rick p.'s Profile

had a fun 3 day weekend in bed and on the can (and a $200 visit to urgent care) after having a generous portion of food poisoning from here.. thanks kantaro!

the red cabbage slaw (that comes with the salad) was very addicting and the shoe-sized baked potato delicious, but boy.. steak n stein has the best onions rings ever.

oh the gelato 'sandwich'... the focaccina (a sweet soft roll studded with golden raisins) filled with your choice of gelati is surprisingly delightful, and while navigating your teeth into this cold treat may be challenging for sensodyne users, it's the perfect follow up to a couple of eatalian's pies.

this place has great brews, no doubt.. but the menu can be quite pricey. fortunately, my friend turned me on to the prix fixe menu. damn, probably the best deal i've had in a long time. for $25 you get to choose 1 app, 1 entree, and 1 dessert, and you get a small beer too! got the seafood on ice (i think it's called) for the appetizer: a jumbo prawn, one oyster, and 3 or 4 crab legs. the whole time i'm thinking it's so cheap, the quality must suck. wrong, everything was super fresh, nothing like the crap you get at the vegas buffets. entree, filet mignon & scampi, nothing fancy or spectacular, but the filet was tender and juicy. to finish, a huge chocolate souffle, fluffy and piping hot. to wash everything down, i chose their awesome crisp and refreshing saison, a belgian farmhouse ale. good stuff, great meal. next time, i'll definitely be ordering the same.

i think i would have to wholeheartedly agree with the other 1 star reviews. i really wanted to like this place, as long beach doesn't have anything in the way of a real gastropub. the food was horrendous. truffle mac n cheese, it has neither a semblance of cheese or truffle or even salt. the other salads, fish, and grilled cheese dishes were too forgettable to remember. yes they do have a few craft beers, but that alone cannot hide the fact that the food was a complete letdown. come on, step it up guys.

As I scrolled through the photos from our Vancouver trip, I couldn't help but smile as I reminisced about the wonderful experience we had at Café Medina. Stacks upon stacks of craggy Belgian waffles, gooey drippy sauces of raspberry caramel and rosewater pistachio, perfectly poured lattes laced with lavender syrup, a cozy light-filled window seat as we passed the morning away indulging on hearty fare like the popular tagine, a earthenware dish filled with spicy Merguez sausage and Moroccan olives in a tomato stew, gilded with oozy poached eggs. I know I say this quite often, but what I wouldn't give to have a place like this close to home.

photos at http://www.alamodejour...

We stepped in the from the cold and into the warm and inviting dining room run by executive chef James Walt. Though definitely in the same league as Bearfoot, Araxi manages to feel upscale but totally modern and approachable. Fortunately we were early enough to miss the typical 7-7:30 dinner rush, and scored a nice table for 2 without reservations.

We went with a few selections from the small plates menu. The North Arm beet salad was beautifully plated, with a nice textural contrast from crisp lettuce, crunchy beet shavings, earthy roasted beets, and rich and creamy manchego. The Grilled Vancouver Island octopus, prepared as a terrine, was intriguing and unexpected; the little 'logs' of octopus were tender and distinctly briny. The local oysters were all sweet and fresh, my favorite being the one topped with ponzu 'pearls'. The duck duo (aka foie gras parfait + duck terrine) was rich and decadent, although the measly two slices of brioche weren't sufficient for all that duck fat goodness. Our server was happy to bring us more upon request, though by the time it got to our table there wasn't much duck left. Don't let its pale appearance fool you, the gnocchi with tender lamb ragu was hearty and filling; the sharp bite of romano and fresh herbs definitely balanced out the otherwise buttery sauce. For dessert, a creamy mascarpone cheesecake topped with caramelized apples, paired with a glass of Domaine Pinnacle ice cider from Quebec.

Definitely one of the best restaurants in Whistler.

photos at http://www.alamodejour...

i'm not sure what everyone is crying about, for an apres ski drink or two, this place is a nice departure from the typical ski town sports bar / pub. there's already plenty of those to go around. though the style, design, and servers look out of place in mammoth, we had a good time here after hitting the slopes and service was friendly. if you want a nice drink to warm you up, try their hot chocolate. they're not kidding when they say it's the best in the world. can't comment on the food, as we chose to skip that.

After a long day burning up thousands of calories on the slopes, who wouldn't want a nice juicy burger? I guess owners Trevor and Miriam Jackson figured this out in 1997 when they first opened Splitz Grill. Their build-your-own-burger joint is jam-packed during the lunch and dinner rush.

You first order at the counter specifying your protein of choice (beef, chicken, free-range bison, Salt Spring Island lamb, wild sockeye salmon, Italian sausage) and if you want cheese, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, or sauteed onions. After placing your order, scoot down the line and pick out your toppings, which includes some interesting Mediterranean inspired items like hummus, baba ganoush, and tzatziki sauce. This aint no Mickey D's assembly line, so be prepared to wait, but boy is it worth it.

I sampled the beef and the locally-raised lamb, both of which were absolutely drip-down-the-arm juicy and delicious. I wouldn't necessarily call the lamb gamy, but there's no mistaking what kind of meat this is; lamb lovers would approve. The thick-cut fries were nice and crisp, no complaints here.

And if you weren't already full by now, there's always the banana split.  Gooey, fruity, cold, and hot mess, and yes, whipped cream too.

photos at http://www.alamodejour...

Simpatica's odd basement floor location and elbow-to-elbow communal dining are eerily reminiscent of  dormitory cafeteria, but that's where the similarities end. Dinner revolves around an ever changing prix fixe menu (which keeps things interesting for both the chefs and clientele), and brunch is a selection of hearty, comfort food. We had the chicken and waffles, and the vegetable, bacon, and crème fraîche crepes, both which were delicious and filling.

photos at http://www.alamodejour...