January 2019 - West Coast Food

Craft Food Products January 30, 2019

Baker Jenna Perreault Makes Gluten-Free Taste Truly Delish

By Catherine Dunwoody Jenna Perreault has a secret weapon. There’s a reason why her aptly named Delish Gluten Free Bakery in Port Coquitlam has folks from all over flocking to it. The top-secret weapon? Perreault’s grandmother’s gluten-free flour blend that took her 20 years to perfect. See what having celiac disease, and being a lover of baked goods will inspire a person to do? Jenna’s taken that flour blend and uses it to create everything from fluffy focaccia, to dense chewy fudge brownies, to pies with buttery crusts that would fool any discerning palette to believe these pastries surely must contain gluten. As a food writer, and being diagnosed with celiac disease just two years ago, I have tried every gluten-free bakery I can, usually with disappointing results. Textures like sandpaper, or Styrofoam is my motto generally – until I discovered Delish. I chatted with chef/owner, and new mom, Jenna…

Craft Food Products January 25, 2019

Top Chef Trevor Bird Puts his Passion in Preserves

By Kristi Alexandra Chef Trevor Bird is an exceptionally hard man to track down, but you can blame his busy schedule on his ambition. The restaurateur has many titles: owner of Fable Kitchen, which founded Fable Diner; co-founder of MeatMe, a high-quality meat delivery service; caterer; husband; father; and most recently, preserve maker. Bird earned his chops in several kitchens, but his name may be best recognized in family living rooms from his time on Top Chef Canada season two, and then again on Top Chef Canada: All Stars. From there, Vancouverites with farm-to-table tastes (Bird’s modus operandi) may have been following along with Fable Kitchen, the Kitsilano restaurant that opened in 2012. When WestCoastFood finally reached Bird, he was quick to explain that he’s going to replace busy-ness with passion for the rest of the year. “In 2019, I’m really trying to dial everything back and concentrate on certain…

Chef Stories January 23, 2019

Chef Steven Hodge Talks Chocolate and Baking

By Catherine Dunwoody West Vancouver’s best-kept secret is the bright, airy Temper Café, specializing in European pastries, cakes, and chocolates. Every bite at the café is freshly made in-house by pastry chef / owner Steven Hodge. We got the goods on Temper and interviewed Hodge himself. Where were you born? Steven Hodge: London, Ontario What was food like in your growing up household? Steven: We are Croatian so mom would always make traditional Croatian food for the family. Did you cook at home during your childhood? Steven: Yes, all the time! Every night I cooked with my mom, and we would bake pies and desserts all the time. We never went out for dinner. Where did you study culinary and when? Steven: California School of Culinary Arts, when I was 21 years old. Most rewarding experience in your earlier days? Any mentors? Steven: Working with Pastry Chef Regis Negrier in…

Cheap Eats January 22, 2019

The Happiest Hours in Richmond

By Wade Kinley Stretching out along the picturesque Fraser River, it’s not hard to cozy up to good drink next to a stunning waterfront view in Richmond. These four happy hours make it even easier to while away the afternoon, plotting an escape on one of the jets overhead as they come and go from nearby Vancouver Airport, YVR. Cavu A short hop from the airport recently ranked “best airport in North America” by SkyTrax, it’s no wonder that Cavu takes their name from old pilot jargon. “Cavu” is a term used to express the perfect conditions for flying, but it could just as well describe an ideal place to unwind after work. Happy hour here runs 3 to 6 PM, Monday to Friday, and boasts an impressive selection from Chef Alex Hancock’s signature menu. Expect your favourites–with a twist. There’s BBQ wings, sweetened with a cilantro honey, or a…

Sweets January 16, 2019

A Cup For Every Palate at the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival

By Kristi Alexandra From sweet to savoury, and spirited to sinless, there’s a cocoa-inspired cup for every desire during the 9th annual Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival. Running January 19 all the way up until February 14, the Hot Chocolate Festival celebrates a near-decade of turning cold, grey west coast winters into a scrumptious scavenger hunt. We might even venture to agree with the festival’s motto: “Hot chocolate makes you happy!” Blame it on the dopamine. Whether you’re in the pursuit of happiness, or the hopeless romantic in you is searching for the ultimate Valentine’s Day lead up, there are 74 different hot chocolate flavours to keep your tastebuds satisfied over the next month. We’ve put together a list of cocoas on the top of our list across Vancouver, North Van and Burnaby that are sure to please every palate. Vegan Friendly Cruelty-free cocoa lovers rejoice. You’ll find a sinless sip…

Cheap Eats January 15, 2019

The Happiest Hours in Coquitlam

By Wade Kinley Strolls along the Fraser River, a burgeoning arts and culture scene and new craft breweries popping up all the time, there’s plenty of reasons to hop the SkyTrain on the Evergreen Line and head out to Coquitlam. You can also add a great selection of happy hours to that list; here we present four of the happiest hours in Coquitlam. John B Neighbourhood Pub You can get an early start at the John B, a popular Coquitlam watering hole since 1978. Happy hour here starts at 2 pm and runs until 6 every day (not only that, you can enjoy similar deals on their Night Owl Menu that starts at 10 pm, Sunday to Wednesday). Premium highballs are only $3.50 while a “true sleeve” of draft beer is $4. House wine is $5.50, or get yourself a signature JB Root Beer for $4.75. You’ll need a thirst…

