Top Patios in Vancouver Series: Brunch @ Kingston Taphouse & Grill

In late 2012 the world, maybe it was mostly me, was transfixed by the viral pictures of the Chinese Highway House (LINK http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236746/Road-built-building-couple-refuse-China.html)

Luo Baogen and his wife, unhappy with the compensation offered by the Chinese government, decided they would stay in their home while a massive highway was built all around them. It's safe to say a trip to the store entailed looking both ways, doing so again and bravely dodging high speed vehicles!

The Kingston Taphouse & Grille is a survivor in a similar, albeit less contentious, fashion. Telus Garden, a grotesquely gigantic, 1,000,000 square foot, commercial and residential development boasts "the entire block" between Robson and Georgia Street and Richards and Seymour Streets. That would be true were it not for the Chinese Highway Hou... I mean the Kingston! One can only imagine the back and forth between Westbank Corp, an omnipresent and powerful real estate developer, and the fine folks at the Kingston. Ahhhh to be a fly on that wall... In the end an accord was not reached and the Kingston gallantly occupies its turf surrounded on 3 sides by Telus Garden with its tall towers towering, for lack of a better term, over them. It truly is a charming space with lovely staff!

We sat in a large, comfortable booth at the Kingston and ordered from their famous brunch menu. I ordered the Basic Breakfast: 3 eggs, hash browns and toast with a side of bacon and their house made sausages. The best, hands down, hash browns I have had! Thinly sliced, crisp and with a unique flavour. Generally I push the carbs to the side to be consumed when and if space allows, but these were eaten first and were the main event! The bacon was lovely, fresh and smoky and the sausages had a fiery, peppery flavour to them which made them delicious.

Basic Breakfast with House-made Bangers

My counterpart had the Corned Beef Hash. Their house cured beef, are we seeing a theme here, went well with their house made Hollandaise sauce. I glanced up, for what seemed like only a minute, at Game 7 of the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat and when I looked back it was gone! I didn't even get to try it, but suffice it to say it was well received.

Corned Beef Hash with House-made Bangers

The bar area is the kind of place where you can go by yourself, as several patrons had during our visit, and strike up a conversation over beer and sports. The dining area was large and comfortable and overlooks the kitchen where the skilled staff's create their wares and the patio is quaint with its palm trees and tranquil fountain. Construction is underway on a second, rooftop patio with a roof and heating for year round enjoyment. I bet you $1,000,000 if you pop by on a sunny Saturday afternoon you have a good chance of seeing me; I will be back!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Top Patios in Vancouver Series: Bridges

Bridges is that big, yellow building you see down below as you cross the Granville Street Bridge. "That look neat", you say to yourself, "I should definitely go there sometime!" Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, yet every time you cross that bridge the giant, yellow restaurant beckons like a seductive siren on the high seas. "Granville Island is so touristy, too many people", you tell yourself when the guilt of not following through creeps in, "maybe when summer's over and things quiet down." 

Did you know that, in the area in and around David Lam Park, you can park your car for free, forever? A quick $3 trip across False Creek on the water taxi, a pleasure in itself, and you're in the hustle and bustle, you're part of the scene, you see why people travel the globe to visit our great city! Do yourself a favour and visit the Island tomorrow! Did you know people in Sweden dream of one day doing so? That Russians, in a far-off, smoke-filled bar, are discussing all the art studios and farm to table restaurants?

The first thing you notice about Bridges when you walk through its grand entryway are the smiling faces. The hostesses are happy, the waitresses are happy and the people behind the small ice cream counter, the Sugar Bay, serving Bridges house made gelato, are happy. And you'll be happy too, trust me :) 

We took our seats on the patio, overlooking posh marinas and the iconic Burrard and Granville Bridges, and ordered a couple of cocktails: a Strawberry Crush and an Italian Spritz. The former consisting of Vodka, Peach Schnapps, muddled cucumber and strawberry and the latter Aperol, Prosecco and soda; refreshing and delicious!

Strawberry Crush & Italian Spritz

Much to our delight the Spot Prawn season had started that very day! The fishing vessels dock 100 metres from where we sat in the warm, afternoon sun and, we were proudly informed, the Spot Prawns in the appetizer we were about to enjoy were pulled from the water 3 hours earlier. Set mouths to drool! Lightly poached and served with a few minimalistic lemons and nothing else. Nothing else was needed! If you haven't had Spot Prawns sprint to Bridges first thing tomorrow and give them a Google right now!

