Amuse Bouche
Defn: to tickle your palate, whet your appetite, make your mouth happy
Amuse Bouche is where we share with you the things that make our mouths happy. From recipes to wine reviews, from producer profiles to our culinary journeys - this is sightseeing for your tastebuds.
There are so many amazing food and wine events across this province. We recommend visiting Wine & Dine BC News - an excellent resource for keeping track of these events so you can plan your calendar and don't miss out. And Cityfood Magazine is a terrific site for keeping track of Vancouver's food & beverage related press releases, restaurant news, promotions and more.
Visit often - we'll be tasting, travelling and posting for you.
Cheers,
Treve Ring
Amuse Bouche Editor
Kim Thai the Silent Chef is not so Anonymous Anymore – by Stephanie Yuen
General Manager Linda and Chef Thai welcomed guests
Who is Kim Thai? He’s a good friend of mine, a creator of divine West Coast cuisine; someone that enjoys working with fresh ingredients resourced locally. He is also the Executive Chef of The Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites (Comox & Denman) and was the Culinary Director and Executive Chef of The Sutton Place Hotel for many years. Chef Thai is the silent type that shines in his culinary cockpit; his comfort zone is the hotel kitchen. There, he masters global recipes by fusing in his Chinese and Vietnamese cooking secrets.
But fans he has many. A lot of my foodie friends have been enjoying his cooking since his Sutton Place days. I met another 60 of them in an engrossing wine paired fundraising dinner hosted by The Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites and Sumac Ridge Estate Winery for A Loving Spoonful.
That enchanting evening took place on the roof top dining room where an amazingly wine-paired 6-course dinner was served. Jason James, Winemaker for Sumac Ridge was on hand to describe each wine pairing. From smooth Truffle mousse stuffed chicken (Sparkling Tribute) to the velvety Roasted venison chop (’05 Red Pinnacle), each bite was an eye-closing pleasure.
While each course was as intriguing as the next one, it was dessert,however, that was my favourite of the evening. This is my first encounter of both chocolate (in the form of ‘Gold dusted bitter chocolate brulee’) and Pont l’Eveque (uncooked, ripened cheese) on one plate. With roasted pistachio and marinated fig and a glass of ’05 Sumac Ridge Pipe, I was on cloud nine!
Another highlight of the evening came towards the end when Chef Thai was placed at centre stage as the grand auction prize. His ‘Multicourse dinner cooked at your home for 8 plus boxes of Sumac Ridge wines’ was auctioned off for a very impressive $2500! Chef Kim Thai cannot stay anonymous anymore.
Captions:
An inspiring dessert with chocolate mousse and Pont l’Eveque
School of Fish Floating Restaurant – by Stephanie Yuen
your floating floor
There, over by the seawall off ‘C’ and ‘Nu’ Restaurant, moors the diligently crafted and designed raft which floats on 1700 rescued plastic bottles. It is the one and only floating restaurant of its kind in the world. And fortunate for us, it belongs to the School of Fish Foundation, co-founded by Shannon Ronalds and renowned Chef Robert Clark, whose goal is to make sustainability a culinary requirement for chefs across the land.
This hand-crafted single-room restaurant opens nightly, rain or shine, and seats twelve persons. It is a temporary nocturne at False Creek and will only run till the end of September, meaning that no more than 750 diners will be lucky enough to enjoy this prestigious dining experience, complete with majestic sunset and gorgeous harbour views. The 12X20’ dining room may be a raft, but a raft with a European style chandelier, beautiful flower arrangements and candlelights. It is filled with the glamour of a luxurious fine dining room of ingenious beauty. And most of all, this is one dining room with a mission.
The special 6-course wine-paired repast is prepared by Chef Robert Clark, who is known for both his culinary skill of creating superb seafood dishes and his passion in promoting Ocean Wise and sustainability. The wine pairing is done by none other than Shannon himself who is a certified sommelier.
I happened to be one of the first groups to dine inside this floating restaurant on a recent hot summer evening. We boarded the raft while the golden sun was shining upon us; while we were indulging in the fine food and great wine, the skyline changed hue in front of our eyes. The evening went on at such an easy, almost zen pace; we almost forgot we’re at sea. As we said goodbye to the hard-working serving staff who had to run back and forth to ‘C’ Restaurant and went up and down the ramps all night long, and to Shannon the ocean warrior, we all agreed this immaculate evening was one to cherish for a long long time.
Reservations are a must www.schooloffishfoundation.org
*You can also make the floating restaurant your own private dinner event – just gather a group of 12 and book an evening ASAP.
