BARRE SAGARA

John Moore.
WINE SPOTS

PREECE CHARDONNAY
1993, $15.95 (Aust.)

~ Named for Colin Preece, a

. founding father of the Mitchelton

“firm, this is a-nice drop that does

LEONE AARNE

SOUR REE ON cE an tad Pig 8

CO SAE ASE Re Gat

ionors Old Boy

honor to the old boy's name. A hint
of spiciness in the mellow peachy
fruit makes it slightly racy and
refreshing, like a good gewurz-
traminer, with just a peg of oak to
hang it all on. That strong
Australian dollar hurts, though.
Note: if you're finding empty
shelves where some of your
favourite Downunder wines ought
to be, bear in mind that Australia
suffered disastrous droughts, lead-
ing to widespread bush-fires, in
recent years and it has effected
production. Patience.
FOPPIANO PETITE
SYRAH $14.95

(Calif.)
This came highly recommended

1992,

by a helpful product consultant at
the Lynn Valley Mall LDB outlet.
My previous experience with
Petite Syrah had left me under-
whelmed and skeptical; it's not
related to Syrah/Shiraz at all, but a
work-horse grape called Durilf in
France where it produces rivers of
undistinguished porch-climber.
Hugh Johnson, however, calls
Foppiano’s Petite Syrah “transcen-
dent” and though I wouldn’t call it
a religious experience it is revela-
tory. Fantastic fruit, good tannins,
we spent most of the evening play-
ing the “It’s sort of like..." game. {
think it's sort of like a great chianti
and it's certainly all you'd ever
want with a thick slab of brute red
meat seared over the coals. Wow.

_ Digesting Spectra launch party

From page 22

is

baked goods and the percolating
_ power of the all-mighty bean.
. They've got Boathouses,
‘Romano's Macaroni Grills, a
Chili’s Texas Grill, P.J.’s, a Yankee
“Diner and a fistful of Milestone's.
_ Thirty-three restaurants in all

"spread across B.C., Alberta and

Washington state. cet
‘The full promotional force of

“the Spectra mob was assembled in

“West Vancouver on Oct. 12 to cele-
“ brate the opening of the latest link
in the Great Restaurants Inc. chain.
“Tt was a deluxe culinary chris- :
tening. :

« Milestone's at Park Royal

“South, a chip shot from the Park

- Royal golf driving range, was filled
.. with the creme de la menthe of
“local media glitterati... °

1 “ Smiles, embraces, busses on’ the
: cheek, glaring television lights,

trays of chilled beverages, platters .
‘of finger foods and bright young
_ Serving folk filled the impressive.
new restaurant.’ :

“| From notes hastily jotted i in the
‘crush of the. crowd: .

‘Table Hopping’s bus loaded
with every free-loader owed a
favor, Pulled into wide new parking

~ fot across from the stately Twin

Towers (well they used to be state-
.») on the south bank of West
~-Vancoiver’s Marine. -
Cheerful staff in crisp white
Milestone’s shirts and black pants
«beckoned. Ushered into jammed

-' Milestone’s entrance. Warm greet-
‘cing from Spectra’s charming Cathy

:Tostenson.
Table Hoppers regarded with
‘some suspicion by more seasoned:

. VIPs, (Note: check seasoning later

The Best in
: Chinese ind ves

‘ LUNCH 11: 00-1430”
: | Free valet parking weekday evenings &
* weekends all day.
1166 Albernl Strest,
« Vancouver, 8.0. V6E 323

DOWKTOWN).
ol; 682. Fax: 688-2812

"DINNER 17 00-22. 30

in the evening.)

Stumbled into makeshift set for
BCTY sports show. Expressed
availability for interview.
CKNW/BCTV sportscaster Neil

» Macrae and BCTV personality

Barry “Houlie” Houlihan not inter-
ested.
Philistines!

. Behold the grand interior of new
restaurant, What does $1 million
buy these days? you might ask.

Still a fair bit.*’
Decor. an elegant ‘20s and ‘30s
era art-deco motif featuring leather

’ booths trimmed in rich vermilion

mahogany and discreetly lit with
low-profile table lamps.

Dining room finished in mid-
night colors, reminiscent of a
swank speakeasy from a 1940s
Hollywood gangster movie. Martini

* maids on the ceiling. Others circu-
“lating through the crowd.

