From page 28 My Place also supplies the meals for the much-valued local Meals on Wheels program. But its kitchen aspires to more - complex culinary challenges. Essinger’s initial foray into running a main-street dining -operation began and ended with the ill-fated Scandals restaurant two blocks to the west on Lonsdale.’ Scandals began with much promise.in 1987, but lost focus and ran off the rails three years later, Essinger returned in 1991 to My Place and its intimate her- itage building location, off the beaten track and away from the “high overhead and headaches of . Scandals. . : She brought with, her Tony Minichiello, a passionate young chef trained.in cuisine evolutive | - at Montreal’s I'Institut d’hotel- : Terie, and his culinary expertise. ‘The upshot is the caie’s “rebirth as a vigorous European- style bistro that has entivened local blue-collar lunch menus -with such daring midday offer- " ings as Lentil Moussaka. * The cafe’s rebirth has in turn spawned such interesting com- munity offspring as a My Place . . cooking dnd wine club, which meets regularly to sample wines “and study the culinary arts under - the enthusiastic tutelage of “ Minichiello. ° “ ‘And it has inspired the cafe's All Victorian %, IN BEING offered a R Pint of ale, Lady - Astor is said to have . declined with this rejoinder: “\drink.nothing but 2 Champagne. Beer makes me “fart.” So much for Swiss fin- . ishing schools. “. On the other. hand, we mem- : ‘bers. ‘ofthe flatulence- cursed. " lower classes only. have to Jook. rahe price of — French "Champagne to have‘the wind : “knocked out of us. But just because yeu draw the ‘line at mortgaging your first-born “for a_little effervescence on that. - special.celebration doesn’t mean you fave to swill some diabolic.. "EEC Schloss Alka-Seltzer Sekt that will give you a headache and an upset tummy simultane- ously...” The Best in Chinese dining ... at Kirin LUNCH 41:00-14:30 Free valet parking weekday evenings & weekends all day 1186 Alberni Strect, Vancouver, 3.C. VEE 323 DOWNTOWN) ‘al: 682-8833 Fax: 688-2812 DINNER 17:00-22.30 move into the highly competitive arena of evening dining. A Table Hopping visit to My Place on a recent Friday night found the restaurant more than up to the challenge, but facec! with some considerable obsta- cles to enduring evening success. One of the restaurant's biggest obstacles to that success —. its location — is also ne of its biggest attractions. The 200-block of East. Ist Street is a dark and deserted area atter 6 p.m. There is no walk-by traffic, at least not the kind of walk-by traffic restaurant owners would care to attract. But it has the feel of Granville Island before its commercial revival: a place of much industri- al activity with a great sense of history and community. My Place itself is located in the 1910- -vintage Harbour Manor building. Across.the street is the durable North Shore Sash and * Door, light-industria! fixture in the Lower Lonsdale area. . The absence of street activity adds to the intimate candle-lit atmosphere of My Place. Van Gogh prints decorate the cafe’s walls; a robust Italian tenor fills the soundtrack; and Minichiello presents a nightly four-course table d’héte (fixed price) menu that is reasonably priced and expertly prepared. Our meal featured an opening. plate of Crostini with Tapenade, a tart condiment from Provence made from black olives, John Moore WINE SPOTS - DEINHARD LILA IMPERIAL RIESLING SEKT (GERMANY) $10.95: _. Made from. 100% riesting grapes: tight long-lasting bubbles. Vastly superior to and significant- ly cheaper than its better-known competition who shall remain nameless. MARTINI & ROSS! ASTI SPU- MATE (ITALY) $13.15 From a venerable