June 15, 2011 is the 90th Anniversary of the repeal of prohibition in BC and the establishment of government control of the sale of liquor within the province. The BC prohibition commenced on October 1, 1917. It was soon judged a failure, resulting in law-abiding citizens becoming criminals for simply wanting to have a drink with their dinner. Following a referendum, prohibition was repealed on June 15, 1921. On the same date, a “government control” system was implemented for the sale of liquor within the province.

It is the 90th anniversary and the government monopoly Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) still controls and sells all liquor within BC at the wholesale level and still sells a vast amount through its government retail stores which have extremely high operating costs. The LDB is a $3 billion per year business in B.C. It generates about $900 million per year for the government but costs about $300 million per year to operate.

The following are some of the legacies of prohibition which make BC look ridiculous when compared to the rest of the world:

• Today, all liquor sold within BC must be registered and listed with the government. All imports of liquor must be approved by and processed through the government wholesaler. Yet, we don’t do this for cigarettes or guns.
• Today in BC, and unlike most of the rest of the world, it is still illegal to consume alcohol in a public place such as a park. BC citizens cannot legally enjoy a glass of wine while enjoying a picnic.
• It is still illegal to carry liquor across provincial borders (a criminal offence with possible imprisonment). In Europe, you can ship alcohol between countries without a problem. While Canadians cannot legally return from a vacation in another province with any alcohol, they can bring back 2 bottles per person after a trip to another country.
• We have excessively high taxes on liquor which result in prices being about double what they should be.           For example, Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, a Washington state wine, is commonly available for $6 south of the border. It is $15.99 in BC because the standard LDB markup on wine is 123% plus 12% HST on top of that for a grand total of 135% tax.
• Wine is good for you when used in moderation as intended. No amount of soda pop is good for you but that is taxed at only 12%.
• We have arcane regulation of restaurants and private retailers such that these independent businesses are not permitted to do things which are otherwise commonplace. For example, they cannot store liquor off-site. They cannot transfer liquor between locations of the same restaurant or retail chain (even if the LDB is out of stock). They must buy nearly all their liquor from the government, usually from a single designated government store. If they order anything other than mainstream products, they are forced to order in full case lots via a slow and inefficient delivery system. As a result, restaurants frequently run out of products or encounter storage and financial issues due to the requirement to order in such large quantities.
• Restaurants and bars are denied wholesale prices entirely. Private retailers are given wholesale prices which are fixed artificially high by their chief competitor (the government stores). As a result, there is virtually no competition in the retail liquor business and consumers are denied the sales and good deals that are common in other countries.* It is illegal for a private person to sell a bottle of liquor to another private person. Auctions are also illegal (unless done for charity).
• Citizens cannot take their own wine into a restaurant and have the restaurant charge them a corkage fee (even if the wine was purchased from a government store). This is illegal – it’s considered to be “illicit liquor”.

Happy Anniversary LDB, but don’t expect the rest of British Columbia to be joining you to celebrate the 90th birthday of the establishment of government control over the sale of liquor within the province.

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For more information about wine and liquor laws in BC and Canada, visit www.winelaw.ca.

Mark Hicken, BA JD
Vintage Law Group
T: 604 868 1375
E: mark@winelaw.ca
W: www.winelaw.ca

Julia Watt
Gala Events & Marketing
T: 604-790-4484
E: julia@galaevents.ca
W: www.galaevents.ca

Touted as the most original and exciting fish and seafood restaurant in Canada, the C Restaurant is a fitting finale to a journey into the world of vegan culinary arts. With its fresh, contemporary and sustainable local seafood, C Restaurant gives vegan cuisine an innovative and progressive twist that makes any dyed-in-the-wool vegan beam with pride.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 7 – The Grand Pilgrimage

Image cutline: For $85 and an additional $30 for the cocktail pairing, raw vegans can enjoy a multi-course work of art created by the greatest culinary minds in the city.

My captivity may be over but the effects of spending six weeks among raw vegans, eating, breathing and sleeping their lifestyle will probably last me the rest of my days. Although I’m not completely strict about my diet today, I’m definitely feeling like life is going in the right direction. I’ve lost almost 40 pounds, my workouts are better, I feel better and overall I’m happier. The true test starts now.

