning all of a single one.

How the Squamish First Nation is Reshaping Vancouver

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:44:09 -0400

It’s not where you’d expect to find the headquarters of one of the richest organizations in B.C.— in a nondescript module by the railway tracks in North Vancouver, the odour of diesel fuel from the nearby Mosquito Creek marina in the air. The only hint of the operation being run out of the building with its faded, blood-red awning is the young aboriginal man dragging on a cigarette outside a one-person security post. Welcome to the nerve centre of the Squamish First Nation.

Meet the Restaurant Awards Judges 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:42:03 -0400

Joie Alvaro Kent is a columnist for Montecristo magazine; her work also appears in Vancouver magazine, the Eating & Drinking Guide, and Best Places Vancouver. She is also a judge for the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

Murray Bancroft is culinary director for Western Living magazine and consults with a roster of international clients as a research chef and food stylist.

Picks for the 2012 DOXA Film Festival

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:40:27 -0400

May 4-13, Various venues

The Doxa Film Festival, founded by Manitoba 'maker Kris Anderson, has been building a solid rep since 2000. This year, the 10-day fest found itself dropped from federal grants; following a public plea to Heritage Minister James Moore, it regained its funding, but not before programming was thrown into financial uncertainty. Here, some solid recommendations:

[ Palestine ]

5 Broken Cameras

May 11, Vancity

Green Award 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:28:54 -0400

Since July 2011, Trafalgars on West 16th and next-door bakery Sweet Obsessions have produced virtually no garbage. Think about that for a second. That a bustling bistro and bakery could send out hundreds of plates of food each day and generate less than a garbage bag of waste per week. The secret? An innocuous grey bin about the size of a residential chest freezer in the back lane.

Best Front of House Service 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:19:46 -0400

Having skied since he was a "wee boy," Whistler seemed the perfect spot for Neil Henderson to complete a hospitality business school internship, and when he arrived from Edinburgh in 1992 to bus at Araxi, he never looked back. Today he runs the show as restaurant director. Terry Threlfall, our Sommelier of the Year, kick-started his career at West alongside David Hawksworth before decamping for London.

Mentorship Award 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:10:10 -0400

OBSESSED WITH FOOD from a young age, Julian Bond entered culinary school in Yorkshire at 16, then cheffed about at Michelin-starred places in England and France, honing his skills and turning heads. Recruited to Canada by CP Hotels, Bond found himself in Kananaskis, Alberta, before arriving in Vancouver in 1994, first at Star Anise (in its glory days), then to open Oritalia. Along the way, Bond, now 41, met and married Angelina Froste and together they chase after four energetic kids.

The Hottest Wine Region in North America

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:51:51 -0400

Are you familiar with Vancouver’s nearest wine region? Have you noticed that reviews from prestigious critics like Robert Parker have gone through the roof? That the wines are almost universally regarded as the most exciting in North America? That even in a tough economy new wineries are opening every season? And that it’s 20 minutes north of Seattle? Whoa—come again? Point your car south and you’ll be in Woodinville, Washington, in half the time it takes to get to the Okanagan.

Lifetime Achievement Award 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:51:47 -0400

Blessed with spectacular local ingredients and a food-obsessed Asian population, you might think that great Chinese food would simply happen in Vancouver. But it takes dedicated, talented restaurateurs and chefs to turn raw materials into world-class cuisine. In 1987 Kimble Chan, a former social worker with a background in human resources, made an important decision.

Producer/Supplier of the Year 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:36:23 -0400

Though our coast teems with some of the world’s finest salmon, crab, and sea urchin, much of it gets shipped overseas. “Until recently, pretty much all the best sablefish and spot prawns were exported,” says Jenice Yu, who grew up working in her family’s fish-processing plant in Richmond. “I wanted to change that.” In 2007, she created F.I.S.H. (Fresh Ideas Start Here) with the belief that Metro Vancouver deserved its share of the good stuff.

Ingredient of the Year 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:29:07 -0400

Oysters have long been a part of local cuisine, so what puts them into the coronation spot this year? Ocean Wise status of farmed B.C. oysters saw chefs increasingly feature the local beauties on their menu, winning out over their eastern counterparts. "We shuck an average of 300 to 600 oysters a day and use mostly B.C. oysters, from a variety of farms," says Blue Water Cafe's chef Frank Pabst.

Bartender of the Year 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:16:25 -0400

A lot of bartenders say they're passionate about making drinks, but how many would don an electric-pink wig and dispense shots of Baja Rosa in the esteemed halls of West Edmonton Mall's Juice Dance Lounge? For 18-year-old Danielle Tatarin, growing up in the cocktail hinterland of Northern Alberta, the hard truth was that guys were bartenders, girls were servers. Tatarin was unbowed by such draconian rules; she worked any job that let her get behind the bar.

Pastry Chef of the Year 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:10:22 -0400

With its sleek teardrop lights and rich panelling, its retro marble counters and gilt-frame mirrors, Thierry—the tiny, bustling café from former West and CinCin maître pâtissier Thierry Busset—is an apt manifestation of the man himself. Busset hails from the sturdy agricultural area of Auvergne, home to some serious food brands: Michelin, Le Puy lentils, bleu d'Auvergne cheese. Trends come slowly to this volcanic region; classics are venerated.

