When it comes to “concept dining”, my favourite way of eating food is definitely tapas style. Located in Blood Alley in Gastown, adjacent to Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat Taberna is a 28-seat tapas bar which serves small plates influenced by Spain, Italy and France.  Despite the foreign food pairings, the environment of Judas Goat reminds of me a family grocery store.  A viewable food preparation station and high countertops close enough to make small talk with the patrons sitting beside you.  Square yellow stools huddle around small tables.  For larger parties, there is a counter right by the food preparation area, and another row of seating by the window – which, weather dependant, slide open.

Similar to its sister restaurant, The Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat combines a variety of flavours and textures and teases the pallet with its small portions. I love the option of nibbling on a variety of food and sharing dishes.  Between the two of us, we ordered 7 items, which included two “hot” dishes, two “pressed, potted, or cured” dishes and a salad. Agreeing with everyone I have spoken with, what you pay for the portions is not really worth the price; but then again, “concept dining” is about the experience of “trying something new”, right??

We started off with two skewers of Fig and Manchego ($3 each) which had perfectly balanced flavours of sweet (soft, chewy fig) and savory (the firm manchego cheese). For our “hot” dishes, we ordered the Veal Saltimbocca Sweetbread ($6) and Brisket Meatballs with Spiced Tomato Sauce ($6).  I learned that “sweetbread” is pretty much baby cow neck glands, but don’t let that phase you out.  The flavourful sage and thin prosciutto rind around the veal medallions made this one of my favourite dishes of the meal.  As for the meatballs, they weren’t anything special (to be honest, I prefer the kobe meatballs at Glowbal – which are larger, jucier, and more familiar tasting). The Potted Prawns with Pistachio Butter ($7) were very tasty.  We had to use our forks to dig through the pistachio butter to find the prawns (hence, “potted”) and eat it with the Melba Toast style bread.  We also ordered the Rabbit Rillette with Carrot Panna Cotta ($6).  Rabbit is not the most common meat to eat; if you haven’t had it before, the taste and texture reminds me of chicken or duck instead of beef .  I was surprised that panna cotta could be carrot flavored and paired with a savory meat, but once again, Judas Goat has been great at combining contrasting flavours and making it work.

In conclusion, savour the experience of this quaint little tapas bar, sitting elbow to elbow on high chairs and people-watching (Gastown fashionistas, foodies heading to Salt Tasting Room and the occasional homeless person…) while sampling a variety of unusual bite-sized dishes.

Last week I was walking through Gastown and came across the furniture and design store “nood” (new objects of desire).  I loved the trendy but practical items available at the store and its focus on modern, contemporary design.  From clocks with magnetic moveable numbers, to funky picture frames, to espresso cups with silicon angel wings, many of their household products look like they came straight out of The Cool Hunter!

Nood encompasses a range of fun and well designed products that permeate style, accessibility and affordability. Nood offers furniture, ceramics, gifts & gadgets, luggage, home textiles, and so much more! The eclectic product categories create retail environments that have an element of discovery for customers. With an emphasis on quiet style, simple functional design and good use of color, the products and merchandising work to increase the sensory experience of nood. While nood aims to satisfy the style requirements of discerning customers looking to surround themselves in little luxuries, the product nood offers will suit all customers. Giving a new level of accessibility and affordability to well designed beautiful lifestyle and homeware products.

Despite Nood’s level of trendiness, I would say that their price points are reasonable and affordable, unlike many of the furniture and design shops in the surrounding Gastown area.  Shop soon, because Nood is in the midst of their spring sale with items between 20% and 50% off!

The Dirty Apron Cooking School (540 Beatty Street) recently opened in Gastown as a place for “amateur cooks, the curious and professionals alike to learn, explore, and unleash their inner chef”.  The culinary school opened last weekend for an open house where visitors were invited to tour the state of the art kitchen, the dining room and store.  Cooking demonstrations took place all afternoon with yummy tapas, including spicy prawn, scallops in a mildly sweet sauce, succulent lamb bites and crab cakes.

Where does this talent come from?  Perhaps it is because one of the founders is David Robertson, the former sous-chef of Chambar.  David has a background in classic French cuisines and will teach the majority of the classes, with guest and celebrity chef appearances throughout the year.

From chocolate-themed classes, to French, contemporary West Coast, Italian and even a “Knife Skills” class, the Dirty Apron Cooking School offers unique themes of classes.   Two styles of classes are offered: hands-on and demonstration. The hands-on class feature four hours of instruction and are designed to walk students through each step in making a complete meal. The demonstration classes are guided over two hours offering students a chance to watch, follow along, and then taste the results with the chef. And because courses are only two or four hours long, even commitment-phobes will have time for this. Both classes are then followed by a group dinner in the Dirty Apron private dining room.