On a recent outing to one of Vancouver’s most notable restaurants, I challenged the chef to prepare a guilt-free raw vegan feast. Not any chef, though, this was Robert Clark and C Restaurant was hosting the dinner. Clark’s feats are so legendary that I’d rather call this trip a pilgrimage. He is directly responsible for mentoring some of the City’s best minds in food whether it be Robert Belcham, Quang Dang or Connor Butler. At his side this time was C’s Executive Chef, Lee Humphries. Lee is equally special as creativity just oozes from his kitchen.

As all the best restaurants do, Sommelier Justin McAuliffe and Bartender Jason O’Brien somehow and miraculously conjured up cocktails to go with each course. Amazing since they had little notice to prepare an accompaniment to four courses an amuse bouche and a dessert.

Imagine sipping on a cocktail made from swiss chard yellow peppers, Roma tomato, basil and a little bit of lime while snacking on Humphries’ play on taboulli – cauliflower and broccoli cous cous, a side of beans infused with mint, lemon and olive oil and accented with pickled shimji mushrooms and Dijon, as Lee says, ‘for cuteness.’

It’s extraordinary even just talking about it. Chef Robert Clark prefaced one of Chef Lee Humphries’ creation by assuring me that the dish would take my palette to places it’s never been before. Well, if I ever make it to heaven, I now know what the food there tastes like.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. Raj is amazed at the results of going vegan. Is this really the end for him? Go ahead and ask. We dare you. His twitter username is @tinhead.

“A hard beginning maketh a good ending” – John Heywood

It was more than just a good ending, it was a great one … that is if it has really ended already. The Helm definitely offers a unique culinary experience with its fusion elegant dining with a stylish late-night scene. Collaborating with local growers around B.C. and beyond, the Helm provides a truly authentic farm-to-fork dining experience that leaves nothing left to the imagination of any true-blue vegan food enthusiast.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 6 – Is it really over?

Image cutline: Four equally delicious courses in, Chef Tobey set us up with mushroom crostini featuring fresh mushrooms from Northern BC and a beet and radicchio salad showcasing this season’s Hazelnuts from Agassiz.

It all happened so fast. Only a few weeks ago was I captured and forced to convert to raw veganism.

Initially it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life, but then it just became easier. I learned a new respect for those who brought me into this lifestyle and actually looked forward to the extravagant meals that Vancouver’s top chefs had in store for me.

At the same time, I knew the chefs reveled in the challenge. It was exciting to meet Chef Tobey Nemeth at The Helm Restaurant on Howe Street to see what she had in store. It’s the new restaurant on the block and Chef Tobey is fresh out of Toronto. Are they equally enlightened out there?

When the first bit of food arrived, I was puzzled. Potato Chips, five spice popcorn and marinated olives to go with our cocktails? They must’ve had the wrong table so I tried to flag down our host but then, one of my tablemates held my hand and said, “Raj, you’ve been on an incredible journey over the last six weeks. This is where we part ways.”

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck me. I tried not to show my emotions as I didn’t want to alarm the staff but I was truly sad even though I knew that everything Chef Tobey would put in front of me that night would be impeccable.

This dinner was a celebration and serendipitously, a set of shooters arrived at the table; vegan shooters – squash soup topped with toasted sunflower seeds. It was slightly warm and being the first sensation warm food I’ve tried in weeks, it was definitely a foreign feeling. Not unlikeable by any means, just different.

The following five courses, also all vegan, tempted the imagination. Chef Tobey confessed that she was ultimately interested in getting produce from farmers and suppliers she knew by name. Vegan food was simply an extension of having access to such an amazing supply and it didn’t hurt that her mother was also raw vegan. She let us know that at any point in time there’s at least one vegan dish on the continuously-changing menu.

For us that night, she went all out with a starter, five beautiful courses and a dessert. At $25 per person, Helm is practically giving away dinner. Thanks for the love, Chef.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. Raj is amazed at the results of going vegan. Is this really the end for him? Go ahead and ask. We dare you. His twitter username is @tinhead.