Seating includes 210 in the

- main dining room, another 36 in

the holding area and 48 onthe | _
patio. The largest Milestone’s so ~
far.

Immaculate Milestone’s kitchen
visible to diners through plate glass

- windows. Part of the dining show.

Expansive oblong bar at
entrance. Good supply of ales on
tap. Palomino Lager and Irish and
Pale ales featured. Nine varieties of
martinis offered.

Also on tap: the Bellini (special
Milestone’s concoction of cham-
pagne, peach schnapps, white rum
and sorbet topped with sangria —
and adult Slurpee). Warning: goes

_ down far too easily.

Menu: Ranges from breakfast

‘through lunch and well into dinner.

Variety is extensive. Bears strong ~

_ California influence of Spectra

executive chief Jim Romer.

RESTAURANT |
awards
Best Chinese

Breakfast ($6 to $11) features
whole sections devoted to varia-
tions on Eggs Benedict (How about
a Neptune Benedict with crab,
shrimp, avocado, cream cheese and
hollandaise?) Three Egg Omelettes
(Smoked Chicken, Tomato and
Fresh Basil) and Specialty
Brunches (Steak and Eggs, Billy?).

Lunch ($4 to $9) and Dinner
($6 to $16) include sections of
Pastas, Burgers, Rollups (meats,
vegetables, etc. wrapped in whole-.
wheat tortillas), Sandwiches,
Chicken Platters, Seafood Platters,
Steaks, Ribs and Chops and a good
selection of vegetarian dishes.

Menu also draws on
Southwestern American, Tuscany
and Pacific Rim influences
(Chipotles, Thai Noodles, Smoked
Chicken, Black Bean, Baked Gout-
Cheese, Mongolian Chicken,
Eggplant Focaccia).

Milestone’s mines the same rich
vein of informal energetic dining

“ mined so successfully elsewhere on
the North Shore by Earls, Red
Robin and the Cactus Club. The
first of its kind in West Vancouver,
though.

Its wine selection ($15 to $30)
is not huge, but it’s user-friendly:
16 of its 22 bottles offered are

.. gvailable by the glass and half litre.

_A progressive approach to gargling
the grape.

» Overview: A place of high ener-
gy and chic informality. A good .
meal can be had for a reasonable
price.

Could be, as promo sheet

. boasts, a Milestone for Park Royal.
Certainly won’t be a tombstone.

Book return visit, and report
back. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, Sheriff Sager,
round up the posse.

Experience traditional dishes and fresh
exotic seafood at Vancouver's only
Internationa? award winning Chinese
Restaurant. Kirin on Alberni
specializing in exceptional Mandarin

' Chinese Cuisine or Kirin on Cambie

for Cantonese specialties.

sak ibibstia

LUNCH 11: 00-1430
Free pai
gity

soe West 12th Avenue,
Vancouver, B.C. V5z 3

DINNER 17:00-22.30
king all day

eouate Shopping Malt.

ity Squaro, Suite 201 :

2th & Cambie)

Tai: 879-8038 Fax: 979-0128

ee a

“LUNCH

EXQUISITE
SUNIDAY
BUFFET
$8.95
Open Sundays
5-9n0
Prevent this aad to your
$ aver pron tar cndering

: 2 FOR 1
: DINNE RSPECTAL
including...
Tanduaer dishes
© Mopalay they Thuurwdat oly
Vutchar one shiner entice
17 and recieve a wcond entice tf
exqual of lewer value free, "
Eapures Muy, bth
© Emulades beverages
Dinnee hous
Mun + Sat 5 1Open
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Meat Dishes
from $5.95

Vegetarian Dishes [*
from $4.95
Includes rice pilac

Open for tunch
Mon - Fri
12:00 - 2:00

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a price & veceiuc the End entice
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{ vatid len. to Thur. §:30 - 7:00 em I
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Hour: Lunch Wont. ¢1:30-2:30
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1449 THarine Drive, W. Vac.

928-4719

Dinner for.

Two plust

ind... Dance the Night Away
at the Madison Avenue Lounge

_ Experience
the difference

OFF
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Happy Hour |

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a Price

BUT .
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Celebrating 15 Years
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180 East 2nd, North Van.
980-1510

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