Fraser Struggling To Become The New Main

Last September I asked Is Fraser The New Main. Two months later, a new cafe, The Outpost Cafe, opens its doors on Fraser just north of King Edward. I was thrilled to have an option of a neat looking place to hang out at within walking distance. 

It took me four months to try it. I am not sure I will go back regularly. Simply put, a great concept not well executed.

The concept is a bistro-style cafe with a nice menu, a selection of coffees and teas and a bookshelf where you can pick up a book and read while there, or exchange for a book from your own library. 

It also has many cute glass figurines that are spread out throughout the place (albeit not in any logical or interestingly looking groupings). 

While this is all great, the concept fails with the bland wall colours, the disorganized space design, the high ceilings that reflect loudly the echos of the servers chatting to each other, and the pop-to-disco music.

The food and teas are beautifully presented. But the biscuit was microwaved and soggy. The potato salad  tasted commercially done. 

But the real disappointment are the not-so-well brewed teas; but then again, I am known to be a tea snob.

The Outpost Cafe

3992 Fraser Street

Vancouver, BC

www.theoutpostcafe.ca 

"The Most Delicious Thing I Remember Eating"

My Christmas gift from my brother this year was a one year subscription to Bon Appetit. I have never really delved into this magazine. But after the first issue, I am now hooked.

Tonight's meal from Bon Appetit February 2011 issue - Braised Lamb Shanks with Swiss Chard - turned out amazing.

Much to the success of the meal were the shanks themselves, bought fresh from my preferred butcher:

Windsor Quality Meats

4110 Main Street

Vancouver, BC

604-872-5635

Shanks were dipped in flour seasoned with cinnamon and cardamon before they were browned in olive oil. They were then braised in a tomato broth with the exotic flavours of cinnamon, cardamon, saffron, cloves and raisins for two and a half hours. The Swiss Chard was added to the broth at the end and cooked with the shanks for 20 minutes. 

Perfectly cooked, perfectly lean and perfectly flavoured. The jus was delicious and included just the right amount of raisins that you did not really taste them, but every now and then a mysterious raisin popped up.

This recipe is definitely a repeat. If you write me to eshmun@shaw.ca asking nicely for it AND promise to write a blog posting of your experience cooking it, I will send it to you.

brioche

brioche urban baking and catering has been serving fresh homemade food for almost a decade. And it took me a decade to try their desserts when dinner guests brought over...

- One large piece of German style apple bake
- One chocolate mousse tart
- One lemon meringue tart
- One fruit flan

The issue became how would three people decide which to eat with such a tantalizing looking spread? The issue was settled very quickly with a sharp knife and creative layout.

Brioche Urban Baking & Catering

401 West Cordova Street

Vancouver, BC

www.brioche.ca

Thank you C!

Friday Smörgasbord

Friday evening, end of week, not much in the fridge or pantry, dinner company, what to do? A Friday Smörgasbord!

 

Starting from the Heinz Ketchup bottle clockwise we had:

- Yogurt (so I can get rid of what is left)
- Leftovers Football Kebbeh (see yesterday's Football Kebbeh)
- Lettuce fried with garlic and onions in olive oil (yes, I know its weird but it tastes delicious)
- Rice (just because I like my carbs)
- Frozen humus (took forever to defrost)
- Grilled cheese sandwiches (more like warmed cheese sandwiches)

Menu was so nonsensical that it intrigued Martian cat to look out through the planets.

Football Kebbeh

If you do a search on the word "Kebbeh" on this blog, you'd find seven entries related to this uniquely Lebanese dish (do the search and learn more). Today's Kebbeh is what many Canadian friends refer to as Football Kebbeh, presumably due to the shape of the ball.

Football Kebbeh are stuffed with a mixture of onions, pine nuts and ground beef and are either deep fried in vegetable oil or baked. It takes years of practice to master making this shape out of a meat-bulgar mix, stuffing it, and closing it up looking so perfect, so I never attempt making them. However, tonight's were a gift waiting for me in my fridge - all I needed to do was heat them up a bit and devour them in one sitting.

Thank you Susan!

Free Trade Dinner

Dinner options with a 6:00 pm flight:
(a) Eat before the flight?
(b) Have horrible Air Canada sandwich again?
(c) Improvise dinner at home upon arrival?

An offer to help get dinner started before I arrive and ability to pick up fresh sourdough bread from the airport made it a no brainer - a warm dinner at home!


 8:45 pm: Bread lands in Vancouver
 9:00 pm: Sous chef arrival; pasta water boiling; salad made
 9:30 pm: Chef arrives at somerville kitchen
 9:45 pm: Garlic bread ready to go into the toaster oven
 9:55 pm: Goat cheese & Garlic ravioli with greens and fresh San Francisco garlic sourdough are served.

 

Thank you James!

PK La Jolla

A great find in San Diego -  Prepkitchen, or PK as the owners call it, is a small cozy place serving "quality driven, seasonally minded and inspired food".




In what felt like eating in your friend's kitchen, dinner included:

Moroccan Lamb Meatballs Appetizer

Deliciously flavoured meatballs, light on spices, covered with apricots in the sauce and served over couscous. 

Excellent portion to share.

Beat, Tangerine & Avocado Salad

Watercress salad with generous portion of goat cheese, mixed with beats, tangerine, avocado and walnuts, with a mild vinaigrette.

Amazing what fresh local vegetables can taste compared to what gets shipped to us for miles.  

Clam & Linguica "Fideus"

"Fideus" is basically risotto made with pasta instead of rice. Sauce included Piquillo - peppers typical of Northern Spain which will sure grow well in the San Diego climate. 

Sherry flavour in the sauce, mild cheese melted on top. Excellent.


Definitely worth looking for when in San Diego.

Prepkitchen - PK La Jolla

7556 Fay Ave

La Jolla, CA

www.prepkitchen.com