View of North Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains from the Promenade Deck of Canada Place
Ahhhh, Vancouver, how I love thee. If you read my last several posts about this beautiful city, you won't be surprised by these sentiments. I returned to Vancouver recently, and would love to share three more reasons (Grouse, grub and gardens) why I adore this seaport city in the Pacific Northwest.
Grouse
Grouse Mountain is named after the first (recorded) hikers to reach its summit. The mountain, located only 15 minutes from Vancouver, rises 4,100 feet above the city, and is a year-round tourist destination.
Grouse Gondola
Once you arrive at the Grouse Mountain parking lot, you purchase a ticket and then jump on an aerial gondola and travel upward for about 10 minutes, covering several thousand feet. Due to the weather, I wasn't able to see out of the foggy windows of the gondola, a condition for which I was very grateful due to my fear of heights (for more on that, see my Alaska, or previous Vancouver posts).
Though Grouse Mountain is only 10 or so miles from downtown Vancouver, when you arrive, you feel as if you have been transported to another world.
Lumberjack Axe Throwing Competition
Prior to this trip, the last time I visited the mountain, was as a pre-teen on a trip with my mom. I have so many fond memories of that vacation. First and foremost, was time with my mom, and second, was the lumberjack show.
Frankly, I had never seen anything like it. In fact, as a city kid, I had no idea what a lumberjack was, and was totally invested and mesmerized, watching two of them compete.
Lumberjack Wood Chopping Competition
As a child, I thought this was an un-curated, high stakes competition, that was dependent, at least in large part, on how loudly I cheered for my lumberjack. If you haven't been to a lumberjack show, with adult perspective, I can tell you that this is a theatrical performance, whereby two teams compete against one another in various contests involving lumber.
Lumberjack Log Balancing Competition
On this trip, I enjoyed it for what it was - great entertainment.
Another attraction at Grouse Mountain, is the wildlife refuge, where you can get up close and personal with various animals. Chief among them is the grizzly bear.
Grinder and Coola
Grinder and Coola, two orphaned grizzly bears, live on this mountaintop. If you head to the top of Grouse, you are likely to see them in their natural habitat ...
... walking ...
... swimming ...
... or just sniffing around.
Grouse Mountain is also home to birds of prey, like this owl ...
... who was quite vocal.
Wood Sculpture of Eagle With Its Prey
This bird of prey is carved from wood. From the opposite side of the carving, you can see that the eagle has captured a fish in its talons. This sculpture brought back memories of seeing the sheer magnificence of this raptor up close in Ketchikan, Alaska.
We spent more time walking around the peak, taking in the views from different vantage points and realizing that no matter where we stood, the view was breathtaking, as was the frigid weather.
With somewhat numb fingertips, we decided that it was time to descend the mountain and move on, to other adventures. Safely on the ground, we headed back to the city for some lunch.
This is a nice segue into the "grub" portion of this post. Below are some of the restaurants I visited on this trip to Vancouver.
Grub
Bake 49
First up is a breakfast spot, that rain or shine, is never without a line. Bake 49 (or B49) is a European-Asian bakery, started by Iljin Kyung and Haram Lee. All items here are made from scratch and baked fresh, daily.
Over my last three visits to Vancouver, I have tried to get to the restaurant (which by the way, isn't so much a restaurant, as it is a walk-up window, in the heart of Yaletown) in time to try their cream puffs, which have gone viral. On every visit, I have arrived to the sign above.
Garlic Butter and Cream Cheese Bagel
On this last visit, rather than walk away empty handed, I decided to try their second most popular item - the garlic butter and cream cheese bagel, as well as an iced matcha latte.
The bagel's crust was pleasingly crispy, while the inside was warm and chewy. A generous slather of cream cheese and garlic butter added decadence. There was also a sweetness that I couldn't put my finger on. I don't know if it came from the bread or the filling, but it was a nice surprise.
While I enjoyed the bagel, I am still set on trying those cream puffs. It's a perfect excuse for another Vancouver visit.
