Vancouver Magazine May 2015

240 WINNERS 50 CATEGORIES 1,075 DISHES

A brunch beauty from our big winner, page 58

Cover.FINAL.N1.indd 1

TOP PLATES, CARTS, CHEAP EATS, WINE LISTS & MORE

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VOLUME 48

NUMBER 4

MAY

THE 26TH ANNUAL RESTAURANT AWARDS ISSUE F E AT U R E S

Cover: Clinton Hussey; this page: Carlo Ricci

42 Peace, War,

56 And the

and Islam

Winners Are...

In the midst of events that have spawned international controversy, peaceful Muslim communities struggle to foster understanding. Metro Vancouver’s is no exception

By Andrew Findlay

Casting their collective net over the region’s vast dining landscape, our judges once again have determined the best of everything there is to eat and drink—and it’s a motherlode

LET’S EAT! Some of our Restaurant Awards winners get down to business at Mr. Red Cafe (see pg. 80)

M AY 2 O 1 5 | VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E

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MAY

***

“THE PROBLEM IS, I WAS A CRIMINAL LAWYER. WHEN YOU WENT INTO COURT, YOU CAME TO PLAY. IT CAN BE VERY OFF-PUTTING”

—pg. 26

THE

THE

22 VANCOUVER LIFE An acclaimed

104 PERSONAL SHOPPER

18 FROM THE EDITOR Whether

exhibit arrives in Vancouver to ask, What is happiness?

Plus, the evolution of a contentious human-rights issue, and an entrepreneur’s mission to make plastics greener

Subdued colours, clean details, and flights of fancy define this month’s covetable finds

our Restaurant Awards judges’ or our readers’, opinions from beyond the office walls are a constant source of enlightenment

BRIEF GOODS PLUS

PG.22

26 URBAN FIX

Big ideas and a bigger mouth have helped make Derek Corrigan seemingly immovable as Burnaby’s mayor

106 MODEL CITIZEN Singer

Jill Barber opts for timeless apparel to complement her timeless music 108 MY SPACE

Escaping urban bustle, Jason Bosa created an idiosyncratic oasis in forested West Van

114 SNAP CHATTER Philan-

thropists, musicians, filmmakers, and more have been making the scene around town

34 BLOCK WATCH

The long, slow slog that leads to new towers on our skyline 36 ON THE RECORD Having

PG.41

made a fortune with eyeglasses, Clearly Contacts founder Roger Hardy is now putting his best foot forward 38 THE ESSENTIALS

110 SWEAT EQUIT Y En

garde! A master of swordplay teaches the masses how to sharpen their defences 112 FIELD TRIP

With more places to sup, shop, and sleep than ever, Victoria merits serious consideration as a great (and convenient) weekend getaway

Va n m a g .co m Search over 800 restaurant reviews, now filtered by neighbourhood, cuisine type, awards, and more PG.112

12

Henry Hargreaves; Deddeda Stemler; Evaan Kheraj

Pop stars young and old, documentaries solemn and silly—and much more to see and do this month

VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 O 1 5

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EDITOR-IN- CHIEF

John Burns ART DIRECTOR

Paul Roelofs SENIOR EDITOR

Michael White ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Naomi MacDougall TRAVEL & STYLE EDITOR

Amanda Ross ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

Jenny Reed EVENTS EDITOR

Fiona Morrow CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Frances Bula, Christina Burridge, Mario Canseco, Petti Fong, Kerry Gold, Michael Harris, DJ Kearney, Neal McLennan, Malcolm Parry, Guy Saddy, Jim Sutherland, Timothy Taylor, Daniel Wood CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Tracey Ayton, Clinton Hussey, Evaan Kheraj, Joe McKendry (contributor illustrations), Andrew Querner, Carlo Ricci, John Sinal, Milos Tosic, Luis Valdizon EDITORIAL INTERNS

Ginger Jefferies, Danielle Tsang PHOTO & ART INTERNS

Andrea Fernandez, Max Hirtz PROOFREADER

Ruth Grossman EDITORIAL EMAIL

mail@vancouvermagazine.com PRODUCTION MANAGER

Lee Tidsbury ADVERTISING DESIGNER

Swin Nung Chai

VANCOUVER OFFICE

Suite 560, 2608 Granville St. Vancouver, B.C. V6H 3V3 604-877-7732 ONLINE COORDINATOR

Jennifer Elliott ONLINE ASSISTANT

Rachel Morten VIDEOGRAPHER

Mark Philps

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VANCOUVER MAGAZINE is published 10 times a year by Transcontinental Western Media Group Inc. Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without publisher’s written permission. Not responsible for unsolicited editorial material. Privacy Policy: On occasion, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened organizations whose product or service might interest you. If you prefer that we not share your name and address (postal and/or email), you can easily remove your name from our mailing lists by reaching us at any of the listed contact points. You can review our complete Privacy Policy at Vanmag.com.

Subscriptions in Canada: one year $39.99. Subscriptions in the United States: one year $59.99. Rates include GST. Back issues $10, including postage and handling. All figures in Canadian funds. For address change, send old and new address to our circulation department. Indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia Ltd. and also in the Canadian Periodical Index. International standard serial no. ISSN 0380-9552. Canadian publications mail product sales agreement #40064924. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Dept., Suite 560, 2608 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C., V6H 3V3. Printed in Canada by Transcontinental Printing G.P. (LGM Graphics), 737 Moray St., Winnipeg, MB, R3J 3S9. All reproduction requests must be made to: COPIBEC (paper reproductions) 800-717-2022, or CEDROM-SNi (electronic reproductions) 800-563-5665. Distributed by Coast to Coast Ltd.

VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 O 1 5

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MMM…DELICIOUSNESS IS BREWING

THIS

MONTH

PICK UP THE JUNE ISSUE FOR THE WINNERS OF OUR FIRST ANNUAL VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CRAFT

FROM THE EDITOR

The Big Picture

BEER AWARDS, PLUS A MICROBREW PRIMER AND MY REPORT FROM MUNICH, GROUND ZERO FOR SUDS

The Restaurant Awards judges have a (very) lively debate, then they blind-vote. Is it high-tech? Nope: it’s Post-its in a box.

But they get to have their say, without sway from advertisers

Judgment Day in this job, i’m given so many intriguing glimpses behind the scenes. And I love it: hearing stories that later become the news, meeting power-brokers who operate outside the limelight, touring restaurant kitchens (very occasionally, chefs let me make some of the food…sssh!). One of my annual delights happens right in this office when our Restaurant Awards judges convene to bestow their highest honour: Restaurant of the Year.

Here’s how the judging works. Our 17 critics (their names are listed on pg. 57) dine around all year, keeping lists of promising new rooms and deserving favourites. They share their shortlists, then go off once more separately to check out contenders. When it’s time, they fill out their ballots (again, separately) and ship them off to our accountant, Craig Elliott at Crowe MacKay LLP, who tabulates, weighs, and adjudicates the winners.

The judges learn the results of that accounting when you do, with one exception: in early March we invite them all into the office, open some wine, and reveal to them the Best Casual and Best Upscale winners. The judges then have a (very) lively debate about the relative merits of each, what the past year meant in terms of dining trends, and the messages they hope their best-ofshow decision will convey. Then they blind-vote.

High-tech? Nope: it’s Post-its in a box. But they get to have their say, without sway from advertisers, and I’m proud to present their 9–8 winner, as I’m proud to reveal the whole list (pg. 56) in service to giving you another year of assured great dining.

Speaking of high-tech adjudication, we turned the tables last winter, asking our readers and online users to rate their enjoyment of what we do. Thanks to all who answered—your comments were instructive and (mostly) reassuring. Criticisms of our coverage included too much downtown, too much West Side, too few pages in the print edition, and too many “trendy, flashin-the-pan people, places, and things.” Half the positive comments praised our local focus, and many celebrated our food and drink content. (This issue is your reward.) I especially enjoyed “I can read it at work, as I am not allowed to use the internet on the work computer.” I’m going to call that a win? VM

john.burns@vancouvermagazine.com

18

BENEFITS OF THE NEW VANMAG.COM

847 The number of reviews in our swank new Restaurant Finder. Dine by neighbourhood, cuisine type, cost, and more 2008 The last time we revamped our site.

A few things had changed, like…

4 Social media platforms we now frequent. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are all linked in 0 Site comments as of April 1, pre-launch.

Come add yours!

Portrait: Evaan Kheraj; styling: Luisa Rino; clothing courtesy Holt Renfrew

JOHN BURNS

4

VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 O 1 5

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SIZES (W X H, SINGLE PAGE)

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VA NC O U V E R L IF E

URBAN FIX

BL OCK WAT CH

ON THE RECORD

THE ESSENTIALS

“I feel like I have turned into a blob with useless limbs. It is a terrible thing to be a mind trapped in a wasted body” PG. 23

T HE The month in politics, real estate, business & culture

Driven to Drink it takes a certain talent to promise the relaxation of wine, beer, and spirit retail that we see in other cities—and ruin it. Yet the BC Liberals have managed to disappoint just about everyone as they approach the April 1 rollout of liquor in grocery stores. Leaving aside the question of what bottles will cost (consensus is more, but who can know?) and what countries they’ll come from (for indie shops: this one), we’re left with the psychogeographical tangle of where food stores may peddle alcohol: at least a kilometre from existing liquor stores, with “fi xed and immovable barriers” separating grog from groceries. Among the few businesses that qualify, those stalwart enough to sign up threw their names into a random lottery that closed March 27, resigned to putting up with the kind of bureaucratic muddle we’ve been enjoying, essentially unchanged, since June 15, 1921, when the provincial government first waded into the liquor business.

Andrea Fernandez

By law, grocery stores must partner with existing private shops, like Olympic Village’s Legacy Liquor Store

M AY 2 O 1 5 | VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E

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SAGMEISTER TAKES A SABBATICAL EVERY

THE

SEVEN YEARS. (SEE HIS TED TALK, “THE POWER OF TIME OFF.”) HIS LAST, TO BALI,

BRIEF

VA N C O U V E R L I F E

INSPIRED THIS SHOW. HAPPINESS FOR HIM? SCOOTERING WITH GOOD TUNES

Tr e n d i n g S t o r i e s

C U LT U R E

Happy Days A travelling exhibition unpacking our drive for contentment offers pointed observations about the values of its visitors and the institutions that host it

Y 22

yellow, the german poet Goethe believed, “is the colour nearest the light.” It equates with goodness, he wrote in 1810’s Theory of Colours, and “in its highest purity it always carries with it the nature of brightness, and has a serene, gay, softly exciting character.”

Such beliefs have given rise to a whole school of colour psychology (think pink prisons and blue Facebook); to experience the effect in

person, you might check out Stefan Sagmeister’s just-opened installation at the Museum of Vancouver.

The Happy Show, running to September 7, started three years ago in Philadelphia, then moved on to Toronto, L.A., Paris. One constant: in overtaking the spaces that host it, everything turns an unapologetically 100 percent primary yellow.

The Museum of Vancouver is no exception; the New York-based Sagmeister has transformed its galleries and corridors with his signature jaunty text walls, infographic panels, and interactive installations. Yellow gumballs are stored in 10 dispensing tubes; assess your current mood and help yourself to a corresponding candy.

(As the show progresses, the silos become emotional barometers.)

Yellow graphics unpack—through the kind of smartly curated and attention-getting information you’d expect from a successful

midcareer graphic designer—connections between happiness and food, sex, music, exercise, novelty, and more.

A yellow dispenser invites you to push a button to get a card.

(Happiness is so often about reward.) “Continue enjoying this exhibit with your fly open. If you are not wearing trousers open the top three buttons of your shirt,” reads one. “Go home and have sex,” reminds another. The most moving cards draw on the interplay between happiness and community: “Take a picture of your favorite piece and send it to your best friend.” “Call your mom and talk to her about the show.”

That’s the element that most excited Gregory Dreicer, the museum’s director of curatorial and engagement; he saw The Happy Show in Chicago in the summer of 2013, when he had a similar role with the Chicago Architecture

Greenhouse Media LLC

IN MANY CASES, MUSEUMS AND ESPECIALLY ART MUSEUMS HAVE BEEN ABOUT WHAT THE CURATORS LIKE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONTENT

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Foundation. He was blown away.

“It’s probably the most engaging exhibition I’ve ever seen,” he says. “I went back several times, and every time, it was fi lled with people. The exhibition itself was beautifully designed and included all kinds of collaborations with other artists. He created this environment that’s all about what he’s talking about—amusing and engaging at the same time.”

Not every show manages to walk this line, he says. “In many cases, museums and especially art museums have been about what the curators like. Sometimes people don’t really understand the content, and curators don’t care that much.” Academic hedging can overlay even a subject as basic as happiness (which Sagmeister came to realize is something we race toward but never reach: “If we did, basically, we would just have spent human history eating all the time and lying around having sex,” he has said). But that remove is changing, says Dreicer.

“You’ve got to approach people with what they know, not with what you want them to know.”

The show ties into larger themes for the museum, and for Dreicer personally, who arrived last summer to discover the dispiriting “Connections and Engagement” survey results from the Vancouver Foundation. His responses: this show, and a second, planned for 2016, that will “enable and help people to connect. But also get people to understand why connection is important: if an earthquake happens, are you expecting an ambulance just to drive up? If people can come away from interacting with the museum knowing why to connect and how, and having the opportunity to do so, then I really will be happy.”—John Burns

L AW

MEETING DEATH HALFWAY THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS Wanting to be happy is all well and good, but how to increase it if you can’t quantify it?

In 1972, the mountain kingdom of Bhutan invented the Gross National Happiness index, which measures a mix of good governance, culture, environment, and development. In the intervening decades, the notion has been adopted by many, including the UN, the province of Ontario, the city of Seattle, and, most recently, the emirate of Dubai

A Vancouver lawyer brought his clients’ dying wishes to the Supreme Court, whose ruling opens the door to aided suicide  Joe Arvay has a way with words, and

Trades and Labour Council [Esquimalt,

over the last quarter-century court

B.C.], et al. v. Her Majesty the Queen),

watchers have heard him use those

drug addicts (Canada [A.G.] v. PHS

words to challenge what is—in his

Community Services Society), and sex

opinion and, more often than not, the

workers (Canada [Attorney General] v.

Supreme Court of Canada’s—a wrong

Downtown Eastside Sex Workers United

that should be righted.

Against Violence Society). In this most

In November 2011, the Farris,

recent case, his clients on behalf of the

Vaughan, Wills & Murphy lawyer

B.C. Civil Liberties Association, Gloria

used the words of a dying man to say

Taylor and Kay Carter, were both long

something about assisted suicide to a

dead when the case went to the coun-

courtroom packed with colleagues and

try’s highest court, which, he says,

interested and biased observers. “ ‘I feel

responded, as it has in his previous

like I have turned into a blob with useless

Charter cases, to the federal govern-

limbs,’ ” he read, quoting the affidavit of

ment’s failures or refusals to deal with

Pete Fenker, a retired logger and ALS

particular problems.

sufferer who had tried to kill himself with

He has learned that when he takes

a shotgun, then lived out his dying days

on a Charter case, he has to relate to

in agony. “ ‘It is a terrible thing to be a

the client’s cause. “Sometimes a lawyer

mind trapped in a wasted body.’ ”

can remain somewhat aloof or indiffer-

In February, the Supreme Court

ent, but when you’re arguing a Charter

finally ruled any competent adult with

case that is so value-laden, in order to

an incurable medical condition causing

be effective you need to be committed.

enduring, intolerable suffering could ask

I’m not indifferent.” That’s why he says

a doctor for help to die. It was a triumph,

one of his abiding passions is to try to

yet the lawyer—speaking from his office

persuade courts to impose positive

on the 25th floor of Vancouver’s TD

duties on government to deal with such

Tower—says the unanimous win remains

unshifting disasters as homelessness,

a complex one with an uncertain future.

child poverty, and addiction.

“I’ve done a lot of cases which

Politicians now have a year to

affect individuals or significant seg-

craft legislation that will decriminalize

ments of the population, but not a case

physician-assisted suicide, a task Arvay

that affects everyone the way this

doesn’t envy, calling the issue the kind

one does,” he says. “I appreciate there

of hot potato that scares all political

are still some people who don’t agree

parties because of its ability to attract

with the court’s decision, but there is

single-issue voters. That’s not his worry.

overwhelming support in the Cana-

What he does care about is the broader

dian population for physician-assisted

certainty the Taylor case achieved

dying in certain circumstances.”

through the courts. “We all know some-

Arvay, 65, has worked with the

one who suffered horribly as a result of

LGBTQ community (Chamberlain v.

illness or trauma. That peace of mind we

Surrey School District No. 36), labour

now have may be the palliative that we

unions (Federal Government Dockyard

all need as we grow older.”—Petti Fong

M AY 2 O 1 5 | VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E

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POT STORES IN VANCOUVER

50 –

– 50

25 –

– 25

– 100

0–

Tr e n d i n g S t o r i e s

–0 2000

2005

2010

2015

RECYCLING

Junkyard Hero One Vancouver entrepreneur’s search for compostable plastics over a decade ago, toby Reid was working as an e-commerce specialist at Mountain Equipment Co-op. He also loved to surf, but the more time he spent on our coastal beaches, the more he was confronted by an ever-growing abundance of plastic littering the ocean. The unwelcome sight inspired him to take a closer look at MEC’s plastic procurement and supply policies; a light bulb flicked on. In 2006, three years after leaving the co-op, he launched Solegear Bioplastics.

“I saw a need for bio-based, fully compostable plastic,” Reid says in his third-floor office on West Hastings Street, in the high-tech incubator corridor near Woodward’s. “I met a chemical engineer, and a day later we were developing tests.”

Since founding Solegear nine years ago, Reid has been working to revolutionize the petroleumbased industry through a range of new-age durable plastics derived from plant-based resins and environmentally benign chemicals.

These so-called bioplastics, which Solegear has made into packaging trays and smartphone cases, are designed to be as compostable as pizza boxes and carrot peelings.

Like many Vancouver entrepreneurs, Reid, 42, originally financed

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his start-up by leaning on friends and family, then dipped into government funding. Eventually, he approached the city’s venture capitalists; even today, his conversations are richly sprinkled with investment-pitch aphorisms like, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

To date Solegear has netted $2 million in federal funding and $5 million in private capital from Yaletown Venture Partners and Best Buy Capital.

Reid says the next phase is to go public, with an initial offering scheduled for any day now; he hopes the IPO will generate another $3 million. That infusion will allow Solegear to roll out a new range of products including medical supplies and other packaging applications. Reid says he’s also on the cusp of announcing a major partnership with a toy manufacturer. “I believe we have the potential to build a billion-dollar company here in B.C.” Joe Hruska, sustainability consultant with the Ontario-based Canadian Plastics Industry Association, cautions that bioplastics are still in their infancy, accounting for less than four percent of Canadian production. (The industry as a whole is worth $17 billion a year in

THE CARROT OR THE STICK? While Toby Reid invents cleaner plastics to tempt consumers, he’s also lobbying politicians to regulate sustainable packaging.

He points to cities like Seattle, which banned singleuse plastic bags as well as noncompostable and non-recyclable packaging in the foodservice sector

this country.) Multinationals like Germany’s BASF, founded in 1865, have begun to test the market, but he believes all firms face significant challenges, including confusion from consumers about where compostable plastics fit alongside recycling and waste disposal.

The scale of the problem is vast.

The conventional-plastics industry churns out nearly 300 million tonnes of the stuff annually, overrunning landfills and contributing to ghastly continents of trash, like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, floating off the west coast of North America. A study by the Californiabased Association for the Advancement of Science examined more than 190 coastline countries and found that an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean each year; once there, they photodegrade into ever-smaller particulates, are swallowed by marine animals, and enter the food chain and, ultimately, us.

Yet Reid is undaunted. He relishes the David-versus-Goliath nature of the struggle, even as he wishes Solegear were further along in its development. “We’re trying to disrupt a well-entrenched petroleum-based plastics sector,” he says. “It can be frustratingly slow.”—Andrew Findlay

VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 O 1 5

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 FR ANCES BUL A

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there and be told off for his city’s behaviour. The real question is how mushy liberals like me believe shoving the homeless into shelters will solve anything.

“You want to pretend you’re a better person,” he says, leaning into his padded chair. “You’re not. You’re not writing the articles that would hold this government to account.”

He doesn’t mean a general “you.”

He means me specifically. I’m buying into the right-wing agenda, he says, caving in to a craven wish to remove the unpleasantness of homeless people from my sight.

Waves of adrenalin slosh through my system. Yes, but Burnaby has no permanent or winter shelters, just one temporary shelter open only on the worst nights…

Eventually, I steer to calmer waters. Before I leave, I ask him if he regrets anything in 30 years of public life. He pauses, looks around his office. “I think sometimes by being as outspoken as I am, I needlessly alienate what could be support. I could be more conciliatory and have a better effect. The problem is, I was a criminal lawyer. When you went into court, you came to play. It can be very off-putting.” I blink.

The Big Buildup How perennial mayor Derek Corrigan reinvented Burnaby photo by ash ta nasiychuk

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everything was going so well.

Ensconced in his office, with his jars of candy, Chinese plates, pandas, display of pins, and Best Run City in Canada award, Derek Corrigan—the man some call the king of Burnaby—seemed uncharacteristically affable. We talked about his rough childhood (son of a single

mother, “dirt poor” in the early years), his start in politics, his ability to attract votes even when the electorate disagrees with him.

Then I bring up homelessness, and the temperature plummets.

That topic has earned him more criticism than any over the years, and Corrigan isn’t going to just sit

corrigan has the look of a rugby forward who’s run over his share of opponents. The most pugnacious mayor the Lower Mainland has seen in 50 years, he defies conventional wisdom. Not for him the conciliatory pleasantries of Mayor Gregor Robertson’s “If I haven’t met your expectations, I am sorry” or former Surrey mayor Dianne Watts’s regal “I’m here to listen to all of you.” He tears strips off fellow politicians, berates reporters, is presiding over an onslaught of condo development and cheap-apartment demolition

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that would set off riots in Vancouver, and has been dinged more than once for pricey junkets, fancy cars, distracted-driving tickets, and his heavy subsidized use of Burnaby’s golf courses. Oh, and he’s an unapologetic socialist.

It’s easier to engage in such behaviour when voters have your back. In Burnaby’s last civic election, a new opposition party tried to raise the kinds of issues that nearly toppled Vision Vancouver: lack of affordable housing, rampant development, cozy relationships with unions, lack of public consultation.

It went nowhere. In fact, 70 percent of the 40,000 people who bothered to vote chose Corrigan. That kind of blanket approval is unseen outside of, say, Turkmenistan.

His praise comes from an unlikely coalition. Developers frequently name him one of the best in the region to do business with.

Unions love him—the one representing city employees contributed a quarter of his association’s $490,000 election campaign funds.

Environmentalists see him as a hero for his stand on the Kinder Morgan pipeline, especially the city’s substantial (unpublished) outlay to repeatedly take the company to court through the National Energy Board, the B.C. Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Canada, and the federal court of appeal. And business types, who might look at a socialist askance, can’t help but be impressed with Burnaby’s finances.

