Last week at the 23rd annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, Trafalgars Bistro in Kitsilano took home the Green Award for their farm-to-table philosophy which supports local organic farms with a passion for sustainability, simplicity and seasonality.  A week after the awards, Vancouver’s greenest restaurant follows up its win with a new warm weather spring menu loaded with fresh flavour and sustainable ingredients.

Chef Matthew Villamoran created the new roster of dishes in keeping with the neighbourhood bistro’s award-winning commitment to community and the environment.  “It fits with what I do,” says Villamoran. “I’ve long believed that if you use quality ingredients and treat them with respect, the end result will justify your extra effort.”

From brunch and lunch through to snacks and dinner, Villamoran walks the environmentally friendly talk: curating just-picked produce and natural meats from local farms; making his own condiments and even cheeses in-house; and seeking out lesser known and sustainably harvested seafoods, (which make up 80 per cent of the new menu). He pulls it all together with finesse, crafting balanced, full-flavoured dishes highlighted by a hint of whimsy.

Starters include grilled octopus served with pickled and fresh chili, and watercress salad tossed with chili vinaigrette, or another that mingles pickled local beets, Okanagan goat cheese and hazelnut “mulch.”

Mains at lunch include comfortable classics like Abbostford fried chicken sided by warm potato salad, while dinner brings sustainable standouts like prosciutto-wrapped sturgeon or luscious rainbow trout.

Trafalgars Bistro is open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Their evening hours are from 5pm to 9pm (Monday to Thursday) and 5pm to 10pm (Friday and Saturday).  However, they won’t close until the last diners are comfortably finished their meal.

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill in Yaletown is one of Vancouver’s most critcally-acclaimed restaurants and widely recognized as one of the city’s best Mediterranean restaurants. Since its opening in 1999, Cioppino’s and sister restaurant next door, Enoteca, is a favourite of oenophiles, foodies and celebrities including Diana Krall, Elvis Costello, Al Pacino, and Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Known for its award-winning wine list and creative take on traditional Mediterranean dishes, Chef/Owner Giuseppe “Pino” Posteraro’s upscale restaurant offers deceptively simple pastas, pan-seared fish and hearty grilled meats. Chef Pino emphasizes cucina naturale, or natural cooking, which showcases the organic and natural flavour of ingredients by using simple preparations and light sauces. His cooking is influenced by his world travels and extensive culinary experience in Europe, Asia and North America. Food is prepared precisely and to perfection and service is equally impressive, with highly attentive and professional staff.

Pino’s pasta dishes are well known for their “lightness” as the pasta itself is made in-house from traditional recipes. Both lunch and dinner menus feature a wide variety of large and small meat and seafood dishes which focus on the seasonal availability of fish, game, fruits and vegetables. Cioppino’s wine cellar is one of the largest in the city, which would also explain its appeal to celebrities. It was most recently recognized with the highest award, winning Platinum at the 2012 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. Zagat also rated its food 28 points for World’s Top Restaurants for 2012, calling it “extraordinary to perfection.”

Cioppino’s cherry wood and terracotta interior creates a cozy and intimate setting for diners and its private rooms are perfect for special occasions and large parties while Enoteca provides a more casual dining experience with a pale wood interior. Wine rooms of varying sizes such as the Dom Perignon OEnotheque and the Champagne Library are available for private events and functions. Both restaurants feature open kitchens, full-service dining rooms, and large patios are also available.

By Joanna Lee, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

Caché Bistro & Lounge is a French-Asian fusion restaurant and true to its French name, is hidden in a corner of Yaletown at Drake and Hamilton.  Only four months since its inception, Cache has already received praise from the local dining industry and has even won OpenTable’s 2012 Diner’s Choice Award.

Caché is helmed by brothers Jason and Alex Mok, who previously worked with the former chef to the King of Belgium.  Alex and his wife, Zoe, hosted “underground supper clubs,” cooking and serving friends and locals at their Vancouver apartment.  Custom menus were designed by Alex and the two hosted intimate dinner parties before bringing their passion for food into the restaurant industry.

The menu is French and Asian inspired and primarily “nibblies” and tapas style.  Fairly priced for their size, dishes include the signature spinach and cream cheese stuffed portobello cap ($13), veal tenderloin tataki ($14) and the foie gras creme brulee with flying fish caviar ($10).  Sides include yam fries ($5) with a special house made ketchup (sans preservatives we were told) and lotus chips with chipotle mayo.  Instead of the conventional bread served as an appetizer, Cache serves deep fried pickles coated in cornmeal and crispy chickpeas with a lemon vinaigrette before you even order.  Drinks include hand-crafted cocktails such as a blueberry mojito and the Pineapple Express and one will also find German and Belgian beers on the menu.  Cache serves brunch seven days a week as well as a seasonal 3-course $35 set menu, with a variety to choose from and changing every two weeks.