With award-winning cuisine that elevates the bar of gastronomic creativity to the peak of excellence, West undeniably captivates the imagination of anyone who walks through its doors. Known as the “jewel in Vancouver’s culinary crown”, I call it a paradise that no one in their right mind would ever want to leave.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 5 – An eight course dinner that won’t weigh you down

Image cutline:  In a dinner that included an amuse bouche, five courses and three sweet courses, the dish that gets the prize for looking like it just emerged from the garden is the fifth course which was made from Sunchoke Puree, Heirloom Carrots, Watermelon Radish, raw Walnuts and cold pickled Sea Asparagus.

I took a seat at West Restaurant on South Granville and a flurry of memories came rushing back to me. A little more than a decade ago, this was the address that I used to go for “hands down” the best risotto in Vancouver. Back then it was called Gianni’s.

Shortly after the closure, Ouest took its spot. Over the years, they’ve distilled the name down to West.

Good memories.

Back then, if someone told me that in the future I would be sitting at a table with my vegan comrades putting the chef to task, I’d say they were nuts.

Now nuts are a staple in my diet and somehow I’ve arrived here in my journey, raw vegan. Not only did Executive Chef David Gunawan prepare a multi-course wonder for my guests and I, but bartender David Bain rose to the occasion and paired each course with an equally raw vegan and alcohol-free beverage.

In the tradition of all fine restaurants, an amuse bouche, sent with the compliments of the kitchen, arrived at our table – celery sorbet with young celery and a granulated malt. Given the creativity exuded in this dish, it was surely a sign of things to come.

In the case of the first beverage that Barman Bain delivered to our table, a mixture of unpasteurized, unfiltered Okanagan Apple Juice, homemade Oregeat and then finished with lemon, I could tell that the juice was in apple form the day before and that Bain was an accomplished mixologist.

The first dish that inspired the cocktail was a Braeburn Apple Slaw and a Mutzu Apple Linguine finished with homemade Almond Milk. When I queried our server about the topic, he informed me that the apple noodle took shape with the help of agar.

Thereafter, as if the kitchen owed us a debt of gratitude for some heroic act, four more courses, a pre-dessert, dessert and a small raw-vegan treat at the bill presentation graced our table, all paired with an equally special beverage.

At the end of the meal, I had a brief moment to hear profound thoughts from Executive Chef Gunawan. He didn’t say much but what he did say stuck, “being more intentional and deliberate about what you’re consuming on a day-to-day basis, I think is respectable. In this day and age, we never know where our food is coming from and what’s in our food. [Being raw Vegan] is cool.”

I wholeheartedly agree.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. Vegan comrades? He’s lost it, he needs your help. Someone send him a steak. His twitter username is @tinhead.

The breathtaking panoramic view has brought vegan cuisine to a new ‘high’ at the Fraîche Restaurant where the creations of Chef Dino Renaerts articulate the artistry and creativity which reveal a delightful culinary magnum opus.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 4 – Vegan Living ain’t so bad

Image cutline: The main course reminded us of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 – a play on sprouts with sprouted legumes, florets of cauliflower and broccoli, carrot slivers, pesto, a herb salad (shiso, Italian parsley, frisee and a mixture of shaved celery and carrot), snap peas and dehydrated tomato.

Living in captivity isn’t so bad. I’ve been captive and forced to go vegan and alcohol free for just over a month and contrary to what I thought, I haven’t become ill and I’m not lying on my death bed. I get time every day to work out and I’ve actually become stronger and more flexible. No walking on water yet but the weight seems to be coming off quickly and I really like what I see in the mirror.

One thing that really appeals to me is all this special treatment from the people working at the fanciest restaurants in the city. Last week’s visit with Chef Quang Dang at Diva was an eye opener. This week, the tradition continues with Chef Dino Renaerts’ creations at Fraîche Restaurant in West Vancouver. This place has the best view in town and one of the city’s best chefs to match.

My captors know how to dine in style. So what if every kitchen in the city has been penetrated by a secret society of raw vegans bent on taking over the world. The meals I’ve seen coming out of the restaurants I have visited so far during my confinement have been brilliant.

Back to Fraîche, Chef must be an incarnation of Sergei Rachmaninov. Everything that reached my table was intricate, beautiful and creative beyond my imagination. The three courses and the taster at the start were orchestrated so masterfully that it’s simply impossible to talk about a single item.