The city never borrows to fix roads, build community centres and pools, or create parks. At last count, its reserves held $655 million in cash and $100 million in land—plus its parks and city buildings.

“He does speak across the political divide that exists in B.C.,” says Patrick Smith, the SFU politicalscience professor who is one of

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the province’s closest observers of municipal politics. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him stumble.” the great depression broke Burnaby. Unlike Vancouver, which profited during those rough years by taking over defaulted properties, the City of Burnaby was so poor by 1932 that the province had to step in and run it for 10 years.

“There was something in that experience, the trauma of going bankrupt, that shaped Burnaby,” says Smith, who has lived and worked in the municipality for 32 years.

As a consequence this big suburb turned into the Saskatchewan of B.C., one of the most reliably leftwing zones in the province—but in its own way. Partly, that’s because it developed as a working-class appendix to Vancouver and partly because it has become home to many union offices. It’s a cautious, moderate leftism that prevails here, the kind that pinches a penny and works hard to keep the bank happy.

It’s Corrigan’s kind of leftism.

He too passed through poverty. In the 1950s, he lived in a West End boarding house with his mother— a cosmetician who worked at city drugstores—and his younger halfbrother. He didn’t know his father, a military guy who turned into a drunk and took off. By elementary school, little Derek was acting out, and the principal, suspecting he was bright and bored, arranged for him to switch to Queen Elizabeth elementary, deep in Vancouver’s establishment West Side.

He stayed there, mixing with the children of doctors and lawyers, until the family moved near Charles Tupper for high school; there, he felt the pressure to toughen up.

But he had been told he was smart and carried that as a deep obligation. “When you come from a

middle-class family, you can waste your talents and there’s someone else around to succeed. But in my case, everybody failed if I failed.” So he knuckled down, got into UBC political science, then law school.

He graduated a changed man.

Married to classmate Kathy (they have four kids), he absorbed the idealism of the ’70s, emerging a civil libertarian. That meant making sure the system treated everyone fairly. His subsequent cases must have tested that belief many times. He practised criminal law for 30 years, defending what some might call the scum of the earth: a drunk driver who killed a family of four (“What I ask is that you not be swayed by emotion,” he said to the jury); a guy who beat a woman on the head with a flashlight and a rock (“He is a normal, respectful Christian young man,” he told

SOMETIMES BY BEING AS OUTSPOKEN AS I AM, I NEEDLESSLY ALIENATE WHAT COULD BE SUPPORT the court); a restaurant owner who sexually assaulted a couple of teenage girls (maybe he touched one of them on the shoulder to help his balance, he argued).

It was likely some of those people, along with others he met working summers as a prison guard, he was thinking of when he told a reporter that homeless people are usually hopeless addicts and habitual criminals. If they found you dying on the sidewalk, he told the Burnaby NewsLeader in 2013, they’d pull out your gold fillings.

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Politics was an early interest, thanks to an articling stint with Jim Lorimer of the short-lived Dave Barrett government. Former NDP attorney-general Bob Williams would drop in. By 1979, two years out of law school, Corrigan was running for council with the citizens’ association that had started strong in the mid ’50s but had since declined. It would take four tries and a stint as president to rebuild the organization, but he finally won a seat in 1987, at the same time his party swept to power. He and the association, with strong ties to unions, have kept a lock on council ever since.

The classic suburban councillor, he was always on the lookout for his people, speaking out about monster houses, crime, lack of protection for renters. He has been mayor since 2002, through five elections, and by all appearances he’ll die in office: he hasn’t strayed beyond his borders since his unhappy three-year foray as chair of BC Transit, at the invitation of Mike Harcourt. He quit in May 1997 after a drubbing in the media over the $1,000-a-month Saab he billed to the government.

The resignation wasn’t graceful. He’d given up a lucrative law practice for a public-service job, he pointed out. “I don’t think I deserve this. I deserve thanks.” (In addition to his mayoral salary of $123,000, in 2013 he received $12,750 for a car, $37,000 as a Metro director, and $13,329 for other expenses.)

Although Corrigan isn’t seen as a force in the provincial NDP, he is still the ruler of his pond. Anyone wanting to run for the party provincially or federally is advised to make his living room their first stop. Kennedy Stewart did before he made his run for federal office. Carol Baird Ellan got his endorsement as part of seeking the nomination in the new

30

Burnaby North-Seymour riding.

Of course, Kathy Corrigan could stop by anytime she liked. After leaving law to work at the CUPE head office, she served as a schoolboard trustee for several years and is now in her second term as an NDP MLA. It’s a sign of Derek’s equal-opportunity contrarianism that he disagrees with his wife on policy issues: he supported Burnaby’s casino when the city became the first to push to expand those revenues; she didn’t. He was prepared to vote against her equity motion when she was head of the party’s women’s committee. They’re at odds on the current transit plebiscite. (He is voting no.) now 63, he’s focusing on his own backyard—Burnaby first, Metro Vancouver second.

Four years ago, it was Corrigan who steered the Regional Growth Strategy to success. Turning on the charm and self-deprecating wit he can display when he wants to, he sold a road map for what the region needs if it’s to accommodate the million people and 600,000 jobs anticipated by 2041. He coaxed skeptical councils to accept one of the more contentious items, a land reserve that would save their industrial districts from becoming Condoland. And he preached the importance of density.

Density wasn’t just an abstract idea he tossed out for other municipalities to act on. Burnaby has taken it on with a vengeance, envisioning a 55-percent increase in population (to 345,000) by 2041.

That is going to mean big changes.

The city is still almost rural. At 90 square kilometres, it’s about 80 percent as big as Vancouver, but with under half the residents, many still living in Ozzie and Harrietstyle big houses on large lots that

A TALE OF TWO CITIES The new Oakridge and Brentwood developments represent 28 acres each, yet the numbers speak to radically different settings Tallest towers O: 47 storeys B: 70 storeys Number of units O: 2,914 B: 4,200 (max) Affordable housing O: 290 socialhousing units ($80M) run by the city, plus 290 rental apartments B: $913,000 to the housing fund; developers to supply some rental apartments Public amenities O: $123M, including a park ($23M), civic centre ($44M), and public art ($8M) B: The developer has given $4.56M for the first tower.

About $3.5M is set aside for unspecified amenities. Plus, public art and a central plaza, cost unspecified

sprawl across neighbourhoods from Burrard Inlet to the Fraser River.

Burnaby’s solution has been to pile growth into four town centres (Metrotown, Edmonds, Brentwood, Lougheed) and along the Millennium Line with few of the rules that Vancouver, in deference to public pressure, has set down.

All around Metrotown, cheap three-storey rental buildings are being pulled down at a ferocious pace, something that is alarming those who monitor housing in the city and region. “People are regularly being displaced. The situation is very serious,” says Wanda Mulholland, head of a Burnaby group trying to tackle the city’s homelessness and housing problems. Corrigan insists the city is preserving what it can through a moratorium on many apartments, but some of the buildings are too old to be saved and the city doesn’t have enough money in its density-bonus account to subsidize something new and make it affordable. Not for his city the Vancouver route of giving developers massive bonuses to create market rentals. So that’s that. In the meantime, buildings are coming down because, as he writes to me later, they sit on land near the SkyTrain that should be used for more density to maximize the transit investment.

The density allowed in the town centres is startling. At Brentwood, the City approved a massive redevelopment two years ago that makes Vancouver’s controversial Oakridge one look like a Hobbit village. And throughout Burnaby, developers have been allowed to throw up towers, especially along the Millennium Line, that provide none of the amenities that other cities require (parks, an interesting streetscape, some sense of a neighbourhood plan) when they’re forcing density.

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THE Dr. Shannon humphrey, Dr. alaStair CarrutherS & Dr. Jean CarrutherS answer your questions about today’s cosmetic advances & issues

Is there anything you can do to help with cellulite and saddlebags? I’m on the paleo diet and work with a trainer but it’s not doing the trick.

Zoe J, Vancouver

I have good news and bad news, bad news first, there is no lasting treatment for cellulite. There are a number of devices on the market that offer temporary improvement in the appearance of cellulite. Similarly topical application of caffeine containing cream with vigorous massage can offer very temporary improvement however cellulite is caused by dense fibrous connections within the fat itself and we have yet to develop a reproducible long lasting treatment for this problem. (As depicted in popular news magazines even skinny celebrities get cellulite!)

There is good news for saddlebags. For patients who have localized unwanted deposits of fat including saddlebags, CoolSculpting® is an option for them. This treatment uses cold temperatures to freeze unwanted bulges of fat. As long as your weight is stable, you pay attention to diet and exercise, and the fat deposits are localized you may be a good candidate for Coolsculpting. There is an advanced and innovative applicator specifically for the saddlebag called the CoolSmooth. Other popular areas to treat include inner thighs, love handles and the belly.

Your expert cosmetic physician can determine if this may be a good treatment for you but in the meantime keep up the good work with a healthy diet and exercise, this will keep you looking and feeling great for a lifetime.

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Corrigan says Burnaby hasn’t been able to ask for those things for a long time, but the balance is shifting. “When we did Metrotown and Station Square, at that point the developers had all the cards.

Twenty-five years later, the bargaining power has shifted.” Even though Burnaby is now pushing for a bit more, developers say the city is still one of the best to work with. If Corrigan likes something, he says so. If he doesn’t, he tells whoever is in his office flat out that the idea will never fly. “It makes it easier. Then you’re not wasting anyone’s time,” says one applicant who was recently rejected.

He’s tight with his planning staff. “There’s no doubt that his city hall is probably the most cohesive in the region in how staff and the politicians work together,” says Michael Geller, a developer and architect who used to oversee SFU’s UniverCity developments in Burnaby.

Still, this suburban mayor insists Burnaby can never get what Vancouver does because of an inherent bias at all levels. Vancouver gets art galleries and arenas; “We get the sewage and the garbage and the prisons.” And the municipality continues to be treated like nothing more than a corridor to drive through. “Hastings, Lougheed, the Trans-Canada Highway dividing the community in half, Kingsway, Canada Way, Marine Way—they were built just to move people through here,” he says.

That’s why he doesn’t support a Broadway subway. What’s the point of shipping more people from the Valley out to the western end of the Vancouver peninsula, he wants to know. He’d rather support Surrey and Coquitlam in developing their own downtowns. That’s the future, he says. Forget Vancouver and the North Shore. The Fraser Valley will be Burnaby’s salvation. VM

15-03-25 12:41 PM

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reviewed by council, the Development Permit Board, and the Urban Design Panel, a peerreview group of volunteer architects, landscape Development hasn’t been arrested, architects, and engineers but it’s under surveillance who offer feedback (tone by adrien ne matei down that wacky façade, soften the courtyard) you’d be forgiven are fiercely protected, during the process. “Then for thinking develthe area is still seeing we go to heritage comopments in this city spring plenty of additions, both mittees; in the West End up out of nowhere. Even confirmed and pending, we also go to the LGBTQ if it sometimes feels this including towers by West- community. We notify way, “They do go through bank and Intracorp. “We the neighbourhood, we an extensive level of give advice based on cur- put ads in the newspaper, scrutiny before anything rent policy and whether we have a public hearing. is approved,” says Kevin developers’ proposals fit The Beach Towers had a McNaney, assistant direc- our parameters or not,” four-night public heartor of planning. We’re explains McNaney. ing, The Lauren had five.” talking about the West As for other advisory (McNaney was there the End Plan, launched last elements, projects are whole time.) “Anyone can year after consulting over 7,000 people to establish principles like buildings must include 20 percent social housing, vibe with local character, and cap at 190 feet. The blueprint won the Planning Institute of British Columbia’s 2014 Excellence in Policy Planning Award.

While the 121 heritage buildings in the ’hood

West End 101

B U I L D I N G WAT C H

ZONING OUT New towers are coming to the West End. At least, they’re trying to

34

come speak; everyone’s got five minutes to express their opinion.” If the proposal’s approved, the development process generally calls for more input from the UDP (which keeps tabs on density and height, ensuring the city’s 27 sacrosanct view corridors, five of which sluice through the West End, preserve those heartswelling mountain vistas).

Right now, the proposed skyscraper rezoning of 1754 Pendrell has eyebrows raised. “It meets our basic tower guidelines for the West End: it’s rental housing.”

Concerned neighbours needn’t fret yet. “Even if there is a rezoning, you still need to go through the development permit process. There’s still a long way before construction—the public can track and respond to how the conditions of rezoning were approved.” It’s as complicated as it needs to be, says McNaney. “We have a highly consultative process.” VM

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VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 O 1 5

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THE CHEAP SEATS SPEAKING OF THE MLS, HERE’S THE MARKET’S LOWEST LISTING: 633 E. CORDOVA ST. IS A 3,100 SQ. FT. HOME WITH 4 BEDS, 2 BATHS. SAYS THE REALTOR: “BE A PART OF THE FUTURE OF TRENDY VANCOUVER!” ASKING PRICE? $738,000

* Who’s in Charge?

FIGURE ONE

HOT BUYS

We asked 1,000 people what influences their neighbourhood. Developers and traffic dominated Q: Who has the

Q: What has

In a sellers’ market, with a glut of houses arrayed for a superglut of buyers, what distinguishes the hidden gems? It can be any little thing

Q: If one thing

most influence on the look and feel of your neighbourhood?

changed in your neighbourhood over the past five years?

could improve the look and feel of your neighbourhood, what would it be?

21%

BEST

“Encourage community-oriented activities, to keep the sense of family— old-fashioned as that might seem.

Including block parties, Block Watch, community events such as parades, displays, involve churches, schools”

Community

23%

Government

42%

Developers

Food options

SAME

Entertainment options

WORST

Traffic

MORE THAN THE MARKET CAN BEAR

West Side detached houses on the market—an impressive number, doubly so given that it’s 44 percent higher than last year’s. Such an embarrassment of choices might suggest a slowdown, as buyers graze through ever more offerings, yet realtors are reporting a spring so vigorous it’s in danger of tipping into that sexiest of seasons: a sellrate is approaching zero might also

*

$289,000 // 554 sq. ft., 1 bed, 1 bath. Is there anything authentically Victorian still in this 1996 condo conversion?

Ontology aside, it has a proper bedroom, hardwood floors, and a rooftop patio.

 In February, there were over 400

ers’ market. (That the overnight Results are based on online interviews that Insights West conducted for Vancouver magazine with a representative sample of 1,002 adult residents of Metro Vancouver between March 2 and 4.

The margin of error is 3.1%

202–233 ABBOTT ST., GASTOWN

be a factor.) All this hustle has us hitting Refresh on MLS.ca every morning, idly hunting for patterns.

Some would look at these charm-

3727 W. 18TH AVE., DUNBAR

$1,798,000 // 2,267 sq. ft., 3 beds, 2 baths. A little old lady only drove this to church and back before the second owner updated windows, wiring, furnace, etc., plus a second-storey great room add-on.

ers, sprinkled across the city but all built in the year 1910, as a trend. We

Gutter Credit

think marketing opportunity…

1754 PENDRELL ST., OFF DENMAN

1401 COMOX ST., AT BROUGHTON

1600 BEACH AVE. & 1651 HARWOOD ST.

Status: Rezoning application received prior to West End Community Plan process Units: 171 Storeys: 21 Who: Henriquez Partners Architects & Westbank

Status: Completed rezoning application Units: 186 (rental) Storeys: 22, plus townhouses and 3,500 sq. ft. queercommunity facility Who: Henriquez Partners Architects & Westbank

Status: Completed rezoning application, adding to existing buildings Units: 133 Storeys: Nine, plus three low-rises and several townhouses Who: PH5 Architecture & Devonshire Properties

2166 E. 41ST AVE., KENSINGTON-CEDAR COTTAGE

$938,000 // 2,480 sq. ft., 6 beds, 4 baths. This multifamily building (two kitchens) is zoned RS-1 to retain the area’s single-family vibe.

Marketed as a new build opportunity, it’s unlikely to survive a second century.

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THE

BRIEF

ON THE RECORD

 PET TI FONG

Newsmakers

Pumped Up Kicks

I really believe Canadians, like everyone else, want to be able to buy shoes online and not have to pay duty.

Roger Hardy used to buy two pairs of shoes a year. In the last PF Sounds like the Zappos model. nine months, the Clearly Contacts founder has bought several Is your goal to be bought out by online-footwear sites and has plans for an IPO later this year.

Amazon too?

Now he’s a 10-pairs-a-month guy RH We don’t spend a lot of time thinking about those companies.

Shoes are a $195 billion business, PETTI FONG I tell my journalism and 70 percent of that is comfort students to always declare posathletics and casual footwear. We sible conflicts of interest, so here’s want to be in that category. If we’re mine: two years ago, I complained following a model, it’s the Chip about the customer service at Wilson one of comfort and casual.

PF Name three things you can’t sell Coastal Contacts, which you online. hadn’t yet sold to Essilor for that impressive $430 million. And you RH It used to be that it was big, heavy items, but everything is going shipped me a free pair of glasses.

What’s the business case for giving more and more online. There’s nothing you can’t buy online now. someone free glasses?

ROGER HARDY We were trying to PF Then what’s the next barrier for reshape people’s perceptions. Eye- online shopping?

RH Instant gratification is where glasses used to be thought of as a

medical product. Our method was telling people that instead of paying $400 to $500, you could have this product for $99—that made eyeglasses not just something they needed but something they could enjoy wearing.

PF What’s been the transition to selling shoes through your merged ShoeMe.ca/OnlineShoes.com?

RH On average, people buy 12 pairs of shoes a year. Glasses you may change once every three or four years. There are some unique Canadian brands of shoes out there—Sorel, Wolverine—and

36

the web is going. We’re working on offering a one-hour service in Toronto and also a same-day service, so you can get your shoes an hour after ordering them.

PF One hour? Aren’t you encouraging instant regret?

RH There’s no regret when it comes to buying shoes. You wake up the next day eager to wear them for the first time.

PF One-hour service still seems kinda lofty. Wait, lofty…

RH I can’t give away all my secrets, but yes, high-speed drones could be key. VM

John Sinal

INSTANT GRATIFICATION IS WHERE THE WEB IS GOING. WE’RE WORKING ON OFFERING A ONE-HOUR SERVICE

VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E | M AY 2 O 1 5

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B A K E R . M C G U I R E . M I TC H E L L G O L D . LE E . B OL I E R . D EL L A R O B B I A . S A N G I A C OM O . S A B A . G A M M A

it’s b e a u t i f u l i n s i d e

1855 Fir Street at West 3rd Armoury District Vancouver 604.736.8822 Monday - Saturday 10-5:30 pm broughaminteriors.com

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VANCOUVER BIRD WEEK (MAY 2 TO 9) FETES

THE

BRIEF

OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS WITH WALKS AND LECTURES. IN ONLINE POLLS, THE BLACK-

THE ESSENTIALS

CAPPED CHICKADEE WON THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE WITH 277, 924 VOTES. VANCOUVER.CA

S t u f f You Should Do

FILM

A Whale of a Tale Nonfiction films change the world—or commemorate hot rods, distant wars, and Elvis

FIVE EASY PIECES More standouts from the DOXA lineup

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recollections of the main players, illustrating the story with a trove of 16mm archival footage. But for Vancouver, How to Change the World is more than just the charting of a counterculture movement; it’s a reminder of a city before the city of glass, when thousands marched through downtown to protect the planet and when this pristine coast was a gateway to more than global markets.

The faces on-screen are part of this city’s DNA: charismatic, uncompromising Paul Watson; his archrival (and, some say, traitor to the movement) Patrick

CENSORED VOICES (Israel/Germany) After 1967’s SixDay War, Amos Oz grabbed a recorder and schlepped around kibbutzim asking the soldiers how they felt about their experiences.

Revisiting those young men a half-century later, Mor Loushy’s film provides insight into the moment Israel became a force to be reckoned with.

TELL SPRING NOT TO COME THIS YEAR (U.K./Afghanistan) Twelve months on patrol with local forces following the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan lay a hopeless situation bare. Stunning photography and subtle direction make for compelling viewing of life through the eyes of both an offi cer and a regular.

ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (U.K./USA) Brit Jeanie Finlay picked up an album at a yard sale, intrigued by who the masked man on the cover might have been. Recorded in 1979, the disc turned out to be by Orion, a man who sang so like Elvis he struggled to find work—until the King died and there was a myth to exploit…

Moore; and the journalist-turned-activist who managed to keep them working to a common goal, the late Bob Hunter.

A writer for the Vancouver Sun, Hunter understood the importance of press and the need for a visual record to cement the movement in the public eye (a boon, too, for Rothwell).

As a historical document, How to Change the World is fascinating; as a portrait of our radical past, it raises many questions, not least the prism through which we see ourselves as a global city today. Doxafestival.ca

I THINK YOU’RE TOTALLY WRONG: A QUARREL (USA) James Franco’s fi lm version of David Shields and Caleb Powell’s hit book follows the two friends around as they disagree on life, sex, art, drugs, and everything in between.



WORLD PREMIERE

HIT 2 PASS (Canada) Kurt Walker’s Indiegogo-funded doc follows Tyson Storozinski as he enters the annual metal fest that is Prince George’s Hit to Pass full-contact car race and looks at the community from which this 24year event was born.

For showtimes and more details, visit Doxafestival.ca

Gutter Credit

there was only ever one film that could open this year’s DOXA: How to Change the World begins in Vancouver in 1971—“hippie ground zero,” as one subject recalls. Richard Nixon had expressed the intention to turn Alaska’s Amchitka Island into a nuclear-testing site, and a small group of impassioned peaceniks jumped in a boat to try and stop the might of the U.S. war machine.

Jerry Rothwell’s compelling account of the founding of Greenpeace—its highs, internal rivalries, and complex legacy—takes its cues from the

Robert Keziere; inset: Rex Weyler

DOXA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL, VARIOUS LOCATIONS, TO MAY 10

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SPONSORED REPORT

Nourish & Beautify Locally With so many skincare products promising anti-aging effects, it’s hard to know what to trust. Instead we focused on who to trust and asked SkinWorks expert dermatologist, Dr. Frances Jang, how a nutritive/ cosmetic combo can help both preventatively and post-operatively and why SkinWorks places their faith in GliSODin Skin Nutrients.

1. What is a nutricosmetic?

Simply put, they are a fusion of nutrition and cosmetic care that support the structure and function of the skin. Taken orally, they are designed to improve skin health and appearance. Nutricosmetics often are described as “supplements,” but unlike supplements, they are not intended to supplement deficiencies in the body; rather, they are designed to have highly targeted benefits to the skin, improving its health and appearance. GSN was designed to help treat acne and even out the skin tone, and others to help hydrate the skin, targeting fine lines and wrinkles; and, they can be formulated to complement aesthetic treatments.

2. What are the benefits of taking a nutricosmetic?

By treating the skin from the inside out, you are supporting the structure and function of the skin which will improve overall skin health and the aging process of the skin in general. Aging is an internal process and we need to treat the root of the problem, especially inflammation. By controlling inflammation in the body, premature aging can be reduced and influence many skin conditions such as pigmentation, acne, wrinkles, collagen and elastin production.

