Omakase at Octopus' Garden

Two years ago I went to Tojo's for my birthday. My friends and I went all out and ordered the omakase, or "chef's menu", which consisted of six adventurous courses. Tasting menus are always exciting because you are putting your trust in the chef's ability and in those ingredients which happen to be fresh that day. In my mind, the excitement is elevated when ordering this in a Japanese restaurant because the daily fresh ingredients are often an array of rare and wiggly sea creatures. I wanted to try omakase at Octopus' Garden because it is about 33% cheaper than Tojo's and I know two people who think it is just as good. My girlfriend treated me, which is extra special due to the fact that she can be a bit squeamish when it comes to raw bivalves and bottom-feeders.

The first course was a delicate salad of pea shoots, beet blossoms, and organic greens topped with one piece of wild salmon and one piece of wild smoked salmon. We had heard, through Yelp and friends, that the chef often starts things off with the restaurant's trademark quail egg and uni shooter. We had been dreading this mucousy concoction so were relieved when this beautiful, light salad was offered in its place.

Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnnn...the shooter was the second course! We thought we had avoided it, but no. There it was in front of us, in all of its slimy glory. A gelatinous raw quail egg floating atop two oozing orange uni sacks sitting in a base of okayu. Erin and I just stared at one another, trying not to look scared or disappointed over the monstrosities sitting before us in two transparent shot glasses. We whisked this unctuous mixture with our chopsticks and then reluctantly raised the glasses to our mouths, silently daring one another to take the first seafoody slurp. The flavour - an earthy and salty umami - was not bad, but the texture challenged our internal fortitude and triggered our gag reflexes. Three chewy sips and it was gone. The third course could not have come any sooner.

  

The third dish was a palate-cleansing white-and-brown mushroom soup, served in a joka (a small ceramic kettle commonly used to serve shochu). The broth was rich but clear and light. The thinly-sliced mushrooms in the soup were tender and comforting. We both agreed that we could eat much more of this. It was like a mylar first aid blanket for our mouth holes.

The fourth dish was a grilled pork medallion coated with a thin layer of uni. After never having uni before, we had it twice in one night! This was an interesting dish. I liked it less with every bite due to the strong flavours of the charbroiled pork and salty uni. It was satisfying though, and suited the rainy weather outside. This was a hearty dish.

The fifth course was sashimi. Beautifully presented on a long white ceramic plate, we were given the following uber fresh selections: blue fin, otoro, octopus, smoked mackerel, cod, and herring roe. The textures and subtle flavour differences between all of these samples were really enjoyable. The chef did a wonderful job of including creatures that offered unique mouthfeels and tasting characteristics. 

The sixth course was arguably our favourite. It was so simple, yet so elegantly prepared. It consisted of a thin slice of rock cod that was poached and served in a mildly sweet baby shiitake broth, topped with a sprinkling of green onion. Like the mushroom soup, Erin and I wished that there had been copious amounts of this. But I suppose it would not have been as memorable or as precious had there been more of this expertly-crafted dish. So good.

The seventh dish came in a charming painted box, and we were excited to see that this was the long-awaited nigiri course. Containing house-smoked salmon, blue fin, mackerel, smoked mackerel, cod, and tamago to finish things off, these nigiri were dainty and delicious.

At this point, we were feeling the protein coursing through our veins and sensing that even one wafer-thin mint would do us in. However, our dimpled and hospitable Japanese waitress came to our table with yet another dish, a dessert of matcha tiramisu. We didn't really want to eat this final dish, but the mascarpone was so light and the cake so moist that we couldn't resist. It was served with pear green tea, which was the perfect end to the meal, since this is my favourite.

