20 ~ Friday, September 30, 1988 - North Shore News EARL’S TIN PALACE , 303 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VAN- COUVER, 984-4341. VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EX- PRESS ACCEPTED. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE. EARL’S “The Tin Palace’’ is managing to age grace- fully. When it first took over from Mother's ‘The Pizza Barn’’ about five years ago, Earl's appeared, like the trendy new kid on the block primping in front of a mir- ror, more concerned with image than with edible substance. There has been no wholesale changing of Tin Palace guard since. It still abounds with the en- thusiasm and energy of youth — waiters wear short pants (during summer months) and shorter sideburns -- but it is no longer riding the initial inertia of the latest fun place to be. Ensuring Earl's good health has come down to fuod and service, which is what ensuring the good health of any restaurant eventually comes down to. Both are unadorned, unpreten- tious, quick and satisfying at Earl’s. Restaurant management has also spruced up the original black- print-on-plain-brown-wrapper menu sheet with a dash of color and graphics that make perusal and selection more appetizing. Prices have increased, but only marginally, and a few tedious ap- petizers, such as Zucchini Sticks, have been dispatched to the cob-webbed and moidering museum of trendy foods. Wine selection remains light, young and breezy. Bottles range from $13 to $20. Australia, the United States, Germany and France are all well represented, but small B.C. estate wineries are not, which | think is a minor over- sight. Earl’s also features a good selec- tion of wines by the glass, which complements the restaurant's ar- ray of smaller dishes and “‘eat a little, eat a lot’ credo, a philosphy my wife, with napkin tucked beneath wagging chin, embraced enthusiastically. iq and spinach, or mushroom sushi with f shitake mushrooms. H TAKE-OUT and 980-1510 SUSHI ORIGINALS AN OCEAN OF ORIGINAL AND CLASSIC SUSHIS LOVINGLY PREPARED i Try oor rainbow roll — a deliciously colourful roll of sea-eel, cucumber, salmon, snapper and egg ‘ CATERING AVAILABLE 180 East 2nd, North Van. ‘‘Service sticks to the fast at lane at Farl’s.’’ Service sticks to the fast lane at Earl's, This due in part to the young staff and, in perhaps larger part, to the restaurant’s low prices, which make table turnover the key to a profitable career at the restau- rant. The result is a team of waiters and waitresses working at near sprint. Earl’s atmosphere, which is doubled in hyperactivity by the strategic placement of wall and ceiling mirrors, attracts equal parts young and old clientele. The latter come in to take in the bracing airs of youth like dowagers at a European health spa taking in healing mineral waters. Or perhaps the latter along with the former also pull into Earl’s, the last westbound turnoff from North Vancouver before committing oneself to the Lions Gate Bridge, to avoid the more than occasional gridlock that besets that regal and outdated span. Faced on a recent Friday night with that traditional slow bridge torture, the family Table Hopping detail instead took a detour down Earl’s express dining lane. Though the restaurant, glittering with chrome and neon, is design- ed for the young and restless, it is equipped with no high chairs so its target audience is obviously not that young or that restless. Still, our waiter was an extreme- ly good sport about the ear-pierc- ing screams provided by my en- tourage. They undoubtedly in- Ess creased his delivery speed. Above the din, | managed to order a Blackened New York Steak ($10.95), The Wee Man went for Earl’s Clubhouse ($5.50), while my wife, busily chanting ‘‘eat a little, eat a lot’, ordered the Monterey Bay Calamari ($4.95). Though | was not asked “how would you like your steak, sir?’’, it arrived in medium rare condition after being pan fried in butter in a scalding hot pan. The meal was very good, enlivened by the cayenne pepper and other hot blooded Cajun spices used in the blackening pro- cess. Unfortunately, the accompany- ing home hewn fries were also blackened and dried out. In keep- ing with Earl’s no-frills philosophy, the dish came with no other gar- nish. The Wee Man’s Clubhouse was served aboard a hefty sesame seed burger bun. Interior of the classic sandwich included a large broiled chicken breast, bacon, mayon- naise, lettuce and tomato. It also came with a big helping of big fellow fries. Good size; good flavor; good noise muffler. The Calamari were extremely plentiful and delicately fried. For dessert, we ordered the in- credible Blackberry Cream Cake ($2.95), but got its Incredible Blueberry cousin. : PIZZA & CHINESE FOOD § ff STAKE OUT®DELIVERV® § |985-8888 | CHEEZE & CHOPSTIX § COMBINATION DINNER FOR 2 H °¢ Shrimp Fried Rice ‘« Sweet & Sour Pork « Mushroom Chop Suey | ‘Plus small Hawaiian or House Pizza Expires Oct. 6/88 Not valid with other Promotions large PIZZA UP TO 5 | TOPPINGS L200 W. 16th, N-Van. & small NEWS photo Tom Burley A CORNUCOPIA of fresh fruit and vegetables and an enticing plate of broiled chicken breasts Earl’s style are presented by the restaurant's John Nash. The Tin Palace offers a good selection of fresh and sim- ply-prepared food. Still, with its sour-cream-based main layer, the dish was a pleasant way to top off our quick tour through modern dining. Earl's has developed into a reli- N THT FR FRESH CRAB with garlic butter STEAMED CRAB i t i] i] | i] i] | t i | i] i] | i f i] ] [ i] ' i] 4 E i] t J i] t i] i] i] t t b i i i] ! t i] t i i) t i) i t ! Ln SEZ SH CRAB with drawn garlic butter October 1 to October 15 Lainch & Dinner with a Ginger and Black Bean Sauce Watch for our two week specials twice a month, CHESA SEAFOOD 2168 Marine Drive, West Van. Covered Parking at Rear t Lunch Tues-Sat, Dinner Tues-Sun. t i 1 able, quick place to load up on unadorned but good quality basic food. Open every day from 11:30 a.m. See Crossings, page 22 CATCH US! 2s reservations recommended 922-3312 a ae aan a eae |