Dr. Frances Jang, MD, FRCPC, Dermatologist

3. What is GliSODin Skin Nutrients (GSN)?

GSN is the first professional Nutricosmetic line sold in Dermatologist and Surgeon offices. Each product has been specifically designed for skin or body benefits and to compliment aesthetic procedures. Each product contains our star ingredient GliSODin, anti-oxidant enzyme from a melon that upregulates your own antioxidant system to fight free radicals that cause cellular damage and aging. Combined with other nutraceuticals, each product has therapeutic doses for best results. It is 100% natural and GMO-free and approved by Health Canada.

4. How does it fit into your practice and what results have you seen?

I am excited by the potential benefits of Glisodin formulations, particularly for problematic hyperpigmentation patients as many of them do not achieve complete resolution of their pigment despite combination treatments including creams, lasers and/or peels. We have seen Glisodin, taken by mouth and thereby enhancing a person’s internal SPF, improve outcomes for this group in as short as 2 months.

Additionally, upregulating superoxide dismutase by taking oral Glisodin is promising to combat excessive oxidative stress responsible for aging, so I recommend it for patients interested in a more holistic approach.

No matter your skin type or procedure plans, the GliSODin line has a targeted product for you. If the decision process still seems daunting, we suggest starting where we did: with a visit to Dr. Jang at SkinWorks, Vancouver’s premium westside facility.

Cosmetic Dermatology, Laser Skincare & Plastic Surgery 3568/3578 West 41st Avenue 604-737-7100 | skinworks.ca Created by the Vancouver advertising department in partnership with Skinworks.

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GEOFFREY FARMER

THE

THE SURGEON AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER (2009-13) PAPER, TEXTILE, WOOD, METAL

BRIEF

THE ESSENTIALS

S t u f f You Should Do

VISUAL ARTS

MODERN FARMER JAZZ

In which an artist narrates his life through sculpture, collage, and moviemaking

POP MUSIC

GEOFFREY FARMER

Lady Gaga preaches to her faithful from the Great American Songbook TONY BENNETT AND LADY GAGA QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE, MAY 25 & 26

there’s always been something a little Las Vegas about Lady Gaga: a powerhouse entertainer with lungs to match who is resolutely, fashionably unfashionable. So the return to her torchsong roots (yes, she really can hold a tune), teaming up with old-timer Tony Bennett to trip the light fantastic on last fall’s Cheek to Cheek, is somehow both bizarre and unsurprising.

The pairing is also a natural choice to lead into next month’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival, as part of an effort to tempt a younger audience into the jazz tent (albeit on the softer swing side) while offering a chance to catch one of the all-time crooner greats. With so many decades separating the two (he’s 88; she’s 28), there’s a lot of uncommon ground available, but don’t expect any detour from classics such as “Lush Life,” “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” and “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.”

Still, with tunes that good, who needs innovation?

Let’s hope that in performance, they live up to the Guardian’s assessment of the album: “While Bennett keeps it suave, Gaga is a wonder.” Northerntickets.com

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 At 47, Geoffrey Farmer has reached that heart-

SHINE ON

the midcareer survey show.

For every night that ended at karaoke with “Good times never seemed so good”

The Vancouver-based artist

NEIL DIAMOND, ROGERS ARENA, MAY 7

stopping moment of freefall in the artist’s trajectory:

mixes media, genres, and materials to construct tiny

 Cynics, move along. We relish the

forest installations of maga-

chance to swing along with Mr. Neil Dia-

zine clippings and other

mond. Now a spry 74, what a guy: his 2012

ephemera, creating oddly

nuptials were celebrated in last year’s

fragile, elusive spaces that

Melody Road, an album unabashedly

set the creator’s life into

romantic yet delivered with the unwaver-

the broadest of contexts.

ing sincerity—and, yes, schmaltz—that

Fifteen years’ worth form

puts him in a category all his own. With a

the heart of How Do I Fit This

songbook stuffed with hits (“Song Sung

Ghost in My Mouth?

Blue,” “Holly Holy,” “I’m a Believer”), expect

Gallery curator Daina

major bang for your buck. Diamond has

Augaitis explains Farmer’s

resolved to keep touring until he can’t; this

enigmatic title thusly: in addi-

year’s wheeze is to do a show for every

tion to being a survey of past

year he’s been alive. Ticketmaster.ca

work, some pieces “will also incorporate a reconstruction by the artist of his own past, the institution’s history, and the former function of the gallery as a courthouse.

Through this evocative title, he is perhaps asking, How do we embody knowledge? How do we embody the past?”

Vanartgallery.bc.ca

Farmer: Rachel Topham, Vancouver Art Gallery; Diamond: Andreas Terlaak

Little Monsters Learn to Swing

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY, MAY 22 TO SEPT. 7

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Farmer: Rachel Topham, Vancouver Art Gallery; Diamond: Andreas Terlaak

IGGY POP

WOODY ALLEN

MARC MARON

PROLIFIC ARTISTIC OUTPUT GIVE-NO-FUCKS ATTITUDE OLYMPIC-LEVEL SELF-DEPRECATION CEREBRAL MUSINGS ON LOVE AND SEX

TALK THERAPY

MEMOIR

COMEDY

Meet two women who’ve packed a lot into one life (or…multiple lives?)

PIPER KERMAN & SHIRLEY MACLAINE

Three of a Kind

ORPHEUM THEATRE, MAY 5 & 26

 Sixty years ago, a gamine Shirley

with batshit-crazy notions (another

MacLaine debuted in Alfred Hitch-

one, speaking of the Oscars: Stephen

cock’s The Trouble With Harry. Harry’s

Hawking deserved his disease),

trouble, in the black comedy, is that

MacLaine is now on the Unique Lives

he’s found inconveniently dead in

speaking circuit, touching down

the Vermont countryside. “He looked

here (May 26) in the same month as

exactly the same when he was alive,”

another woman who acted without

marvels MacLaine’s character of the

thinking: Piper Kerman (May 5), the

title stiff, “only he was vertical.” She

real-life inspiration for the Netflix

was 21 at that point, still decades

series Orange Is the New Black, in

away from Oscar gold for Terms of

which her alter ego, Piper Chapman,

Endearment—not to mention her

goes to minimum-security jail for

epiphanies regarding immortality

smuggling drug money on behalf of a

(in a previous life, she lived on Atlan-

girlfriend muling for a vaguely Euro-

tis), or, more recently, that victims

pean drug cartel. Don’t believe every-

of the Holocaust should blame

thing you see on TV: in fact, Kerman’s

“You’re like an Iggy Pop Woody Allen,” a fan once told Marc Maron. It’s a title he wears proudly, but here’s how the comedian really stacks up MARC MARON, VOGUE THEATRE, MAY 9

we’re still struggling to defi ne Marc Maron’s WTF podcast after five years. (Is it a comedy podcast, or is it a podcast about comedy?) But we know this much: he is a neurotic, hilarious storyteller worth listening to. He emerges from his garage studio in the hills of Los Angeles to hit the stage on a new North American standup tour this spring. Northerntickets.com

memoir alleges, it was a Nigerian drug

themselves.

cartel. OITNB returns this summer for

If you’ve always wanted to question someone about how they came up

Season 3. Uniquelives.com

PUBLISHING

Cooking the Books A seat at the poet’s table A TASTE OF HAIDA GWAII, WHITECAP BOOKS, MAY 15

anyone expecting a standard cookbook from Susan Musgrave would be overlooking her reputation as an iconoclast— the poet and novelist is, after all, known for her unapologetic directness and strong streak of humour.

A Taste of Haida Gwaii was born at the iconic Copper Beech Guest House in Masset, where Musgrave prepares meals for guests. Her

encouragement to cooks to take liberties with her recipes is welcome (and smart, considering that few will have access to her local flora and fauna), but it’s tempered by her intransigence on the subject of sourdough. Bread is clearly her passion: the chapter she devotes to its development from starter to slice could inspire the most glutenphobic to take to kneading.

It’s a spirited read, and a call to take risks. “When you make a soup or a stew—throw caution to the wind,” insists the poet, who’s lived on the island since the ’70s. “Be creative. Experiment. Except with wild mushrooms. Never, never experiment with wild mushrooms.

What could be worse than dying and having your friends say, ‘I told you so’?” Whitecap.ca

ON QUANTITIES: “If you gather bladderwrack to steam your mussels in a pot, I ask you to rely on common sense. Obviously a wheelbarrow full would be too much, a coffee mug full not enough”

M AY 2 O 1 5 | VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E

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In the face of extremist propaganda from Islamic State, one local scholar and activist is waging a campaign for tolerance

PEACE PEACE WAR WAR AND AND ISLAM

ISLAM

if not for its elegantly domed minaret, you could easily overlook Masjid Al-Salaam as you drive down Canada Way, past Deer Lake Park. Yet on Friday, a holy day for Muslims, the mosque is packed with hundreds of the faithful wearing the traditional loose-fitting salwar kameez. As they kneel toward Mecca in worship, verses from the Koran fill the room with the atmosphere of devotion. It’s a peaceful scene—the antithesis of the violent images being projected around the world by extremist groups like Islamic State and Boko Haram.

story: Andrew Findlay

photogr a phs: Andrew Querner

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As a teenager, he felt the calling to pursue scholarship; as a man, he has come to feel another calling, to transcend academia with activism 44 

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A

This page: Aasim Rashid, founder of the Campaign Against Violent Extremism, in the library of the Al-Ihsan Institute of Higher Islamic Education. Previous page: Friday worship at Surrey’s Masjid at-Taqwa mosque

asim Rashid is determined to promote the former, calmer face of his faith. A scholar, teacher, and activist, the Surrey resident is on a mission to distance his religion from the radical groups dominating the nightly news and the Twitterverse. “There’s a big problem with that interpretation of Islam,” he says, trying to distill 1,400 years of complex tradition and theology. “These radicals are at odds with the majority of Muslims. They’re a deviant sect.”

Rashid was born in Pakistan while his parents were visiting that country, having immigrated to Canada several years before. Life in the Rashids’ Edmonton household was devoutly religious. Aasim was a regular Canadian kid, but precocious, with a sense of religious purpose that emerged while most of his peers were still distracted by sports, social drama, and hanging out at West Edmonton Mall. He says that during high school, he was a “good listener” and so it was natural that other students came to him with questions. “I was only 15, so I didn’t have all the answers. But I felt it was my calling” to pursue Islamic studies and serve followers of the faith. The next year he began his formal spiritual education, first at Jaamiah Al Uloom Al Islamiyyah, a boarding school in Ajax, Ontario, then on to England, India, and Pakistan. Back in Canada he served as an educator and imam, the person who leads prayers at a mosque, in several communities.

Now 38, he holds the title of mufti, a legal expert able to rule on religious matters. As a teenager, he felt the calling to pursue scholarship; as a man, he has come to feel another calling, to transcend academia with activism. He runs the Al-Ihsan Institute of Higher Islamic Education, a school he started in Surrey.

At the same time, he’s overseeing the Campaign Against Violent Extremism, a program he helped launch earlier this year. CAVE began under the auspices of the B.C. Muslim Association as a way to reach out across Metro Vancouver to Muslim youth and others who may be confused by extremist messages and what they mean in the larger context of Islam, or may be tempted by recruitment efforts. In a similar spirit, this winter he spearheaded a series of lectures at Lower Mainland colleges, libraries, and universities titled Peace, War, and Islam: Dare to Be Informed. To say he is well versed in Islam is an understatement.

His audience is only growing. In 2011, the Canadian National Household Survey reported there are 79,310 Muslims in this province, a 40-percent increase from a decade earlier.

Muslims still make up less than two percent of the population, but Islam is anticipated to become B.C.’s fastest-growing religion by percentage. Yet integration with the larger populace sometimes seems more distant than ever. (The proposed Bill C-51, aka the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act and the Secure Air Travel Act, has done little to ease the minds of

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SCHOOL OF PEACE Students at Al-Ihsan education institute attending a Saturday talk by Aasim Rashid. From top: Mohammad Yusuf, 27; Wesam Khalid Mohames, 20; Walid Khalid Mohamed, 22; Hamed Almeshkhas, 17; Saood Khan, 16; and Jamal Gurra, 14

*

Muslims. The Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association has come out strongly against it, saying that it poses “a risk to the civil and privacy rights of Canadians.”)

One woman who came from Uganda two years ago spoke to me on condition of anonymity about her experiences with Islamophobia. (“We’re private people. That’s part of our religion, and we just want what everybody else wants: to be able to practise our religion and pray peacefully.”) She says she has grown used to the stares—from middle-aged white people, mostly—when wearing the hijab in public. She describes a visit to a Lower Mainland Superstore where a man yelled out, “There’s a terrorist! Run for the doors!” She ignored him. “I knew he was talking about me. I didn’t even want to look at him because I was scared,” she says. “When I think about it now, it’s kind of funny. But I have three daughters who wear the hijab and ride public buses.” in october, canada sent fighter jets to support the fight against Islamic State (sometimes also known as ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; or ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). The decision was prompted equally by pressure from our diplomatic partners and the need to respond to what Rashid calls “a medieval interpretation of Islam.” He’s referring to the ancient underpinnings of Islam as interpreted by Islamic State, including behaviour Graeme Wood has described in Atlantic Monthly as including “a number of practices that modern Muslims tend to prefer not to acknowledge as integral to their sacred texts.” Slavery, crucifi xion, and beheadings “are not something that freakish [jihadists] are cherry-picking from the medieval tradition,” Princeton scholar Bernard Haykel told him. Islamic State fighters “are smack in the middle of the medieval tradition and are bringing it wholesale into the present day.”

“This is a vicious death cult that is a threat to regional and international security,” Jason Kenney, federal minister for defence, told the Toronto Star in February. “They have declared war on Canada and our allies, and that’s why Canada has a responsibility to be there.” The repercussions of that commitment immediately worried Rashid: would our deeper involvement in a global war on terror strengthen the ability of extremists to recruit on Canadian soil? He might have been thinking of John Nuttall and Amanda Korody, who were arrested in July 2013 for planting homemade bombs near the Legislature in Victoria. In a video, Korody, dressed in a black shawl, called on Muslims to fight the heathens of this country. “If you have a stone, throw it; if you have a bomb, drop it,” she urged. Or Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser, who were arrested in 2013 for a plot, linked to Al-Qaeda, to blow up a Via passenger train in Toronto.

So Rashid and other Muslims from Surrey and Burnaby mosques met with RCMP officers and community leaders and politicians like his MP, Jinny Sims (Newton-North Delta). He

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SHE HAS GROWN USED TO THE STARES—FROM MIDDLE-AGED WHITE PEOPLE, MOSTLY—WHEN WEARING THE HIJAB IN PUBLIC. “WE’RE PRIVATE PEOPLE. THAT’S PART OF OUR RELIGION”

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208%

In 2010, Statistics Canada published Projections of the Diversity of the Canadian Population, a best-guess model of our country’s makeup come 2031.

By that math, Islam will outpace all other religions over two decades. Rounding out the fast-growing faiths are Christian Orthodox (141%), Hindu (118%), Roman Catholic (101%), Buddhist (85%), Sikh (60%), Jewish (51%), Other (10%), and none (3%). Canada2030.ca

The Masjid at-Taqwa mosque in the Newton area of central Surrey

“I WAS TEXTING MPS IN OTTAWA TO ASK IF THEY WERE OKAY, AND THEY WERE TELLING ME I WAS PROPHETIC. THOSE AREN’T THE PROPHESIES THAT I WANT TO COME TRUE”

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*

couldn’t have known that at the same time, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service quietly raised our domestic terrorism threat level from Unlikely to Could Occur. But one thing he did foresee: three days later, Martin Couture-Rouleau, a 25-yearold sympathizer with radical Islam, ran down and killed Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Two days after that, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau fatally shot Corporal Nathan Cirillo at the Canadian National War Memorial, before himself being gunned down in the House of Commons. “I was texting MPs in Ottawa to ask if they were okay, and they were telling me that I was prophetic,” Rashid says.

“Those aren’t the kind of prophesies that I want to come true.”

Of course, it hasn’t stopped there. In December, John Maguire, a former University of Ottawa business student who changed his name to Abu Anwar al-Canadi and moved to Syria to participate in the jihad, released a video addressing the people of this country, warning of future attacks here. The terror level rose again, to Medium. As Stephen Harper extends Canada’s presence in Iraq, more threats will doubtless follow.

These are the forces Rashid is attempting to moderate through education and public speaking. He’s not alone. Daud Ismail, chair of Burnaby’s Masjid Al-Salaam and Education Centre, also believes that the need to do public outreach on behalf of Muslims has never been greater, though he emphasizes that Metro Vancouver remains an open and respectful society. Last fall, his mosque was in the news with reports that Zehaf-Bibeau had been a member of the congregation for a spell in 2011. Ismail knew him casually as a man who prayed and volunteered at the mosque but says there was nothing about him that would raise concerns. However, people who worked with Zehaf-Bibeau and knew him better said his radical beliefs were no secret.

Jinny Sims shared the podium at several of Rashid’s lectures.

She suggests that anyone looking for perspective and insight into how the majority of Muslims view the violence being perpetrated in the name of Islam peer into the histories of all religions. “People have to remember that if you took the Bible and applied it literally, it could result in a similar violent interpretation,” she says from Parliament Hill. “Many KKK members would have said they were following the tenets of Christianity.

Yet most Christians would consider that nonsense.”

Rashid remains concerned about the actions of morally unhinged or imbalanced individuals looking for adventure and notoriety within the Islamic faith, as well as Muslims who have suffered loss of family or property from Western military intervention in the Middle East. He is now trying to take the CAVE message to a national level and remains optimistic that it can reach those both within the local Muslim community and outside it. “Seventy-five percent of the people that came were non-Muslim,” he says. “At Kwantlen, a man came up and told me that he had been filled with rage and feelings that Muslims don’t belong in this country. After, he said he felt informed, like a light had come on. That’s why I wanted to do these talks.” VM

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Zippier than three cappuccinos.

The FIAT® 500 captures all the many flavours of Italy in an amazingly fun-to-drive package. And even when it’s having fun, it still keeps an eye on the gas tank, delivering an impressive 5.9 L/100 km highway.* No wonder it was a Consumer’s Digest Best Buy. Get a true taste of Italian style and performance, starting from just $16,495.^ *As good as 7.6 L/100 km city. Based on 2015 EnerGuide fuel consumption ratings for FIAT 500 equipped with the 1.4L MultiAir ® I-4 engine and five-speed manual hatchback. Your actual fuel consumption will vary.

Ask your retailer for EnerGuide information. ^Starting at price of 2015 FIAT 500 Pop. Starting from price of FIAT 500 Sport model shown: $19,895. Freight ($1,695), retailer fees, taxes and other charges extra.

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2015-03-25 11:21 AM

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sponsored report

WEST COAST Urban Living Throughout the ever-envied West Coast, the subject of real estate is second only to weather—a logical top two as locals regularly defend prioritizing lifestyle over cost of living. These new developments only further the ‘Best Coast’ argument.

Vancouver

As the centre of the 604, the premium placed on Vancouver land is old news, but that won’t stop the city’s incredible growth any time soon. Though prices may be steep, at least your cycle home from work won’t be.

The Independent @ Main

285 10th E, Vancouver Previews begin: 2015 Project completion: 2017 Distance to Vancouver City Centre: • By car 11 min • By transit 19 min • By bike 17 min • By foot 42 min Distance to Hwy 1 East: • By car 17 min INFO Centred in a neighbourhood that is chalk-full of independent businesses (think independent breweries, grocers, coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques) the aptly named Independent at Main represents the mixture of history and happening that defines Mount Pleasant.

The area’s first big move to accommodate budding popularity and consequent population, this apartment complex will be a statement of forward-thinking and a reflection of the eclectic mix that defines this vibrant community. The Independent features five unique forms built from a mix of contemporary materials, including mosaic brick, cor-ten steel and reclaimed timber, amounting to 21 floors of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom homes. Each suite is designed to maximize efficiency and promote livability with mobile storage units, dedicated hobby rooms, and carefully planned public spaces.

With proximity to the downtown core,

accessibility to bike lanes, and the potential convenience of a future Broadway subway line, this Rize Alliance and Ayala Land development will further push our sense of city centre eastward. There are 258 suites total.

BUYER BREAKDOWN The Mount Pleasant area has traditionally housed up-andcoming creatives. However the City of Vancouver’s master planned vision has given design-rich developer Rize Alliance the chance to start something extraordinary.

The neighbourhood’s convenience and connectivity provides an energy that will transform this once hipster-heavy district.

With a unique array of suite styles available, the Independent appeals to a large spectrum of Vancouverites: from growing families to strategic downsizers.

AMENITIES With incredible vistas leading the way (including views of the North Shore, English Bay, and Mt. Baker), the 20,000square-foot private backyard with patio and dining areas takes a close second. Additional features include a fitness facility, dog wash, resident lounge and meeting room, guest suite available for rent, car share program and over 300 bike parking spaces, proving there really is something for everyone.

Shannon Wall Centre

But the allure of the Shannon Wall Centre Kerrisdale isn’t based on address alone. The Wall Group of Companies development brings an idyllic lifestyle right into the heart of the metropolis, combining city centre convenience with unprecedented prestige.

Townhome and family suite residences feature a careful combination of heritage restoration and modern engineering. The BYU Design interiors include efficient kitchens that fulfill their true role as the heart of the home; and inviting bathrooms, complete with spacious walk-in showers, that inspire the daily pampering you deserve.

A classic palette extends out to welcoming entries, porches, terraces and decks, while the surrounding park-like grounds provide a further retreat from the bustle of the big city within this 10-acre sanctuary and its 170 suites total.

BUYER BREAKDOWN Kerrisdale has traditionally attracted an upscale buyer wanting a big home and full yard in Vancouver’s core. The Shannon Wall Centre makes the elite area accessible to a broader market, including smaller families and downsizers. These stunning new residences offer the perks of an estate property in a low-maintenance setting.

AMENITIES The development will include a car co-op, conservatory, and French-style city square befitting Kerrisdale’s emphasis on community. Additionally, the year-round outdoor lap pool, access to ceremonial space for private gatherings and Italianate gardens truly elevate these homes, simultaneously providing a modern-day lifestyle and a luxurious private retreat.

The North Shore

The North Shore has always offered the best of both worlds, with reputed neighborhoods admired from surrounding shorelines and a springboard to Mother Nature’s treats we’re always dying to explore.

Grosvenor Ambleside

Kerrisdale Presentation Centre: 1538 W 54th Avenue (at Granville St.) Sales begin: 2015 Phase 1 completion: 2015 Phase 2 completion: 2018 Distance to Vancouver City Centre: • By car 14 min • By transit 22 min • By bike 32 min • By foot 1:37 min INFO When it comes to local communities, Kerrisdale is a cut above the rest. With extensive green space thanks to city parks and tree-lined streets, quality shopping with a boutique artisanal vibe, and reputed education options featuring top private and public schools, it’s no wonder the area is coveted by Vancouverites and visitors alike.