Cache is a hidden gem with upbeat french music and great ambience conducive for lounging.  The food is affordable, fresh, and focuses on seasonal ingredients.  Cache is a great addition to Yaletown and absolutely worth trying.

Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar is a seafood-centric, fine dining restaurant known as one of Vancouver’s best restaurants. Located within a heritage warehouse, Blue Water Cafe is situated in the heart of Yaletown, one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. The restaurant has received many accolades and awards, and has been profiled numerously in Vancouver Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine, and the Lonely Planet Travel Guide. It has been voted by the Concierge and Clefs d’Or as the best restaurant overall for cuisine, service and ambiance. Blue Water Cafe won this year’s Straight’s Golden Plates for Best (imported) Wine List and tied first for Best West Coast Cuisine.

Executive Chef Frank Pabst, one of Canada’s most accomplished chefs, is highly regarded for his creativity and leadership in the kitchen and his technique is disciplined and diverse. Having learned his trade in some of Europe’s finest kitchens, Pabst insists on using seafood from wild and sustainable harvest. Notable dishes include the West Coast Sablefish ($36.50) with miso-roasted eggplant, baby bok choy, and quinoa, Pacific Ling Cod ($28.50) with porcini-wrapped prosciutto, and White Sturgeon ($34.50) with chioggia beets and cauliflower puree.

The raw bar is equally impressive, offering some of the finest and freshest sushi, sashimi and nigiri in the city, prepared in front of diners by skilled sushi chefs such as Yoshiya Maruyama, who is meticulous in preparation and presentation. The restaurant also houses a wine cellar containing two private rooms that can easily accommodate up to 80 people, ideal for wedding parties and banquets. The long bar is perfect for a quick bite (oysters), signature and aged cocktails that have been cask-aged, and has an extensive collection of over a hundred malt whiskeys. Blue Water Cafe also has one of the most extensive wine and sake lists in the city with Wine Director and Restaurant Manager, Andrea Vescovi at the helm. He has been recognized as Sommelier of the Year by the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival and one of Western Living’s Top 40 Foodies under 40.

Blue Water Cafe is a Yaletown flagship known for its great design, consistent food and quality service. It remains one of the city’s most sought after reservations and is ideal for people-watching and celebrity-spotting. Blue Water is open daily from 5:00pm.

We started off with the King Crab Temura Roll ($15) which is pretty much the king of the sushi menu, as the most expensive roll on the menu.  The tempura crab pieces were layered on the outside of the roll, and the fish roe topping were a bright, vibrant green, which topped off the dish with a unusual but vibrant look.  A delicious starter, and the spicy aioli gave it a subtle fusion kick.

The menu offered options of ordering seafood or steak items pretty much a la cart, but we found that the most diverse menu option, and value for the assortment of food items you get, were the Coast signature dinner platters.  You could choose the ”Chilled” platter ($33) with atlantic lobster, a jumbo prawn cocktail, alaskan snow crab legs, dungeness crab, honey mussels, salmon sashimi, spicy tuna sushi roll and shucked oysters. We opted for two orders (which is the minimum order) of the “Hot” platter ($34) instead which came with sockeye salmon, ling cod, wide sea tiger prawns, qualicum scallops, seasonal vegetables and potato gnocchi.

The presentation was mouthwatering, with a healthy, vibrant range of colours.  But the food items were a bit plain and seemed to lack creativity – it was simply high-quality seafood, cooked well, but nothing out of the ordinary.  The seasonal vegetables were asparagus, brussel sprouts and cherry tomatoes.

For dessert we had caramelized banana and coconut cake, which was served in a single portion cast iron pan.  Absolutely delicious, the cake was soft, moist and spongy, and the caramelized banana was very sweet.  This is a great choice for those with a sweet tooth, but as an alternative to chocolate desserts.

Overall, Coast is the one  Glowbal Group restaurant which specializes in a nice West Coast seafood meal.  Their menu is very extensive; you could return many times and order a different combination of dish and sides each visit.  For those of your who are hoping to continue your night after Coast, head to O Lounge for drinks next door.