While I believe that omakase should only be ordered once in a while due to the cost and richness involved, it is definitely a memorable experience that everyone should try. Thanks for such an awesome dinner out, Erin :)

Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Omakase Tojo's", "Octopus' Garden Vancouver"    

Analysis: Three Pumpkin Beers III

In October of 2010, I reviewed three seasonal pumpkin beers. I found the experience so rewarding that I repeated this squash-based beer tasting last year with three different products. At this point, I have reviewed the following: Howe Sound Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Brooklyn Brewing Post Road Pumpkin Ale, Granville Island Pumpkin Ale, Tree Brewing Jumpin' Jack Pumpkin Ale, Phillips Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale, and Steamworks The Great Pumpkin Ale. I scoured the liquor store shelves this year to find three more that I have yet to try. I tried these three with my family using a blind taste test. We added Crooked Tooth to mix this year as well, to see how the winner from last year stood up against these newbs. Here are the results:

Pumpkin Beer Taste Test 2013

1) Fernie Brewing Pumpkin Head Brown Ale

This was the darkest of the three beers we had and the blind taste test revealed unanimous similarities made between this beer and typical winter ales. With a vanilla bouquet and coffee finish, this beer was sweet but was controlled with light hop usage. Two of the tasters argued that this could not be a pumpkin ale! I insisted that it was, although they have a case since the label of this beer states that it is a "brown ale brewed with pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg". In my mind, this is not a true pumpkin ale because it does not share many characteristics with typical pumpkin beers and is first-and-foremost a brown ale. Having said this, everyone really liked it, and it was easy to drink due to its low carbonation and and subdued sweetness.  B+

2) Nelson Brewing Organic Pumpkin Ale 
I lived in Nelson for four months, four blocks from Nelson Brewing, and grew to really like their beer. I still buy it today and think that their After Dark black lager is one of the most drinkable and well-made beers being produced in BC. Therefore, I was really excited to try their Organic Pumpkin Ale, as this is the first year that they have made this. This beer poured a light copper colour and had a nice head. Similar to Fernie's Pumpkin Head, pumpkin was not the dominant flavour. This beer packs a spicy wallop, and two members of our group noted that it tastes a lot like chai tea. One person really disliked it because of the after taste, which she associated with Jagermeister. This beer was not sweet, so its heavy spice characteristics suit both dinner and dessert.  B

3) Central City Red Racer Pumpkin Ale
We all reacted negatively to this beer. Although the pumpkin flavour was arguably the most evident in this beer of the three that we tried, it was also quite hoppy and very tangy. It had an acidic quality too, and the extremely high carbonation did not do anything to improve the drinkability of this poorly-balanced ale. Despite local acclaim, I have never liked Central City beers, as it seems like the unfavourable traits in one beer can be identified in all made by this brewery. It is also strange how this particular beer was unpleasant while previous pumpkin ales made by Central City have been decent. That's another point off for inconsistency!  C

Keywords: "BC pumpkin beers", "Night Owl Pumpkin Ale", "Alex Dawkins"  

Pronto Caffe

Several of my friends and fellow Yelpers have recommended this tiny trattoria, and I was charmed upon entering this neighbourhood restaurant last night. The simple wooden chairs, narrow layout, and coffee bar overlooking the kitchen sparked flashbacks to my travels in Italy, and the staff were accommodating and friendly when my friend brought his baby unexpectedly and we requested a larger table. This initial charm and the great customer service were the highlights of the restaurant, however, as the food only detracted from our first impressions. 

To start, we ordered the appetizers on special which were a tomato-beef soup and a skewer of prosciutto-wrapped prawns. The soup was hearty and thick, which suited the brisk autumn night, but it was also a bit heavy. The prawns were large and well cooked, but the chef coated them in breadcrumbs after they had been wrapped in prosciutto, and this coating was soft and moist when it arrived. The flavour was amazing, but the soggy texture didn't really have us wanting more.