Presentation Centre: 1340 Marine Drive, West Vancouver Previews begin: 2015 Project completion: 2017 Distance to Vancouver City Centre: • By car 24 min • By transit 26 min • By bike 29 min • By foot 1:39 min Distance to Whistler Village: • By car 1:40 min INFO Grosvenor Ambleside set the bar high with the slogan ‘opportunities such

Created by the Vancouver advertising department in partnership with The Independent at Main, Shannon Wall Centre and Grosvenor Ambleside.

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sponsored report Grosvenor Ambleside continued

as this are rare,’ but there’s no doubt West Vancouver’s newest development—equal parts posh and practical—is set to deliver.

Grosvenor Ambleside is strategically positioned in one of Canada’s most desirable neighbourhoods; an area known for its enhanced outdoor playground and stunning views of Stanley Park and the Pacific Ocean.

This two-building terraced development features ground-floor commercial space for cafes, shops and restaurants, benefitting homeowners, neighbours and visitors alike.

While North Shore locals may have been grimacing in recent years as their skyline became increasingly disturbed by glass and steel, Grosvenor’s clever 6- and 7-storey building maintains a respectfully low profile on the jaw-dropping horizon. Within local real estate chatter, however, it claims a deservedly high profile founded on the reputation of James KM Cheng Architects, Mitchell Freedland Design, and Grosvenor itself: a 300-year-old company with a worldwide reputation. Grosvenor Ambleside will celebrate two of Canada’s foremost (and local) artists, with new works by Gordon Smith and Douglas Coupland featured throughout the property. It’s true: Grosvenor Ambleside presents an opportunity unlike any other with 98 suites total.

BUYER BREAKDOWN Whether downsizing for retirement, moving closer to the mountains, or seeking out the peaceful seaside lifestyle you’ve always wanted, Grosvenor Ambleside is for you. Offering an ideal balance of privacy and community, these 1- to 3-bedroom suites are sure to feel like home.

AMENITIES Did we mention incredible ocean and mountain views? Homes come prepared with future-ready technology by Millson and also include a 24-hour concierge team, private residence lounge, fully-equipped fitness centre, yoga space, private enclosed garages for most residences, beautiful terraces, and attractive proximity to the Seawalk and Ambleside retail.

residences overlooking the Burrard Inlet.

Mere moments from Deep Cove, this boutique community is set to become the jewel of its North Van neighbourhood.

Featuring 2- and 3-bedroom apartments of up to 1,450 square feet, and comfortable townhomes ranging to more than 3,000 square feet, Cates Landing offers a rare opportunity for spacious waterfront living and a maintenance-free lifestyle.

Homeowners will enjoy panoramic views and a quintessential North Shore experience.

Trail hiking in Cates Park, kayaking in the inlet, exploring the local mountains, and (of course) indulging at the infamous Honey Doughnuts; just a sample of the weekend adventures beckoning from each direction.

Cates Landing has secured its place as the ideal middle ground between outdoorsy escapes and city centre convenience.

There are 95 homes in total.

BUYER BREAKDOWN Offering a rare opportunity for waterfront living on the North Shore, Cates Landing will appeal to those already captured by the charming community, as well as discerning buyers intrigued by its unique offerings. Empty nesters, downsizers, and families alike will love the spaciousness attained in this incredible setting: a quiet home base where mountains meet metropolis.

AMENITIES Thoughtfully designed, the homes at Cates Landing feature rich West Coast-inspired architecture with natural materials that complement the picturesque surroundings. Homes boast spacious floorplans and attentive details—kitchen islands and pantries, top-of-the-line appliances, spa bathrooms, and oversized patios and terraces—further adding to the stunning waterfront views. Cates Landing also includes a fitness studio, meeting room, guest suites, and—with true West Coasters in mind—dog- and bike-cleaning rooms and kayak-specific storage spaces.

Cates Landing

POINT ROBERTS, Washington

2829-3919 Dollarton Hwy, North Vancouver Previews begin: 2015 Project completion: 2016 Distance to Vancouver City Centre: • By car (via Ironworkers) 27 min • By car (via Lions Gate) 27 min • By SeaBus 47 min • By bike 57 min Distance to Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge: • By car 15 min

The Cottages at Seabright Farm

Quaint doesn’t begin to describe the unique charm of Point Roberts; a secret slice of American land tucked behind its very own Canadian crossing. With shorter border lines, quieter shores, competitive U.S. prices, and far more personality than you would expect from a segregated seaside community, Point Roberts has been offering Canadians a little taste of something special for years.

INFO Artfully built alongside the North Shore’s largest seaside park, you’ll find Cates Landing

by Polygon Homes: a limited collection of waterfront townhome and apartment

APA Road at Boundary Bay Road, Point Roberts, WA Previews began: 2014 Project completion: 2015 Distance to Vancouver City Centre: • By car 55 min INFO Point Roberts, U.S.A., has always been loved as a quaint Pacific Northwest beach village—Tsawwassen’s quirky, quiet and friendly neighbour. But the Cottages at Seabright Farm have put it back on the map as a luxury destination, with a lightfootprint escape community for Vancouver families. The spacious lots offer a variety of cool home designs, rooted in classic cottage traditions. The Lookout is a modern 2-storey structure with a tower to capitalize on panoramic views of the Strait of Georgia; while The Coastal is an open-air family-sized beach house with room to entertain. With multiple building designs and options for customization and expansion, the Cottages at Seabright Farm will meet the R&R requirements of any Canadian family.

Better yet, at less than an hour’s drive from anywhere in the Lower Mainland, these hideaways are a great escape for a weekend, a day, or even just a sunny afternoon. In fact, Point Roberts claims more sunshine hours and significantly less rain than its neighbouring Canadian cities, proving that this unique spit of land in latitudinal limbo truly offers the best of two worlds—or two countries. There are 62 home sites.

BUYER BREAKDOWN Point Roberts’ greatest attribute has always been its bargain-priced PNW oceanfront property, but as the Cottages at Seabright Farm add a breadth of community amenities and cottage options, the town is transforming into “Vancouver’s Weekend Playground.” A Seabright Farm cottage promises a serene home away from home for all those lured by waterfront, weather, or duty-free wine!

AMENITIES A working farmstead until the early 1900’s, Seabright’s history is reflected in the communal organic farm that provides fresh produce and flowers to create a prosperous sense of community among residents. The 1890s Heritage Cottage makes the perfect setting for group gatherings, private events, or a quiet morning coffee. Meanwhile kids (and kids at heart) will appreciate the heated pool, hot tubs, playground, sports facilities, scenic trails, wetlands, and eagle lookout. “The Point” also claims an 18-hole championship golf course and 900-ship marina, America’s lowest crime rate, cute restaurants and crafts shops, and all of the commercial offerings homeowners could need, part-time and permanent alike.

Whether you’re in the market for an urban highrise or a weekend hideaway, these lower mainland developments are sure to feel like home.

Created by the Vancouver advertising department in partnership with Cates Landing and The Cottages at Seabright Farm.

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26 Our

th

Restaurant annual

AWARDS

240 WINNERS 50 CATEGORIES 1,075 DISHES photographs by: clinton hussey ( food) | luis valdizon (rooms) | carlo ricci (portraits)

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Our catalogue of the city’s finest rooms has grown over a quartercentury into this, the definitive compendium of all that is delicious, masterful, and of the moment MEET THE JUDGES Joie Alvaro Kent is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Best Places Vancouver, this magazine’s Eating & Drinking Guide, and Montecristo and NUVO magazines.

Murray Bancroft is the Fresh Sheet columnist for Vancouver magazine and consults with a roster of international clients as a research chef and food stylist.

Christina Burridge is the drinks editor for Vancouver magazine’s Eating & Drinking Guide and CityGuide, and is executive director of the B.C. Seafood Alliance.

Sid Cross is honorary president of the International Wine & Food Society and a cofounder of Chefs’ Table Society of British Columbia. He judges the Gold Medal Plates, Canadian Culinary Championships, and Lt.-Gov. Awards for Excellence.

Alexandra Gill is the Vancouver restaurant critic for the Globe and Mail, Vancouver editor of V.v magazine, and a freelance writer.

She also judges Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants.

A cappelletti special from Ask for Luigi

DJ Kearney, drinks editor for Vancouver magazine, is also a sommelier instructor, wine writer, and

critic with chef training. She is the head judge of this magazine’s International Wine Awards.

Lee Man’s work has appeared in Vancouver, EAT, Time Out Vancouver, and Best Places Vancouver.

He’s a founding judge of the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

Brendon Mathews is a freelance food writer with expertise in Chinese cuisine and a judge of the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

Robert McCullough is the Vancouverbased publisher of Random House of Canada’s food and lifestyle imprint Appetite.

Neal McLennan is the food and travel editor of Western Living and a contributor to Cooking Light, enRoute, and Seattle magazines.

Tim Pawsey blogs about food and wine at Hiredbelly.com and contributes to Where Vancouver, the North Shore News, Montecristo, Taste, and the Courier, among many.

Treve Ring is a writer and editor specializing in wine. Her work appears in Montecristo, Sip Northwest, EAT, and Eating & Drinking Guide, and online at Gismondi On Wine, WineAlign, and Scout.

David Scholefield is a wine expert and consultant. He is also vice-president of strategy for Trialto Wine Group.

Shelora Sheldan is a writer and editor whose work appears in Western Living, EAT, Yam, Salt, and Eating & Drinking Guide. She also blogs at Cookingwith abroad.com.

Mia Stainsby is the restaurant critic, food writer, and Word of Mouth food blogger for the Vancouver Sun. Stephen Wong is a food and wine writer and consultant, cookbook author, and founding chair and judge of the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

Xia-er Yao is a founding judge of the Chinese Restaurant Awards. She writes for Taiyang-bao.ca and Gourmet vancouver.com.

Thanks to our Best New Design panelists: Anicka Quin, editor-in-chief of Western Living; Chad Falkenberg and Kelly Reynolds, principals of Falken Reynolds Interiors; and Naomi MacDougall, associate art director of Vancouver.

M AY 2 O 1 5 | VA N C O U V E R M A G A Z I N E

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Restaurant ★

of the year

★

ASK FOR LUIGI

In a 9–8 decision, our judges lifted Ask for Luigi over Hawksworth to the year’s top spot

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Luis Valdizon

➾

when Farmer’s Apprentice swept up three major accolades at last year’s Restaurant Awards—including Restaurant of the Year—our judges’ decision was deemed controversial, to say the least. How was it, many inquired, that an eatery so new, and thus so thoroughly excused from the chance to become complacent or to exhaust its novelty factor, could triumph over those that had proved their excellence for years rather than mere months?

We expect Ask for Luigi—which this year claims four top ribbons—to arch a similar number of skeptical eyebrows. Launched in December 2013 (following a short soft opening), the room seems purposely, uniformly modest: small (only 32 seats), in a space hastily abandoned by its former tenant (Two Chefs and a Table), and offering a menu of uncommon brevity and specificity (some small plates, half a dozen pastas, a trio of desserts).

Yet this very artlessness is what’s proven so seductive to everyone who eats here. In a city that, for all its culinary accomplishments, has historically lacked excellent yet affordable Italian cuisine, Luigi redresses the problem so effortlessly, it seems to encourage us to take it for granted. Chef and co-owner J-C Poirier’s food aims not to break new ground but to exemplify the best notion of that which is wholly familiar— whether spaghetti Bolognese or olive-oil cake. “Every plate, no matter how small, is given exacting attention,” says one judge.

“The results are a real statement of focus and balance.” Which is why this ostensibly “neighbourhood” joint—in a ’hood where, as yet, few actually live—immediately became a destination, prompting the reliable sight of a line outside its Railtown door.

Our Restaurant of the Year prize is meant to spotlight that which proved most revelatory, most exciting, and, above all, most consistently delicious throughout a specific period. To that end, and to our palates, Ask for Luigi tastes like 2014’s premier success. —Michael White ★

Bucatini all’amatriciana from Ask for Luigi

BEST CASUAL ★★★

ASK FOR LUIGI 305 Alexander St., 604-428-2544 Askforluigi.com

★★

FARMER’S APPRENTICE 1535 W. Sixth Ave., 604-620-2070 Farmersapprentice.ca

★

L’ABATTOIR 217 Carrall St., 604-568-1701 Labattoir.ca

BEST UPSCALE ★★★

HAWKSWORTH 801 W. Georgia St., 604-673-7000 Hawksworthrestaurant.com

★★

BLUE WATER CAFE + RAW BAR 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078

★

LA QUERCIA 3689 W. Fourth Ave., 604-676-1007 Laquercia.ca

BEST CASUAL One judge declares that the food at Ask for Luigi has “a humble integrity that is worthy of the most expensive rooms in the city,” which goes some way toward explaining why the four-time victor (where, at the time of writing, almost no dish costs more than $20) is a Gold winner in this category. In fact, of everything at this serially feted trat—its rough-and-tumble neighbourhood, the spotless but austere space, servers who seem seconds away from ordering a drink for themselves—only the food seems out of place: it’s too damn good. Not that anyone is complaining.

In its second year, Silver collector Farmer’s Apprentice (it recently jettisoned its “The”) continues to justify its “accolades and ridiculously long reservation list” with David Gunawan’s consistently imaginative use of local ingredients. L’Abattoir (Bronze) arguably now charges too much of a premium to be considered casual, but Lee Cooper’s knockout creations merit splashing out. And as always, you can come as you are—one of the nicest places to do so anywhere in Vancouver. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, Chambar ★ BEST UPSCALE It would seem unassailable at this point that no Vancouver chef better embodies the somewhat amorphous idea of West Coast cuisine than David Hawksworth, or that a restaurant could serve a more reliably dazzling representation than his self-named temple of world-class dining.

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r a ★ 2015

North America’s best chefs.” The aweinspiring wine cellar and gracious tableside demeanour of Bryant Mao (our Sommelier of the Year, pg. 81), plus servers who somehow are always exactly as present as one wants them to be, complete a picture of flawlessness.

Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar (Silver) is also an exemplar of mastering a territory and never losing its grip; it made additional strong impressions in the Best Seafood (pg. 82) and Best Yaletown (pg. 89) categories. Likewise for La Quercia (Bronze), which, like last year, also collects Silver for Best Italian Upscale (pg. 61). HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca, The Pear Tree ★

Poached lobster with Iberian ham risotto from Hawks­worth

60

Gutter Credit

The man and the room are now, quite simply, institutions in the best sense, which is why Hawksworth (Gold) has topped this category in all four years of its existence.

Chef Hawksworth and chef de cuisine Kristian Eligh’s accomplishment cannot be overstated: retaining (and unfailingly rewarding) the devotion of a populace that is spoilt for choice is something few kitchens are able to do for very long—especially when its prices justifiably lead one to expect perfection. “It never disappoints,” says one judge. “The menu deftly combines Asian flavours with mostly local ingredients, and a real understanding of how to layer flavours and textures.” Adds another, succinctly: “Top of its game. David is one of

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ch e f ★

of the year

★

vikram vij ➾

there are few local faces to which this magazine can devote its cover and expect a degree of recognition equal to Hollywood royalty. Yet when Vikram Vij’s largerthan-life visage beamed from newsstands in October of last year, he may as well have been George Clooney: his face is its own brand, and readers responded with a happy affection (“Ah, Vikram!”). No one in Vancouver dining is as identifiable as Vij. So why hadn’t he been the recipient of this award before? And why now? To the former: we have no idea. (Our judges move in mysterious ways.) To the latter: we refer you to the former, but we like to think he simply could no longer be denied. Maybe it was because Vij had never felt so present as he did in 2014—which is saying a hell of a lot.

While his long-running Vij’s and Rangoli continued to uphold their shared reputation for offering the most transcendent Indian food in the city (see Best Indian, pg.

78), he opened a third, My Shanti, last June.

Much has been written about My Shanti’s unlikely location (in a Surrey strip mall) and its knowingly audacious appearance (one word: silver); somewhat lost amidst those talking points has been the food. (Our judges happen to think quite highly of it; again, see pg. 78.) Shortly thereafter, he debuted as the newest juror on CBC’s Dragons’ Den, thus becoming familiar to millions. And almost simultaneously, it was announced that finally, after endless speculation, Vij’s would move in 2015 from its current home to that longdormant space on Cambie Street, while the vacated West 11th room would transform into Mian Bawarchi. (As a result, in March he announced his departure from Dragons’ Den, so as to fully concentrate on the restaurants.)

In the end, it would appear that sheer busyness finally netted Vij (and, let’s not forget, partner Meeru Dhalwala) this accolade.

It was undoubtedly a contributing factor.

But it only served to underline years upon years of culinary inventiveness that make us feel, frankly, rather silly for not honouring him sooner.—Michael White ★ Vijs.ca

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Vikram Vij, photographed at My Shanti in Surrey

best ITALIAN UPSCALE ★★★

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca 1133 Hamilton St., 604-688-7466 Cioppinosyaletown.com

★★

La Quercia 3689 W. Fourth Ave., 604-676-1007 Laquercia.ca

★

CinCin ristorante 1154 Robson St., 604-688-7338 Cincin.net

best italian upscale Think of it as an immovable feast: Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca will not budge from its Gold podium in this category. Chef Pino Posteraro redefined fine Italian dining in Vancouver when he opened this room in 1999, and his attention to every detail has ensured its status has never flagged.

“Pino and his well-trained crew consistently deliver a top culinary adventure,” says a devoted judge, while another adds, “His food is ethereal. There is no other chef in Vancouver who puts as much labour into his dishes—he never cuts corners, never compromises, never disappoints.” La Quercia (Silver) continues to draw raves for the inspired cooking of Adam Pegg, our judges drawing special attention (as they did last year) to the $50 tasting menu—“plenty for two or even three”—and the exceptional wine list “with lots of unfamiliar names and regions.”

CinCin (Bronze)—now, remarkably, in its 25th

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Bartender ★

of the year

★

Lauren Mote

➾

Lauren Mote behind the bar at Uva

best ITALIAN CASUAL ★★★

Ask for Luigi 305 Alexander St., 604-428-2544 Askforluigi.com

★★

Campagnolo Roma 2297 E. Hastings St., 604-569-0456 Campagnoloroma.com

★

Bufala 5935 West Blvd., 604-267-7499 Bufala.ca

62

if earning our Bartender of the Year title were simply a matter of making delicious drinks, Lauren Mote would have been deserving of it long ago. But our judges set a near impossible bar in this category, one Mote clears easily this year—not as a bartender so much as an ambassador for the myriad pleasures of top-shelf adult imbibing.

Mote lives, breathes, and likely dreams (whenever she does sleep) new ways to prepare and promote spirits. Behind the wood during early jobs at Lumière and the Refinery, she impressed with her ability to mix an impeccably balanced cocktail and make every customer feel like a VIP—something she continues to do in her current role as bar manager at Uva. That, however, is but one small part of her schedule.

Cofounder of the successful Bittered Sling brand and beverage consultant to restaurants including Yew Seafood + Bar (which introduced her marine-themed Oceans menu earlier this year), she also makes a point of hiring and mentoring relatively unproven applicants at Uva. All this, and she can regale you with a hilarious anecdote (about, say, a recent visit to a distillery in the Scottish Highlands) while mixing a flawless Old Fashioned.—Michael White ★ Uvavancouver.com

year—seems only to have grown more praiseworthy in some judges’ estimation. “In the last year, chef Andrew Richardson has restored its former crack performance,” says one. “Some of this is dedication to quality of ingredients: the burrata from Puglia, when it’s available, is so fresh you might as well be in Italy.” HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Cibo Trattoria, La Pentola ★ Best Italian Casual Few Vancouver restaurants have debuted in recent years to such effusive, unanimous praise as Ask for Luigi (Gold), as evidenced by its quartet of sweeps. “It was a beauty to see this quirky little restaurant with the quirkier little name become so beloved so fast,” says one judge. The rotating selection of antipasti and pastas from chef J-C Poirier

(ex-Lumière, Chow, Campagnolo) keeps the room equally bustling at lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Campagnolo Roma (Silver) continues to draw diners from near and far to Hastings-Sunrise, its pizzas and daily specials buttressing an already impressive menu of classic pastas. Save room for dessert: tiramisu and soft-serve ice cream rarely taste as transcendent as they do here. Another newcomer, Bufala (Bronze) thrilled Kerrisdale, a neighbourhood whose appetites have in recent years been underserved. The family-friendly pizzeria is packed every night for pies from an 800-degree stone oven, as well as popular starters including meatballs and kale Caesar salad, plus “brilliant, simple cocktails” created by co-owner Josh Pape. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: La Buca, Campagnolo ★

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THE 500 SALAD. Packed with superfoods and an ingredient-driven mixture of favour and texture, this dish has alot to ofer.

And did we mention it’s only 500 calories?

JOEYRESTAURANTS.COM

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r a ★ 2015

best FRENCH CASUAL ★★★

Tableau Bar Bistro 1181 Melville St., 604-639-8692 Tableaubarbistro.com

★★

Au Comptoir 2278 W. Fourth Ave., 604-569-2278 Aucomptoir.ca

★

Bistro Wagon Rouge 1869 Powell St., 604-251-4070 Bistrowagonrouge.com

best FRENCH UPSCALE ★★★

Le Crocodile 100-909 Burrard St., 604-669-4298 Lecrocodilerestaurant.com

★★

Bacchus at the Wedgewood 845 Hornby St., 604-608-5319 Wedgewoodhotel.com

★

La Regalade 2232 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-921-2228 Laregalade.com

Niçoise salad and the 1181 cocktail from Tableau Bar Bistro

best french casual The compact card at Tableau Bar Bistro (Gold) exemplifies everything one could reasonably want from a neighbourhood bistro: French onion soup, steak tartare, moules frites, cocktails “worth bypassing the wine list for”—all in a room whose immaculate beauty doesn’t discourage you from dropping in straight from a workout. Au Comptoir (Silver) arrived in Kits this past summer and promptly whisked all who passed through its doors to some idealized Paris (“Stubbornly authentic—merci!—without the Parisian attitude— merci!” quips a judge); its lunch and dinner menus offer enough exclusive options to encourage visiting twice in a day. Putting extra emphasis on “casual,” Bistro Wagon

Rouge (Bronze) delights with its notion of “blue-collar French” cuisine. No matter what its oft-changing menu offers, one judge says the “simple, honest food makes me feel like I’ve been invited to a friend’s house in the country.” HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Pied-à-Terre, Jules ★ Best french upscale Dining trends come and go, but the classical dishes plated year after year by chef Michel Jacob and his team at Le Crocodile (Gold) never seem to lose the devotion of even the most fickle diners. (One judge unreservedly states that he runs “the best French kitchen ever!”) Warhorses such as lobster bisque, frogs’ legs, and Dover sole in butter sauce

Pastry Chef ★

of the year

★

thomas ha as 64

w e admit it: Haas’s recurrent victory in this category has become so predictable as to risk being boring. But it speaks to the impeccable skills of the fourth-generation pâtissier that he’s claimed this title in three of the past four years. “This undisputed master,” one of our judges raves, “continues to create whimsical, wonderful chocolates, pastries, and seasonal treats with dynamic style.” While elaborate cakes and tarts are the attention-hoarding showpieces of Haas’s two shops, such is his inventiveness that something outwardly orthodox—say, a chocolate Easter bunny or a modest macaron—harbours incomparably decadent flavours. (Yes, that is a Guinness ganache mingling with praline and fleur de sel in that bonbon.) Meanwhile, his pain au chocolat is as much a love letter to butter as any edible in the city—which, needless to say, is a huge compliment.—Paul Watt ★ Thomashaas.com

Gutter Credit

➾

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GUEST ROOM BOOKINGS: RESERVATIONS@WALLCENTRE.COM 604 331 1000 CATERING AND EVENTS: CATERING@WALLCENTRE.COM 604 893 7371

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2015-03-26 10:22 AM

Lifetime

achievement

r a ★ 2015

award

David Aisenstat ➾

“I grew up in the restaurant business,” says David Aisenstat, 58, son of the founder of the Hy’s Steakhouse chain. Upon graduation from the University of Western Ontario, he joined RJR Nabisco. After holding various corporate positions in Montreal, Toronto, and New York, he returned to the family business, becoming president of Hy’s after his father’s death in 1988.

