TASTE
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 - North Shore News - A31
YOUR NORTH SHORE GUIDE
to EXCEPTIONAL CUISINE
Dinner menu does well at lunch
Chris Dagenais
The Dish
ROMANCING THE STOVE Angela Shellard presents recipes that feature B.C. strawberries. page 32
Stack Grill, the latest restaurant concept to fill the old Ricky’s/Fatburger space at Lonsdale Avenue and 20th Street, is like that quiet accountant at work. You know the guy. He sits in the office all day doing exactly what he is supposed to, dutifully and proficiently fulfilling his role as a by-the-book numbers guy. But then at night, when you head out for that impromptu drink with the team . . . watch out! He’s a madman, full of delightful surprises, hidden talents, playful humour and unbridled passion. You see, Stack Grill serves up a very good diner-style lunch, featuring fish and chips, wraps, wings, panini and such, all well prepared and right on the money in meeting the expectations the room sets with its casual, 1950sera burger and shake environment. However, the restaurant’s evening menu, which tends towards grilled meats and Italian fare, defies all expectations and allows the kitchen to flex its creative muscle. Stack Grill’s unique riff on the Jekyll and Hyde story invites patrons to appreciate both faces in equal measure with preference determined
solely by mood and appetite. It was a tip from a reader, paired with my own investigation of the restaurant’s evening menu on Facebook, that piqued my curiosity about the place and prompted me to pay it a visit one recent Saturday afternoon with The Boy, my gregarious six-year-old son who was keen on the idea of a burger and shake served in an old fashioned chrome and leather swivel chair and Formica wonderland. Upon arrival we were warmly welcomed by a very hospitable hostess who, it turned out, effectively runs the place, serving tables, manning the till, stocking condiments, consulting with the kitchen and blending up some mean milkshakes, including the rich and frothy chocolate number (“It has sprinkles on top, Dad!”) that The Boy so thoroughly enjoyed. Scanning the lunch menu I was initially mildly disappointed to learn how radically different the midday fare is from the dinner items described on Facebook. I mentioned the contrast casually to our server, who, without missing a beat, offered me the full dinner menu, explaining that the sunny afternoon traffic lull permitted the kitchen to prepare whatever I was looking for. Not being one to reject a magnanimous gesture, I ordered a sirloin steak with creamy Gorgonzola sauce, served with a side salad and seasonal vegetables. The Boy and I split an order of Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings to start, and then he had battered cod and chips as a main. Stack Grill’s open
l-3WZ* -U) +-2ZW 2\3ZV6 .Z1\ 2*-WW862 -U) a-Ub-U`WW- 2-W-) Z2 8U 1\` V`U0 -1 G1-*X l3ZWW ZU e831\ D-U*80/`3% akcFc PAUL MCGRATH kitchen afforded us the chance to witness the chef in action, a defthanded brigade of one who, upon receiving our table’s order, began his preparations, which included the creation of a batter for both the chicken wings and the fish and chips, entirely from
scratch, which was a very promising sign of what was to come. The wings arrived plump, juicy, and covered in an outstandingly light batter not unlike tempura. The portion was substantial and turned out to be too much for The Boy and I to finish in one
sitting, particularly in light of the entrees that were still to come. The cod was crispy and golden brown, steaming and moist on the inside and served with a wedge of lemon, tartar sauce and simple coleslaw. The See Steak page 33
GIANNI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT Traditional authentic Italian food
TWO FOR ONE PASTA SPECIAL LUNCH & DINNER Mon - Wed • (dine in only)
OPEN FOR
FATHER’S DAY!
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
Hours: luncH Mon-Fri FroM 11:30aM • dinner Mon-sat FroM 5:30pM
FREE
PARKING IN REAR PARKADE
112 WEST 13TH STREET, NORTH VANCOUVER
604 960 1015