24 — Wednesday, February 12, 1992 — North Shore News Hats off to La Toque Bianche La Toque Blanche, 4368 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 926-1006. Open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Visa, Mastercard, American Express accepted. Take the kids or call a babysitter? Call a babysitter. FTER FIVE years, La Toque Blanche remains one of the North Shore's best restaurants. The achievement is worth gen-. erous applause on many counts: & a round, for instance, for sur- vival in an obscure West Van- couver locale, where only area residents and the more adven- turous outsiders might venture; & another round, this time with more feeling from the cynical back rows, for polishing, refining and steadily improving a smali but ele- gant menu; _ & and still another round for cultivating a soom with an at- mosphere that boasts sophistica- tion and warmth, served by a staff educated in the finer details of what the restaurant serves and in the fine art of service congeniality. If we were all in an especially generous mood, we might also en- thusiastically applaud La Toque Blanche’s prices, which have risen only minimally since the res- taurant opened. Table Hopping travelied ona recent Friday night to the restau- rant's Cypress Market viliage loca- tion fully prepared to document the valiant but docmed efforts of -La Toque to cling to the unstable decks of the restaurant-trade ship in rough and lonely backwaters. We were pleasantly surprised; ‘the restaurant's parking lot was jammed with Jags, Mercedes, BMWs and Volvos. Table Hopping’s ‘78 LeMans with visible rust spots did not quite fit in. But we were nonetheless met enthusiastically at the door by .La Toque staff and ushered in im- mediately. La Toque’s dining room is not ~ huge, but a skilfui arrangement of mirrors, lattice dividers and color- ful bouquets of flowers creates the illusion of size and a bounty of in- timate table conjigurations. Some of those configurations can be disconcerting: mid-room _ Bring your Sweetheart Pie A-LA-MODE on Vailentine’s Day SSTaNGN located at the “Sundown” end . dinner ment Timothy Renshaw TASLE HOPPING tables for two are separated only by a wood lattice; the arrangement deflects eye contact but not con- versation from neighboring tables. The result is like being in the restaurant equivalent of a confes- sional booth, and, depending on the relationship of your neighbors, as enlightening as the real thing. The room's intimacy also in- spires a community conviviality. and a warmth of spirit and sur- rounding in which to enjoy the fine food produced by Peter Wieser and La Toque’s kitchen staff. La Toque’s menu could be con- sidered sparse in comparison to more ambitious and more preten- tious restaurants. But the size and focus of La To- que’s menu is one of its great strengths. The restaurant concentrates on eight main entrees ($13 to $18) and a handful of soups, salads and appetizers. - The tight focus promotes ex- cellence in a specialized area rather than mediocrity over an undefined expanse. Our meal proved the good sense of that philosophy: fron: the heated, crisp crust french bread through to the feather-light See Restaurant's page 37 : Feb. 14/92 Park 2:ayal South oa + mama ‘GRAND OPENING Now Open for Lunch & Dinner New Gourmet Pasta Restaurant serving yw @ FOR THE LOVE OF PASTA®| # 3 Lonsdale in large portions LOTSA PASTA- LOTSA OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK SAUCES | Licensed Premises 984-3337 ~ Mews phato by Paul MoGrath A WIESER guy...La Toque Blariche owner Peter Wieser toasts prospective diners in his West Van- couver restaurant, which Is one of the North Shore's best. Our Anniversary Prices Carefree INTERIOR LATEX NON-SPATTER 3.78 LITRES make it Easy! Save on Miiils In-stock Wailcovering Prepasted, Textured OR Vinyl! Walicovering $ Sale 98 ROLL REG. BOOK PRICE TO $21.95 Huge Savings on In-stock Wallcovering $ Sale SINGLE ROLL REG. BOOK PRICE TO $16.98 REG. PRICE $26.98 i REG. PRICE $32.98 Sale Excelient Adhesion Scrubbable $2 98 REG. PRICE $36.98 Sale Deep and Accent Tints Siightly More. Flat Velvet or Eggshell S18°* Semi-Gicss fause INTERIOR ALKYD Washable Scrubbable The perfect finish for aes traffic areas Eggshell or Semi-Gloss Enamel 58 REG. PRICE $36.98 sat. | Superior Quality Since 1930 Wallpaper borders Sale from 0... SPOOL 307 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver, B.C. 9%5-6354