16 - Friday, June 19, 1987 ~ North Shore News

Entertainment.

ws!

Cuisine features Spanish cross-section

EL MESON, 3108 EDGEMONT BLVD., NORTH VANCOUVER,

988-3376

A CHANGE in restaurant ownership marks an inevitable
change, no matter how small, in its original philosophy.

When El Meson opened in
March 1985, owners Antonio
Calderon and Carlos’ Ortega
brought warm and pungent gusts
of Spanish social and culinary
elegance blowing through the new-
ly revitalized Edgemont Village,
which had not previously been
known for its mediterranean fla-
vors.

Two years later, those gusts have
somewhat subsided.

EI Meson still provides an in-
timate Spanish atmosphere com-
plete with whitewashed plaster
walls, fireplace and live Spanish

when it first opened.

Perhaps maintaining the high
standards experienced in the first
Table Hopping visit to the restau-
rant two long years ago is imprac-
tical in the full-contact restaurant
game.

That said, however, El Meson is
still a good restaurant featuring a
reasonable cross-section of authen-
tic Spanish cuisine.

My wife and I were seated next
to El Meson’s blazing fireplace,

which is ideal for the occasional .

lapse in North Shore summer
weather.

We began with ua Salpicon De
Mariscos and a Moliejas Salteadas
(both $4.50).

The former, a blend of white
fish and shrimp marinated in lime
juice and served in a saute of garlic
and parsley, was simple, refreshing
and nicely presented. ‘

The Mollejas, braised sweet-
breads in a brandy cream sauce
with mushrooms and pinenuts, was
an excellent, rich opener.

Depending on who you consult,
sweetbreads originate from_a wide
range of animal anatomy. Most
are from the pancreas or thymus
glands. But such medical precision
does little for the appetite.

See Dine

guitar music courtesy of Manuel
Sovino, who took over the restau-
rant May 1. .

table This Tue ’ ci

h in. Imported North Sea Plaice >
OPP & Souised in wine with $ 95

by Timothy Renshaw shrimp and mussels.

¢ Open Daily from llam ¢ Serving Lunch and Dinner .

987-3322

Service, headed by manager 2nd Floor on the watertront
Carlos Bravo, is still very efficient, at Lonsdale Quay Market
and waiters are pleasant, profes-
sional and fully versed in the in-
tricacies of Spanish cuisine.

But some of the initial brilliance
of El Meson food has faded.

The menu's ambitions have been
moderated, perhaps to allow for
more culinary assimilation with the
prevailing culinary climes of
Edgemont.

Food produced is now closer to
basic meat and potatoes Spanish
food than the more subtle haute
cuisine served by the EI Meson

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

MANUEL SOVINO of El Meson dispiays a fine bottle of Spanish wine
in front of his Edgemont Village restaurant.

| Band |
iworks on;
| first LP

From page 15 he early bird catches the
too much,” Colclough says of his deal at O’Doul’s! From 4:30

vocals.

With the polka path receeding
into the distance, the North Shore’
musician is on the road to success.
“You can see the light at the end

to 6:30 pm Monday to Friday, O’Doul's
is serving an Early Bird Special thal gets
your evening off lo a great start.

Enjoy soup or salad, your choice of

f the tunnel.” ; ;
*"Does he miss polkas? He entree featuring the season's best and

answers with a laugh: “‘You've got : dessert for only

to be kidding.” ean
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride will be Bao . S 95
performing July 3 at the B.C. :

Complex at Expo during the Van-
couver Jazz Festival. Other shows
PESTA UPR ANT
130 Robson Street, Vancouver
684-8461

For 2 or for 10 — a bite ora
feast... all your favorites,
all night long.

are planned for the fall.

Calamari! .

| Live music Dancing from 8:30 :
“sons SN dison

FOR i
c. eS DINNER or SUNDAY BRUNCH | NEHUC
“ex, gl TURUNEN ai tt hart
“gun? a:
LA TOQUE BLANCHE i.
RESERVE NOW

Classifieds
Sell
986-6222

Fine
Continental 4368 MARINE DRIVE
Cuisine WEST VANCOU VER

1025 Marine Drive, North V.