Aisenstat also served on the board of Keg Restaurants Ltd., founded in 1971 by his friend and mentor, George Tidball. In 1987, Tidball sold the company to Whitbread PLC, the British brewing and hospitality conglomerate, which wanted a beachhead in North America. For a decade, however, as the Brits tinkered with the concept, the Keg foundered. When they put it on the market in ’97, Aisenstat, with borrowed millions, bought it.

At the time, there were 80 locations.

With his head for business and lust for life, he returned the Keg to its roots—great meat, a solid wine list, and prominent cocktail program—and doubled per-store revenue. Today, the 107 Keg locations in Canada and the U.S. generate more than half a billion dollars annually. In 2014, Aisenstat sold a 51 percent interest to Fairfax Financial for close to $100 million; he holds the balance and remains CEO. He also owns the Shore Club in Ottawa and Toronto, Ki in Calgary and Toronto, and Gotham and Joe Fortes in Vancouver. (His brothers, Neil and John, own the Hy’s chain.)

Aisenstat deeply admires restaurant pioneers—people like Tidball, Bus Fuller (Earls), Bud Kanke (Joe Fortes), and his own father.

“Really,” he says, “my generation is building on what they started.” Perhaps so, but thanks to what he himself has accomplished in the past 30 years, this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner clearly deserves a place among them.— Gary Stephen Ross ★

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best CHINESE UPSCALE ★★★

Dynasty Seafood 777 W. Broadway, 604-876-8388 Dynasty-restaurant.ca

★★

Chef Tony Seafood 101-4600 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-279-0083 Cheftonycanada.com

★

Yue Delicacy 8077 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, 604-233-1219

best CHINESE CASUAL ★★★

Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie 163 Keefer St., 604-688-0876 Bao-bei.ca

★★

Ningtu 2130 Kingsway, 604-438-6669 Ningtu.ca

★

Dinesty Dumpling House Various locations Dinesty.ca

transcend their familiarity, while the $85 chef ’s tasting menu is arguably the most reasonably priced splurge in the city. Likewise, Bacchus at the Wedgewood (Silver) continues to fly the flag for old-school indulgences (rack of lamb, truffle frites, foie gras torchon) in one of too few rooms that still value the appeal of deep leather chairs and a martini poured tableside. La Régalade (Bronze) makes up for what it lacks in size (make a reservation if you plan to pilgrimage across the bridge) with a resolutely time-honoured list of attractions: escargots, house-made pâté, boeuf bourguignon—and, of course, a cheese plate or chocolate tart to follow. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Five Sails, Provence Marinaside ★ Best chinese Upscale The stranglehold that Hong Kong-style fine-dining establishments have had in this category was broken this year by a slew of ambitious Mainland Chinese operators. Dynasty Seafood (Gold) remains true to Cantonese culinary ideals of restraint but has added real fire to its “typhoon shelter” sticky rice, bright pickled-ginger punch to Dungeness crab served in a colossal noodle shell, and fermented-tofu funk to pork ribs.

Chef Tony Seafood (Silver), meanwhile, ups the flavour ante with black-truffle flakes tossed with chilled poached chicken, pork belly steamed with preserved lemon, and black-vinegar-sharpened sea cucumber. Yue Delicacy (Bronze) offers a peek into a world of Chinese high rollers who spend thousands on an evening’s worth of brandy. But big spenders need to eat, too, and deep-fried crab showered with spicy garlic, luscious squab, and homey singing-chicken hotpot help the cognac go down nicely. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Peninsula Seafood, Kirin ★ Best chinese Casual The expertly prepared cocktails, at-ease multicultural staff, and perfect wok technique at Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie (Gold) all reflect the best of modern Chinese dining in Vancouver. Using sustainable and organic ingredients seems like a no-brainer, but no other Chinese restaurant of note does this so consistently. The savoury lamb shao bing, crispy pork belly, and housemade dumplings all come highly recommended. Ningtu (Silver) is the unsung hero of

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+

SPEAKER SERIES Few Vancouver conversations are more pressing than sustainable housing and planning in our booming metropolis. The inaugural M Power Speaker Series tackled the issue head on, powered by contrarian insights from real estate titan Bob Rennie and BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay, shared with 150-plus attendees at the extravagant Brian Jessel BMW dealership on March 23. Watch the highlights at BrianJesselBMW.com/EventSeries.

BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay (left) and Rennie Marketing’s Bob Rennie pause for a smile.

Vancouver Editor-in-chief John Burns queries the audience: “How many people think housing is over-priced in Vancouver?”

Shayne Ramsay rolls up in Brian Jessel’s BMW 4 Series.

Brian Jessel BMW managing partner Jim Murray (left), Shayne Ramsay, vice president of operations, BC Housing, Craig Crawford and Bob Rennie.

Guests enjoying the pre-event wine and cheese reception.

More than 150 people networked before the evening’s discussion began.

Register today for your chance to attend the May 11 event, featuring two more Power 50 speakers exploring how to engage the next generation of business leaders in Vancouver—the challenge and opportunity in retaining young entrepreneurs in our city. BrianJesselBMW.com/EventSeries

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The sizzling stone eel hitsuma-bushi from Kingyo’s lunch menu

The raucous room offers an endlessly revelatory juxtaposition of serious food served with pointedly unserious prices and enthusiasm

best JAPANESE CASUAL ★★★

Kingyo 871 Denman St., 604-608-1677 Kingyo-izakaya.ca

★★

Zakkushi 823 Denman St., 604-685-1136 Zakkushi.com

★

Kishimoto 2054 Commercial Dr., 604-255-5550

68

the incredibly competitive Casual Chinese restaurant world, turning out family-style classics such as warming soups with stuffed tofu and napa cabbage, and a superb Peking duck, in the same location for many, many years. Dinesty Dumpling House (Bronze) has brought a jolt of uncompromising Taiwanese-style flavours to Robson Street, attracting a steady lineup looking for delicate steamed soup dumplings, lip-numbing kung pao chicken, and hearty rice noodles tossed with all manner of tasty things.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Hoi Tong Seafood, Silkway Halal ★

remains the Gold standard in our judges’ estimation. With most of its imaginative, artfully composed plates costing under $10 (ebi mayo and stone-grilled beef tongue are longtime favourites), the raucous room offers an endlessly revelatory juxtaposition of serious food served with pointedly unserious prices and enthusiasm. “Loud, cheerful, and energetic” Zakkushi (Silver) specializes in more than 30 varieties of yakitori (“grilled things on sticks”), from Kobe beef and free-range chicken to veggies and “all the bits” (tongue, heart, liver). A good sake selection and fun $5 cocktails encourage making a night of it. Low-profile Kishimoto best japanese casual Kingyo (Gold) neither (Bronze) humbly goes about its business, pioneered our izakaya craze nor does it seem plating some of the city’s best sushi rolls (try interested in trying to parlay its success—as the seared ebi oshi-zushi, with pesto and certain rivals have done—into chain-like cracked black pepper) and charging far less ubiquity (although it did open a Toronto out- than their quality merits. HONOURABLE MENpost in 2012). But its sole Vancouver location TIONS: Guu Garden, ShuRaku ★

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SPONSORED REPORT

Sooner Rather than Later Nestled on Hawthorne Mountain in the charming town of Okanagan Falls, See Ya Later Ranch is known for more than its award-winning wines. A legacy of humour and a love of canines compose a history that won’t be soon forgotten.

P

urchased by Major Hugh Fraser in 1919, the ranch borrows its name from his wife’s curt farewell upon seeing the rustic valley property. See Ya Later represents an understanding of what’s really important (good wine and furry friends included) and an ability to take the rest in stride.

Today SYL continues to prioritize the colourful side of life—as reflected in 2014’s refreshed label. The new look pays tribute to Major Fraser’s own colourful self and the history of the ranch, promising to carry the same values into the future.

More than capable of the task at hand is Senior Winemaker, Dave Carson.

Carson claims an impressive history in his own right, having worked in the wine industry since long before his own legal age. Coming to SYL with a long list of awards and accolades, Carson finds nothing more rewarding than his daily view of Skaha Lake—though it’s still worth noting that SYL’s 2014 ROVER (a Shiraz Viognier blend) won the Platinum and Premier Awards at the 2014 British Columbia Wine Awards.

“I’m proud to be part of a team so totally committed to producing wines of the highest quality,” says Carson.

Next time this colourful label catches your eye at the liquor store, be sure to take a bottle home with you. We have a good feeling your response will be more along the lines of “see you again soon.”

THE GRAPE DIVIDE 20,000 Number of visitors to SYL each season 400 Approximate number of

barrels used each year for SYL products

12 Age at which Dave started working in vineyards

9 Number of different varietals or blends produced by SYL in 2014 3 Minimum number of dogs typically found at SYL 2 Number of months until the Summer Okanagan Wine Festival

2575 Green Lake Road (Just 5 km off Highway 97) Okanagan Falls, B.C. 250-497-8267 | sylranch.com Created by the Vancouver advertising department in partnership with See Ya Later Ranch.

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Best New

RESTAUR ANT ★

of the year

★

ASK FOR LUIGI

★★★

★★

★

ASK FOR LUIGI

CINARA

CHAMBAR

350 W. Pender St. 604-428-9694 Cinara.ca

568 Beatty St. 604-879-7119 Chambar.com

305 Alexander St. 604-428-2544 Askforluigi.com

➾

our judges—and the masses—have been emphatic in their praise of Ask for Luigi, the Little Restaurant That Could. Despite a low profile, strong word of mouth resulted in flocks from near and far for this diminutive, unpretentious trattoria’s house-made pastas, accessible wines (served in tumblers rather than stemware), and antipasti such as anchovy-topped eggs and stellar meatballs. “I’ve never had a dish there I wouldn’t order again,” one judge enthuses, echoing many of his colleagues. (See also Restaurant of the Year, Best Casual, and Best Italian Casual.)

A very different interpretation of Italian cuisine, at Silver winner Cinara, also made an impressive debut. Chef/owners Lucais Syme and Gill Book have worked in many of the city’s top pasta-forward kitchens, but here their concise, frequently changing menu of “modern European cuisine” favours proteins whose fuss-free presentations belie “their underlying intelligence, precise technique, and explorations of ingredients not generally found elsewhere.” Although not new, Belgian-themed Chambar took Bronze for reinventing itself just enough in its 10th year: a new, larger location and an expanded menu, but the same standards of excellence in food and service that have made it a perennial darling. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: My Shanti, Café Medina ★

BEST JAPANESE UPSCALE FIRST PLACE TIE

★★★

TOJO’S 1133 W. Broadway, 604-872-8050 Tojos.com

★★★

ZEST 2775 W. 16th Ave., 604-731-9378 Zestjapanese.com

★

MIKU 70-200 Granville St., 604-568-3900 Mikurestaurant.com

70

BEST JAPANESE UPSCALE There were gasps of surprise last year when Zest liberated this category’s Gold title from Tojo’s for the first time in the history of our awards. This year, we declare a tie, our judges evenly split in their preference for chef Yoshiaki Maniwa’s “contemporary, cerebral” Japanese cuisine at Zest and Hidekazu Tojo’s legendary Tojo’s, which is “easy to take for granted, but is a world-famous restaurant we’re lucky to have.” Zest once again drew special-mention raves for its $90 omakase menu (24 hours’ notice required), which, says one judge, “will convince you that Maniwa and Tatsuya Katagiri are among the best chefs in the city.” Tojo’s, meanwhile, never fails to offer a flawless

(and deservedly costly) dining experience: whether raw or cooked, the unwavering freshness and invention of every plate make it a gastronomic shrine every local and visitor needs to experience at least once. Miku (Bronze), which introduced the city to aburi-style (flame-seared) sushi, impressed with its “grand, sophisticated” new waterfront room as much as with its sprawling menu of sea-and-land temptations. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar, Kiriri ★ The charitable beneficiary of this year’s Restaurant Awards is Mealshare, which collaborates with local eateries to provide meals to those in need.

Mealshare.ca

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27 years and still cooking !

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Lunch rush at Tacofino Commissary

best of the AMERICAS ★★★

Tacofino Commissary 2327 E. Hastings St., 604-253-8226 Tacofino.com

★★

La Taqueria Various locations. Lataqueria.com

★

Re-Up BBQ 810 Quayside Dr., New Westminster, 604-553-3997 Reupbbq.com

best KOREAN ★★★

Hanwoori 5740 Imperial St., Burnaby, 604-439-0815

★★

Damso Modern Korean 867 Denman St., 604-632-0022

★

Seoul Doogbaegi 1031 Kingsway, 604-879-1515

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Best of the Americas Tacofino Commissary, the first bricks-and-mortar progeny of the much-loved food truck, claimed Gold from our judges for offering “authentic flavours without being held back by tradition.” This means tacos filled with skirt steak and jalapeño, but also chicken karaage and Brussels sprout kimchee; or a take on poutine that teams tater tots with “chorizo verde” and salsa fresca. La Taqueria (Silver), which recently expanded to a third location in North Vancouver, continues to be a model of simplicity: a tight selection of meat and vegetable tacos, each a perfect balance of flavours. (Carnivores would be remiss in overlooking the vegan tinga de hongos, with sautéd mushrooms and chipotle.) Re-Up BBQ, at New Westminster’s River Market, loads up its customers with heaps of southern-inspired proteins: pulled pork, brisket, and fried chicken come on a bun or as a platter. Don’t forget the heavenly buttermilk biscuits. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: El Camino’s, Los Cuervos Taqueria & Cantina ★ best korean Opposite a car dealership, in the sort of grim strip mall that propels people to leave the suburbs forever, Hanwoori may be the most deceptive-looking restaurant ever to serially dominate a Gold prize in

these awards. Look past the doors and survey the clientele in the dining room: bona fide Koreans, far from the mother cuisine, who know this is real-deal cooking. It isn’t always cheap (beef and seafood dishes can scale upwards of $30), but in both quality and quantity, you get what you pay for. Damso Modern Korean (Silver) telegraphs its siren’s call to the late-night masses: this is where you want to stuff your face as either a prelude or coda to the evening’s indulgences. You will come to believe in the allure of a kimcheestuffed bulgogi burger. Seoul Doogbaegi (Bronze) offers zero in terms of ambience or attentive service, but if you want filling portions of bulgogi, beef tendon soup, and steamed or fried dumplings, just order to your heart’s content and shut up. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Ma Dang Coul, Dai Jang Kum ★ best thai Chef Angus An once again dominates this category. His Maenam (Gold) has single-handedly elevated diners’ knowledge and appreciation of Thai cuisine, as well as its relationship to wine: “For those weaned on pad Thai bastardized with ketchup, the mouth-popping sensation of bitterly brittle pea eggplants”—his devotion to sourcing ingredients is part of his success—“and the uncompromising heat

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A PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE, NATURALLY. IT’S IN OUR DNA For over three decades, Toptable Goup has defned elegant yet approachable dining. The fnest regional ingredients – crafted by extraordinary culinary talent and delivered with an unparalleled level of hospitality – is what continues to set Toptable Group apart.

But it is you, our guest, who continues to inspire us in our ongoing pursuit of excellence.

toptable group

araxi

blue water cafe

cincin

west

thierry

toptable.ca

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R A ★ 2015

BEST THAI

Ingredient of t h e y e a r

★★★

MAENAM 1928 W. Fourth Ave., 604-730-5579 Maenam.ca

★★

LONGTAIL KITCHEN 116-810 Quayside Dr., New Westminster, 604-553-3855 Longtailkitchen.com

★

BOB LIKES THAI FOOD 1521 W. Broadway, 604-558-3320 3755 Main St., 604-568-8538 Boblikesthaifood.com

OCTOPUS ➾

given Vancouver diners’ devotion to local seafood, the only surprise in octopus’s appearance on so many menus of late is that it didn’t happen sooner. The delicious mollusc made the leap in the past year from ethnicrestaurant specialty to full-blown Ocean Wise-approved locavore hero.

L’Abattoir’s starter—pressed and slowpoached, then crowned with grilled tentacles and squid-ink crumb—highlights the creature’s range of textures, which can be snappily fresh or luxuriantly tender. With surf-and-turf cheekiness, Cibo Trattoria recently served it with a sprinkle of bone-marrow bread crumbs, while at Tacofino Gastown, it’s simply grilled and brought to the table on a tostado with jalapeño-avocado crema. Add it to your home repertoire with Fresh Sheet columnist Murray Bancroft’s simple recipe: pick up some sustainable trap-caught octopus from the Fish Counter on Main Street, braise slowly for an hour or so with a bit of salted water, then marinate overnight with olive oil, lemon juice, chili, and oregano. The next day, grill to a lovely char, slice thinly, and enjoy!—Lee Man ★

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BEST VIETNAMESE ★★★

PHNOM PENH 244 E. Georgia St., 604-682-5777 SECOND PLACE TIE

★★

MR. RED CAFE 2234 E. Hastings St., 604-710-9515

★★

AU PETIT CAFE 4815 Main St., 604-873-3328

BEST OTHER ASIAN ★★★

AMAY’S HOUSE 5076 Victoria Dr., 604-327-2629

★★

PENANG DELIGHT CAFE 3885 Rupert St., 604-566-9898 Penangdelight.com

★

BANANA LEAF Various locations Bananaleaf-vancouver.com

of green curry halibut, effectively tamed with semi-sweet Alsatian riesling, will be revelatory.” Longtail Kitchen (Silver) is another An masterstroke, making humble Thai street food—chicken wings and satays, fried rice with sausage—deserving of a special commute to the River Market. The two locations of Bob Likes Thai Food (Bronze) offer a more conventionally Western take on Thai standards, but their kitchens show uncommon attention to preparation and presentation, and a few tradition-defying dishes (Thai-style “poutine” with deepfried taro root, lime leaf, lemongrass, and green-curry sauce) are just crazy enough to work. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Thai Cuisine by Montri, Sawasdee Thai ★ BEST VIETNAMESE The bulletin board inside its front door won’t let us forget that Anthony Bourdain and Donald Sutherland, among other luminaries, love Phnom Penh (Gold), but their endorsements only confirm what many of us already knew: that this long-running Chinatown holein-the-wall is in a league of its own. The reputations of the chicken wings and butter beef are well established, but be adventurous when exploring the vast menu: at these prices, you can afford to, and the likelihood of disappointment is virtually nil. (Read our tingling lips: spicy garlic squid.) Mr. Red Cafe (Silver) dropped from nowhere into the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood last year and, at a stroke, raised the bar for Northern Vietnamese cuisine in the city; let wonderful co-owner/host Rose Nguyen (see Premier Crew, pg. 80) guide you through the menu, and the kitchen will reward your trust. Tied for Silver, Au Petit Café is a proudly modest family enterprise, but its pho, banh mi, and curries are as outsize and assertive as the room is not. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: BaoQi, Pho Tan ★ BEST OTHER ASIAN Burmese cuisine is still a relative rarity in Greater Vancouver.

Amay’s House (Gold) will leave anyone who experiences chef/co-owner Hihaa Kyaw’s fragrant, palate-stunning efforts asking why. A simple salad of fermented tea leaves, tomato, and cabbage is a taste revelation,

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discover something new

concept store | thought-provoking food and fashion under one roof | one water street | secretlocation.ca reservations 604 685 0090 ext 2

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boutique appointments 604 685 0090 ext 1

2015-03-25 11:19 AM

The dim sum crowd at Chef Tony Seafood

while soups and noodle and rice dishes explode with variously bracing and soothing notes brought forth by the judicious use of basil leaves, lemongrass, coconut oil, and shrimp powder. The two outlets of Penang Delight Cafe (Silver) are reliably busy, the hordes drawn in by complex Malaysian curries and fun fried snacks like chicken wings and fabulously crunchy squid. Banana Leaf (Bronze) has grown from a single outlet in 1995 to five today; its success is just reward for delivering accessible Malaysian fare with unwavering consistency, and introducing the now ubiquitous likes of lettuce wraps, papaya salad, and sambal green beans to a previously unfamiliar populace.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Café Kathmandu, Dunlevy Snackbar ★

best DIM SUM ★★★

Chef Tony Seafood 101-4600 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-279-0083 Cheftonycanada.com

★★

Golden Paramount 8071 Park Rd., Richmond, 604-278-0873

★

Dynasty Seafood 777 W. Broadway, 604-876-8388 Dynasty-restaurant.ca

The resulting egg-white buns, mushroom tarts, and steamed Malay cakes are ethereal. As well, the succulent hand-chopped black truffle siu mai, wild-rice-inflected chicken sticky rice, and puffy baked pork buns keep the crowd levels vigorously high—reservations are mandatory 76

Best Dim Sum The first thing the kitchen staff at Chef Tony Seafood (Gold) do every morning is prepare delicate doughs, batters, and crusts using finely milled imported flour.

The resulting egg-white buns, mushroom tarts, and steamed Malay cakes are ethereal.

As well, the succulent hand-chopped black truffle siu mai, wild-rice-inflected chicken sticky rice, and puffy baked pork buns keep the crowd levels vigorously high—reservations are mandatory. Golden Paramount (Silver) eschews pretension, focusing on unerring classic technique and restrained natural flavours best reflected in its famous crab-and-pork dumplings, startlingly earthy sweet-daikon spring rolls, and creamy char siu and preserved-egg pastries. Dynasty Seafood (Bronze) confidently incorporates West Coast influences with an emphasis on clean vegetarian dishes (mushroom dumplings and stir-fried Buddha’s feast) and smartly measured bursts of spice and sharpness (such as the lemon in those char siu pastries). HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Kirin, Neptune Seafood ★

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Award Winning Neapolitan Pizza

CELEBRATING Simple beautiful FOOD

with local and seasonal ingredients 68 East Cordova Street Vancouver BC • 604 669 6985

62 East Cordova Street, Vancouver BC 604 669 6985 niclipizzeria.ca

N IC L ISN E X T D O OR .C OM

A Rare Winery Experience Okanagan Crush Pad is home to Haywire and Narrative, two unique wines that celebrate the diversity of our vineyards. Come and discover why our wines are being celebrated as the new Okanagan.

Open April to October. Check www.okanagancrushpad.com for hours.