The amuse bouche, a celery, granny smith apple and lime shooter, garnished with a celery leaf and some lime oil had me in disbelief. Raw vegan? How? Chef reassured me that everything was prepared raw. That was only the start; the first and second courses thereafter didn’t disappoint and the sorbet for dessert, a superb creation that stands head and shoulders above most other non-vegan desserts I’ve had in the past.

For raw vegan at Fraîche, given day or two of notice, Chef Dino can create anything. I think that’s an understatement.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. He needs serious help, we think he has Stockholm Syndrome. Guide him back on twitter, his username is @tinhead.

“A diva is someone who is a perfectionist, who does her best in her craft” – Patti LaBelle

Perfection it is, an exquisite culinary experience at the Diva at the Met. Artistry coupled with style — vegan cuisine reaches the pinnacle of excellence setting the Diva at the Met in a class of its own.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 3 – They even have Chefs on the take

Image cutline: Every dish that emerged from Chef Quang Dang’s kitchen during our six course raw vegan meal was a work of art worthy of being classified as some of the profoundest creations seen in the culinary world today.

It’s been three weeks but I haven’t yet broken down and had one of my vegan captors for supper. The thought of enjoying a nice Chianti, some fava beans and what appears to be the only source of meat around here has crossed my mind. There’s nothing to cook with, though.

All I can do is keep my thoughts and emotions to myself, keep from losing my mind and do what they tell me to do. It seems to be working out, though! As of late, I’ve been on good ‘raw vegan behaviour’ so my captors have decided to take me out into public for a bit. Somewhere familiar, Diva at the Met. I think to myself, great – I know their executive chef, maybe he’ll slip me a little bit of meat if I give him a wink and a nudge.

Not so. I’m being watched carefully and the Chef seems… different.

Chef Quang Dang has a six course vegan meal planned. There’s nowhere I can hide from this conspiracy. I can’t trust anybody, I better just eat it and enjoy. In hindsight, what surprised me is that I’ve never seen a chef apply himself in the manner I saw today.

The six courses comprised such creativity and mastery; it was as if Chef Dang’s life depended on it. Knowing my captors, it probably did.

Of each course, there’s so much to say or rather rave about but with these space constraints, what to pick?

Was it the first course, simple salad that included a perfectly raw vegan grape jelly made with agar, or the second course, apple tartar? Maybe the warm but still raw carrot soup was meritous of top marks, or perhaps the warm Quinoa and pickled green strawberries. The Portobello mushroom and sake kasu mayonnaise (totally vegan) also made a lasting impression and the molecular mixology employed in the finale, macerated berries with vanilla and lemon, cherry pearls and orange ravioli was something that one only reads about in culinary journals.

I am astonished that it all turned out to be raw vegan. I know now, these raw vegans have influence beyond my wildest dreams and they can make people do things that no money can ever buy.

Editor: Diva’s tasting menus start at $69 per person, for the full raw vegan experience, call in advance to let them know you’re coming.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. Have his vegan captors brainwashed him? Find out more on twitter, his username is @tinhead.

With a mission of bringing the best organic food selections into the Vancouver dining scene, Organic Lives simply lives up to its expectations of offering healthy and nourishing dishes that are delectable enough for any meat-eater to think about going vegan. Coupled with a cuisine that aims to offer the infinite advantages of an all-natural, organic diet to the life of just about anybody, the restaurant definitely scores a triple A on any gastronomic benchmark.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 2 – A Sicilian Secret, Revealed

Image cutline: Spilling the secret of the Sicilian Wrap (wrap made from local heirloom tomatoes, filled cheese made from sprouted Brazil nuts and a medley of vegetables: olives, peppers, sprouts) and its accompanying Carrot Avocado Velouté is a dangerous game.

My captors are cunning. This week a McRib mysteriously appeared in my cell. Amateur, I thought, this is obviously a test, but I expect much more from such a sophisticated and insidious organization. To their credit, forcing a multi-billion dollar corporation to revive my favourite fast food burger for a limited time is pretty impressive. In hindsight, maybe it wasn’t a double cross – maybe it was an act of benevolence disguised as a double cross. A double-double cross.