Best New Restaurant Design 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:03:18 -0400

Hawksworth's privileged location in the historic Rosewood Hotel Georgia fronting the VAG meant it had to say something about our city. The design meets this challenge by representing the two sides of Vancouver: the comfortable wealth that befits our status as an urban resort town, and our subterranean edginess. And it does so in a space that was less than grand; the existing low ceilings and big columns may have cramped the space but not the creativity of the designers.

Vancouver Restaurant Awards 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:11:40 -0400

Comforting, casual food is all the rage these days—we've added to the roster of Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards two new categories: Best Pizzeria and Best Noodle House—but our panel of judges confirmed that upscale dining is back, and that perennial favourites still rule some of the major awards

Click on the categories below to read the judges' comments and see the winners

Restaurant of the Year 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:04:51 -0400

Finally," said one judge. "If there was any question whether David Hawksworth would have trouble making a comeback after a three-year hiatus, he put it to rest when he opened the doors of Hawksworth last spring." The former wizard of West roared back to top form in "a triptych of rooms so pretty they're heartbreaking.

Best Upscale Italian 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:45:58 -0400

GOLD: Cioppino’s
Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca

Silver: CinCin | Bronze: Il Giardino | Honourable Mentions: La Terrazza & La Piazza Dario

Best New Restaurant 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: HAWKSWORTH

Silver: Ensemble | Bronze: Nicli Antica Pizzeria | Honourable Mentions: Campagnolo Roma &read more

Best Upscale 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: HAWKSWORTHread more

Best Casual 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: L'ABATTOIRread more

Best Food Cart 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: RE-UP BBQ
read more

Best Seafood 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: BLUE WATER CAFE + RAW BARread more

Best Casual Italian 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

Gold: La Quercia
Silver: Lupo | Bronze: La Buca | Honourable Mentions: Campagnolo & Campagnolo Roma
read more

Best Pizzeria 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: NICLI ANTICA PIZZERIAread more

Best Resort Dining 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: THE POINTE AT THE WICKANINNISH INN
Silver: Sooke Harbour House | Bronze: King Pacific Lodge
The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn (Gold) has dominated this category for years.
read more

Best Winery/Vineyard Dining 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: MIRADORO AT TINHORN CREEK
Silver: Old Vines Restaurant at Quails' Gate | Bronze: Bacchus Bistro at Domaine de Chaberton | Honourable Mentions: read more

Best Okanagan 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: WATERFRONT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR
read more

Best Vancouver Island 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: SOOKE HARBOUR HOUSEread more

Best Victoria 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: ULLA
Silver: Zambri’s | Bronze: Brasserie L’École | Honourable Mentions: Cafe Brio & Pizzeria Prima Strada
read more

Best Whistler 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: ARAXIread more

Best North Shore 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: FRAîCHEread more

Best Casual Chain 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: CACTUS CLUB CAFE
Silver: Hapa Izakaya | Bronze: Guu | Honourable Mentions: Joey
read more

Best Steakhouse 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: HY'S ENCOREread more

Best Other Asian 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: SPICE ISLANDS
read more

Best of the Americas 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: DOÑA CATAread more

Best Vietnamese 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: PHNOM PENH
Silver: Pho Thai Hoa | Bronze: Pho Tan Vietnamese | Honourable Mentions: Vancouver
read more

Best Thai 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: MAENAMread more

Best Korean 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: HANWOORIread more

Best Indian 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: VIJ'Sread more

Best Noodle House 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: CHEF HUNG TAIWANESE BEEF NOODLE
read more

Best Dim Sum 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: KIRINread more

Best Casual Chinese 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: ALVIN GARDEN
Silver: Hoi Tong | Bronze: Big Chef | Honourable Mentions: Nine Dishes & Dinesty
read more

Best Upscale Chinese 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: JADE SEAFOODread more

Best Casual Japanese 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: KINGYO IZAKAYAread more

Best Upscale Japanese 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: TOJO'S
Silver: Zest | Bronze: Miku Restaurant | Honourable Mentions: Octopus’ Garden & EN Japanese Restaurant
read more

Best Upscale French 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: LE CROCODILE read more

Best Casual French 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:07 -0400

GOLD: PIED À TIERREread more

Vancouver Celebrities: May 2012

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:26:35 -0400

May 2012 Click to launch slideshow
Rohanna Roddick and Jennifer Jacqueline
Sarbjeet Sarai, Simrit Ollek and Wally Oppal
Jacquie Somerville
Sandra Piques Eddy and James Wright
Perry and Tevie Smith with Jake
Phil Dwyer, Campbell Ryga and Rob Knepper
Shawn Williamson and Jessica Taylor
Douglas Chiu and Winnie Leong
Carey Smith and Janelle Washington
Wenwen Du and Mariana Valdes
Maria and Alberto Leone