250.494.4445 Ext 1 • 16576 Fosbery Road, Summerland, BC OKCrushPad

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@OKCrushPad

OKCrushPad

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r a ★ 2015

best noodle House Given the long, intimate relationship between ramen noodles and pork stock, it speaks to the strong impression made by Marutama Ra-men that it handily claimed Gold this year. The first North American outpost of a Japanese chainlet (located in a former house at Bidwell and Robson), it builds its soup’s mild yet complex flavour from the feet and abdominal meat of chicken, with added saline punch from aosa seaweed. Pile on some cha-shu and a soft-boiled egg for a deeply satisfying meal that costs a hair over $10. Tied for Silver, Motomachi Shokudo and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka impressed with consistent quality and habit-forming house specialties, such as the former’s heady charcoal-miso ramen and the latter’s pork-cheek ramen, its generous toppings served on the side. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Harvest Community Foods, Chef Hung’s Taiwanese Beef Noodle ★

Marutama Ra-men

best NOODLE HOUSE

Best iNDIAN

★★★

Vij’s

Marutama Ra-men

1480 W. 11th Ave., 604-736-6664 Vijsrestaurant.ca

★★

780 Bidwell St., 604-688-8837 Japanesenoodle.com second place tie

★★

Motomachi Shokudo 740 Denman St., 604-609-0310

★★

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka 1690 Robson St., 604-681-8121

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★★★

My Shanti 15869 Croydon Dr., Surrey, 604-560-4416 Myshanti.com

★

Rangoli 1488 W. 11th Ave., 604-736-3701 Vijsrangoli.ca

best indian Our Chef of the Year, Vikram Vij, has long been assured at least two wins in this category, but the opening last year of his third bricks-and-mortar establishment (not including his acclaimed Railway Express truck; see pg. 84) brought him an unprecedented hat trick. Vij’s (Gold) is still the crown jewel, no one complaining about its no-reservations policy when food, wine, and service remain so consistently flawless. (“ ‘Lamb popsicles’ are now part of the Vancouver vernacular,” says one judge, affectionately referencing the signature dish.) When My Shanti (Silver) arrived last summer in, of all places, a Surrey strip mall, it instantly acquired destination status for food that is “bolder and deeper than Vij’s,” “a culinary travel diary of visits to his homeland that glories in the diversity and originality of regional Indian cuisine, both high and low”—including “insane” oyster pakoras and “vegetables that pay proper tribute to their importance in most of India.” Meanwhile, next-door neighbour Rangoli (Bronze) continues to offer lunchtime crowds the same delicious standards as its sibling restaurants, the considerably lower price points compensating for “pintsize chairs and tables” we’re still learning to settle into. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Dosa Corner, Sachdeva Sweets ★

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Best New design

au comptoir ➾ what do we expect from a room that claims this year’s Best New Design title? Foremost is that surge of excitement as you walk through the door and realize you’ve stumbled upon something great.

Au Comptoir managed to make an unassuming patch of West Fourth look and feel like it had been transported straight from the cobblestone streets of Paris. If it seems authentic, that’s because it is: the tables and pressed-tin bar were imported direct from the City of Love. And the beauty is in the details: vintage sewing machines were refurbished with bespoke wooden tabletops; a pass-through to the kitchen is framed in warm reclaimed wood; a mosaic tile pattern on the floor has been rubbed raw, as though decades of visitors have already worn it down. “It feels understated enough to be casual,” says judge Chad Falkenberg of Falken Reynolds Interiors, “and smartly appointed to speak to the quality of the food.” Honourable mentions go to two rooms that relocated last year to grander digs: at Chambar, co-owner Karri Schuermans has managed to expand and elevate the former room’s design while maintaining the welcoming vibe that made the first location so successful; and Café Medina’s white, bright space (including a huge replica ghost sign) feels as though it’s always been part of its new neighbourhood.—Anicka Quin ★ Aucomptoir.ca

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➾

when Rose Nguyen arrived in Vancouver from Vietnam, she noticed a lack of Northern Vietnamese cuisine. For 10 years, she and her husband, chef Hong, “worked hard and saved every dollar possible,” finally opening the instantly acclaimed Mr. Red Cafe (Best Vietnamese, pg. 76) in 2014. There, she charms all comers with her gracious service.

In her role as food and beverage director for Edible Canada, at Granville Island Public Market, Courtney Buryta excels at service and food-and-wine pairing. “People never remember the things you said or did, but they remember how you made them feel,” she says. “The best part of my job is the people.”

Originally aspiring to be a professional cyclist, Marc Morrison says that restaurant jobs during university not only allowed him to earn extra income, they led him back to his roots: “Restaurant work was one of the first options growing up in Jasper.” In 2001, he opened Brasserie L’École (Best Victoria, pg.

94), where diners savour classic French dishes.

Starting as a waiter, Wallace Chan climbed the industry ladder. His flair for leadership now flourishes in his role as general manager at Chef Tony Seafood (Best Chinese Upscale, pg. 66; Best Dim Sum, pg. 76), where he focuses on “honesty, observing, respecting, understanding, sincerity, and effort” in all matters.—Ginger Jefferies ★

best PIZZERIA ★★★

Nicli Antica Pizzeria 62 E. Cordova St., 604-669-6985 Niclipizzeria.ca second place tie

★★

Pizzeria Farina 915 Main St., 604-681-9334 Pizzeriafarina.com

★★

via tevere 1190 Victoria Dr., 604-336-1803 Viateverepizzeria.com

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This year’s front-of-house honourees, photographed at Mr. Red Cafe

premier crew Rose Nguyen, co-owner Mr. Red Cafe

Wallace Chan, general manager, Chef Tony Seafood

Marc Morrison, owner and maître d’, Brasserie L’École

best Pizzeria Remember when “New Yorkstyle” represented the height of this city’s pizza pizzazz? We aren’t that many years into the Neapolitan revolution, yet there’s no going back to the naive belief that thin-crust is enough to cut it. Speaking of cutting, pies come whole, and gloriously charred, at Gold winner Nicli Antica Pizzeria, our standardbearer for new-school pizza. The Gastown room is ground zero for casual, unrestrained hedonism, be it the Bianca with gorgonzola, arugula, and roasted red onion or the wonderfully spicy Diavola with fior di latte softening the bite of soppressata and chili.

An open kitchen and a pleasant bar mean this room, with its old brick and modern, white-arched open kitchen, is nearly always packed. (Hence the new sib next door.) At Pizzeria Farina (Silver), brainchild of Ask for

Luigi author J-C Poirier, loaded pies, dripping with sauce and bubbling at their cracking edges, announce their pleasures from the door with a yeasty shout. One white wine, one red—and the warm, cozy place shuts down once the dough is gone. Via Tevere claims a tie for Silver, thanks to its welcoming (for kids and first dates both) room ranged around that wood-fired oven, plus its Campari cocktails. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Bufala; Bella Gelateria, Nook (tie) ★ best steak house This category produced a top-to-bottom replay of last year’s champions, underlining the notion that steak houses are an invention for which adherence to tradition is expected and rewarded. Hy’s Encore (Gold) is so traditional, seemingly nothing within its dark-wood-panelled walls has changed since

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bryant mao Bryant Mao, sommelier, Hawksworth Courtney Buryta, food & beverage director, Edible Canada

Sommelier

of t h e y e a r

best sTEAK HOUSE ★★★

Hy’s Encore 637 Hornby St., 604-683-7671 Hyssteakhouse.com

★★

Gotham Steakhouse & cocktail bar 615 Seymour St., 604-605-8282 Gothamsteakhouse.com

★

The Roof at Black + Blue 1032 Alberni St., 604-637-0777 The-roof.ca

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the ’60s. Young or old, everyone comes here for what they always have: Prime Grade beef, wedge salad, good wine, supremely deferential service, and—praise the heavens!—a quiet room. Think of Gotham (Silver) as the swaggering younger brother of Hy’s: a modern iteration of its forebear that hits many of the same decadent notes. Yes, the porterhouse is $70; no, this is neither the time nor place to care. (Plus, it’s huge.) The Roof at Black + Blue (Bronze) liberates the steak house from its acrophobic heritage, transporting it from a red-velvet bunker to a high-flying penthouse party. Yet while its look and feel (and newfangled appetizers like mac-and-cheese sticks) might scream sacrilege, your New York strip has been prepared with decidedly oldfashioned reverence. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: The Keg, Hamilton Street Grill ★

➾

brya nt mao’s wine odyssey began when he arrived on the West Coast from Taiwan in his teens. Funding sommelier studies working as a bar-back at Brix and George, he did what all passionate wine geeks eventually do and headed for Europe.

Landing at London’s renowned Chez Bruce in 2008, he honed his craft under another Vancouver legend, head sommelier Terry Threlfall, immersing himself in every facet of pairing a great cellar with Michelin-starred cuisine.

At Hawksworth, Mao’s approach to wine service is caring, personal, and calm; he’ll consider your menu choices for a moment, then suggest the perfect bottle or two, his eyes flashing with the pleasure he finds in all he does. Your wine will appear minutes later, presented in an exquisite glass and at an impeccable temperature. Mao curates an ever-evolving list of close to 800 labels; long-established icons, esoteric rarities, and new discoveries from the Cowichan, Okanagan, and Similkameen Valley are served with an equal sense of delight. And when the workday is done, he’ll head out with his wine friends for late-night dumplings or noodles before doing it all again the next day.

—DJ Kearney ★ Hawksworthrestaurant.com

Watch coverage of last year’s Restaurant Awards ceremony (its sIlver anniversary, held on April 21, 2014, at the Sheraton Wall Centre) at Vanmag.com. There, you can also find dozens of chef interviews, tips from top city kitchens, and bartenders’ best-kept secrets.

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best seafood Seemingly no other seafoodfocused room can unseat Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar from its Gold throne. Our judges praised its “exceptional consistency,” owing in large part to chef Frank Pabst, who “still works the line and constantly adjusts the menu to combine old favourites—sometimes in a slightly different guise—and new dishes.” Cooked dishes are ingeniously composed, but the sheer freshness of Blue Water’s fish means simplicity wins out: a plate of oysters or a seafood tower offers literal raw pleasure. Yew Seafood + Bar (Silver) has continued to improve by leaps and bounds under the direction of chef Ned Bell, whose commitment to sustainable practices (see Green Award, pg. 87) doesn’t negate commitments to “never compromising quality and being continuously innovative.” Vegan lunch and dinner menus, plus one of the city’s most comfortable bars, with a revamped cocktail list, make Yew extra inclusive and a prime spot for unwinding post-work. Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar (Bronze) opened with much fanfare last year and was judged to be “a hotel restaurant with a difference”—an impressively sprawling room, a something-for-everyone menu, and a superlative selection of organic, sustainable, and local wines. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Landmark Hot Pot House, Zest ★

Gooseneck barnacles from the Unsung Heroes menu at Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar

best SEAFOOD ★★★

Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078 Bluewatercafe.net

★★

Yew Seafood + Bar 791 W. Georgia St., 604-692-4939 Yewseafood.com

★

Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar 845 Burrard St., 604-642-2900 Boulevardvancouver.ca

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best CASUAL CHAIN ★★★

Cactus Club Cafe Various locations Cactusclubcafe.com

★★

Hapa Izakaya Various locations Hapaizakaya.com

★

Earls Various locations Earls.ca

best casual Chain Ambitious expansion plans (including a debut Toronto location this year) haven’t robbed Cactus Club Cafe (Gold) of its leading edge; it remains “head and shoulders above” in its category, say our judges, thanks to executive chef Rob Feenie and sommelier Sebastien Le Goff, who see no reason why the masses shouldn’t have the chance to eat and drink like urban sophisticates. The short-rib sandwich is an exquisite mess, made to feel highfalutin with an accompanying glass of B.C. cab franc. Hapa Izakaya’s (Silver) four Vancouver locations are as consistent as can be, and the chainlet’s stunningly generous happy hour menu (scores of half-price dishes, plus discounted wine and draft beer) makes it ultra-affordable to get one’s fill of ebi mayo and agedashi tofu. The Test Kitchen program at Earls (Bronze) has played no small

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Specifically designed for wine enthusiasts alike, Fagor’s multi-zone wine units are sleek and modern in design and allow for complete versatility in wine storing.

With each zone assigned its own temperature settings for optimum wine keeping, these units are an ideal storage solution for any wine connoisseur.

For questions or information on where to purchase, please contact Pacific Specialty Brands at 604.430.5253 or pacificspecialtybrands.com

Purchase any FAGOR refrigerator or wine unit (available in 28, 46 and 118 bottle capacities) from April 15 to August 31, 2015 and receive 4 bottles of wine from the acclaimed CULMINA Family Estate Winery.

A $175 retail value.

We preserve and protect the true artisanship of old-world handcrafted gelato and authentic Napoletana pizza. As International and Italian gelato Champions we believe you deserve the best of Italy.

1089 Marinaside Crescent (Yaletown) | 778.737.7890 | @bellayaletown 1001 West Cordova Street (Coal Harbour) | 604.569.1010 | @bellagelateria bellagelateria.com

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OLD WORLD ELEGANCE...

NEW WORLD EDGE!

Revolver Coffee

Look for our wines at your favourite wine shop or restaurant.

Buy from our OnLine store: closdusoleil.ca Visit our tasting room: 2568 Upper Bench Rd, Keremeos, BC Open 7 days a week (250) 499-2831 @Closdusoleil

best FOOD CART ★★★

Tacofino @tacofinocantina

★★

Vij’s Railway Express @vijsrailway

★

Yolk’s @yolksbreakfast

Proudly Family Owned Since 1906.

best COFFEEHOUSE ★★★

Revolver Coffee 325 Cambie St., 604-558-4444 Revolvercoffee.ca

★★

Offering the best in quality from our family to yours.

Taste the difference in our conventional and organic products.

Make us a staple in your kitchen!

Timbertrain Coffee Roasters 311 W. Cordova St., 604-360-0068 Timbertraincoffeeroasters.com

★

Forty Ninth Parallel Various locations 49thparallelroasters.com

part in improving its game, although the results are only available at select locations right now. Once service standards catch up to the menu, it could be unstoppable. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Joey, Guu ★ Best Food Cart New four-wheeled competitors have taken to the streets with alarming frequency of late, but last year’s top two winners held their own in this category.

Our judges still consider Tacofino (Gold)— one of the first regional food carts to set tongues wagging and bloggers blogging—a case study of first-rate mobile food purveyance. “From a gravel lot in Tofino, it’s come a long way,” commends a judge. The Vancouver-based truck retains the focus that made it famous: tacos, of course, with crispy ling cod or tender pork al pastor, plus a few bulging burritos and crave-worthy banana churros. Vij’s Railway Express (Silver) offers downtown office workers portable variations of the trail-blazing flavour combinations that have made our Chef of the Year’s restaurants world-famous; panko-crusted butter chicken schnitzel paired with an iced chai makes a rote weekday lunch break sublime. Yolk’s (Bronze) proves that anytime can be breakfast time when all the components of a top-notch eggs Benny are mounded onto a sturdy ciabatta bun (be careful biting down) and served with organic coffee or—swoon!—icecold milk blended with Callebaut chocolate.

HONOURABLE MENTIONs: Le Tigre, Soho Road Naan Kebab ★ BEST COFFEEHOUSE In the caffeine arms race, nobody has stockpiled better roasts, more knowledgeable baristas, or more opinionated and invested customers than

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★★★

Cactus Club Cafe Coal Harbour 1085 Canada Pl., 604-620-7410 Cactusclubcafe.com

★★

Cafe Medina 780 Richards St., 604-879-3114 Medinacafe.com

★

Tableau Bar Bistro 1181 Melville St., 604-639-8692 Tableaubarbistro.com

Best Downtown Its postcard-perfect views would grant it an unfair advantage no matter the food quality, but Cactus Club Cafe Coal Harbour (Gold) doesn’t take its privileged podium for granted. A sprawling “design marvel,” the largest and busiest of the chain’s growing number of locations is a “clever showcase for the magical ideas of executive chef Rob Feenie,” from burgers and pizzas to signature items such as Thai red curry to Pacific ling cod that’s “arguably the best in the city.” Breakfast and brunch mecca Café Medina (Silver) relocated to larger digs but maintained both its lofty standards and long lineups; the likely wait is worth it, however, when your patience is rewarded with chef Jonathan Chovancek’s “otherworldly” egg dishes, crisp Liège waffles with to-die-for milk chocolate/lavender sauce, and coffee good enough to make you linger despite the new room’s frenzied din. The Loden Hotel’s Tableau Bar Bistro (Bronze) feels just removed enough from the downtown core to mollify the workday’s stresses; a cheese-and-charcuterie plate and a generously poured cocktail at this Best French Casual spot (see pg. 64) will send you on your way a happier person than when you walked in. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Kirin, BaoQi ★

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Carlo Ricci

best DOWNTOWN

Gastown’s Revolver Coffee (Gold), which jumps from last year’s bridesmaid berth.

Excellence is all about choice: select from a rotating roster of roasts from Berlin, Portland, San Francisco, and more; sample flights, including vertical brewings of one bean three ways. With added room next door, the spot’s only problem (limited seating) has been solved. Timbertrain Coffee Roasters (Silver) kills it with creamy nitro’d cold brews and home-roasted beans served fast (for those on the clock) or handpoured slow. Bonus: delish pastries. (Don’t think—just order the maple waffle.) In all the hoopla, let’s not forget original Forty Ninth Parallel (Bronze), consistent especially in its beautifully rendered espressos to be drunk standing amid all those beautiful shades of blue. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Milano Coffee, Lear Faye Espresso Kitchen (closed) ★

Open Daily 10am to 6pm www.tinhorn.com

RESTAURANT AT TINHORN CREEK

Open for Lunch, Tapas, & Dinner 7 days a week www.miradoro.ca

Sales Ends June 30, 2015 | 5% Cash & Carry Sales Ends June 30, 2015

Carry Sales Ends June 30, 2015 |5% 5% Cash Cash &&Carry

Russell Food Equipment Ltd. 1255 Venables St., Vancouver 604-253-6611 or 800-663-0707 russellfood.ca | dudson.com

green ned bell award

Carlo Ricci

➾

four years ago, Ned Bell was on a beach in Halifax one night with a bunch of colleagues. They were unwinding after a day of Canadian Chefs Congress meetings, shooting the breeze and watching the stars, when the aha moment hit. “We’re all about what’s growing in our own regions and provinces, but we didn’t have a national conversation around sustainable seafood,” says the Okanagan-born chef. He’d just taken a job with the Vancouver Four Seasons, rebranding its storied Yew restaurant into a standard-bearer for environmental responsibility.

It became the first luxury hotel in the country to sign on as 100 percent Ocean Wise, and Bell has seen that hyperfocus pay off with his bosses (revenues have jumped from $6 million a year to $9 million), with his customers (“If you give them a choice between cheaper, non-sustainable seafood and premium seafood from a well-managed fishery, even if it’s a few bucks more, they’ll choose the latter”), and with Mother Nature.

Last summer, he put his feet where his mouth was, biking from St. John’s back home, running 24 sustainable-seafood events en route. It was 150 kilometres a day, all to educate his peers on halting the strip-mining of our oceans, managing our fisheries through inland farming, and eating down the food chain to preserve rivers, lakes, and oceans. For the chef, a fit 41 and infectiously passionate about his nascent foundation, the challenges (Prairie headwinds, bedbug motels) paled beside the payoff. “I feel so fortunate to have this wobbly soapbox to stand on. This is my life now.

I have found my calling.”—John Burns ★ Chefsforoceans.com

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Russell Food Equipment Ltd.

Russell Food Equipment Ltd. 1255 Venables St., Vancouver 1255 Venables St., Vancouver 604 800-663-0707 604253 253 6611 6611 or or 800-663-0707 russellfood.ca dudson.com russellfood.ca dudson.com

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trimpac.net | 604.688.2508

Congratulations to all of the 2015 Van Mag Award Winners and Nominees!

PRODUCER/ SUPPLIER of t h e y e a r

Canadian fleur de sel

freshpoint.com

Smoked sea salt

Balsamic vinegar sea salt Blue cheese sea salt

1132 Hamilton Street, Vancouver. 604-669-2266

Roasted garlic sea salt

VANCOUVER ISLAND SALT CO.

➾

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POINTS

PINOT NOIR Available at your local BC Liquor Store, $29.99

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for local disciples of the 100-Mile Diet, certain staples remain maddeningly taboo. Coffee, say, is roasted in every suburb of Metro Vancouver, but none is grown here. Olive oil. Sea salt. That last one made the Cowichan Valley’s Andrew Sheppard question why there was no domestic producer when he himself lived on an island surrounded by some of the most pristine salt water in the world. On a beer bet, he boiled down a batch of ocean and in the five pounds of salt left in his kettle, he glimpsed a future not just for himself but for a Canadian industry he has willed into being.

With a $100,000 win in the 2014 Telus Small Business Challenge contest, Sheppard’s five-year-old company is stepping up its game, expanding into global distribution and greening its production method. (Heat used to come from wood, but now it’s oil recycled from the restaurant industry; the company sells its carbon credits.) Green is great, but for chefs the deciding factor is flavour. Forage’s Chris Whittaker uses the salt for finishing meats and to give sweets (like his house-made Nutella) a tangy kick. “I love it.

I love that it’s local; I love the minerality of it. We’re serving it with fish that’s caught in the same water it comes from. Now that’s terroir.”

—Peter Weir ★ Visaltco.com

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Best WEST END ★★★

Kingyo 871 Denman St., 604-608-1677 Kingyo-izakaya.ca

★★

Nook 781 Denman St., 604-568-4554 Nookrestaurant.ca

★

BuckStop 833 Denman St., 604-428-2528 Buckstop.ca

best YALETOWN ★★★

Homer St. Cafe and Bar 898 Homer St., 604-428-4299 Homerstreetcafebar.com

★★

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca 1133 Hamilton St., 604-688-7466 Cioppinos.wordpress.com

★

Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8076 Bluewatercafe.net

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Best West End Several years into its happily brisk operation, Kingyo (Gold) still manages to feel like the liveliest spot in which to spend a Friday night. Bring a crowd to sample lots of the $10-and-under dishes, and don’t leave without an order of the self-proclaimed “invincible and undefeated” tantan noodles in an elevated pork and shrimp broth. Insiders choose a seat at the bar at Nook (Silver), where, over a dish of creamy burrata paired with salty prosciutto, you can watch the prep master fly through orders of charcuterie and antipasto. Pastas and pizzas are perfectly sauced and perfectly fresh, the wine list short but smart. Buckstop (Bronze) is just the kind of spot locals wish for more of in this ’hood: a narrow, bustling room that keeps the menu simple (you’re here for barbecue and bourbon) and the hours late. Come back to chase down last night’s outing with the (also meatforward) brunch: eggs Benny sees pulled pork piled high over homemade cornbread with a side of hash. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: España, Damso Modern Korean ★ Best Yaletown Lively but rarely loud, perfect for an intimate first date but also for a relaxed dinner with visiting in-laws, Homer St. Café and Bar (Gold) arrived in late 2013 with a mission to be all things to all locals (and beyond), and damned if it didn’t succeed from the off. Despite its newness, the expansive, elaborately appointed space feels authentically lived-in, all the better to appreciate golden rotisserie chicken and decently priced wines while forgetting for a moment about the world outside. Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca (Silver) is,

by Yaletown standards, virtually antique, its legendary excellence having ensured it carried on while the neighbourhood changed around it; tourists and celebrities make a point of bigging it up here, but there are few better ways to while away an hour or two than settling in at the bar and nonchalantly enjoying a plate of pasta. Likewise, Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar (Bronze) leaves trend-chasing to its younger neighbours—its reputation for wine, service, and all manner of seafood is unrivalled, and the reliably full dining room proves it. HONOURABLE MeNTIONS: The Flying Pig, Lupo ★

A Proud Sponsor of the 26th Annual Restaurant Awards ponderosa-mushrooms.com Local farm fresh meats and produce.