Either way, by turning my back on the treasured burger, I must have been successful in pleasing my kidnappers. The next day was an outing to a secret location at Quebec and 2^nd. The building had scaffolding around it and from the outside looked to be fortified. They referred to it as Organic Lives and I’m a richer man for having visited this place.

The multi-course raw vegan lunch that I enjoyed included a bodybuilder’s shake, a nacho platter, a Sicilian wrap, sushi (maki) and a dark ganache cake so good it’s called the ‘Ridiculous.’ It would probably pair up well with some guy from Jersey Shore but that’s beside the point.

Who knew that they could make cheese out of Himalayan pine nuts or Sour Cream with almonds? These guys are so good and they’ve penetrated almost every nefarious organization in the world. The Sicilian wrap, for example, must be made with the help or funding or some sort of backing of the Cosa Nostra. I’ve never tasted anything like it, and I’ll eat anything. The outer wrap was made of local heirloom tomatoes and was filled with cheese made from sprouted Brazil nuts and a medley of vegetables.

One can only fathom how much violent crime has protected this little secret. For the first time in a long while, I feel enlightened and part of a very elite group. Well, that plus I’m doing better than just holding it together. I’m astounded that my eyesight is better, I’m energetic and flexible, the weight is coming off and my thoughts are pretty clear, all of this just happened within a couple weeks. That can’t be this Vegan food. Can it?

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. Have his vegan captors brainwashed him? Find out more on twitter, his username is @tinhead.

“Vegetarian – that’s an old Indian word meaning – lousy hunter.” – Andy Rooney

Lousy hunter or not, at the Gorilla Food restaurant, the only hunting that you will do is for the next dish to try out. With a delectable selection on their organic, raw vegan menu, Gorilla Food will certainly give Vancouverites a brand new insight into the concept of going vegan.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 1 – Bring on vegan

Image cutline: Everyone loves Moroccan, even the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi who has a penchant for 17-year-old Moroccan show girls. The Morroccan Rawkin Olive Pizza pictured above goes for $8 a slice and comes with a layer of black olive tapenade and topped with a walnut ‘cheez’ crumble and spicy crushed chilli almonds.

There’s a war going on. A war for your wallet, your mind, your heart and soul. Big business fights to own every last bit of you. Fortunate for you, there is a resistance.

I’ve been captured and shackled by the raw vegans. Their intent is completely unknown to me but given that I’m the purveyor of all things fine, whether it be a ribeye steak or a bottle of the finest champagne, I can only guess this abduction is targeted.

Organic, vegan and raw is their mantra and it looks like for the next little while, I better get used to it. I go places and eat whatever they want me to eat. It’s not always fancy – I would rather die than eat another raw asparagus, for example. One shining light in my routine is this place called Gorilla Food, located on Richards Street just below Pender Street.

Although, despondent at night, I scan the empty area of my camp, hoping to find discarded Burger King or some glimmer of hope. I never find it. I think to myself what type of depraved character denies themselves of the simple pleasures in life? After all, isn’t meat one of those pleasures? Interestingly enough, although almost completely raw vegan for the last week, I’m not feeling sluggish, tired or near death at all. To the contrary, my body is flexible, I’m alert and sleeping quite well at night, dreaming only of when I’ll see my next strip of bacon.

Gorilla Food has helped me keep sane during my short captivity. Their menu holds an impressive 50 plus items. They have raw vegan smoothies, burgers, pizza, sweets and more. The pizzas are dehydrated, wheat-free and gluten-free. They feature a sprouted sunflower seed, buckwheat, carrot and flax seed crust topped with a savoury sun-dried tomato herb sauce and your choice of flavours. A brilliant choice on daily basis – they’re now open seven days a week.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. Has he lost his mind? Find out more on twitter, his username is @tinhead.

“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ursula K. LeGuin

The journey was undeniably an experience to remember. From the Revel Room, to the Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, unto Relish GastroPub, then the Vancouver Club and Terminal City Club, net was One Hundred Days, and finally the Terracotta Modern Chinese restaurant. The journey was a blend of aroma and flavors that will captivate the taste buds of any slider-loving connoisseur.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 6 – Finale – an encounter with the Emperor

Image cutline: Terracotta’s offering is not only Modern Chinese but Chinese re-invented with superb care and ingredients

The smoke has cleared from the Halloween festivities at 100 days; Rangelina have landed in a parallel dimension that is adorned with terracotta warriors standing tall and looks similar to a Ming Dynasty garrison. Their contact in this dimension is the great emperor himself, Trevor Lee, and he brings terrific news.