Poached Spot Prawns

Our entrées consisted of Smoked Salmon Pizza with Onions and Capers (hold the onions) and the Baked Lobster with fresh green beans and house made Focaccia. The pizza was incredible, the crust light, crisp and fresh and the salmon delicious! The lobster, all 1 1/4 LBs of it, was delicious! Fresh, plump and perfectly baked. The craftsmen at Bridges even took the time to pre-crack the delicious crustacean so as to make my complete, inelegant inhalation of them much easier! A perfect 10/10!

Baked Lobster

Smoked Salmon Pizza

For dessert we indulged in the decadent, house made Pavlova and their famous Turtle Pie. Pavlova is a culinary delight! A house made meringue with a scoop of similarly Bridges made vanilla ice cream, covered in fudge and surrounded by fresh strawberries. It is an 13/10, worth a 2 hour drive, no, a 10 hour drive, in a blizzard, under gunfire. The Turtle Pie, woefully neglected until the Pavlova was completely gone, is a delightful caramel, chocolate and pecan pie. Itself a lovely dessert and well worth an order!

Strawberry Pavlova & Turtle Pie

In all because of the surroundings, the top notch service, the incredible food and the masterfully concocted drinks Bridges is a must go!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Top Patios in Vancouver Series: Edible Canada

Nestled beside the enormous Granville Island Market building Edible Canada at Market's patio benefits greatly from the low rise environment of the island. They enjoy sun for most of the day on their spacious patio that enjoys views of a public space where jugglers, magicians and performance artists of every ilk come to wow crowds. To say it's an ideal place to people watch is like saying outdoors is the ideal place to grow corn; it's a no brainer!

We started with a lovely Oceanwise Seafood Salad; a beautiful mixture of smoked sturgeon & salmon, soft boiled egg, citrus, mint, sprouted pulses, grilled greens and spiced seeds in a white miso vinaigrette. The smoked sturgeon was likely the best piece of sturgeon I had ever had! A deliciously smoky flavour which complimented the vinaigrette perfectly. The smoked salmon, which we are spoiled with on the Pacific, was as marvellous as expected and the dish quickly disappeared.

Our second appetizer was an adventure. While I am not a hunter members of my extended family are so game, venison, elk, moose and the like, is not a new experience to me. What is new, however, is elk served tartare with Amola truffle salt aioli, Biota mustard served with grilled bread. Yes, raw elk. As in a wild animal, shot in the forest, served in an upscale bistro, without being cooked. Now were I to simply say "it was good and you need to try it", it would be an injustice not only to Edible Canada, but also to the elk! A culinary masterpiece, nothing short of that! Go now!

Still panting heavily from our Elk-induced foodgasm our entrees arrived to the table just before our knees gave out and we slumped to the patio floor. The plating was very attractive, which is probably tough to do with fish and chips, and the aroma was overwhelmingly inviting. The West Coast Fish and Chips was, predictable, Oceanwise. A lovely cod with a house made Biota mustard & citrus tartar sauce, a side salad and duck fat frites. Think French fries deep fried in duck fat... Yes, they were incredible and, yes, if you like fries you will love them and if you like duck you will feel similarly, but if you like duck AND fries you are in for a treat! Without hesitation I would rate these fish and chips in my top 5 and I know something about fish and chips. To thrill my late paternal grandmother, in her 90's at that time and feeling nostalgic for the "old country", I would drive her an hour each way to get fish and chips which she would eat heartily, a rarity at her age and in her condition, and she would call them a very "friendly food". I concur to this day :)

While I was very satisfied with my dish my partner was in the throes of ecstasy, for the second time in one meal, with her West Coast Seafood Pan. Mussels, clams, smoked sturgeon, potatoes, spicy chorizo in a chimichurri aioli. When I see the beautiful, cultured, 110 pound, Jenn Chan, practically lick the dish when she is done a meal I know she enjoyed it. Man, did she enjoy it!  The elk tartare and seafood pan were probably her favourite appy / entree of 2016. Simply exquisite!

 

At our charming waitress Devon's gentle urging we begrudgingly indulged in a dessert. At her recommendation we chose the seasonal crème brûlée and it was divine. It being early May what's in season you ask? The answer we got and one, admittedly, we weren't enthused to hear was 'rhubarb'. Rhubarb, when done right and not just plucked early from the side of my childhood home, is fantastic! We were full, I mean we would have had to unbuckle our pants were we not in sensible yoga pants and stretchy board shorts, but the crème brûlée was gone before we knew it. Sweet with a subtle hint of sour from the rhubarb and made fresh to order, cannot be beat!