Carlino
Carlino
Next, we will head to Carlino, a restaurant celebrating the cuisine of the Fruili region of Northern Italy. The Fruili region is home to the Dolomite Mountains. It borders Austria, Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea.
As such, its cuisine is influenced by all four. Italians call Friuli’s cuisine "mare e monti" (sea-and-mountains). Fruili is also known for producing light-bodied, refreshing, white wines. I was fortunate to try two while dining at Carlino, though I neglected to take pictures.
Steps Leading to Carlino
Carlino is hidden in an oasis in the middle of the bustling, downtown area, inside the 62-story Shangri-la Hotel (the tallest building in Vancouver). As the Michelin guide eloquently puts it, "It's only fitting that this verdant sanctuary should be tucked away on a terrace of the Shangri-La Hotel, offering a sense of placid elegance." I agree.
Mixed Olives
We dropped in for lunch on a special day, and were a little limited on time. As such, we shared a few courses, while taking in the stunning decor, including the inviting, circular foyer, an indoor, olive tree and warm, caramel colored banquettes.
We started with the olives which were not at all your ordinary olives. These olives were marinated in wild fennel, cumin, and lemon peel and had a meaty texture and rich flavor.
Panzanella
Next, we moved on to the panzanella, or bread salad. It was made with chunks of toasted focaccia bread, heirloom tomatoes, a creamy, buffalo mozzarella, and a tangy, balsamic reduction.
Bigoli Nero alle Vongole
For our shared entree, we chose the bigoli nero alle vongole, to honor the bounty of the Adriatic Sea, which as I mentioned, borders Fruili.
Clams surrounded the briny and silky, squid ink-infused, bigoli (long and thick strands of house-made pasta), which were tossed in white wine and garlic. Carlino offers many more amazing dishes, that I will be back to indulge in.
Miku
Miku might just be my favorite restaurant we visited on this trip, because they specialize in aburi, a sushi preparation I am only recently familiarizing myself with. "Aburi" means "flame-seared," and Miku sears its impeccable seafood expertly.
Miku Roll, Garden Roll, Red Wave Roll, Aburi Salmon Oshi, Aburi Ebi Oshi, Spicy Tuna Oshi, Aburi Bincho Nigiri, Aburi Hamachi Nigiri, Ebi Nigiri, and Chutoro Spoon
One of the best aspects of Miku is highlighted in its Michelin review which notes, "With views of Vancouver Harbor, it could coast on its looks alone, but this reliable spot instead offers high-quality dishes without the sticker shock."
Stop by for some excellent aburi and then cross the street to Canada Place, where you can take in the views, as well as a flying journey over Canada's breathtaking landscapes, at FlyOver Canada. That's what we did anyway, and it made for a spectacular afternoon.
Fable
Just like the sign says, Fable, located in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver, is a farm to table restaurant. In fact, the name "fable" was chosen because it is a blend of the words "farm" and "table." The restaurant produces reasonably-priced, seasonal dishes, using ingredients from local purveyors.
House Made Bread and Butter
We started with the house-made bread and butter. The warmth from the slightly sweet bread, melted the salty butter, creating a first course that made me think, "Maybe we just order three more courses of this, and call it a day."
Gai Lan
We persevered however, and moved on to some crunchy, gai lan, or Chinese broccoli, which was served with pickled vegetables and romesco sauce.
Crispy Pork Belly
Though the adjective assigned to this pork belly was "crispy" there was nothing crispy about it. In fact, the texture was soft. What was crispy, was the fennel atop the pork which was a nice contrast to the somewhat firm, yet tender, pork (think quality, canned tuna texture).
To balance the moist pork, the chef added the aforementioned fennel for anise flavor, tomato sauce for some acid, and citrus via the grapefruit segments. Once I got over the disappointment of the pork belly not having crispy ends to balance the unctuous fat, this dish was pretty good.
Chickpea Fritters with Vegan Curry Mayo
Chickpea fritters are made from chickpeas (of course), presumably mashed with herbs and/or spices, formed into some shape (in this case, round) and fried. So far, this dish sounded strangely reminiscent of Indian dishes such as pakoras, bhajis and vadai.
