KLAHOWYA TO THE FISH HOUSE THIS SUMMER

Much like the ubiquitous ‘ciao’ of Italian, ‘klahowya’ means ‘welcome,’ ‘how are you?’ or ‘good-bye’ in the Chinook Jargon* of the Pacific Northwest. This summer, The Fish House in Stanley Park will welcome its guests with a special three-course aboriginal-inspired Klahowya Menu in honour of the new Klahowya First Nations Village in Stanley Park. Priced at $48 for three-courses, the special menu pays homage to the ingredients and cooking techniques used by the native peoples of this region and will be offered from July 9^th through September 6^th. For those with smaller appetites, each of the courses is also available individually.

“Many people are curious about eating locally and seasonally, and about how they can reduce their carbon footprint. First Nations people ate abundantly from what nature had to offer with great respect for their environment,” says Executive Chef Karen Barnaby. “For our Klahowya menu, I’m using ingredients that I normally use at this time of year; I’m just presenting them in a different way and incorporating more wild foods into the dishes.”

The dinner starts off with a flavourful Cold Smoked Bison Carpaccio served with mountain cranberry compote and picked milkweed pods. Smoking is an ancient technique used by First Nations people to preserve both meats (such as bison and venison) and fish caught in the summer months for consumption later during the winter season. Cold smoking concentrates the rich flavour of the bison that is complimented by the tartness of the cranberry compote. The milkweed pods are picked when young and slender and pickled in cider brine creating a condiment similar to gherkins.

Cedar-Planked Wild Sockeye Salmon is the main course. Cedar-planking is a traditional First Nations’ cooking technique. Nowadays almost anyone who barbeques in this corner of the world knows about cedar-planking, but outside of this region, the technique and the flavour it imparts is considered quite exotic. Of course, summer is sockeye season and visitors and locals alike can hardly wait to feast on this meaty indigenous fish. In Chef Barnaby’s presentation, the filet is dressed with a classic beurre blanc sauce which has been ‘localized’ with a slight hint of cedar to set-off the cedar-smokiness of the salmon.

Summer is elderberry season. Native throughout temperate climates in both the northern and southern hemispheres, elderberries have always been used to sweeten foods or to create cordials, compotes and wine. British Columbia Is home to several native species of elderberry including Pacific Coast Red Elderberry, Black Elderberry and Blue Elderberry. In this instance Chef Barnaby swirls elderberry compote through her rich and creamy Elderberry Swirl Cheesecake with Hazelnut Crust. Hazelnuts also grow wild (including in some Vancouver back lanes) throughout the region.

In the tradition of table d’hôte, the Fish House has partnered with Okanagan winery Nk’Mip Cellars to offer three wines to complement the flavours of the menu. “We are so proud to be partnering with Nk’Mip as it is North America’s first aboriginal owned and operated winery. In a very short time they have garnered a huge reputation for producing wines of exceptional quality and complexity,” says Fish House Marketing Manager and wine aficionado Carole Dulude (herself a member of the Mohawk First Nation from Oka, Quebec).

Diners will have a choice of enjoying Nk’Mip Riesling ($9 glass, $45 bottle), Nk’Mip Pinot Blanc ($9 glass, $ 45 bottle) or the very special Nk’Mip Winemaker Series Pinot Noir ($12 glass, $60 bottle).

This summer, drop by The Fish House and be greeted by a warm klahowya and tasty muckamuk*. We guarantee you a skookum* time.

Reservations might be a good idea and can be made either on line at www.fishousestanleypark.com or by calling 604-681-7275 or toll-free outside of Vancouver 1-877-681-7275

*NOTE: Chinook Jargon is not the same as the Chinook language of the peoples of the Chinook First Nation. Chinook Jargon is a patois developed by the aboriginal peoples centuries ago to facilitate trade between linguistically diverse groups. As such it is comprised of words from several different aboriginal languages that have been mashed together to express simple, basic concepts. With the coming of the Europeans, words from their languages also became incorporated into Chinook Jargon. ‘Muckamuk’ is not just a furry marmot Olympic mascot, it is the Chinook Jargon word for ‘to eat,’ ‘a meal’ or ‘a feast.’ ‘Skookum’ started out meaning anything ‘strong’ as in ‘strong coffee’ or physical strength. Over the years it morphed into meaning anything ‘good’ or ‘excellent.’