 

If you've never been to Granville Island I would recommend you go tomorrow or tonight if you're feeling impulsive. Once there if you're swamped with hip eateries and aren't sure what to do, do yourself a favour and go to Edible Canada. It is a must eat!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Top Patios in Vancouver Series: Rooftop Patio @ The Keg Yaletown

The Keg in Yaletown is a Vancouver hot spot frequented by Canucks players, celebrities, socialites, construction workers and everything in between. High class fare, world class surroundings and an exceptional selection of drinks; all in a laid back environment.

The Keg patio is a bright, airy space and the sun was shining making the surroundings sparkle and the wide smiles at tables as we passed were hard to miss! We started out with a few Keg signature cocktails: the Keg Caesar and a delightful mango mojito. The Caesar had the perfect amount of spice, a rarity, and the mojito was a refreshing blend of muddled mint and crisp mango flavours.

Our first course was escargot with stuffed mushroom caps and the special of the day, a tangy, flavourful lobster bisque. Both dishes arrived promptly with a genuine smile from our congenial waiter and did not disappoint! The snails were fresh and the herbs and garlic were well proportioned blending together seamlessly, neither overpowering the other. The bisque was served at the perfect temperature and had a smooth, not overly lumpy, consistency and rich flavour. Both dishes disappeared quickly!

The main event was a medium rare prime rib with a lobster tail and a blue rare filet mignon with king crab legs. My first impression of each cut was excellent, on par with steakhouses that charge exponentially more; well trimmed, thick and hearty! Unable to resist, and forgoing the usual varied order necessary for lifestyle bloggers to make a full and fair assessment, we both ordered the legendary Keg twice baked potato. If you are allowed one potato before you die make it the Keg twice baked potato, it's that good! 

The prime rib was cooked to perfection, the perfect medium rare, and could have been cut with a spoon. The lobster tail was clearly fresh, skillfully cracked and presented for ease of inhalation. From time to time you get a bad piece of lobster, no really, a bit chewy, gamey to the nostril and salty, but this was a healthy specimen. I soft texture and very sharp, elegant lobster flavour, a must try! 

The filet was grilled to a perfect blue rare. That is the first check mark on a long list of boxes this dish ticked. Thick, but not too thick, and wrapped in a deliciously smoky applewood bacon. Accompanied by crisp, fresh green beans and, not to be overshadowed by vegetables, the king crab legs. Again, thoughtfully cracked for convenience, who wants to work that hard for their food anyway? A wise man once said "what we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly" and though these crab legs were easy to de-shell (obtained cheaply) I esteemed them highly! A perfect flavour and straight from the ocean-type fresh!

For dessert a Billy Miner pie, Mocha ice cream on chocolate crust with hot fudge, caramel and almonds, seemed in order though we were bursting at the seams. A legendary Canadian treat and one that never misses. It was delicious!

The Keg has been around since 1971, a lifetime in a country only 149 years old itself. 86 Keg restaurants sprawl across this great land and each runs to the standards originally set by founder and restaurant legend George Tidball. Head to their website, find the one nearest you and go!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Top Patios in Vancouver Series: WildTale Coastal Grill

I once worked a summer in a car dealership. The location was brilliant, right beside two main arterial roads with 10,000's of cars per day whizzing by, and it wasn't long before I so envied my very kind and generous new boss and his business acumen. 

As a lot attendant, Mr. Do-Whatever-I-Was-Asked, I sometimes caught myself daydreaming about one day, not only owning my own dealership, but THIS dealership. The owners of Wildtale Coastal Grill can scratch that daydream off their own to-do list! Former Glowbal Grill Chefs were quick to pounce on the revered Glowbal Grill's space, when it relocated up the street in Yaletown, and Wildtale was born!

Created as a celebration of coastal living, and the bounty we are blessed with living on the Pacific Ocean, Wildtale's main fare is seafood. Our host brought us a complimentary taster, a lovely seared scallop in a beautiful, lemony risotto. It was a very enticing symphony of flavours between the scallop and risotto. We ordered some Baked Dungeness Crab Cakes served with a jalapeño aioli and roasted red bell pepper coulis, an exquisite tuna tartare and a dozen oysters the selection of which we left up to our gracious waiter. We could have excuses ourselves after our appetizers and I would still recommend you visit the Wildtale! 