Here's the difference, though. The Indian dishes I mentioned, feature light and fluffy incarnations of chickpea dough. These fritters, on the other hand, were dense and dry. Equally, if not more problematic, they were served with "vegan" curry mayo. I have to pause here. I hope you'll stay with me.
The definition, of "mayo," short for mayonnaise, is an emulsion of egg yolks (an animal byproduct), oil and some type of acid (lemon, vinegar, etc).
Any food whereby an animal byproduct is incorporated, is definitively not vegan.
So, how can a condiment that REQUIRES an animal byproduct be vegan?
Answer: It cannot! A food whereby an animal byproduct is incorporated, is NOT vegan by definition. So, what the h*$% is "vegan" mayo.
I guess it was some sort of vegan (not mayo) condiment, served on top of the fritters. Well, whatever it was, it did not mitigate the dryness of the fritters, as mayo might have. If it wasn't clear from the last paragraph, this dish frustrated me and was my least favorite. Better days ahead though, because next up is my favorite dish.
Tagliatelle
Now for the star of the show - this pasta was concocted by Chef Trevor Bird of Top Chef Canada Season 2, who opened Fable. He placed second that season, or as he puts it, he was "the best loser." This pasta dish was one that he prepared on Top Chef and, in my opinion, it took top spot at our dinner.
The tagliatelle was tossed in a creamy sauce and topped with a duck meatball and parmesan foam. Decadent, you say? Yes, it was. It is so good, that it has outlasted Chef Trevor Bird's time with Fable, and is still on the menu under current chef, Matthew Villamoran. I was glad to end our dinner on this high note.
The Greek by Anatoli
The last restaurant in the"grub" section of this post, is The Greek, located in Yaletown (incidentally, it's across the street from Bake 49. Funny how things sometimes come full circle).
This restaurant may not serve the best Greek food I have ever had, but what it lacks in culinary prowess, it makes up for in the warm, hospitable atmosphere, the reasonable prices, family-style offerings, and great wine deals.
We were a group of almost ten, that booked at the last minute, and the restaurant graciously accommodated us. These are some of the dishes our group shared while laughing, swapping stories and celebrating the blessing of intimate connections and new beginnings. This was an evening that will not be forgotten.
Country Lamb
This is the "country lamb." This lamb shank was braised for five hours, until the meat literally fell off the bone. It was served with rice, vegetables and crispy potatoes. Don't treat the lemon wedge as mere garnish. Squeeze a little bit of the juice on the shank, and all of the flavors in the meat will come to life.
Moussaka
Next, we shared the moussaka. This is a dish of hand-layered eggplant, zucchini, potato, beef and pork, topped with a creamy, bechamel sauce.
Grilled Chicken Thigh and Tiger Prawns
Lastly, we enjoyed the Souvlaki Platter featuring chicken and prawns. It came with seasonal, roasted vegetables, lemon potatoes, tzatziki, and long grain rice. This, and some tear-jerking, heartfelt toasts, ended our evening at The Greek by Anatoli. It was an evening to cherish.
Gardens
Last up in this post is the "gardens" section, named as such because it goes with the "G" theme in the title. I should more accurately have called this section "parks." Vancouver has some of the best. For this post, I am focusing on Queen Elizabeth Park. (For other, great parks including Stanley and Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, see my previous Canada posts.)
Honeybee Buzzing About Its Business
Queen Elizabeth Park is a 130-acre park, but when I visited, it felt like a close friend's backyard - intimate, serene, private and comfortable.
Located over 400 feet above sea level, Queen Elizabeth Park is a jewel, where you can capture stunning views of both the park, ...
... and the North Shore mountains. It is the perfect location to take in the exquisite beauty of Vancouver, meditate on God's intentional creation and masterpiece, and celebrate moments, full of promise.
And on that note, I'll share this picture of the sun, setting on this short but incredibly significant trip to Vancouver. I shall be back again, as this city, and some special residents (you know who you are), are immeasurably near and dear to my heart.
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