By Joanna Lee, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

A couple of weeks ago, I visited the newly opened Union Bar next to the Jimi Hendrix Shrine across the Georgia Viaduct in Chinatown. The restaurant is the fourth from the Cascade group (think the Cascade Room, Habit Lounge and Latitude, all further up Main Street). There are about 80 seats with about 10 to 15 seats at the bar. Much of the space is wooden and the walls adorned with various art installations. The food is Southeast Asian with several rice and noodle dishes, curries, pad thai and nasi goreng, as well as a variety of small plates, including beef satays, salads, and banh mis. Notables include veggie pakoras and the mildly sweet and spicy chilli chicken wings. The Cascade’s Arthur Wynne has created a diverse Asian-inspired cocktails list with a twist. For a sweeter cocktail, try the Banga #1, served in a fashionable little jar, or a virgin cocktail with Lapu Lapu cucumber juice, coconut water, calamansi and pandan syrup.

For a Sunday night, the Union was fairly busy and about 1/3 full. The vibe is hipster mixed with a bit of a trendy warehouse feel to it, with the use of long wooden communal tables, giving it a very simple, minimal, and clean feel. Staff are friendly and attentive and the prices are very reasonable. It is a fantastic addition to the Strathcona-Chinatown neighbourhood and is definitely worth several visits.  The Union Bar is open nightly from 5pm onwards.

The arrival of Burgoo has been a much-anticipated addition to the restaurant scene on West 4th since renovations started in the fall.

Still in its first few weeks of opening, Burgoo brings to Kitsilano an affordable, comfortable eating environment that already has people lining up out the door. With three previously existing locations, Burgoo brings with it a unique eating experience that can be enjoyed by families, couples, friends and tourists alike. Its cozy atmosphere is a welcome addition to the area. When you first enter the restaurant, you are welcomed by a closed off patio filled with wooden seating and windows facing the street. A little further in is an open area decorated with wood panels, tables and chairs that make you feel like you’ve just stepped into your best friends cottage.

For first time customers your challenge will be figuring out what to order from this extensive menu that covers just about any comfort food you could image. From three types of mac and cheese to classic stews this place has it all. For my first visit, I settled with an all time favorite – beef bourguignon ($18). Tender pieces of beef with carrots, and onions on a bed of mashed potatoes this dish was almost better than going home.

At such an affordable price it’s tempting not to think about going back again already. The menu has laid down a challenge for me and I intent to accept by trying as many new dishes as possible before 2013. Burgoo will be taking reservations soon but for now be aware – the front entrance is small and the wait can be cramped but well worth the wait.

Every January for 18 years, Liberty Wine Merchants hosts a fundraising event to start the bar high for the new year. Liberty is once again recruiting British Columbia’s finest food and beverage purveyors for Taste BC: a fundraiser for the BC Children’s Hospital’s Oak Tree Clinic.

BC Children’s Hospital’s Oak Tree Clinic provides specialized HIV care for infected women, pregnant women, partners, children and youth, and support services for affected families.  This event has raised a collective total of $186,336.00 since 1995 to benefit the Oak Tree Clinic.

Modern Mix Vancouver was there in 2009 and had enjoyed going from booth to booth, learning about new wines, sampling food pairings and bidding on silent auction items.    This year’s 18th annual celebration of local food and drink takes place January 24, 2012 (4:30-7:30 p.m.) at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver. Guests will taste, sip and experience BC’s finest wine, beer and spirits accompanied by tasty fare from local restaurants. Along with excellent food and drink, attractions include live music, door prizes, and a silent auction that rivals any other. Silent auction items include luxury items, local experience packages, destination packages and delicious products made by British Columbia’s own.

Tickets are $49.99 and available at Liberty Wine Merchant stores.

MMV Giveaway:  Modern Mix Vancouver is giving away a pair of will-call tickets to Taste BC.  Leave a comment below telling us your favourite wine and a random winner will be chosen from the comments below.  Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you’re a winner.  Contests ends Sunday January 22nd.  

For additional entries, you can do the following things;

• For a second entry: Follow @ModernMixVan on Twitter and tweet “I want to win a pair of tickets to @taste_BC from @ModernMixVan http://bit.ly/ylLWkc RT to enter!”
• For a third entry: “Like” the Modern Mix Vancouver Page on Facebook and post on the wall “I want to win a pair of tickets to Taste BC from Modern Mix Vancouver! http://bit.ly/ylLWkc” 

Are you from outside the Lower Mainland core and don’t feel like making the trek out to Dine Out Vancouver this year?  Or maybe you couldn’t get a reservation at the time you want.  Or perhaps you’re already a veteran Vancouver foodie and want to try something new.

Not to worry – the 6th annual “Bite of the Rock” restaurant festival presented by the White Rock Business Improvement Association, features a similar format to Dine Out Vancouver.  Choose from 20+ restaurants and eateries located throughout White Rock, which have three course menus from $15.00, $25.00, $35.00 and $45.00.  From fine dining to to international cuisine to meals for the whole family, there is something for everyone to choose from.  For more information and restaurant listings, click here.