For more information:

Nk’Mip Cellars: www.nkmipcellars.com
Klahowya Village & Aboriginal Tourism: http://www.aboriginalbc.com/KlahowyaVillage
Chinook Jargon: http://www.canadiana.org/view/14272/0002
Vancouver Trolley Company Tours: www.vancouvertrolley.com

The Fish House in Stanley Park, 8901 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver, BC
www.fishhousestaleypark.com 604-681-7275

2009 Where to Dine Awards

Where Magazine’s Food Editor Tim Pawsey announces the 2009 Restaurant Awards

Click Here for the Complete story by Tim Pawsey

ITALIAN
Italian Kitchen
1037 Alberni St. 604-687-2858.
Honourable Mentions
CinCin
Il Giardino Di Umberto

FRENCH
Le Crocodile
909 Burrard St. 604-669-4298.
Honourable Mentions
Lumière
Le Gavroche

OTHER EUROPEAN
Chambar Belgian Restaurant
562 Beatty St. 604-879-7119.

Honourable Mentions
The William Tell Restaurant
Jagerhof Schnitzel House

CHINESE
Kirin Mandarin Restaurant
1166 Alberni St. 604-682-8833.
Honourable Mentions
Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant
Wild Rice

JAPANESE
Tojo’s
1133 W. Broadway. 604-872-8050.
Honourable Mentions
ShuRaku
Guu

OTHER ASIAN
Banana Leaf Malaysian Cuisine
1096 Denman St. 604-683-3333.
Honourable Mentions
Thai House
Phnom Penh Restaurant

INDIAN
Vij’s
1480 W. 11th Ave. 604-736-6664.
Honourable Mentions
Maurya Indian Cuisine
Rangoli

SEAFOOD
Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar
1095 Hamilton St. 604-688-8078.
Honourable Mentions
The Boathouse Restaurant
Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House

HOTEL DINING & BAR
Yew Restaurant
Four Seasons Hotel, 791 W. Georgia St. 604-692-4939.
Honourable Mentions
Market by Jean-Georges
Bacchus Restaurant and Lounge

TAPAS/SMALL PLATE
Bin 941
941 Davie St. 604-683-1246.
Honourable Mentions
La Bodega Restaurante & Tapa Bar
Guu

PUB FARE
Pourhouse
162 Water St. 604-568-7022.
Doolin’s Irish Pub
Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant

BUDGET BITES
White Spot
580 W. Georgia St. 604-662-3066.
Honourable Mentions
Vera’s Burger Shack
Cactus Club Cafe

WEST COAST
2881 Granville St. 604-738-8938
West
Honourable Mentions
Coast Restaurant
Salmon House on the Hill
Raincity Grill

LAST COURSE
Thomas Haas Chocolates and Patisserie
2539 W. Broadway. 604-736-1848.
Honourable Mentions
True Confections
Sweet Obsession Cakes and Pastries

CRITICS’ CHOICE

WHERE SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD AWARD
The Observatory
 

GREEN TABLE AWARD
Cactus Club Cafe
588 Burrard St. 604-682-0933.
 

BEST NEW RESTAURANT 2009
Cibo Trattoria
Moda Hotel, 900 Seymour St. 604-602-9570.

Au Petit Chavignol
Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie
Cafe Barcelona
The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe
db Bistro Moderne
Lumière
Judas Goat Taberna
La Brasserie
Lupo Restaurant & Vinoteca
Market by Jean-Georges
Maenam
Miku
Mis Trucos
Nook Restaurant
Oru
Voya Restaurant and Lounge

BIRKS SILVER SERVICE AWARD
Coast Restaurant
1054 Alberni St. 604-685-5010.

EDITOR’S CHOICE
Il Giardino di Umberto
1382 Hornby St. 604-669-2422.

TOP BC DROPS

Cassini Cellars Chardonnay
Fairview Cellars The Bear
Foxtrot Pinot Noir
La Frenz Shiraz
Laughing Stock Portfolio
JoieFarm Riesling
Poplar Grove Syrah
Quinta Ferreira Obra-Prima
Stoneboat Vineyards Pinot Noir
Twisted Tree Six Vines

     

Keep your fork, there’s pie! Acme Cafe opens in Gastown.

Acme Cafe is now open for business! Located in Gastown’s historic Paris Block, just steps from the new Woodward’s building, Acme Cafe is an homage to the classic diners and coffee shops of old – a friendly neighbourhood eatery that serves up hot coffee and homemade comfort food with a smile.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Acme Cafe features a menu of old-school diner classics and “simple food done well.” Hearty breakfasts; freshly made soups, salads, and sandwiches; and hot mains like meatloaf and mac & cheese are served alongside Pop Shoppe sodas, ice cream floats, milkshakes and the best damn pie in town.