The crab cakes had a crunch and freshness I look for, nay insist upon, whenever I partake and the oysters, I'm told as I don't like, eat nor even touch them, were extremely fresh and the variety amazing. The tuna tartare is, for me, a litmus test for a seafood restaurant; done well and I know the rest of my meal will be amazing, done poorly, too much onion, lemon or what-have-you, and I'll order a chicken dish. Be forewarned! I will order a gosh darn chicken dish at your seafood establishment if you fail with your tartare! I happily rank Wildtale's tuna tartare among my top five of all time and I've ordered it in 5 diamond restaurants. Fresh, well balanced and tangy; it was excellent!

Keeping with the local theme we ordered our drinks and both were made from ingredients from idyllic British Columbia. Gin from the Longtable Distillery, a short 10 minute walk up the street, formed the basis for the delightfully constructed orange/ elderflower cocktail and Fat Tug from the Driftwood Brewery on Vancouver Island. If you haven't tried either I implore you to hit your Googles right now!

Our main courses arrived with subdued panache. I spotted them from across the room and watched as they sauntered up seductively without ever breaking eye contact. It was love at first sight, plain and simple! Placed in front of was a lovely AAA cut of sirloin steak with some crisp, flavourful fries. My partner drooled noticeably as her Slow Braised Lamb Shank with whipped potatoes, grilled asparagus in a white mushroom pan jus was placed in front of her. 

The steak was cooked to perfection, blue rare, and was seasoned very well! The crisp, homemade fries were the perfect accompaniment and I devoured everything with gusto. In a generous mood my partner decided to share some of her lamb and, after a gentle nudge with a dull spoon, it collapsed off the bone in a moist, juicy pile. Perfectly cooked and flavoured expertly it was a perfect 10!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Top Patios in Vancouver Series: Joe Fortes Roof Garden

The words "little children loved him" adorn a commemorative fountain in Alexandra Park which overlooks Vancouver's English Bay. Sculpted for Joe Fortes, for whom the formidable Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House is named, the fountain is a testament to a Vancouver legend, a gentle giant and he is definitely worth a quick Google! It's safe to say "adults love Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House"!

Since 1985 Joe Fortes has been a must see Vancouver institution. In 2014 Zagat rated them a 24 for food and service and a 22 for decor; these are world class grades from the most famous restaurant rating system in the world. Seafood, steaks, pasta, entree salads and even casual sandwiches and fish tacos on their lunch menu, there will be something for everyone!

Our experience started atop their incredibly lush, garden patio. Seated beside the tall glass railings perched above Thurlow Street we ordered a couple of Caesars. That's vodka with Clamato, Tabasco, Worcester Sauce and usually some creative garnishes, for the uninitiated, and took our time with the menu while we basked in the May sun. 

To start we ordered an Albacore Tuna Tartare served with a wakame salad, ponzu, egg yolk, pine nuts and taro root chips as well as a New England Clam Chowder. The tuna was very fresh and the pine nuts added a lovely texture and taste. The clam chowder was very delicious, rich and hearty and could have been a meal in on its own.

Our main courses were chicken and waffles and a seafood bowl. I have this issue whereby, when it's offered, I have a very hard time not ordering chicken and waffles. I mean it's chicken, excellent, and it's waffles, equally excellent. When combined they make a culinary duo that I thoroughly enjoy and can seldom resist. Add in some maple syrup and your twosome is now a threesome. I'll save any jokes to your imagination.

The seafood bowl was a generous mix of cod, mussels, clams, tomato broth and jasmine rice served with fresh, grilled bread. The broth was one of those ones you want to take to go after you're done. The cod tasted like it was pulled from the water minutes before! The mussels and clams were high quality and tasty. All in all a spectacular dish!

The scene on Joe Fortes' patio at midday feels like the lunchtime epicentre of Vancouver. Men in suits encircle lavish tables, under elegant umbrellas, presumably talking business, and sip cognac. Ladies in smart dresses, gleamingly accessorized, dine alongside shopping bags from Gucci, Louis Vuitton or the brand new Prada store across the street. Dudes and bros in skinny jeans sit at the bar and swill craft beer. Young ladies with pierced eyebrows, dark lipstick and spiked purses drink water and happily much large salads. All walks of life coming together to enjoy the necessities of life. I'd highly recommend you join them!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan