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 Following a referendum, prohibition was repealed on June 15, 1921.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

After years of research, a steak that I can call my own is finally a reality. It’s no secret that I photograph my steak and describe the sights, the sounds, the smells and the subsequent mastication in a manner that would make the editor of Penthouse Letters blush. In the past, I’ve embarked on various journeys, enjoying a threesome (two 16oz steaks and I) at Italian Kitchen (see ‘Steak vs. Steak‘), moderating the ‘WE Love STEAK‘ flickr group for the voyeuristic folks out there, and even proclaiming Shore Club and Pinkys Steakhouse as having the the best ribeyes I’ve ever set my eyes on in Vancouver.

Recently, I met with the new owners of Capones in Yaletown – Rick Momsen the experienced restaurateur who most recently departed from Flite and Jeff Wiegel who I’ve known for some time and have shared many a steak with. Both expressed interest in expanding their menu and wanted to do ‘ole daddy Raj proud by naming a steak after me – after all, who knows steak better? So given their interest, I treated them to my very fave in the city and said, “match this, if you dare…”

… and they really delivered. For the main event, I brought along two accomplices, Mr. Z and Mr. M, who both previously expressed to me, a deep, dark desire to sample in earthly, exotic delights.

Well, then let them indulge their pleasure and their own standard of values let them make love and drink; let them pass  their old age as they have spent their youth, in banquets, in a state of unconditional surrender to their bellies and the most unseemly part of their bodies… – Sallust – The Jugurthine War

What was delivered was astonishing – a petite 20oz ribeye with a beautiful complexion, cooked medium rare, moist and pink through and through, and garnished with garlic, rosemary and lots of love. What happened after laying eyes on such a beautiful steak is a bit of a mystery – perhaps we’ll never tell, but safe to say, the three of us left the room without saying a single word but nonetheless, very satisfied.

Capones in Yaletown
1141 Hamilton Street (MAP)
Vancouver, BC V6B 5P6

TEL: 604-684-7900

WEB: www.caponesrestaurant.net

HOURS: Brunch: 10:00m – 3:00pm – Saturdays & Sundays, Dinner: 5:00pm – late – Monday – Sunday

On the note of good steak talk, check out Kate Zimmerman’s ‘The Old Man and the Beef,’ HERE.

It was Groucho Marx that once said, “I’m not crazy about reality, but it’s still the only place to get a decent meal.” Well, he was only partially right – Vancouver is rife with ‘safe’ places to get fed – whether it be mega-restaurant chain with the pretty girls or the familiar-to many symbols of American imperialism, none of which make a far departure from the oh-so-standard burger and fries.

Last year, on the Urban Mixer blog, I wrote about r.tl in Yaletown and only about the pretty girls, the aesthetics and the opening party but not much about the food. A couple weeks ago, I was invited to check the restaurant out and satisfy my curiosity as to what r.tl was all about.

Firstly, r.tl, other than being a really cool website address (http://r.tl) purchased from a Timor-Leste website registry (very much like .ca names can be purchased from a Canadian website registry), stands for Regional Tasting Lounge. r.tl is located at 1130 Mainland Steet half-a-block down from Goldfish towards OPUS Hotel.

So what’s the food like? Currently, r.tl is featuring tastes from Portugal, France and the Coastal BC Region – they change this up on a regular basis – here’s the what we really, really really enjoyed, photos and all – feel free to judge for yourself.

Oak Barrel Smoked Breast of Magret Duck – $15
three grapes salad, caramelized walnuts
(hot smoked in house)

Fava Bean & Cilantro Salad – $11
fresh fava bean, thinly sliced garlic
white wine vinegar, Maldon salt & cilantro

Of course, there was always a cocktail or some vino to accompany… especially worth consideration since the restaurant has 30 wines by the glass all expertly preserved with a state-of-the-art system.

Riesling
Basserman-Jordan Kabinett
Pfalz. Germany
2006

Tinta Barroca / Tinta Roriz
Quita Do Vallado
Douro, Portugal
2005

Grenache / Syrah
Domaine de Cristia
Chateauneuf du Pape
2005

Prawns Piri Piri – $14
pan seared wild sea tiger prawns
traditional Portuguese chili sauce

Bolhinos de Bacalhau – $12
salt cod fritters with parsley and onion
saffron aioli, piri piri dip
roasted garlic mayonnaise

Berkshire Pork Belly – $14
hibiscus braised purple cabbage, cipollini onions braeburn apple compote, braising jus reduction

La Petite Salad Niçoise – $11
fresh micro greens, quail eggs, haricot vert
niçoise olives, fingerling potato

Braised Bison Finger Bones – $15
five spice, sour cherry compote
daikon fondant

Tart de Jour Végétarienne – $12
The menu says ask about today’s creation – I would say this tart is best described as ‘yummy!’

Tart Tatin
caramelized apple straight up
& vanilla brandy a la mode

With three people fed – or rather stuffed (and very happy), and a just a bit over a c-note for the food (drinks not included), I’d say you’re in for some serious value. Something that the above cited restaurant genres can’t even compete with despite their buying power. Chef Erik Smith, Sommellier and Manager Alain Canuel and Barman Matt Martin are definitely a force and their talents combined, worth checking out.

r.tl in Yaletown
1130 Mainland Street (MAP)
Vancouver, BC V6B 2T9

TEL: 604-638-1550

WEB: r.tl

HOURS: Open 5pm daily, 7 days a week

When I say that Lumiere provides exceptional value for the dollar, I’m not exaggerating.

On Friday, March 27th, the preeminent restaurant on Vancouver’s Broadway Corridor launched their $55 Taste of BC three-course menu featuring local seasonal ingredients artfully prepared by Chef David McKay.

On March 31st, I was finally able to clear my schedule and check out what the fuss was about, and I’m glad I did. (More about that and exclusive photos, after the jump)

It’s been a few months since I’ve sat down to break bread at Lumiere. I recall the last time I made it out, a six course tasting made its way to my table and literally ensured my guests and I were well fed for days, if not for the upcoming Winter months to come.

With the three course, I certainly didn’t leave hungry – for someone who might have starved themself that day (which I didn’t), I’d say the portions and cadence of the meal were just right – pre-drink cocktails at Cameron Bogue and Dani Tatarin’s bar on the DB Bistro side and a little bit of tarte flambee to nibble on (we’ll skip this next time). Once seated in Lumiere, we were greeted with our menus and then a small amuse bouche – even last-minute a Vegetarian modification for one person.

After the amuse bouche, it was off to the races – three people at the table, three beautiful courses each and loads of sharing, sampling and savouring.

By the time dessert hit, everyone at the table agreed – we were really happy with dinner. The Mission Hill wine which kept flowing aside (they serve Quatrain and Oculus by the glass, btw), at this point we were pretty ready to go home and sleep, but the good people in the kitchen sent out one more set of delights – petit fours and Daniel Boulud’s famous Madeleines.

After that we were done, and the bill for the three of us was about the same as what I spent at Earls the day before. Needless to say, I’ll be back… and I’m bringing friends – lots of them, see you there. www.lumiere.ca

It appears that the decline of Yaletown as foretold in a previous blog post (HERE) is slowly starting to take shape. Pretty soon the neighbourhood may resemble that of Columbia Station in New Westminster.

You know, where the drug dealers and prositutes hang out.

Why, you ask? Well, Yaletown has been on a decline for some time – it’s gone from being an elite entertainment and food district to something mediocre. Poor service is pervasive amongst a number of the establishments and now, the OPUS Hotel has lost in its bid to establish a rooftop patio.

The ‘coalition of residents’ whined loud enough to be heard yet again by council. Do you remember the last time this happened? When we lost the Molson Indy? You can read more about it on the Condo Hype blog, HERE.

Tequila Kitchen opened their doors to the public in December of 2007. The restaurant occupies the former space of Melriches Coffee House next to Section (3) on the North side of Mainland just steps away from Nelson Street.

We got a chance to the venue over the course of a couple visits – the food is good, authentic, made with care and reasonably priced. Some of the dishes are even had tequila infused. Everything is delicious.

Service is decent and the staff are full of good suggestions on what the uninitiated should try.

Definitely worth checking out:

Address: 1043 Mainland Street, Vancouver, V6B 5P9 (MAP)
Telephone: 604-681-2120
Website: www.tequilakitchen.ca

Hours of operation:
Lunch – Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 2:30pm
Dinner – Tuesday to Sunday 5pm to 11pm

It’s been going through my head lately. A scene where Bruce Willis takes off on his newly acquired chopper in Pulp Fiction…

In this case I’m not thinking about Zed, I’m thinking about Yaletown. Is it me, or do they think the art of customer service is dead over there? Is Yaletown on a decline? I’m not going to make mention of the big box invasion coming from places like Earls since it’s not open yet and I haven’t been there and okay, OPUS, Pinkys, Cioppinos, Provence, and all the other fine establishments – they get it, life there is good but really, check out the shockers after the jump.

URBAN DRYCLEANING – ‘A Unique Drycleaning Experience’ (translated: we’ll screw you or at least you’ll leave unhappy)
1168 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6Z 2X7
Tel: 604-899-2155 urbandrycleaning@hotmail.com

Recommendation: Don’t step foot in there – good alternatives:

Sperle’s Valet Fine Dry Cleaning on Trevor Kramer’s reccomendation
1177 Davie Street, Vancouver – 604-669-2942

Fletchers Fabricare on Sherani Volberg’s reccomendation
2096 West Broadway, Vancouver – 604-731-9313 (website)

You think that if you go to get services, you should greeted and treated in a courteous, conscientious (not contentious) manner. Sure, we deal with a number of different cultures day to day and sometimes protocols are different, great. So what happens when you go out and check out a new place and they screw up your initial order? Well, you ask to fix it, right? What happened at Urban Drycleaning is pretty lacklustre.

Firstly, the person serving me tried to feign ‘no speak English,’ but after realizing we’d had dialog previously, she fessed up and said she’d send the stuff back and make sure that they would try to remove the stains they added to my garments. After some additional inquiry, I also got the name of the manager, Elahe, an email address and phone number and a commitment that Elahe would call me back.

You’d think if you give them your business card, get the name of the manager and ask the manager to call you when they’ve fixed the issue, they wood. Apparently not. No call, no email, no followup, so two weeks pass, I’ve written off the clothing but I go back to check on my stuff. It’s great to see that they fixed the issue somewhere in that two week span but a drycleaner or any retail outlet nowadays is hardly too busy to make a call or send an email, aren’t they? Well, I presume the lack of communication amounts to a royal f*** you, sir. I’ll take my business elsewhere, thanks.

SUNSCAPE TANNING STUDIOS
415 Helmcken Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2E6
Tel: 604-899-2290 kkerr@sunscapetanning.com

Recommendation: Tan there, you might get ‘burnt!’ – I can’t recommend anything as my near perfect year-round tan is natural, sorry folks!

This one came to me via a colleague whom I know and trust to get ‘it.’ Apparently the issue started with a loyal client asking for some consideration on product he purchased which dropped in price substantially the following day. What ensued was the manager of SunScape tanning first implying that the loyal customer is cheap then telling the customer that competition (Urban Tan or Solar Eclipse) would better value him, then finally giving the customer business advice by telling him that he shouldn’t be complaining from his work email address as it portrays a bad image for the company. The exchange will follow later.

In the interim, I’ll definitely be enjoying the sun.

Shiru Bay Chopstick Cafe on Hamilton Street recently closed. The word on the street is that Richard Jaffray, owner of the Cactus Club, made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. Cactus Club will be expanding their Yaletown location in order to compete with the new mega location of Earls which will sit between Hamilton and Mainland on Helmcken Street.

Check out the official release, after the jump.

Here’s the official from the Shiru Bay website:

We’ve received many requests from our loyal customers for charcoal-broiled fish and other delicious Japanese dishes, but due to smoke and fire issues this hasn’t been possible at our Yaletown location.
We’ve decided to make a big move with a brand new restaurant!

We have yet to find the perfect location, but for all Shiru-Bay fans, we’ll do our best to find a spot close to our previous one. Our team will also do our best to provide powerfully delicious Japanese cuisine and build the #1 fun restaurant in Vancouver.
Our sincere apologies for the wait!

In the meantime, please join us at Toratatsu Japanese Tapas Bistro on Denman Street.