“Keep your fork, there’s pie!” is Acme Cafe’s mantra, as owners Alan and Peggy Hoffman believe that no meal is complete without a slice for dessert. Inspired by Peggy’s grandmother’s recipes, Acme Cafe features a rotating selection of homemade pies and cakes baked daily. Acme Cafe also features a coffee bar, with piping-hot Cuppa Joe coffee and espresso, as well as freshly baked cookies, muffins and pastries to-go.

With meals priced from $8 to $13, and with kids’ meals available for under $5, it’s both wallet-friendly and family-friendly.

The space, designed by Alan and Peggy themselves, houses 42 seats split between the coffee bar; booths and tables; and U-shaped counter surrounding the restaurant’s open kitchen. Underneath a swinging hand-painted sign, a custom-tiled entrance welcomes guests into a lofty room (with 17-foot ceilings) filled with natural light. A wall of exposed brick showcases the building’s heritage, while Formica countertops and naugahyde booths are a throwback to classic diner décor.

The kitchen is in the extremely capable hands of Chef Walter Messiah, co-founder of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience; and the front-of-house operations are managed by Alan and Peggy, who ensure a healthy dose of friendly old-school hospitality.

Acme Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week from 8 am to 9 pm (10 am to 9 pm on Sundays).

News from Goldifish Pacific

TAKE HER OUT FOR BRUNCH

We know we don’t need to remind you that Mother’s Day falls on May 9 this year.  We know you’ve already got it figured out.  Just in case you want to add to that card or potted plant you’ve got in mind, we offer a special Mother’s Day brunch menu.

Say thanks with menu items like:

• Pulled BBQ duck springrolls
• Crispy Jalapeño chicken club
• Oysters on the half-shell with grapefruit salsa
• Southeastern Chop-Chop Chicken salad

We are open for brunch on Saturday May 8 and Sunday May 9 from 11am to 4pm.  Call today to make your reservation!

And another thing: win big when you reply to this email with your name and contact phone number.

The first 50 will enter a draw to win a complimentary mother’s day brunch at Goldfish, and a manicure for two (courtesy of Pure Nail Bar).  But you gotta be quick to win!

FROM HERE TO MATERNITY

Help us help during the Mother’s Day Maternity Clothing Drive taking place from May 5th to 9th. We have partnered with the Sheway Program of the Vancouver Native Health Society to help them collect used maternity wear for expectant mothers living in the Downtown East Side.

Simply drop off your clean maternity clothing at GOLDFISH from May 5th to 9th. Your donation may seem small but will have a huge impact on the lives of two people at a time.

Visit our website for more information.

SAKÉ TO ME THURSDAYS

Have you heard about our Thursdays? Join us every Thursday night and try three different sakes for $11.

Add to that our Thursday’s menu feature, three sushi pizzas for $10, and you have yourself a theme party.

Tell you this much, it sakes not to be here on Thursdays.  Visit our website for more information.

SPRING RELEASE

It’s time for the Annual Naramata Bench Spring Release Event.  It takes place on Monday, April 12th from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM, at The Westin Bayshore Hotel.

Taste a selection of the latest releases from the Naramata Bench Wineries Association paired with delectable delights from some of Vancouver ’s finest restaurants.  Goldfish is excited to be participating once again this year.

Click here for tickets and more information.

DINING OUT FOR LIFE

Dining Out for Life was a huge success!  Thank you to all our patrons who dined out on that special night in support of this worthy cause.  Goldfishers have raised close to $1500 for A Loving Spoonful and Friends For Life!

New from Cru

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival runs from April 19 – 25.
Join us before or after your festival events for vital sustenance or hedonistic pleasure!

Wine Festival Events
Reservations at Cru

‘Date Night’ every Thursday at Cru
Spring is in the air, and with rising temperatures and swelling buds our thoughts turn to passionate encounters with sexy food. Every Thursday evening, couples can enjoy a sumptuous dinner for two with a bottle of wine for $99.

Lovers will enjoy this sensuous feast in Cru’s relaxed, intimate atmosphere, a perfect setting in which to celebrate a longtime love or to explore an exciting new romance.
Menu at www.cru.ca

Mother’s Day Brunch ~ Sunday, May 9th

Mother’s Day is just around the corner.
Cru is planning a delicious three-course brunch
with house-baked goodies and several choices to please all tastes.
$29 per person. (kids under 12 half price)
Menu at www.cru.ca

GOLD MEDAL WINNER VANCOUVER MAGAZINE’S RESTAURANT AWARDS
BEST SMALL PLATES

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