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R A ★ 2015

BEST GASTOWN/ CHINATOWN ★★★

BAO BEI CHINESE BRASSERIE

163 Keefer St., 604-688-0876 Bao-bei.ca

★★

L’ABATTOIR

217 Carrall St., 604-568-1701 Labattoir.ca

★

WILDEBEEST 120 W. Hastings St., 604-687-6880 Wildebeest.ca

BEST WEST SIDE ★★★

BUFALA

5395 West Blvd., 604-267-7499 Bufala.ca

★★

FARMER’S APPRENTICE

PROVIDING RESTAURANTS DIRECT ACCESS TO TERROIR-DRIVEN WINES, CIDERS, SPIRITS AND MEADS

rich@masseywines.com 604.454.4046 masseywines.com @masseywines 90

1535 W. Sixth Ave. 604-620-2070 Farmersapprentice.ca

★

MAENAM

1928 W. Fourth Ave., 604-730-5579 Maenam.ca

BEST GASTOWN/CHINATOWN Bao Bei Chi­ nese Brasserie (Gold) kicked off Chinatown’s entrepreneurial renaissance half a decade ago, and our judges still consider it the neighbourhood’s top dining destination—a singular establishment where “true Chinese cooking meets with modern notions of organic and sustainably sourced ingredients.” Witty cocktails (Ba Ba’s Root Beer mixes pisco with the soda-fountain favourite) in the lounge make waiting for a table a pleasure. Chef Lee Cooper’s endlessly inventive cooking and Shaun Layton’s unflappable cool behind the wood are why L’Abattoir (Silver) is Gastown’s most refined hangout. Dining solo at the bar is not only acceptable, it’s coveted. Wilde­ beest (Bronze) continues to put its best hoof forward with a meat-focused menu whose simplicity belies its ingenuity. This is not light eating, for the most part, but it doesn’t pretend to be otherwise. Order another microbrew and worry about the consequences tomorrow. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Nicli Antica Pizzeria, Bestie ★ BEST WEST SIDE Bufala (Gold) swooped into Kerrisdale last year—long a no man’s land in terms of attractive dining options—and instantly became “what every neighbourhood wishes it had,” couples and families piling through its door for beautifully blistered stone-oven-baked pizzas with toppings that range from classic (a punchy margherita) to eccentric (braised oxtail and kale). Farmer’s Apprentice (Silver) survived the deafening buzz of its first year and kept crowds coming back for David Gunawan’s ever-changing menu of market-driven creations; his weekend brunch is the best solution we know of for eggs-and-mimosa fatigue. At Maenam (Bronze), Angus An’s “bold yet balanced” Thai dishes remain some of the best eating to be had in Kits— too few people seem to consider it for lunch, but what could be better as a midday nosh than authentic, snappily fresh pad Thai and a Singha lager? HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Bishop’s, La Buca ★ BEST EAST SIDE As on the West Side, offer your community excellent pizza and its

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gratitude will be generous. Via Tevere’s (Gold) Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletanacertified pies arrive at the table after a mere 90 seconds in a 900-degree wood oven, ready to be nobly consumed with a knife and fork or ripped by hand and greedily stuffed into one’s face. (Both methods are acceptable.) The “simple, honest French comfort food” and “tight, well-priced wine list” at Bistro Wagon Rouge (Silver) are a delight, particularly given that they can be enjoyed in a room that is the polar opposite of stereotypical Gallic pretension— arrive in jeans, leave with a cassoulet stain on your shirt, no one will care. Tied for Bronze, Campagnolo Roma and Mr. Red Cafe—mere steps from each other on East Hastings—offer handsomely portioned, senses-filling Italian and Northern Vietnamese fare, respectively. There is no wrong choice. HONOURABLE MENTION: Chicha ★ Yes, Virginia, there is a small but vital food scene at the snowy end of the Lions Gate Bridge, starting with consistent champ La Régalade (Gold), where French authenticity—it’s small, it’s bustling, and French is the staff’s first language— resonates. The food may not be adventurous and you won’t find surprises on the menu or in the service, but steak frites doesn’t need sizzle to sing. This is French bistro delivered to perfection. Scott Kidd earned restaurant cred having cooked over three decades at Sooke Harbour House, Le Gavroche, William Tell, Raincity Grill, and Araxi, among others. At Canyon (Silver), he’s decelerating. Come on a weeknight and let him take care of you out front while Top Chef Canada contender Caitlin Hall does an elegant West Coast rendition of bistro food in the small peekaboo kitchen. With its beautiful open room, Bowen Island transplant Blue Eyed Marys (Bronze) is a welcome, calm presence.

Its well-curated menu never disappoints, at least for one judge from the ’hood: “From fresh, well-manicured salads to the perfectly cooked flatiron bison steak and their innovative sides, this husband-and-wife team has created the ideal environment for this North Shore foodie.” HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Olive and Anchor, Trattoria at Park Royal ★ Best North Shore

best EAST SIDE ★★★

Via Tevere 1190 Victoria Dr., 604-336-1803 Viateverepizzeria.com

★★

Bistro Wagon Rouge 1869 Powell St., 604-251-4070 Bistrowagonrouge.com third place tie

★

Campagnolo Roma 2297 E. Hastings St., 604-569-0456 Campagnoloroma.com

★

Mr. Red Cafe 2234 E. Hastings St., 604-710-9515

best NORTH SHORE ★★★

La Regalade 2232 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-921-2228 Laregalade.com

★★

Canyon 3135 Edgemont Blvd., North Vancouver, 604-987-8812 Thecanyon.ca

Introducing our new Heritage Sourdough Levain crafted with a blend of organic whole grain Red Fife wheat from Armstrong, BC

★

Blue Eyed Marys 1735 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-921-2583 Blueeyedmarys.com

terrabreads.com

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Gudrun

2013 VANCOUVER MAGAZINE RESTAURANT AWARD WINNER

best RICHMOND ★★★

Gudrun 3500 Moncton St., 604-272-1991 Gudrun.ca

★★

Vancouver’s ORIGINAL Italian Neighbourhood

Kiriri 8780 Blundell Rd., 778-297-4430

★

Hoi Tong Seafood 8191 Westminster Hwy., 604-276-9229

best WHISTLER ★★★

Araxi 4222 Village Sq., 604-932-4540 Araxi.com

AWARD-winning restaurants

★★

22 amazing blocks to explore with over 100 restaurants, cafes and bars featuring authentic flavours and fresh twists on a diverse culinary culture from 27 countries. thedrive.ca

4121 Village Gr., 604-932-3433 Bearfootbistro.com

Bearfoot Bistro ★

Alta Bistro 4319 Main St., 604-932-2582 Altabistro.com

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THAI RESTAU RANT ( on Burrard)

Immerse yourself in the great tradition of classic and authentic Thai dining.

Catering, Take-out and Delivery orders available.

Fully Licensed.

Semi-Private & Private Room Booking Options.

Best Richmond In a city blessed with overwhelming choice and considerable standards, our judges were especially taken with Gudrun (Gold), a wee room in wee Steveston whose daily fresh sheet of market-inspired dishes reliably rewards the trust of diners. But if you must play it safe, the rotating cheese and charcuterie selections are guaranteed to please, as is the wine list. Kiriri’s (Silver) bland storefront doesn’t inspire confidence, but once through its doors, you’ll find kind service and marvellously fresh sushi that defy expectations in the best possible way. And your server didn’t miscalculate—the bill really is that cheap. Hoi Tong Seafood (Bronze) similarly underplays its virtues until you’ve tasted the food, at which time you’re transported by humbly presented but stealthily complex dishes like bitter-squash egg pancake and baked salt chicken. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Top Shanghai, Chef Tony Seafood ★ Best Whistler Araxi (Gold) has long been considered by people of average means to be a restaurant exclusively for special occasions or a reckless splurge. But in terms of prices, its menu is now in line with many of the region’s better “casual” rooms—without a titch of compromise to be found. We remain in awe of chef James Walt’s

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102-888 Burrard Street 604.683.7999 www.salathai.ca Friday-Saturday 11:30am-10:30pm Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-10:00pm

There is always room at our Success stories start here. table.

Crowe MacKay, ofcial accountants of the 2015 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, congratulates all the nominees and winners of this year’s awards.

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mentorship award

bruno marti

➾

he began his culinary career as a teenaged apprentice in his native Switzerland. After emigrating and working for, among others, the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, he opened the superb French restaurant La Belle Auberge in Ladner. There, for more than three decades, in a converted Victorian house, Bruno Marti drew discerning diners from far and wide, as well as young chefs eager to learn from a master.

As a member, manager, or coach of dozens of national and international teams, Marti helped shape Canada’s culinary presence abroad. At the 1984 World Culinary Olympics, competing against 32 countries, his team became the first Canadian one to win a world championship. Those competitions not only imbued scores of young chefs with the work ethic and exacting standards Marti embodies; they also helped advance a distinctively Canadian approach to food.

The chefs Marti has influenced through the years are a culinary all-star team: Michael Noble, Scott Jaeger, Jenny Shearman, Matt Batey, Constance Hysuik, Alex Chen, Tobias MacDonald, and many others. All speak of him with admiration and respect. “It’s amazing,” says MacDonald. “When you ask chefs, ‘Who was your mentor?’ how many say, ‘Bruno’s my guy.’?” Adds Jaeger: “I am who I am, as a chef and a person, because of Bruno.”

“Thirty-five years into this business,” says Noble, who recently opened his second restaurant in Calgary, “what I’m most proud of is my ability to mentor young cooks. Bruno taught me about cooking, but the most important thing he teaches you is about nurturing others. You gain all this knowledge over the years, and you pass it on.”—Gary Stephen Ross ★

plates and the efforts of his crew, which “command the attention not only of Village Square, but of all food and wine enthusiasts.” “Luxury, extravagance, and flamboyance,” says one of our judges, sum up Bearfoot Bistro (Silver), from chef Melissa Craig’s spectacularly composed dishes (the $98 three-course tasting menu is worth every penny) to the Ketel One Ice Room, reputedly the coldest vodka-tasting environment in the world. Alta Bistro collects Bronze and commendation for “modern French cuisine committed to seasonality and sustainability”—which here means everything from cooking with renewable hydro-electric power to using natural, locally made hand soap throughout the premises. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Aura, The Mexican Corner ★

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best VICTORIA ★★★

Stage 1307 Gladstone Ave., 250-388-4222 Stagewinebar.com

★★

Brasserie L’ecole 1715 Government St., 250-475-6260 Lecole.ca

★

Camille’s 45 Bastion Sq., 250-381-3433 Camillesrestaurant.com

Best Victoria Small-plates hot spot Stage (Gold) has only improved under the direction of new owner Graham Meckling and chef Sam Harris. Affordable wines and a tremendous cocktail selection (half a dozen different Manhattans!) accompany an array of plates—most under $15—that thrill with their simple charms; our judges were especially enamoured of a salad in which grilled halloumi mingles with Israeli couscous, cucumber, radish, and greens. Don’t bypass the house-made sausages either. Brasserie L’École (Silver) keeps its customers faithful with a menu that changes nightly but always includes traditional French bistro fare like oysters on the half-shell and frites of both the moules and steak variety. At Camille’s (Bronze), chef Stephan Drolet “creates gorgeous culinary landscapes for the eye and

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A gathering place serving locally sourced & traditionally crafted food & drinks

r a ★ 2015

Dinner – Lunch – Brunch

best OTHER VANCOUVER ISLAND

tuc craft kitchen @tuccraftkitchen tuc craft kitchen

60 West Cordova St. Vancouver 604-559-8999 info@tucrestaurant.com

★★★

Wolf in the Fog 150 Fourth St., Tofino, 250-725-9653 Wolfinthefog.com

★★

The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn 500 Osprey Lane, Tofino, 250-725-3106 Wickinn.com/pointe-restaurant

★

Unsworth Restaurant 2915 Cameron Taggart Rd., Mill Bay, 250-929-2292 Unsworthvineyards.com/restaurant

2011 HYpotHEsis

profound flavours for the palate,” which he conceives in response to seasonality and availability. The freshness of, say, a local-beet salad or Lois Lake steelhead is beyond reproach. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Pizzeria Prima Strada; Cafe Brio and Little Jumbo (tie) ★ Best Other Vancouver Island Wolf in the Fog (Gold) has been the recipient of so many honours—not only locally, but nationally—since opening last year, its only apparent drawback is the difficulty in securing a table. (And, being in Tofino, it’s a bit of a drive…) It looks like the mess hall of an upscale summer camp, and many of the staff appear to be surfers just back from the beach (because they are), but there’s nothing kitsch or hipster about chef Nick Nutting’s “lusty, generous, and creative cooking,” whether you drop in alone for a burger and fries or with a group for the Szechuan Surf & Turf share

“the best first release i can remember from a local winery... An impressive first edition with a Right Bank Bordeaux styling.” ~ Anthony Gismondi, May 2014 The Vancouver Sun

90 points

noW AVAiLABLE At BCLDB siGnAtURE stoRE LoCAtions

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r a ★ 2015

best OKANAGAN ★★★

Waterfront Wines French-inspired West Coast cuisine elegantly served in one of the city’s most historic buildings in the heart of Gastown.

New stylish private dining space ideal for parties up to 70 people.

Now serving weekend brunch and dinner daily. Group lunch bookings are available Monday to Friday.

217 Carrall Street | 604.568.1701 | labattoir.ca @labattoir_van | labattoir.van

104-1180 Sunset Dr., Kelowna, 250-979-1222 Waterfrontrestaurant.ca

★★

Salted Brick 243 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, 778-484-3234 Saltedbrick.com

★

Bouchons 105-1180 Sunset Dr., Kelowna, 250-763-6595 Bouchonsbistro.com

plate, filled with fabulously seasoned braised short rib and grilled octopus. Just down the beach, The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn collects Silver in this category but is “the gold standard for waterfront fine dining in Canada,” says a lovestruck judge. Its serious commitment to local ingredients extends from scallops harvested from the Georgia Strait to a Wine Spectator-approved cellar bursting with B.C. bottles. Unsworth Restaurant (Bronze), at the samenamed vineyard in the Cowichan Valley, complements its 1900s farmhouse venue with trend-resistant classics like seafood paella and crème caramel. Naturally, the wine pairings are bang-on.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Hudson’s on First, SoBo ★ Best Ok anagan Kelowna reigns supreme. The judges love Waterfront Wines (Gold) for many reasons, all born of chef Mark Filatow, one of Canada’s top competing talents and the originator of dishes that sing of their Okanagan birthplace. His menus run

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deep in both modern and classic directions. From spending time in Italy mastering salumi-making (sample his coppa, salsiccia, and headcheese) to three weeks in India gleaning a deeper understanding of spices, he thinks globally and cooks locally, with exceptionally sourced regional ingredients, including the wildforaged. Extra marks for drawing local wines and spirits into the menu. In a slip of a deli downtown, chef Jason Leizert is following his dream with new arrival Salted Brick (Silver). A charcuterie and cheese board served with smokedcherry syrup and house-pickled pattypan squash; a chef ’s salad of blue cheese and hard-boiled eggs served with house maple bacon— all is handcrafted, stunning, and affordable. Top marks also to his deli counter, with pickles, bacons, and other meaty treats for the road. Bouchons (Bronze) turned 11 this year, a decade of delivering consistent Gallic service and food in the Valley; nothing exemplifies this duality better than its wellchosen cellar of wines from both the motherland and the benches of its adopted home. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Theo’s, Bacaro ★

WINNERS OF THE CANADIAN EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN COMPETITION 1457 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver | 604.925.8333 Tuesday to Saturday 10 - 5 or by appointment | www.stittgen.com

Best Winery/Vineyard Dining

There’s something wonderfully clever about winery dining. When food and drink pair perfectly, each course harmonizing flawlessly, plate and glass share intention and outlook (and, hopefully, the same soil birthplace). At Miradoro Restaurant (Gold) at Tinhorn Creek, Vancouver survivor Jeff Van Geest has dug himself deep into South Okanagan terroir, delivering authentically wholesome, unpretentious comfort food that mirrors the Tinhorn cellar uncannily. Anything from the wood-fired oven (starting with the locally topped

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801 west georgia st | reservations 604.673.7000

hawksworthrestaurant.com |

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Craft Beer Showcase Provided by:

r a ★ 2015

best WINERY/ VINEYARD DINING ★★★ Take me to the river... bigriverbrewingcompany.com

Specializing in premium, specialty beer bravobeerco.com

Miradoro RESTAURANT 537 Tinhorn Creek Rd., Oliver, 250-498-3742 Tinhorn.com/restaurant

★★

Joy Road Catering Vineyard Kitchen 250-493-8657 Joyroadcatering.com

★

Old Vines Restaurant Bridge your thirst! bridgebrewing.com

We brew the beers we love, no gimmicks, no flashy ads. Just inspired, lovingly crafted beer styles. driftwoodbeer.com

The freshest beer on four wheels! redtruckbeer.com

Importers of Fine Beers from Around the World mcclellandbeers.ca

Organically Scandalous scandalbrewing.ca

Crafting Quality Beer for the Enjoyment of All stanleyparkbrewery.ca

Visit these and other fine craft beers at Vancouver Craft Beer Week

3303 Boucherie Rd., Kelowna, 250-769-2500 Quailsgate.com/restaurant

pizzas) is a win. You’d be crazy to overlook Joy Road Catering Vineyard Kitchen (Silver) at Black Hills Winery, say our Okanagan judges, because chef partners and caterers extraordinaire Cameron Smith and Dana Ewart have transformed a shipping-container kitchen in the middle of a Black Sage Bench vineyard into an on-the-rise mecca for lovingly prepared, seasonally fresh small bites that truly come to life with a bottle at their side. A visit to Old Vines Restaurant (Bronze) at Quails’ Gate Winery is a no-brainer in summer, but the real trick is to return in the off-season, when the fireside lounge becomes one of the area’s few, best refuges, and proteins like Rocky Mountain elk and Fraser Valley game hen stand up to the house’s deep pinot noirs and chardonnays. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: The Vanilla Pod, Terrace Restaurant ★ VM

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DISHING UP A THRIVING NATION very day, there are 2.7 million visits to restaurants in British Columbia— and, those businesses employ more than 170,000 people!

E Restaurants are a key ingredient for vibrant, healthy neighbourhoods.

From coast to coast, the people who own and operate restaurants, bars and caterers have come together as Restaurants Canada, a community of business owners who share a passion for hospitality and all things culinary. President and CEO Donna Dooher, who built a successful career as a chef and restaurateur, shares some thoughts about the restaurant industry and what it means to our city, our province and our country.

Why is the restaurant industry important?

Our industry nourishes the body, the soul and the community. We bring people together and help them reconnect, celebrate or just get through a busy day. We also employ 1.2 million people across Canada, and provide more first-time job training to young people than any other industry.

These are responsibilities we take very seriously.

What are the hot trends in the industry?

Our Canadian Chef Survey puts craft beer, locally sourced foods, and leafy greens in the top three spots. Chefs and consumers share a keen interest in knowing where their food comes from and making that farm-to-table connection. Family-style or communal dining is another trend that’s all about connection. We’re an industry where people connect face-to-face instead of screen-to-screen.

What three words would you use to describe the Vancouver restaurant scene?

Trend-setting. Global. Fun!

A FUNDRAISER FOR

SPECIAL THANKS

Follow @VanWineFest on    #VIWF | VanWineFest.ca

GREAT FOOD. GREAT WINE LISTS. GREAT PEOPLE. The 37th Vancouver International Wine Festival proudly honours the people and places that make a signifcant contribution to our vibrant wine and food culture. Winners were honoured at Celebrating Excellence: 12th Annual Awards Lunch Featuring Award-Winning Australian Wines on February 27.

Spirited Industry Professional Howard Soon, Master Winemaker, Sandhill Howard Soon has been a trailblazer in the wine industry for 35 years. Currently head winemaker at Sandhill Estate Wines, Howard is an enthusiastic mentor to other winemakers and has selfessly shared countless nuggets of knowledge with others in the industry.

Sommelier of the Year Jason Yamasaki, Sommelier, Chambar This award recognizes working sommeliers who consistently demonstrate an outstanding passion for marrying wine with food and exceptional service. Jason was selected via a hands-on competition by the BC Chapter of CAPS. In partnership with

Wine Program Excellence The Wine Program Excellence awards recognize restaurants for creating a wine program that complements their establishment’s unique menu and concept. Expert judges were Tom Doughty, DJ Kearney, Iain Philip, Treve Ring and Terry Threlfall. See the complete list at VanWineFest.ca/page694.htm and in this fall’s Eating & Drinking Guide by Vancouver Magazine.

Vintners Brunch Food and Wine Pairing Competition Chef/owner Nicolas Hipperson Farm 2 Fork Laksa with poached prawns and local chicken, cilantro shoots and pickled chili, crispy wonton Paired with Hardys William Hardy Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Sponsored by BY

Sponsored by

MAJOR SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS

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TRADE DAYS CONFERENCE SPONSORS

2015-03-27 12:13 PM

sponsored report

chef’s pick Offers luxurious Italian dining in Yaletown but relative to being in N.Y.! Chef-owner Pino sources the best products (like Tasmanian Truffles) and creates classics like vitello tonnato to prawn gnocchi or prosciutto-wrapped rabbit loin–with finesse and flavourful flair. Deep wine list and excellent service.

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca 1133 Hamilton St., Vancouver 604.688.7466 cioppinosyaletown.com

With a menu as varied as our circle of friends, the Parlour woos guests with more than just pizza. While sitting cozy in our fun, laid-back milieu, take delight in a wide variety of fresh, creative dishes.

The Raw Wraps, a neighbourhood favourite, are the perfect healthy summer treat–100% gluten-free, dairy-free, and delicious!

Earls Kitchen + Bar earls.ca Twitter & Instagram @earlsrestaurant Facebook @ earlsrestaurants

Our food will turn you into a true Ramen lover! Your first visit will not be your last!

the parlour

jinya ramen

1011 Hamilton St., Vancouver 604.568.3322 theparlourrestaurants.com

270 Robson St., Vancouver 604.568.9711 jinya-ramenbar.com

From the moment you step inside, until your very last bite, you’ll be well taken care of by the superior service and outstanding cuisine. Tramonto features a picturesque dining room overlooking the Fraser River and the River Rock Marina.