Raj: Terracotta Modern Chinese Restaurant on Alexander Street in Gastown is a Chinese food restaurant that uses modern ingredients and flare.

Angelina: They also have Asian-inspired cocktails like the ‘Rising Phoenix’, ‘Chun-Li’ and ‘Big Trouble in Little Gastown,’ to name a few.

R: Remember those Pork Bun Sliders at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen we’ve been trying to save?

A: I can only guess that this is their homeworld. There’s thousands upon thousands of Pork Buns here, waiting to go into action – pork belly, braised and marinated in house, a house-picked cucumber in the mix and served on a plain white steamed Mantou bun.

R: But wait, it gets better – the Pork Buns have a big brother – the Beef Shortrib Slider made with braised beef done in house, green onions and served on a Mantou bun which has first been steamed and then fried.

A: It’s got a golden-brown colour and could blend in with any slider but tastes like a piece of heaven.

R: It’s their top seller. With the strength of Terracotta’s Emperor, the popularity of both the Braised Beef Sliders and the Pork Bun Sliders, we’d fathom to say that these sliders are here to say.

Editor: You’ll have to go to Terracotta to find out about the secret ritual relating to these sliders. As for the sliders we’ve been trying to save at Goldfish? Raj and Angelina were successful. The public has appealed to the powers that be and the Pork Bun Sliders are there to stay. Stay tuned next week for a new quest.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, entrepreneur, social media juggernaut and foodie. He runs urbanmixer.com and publishes a miscellany of musings at raj.jp and on twitter @tinhead

“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.” – Chinese Proverb

At One Hundred Days, you get to experience not only a moment of bliss, but a hundred days of ecstasy … each and every time you visit the place. With a unique creative mix between local graffiti artist Vince Dumoulin and the gifted chefs of the resto, a one of a kind experience is awaits you with the perfect melange of artistic and gastronomic masterpieces.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 5 – 100 days and counting… then they’re gone!

Image cutline: At 100 days, they call them the Kick Ass Sliders and there really isn’t any other way to describe them.

Raj and Angelina continue their slider quest winding up in a place that looks to have been recently vandalized. Is the graffiti on the wall going to stay? According to the staff nothing lasts forever including this place. 100 days, they say.  But who’s counting….

Raj: We seem to be in the right place.  I feel like a freaking celebrity here.

Angelina:  We’re in the restaurant at the OPUS Hotel, 350 Davie Street.  Creativity, passion, and hospitality just percolates from the staff here, I feel like I’ve been inspired.  They’re overjoyed that we’ve asked for the sliders we also got sides and Champagne.  What a glorious idea!  Or Raj, was that your idea?

R:  Am I dead? Did I go to heaven? Are these people angels?  The sliders truly are knockout, delicious.  Ground CAB strip loin steak, the pride of Canada, cooked medium rare, a smoky BBQ sauce made with peaty Ardbeg Scotch, caramelized onions, a sesame seeded bun…

Angelina: And the sides were just as remarkable! The best Truffle oil Macaroni and Cheese I’ve ever had, Burrata Caprese Salad, Home-cut fries with Parmesan and more Truffle oil!  Absolute bliss.

R: (taps Angelina’s shoulder)… are you, uh… real…?

A:  (slaps Raj in the face)… Get it together buddy! Go for the Sliders, stay for brunch.  100 days’ brunch is the talk of the town.

R:  Maybe I’ll see you dressed up for their special 80’s themed Halloween Brunch…

A:  In the raddest costume, EVER!

Editor: You heard right, 100 days is hosting an 80’s Halloween Costume brunch on the 31^st. Now, let’s not forget the poor Chinese Pork Bun that got singled out at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen. Help save it! Tweet at @GoldFishKitchen and use the hashtag #savetheporkbun.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, entrepreneur, social media juggernaut and foodie. He runs urbanmixer.com and publishes a miscellany of musings at raj.jp and on twitter @tinhead