Recipes January 12, 2019

Recipe: Elk Burger with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce

From: Pacific Gateway Hotel, Richmond Burger Pattie INGREDIENTS Ground Elk / Pork (2.27 kg) Worcestershire Sauce (15 ml) Kosher Salt (5 g) Pepper (5 g) Steel Cut Oats (500 g) Bacon or Bacon Ends (1000 g) DIRECTIONS 1. Medium Dice the bacon or bacon ends. 2. Cook until just before crispy. Allow to cool slightly. 3. Add all fat and bacon to a large mixing bowl. 4. Add pork and Elk to the mixing bowl. 5. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl. 6. Mix well by hand or with a large mixer in small batches. 7. Pan fry small patty to test seasoning. Adjust if needed. 8. Make patties of any size or shape and chill for 2 hours in fridge. 9. Sear in pan or cook on BBQ. 10. Serve on your choice of bun, with cranberry barbecue sauce (recipe follows), and other toppings as desired. Gluten Free…

Chef Stories January 8, 2019

Paul Grunberg’s Italian Restaurants offer Immersive Atmosphere and Culinary Tradition in Vancouver

By Brittany Tiplady When I call Paul Grunberg for our interview it’s obvious that he’s in the throws of a lunch rush. “I’m so sorry, can I call you back in 45 minutes? 30 minutes?” he asks, raising his voice amongst the fray of voices, and dishes clanging. Less than half an hour later, we resume. I’ve been doing this job for a while, and I’ve gotten used to the usual shtick when interviewing a very busy person; it can be frustrating at worst, and tricky at best to capture the attention of your subject when their entrepreneur brain is focused elsewhere. I expected to have to fight for Grunberg’s attention over the phone, but to my surprise he was warm and pleasant and delightfully attentive. Much like his restaurants. If you’ve ever been to one of Grunberg’s establishments, you’ll agree that it’s fair to say the man is kind…

Cafés January 7, 2019

Richmond’s Bánh Mì Très Bon showcases Vietnamese Cuisine with French Flair

By Tourism Richmond The charming elegance of the interiors of Richmond’s Bánh Mì Très Bon (1840-4720 McClelland Road) makes any diner feel like they have been transported to a Parisian café. In the display case are a variety of brightly coloured macarons and an assortment of small cakes. If they turn to the menu on the wall, though, they’ll see classic Vietnamese dishes, like pho, bánh mì, and bánh bot loc (shrimp and pork tapioca dumplings). This combination of Vietnamese cuisine and French pâtisserie items represents chef/owner Lan Do’s cultural and culinary influences, as well as the colonial history of Vietnam itself. Do, who is of Chinese descent, was born in Vietnam into a family with a passion for food and the restaurant industry. “I’ve had a love of food since childhood because my mom and dad are pretty adventurous eaters. I was never afraid to try anything,” she explains.…

Recipes January 5, 2019

Recipe: Pomelo and Tiger Prawn Salad

By: Lan Do, Executive Chef and Owner of Bánh Mì Très Bon INGREDIENTS (6 portions) White or red Pomelo – (1 medium) (in the restaurant, they order their pomelo from Vietnam) Green Papaya, julienned (1/2 medium) Carrots, peeled and julienned or shredded (2 jumbo), Basil leaves,chopped into fine strips (1 cup) Roasted peanuts, finely chopped (1/2 cup) Large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut in half & boiled (1/2 pound) DRESSING White sugar (100 grams) Fish sauce (50ml) Garlic, minced (20 grams) Lime juice (40 grams, approximately 2 limes) Red chili peppers, minced (2) DIRECTIONS Peel pomelo and remove all the skins, break the pomelo flesh into small pieces. Toss pomelo, shredded green papaya, carrots, prawns and basil into bowl Make dressing: Add lime juice and fish sauce to sugar, whisk well until dissolved. Add minced garlic and mince red chili peppers. Dress salad. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of salad.

Where to Eat January 1, 2019

5 Hot Spots for Hot Pots in Metro Vancouver

By Kristi Alexandra Spicy, creamy, fishy, meaty. Throw in cabbage, leafy greens, eggs, wontons, mushrooms, ginger, thin-sliced meats and whatever else your heart (and tastebuds) may desire. There’s no shortage of customizations when it comes to hot pot, the meal you go out for and yet cook yourself. Made through a Chinese cooking method of preparing your food at the dining table, hot pot is an interactive meal made for group dinners on cool days. While a simmering soup base (spicy, creamy or vegetable, depending on the restaurant) is kept boiling, ingredients are thrown into a pot and cooked at the table. We found Metro Vancouver’s top 5 Hot Pot spots so you can cook and chow down at the same time. Pearl Hot Pot 7154 Sperling Ave, Burnaby 15 minute in walk from Edmonds SkyTrain Station Step right up and sit down for a group session at Pearl Hot…