28 - Wednesday, April it, 1990 ~ North Shore News

dinins_ Te

Park restaurant needs nurturing

Seasons Restaurant, in Queen
Elizabeth Park, Vancouver, 874-
8008. VISA, Mastercard, Ameri-
can Express accepted. Open every
day for lunch and dinner. Open
Saturday and Sunday for brunch.
Wheelchair accessible.

EASONS in Queen

Elizabeth Park have

traditionally been
marked by the botanical
brilliance of the park’s

gardens.

The park's restaurant, however,
has not always lived up to that
floral inspiration.

TIMOTHY |
RENSHAW

table hopping

But the newly renovated
Seasons restaurant shows signs of
being more than inspired.

And given the precise nurturing
needed in the unforgiving weather
that chronically buffets the restau-
rant trade, it has the potential to
be more than a culinary adjunct to
the park: it could be a main attrac-
tion.

Acquired by the same owner-
ship that has established the
Ferguson Point Teahouse and its
magnificent location as one of
Vancouver's finer dining experi-
ences, Seasons (formerly the
Quarry House) is set amidst the
Queen Elizabeth’s gardens in what
is the geographical centre of Van-
couver.

MEWS photo Mike Wakefield

A VIEW to fine dining...Seasons in Queen Elizabeth Park presents
both: a fine view and fine dining. Pictured here are elegant pres-
entations of Poached Asparagus (foreground), and a Duck Liver Ter-
tine with homemade cherry preserves.

byway that is travelled by so many
restaurants.

Of course, Seasons, as its astute
management would dictate, trav-
els that byway in style.

boneless with a cherry sauce

($16.95).

Seasons wine list visits France,
Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia,
Washingion, Oregon, California

($31.95), while more forthright,
was only marginally more im-
pressive — we settled on an ex-
tremely agreeable 1986
Chateauneuf Du Pape ($33.90).

Grilled Prawns in miso and
mustard sauce ($6.95) were also
extremely agreeable.

Five prawns were served in an
eye-catching pinwheel around an
excellent cream mustard sauce
that boasted a central sprinkling of
sesame seeds and a distinct but
understated character.

The prawns and the mustard-
miso worked well together,

The dish was garnished with a
bold green sprig of fresh basil.

Both also went well with the
homemade Seasons bread, which
was flecked with oat flakes and full
of good bread and honey flavors.

A Warm Mushroom Salad
($5.95) was also very good It
featured various exotic
mushrooms, including Shiitake, in
a lively Balsamic vinaigrette.

From the entree fist, | sampled a
Roast Duck ($16.95) with black
currant sauce,

It came with skin crisp and inner
meat moist. But | found the cur-
rant sauce too sweet and without
the piquancy needed to help the
bird fly as a great entree. Perhaps
the new cherry variation is more
challenging.

The seiection of vegetables in-
cluded parsnips, carrots and zuc-
chini sliced shoe-string-style, along
with a superb scalloped-style
potato dish.

Kitchen staff provided a cheese
and fruit plate for dessert to go
along with a glass of exquisite
1963 Burmester port ($16 per
glass).

The iatter, whose price will sure-
ly have the fable Hopping ac-
counting department hyperven-

Let’s face it. Good music
isn’! cheop, and nobody
wants to shell out good money
on an esitite record if all they've
heard is the hit single on the
tadio. Here’s the solution. Rent
the lotes? disk or your old
favourite ond live with it for a couple’a
doys. If you like it enough to buy it we
have some of the best prices in town. (You
even get port of the rental cost back!) If
that sounds too guod to be true, the savings
ore even greater if you become ao member.

Super prices on the newest
fovouttes like...
my,

“Robert Plant
Manic Nirvane

co. $13.99
Cassette $6.99
Mon.-Wed. 12:00-8:00pm
Thurs.-Fii, 12:00-19:00pm
Sat. 10:60-8:00pm
Syn, 12:00-6pm

tilating in unison, was an excellent
finish, full of grand port subtleties.

Seasons is blessed with a _
marvellous Vancouver location
and could, with a touch more
ambition, develop into one of the
city’s finest restaurants.

and B.C. and comes away with
some interesting bottles.

Following two initial missteps —
a Mark Swann Cabernet
Sauvignon ($21) was disappointing
for the price, and a Zinfandel from
Storybook Mountain Vineyards

SPRING SA

CUSTOM FRAMING
AND FRAMED PICTURES

IN-HOME ART CONSULTATION
AVAILABLE
HURRY — SAVINGS END APRIL 30

4

And, with the recent addition of
new executive chef Soren
Fakstorp, changes to the Seasons
menu I sampled have already
been made.

Some of the highlights of those
changes: Carpaccio of Prime
Alberta Beef ($6.50), featuring thin
slices of raw beef garnished with
marinated mushrooms, Asiago
cheese and a dressing of anchovy
and horseradish; Hot Green As-
paragus $7.50) with Hollandaise
sauce; Roast Spring Chicken serv-
ed with a light Sherry jus ($12.95);
Prawns and Scallops simmered in
saffron pistils and Pernod then en-
cased in puff pastry ($17.95); and
Crisp Roast Duckling, served

It overlooks one of the two rock
quarries that were worked earlier
this century on the current park
site, and it provides a lofty view of
west end Vancouver and the glit-
tering North Shore mountains.

its interior — hand-painted
washroom doors, a large central
skylight showering a large central
fig tree and assorted palm plants
with natural fight — is at once
bright, elegant and stylish.

An initial Table Hopping visit
found the restaurant's main dinner
menu somewhat conservative.

Entrees are reasonably priced
(ranging between $13 aad $19),
but they follow the well-+rod Red
Snapper, Veal and filet Mignon

a

... for those who can’t pack it in
after 9:30 we offer:
Pizza Bread with dip

Hot Wings 8 pcs.
Cheesiest Nachos

99° \ = 2 sirest, No ot
$499 ° ae

$999
$3°

ih

nn)

= OS po oe oe SS

Individuai Pizza with 2 toppings
and great deals
on your “favourite’’ beverages

Zam Mon.-Thurs.
3am Fri.-Sat.
Midnight on Sunday

PizZa
Were not just pizza anymore.

1078 Marine Dr, NVan. 984-0407

Late Flours:

Expires Aprit 30/90
One coupon per purchase

TTT rrttttteel Tt

6 OFF

Expires April 30/90
One coupon per purchase
any custom framing order

Expires April 30/90
One coupon per purchase

GE BE es
ete Tt TET Ty Ty |

any custom framing order
or framed art over $50

BILTON’S ArtCENTRE

any custom framing order
or framed art over $100
or framed art up to $50