Course prices are around $130 for the hands-on classes, and around $80 for the demonstration classes.  For a limited time, all bookings for hands-on classes in August will receive a $50 gift card, and those who book a demonstration class will receive a $30 gift card. Gift cards will be redeemable at the Dirty Apron Cook Shop, which will carry indispensable kitchen supplies and high-end wares.

One of the summer’s highly anticipated restaurant and bar, The Diamond (6 Powell Street), quietly opened its doors last week in historic Gastown.  Overlooking Gassy Jack in  Maple Tree Square, the new establishment is a partnership between Mark Brand (Boneta), Josh Pape (ex-Chambar) & Sophie Taverner (ex-Boneta, Cascade Room), all major players in the bartending industry.  The place is authentically Gastown, situated inside one of the more historical buildings on the corner of Powell and Carrall.  Think corner space inside an exposed-brick room lit up by big white decorative chandeliers in one of the city’s hottest neighbourhoods.  With 60 seats and a killer view, The Diamond operates on a first-come first seated basis.

The menu’s theme is primarily Asian and includes 10 dim sum-like plates such as hand made gyoza stuffed with organic pork and shitake mushrooms, green tea noodles, and peking duck & chicken sub with japanese mayo all ranging from $3 to $12.  As expected, the cocktails list is innovative, classy and unpretentiously priced with drinks like Buck Buck Mule (London Dry Gin, Fino Sherry, Cucumber, Cilantro & Ginger Beer) and Tequila Martinez (Reposado Tequila, Bianco Vermouth, Lillet, Peach Bitters & Orange Oil).  The Diamond is open Wednesday to Sunday from 5:30pm onwards.

To begin with, Wink! Beauty Lounge is a lovely little boutique in Gastown, with beauty products sold in the front, and salon services in the back.  With brands like Pupa, Geisha Ink, OPI, Kiss Me Mascara, Smith’s Rosebud Salve, Essie and Miso Pretty, their stock is comparable to that of Beauty Mark in Yaletown – but slightly more affordable with constant sales and special offers.  Although the location of the boutique is not ideal, Waterfront Station is only a ten minute walk away and it’s generally okay walking through Gastown in the daytime.

As for the actual eyelash extention, the hour-long process wasn’t bad at all.  You lie down in a comfortable chair; your eyes are closed pretty much the whole time and you have to constantly look up with your eyes closed.  Stay still! I was told, with a reminder that Vivian is working with sharp tools like tweezers.  Each fake eyelash was painstakingly cemented on to my existing eyelash.  Conversation was lighthearted and enjoyable – much like the typical movie experience at a nail salon or something like that.   (Ask Vivian what the best selling product is at Wink! and perhaps she will give you a brochure about it…) My phone kept on buzzing with text messages, and Vivian kindly read them off for me since my eyes were closed.

And yes, for the record, that IS my eye.

So what did my friends say?  Practically everyone complimented my extended eyelashes – however, most of them couldn’t even tell they were fake because they looked so natural.  I haven’t worn mascara since I got them done – you don’t need to.  I would say my morning make-up routine got shorter because of that, however, you have to be really careful when washing your face in fear of rubbing out your extensions.  And, upon seeing my lashes, two of my friends went the week after to get them done.

It’s been just over ten days since I got my eyelashes extended and they are still there.  Most of them.
More so on my left eye than my right eye – they didn’t fall out symetrically but that’s not a big deal – it still looks natural.  However, the eyelashes aren’t as neat and tidy and well groomed as on day one.  They will last for about 2 to 3 weeks before you have to go in for a refill which start at $35 for up to 10 lashes.  I have a feeling this can turn into a fairly expensive habit, but a beautiful one.

Still not enough reasons to go?  How’s this: Wink! Beauty Lounge is celebrating their one year anniversary at their new location and hosting their sweet life event “La Dolce Vita”.  Some of the perks for dropping by Wink! Beauty Lounge between June 3rd and June 6th include:

• 20-50% off selected products, including 30% off all OPI, 40% off all China Glaze, 40% off select BlueQ product, 50% off all Wink Basics (eyeshadows, brow products, loose powders) & more
• Special gift with purchase at $25, $50 and $100
• Free mini Kiss Me Mascara for the first 100 customers
• A $20 coupon for a Discovery Lash Extension Set

And lastly, spin the special Wink! Wheel for extra discounts, samples and free mini services.  For more information, click on the invitation below or check out the Facebook Event.