The mains ordered were the spaghetti pomadoro (with a side of meatballs), the gnocchi special, and the shortribs special. The spaghetti was solid, made with a fresh and vibrant tomato sauce. The meatballs were okay, dense and only lightly herbed. My friend's wife said that the kitchen cheated with the gnocchi, making them from a rolled dough rather than as individual hand-formed dumplings. This wouldn't have bothered me, personally, except for the fact that they tasted like they were from a roll of dough...a little bit tough, with sharp edges. The shortribs themselves were great - probably the best thing that was ordered - but they were served atop a Milanese (= parmesan and saffron) risotto made with long grain rice. Long grain rice?! I am not a snobby foodie, but I was kind of shocked over this, even if Pronto categorizes itself as a "blue-collar" trattoria. The flavour was good. The texture was awful. 

And the ciliegia on the cassata was that they did not have any draught beer. The negroni I ordered was very good, but Pronto is going to need to do better than bottled beer to snag some of the adjacent BierCraft crowd. Especially since BierCraft has pretty decent food.

Keywords: "Pronto cambie street", "cincin review", "Alex Dawkins"

33 Acres Brewing Company

I am going to do something I have never done before: review an establishment through the recollection of a conversation I had with the staff.

Setting - A sparse white rectangular room with uncomfortable white stools, white-washed walls, and white Macs on the counter being used as registers.

Characters - Alex (myself), Friend (Ramon), Staff (clubmaster bespectacled hipster)

Enter Alex and Friend, thirsty for beer:
 
Alex: "Huh. No menu or any signage describing our options. Strange."

Friend: "Oh, there's a small white menu near the till. And by till, I mean iPad."

Alex: "Sweet. Man...that writing is small. It's like this place doesn't want us to drink beer. Like you need a password or an ironic tattoo to get the lager flowing. Well there are five taps, let's just ask."

Friend: "Excuse me, what are your five taps?"

Staff: "Ummm, we only have two beers. We just have five taps."

Friend: "Huh. Okay. So the menu here says you have an Amber and an Amber Light? I can barely read this but I think that's what it says."

Staff: " Ummm, no. You are looking at the coluor description.They are both amber. You can't order by colour. One is a West Coast amber lager and one is a hoppy amber pale."

Alex: "So the lager is your light option?"

Staff: "No. Like I said, the lager is made in the West Coast style so it's also hoppy."

Friend: "So they have a hoppy beer and a hoppier beer. Do you want three of the lager and two of the amber?"

Alex: "I...guess? Do you have any other beverages because a member of our group doesn't drink beer."

Staff: "No, only beer.  Would you guys like 1.5 ounce glasses or 10 ounce glasses?"

Alex: "1.5 ounces? That's kind of odd. Umm, all 10 ounce glasses please."

Staff: "Okay. You can just stand at the end of the bar and we'll get working on pouring those."

Friend: "Weirdest. Setup. Ever."

Part Portlandia skit and part exercise in terrible customer service, I believe this dialogue alone indicates that we will not be back to this pretentious bland bunker hidden away in Vancouver's small manufacturing district. The space was put to better use when it was a glove factory, even though the beer is - unfortunately - pretty good. 

Keywords: "Vancouver breweries", "Vancouver craft beer", "Brassneck Brewing"

The Twelve Days of Seafood

I spent the final two weeks of August travelling the remote corners of Nova Scotia with my girlfriend's family. While I have backpacked across Canada twice, I ran out of steam (and funds) before I could reach the Maritimes during both efforts. Have you ever actually looked at a map of Nova Scotia and PEI? They are essentially islands east of the Eastern Seaboard. I was really excited to see New Scotland, partly over meeting Erin's relatives, partly over visiting some of my own family heritage sites, and partly over the world class seafood that comes from this quaint province. I was so excited by the prospect of eating East Coast marine life on a daily basis that I set a challenge for myself: The Twelve Days of Seafood. I did this with Mexican food when I visited LA and Pasadena with my dad in March of 2013, and I found this intense culinary schedule rewarding when comparing specific dishes and (literally) internalizing the cuisine of a unique locale. The idea of an enchilada wasn't all that appealing for a few weeks after returning from LA, and I am not currently host to a burning desire for smoked haddock, but I maintain that this approach to dining in foreign cities and cultures has its obsessive compulsive advantages. I now present to you, The Twelve Days of Seafood: 