Q & A with Alvaro Prol

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:11:45 -0400

?Over 15 years, you’ve brought some of the biggest DJs to town. How did you start?I’ve been a fan of dance music since I was 15 years old—by the time I was 19, I was going out five nights a week. A promoter at the time thought I knew a lot of people and asked me to do an event with him at a club. That was the last time I worked for someone else.
read more

Inside Robert McNutt's Antiques Collection

vanmag — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:01:09 -0400

McNutt was born in El Paso, Texas, and moved to Ottawa at age six. In Grade 9, he started working for antiques collector Eric Cohen; he followed Cohen’s Vancouver Architectural Antiques here in 1994. He’s always buying, rarely sells—he acquired his first piece at age 10: a little silver key rack for $1.75. He still has it—“I guess I have a separation problem with this stuff.”
read more

Vancouver Magazine

Vancouver's Best Car Sharing Company

How the Squamish First Nation is Reshaping Vancouver

Meet the Restaurant Awards Judges 2012

Picks for the 2012 DOXA Film Festival

Green Award 2012

Best Front of House Service 2012

Mentorship Award 2012

The Hottest Wine Region in North America

Lifetime Achievement Award 2012

Producer/Supplier of the Year 2012

Ingredient of the Year 2012

Bartender of the Year 2012

Pastry Chef of the Year 2012

Best New Restaurant Design 2012

Vancouver Restaurant Awards 2012

Restaurant of the Year 2012

Best Upscale Italian 2012

GOLD: Cioppino’sMediterranean Grill & Enoteca

Silver: CinCin | Bronze: Il Giardino | Honourable Mentions: La Terrazza & La Piazza Dario

read more

Best New Restaurant 2012

GOLD: HAWKSWORTH

Silver: Ensemble | Bronze: Nicli Antica Pizzeria | Honourable Mentions: Campagnolo Roma &read more

Best Upscale 2012

GOLD: HAWKSWORTHread more

Best Casual 2012

GOLD: L'ABATTOIRread more

Best Food Cart 2012

GOLD: RE-UP BBQread more

Best Seafood 2012

GOLD: BLUE WATER CAFE + RAW BARread more

Best Casual Italian 2012

Gold: La Quercia

Silver: Lupo | Bronze: La Buca | Honourable Mentions: Campagnolo & Campagnolo Roma read more

Best Pizzeria 2012

GOLD: NICLI ANTICA PIZZERIAread more

Best Resort Dining 2012

GOLD: THE POINTE AT THE WICKANINNISH INN

Silver: Sooke Harbour House | Bronze: King Pacific Lodge

Best Winery/Vineyard Dining 2012

GOLD: MIRADORO AT TINHORN CREEK

Silver: Old Vines Restaurant at Quails' Gate | Bronze: Bacchus Bistro at Domaine de Chaberton | Honourable Mentions: read more

Best Okanagan 2012

GOLD: WATERFRONT RESTAURANT & WINE BARread more

Best Vancouver Island 2012

GOLD: SOOKE HARBOUR HOUSEread more

Best Victoria 2012

GOLD: ULLA

Silver: Zambri’s | Bronze: Brasserie L’École | Honourable Mentions: Cafe Brio & Pizzeria Prima Strada

Best Whistler 2012

GOLD: ARAXIread more

Best North Shore 2012

GOLD: FRAîCHEread more

Best Casual Chain 2012

GOLD: CACTUS CLUB CAFE

Silver: Hapa Izakaya | Bronze: Guu | Honourable Mentions: Joeyread more

Best Steakhouse 2012

GOLD: HY'S ENCOREread more

Best Other Asian 2012

GOLD: SPICE ISLANDSread more

Best of the Americas 2012

GOLD: DOÑA CATAread more

Best Vietnamese 2012

GOLD: PHNOM PENH

Silver: Pho Thai Hoa | Bronze: Pho Tan Vietnamese | Honourable Mentions: Vancouver read more

Best Thai 2012

GOLD: MAENAMread more

Best Korean 2012

GOLD: HANWOORIread more

Best Indian 2012

GOLD: VIJ'Sread more

Best Noodle House 2012

GOLD: CHEF HUNG TAIWANESE BEEF NOODLEread more

Best Dim Sum 2012

GOLD: KIRINread more

Best Casual Chinese 2012

GOLD: ALVIN GARDEN

Silver: Hoi Tong | Bronze: Big Chef | Honourable Mentions: Nine Dishes & Dinesty

read more

GOLD: Cioppino’s
Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca

GOLD: RE-UP BBQ
read more

Silver: Lupo | Bronze: La Buca | Honourable Mentions: Campagnolo & Campagnolo Roma
read more

GOLD: WATERFRONT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR
read more

Silver: Hapa Izakaya | Bronze: Guu | Honourable Mentions: Joey
read more

GOLD: SPICE ISLANDS
read more

Silver: Pho Thai Hoa | Bronze: Pho Tan Vietnamese | Honourable Mentions: Vancouver
read more

GOLD: CHEF HUNG TAIWANESE BEEF NOODLE
read more

Silver: Zest | Bronze: Miku Restaurant | Honourable Mentions: Octopus’ Garden & EN Japanese Restaurant
read more