. Pat’s Restaurant, 445 13th
St., West = Vancouver. 926-
. 8922. ‘Open Monday to
“, Saturday for dinner. Open
Monday to Friday for
lunch. Visa, MasterCard
‘and American Express
. accepted. Fully licensed.
“¥ etarian 2 tions? Few.

Take the kids or call a

babysitter? You could do
either. ‘But take your par-
ents instead.

Menu for tonight:

~_ © Glass of Drostdy Hof
Chardonnay ($6.50)
®* Bouillabaisse ($18.95)

/.® New York Sirloin Steak,
Trader: Vie’s Style 6 oz ($15)
~“@ Prime Rib 6 oz. ($15.95)
¢ Belgian Chocolate -
Amaretto Mousse ($3.25)

pe this week's
restaurant of the year.

robbing music;:no sports,
action on ov werhead | TYss no.

corporate dining gear for
sale in the lobby 8

J ust a lot of peace and
quiet and a liztle low-tempo
music in the background.

Miller is a master of the
jong lost art of the low-key
dining experience — a veri-
dor of comfortable familiari-

that is West Vancouver to
the marrow. .

Those with short atten-
tion spans might find it a
yawn, and there are plenty of
those.

But there are also plenty
of diners who go in for, well,
a bit of Miller Time: a din-
ing room with lots of space,
where you don’t have to cup

- your,ear.to pick up what
-your tablemates:are talking :
‘about=and where you'll get -

‘a good meal at a reasonable

price, and where the staff *
remember your name.

And your favourite chair
and your preferred appetizer
and entree.

It’s not everybody’: 's cup
of tea, but it’s the beverage
of choice for encugh people
to have kept Pat's in business
for the past 23 years. And
that’s no mean feat by any
business standard, especially
that of the capricious 1 restau-
rant trade, where you re
doing well if you're still.
slinging hash a year after you
threw that grand opening

party.

Aside from Mr. Miller
and his soft-sell approach to
life, the core of Pat’s success -
resides on the other side of
the restaurant’s open kitchen
counter.

Chet-manager Kirk
Westcott has been with Mr.
Miller from the outset,
which is another anomaly of -
consistency. Chefs being a’
notoriously fickle breed,
most don’t stick around one
kitchen long. The higher. the ach
prima donna factor the:
‘shorter their attention’ Span

Westcott, as his time with

Pat’s illustrates, is not much
of a prima donna type.

He’s just a good chef.
Also no slouch at being a
host — good manners, gen-
uine warmth, makes time for
customers no matter the
Kitchen heat. And Pat's
patrons lap it up. Westcott’s
fan club is in attendance
every night. Most make a
bee-line for the kitchen
before they take their seats
to exchange greetings with
him.

And from that kitchen:
more comfortatic familiari-
ty. The good quality varicty.

There’s a pretty even
split between senfood and

i TKOsTAS

EL GREEK K TAVERNA

; lg a

SUN-THURS ONLY
EXPIRES DEC. 15/99

i AUNEH § SPECIALS |
EWI _ TUES-FRIDAY O

4 "ALL DINNER ont, |

ONLY

Book Your . I:
i Christmas Party i
q with us!” 5

Wednesday, December 8, 1999 - North Shore News - 41

red meat entrees at Pat’s, but
I'd give the edge to the fat-
ter.

Westcott’s Bouillabaisse
presents the seafood fan
with a challenging tureen of
fish and shellfish that boasts
25 ingredients and, accord-
ing to the menu, is in the
New York Times’
Correspondents Choice
Cookbook. The Miller Time
fan club has legs.

It’s big, plentiful and pre-
sents its generous selection
of seafood in a simpie saf-
fron broth.

Other seafood dishes
include Fresh Fanny Bay
Oysters, Baltimore Style
Crab Cakes, and Chef

Blue Mikado China

1637 Lonsdale Ave. N. Van. 984-6700
1731) Marine Drive, W. Van, 926-7710

Kirk's Special Seafood
Shore Plate — another
marine tour de force that
features seven fish and
shellfish.

But for my money, I
think Chef Kirk does his
best work with red meat.

A perennial favourite is
Pat's prime rib. It comes:in.
three sizes (4, 6, and 8 07.)
and complements the Pat's
experience to a tee.

On the plate with a 6-oz.
portion on-a recent Friday
night: mashed potatoes and

See Village next page

5-10 pm.? days/week
900 W. 16th, North Van.- - oO
Ph: 985-8860__ Fax: 986-5546] «

‘BUFFET 9

Sun. & Mon. 5-8 p.m.
(no coupons on Sun & Mon) -

‘Open for Lunch

Monday-Friday I: 12-2
: Take-out Service

h. CPEN TNIGHTS: L. =
| PARKGATE

VILLAGE

24103 I

, MT. SEYMOUR ROAD

_ RESERVATIONS
RECOMMENDED

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