Day 1 - Lobster Roll
Knowing that I had this mammoth gastronomical challenge ahead of me, I was craving crustaceans as soon as I entered the province. We went to a new bar-bistro in downtown Halifax on August 20th to meet a group of Erin's highschool buddies. It was called Two Doors Down and is a slightly more casual version of the city's celebrated Chives Bistro. They had a cool menu, featuring local seafood and Halifax beers. While they had numerous attractive options, I zeroed in on the Brioche Lobster Roll, the quintessential East Coast sandwich. This was a starter, so it was small (it even came with miniature potato chips) but it was all claw. It was also lightly dressed, so the lobster was the focus. A great start to the trip. 

Day 2 - Whole Fresh Lobster 

After running some errands and grabbing a coffee at Dartmouth's outstanding Two If By Sea, we drove down to Nova Scotia's South Shore, which is about two hours south-west from Halifax. After visiting the UNESCO town of Lunenburg and seeing the near-complete Bluenose II, we picked up four giant local lobsters and quickly drove them back home. We cooked these beastly bugs outside by steaming them in Boxing Rock Temptation Red Ale, which imbued the lobster meat with a sweet and slightly hoppy flavour. Erin and I had never bought and cooked our own lobster, so this was a memorable night indeed. 

Day 3 - Halibut 

We departed for a mini road trip beginning on August 22nd, heading up to the North Fundy Shore to Advocate. After visiting with Erin's maternal aunt Jane in Economy and buying a wheel of Stinging Nettle Gouda from Den Hoek (aka Damn Dutchman Cheese), we headed towards Cape Chignecto for dinner at Wild Caraway. This converted boutique hotel and restaurant is quietly becoming famous in the province for their exquisite use of local ingredients. I ordered the Atlantic halibut with baby hodgepodge and Erin ordered the local scallops with nasturtium salad. The halibut was braised and moist, and the buttery hodgepodge was composed entirely of new carrots, peas, fingerlings, and beans. 

Day 4 - Sole 

We headed north from Chignecto towards Amherst, at the New Brunswick border, on August 23rd. After a fascinating pit-stop at the Joggins Fossil Museum (with interactive eroding cliffsides!) we spent the evening at the Amherst Shore Inn. The Inn has a restaurant with a rotating daily menu, and the owner Mary Laceby takes pride in serving Nova Scotia seafood. I had the Sole Florentine. It was a warm and hearty meal. The sole was stuffed with spinach and basil, and then baked with tomatoes and garlic. 

Day 5 - Maple Smoked Atlantic Salmon 

We spent the 24th driving to the beach house that once belonged to Erin's maternal grandma at Cape John. This was also Erin's dad's birthday, so we loaded up on beer and sausages from the cleverly named Pork Shop in Tatamagouche for an evening pig-out. "Pork isn't seafood, Alex!" I hear you proclaiming. I know, dear reader...I know. Fortunately, we picked up some smoked Atlantic salmon to enjoy for lunch on the beach at Cape John that day. Phew! The Twelve Days of Seafood was nearly spoilt. St Mary's River Atlantic salmon products are a Maritime staple. 

Day 6 - Halibut 

The Chanterelle Inn is a hidden hilltop house right on the Cabot Trail that offers quiet, quaint rooms and an exclusive restaurant that seats no more than twenty people. Owner Earlene Busch and chef Bryan Picard are incredibly proud of what Cape Breton has to offer, and this is reflected in the décor and cuisine. The fish of the day on our first night at the Inn was line-caught halibut with roasted baby tomatoes. I preferred the flavour of this halibut to the halibut at Wild Caraway, but it was also a bit drier and dense than the fish at Caraway. It was a lovely meal with a calming sunset out on Chanterelle's covered patio. 