DETAILS from the SCHOOL OF FISH FOUNDATION
With the assistance of a marine engineer and with all safety regulations taken into account, we have designed and built a luxurious dining room which is staying afloat with the use of 1,675 plastic 2-litre bottles built into its frame.
This elegant “raft” will be moored alongside the prestigious False Creek Yacht Club and once boarded, your 6-course sustainable seafood dinner will commence.
How Does it Work?
Within this floating dining room will be a table for twelve guests. Tickets are $195 per person plus tax (when booking prior to July 31 and will be $215 thereafter). You are invited to dine with us in the warm summer air while floating on your own private dining room with an up-close view of the sailboats passing by throughout the night.
C Restaurant, one of Canada’s most recognized seafood restaurants will be catering this multi-course sustainable seafood menu (designed by chef Robert Clark) while School of Fish Foundation’s founder, Shannon Ronalds, will be serving in true fine dining style. Unique wines have also been selected to pair with each course and are included in the price.
Sample Menu (subject to change based on availability of the finest ingredients)
Crispy Humboldt Squid citrus marinated tuna, red onion & dill yogurt
Smoked Trout Saladpickled beets, toasted almond, endive spot prawn & apple vinaigrette
Seared Scallops octopus bacon wrap, truffled celeriac remoulade sherry brown butter
Hazelnut Crusted Salmon caramelized onion tart, sauteed brussel sprouts sherry scented béarnaise
Gabriel’s Heirloom Apple Tarte Tatin brown butter, apple, grain of paradise ice cream
Local Artisan Cheese Tasting selection of handmade cheeses from Poplar Grove Cheese
Why Floating Plastic?
With a significant decrease in the world’s ocean resources, awareness towards both the cause and the solution must be addressed.
We are staging this summer-long awareness and fundraising campaign in order to gain public support and to positively affect the sustainable seafood supply chain while rewarding and promoting the work already in motion.
The floating plastic represents the issue of our oceans becoming a collecting ground for discarded plastic; one of the many threats to our seafood supplies.
Details of the Dining Room
All materials going into and coming out of this floating dining room will be renewable, recycled, reclaimed and/or repurposed.
Intimate lighting, soft music, designer furnishings, bone china dishes, elegant silverware and crystal glassware will all be included to add to this unique experience.
The floating plastic represents the issue of our oceans becoming a collecting ground for discarded plastic; one of the many threats to our seafood supplies.
For reservations, please call 778-997-6977 or email us atcontact@schooloffishfoundation.org.
A Taste of Hong Kong’s Modern Cuisine – by Stephanie Yuen
Chef Friedl of Harbour Grand Hotel Hong Kong displays a brilliant plating technique and a yingyang style of taste and texture.
Many go to Hong Kong to shop, I go there to eat. And that’s exactly what I did last month – a six day of food and wine exploration from street corners to fine dining restaurants, including a gourmet lunch in an ordnance bunker at Shouson Hill belonging to Crown Wine Cellars that mainly provides cellar service to their club members; and wine tasting in an urban winery in Ap Lei Chau named The 8th Estate Winery operated by a fellow British Columbian Lysanne Tusar from Kitsilano.
Endearing moments there were many; but an exquisitely crafted dinner in Le 188 Restaurant and Lounge on the top floor of the 5-star Harbour Grand Hong Kong Hotel was most wondrous. Decorating the magnificent 188-degree panoramic harbour view was a rain-rinsed clear horizon at nightfall, when city lights and neon signs started to glitter like Christmas lights everywhere. There I adored the famous palette of the Pearl of the Orient and tasted my first western style Abalone, laid upon a generous piece of tender, flaky Sea Bass and silky Jerusalam Artichoke puree, prepared by Executive Chef Jeno Friedl who displayed his very own style with sensuous flavour and colour coordination. The slow oven-braised whole Abalone was as good as any abalone in any famous Chinese restaurants.
In Club Qing, a private dining room in the famous Lan Kwai Fong area I had a Osmanthus and Bird’s Nest Roll, deep-fried and served with ginger shot and was truly a innovative and perhaps daring attempt to re-introduce bird’s nest as one anyone-can-enjoy grass-root course. Private dining rooms that serve set menus and gourmet meals are preferred eateries for those seeking a quieter and more private dining environment, but one must reserve to get in.