Lift Bar Grill View is a consistent award-winner for food, location and view. Fully opening walls reveal spectacular views of the water and Stanley Park as you dine on our signature West Coast plates. Other features include a covered upper-deck patio and outdoor fireplaces.

To reserve call 604.347.8573 or visit riverrock.com/tramonto

Tramonto 8811 River Rd., Richmond 604.347.8573 riverrock.com/tramonto

ChefsPickMAY15_sc.indd 2

With a team of award-winning chefs and use of local, regional ingredients, Earls is definitely not your traditional chain restaurant. Earls creates new dishes with a team of diverse chefs, the Earls Chef Collective (Chefs Hamid Salimian, David Wong, Ryan Stone, Jeff McInnis in New York and consulting vegetarian chef Brian Skinner) collaborate in the Earls Test Kitchen creating irresistible dishes.

The Bibimbap is just one of those dishes.

lift bar and grill 333 Menchions Mews (beside the Westin Bayshore Hotel) 604.689.5438 liftbarandgrill.com

15-03-27 12:54 PM

SPONSORED REPORT

Local chefs dish on their distinct, palate-pleasing plates and details. Join us in their kitchens to hear from these talented chefs and visit VanMag.com/ChefsPick to check out the video!

Simple, fresh, local and handcrafted.

ARC is the perfect West Coast setting to enjoy urban artisan food. Check out the chalk board for Chef’s Picks, then pair them with local craft beers, world-class wines and cocktails mixed to perfection. Life is complicated. Good food shouldn’t be.

Our chefs at La Mezcaleria are presenting their spin on a traditional Mexican recipe, Carne Asada. The cut is known as arrachera or hanger steak which is grilled with a side of cactus, avocado mousse and a few cheese quesadillas made with gluten-free corn tortillas. The free-range meat is sourced locally and the soft avocado mousse brings harmony to the dish by tying the classic with the new.

ARC

LA MEZCALERIA

900 Canada Place Way, Vancouver 604.691.1818 arcdining.com

1622 Commercial Dr., Vancouver 604.556.8226 lamezcaleria.ca

Lombardo’s, a family owned and operated restaurant, opened in 1986 to rave reviews and has been going strong ever since.

All the while serving what many believe to be the best thin-crust pizza in Vancouver in the woodfired oven. We source the finest local and Italian ingredients. Join us for an authentic experience.

Contemporary Indian-inspired West Coast cuisine within a stunning room that combines rich vibrant colours and exotic millwork. Private dining tables, an exquisite cocktail bar and live music on Fridays create a lively night scene in the heart of Vancouver.

LOMBARDO’S PIZZERIA & RISTORANTE

COPPER CHIMNEY INDIAN GRILL & BAR

1641 Commercial Dr., Vancouver 604.251.2240 lombardos.ca

567 Hornby St., Vancouver 604.689.8862 copperchimney.ca

ShuRaku offers traditional Japanese Izakaya menu (casual tapas style) with strength in “achingly fresh” sashimi platters, created to be paired with an extensive list of premium SAKE. Vancouver’s first SAKE BAR for connoisseurs and Japanese cuisine aficionados located in the heart of downtown.

SHURAKU SAKE BAR + BISTRO

BEYOND THE PAGE! See the in-the-kitchen video at VanMag.com/ ChefsPick

833 Granville St., Vancouver 604.687.6622 shuraku.net

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PERSONAL SHOPPER

MODEL CITIZEN

MY SPACE

SW E AT EQUI T Y

THE

FIELD TRIP

“There’s nothing like a beautiful ’50s cocktail gown to transport you to a different era, and make you feel as glamorous as an old-time movie star” PG. 106

The best shops, fashion, beauty, design, travel & fitness

Dig In may, that welcome time of year when we celebrate a certain sovereign (Victoria Day) and that other matriarch, our beloved mother (Mother’s Day). But this month isn’t all about harking back; it’s also about looking forward as newly warm days herald the ritual opening of our outdoor spaces. Out comes the lawn furniture, off goes the barbecue cover, in go the heirloom seeds. Whether vegetable plot or pots of pretty blooms, our gardens begin to gather strength, promising to stand sentinel over gentle mornings and breezy afternoons— urban oases offering a sense of renewal and refuge that lasts but a few short months.

GROUND COVER The new Kryddnejlika gardening gloves ($3.99) from Ikea, in red or turquoise (pictured). Ikea.ca

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Best Buys

May I, Please?

All the lovelies we want to nab this month by a ma nda ross

For your next fashion boost, pick up the Ella bracelet in white fringe ($45) by Cocoa Jewelry at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Shoppersdrugmart.ca

Inspired by court sports, New Balance’s classic 574 Pique Polo Pack sneaker ($100) gets an update in preppy colours like pink, yellow, and turquoise. Little Burgundy, 701 W. Georgia St., 604-684-0031.

Littleburgundyshoes.com

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Efficient Korean skin care is all about layering different moisturizers using pressing massage movements; apply the new AmorePacific Intensive Vitalizing eye essence ($105/15ml) after toning but before hydrating. Sephora, 1045 Robson St., 681-9704. Sephora.com

A collaboration with Banquet Atelier and Workshop, the Perfect Skirt in lip print ($285) captures Eugene Choo’s new house label in 100 percent linen, with a flattering ’50s silhouette.

3683 Main St., 604-8738874. Eugenechoo.com

Eugene Choo model: Kimberly Ronning

This month, local deck chair phenom Gallant & Jones launches its handcrafted Indonesian teak furniture collection with signature snappy flair. To wit: the Tahiti chair ($349). Gallantandjones.com

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SWEAT-PROOF AND HEARTRATEMONITORING EAR BUDS BY SMS AUDIO PROVIDE FITNESS DATA VIA AN APP WITHOUT A BATTERY

($150, smsaudio.com)

The Gemma Campaign drawer chest ($1,695) is all business upfront with its vibe of British military efficiency but pure party in irreverent aqua. Pottery Barn Kids, 2935 Granville St., 604-638-7494.

Potterybarnkids.com

The leather-covered Kastrup backpack ($635) in multistripe beige and navy holds your laptop and the rest of your life in organized style.

WANT Apothecary, 2956 Granville St., 604-731-4957.

Wantessentiels.com

NOSE TO TAIL In his series The Hunt, artist Joshua van Dyke repurposes old skateboard decks into hand-carved, hand-painted wildlife trophies.

Provide, 529 Beatty St., 604-632-0095.

Providehome.com

Eugene Choo model: Kimberly Ronning

Local designer Mona Sultan’s new Palm Predictions satin silk scarves (90 centimetres square, $150) look at nostalgic tropical getaways (swimming pools, palm fronds) through a ’70s lens. Goodge Place, 1523 W. Eighth Ave., 604-714-1133.

Goodgeplace.com The Vancouver-based Emily Carr grads behind WXA100 create their signature marbling effect on limited-edition handmade notebooks (from $25) by floating paint on the surface of water. Wxa100.com

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MODEL CITIZEN

Personal St yle

FROM TRADITIONAL COUNTRY TO JAZZ TO MOTOWN, CATCH BARBER’S HOOK AND MELODY ON JILLBARBER.COM…OR JUST DOWNLOAD HER NEW, SIXTH ALBUM FOOL’S GOLD

(iTunes.ca)

JILL BARBER

OPENINGS

SINGER

Ingledew’s Ingledews.com  Ingledew’s, that third-gen Vancouver footwear institution, opened its latest downtown fl agship, where it continues the good work of providing shoes high in both style and comfort.

900 W. Hastings St., 604-687-8606

Catch the full interview with Jill Barber at Vanmag.com

turned away from high-school musicals for having too deep a voice, Jill Barber eventually found her groove at 16 with a guitar and some loose-leaf that allowed her to write songs to suit her distinctive tone. The aspiring chanteuse further honed her Brill Building sound at university while studying philosophy. “I was feeling very bohemian, so I bought an old record player and thumbed through dusty bins of vinyl; I was fascinated by old music’s timeless quality.” While her daytime wardrobe is mostly contemporary with a classic feel, “There’s nothing like a beautiful ’50s cocktail gown to transport you to a different era, and make you feel as glamorous as an old-time movie star.”

What’s the most beautiful piece in your closet? A vintage Persian-lamb coat that

Blakeandriley.com  From Scandinavian designs to polished kids’ fashion, the new Blake & Riley boutique promises to breathe much-needed hipster life into Kerrisdale’s retail scene.

2150 W. 41st Ave., 778-379-2555

Your favourite piece? It changes from week to week, but right now it’s a ’60s-inspired floral jumper that I bought at a pop-up shop in Palm Springs during Modernism Week.

Favourite jeans? J. Crew’s Toothpick skinny.

What’s on your nightstand? A copy of Women in Clothes, a collection of essays by women about the meaning behind the clothes they wear. It was a gift from my stylish friend Lizzy Karp, cofounder of Vancouver storytelling night Raincity Chronicles.

Most interesting souvenir? A madeleine pan from famed cooking store E. Dehillerin.

Name one item in your closet you couldn’t throw away. A very chic maternity shirt that I purchased in Paris when I was seven months pregnant.

Weirdest thing in your purse? An extra nappy. VM

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Evaan Kheraj; hair/makeup: Anya Ellis/Lizbell Agency

Blake & Riley

was my grandmother’s.

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X

KA’ANAPALI BEACH RESORT

Hawaiian Food Pop-Up Party! ... to get there.

Come here...

WED., MAY 20

|

BLUE WATER CAFE

|

6 P.M. – 9 P.M.

Join us for a night of Maui and Vancouver culinary mash-ups, courtesy of Blue Water Cafe Chef Frank Pabst and Maui’s Gevin Utrillo. Guests will be treated to five courses collaboratively prepared by both chefs and Hawaiian-inspired beverages—compliments of Kā’anapali Beach Resort.

One lucky guest will win a trip for two to Kā’anapali Beach Resort this Labour Day Weekend to take in the iconic Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival Kā’anapali in person.

The prize includes a four-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, airfare from YVR, car rental and culinary experiences at the festival.

For your chance to win tickets to this exclusive culinary event at Blue Water Cafe, register at VanMag.com/Hawaii or show and tell us why you #CraveKaanapali on Twitter or Instagram.

Hashtag your cravings by May 12, 2015.

Created by the Vancouver advertising department in partnership with Blue Water Cafe, Ka’anapali Beach Resort, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa and Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival.

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Storied Homes

Home on the Range A change of direction led Jason Bosa to a place where rest and relaxation roam—with a few toys thrown in for distraction by a m a nda ross photos by m artin tessler

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“most people see a scary shadow coming at them, but I see the opposite. Maybe it’s just someone who needs help and is trying to get inside.” Jason Bosa is talking about the Munch-like painting in his family room, but these contemplative musings could equally be a metaphor for his midlife turnabout. Once living in a townhome off Granville Island, he felt his days were frenetic and unfulfilling. “It was time to make a change,” he says. So the Palladio Jewellers owner staked a For Sale sign and set off in search of a healthier ethos, a little peace, and a slower pace.

The quiet second-born of Nat and Flora Bosa’s four children found refuge in West Vancouver, in the idyllic confines of a forested

A

perch with copious light and a killer view. “The minute I walked through the door, I felt removed from civilization,” he says of the home’s efficient, open floor plan.

But as modern as the structure is, its contents (a garage with a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda; a collection of saddles and skulls; and just off the kitchen, a replica of a 1941 Harley Davidson Knucklehead) evoke another time. “I really don’t know why everything old resonates—it just puts me in another place, simpler times.” He traces it back to his mother gifting him his grandfather’s pocketwatch: “I could imagine him in his suit and fedora, pulling out his timepiece. Back then, it was a luxury to have something as basic as time—now we take these accessories for granted.” VM

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ALONG WITH HIS GRANDFATHER’S POCKETWATCH, THIS PARMIGIANI FLEURIER HEMISPHERE IN ROSE GOLD WITH HAVANA DIAL IS ANOTHER OF BOSA’S FAVE TIMEPIECES

(Palladiocanada.com)

GENRE BENDING

Bosa expresses his love of old spaghetti westerns with upscale touches like these tailored cowhide ottomans SIDE SADDLE

Built right into the mountain, the home features rocky outcroppings the owner has used to advantage, showcasing a certain western flair SCARY MOVIE

Opposite the oversize TV, a painting

by James Picard evokes different things for different people. “But it makes you think” SITTIN’ PRETT Y

Does he polish it with a diaper? ”Old muscle cars look really mean,” says Bosa of his vintage Barracuda, restrained here in the garage THE OFFICE

Better suited as part of the décor, the replica 1941 Harley Davidson Knucklehead is “a bit of a death trap” DEAL SEAL

The home’s view promised thoughtful contemplation

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Workout Plans

AT ACADEMIE DUELLO, WARRIOR FITNESS COMBINES STRENGTH AND SWORDFIGHTING TO BOLSTER CORE, ARMS, AND LEGS; “SWORD FIGHTING REALLY GIVES YOU FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH.”

(AcademieDuello.com)

Blades of Glory Adding the cut-and-thrust of combat to the weight room devon boorman never lost his childhood admiration for Zorro. Instead, the B.C. native took up fencing and is now in his 11th year directing Academie Duello, the world’s largest school of swordplay.

Like its popular Eastern counterparts (think the whirling bo staffs of karate and tae kwon do), swordplay emphasizes traditional values of diligence, acuity, and versatility. The school offers classes in everything from rapier (a precursor to modern sport fencing) to archery, plus the walking-stick self defence known as bartitsu. “People come to learn something beautiful, physical, and to connect with a really cool martial art.”— Adrienne Matei

WHERE TO GO

Discover the fundamentals of medieval rapier at Walkyrie Western Martial Arts Assembly, where the beginner program (from $75) shares the importance of core strength, cutting form, and engaging the opponent at multiple locations.

Boxwrestlefence.com

BRING FRIENDS

Consider yourself knighted: the German Longsword Program at Blood and Iron

110

(from $89) in New West teaches you modern-day updates on the longsword of historical paladins and noblemen.

Bloodandiron.ca

500

CALORIES/HR* * by someone weighing 155 pounds

BRING A DEFIBRILLATOR

Interested in building a fencing skill set one-on-one?

Check out Commercial Drive’s LaSalle for yearlong memberships ($1,200)— they’ll take you under their wing for personalized sessions. Lasallestudio.com

John Sinal

BRING GRANDMA

THE BURN

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RATES FROM

99

$

*

NIGHTLY

NO DAILY RESORT FEE

FREE WIFI

Enjoy stunning views from Orange Sky

Savor culinary masterpieces at one of the most celebrated destinations in the Southwest. From the decadent cuisine to the lavish accommodations, Talking Stick Resort offers incredible experiences for every sense.

SCOTTSDALE

•

Best Restaurant View at Dusk (Orange Sky) by AZCentral

•

Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in Phoenix (Orange Sky)

by Arizona Republic

•

Best Place to Catch a Sunset in Scottsdale (Degree 270)

by Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau

•

Award of Excellence (Orange Sky) by Wine Spectator

•

Best Casino (Talking Stick Resort) by Phoenix Magazine

| 8 6 6 . 8 7 7 . 9 8 9 7 | T A L K I N G S T I C K R E S O R T. C O M

*Based on availability through May 31, 2015. Not valid for groups or with any other offer. Locally owned and caringly operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

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THE

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Nex t Destinations

A Capital Escape Ever dream of moving to Victoria? Start by learning how to forage. Judging from menus studied on a recent 48-hour dine-around, hard-harvesting is the new Island pursuit. Or just go: fly, and you can still be back in time for spin class on Monday by john burns a half-dozen gastown appmaker bros are selfie-ing their way across the strait, which would be annoying except 1) flights with Harbour Air (harbourair.com) are only 35 minutes long and 2) those views. Leaving at 9, I’m still in time for second breakfast when we drop into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, so I climb all of two blocks to the Gold Lounge at my hotel, the Fairmont Empress Hotel (721 Government St., 866-540-4429; from $259), for grill-your-own burritos, mini croissants, and that bespoke tea blend.

Overlooking the parliament buildings, I consider the day’s options.

I feel ready to take on the world, or at least 6.5 kilometres of it, in the company of Kyra McLeod of The Pedaler (719 Douglas St., 778-2657433), which owners Paul Rayman and Rosemary Lee set up in 2013 to offer bicycle tours along culinary and historical lines. We helmet up for the three-hour Hoppy Hour Ride ($89), travelling along city streets and over the still-underconstruction Johnson Street Bridge (hold on!) to old-school brew pubs Spinnakers (the city’s original, from 1984; 308 Catherine St., 250386-2739) and Swans (from ’89; 506 Pandora Ave., 250-361-3310), plus Moon Under Water (circa 2010; 350 Bay St., 250-380-0706), where owner/brewmaster Clay Potter tours us behind the scenes.

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NE W KIDS ON THE BLOCK PART & PARCEL Foo’s just-opened sib has a changing daily menu of beautiful proteins (trout tartine) and world grains like farro risotto. 2656 Quadra St., 778-406-0888.

Partandparcel.ca OLO A drink and dessert at the bar is fine, but on the next trip serious investigation is required into the modernist farm-to-table menu. 509 Fisgard St., 250-590-8795.

Olorestaurant.com CATEGORY 12 A mad scientist brewer in darkest Central Saanich?

Sign us up! 2200 Keating Cross Rd. Category12beer.com

Twelve tasters later, I’m ready for a little sit-down, so bike returned, I retreat to the Empress’s Bengal Lounge, where a Port Authority (Maker’s Mark, port, and bitters, all barrel-aged) and Morgan Wilson’s elevated pub fare (pork sliders, hand-cut crisps) animate the happy hour menu. (Later, it’s all G&Ts and Raj-era curries beneath the mounted tiger skin.)

For dinner (sticking to the healthy theme), I hit Foo Asian Street Food (769 Yates St., 250383-3111), a more rigorous version of hometown hero Noodlebox adjacent to the hotel, where Indian paneer and Thai curries sit beside octopus salad and sweet-and-sour pork belly, the heat and sweet nicely handled by a curated selection of local craft brews.

I spend Day 2 browsing through Chinatown, having a hearty omelette at Jam Cafe (542 Herald St., 778-440-4489) in the

old Herald Street Café spot, and checking out the Victoria Public Market (1701 Douglas St.) for knick-knacks and Vikram Vij’s new Sutra. Feeling adventurous I even hit up two much-discussed new cafés in industrial Rockland (a sketchy five-minute drive from downtown): Wheelies Motorcycles Café (2620 Rock Bay Ave., 250995-9359), a custom bike shop overrun for killer grilled sandwiches, rocket-fuel espresso, and housemade espresso gelato sandwiched between brownie slabs and rolled in candied pecans; and Second Crack Coffee Lab (2612 Bridge St., 250-634-2680), an ohso-serious retail space for a wholesale roaster that also happens to purvey the city’s on-trend Empire Donuts, made by Melanie Laverick for home delivery by the dozen.

Several brewery tastes later, dinner. So many options, but I elect to cab it to Stage (1307

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THE VANCOUVER-BASED SAJE TRAVEL KIT KEEPS YOU ENERGIZED AND HEALTHY WITH AROMATHERAPY FORUMULAS LIKE ARRIVE REVIVED AND EATER'S DIGEST

($39.95, saje.ca)

IMPERIAL AMBITIONS

Those windows just above the word “Empress”? Yup, you can stay there; views are killer WORLD STAGE

Pull up a pew at Stage for thoughtfully selected by-the-glass wines from B.C. and around the world ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL

Gladstone Ave., 250-388-4222) in leafy Fernwood. Gold winner in this magazine’s Best Victoria category (see pg. 94), this cute neighbourhood brasserie (exposed-brick walls, a worn floor of narrow wood planks) serves killer share plates (think local charcuterie, Sookecaught trout with bacon and crème fraîche, salads of purslane and sheep sorrel) and a smart B.C.-forward wine list, including a dozen

chalkboard specials by the glass.

I’m stuffed, but we have to put a nose into the recent farm-to-table rebrand of Ulla. OLO (509 Fisgard St., 250-590-8795) is Chinook for “hungry,” explains owner/bartender Shawn Soole, godfather of Victoria’s vibrant cocktail culture, as he mixes up digestifs for our party. Each eerily suits its recipient.

Maybe a last nightcap at tonight's hotel, the Rialto (653

Pandora Ave., 800-332-9981), just a few blocks up the way. A 2009 rebuild of the storied (but deteriorated) Hotel Douglas, the Rialto now does restful boutique accommodations and a great hotel bar, Veneto Tap Lounge, as smack downtown as you could hope.

Stump gin (from Phillips Brewing down the street) in hand, we toast city founder James Douglas in the remains of his namesake hotel. VM

Empire Donuts has been a local secret since it opened for delivery only, but its cakes are now available at select cafés SUDS CYCLE

A Pedaler tour hits founding brew pub Spinnakers. If you make it there, order the effervescent new Ortega Blonde wine/ale mashup

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BACK

PAGE

S N A P C H AT T E R

 M A L COLM PA RRY

A b o u t To w n

“There is no doubt that the Chinese community’s contribution to Vancouver is amazing. Incredible”

—Bramwell Tovey to the Foundation of Charitable Chinese Immigrants

Dancer spouses Chun Che and Chan Hon Goh

H E A LT H

Model Suzette Hernandez

Cecilia Tse and Barbara Grantham rallied the donors

DE BEERS TIME TO SHINE GALA Feb. 21 VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation head Barbara Grantham saw Cecilia Tse chair an “East Meets West” event that raised $1.35 million for a new scanner while the diamond firm displayed many carats on model Suzette Hernandez and ballet impresario Chan Hon Goh, wearing gowns by Escada and local designer Jason Matlo

MUSIC

VSO SCHOOL OF MUSIC Mar. 17 Before performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 with the VSO, Lang Lang joined Foundation of Charitable Chinese Immigrants members, symphony director Bramwell Tovey, VSO School of Music director Curtis Pendleton, and students around the school’s nine-foot Steinway grand

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Michelle Kim and Amber Ripley (“The Goodbye Girl”)

Artists Bramwell Tovey and Lang Lang

Elizabeth Hannah (“Skin”) and Margarita’s Anne Misawa

FILM

Lily Chen and Richard Liu with Vanessa Liu

VSO’s Curtis Pendleton with Crystal Feng

Producers Jessie Lehail and Mannu Sandhu

WOMEN IN FILM FESTIVAL Mar. 4 The 10th-annual fest kicked off with Margarita, With a Straw and a party of Canadian moviemakers and performers including Jessie Lehail and Mannu Sandhu, who promoted their South Asian fi lm festival, coming in November

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A R A R E CO L L E C T I O N O F WAT E R F R O N T H O M E S A limited collection of townhome and apartment residences is coming soon to the North Vancouver waterfront, alongside magniďŹ cent Cates Park and near charming Deep Cove.

F O R P R I O R I T Y R E G I S T R AT I O N CALL 604.871.4126 OR VISIT POLYHOMES.COM

T H I S I S C U R R E N T LY N O T A N O F F E R I N G F O R S A L E . A N Y S U C H O F F E R I N G M AY O N LY B E M A D E B Y W AY O F A D I S C L O S U R E S TAT E M E N T. E . & O . E .

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27 years and still cooking !

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