Day 7 - Seafood Bouillabaisse 

The dishes prepared by Bryan Picard at the Chanterelle Inn were so good on our first night that we opted to dine in for our second night there. Like the aforementioned Amherst Shore and Wild Caraway Inn, the Chanterelle features local ingredients. The ingredients that Bryan uses are not only all from Nova Scotia, they are from Cape Breton itself, and the daily fresh menu lists the origins of each product. Incredible! The feature on this second night was the Seafood Bouillabaisse which contained crab leg, haddock, scallops, shrimp, and one large poached oyster. The broth was translucent and carried just a hint of spice. 

Day 8 - Cape Breton Mussels 

After driving some of the Cabot Trail and walking the Skyline, we stopped at Cheticamp for a light lunch. Well, it was supposed to be a light lunch. Little did I know that the $9 mussel lunch at the Acadian would consist of nearly 50 bivalves, presented as a pile in front of me. Basking in schadenfreude, Erin and her parents watched as I worked my way through this mound of unbearded and gamey-tasting mussels. Not my favourite Nova Scotia meal, but memorable. 

Day 9 - Digby Scallops 

We were in Bear River at Erin's cottage from August 28th-31st and planned to meet Erin's Aunt Blanche and cousin Meaghan at The Digby Pines. The Pines harkens back to the age of destination resorts, shuffleboard, and black tie dining. It has adapted to, and essentially suffered through, the current economic recession but still has an exceptional restaurant and property. Since we were in Digby, my entrée choice was a no-brainer. My seared scallops were simple, sweet, and succulent. They were served with a garlic bread pudding and some sautéed seasonal vegetables.

Day 10 - Oysters 

Family friends, Phil and Diane, came to Erin's cottage in Bear River and brought two dozen oysters with them. This was a great opportunity for Erin and I to try shucking for the first time, and it was harder than we thought it would be. These oysters did taste different from BC oysters, but I'm not really sure how to describe it. They were meaty but fairly mild. It seems like many oyster species grown in BC waters are smaller and more metallic tasting. Thanks Phil and Diane! 

Day 11 - Fried Clams 

One of my dad's friends, Scott, is from New England and always complains that it is impossible to find fried clam on the West Coast. It's actually true. Fried clams are not a "thing" here, despite our access to good eating clams. So, knowing that I was venturing to the Eastern Seaboard, Scott insisted that I hunt this delicacy down. We found them at Vicki's Fish and Chips outside of Annapolis. They fry the entire clam at Vicki's, which is much preferable to clam strips, which are just the feet (foots?) of the clam. I showered my ginormous pile of clams with lemon and vinegar and dug in. If only Vicki's served cold beer...  

Day 12 - Crab Cakes 

I actually forgot to eat seafood on our last day in Nova Scotia. We were busy packing and doing chores during the day, and then we went out with Erin's friends in Halifax that night. While drinking at The Split Crow, I was recapitulating my culinary accomplishments when one of Erin's friends asked what I had consumed that day. My jaw dropped and, at 10pm, I called the waiter over to see if the kitchen was still open. It was, and I ordered crab cakes, which were dense and paired nicely with my Propeller.

People keep asking me what my favourite meal was, amidst all of these gastronomical delights. And in all honesty it was the simple marinara and cold beer that Esther and Dennis, Erin's parents, prepared for us right after we arrived. Meeting and enjoying the company of the two people that produced my one true love was undoubtedly more memorable and meaningful than any umami oyster or savory shellfish.

Keywords: "Best Halifax Seafood", "Two If By Sea", "Alex Dawkins Vancouver"

Sissiboo Coffee Roasters in Bear River

Between August 28-31 of this year, I visited my girlfriend's family cottage in Bear River, Nova Scotia...all the way from Vancouver! At first, this village looks dull and sleepy, but things are happening in Bear River. Residents are looking inwards to agriculture and local talent rather than outwards to tourists for economic stimulation. One example can be seen in the Flight of Fancy art gallery, which features local and provincial artists, and another can be seen in Sissiboo Coffee Roasters. The unique name 'Sissiboo' was derived from the Sissiboo River in southwest Nova Scotia. This river was named by a Loyalist settler who mistook a Mik'maq who was pointing out six owls ('six hiboux') instead of pointing out the river. Stupid colonialists. 

