West Van restaurant
offers taste of summer

BEACH SIDE CAFE, 1362 MARINE DRIVE, WEST VAN-
COUVER. 925-1945. VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EX-

Mom at lunchtimes in the
distant past, but the Beach

PRESS ACCEPTED. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.

THE BOYS of summer
may have moved from
tending beach bontires
to tending ultraviolet
rays in local tanning
booths, but not all
beach-side activities
grind to a halt in the
bleak grey of
November.

The Beach Side Cafe, for
example, has developed far
beyond a mere adjunct to
summer fun and frivolity.

A new menu has pushed
the restaurant’s character
beyond previous cafe limita-
tions: a selection of 13 en-

B@ trees ranges from Gourmet

Burger ($6.50) up to the
grand wazoo of steakdom,
New York Steak ($13.95) in
a brandy and peppercorn
sauce, and Rack of Lamb
with raspberry sauce
($14.95).

There is also a good
seafood line-up for those
partial to edible items from
the other side of the beach,
and nightly meal specials for
the avid off-menu diner.

a Lunch at the Beach Side

F has also become very popu-

lar with area midday diners,

but that is a subject for
another time and another
column.

There is a pervading
pleasantness at the Beach
Side. Service is quick;
waiting staff is polite and
experienced enough to
make intelligent and in-
formed menu suggestions
and wine recommendations.

Beach Side interior decor
has continued to evolve into
brightness and elegance.
Stylish high-back chairs have
replaced the restaurant’s

. original folding models, and
large exotic plants and

flowers add visual interest
and color.

Following a brooding stroll
along nearby Ambleside
Beach where | yelled into
the winds my frustrations at
the speed with which sum-
mer had passed (I barely had
time to wear my $100 pair of
sunglasses) and later ham-
mered unsuccessfully upon
the boarded-up beach con-

TIMOTHY
RENSHAW

table hopping

cession stand demanding a
side of fries heavy with salt
and malted vinegar, | took
my wind-whipped self into
the Beach Side to recover.

! began with an excellent
but filling Chicken Livers
sauteed in apples and port
wine ($4.95).

The dish included a large
serving of sauteed liver gar-
nished with slices of green
apples. Its thick rich sauce
provided the livers with an
interesting sweet and sour
character and the warm
Beach Side bread with ex-
cellent mopping material.”

For liver fans (a small but
loyal brotherhood) in search
of a light meal, the selection
comes highly recommend-
ed.

The evening's soup
special, Cream of Vegetable
($2.50), was also very good.

My image of vegetable
soup has unfortunately been
forever tainted by the stuff
that comes from the can
served out so generously by

Side’s, alive with curry and
rich cream and vegetable
flavors, bore no
resemblance to that cubed-
carrot and salt-heavy canned
version.

In the main event, |
sampled a Roast Breast of
Chicken with Shrimp and
Mint Hollandaise ($11.95)
from the evening’s special
menu.

Portions were large, in
this, the age of refined but
sparse plate presentations —
good for appetites built frem
shouting into the wind,
brooding in the sand, kick-
ing at unidentifiable fiotsam,
and other popular winter
beach person activities.

Accompanying vegetables
included beans, carrots and
potatoes, which had been
imaginatively carved into
mushroom shapes.

The chicken was covered
in an ample load of shrimps,
but a less than ample load of
the interesting mint hollan-
daise, which left the dish a
little dry.

A Rack of Lamb ($14.95)
in raspberry sauce from the
restaurant’s regular menu
was presented with raspber-
ries affixed like booties to
the ends of each rack bone.

It was well received by my
tablemate. who i had found
on the beach behind the se-
cend log past the old
Ambleside pool.

The evening's special
dessert was a Honeydew
Melon Mousse ($3.95) pres-
ented amid a shallow sea of
blueberry and strawberry
coulis (a reduced fruit
puree).

Slices of sweet melon
provided soft, green spokes
to the delicious dessert
wheel.

See Service
Page 65