ttalian firm, RESTAURANT awards Best Chinese _Kirin_ anchovies, capers and garlic spiked with a-dasty of rum. The following soup had a savory cream celery base topped with slices of butter-fried apples. Both starters were very good. Minichiello’s Daube Provencale was a fine renclition of the traditional French beef stew. It had a complex recd-wine stock that came plugged with thick chunks of braised chuck steak and accompanied with a side of mashed potatoes dusted with fresh ground white pepper and bread crumbs. The Tiramisu, made by Minichiello’s wife, was excel- lent. Rich with mascarpone cheese, it delivered flavors of espresso and cardamom without being too sweet. The food at My Place is not extravagant or pretentious, ‘ Minichiello (no relation to the famous local tailor) aims for a simple cuisine that is made with goad, fresh, local ingredients and ‘abides by the precision of French bistro cookery. Our meal found him hitting the mark on both counts. My Place also has a simatl but interesting wine list ($16 per bot- tle, $12 fora half titre, $4 fora’ glass) that changes with the menu, On our Friday night visit, the restaurant was almost empty for most of the evening, but if it per- severes with its dinner menu it should become My Place fora lot more local diners. sensibilities aside | a classic froth for “afters.” A-tad sweeter and softer, thus gentler. CIPES BRUT VQA (B.C.) $17.95 The stellar local, “method champerioise” that has impressed international critics for good rea- son. {f you haven't tried it, now is the time. We’ve come a long way since Baby Duck. MADELEINE ANGEVIINE 1992. VQA DOMAINE DE CHABER- TON. $9.20 (B.C,) Claude Violet, founder of Damaine de Chaberton, draws on iamily expertise dating from 1644 at his South Langley win- ery. Never heard of the grape variety, but it makes a crisp, siightly off-dry wine, reminiscent ‘of the wonderful “garden gate” wines you discover in the Mosel or Austria. Experience traditional dishes and fresh exotic seafeod at Vancouver's only {riternational award winning Chinese Restaurant. Kirin on Alberni specializing in exceptional Mandarin Chinese Cuisine or Kirin on Cambie for Cantonese specialties. PRB LUNCH 11:60-14:30 maha ag DINNER 17:00-22.30 Free parking all day it City Square Snopping Mali, City Square, Suite 201 555 Wast 12th Avenue, (12th & Cambie} Vancouver, 8.5. W52 3X7 Tet: 879-8038 Faz: 879-0128 Wednesday, March 39, 1994 - North Shore News - 29 ort cme em cee nme ewe ee oes GR et Se ey mee cies Welt rm mene Goes EES mee ores Oe oat Flavour of India SUN. THRU THURS. fog | 1 FREE DINNER Purchase one dinner entroa, receive a second entree of equal or lesser value FREE. Expites April 7/94 “Excludes Loverages and Tandoori Entrees. Dinner Mon.-Sat. 5-10; Sun.5-9 for $5 Served in 20 tin. or less or it's Freal e 12-2:30 - Mon.-Fi. ; ‘ ? 175 E. 3rd St, N.Van. Fully Licensed 985-5477 Fx: 985-1770 ee ct ee ee ee ace ne ee ee et ts ste te eee te eo ee ol laatendoedententeetenieteterton STEAK & BBQ PRAWN ONLY $12.95 (nec $15.95) a nner Includes your choice of rice or potatoes, ‘Otter expires 13th April SUN.-THURS. ONLY. . SEAFOOD RESTAURANT : i 998 Marine Drive N. Van. Only one coupon uired per . | a 2FOR1 ' DINNER SPECIAL 7 Enjoy one complimentary entree when a secend entree ; of equal.or greater value is purchased. .- "Value up to $14.95 BRIDGE HOUSE TRESTAURANT | f 3650 Capilano Road North Vancouver Valid until April 5, 1994 Not valid with any other coupon or on daily specials SUN - THURS ONLY 1987-3388 teservations strongly recommended This FRIDAY, SATiROAY SUNDAY F MonleAy WELL BE SEQVING BRucH. CHOOSE ONE OF OUR Frye PR BULOIS EG AGS BENE DICE —— anes FFF BIE ? NaRinle DEVE Wearl F26-883F