eat mecemsenet mt Mamet ae narth shore news As i DINING Darmctmeneatarvussineeumt nemsinde a stn He parevtnsennied WL panne tieme He winiinrieeren tn emuse farmer whan) fu itmaaning baneet artim ase New chef invigorates kitchen From pave 18 evperienee provided by the ridge House, However, adjectives stich as breathritk: ing still reside on the suspen- sion bridge side of the road, Where close to a million peo ple frony all over the globe visit cach year, The Bridge House, of course, gets fewer annual vis- its. Its background, though, is na less interesting than the suspension bridge's. It began life in the mid- 1920s as the matrimonial retreat of Blizabeth and Archibald “Mac” MacKachern, Mae was the sor of the original suspension bridge owner. And trom the late 1970s to the late 1980s the 85-seat restaurant served North Shore diners as the Hobbit House, a fitting name for the cheery log cabin home with low ceilings, roaring fireplaces and assorted dimly lit rooms. It became the Bridge House in 1988 and shifted its kitchen focus from fizzy Middle Earth cuisine further up-world, More elegance and more sophistication have been the intended targets. There have been shots close to the mark, but no bull’s-eyes, And while those targets continue to elude the Bridge House, recent changes give it the best chance in many years to score. . Suspension Bridge head Naney Stibbard has secured the services of executive chef Robert Leggett. He replaces long-time Bridge House chef Wolfgang Brunner. The Seven Ssas Restaurant Presents LWE sic Tuesday-Saturday in the Poriside Room Wednesdays Open Stage Thursday May 22 Lestie Alexander ‘ Friday May 23 dack Harlan / Linda Macrae Saturday May 24 Jack Harian / Linda Macrae Tuesday May 27 Joha Bottomley 4 ah ams F LONSDALE AVENUE my > Kita ‘ANY ENTREE .¢ fi * Pai treeiat the teghlar prece. j ie. third entreé ot yoor chorce ‘$1 © Dns coupon per. table ‘ Jt + Tha specval caadai te used sn conjunciioo a 7 \ sith other offers » Excluding topster & crad " «Dine cm onty > Expires June 1697 ‘ Waterfront « Lonsdale Quay Above McDonald's Next to Seabus Terminal E PARKING Call for details Late of Ottawa's Chateau Laurier, Leggett lias brouptyt with him international experi: enee and some impressive ere. dentiats -- Australia's Chet of the Year, for example, The Bridae Honse's new menu rellects the renewed inspiration that conus with a new kitchen vision. Appetizers (Sf to $9) inchide Coast to Coast seafood chowder with parlic and gattran cradtans; Gritled Goat Cheese and Mushroom “Toast on watercress and roquette salad with smoked duck breast and hazelnut dressing; Risotto of sauteed wild mushrooms with char- gtilled marinated vegetables; and Seared Red Chili-crusted deep sea seallaps with mesclun salad and lime and jalapeno vinaigrette. Leggett’s 10-piece entree selection ($11 to $24) pro- vides a well-balanced cross- section of fish (Rainbow Trout filet with scallop and lobster mousse on champagne saffron sabayon); fowl (Pan- grilled chili marinated supreme of chicken on bas- mati rice with spicy avocado dressing); and red meat (Duo of Alberta beef tenderloin and sliced veal tenderloin with whipped potato, sauteed mushroom and balsamic jus). Notes from dishes sampled ona recent Friday night: Plate presentation: lots of color and interesting use of vegetables. The Carpaccio of tiffalo meat came with a crown of fresh finey lettuce and spinach greens wrapped ina girdle oF fresh cucumber, Accompanying the main entrees Were steamed carrot, broceoli and cauliflower and a scooped out round of zuechi- ni filled with vewetable salsa, Meat of the matter: A slim four stiees of buffalo carpaccio topped with shards of regeiano and parmigiana cheeses. Savory meat varia- tion, but meagre portion, The prawns were served in a basket-shaped papadum With roasted red bell peppers ina mild mango curry atop a bed of white basmati rice, A pleasant and mildly exotic dish. The tuna, meanwhile, was char-geilled and came with rice noodles, basil aioli and a tropical salsa of onions and orange. The verdict: More adven- turous meals, well-prepared and pleasingly presented, but comparatively pricey for the portions delivered. Accoutrements: ‘The Bridge House’s wine list is spare, Under 20 selections in all ($20 to $60), with five by the glass and half'litre (start- ing at $5). Service was atten- tive, but meals were slow to arrive, Because the Honse’s dining roam is broken up into vari- ous rooms and wings, ambi- ence depends.a lot on who your neighbors are in your Boston Pizza North Vaecduver : A ccepts The ¢ hd 4 I Bosto of the 12 minute lunch“on 12 lurtil choices... or your next 12 minute lunch is On Us. Boston P; za y | 07. 8 Ma ine f ae ‘ Bridge Louse corner, Generally, the atmosphere is subdued and low key! A spring House cleaning has set a much-needed renew: alin motion, s, OKANAGAN oa ESERVATIONS INC. Shoreline Resort on Okanagan Lake Penticton BC JUNE SPECIAL From 549 night Deluxe Suites 1-800-663-1900 Reservations gf Horte Sound. W the RESTAURANT OPEN FOR ° Wednesday thu Sunday & LUNCH Saturday & Sunday Dance to the keyboards of Bill Gibson Open Everyday for Lunch & Dinner FOR RESERVATIONS 5 min. from Hotseshoe Bay on Sea to Sky Hwy. 1" prize WINNER ““Best South East Asi _.. Vancouver Magazaine . 4.0. U s: E. RESTAURAN atliahed Since 1986 » North Van‘ :180 West Esplanade « 987-9911 1116 Robson Servet ' nazing $795 WEEKEND LUNCH BUFFET. _ All you can eat 12 Delicious Dishes. Open 7 Pass, Lunt and Dinner Free’ Heme Deli ers v . fs ‘www.thaihouse.com on spratan ny. ; SUNDOWNER | Wednaaday, May 24, 1997 - North Shore Nows - 19 Sm at tt oat Se em mame Mt Ha Sn amy iney ce fe Pm ee em Kars I Ha (Flavour of India