Sex on the Beach - the dessert
A provocative dessert dish called ‘Sex on the beach’ was as eye-catching as any modern art piece. Owner and self-acclaimed Demon Chef Alvin Leung of Bo Innovation is famous for his unorthodox new vogue Chinese cuisine. With dishes called ‘Dead Garden’, ‘Yak and Mac’ and ‘Sex on the beach’ (created as a fund-raiser for Aids Concern), the multi-coursed Chef’s Menu is a great example of Demon Chef’s very creative attempts. So what is ‘Sex on the beach’? Main ingredients are Konjac Jelly and Red dates, but it’s the plating that is most descriptive. Do take a look.
2010 is the year when Hong Kong celebrates festivals, culture and heritage. If you go, check out www.discoverhongkong.com for details.
Wild Rice Embraces Asian Heritage Month – by Stephanie Yuen
The beautiful floral shaped Siu Mai is a traditional dimsum dish.
I have lots of food cravings: Extra gooey Macaroni and cheese, home-made Fruit Pies, Lin’s Xiao Long Bao, Sun Sui Wah’s Fresh Mango Crepe. Ooh, I have just added couple items to the list – Wild Rice’s Siu Mai (Pork Dumpling) and Char Siu (BBQ Pork) on speckled rice.
Thanks to Asian Heritage Month, Wild Rice is serenading this month of May with a heritage platter of 4 traditional dishes. You can order the platter for $19 or order them individually for $6 – $8 each. The other two dishes are Curry Vegetable Bao (steamed bun) and Congee with smoked tofu and fa koo (Shitake).
In case you wonder why I fall for Andrew Wong and Chef Todd Bright’s Siu Mai, since I have had numerous Siu Mai of different makes and sizes? Here is my answer: This Siu Mai scores high on all 3 elements of great Chinese cuisine – presentation, aroma and flavour. The dumpling is crafted into a lovely floral shape of golden petals; the well-balanced seasoning and the sloping hill pork combined to emit such tempting aroma when steamed; and the flavour – true nostalgic with using local ingredients!
I did try to yank the Char Siu recipe out from Andrew but to no avail. All I know is that the pork has to swim in the bed of top-secret marinade, unattended to, for 3 solid days. This bowl of Cha Siu on rice brings me back to those high school days when it’s considered a fabulous day when I had a bowl of intricate flavoured glazed Cha Siu on rice for lunch. Now, I simple go to Wild Rice for the juicy dripping Cha Siu fix.
Being a steamed bun fan, I actually enjoy the Curry Vegetable Bao stuffed with mild-curry flavour vegetables and lightly mash potatoes that seem to bring out the subtle sweetness and fluffiness of the dough. And the congee – it simply reminds me of what my Mom (and Andrew’s Mom too, I’m sure) used to make!
I just can’t to be too greedy and put all four items onto my craving list, can I?
*We still have a few seats available for our BC’s Best Market Dinner with Wild Rice on Tuesday, August 24th. If you’d like to be one of the lucky few to enjoy Chef Andrew Wong’s modern Chinese cuisine with us in the Market, you can book online now – don’t delay!
Happy Birthday La Belle Auberge – by Stephanie Yuen
La Belle Auberge celebrates 30th birthday
Bruno Marti needs no introduction but deserves all the accolades we could only dream of.
I’m not just talking about his influential mentorship in Canada’s restaurant industry or the list of protégé who all became celebrity chefs, but how he defines fine dining and shapes Vancouver into an internationally acclaimed food city.
After serving John Paul II in 1984, receiving the Order of BC in 2006 and serving 180,000 gourmet meals, Marti is now raising his glass as he celebrates La Belle Auberge’s thirtieth anniversary – the house of fine cuisine is where it all began, thirty years ago this month.
Inside La Belle Auberge and behind the 180,000 meals, there’re countless romantic moments, laughter, reunions and all kind of good times and celebrations, all are someone’s sweet memories and bits and pieces of La Belle Auberge’s 30 delicious years.
For this very special occasion, Marti and his Chef de Cuisine Tobias MacDonald have whipped up some fantastic dishes, on top of the familiar but always fascinating Table d’Hote or a-la-carte menu. Remember the lamb rack for two? Maybe the seafood stew in tomato saffron broth, the veal osso bucco; the just-delivered farm vegetables? What about banana flambé with vanilla ice cream?
Whatever you are craving for, this is the season to go and salute to BC’s culinary giant – Mr. Bruno Marti and his crew! Mind you, a drive and a stroll in Delta on a beautiful spring day before submitting yourself into the skillful hands of Marti and MacDonald is always a bonus.
Happy Brithday LBA!
La Belle Auberge 4856-48th Ave., Delta. 604-946-7717 www.labelleauberge.com
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