Based in the historic 'Rebekah' building, Sissiboo was started three years ago by Erin Schopfer and Jon Welch. After many years of analysing and learning about the coffee industry, Erin and Jon made the careful decision to launch a micro roastery in their hometown. Jon checks each batch by eye, hand, and smell at least four times during his roasting process - a process that is applied to each seven-pound batch. Each batch has an individual roasting time which has to be explicitly followed, a few seconds too long and the batch takes on an undesired flavour. This is different from most roasters, which employ laptops and software and crazy expensive machines to monitor their beans. Erin and Jon do not yet have a storefront or café, but I think this is a no-brainer for their brainchild. 

I have tried three of their roasts: Fundy Storm (Peru, dark), Tobeatic Wild (Guatemala, medium), and Fly by Night Decaf (Peru, swiss water, medium). I did not like the lack of body and bitter finish of the Tobeatic Wild at all, but Fundy Storm is great as both a dark pourover or espresso. They do, for your information, have an espresso roast as well, called Night Owl!


Keywords: "Sissiboo Coffee", "Bear River, NS", "Vancouver Roasters"

Northwest Coast Native Art - Some Clarifications



Justin Rivard Wrap Ring

Art of the Northwest Coast Native peoples - indigenous cultures based in British Columbia, Washington State, and Oregon - is distinct from art produced by other cultures within North America. This brief overview has been created to clear up some misconceptions about Aboriginal art and culture from the West Coast of North America.

First, there are twenty-seven unique Native cultural groups in British Columbia alone. These groups have their own languages and idiosyncratic aesthetic systems. The term 'Haida' is often used to describe Native art from the Northwest Coast, but the Haida are just one of many groups producing artwork...although this particular culture is indeed more productive than many! A more accurate general term is 'Northwest Coast Art'.

Second, the politically correct term to describe indigenous peoples in Canada and here on the West Coast is 'First Nations'. While blanket terms with anthropological roots such as 'Aboriginal' and 'Indigenous' are not incorrect, preferred terms are 'Native' and 'First Nations'. Terminology is different in the United States, where 'Native American' is still commonly used, and the controversial and outdated 'Indian' tag is still carelessly thrown around in everyday parlance.

Third, art and jewellery from Washington State and BC are based upon family crests. Crests are figures and symbols used to visually communicate an individual's family history and mythological origins. For example, the Gitksan of northern British Columbia are all divided into four clans: Frog, Eagle, Wolf, and Fireweed. Members of each clan then inherit secondary crests which are used when creating regalia and objects of adornment. This adherence to animal symbols (in such a structured fashion) is unique to the Northwest Coast when considering indigenous art from North America.



'Salmon Life Cycle' by Kelvin Thompson

Finally, a noteworthy trait of Native artwork from this part of the world is the specialization of hand-engraving. Hand-engraved jewellery is difficult to find to begin with, and has its roots in European jewellery-making, but First Nations artists in BC and Washington State have really made inroads into this field. Jewellery-making and silversmithing is common with other indigenous cultures in North America - as with the amazing silver and turquoise pieces created by both the Navajo and Hopi - but the Northwest Coast is the only area where you will find intricately hand-engraved collectibles. Northwest Coast Native artists are always in high demand to engrave custom wedding rings here in Vancouver!

By far the best place to familiarize oneself with carving and jewellery from the Northwest Coast is Vancouver's Lattimer Gallery. In business since 1986, this Vancouver landmark carries works for every budget and strives to represent those artists who are determined to push this art form forward. The Etsy shop Art From Above Native Jewellery is also spectacular.

Keywords: "Alex Dawkins Vancouver", "Native American Jewelry", "Native Art Vancouver"