Kodai Uno, the talented chef pictured above, is heading up Toratatsu on Denman. Described as the place to be after dark on Denman, one of the best features of the small format winebar is that they’re open late – regular menu concludes ’round midnight (yes I’m a Thelonious Monk fan) but tasty nibbles are available until about 1:30am almost every night.

You can check out my original review and get the deets on Toratatsu, HERE.

Oh, and if you’re ever traveling, Mr. Uno’s family owns a number of other great restaurants including a couple of Shiru Bay’s and a Toratatsu in in Japan:

Kyodo: ‘Raku’ – tel: 03-3427-5611

Shimokitazawa: ‘Raku’ – tel: 03-3795-3724
‘Shirubay’ – tel: 03-3413-3785
‘Toratatsu’ – tel: UNKNOWN

Shibuya: ‘Raku’ – tel: 03-3463-5792
‘Sanju-Godan-Ya’ – tel: 03-3770-9835
‘Shirubay’ – tel: 03-3463-1010
‘Chopstick Cafe Shirubay’ – tel: 03-5784-6484

Kichijouji: ‘Inogashira Shirubay’ – tel: 04-2246-6691
‘Shirubay Hanare’ – tel: 04-2247-9465

Machida: ‘Shirubay Manma-Ya’ – tel: 04-2727-3320
‘Chopstick Cafe Shirubay’ – tel: 04-2726-4548

Aoyama: ‘Aoyama Ebisu-Do’ – tel: 03-5467-1005

Sangenjyaya: ‘Bay’s Bar Toratatsu’ – tel: 03-3419-5322

Hachiouji: ‘Shirubay West’ – tel 04-2645-2246

Asagaya: ‘Tokyo Kokekokko Honpo’ – tel: 03-3220-7922

Sagaminono – ‘Tokyo Kokekokko Honpo’ – tel: 04-2746-7275

Next time I’m out there, I’ll be sure to check them all out.

Plan B recently opened their doors on Homer Street, here’s some details and photos:

Plan B Lounge and Eatery
1144 Homer Street, Vancouver, BC
TEL: 604-609-0901

Located next to Brix on Homer Street, they’ve done a great job in remodeling from what used to be the run down pool hall that used to be there. Photos after the jump…

Some photos of the interior decor…

The bar menus – in the true spirit of a wine bar, the drink list isn’t very complex or artistic. Their focus is good food and good wine as aptly put by barman Andrew Ralph.

The food menu:

The wine list:

Of course, I went against the grain and stuck mostly to cocktails and the experience was pretty good!

First course – Rillettes off the bar menu:

First Drink – Vanilla Storm – Absolut Vanilla, Lychee Liqeur, White Grape Juice:

Second course – Stuffed Sweet Pepper Samosa fennel cauliflower puree, crisp parsley and garlic garnish, lemon curry foam:

Second drink – Surfer Mentality – Absolut Vodka, Malibu Rum, Banana Liqueur, Coconut Garnish:

Third course – Peach and Sake braised Pork Belly, roasted vanilla Pork Loin & Crackling:

Third drink – Grande Cosmo – Stoli Orange, Grand Marnier, Cranberry & Lime:

Fourth course – Beef Striploin Tournedos, goat cheese green bean potato ‘tian, buttermilk onion rings, Madeira glace:

x

Fifth drink – Industry Standard – Bombay Gin, Apricot Brandy, Orange Juice, splash of lime:

Sixth drink – Lychee Sparkle – Lychee Liqueur, Sparkling Wine:

Overall, good experience and a great place for locals to hang out. Heck, you might even catch me there from time to time. Cheers!

Finally, after some early coverage of Pinkys Steakhouse (or what some might call Pinky’s Steakhouse), I’ve made it out to their Yaletown location for a treat and must say I’m duly impressed.

Upon entry, I was immediately seated and throughout the dinner, my server was attentive to my needs, knowledgeable about the menu and chock full of good suggestions.

For dinner, I indulged in a full offering, a sampling of drinks from the bar, an appy, a main course and dessert.

Some photos of the menu and drink menu:

My previous blog posting and camera work at the table did get me noticed – director of operations Carl McCreath and I had a good discussion about the finer points of steak and various forms of ageing the product. Exec Chef Brian Orange from Browns Social House (the company which owns Pinkys) stopped by to see how things were going and so did Pinkys Exec Chef, Frank Lu.

Some cool tidbits:

• Pinkys has two rib steaks on the menu, the standard wet aged ribeye and an organic, dry aged product

I had a chance to try both on the night of my visit and enjoyed almost every last bite. The organic dry aged product is a denser steak and completely different products – definitely worth a try although my tastes definitely favour the standard ribeye.

Another bonus was that the steaks I enjoyed came with a creamy horseradish sauce. Something I tend to neglect when ordering a steak but something truly appreciated and definitely used if it shows up.

• Pinkys uses an infrared broiler to cook the meat

Smart move on their part – the steaks that I enjoyed were juicy, tasty and the second steak I got to try was ready within four minutes of ordering.

• If you don’t finish your steak, for a small charge, they’ll make a steak sandwich out of your steak

The next day was as exciting as the initial visit. I took two steak sandwiches home that night and enjoyed both with the wife.

If I was keeping score, I’d say they get extra points for the sandwich option.

In terms of items that didn’t suit my taste, I’d say the cheese toast made that list. I’ve been spoiled by Hy’s cheese toast and can’t say much compares to the deep cheddar flavour that accompanies. In Pinky’s defense, I don’t think they were trying to duplicate the product – it’s something altogether different.

For dessert, I enjoyed the deconstructed black forest cake.

The drinks:

Hollywood Martini – Muddled Kiwi, Peach Vodka, Cointreau, Citrus & Bubbly

El Diablo Martini – Raspberry Vodka, Alize Red Citrus, Cranberry and Bellini Slush

Pomegranate Martini – Smirnoff Vodka, Pomegranate Juice & Fresh Lime

Yakuza Martini – Sake, Sour Raspberry, Lychee and White Grape Juice

Final comment: I love what they’ve done with the decor. The interior looks great, there’s now an additional bathroom upstairs where the office used to be and overall, everything looks clean and finished.

Pinkys Steakhouse 8/10. See my original notes about Pinkys Steakhouse, HERE.

Location
1265 Hamilton Street, Yaletown (Between Davie and Drake)
Vancouver, BC V6B 6K3
604-732-9545 (1/16/2008) ooops, that was the Kitsilano location.. actual phone number is 604-637-3135
www.pinkyssteakhouse.com
info@pinkyssteakhouse.com

Hours
7 days a week 4:00 pm – 12:00 midnight
Friday only lunch 11:30pm – 4:00 pm
Available for private events daytime Saturday – Thursday

Bonus: here’s what Sweet Spot had to say about Pinkys in their December 21st edition:

Pinkys Swear
We like to cut into a juicy steak once in a while. But there’s not much out there in restaurant-land between the high-priced boy’s clubs and the, well, low-priced boy’s clubs.

Enter Pinkys Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar, tongue-in-cheekily referred to as ‘a woman’s steakhouse’ by the owners (who also brought us Brown’s Social Houses). Think leather banquettes and club chairs meet discreet splashes of hot pink in the damask wallpaper and pink-pony-upholstered retro chairs.

The menu is old-school made new, centered around certified Angus Beef steaks like the New York (10oz/$29 and 14oz/$33), Millionaires Filet (8oz/$29 and 12oz/$37), or for serious meatlovers, the Porterhouse (22oz/$45). Our favourite sides? Creamy scalloped potatoes and spicy-hot mashed potatoes with horseradish (both are included options; other choices are pasta, fries or baked spud). We also loved sharing a broccoli au gratin ($7) that didn’t scrimp on the cheddar.

And don’t think we forgot the appetizers: Start with either the chilled jumbo prawn cocktail ($18) or the memories-of-childhood iceberg lettuce wedge with 1000 Island dressing ($8), served crunchy and icy cold.

When, not surprisingly, we were too full to finish, the kitchen sent us home with lunch for tomorrow: A steak sandwich whipped up from what’s left on a fresh baguette ($3). Now that’s the sort of detail we’d expect from a woman’s steakhouse.

Pinkys
www.pinkyssteakhouse.com
1265 Hamilton St.
604-637-3135