BARCLAY’S RESTAURANT, 1348 ROBSON STREET, VANCOUVER,

18 - Friday, October 14, 1983 - North Shore News

683-8850. VISA, MASTERCARD AND AMERICAN EXPRESS AC-
CEPTED. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

When J instructed the Table Hopping chauffeur to
take me to Barclay’s the poor fellow looked at me
quizzically and asked if 1 planned ‘‘to make a deposit

or a withdrawal, guv?”’

Eyes rolled skyward, 1 rap-
ped on.the plexiglas divider
with my tasting fork and said,
“The restaurant you fumpkin,
not the bank.”

Northender unfamiliarity
with Barclay’s is understan-
dable. It is located in the new-
ly cefurbished dining section
of the newly refurbished
Barclay Hotel on Robson.

Barclay’s was formerly
Carmel’s at the Lloyd, another
institution with a distinctly fi-
nancial-sounding ring to it.

Carmel’s and the Lloyd, t
know little about, suffering as
1 do from the xenophobia.
common to Northenders who
don’t get downtown much —
anymore.’ .

’ But Bavclay’s provides a
good excuse to brave the -
bridge and motor to the West
End for a change of dining
venue. .

The restaurant is bright with
its new white paint, mirrored
columns and doubie-paned
latticed windows, which look
out over the babble and boom
af Robsonstrasse. tt is
reminiscent of a smali Euro-
pean hotel restaurant.

its menu is concise. The
emphiasis is on seafood, and a
conscious attempt has been
made to soften the financial
body blows traditionally rain-
ed upon diners’ pocketbooks.

There are only eight entrees
on Barclay’s regular menu
(prices range from $10 to $15),
but the night Table Hopping
visited an additional Salinon
Festival selection added five
salmon-based main dishes (all
$8.95).

North Shore talent is well
represented at Barclay’s.

The restaurant’s head chef is

former La Belle Sole chef and
partner, Gerard Page, and its
operation and atmosphere is
overseen by hotel food and
beverage director Pierre
Barbey, late of The Salmon
House on the Hill.

Its atmosphere is subdued
and semi-formal, similar again
to a small European hotel res-
taurant, and, as such, equally
suitable for Aunt Mims or
semi-formal young moderns.

Barbey is a congenial host
and makes a point of visiting
each table to dispense tidbits
of Barclay lore and provide an
extra polish to service and
presentation.

And, fear not Northenders
on perhaps your first Big City
visit, Barbey is very conversant
with North Shore folk tales

table hopping

and recent news to make you
feel at home.

A Table Hopping foursome
opened with an excellent bot-
tle of Seppelt Cabernet
‘Sauvignon ($19.85). The
Australian red provided
vich character with which to
moisten parched and wagging
travellers’ tongues.

I tried Salmo Tartar ($3.50)
from the festival menu. The

- tartar, chopped and mixed

with capers, red peppers, egg
yolk and a dash of pernod,
was surrounded with a

noWS photo Mike Wakefleld
BARCLAY HOTEL food and beverage manager Pierre Barbey
prepares to tuck into a Salmon Wellington at th2 newly-refurbished
hotel’s restaurant. Barclay’s features good food in a small European

a good

hotel-style atmosphere.

cloverleaf of purple radicchio
chicory. ;
it went well with the dish’s

"four triangles of toasted white

bread and with the table’s
crisp, hot dinner rolls. But I
would have preferred fewer
capers, which { found some-
what overpowering for the
more subtle salmon flavors.

My entree was an evening's
special Swordfish in creamy
cilantro sauce ($12.95).

The cilantro added an exotic
Far Eastern flavor to the dense
white swordfish meat.

Vegetable accompaniment
was an elegant selection of
broccoli, whole baby carrots
and small whole zucchini,
sliced into fan shapes. A side
of white rice was punctuated
with chopped red peppers.

The dish as a whole was very
good, though the swordfish’
meat was not as firm or as fla-
vorful as some I have tested.

Other entrees around the
table — excuse my reach but I
have to test these things — in-
cluded Grilled Saimon &
Prawns with Bernaise Sauce
($8.95) from the Salmon Festi-
val menu and Rack of Lamb

Advertising Paid

Mrs. Bower of West Vancouver. When Mrs. Bower
placed an ad it the GARAGE SALES Section of the
NEWS Classifieds, she had no idea that she would sell 55
years of collectibles in one weekend.

Here's what Mrs. Bower had to say: “The secret is a good
variety of well priced merchandise and, of course, a NEWS
Classified ad to let everybody know when and where the

sale is.”

Thank you, Mrs. Bower for letting us know about another
Classified Success Story.

Dijonnaise ($14.95).

The former, consisting of
two prawns and one small
salmon fillet, would be con-
sidered a sparse serving by the

_ more family-sized appetites,

but presentation was enticing
and the seafcod was full of
savory gtilled flavors.

The latter came with a good
pronounced mustard sauce to .
go with the tender medium
rare rack.

in the dessert round — sorry
but this requires more than
just one small fork lead —
that’s better — a Chocolate
Pecan Pie ($4.50) came gar-
nished with a boutonniere of
cream, 2 raspberry and a -
single green leaf.

it was too sweet for my
tastes, but ideal for
chocoholics or others possess-
ing gnashing sweet tooths.

On the whole, 2arclay’s is

_ the type of small hotel restau-

rant that Somerset Maugham
would have chosen as a retreat
between short stories.

Open every day for lunch
and dinner. Sunday brunch
available.

Desperately
seeking Eeyore

THE WEST Vancouver Little
Theatre is looking for performers
to fill the shoes of Christopher
Robin, Eeyore, Tigger and an en-
tire range of Winnie the Pooh
characters, including the honey-
loving bear himself.

Auditions run tonight at 7 p.m.
and Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. at Klee

_ Wyck in West Vancouver, and

performers of all ages are en-
couraged to audition as the cast
includes a variety of characters.
Backstage personnel ave also
needed to help with the produc-
tion. .
For information on auditions or
on joining the show as-a stage-
hand, call 926-9693 or 926-1701.

B.C. history
put to song

NORTH . VANCOUVER -folk
singer/songwriter John McLachlan
returns to the ANZA Club stage
next week with his original songs
and well-known favorites.

JOHN Mclachlan

With works influenced by B.C.
history — the province's worst
marine disaster and hard-working
Depression-era fishermen form the
basis of two of his songs — the
local performer is a veteran of
sold-out shows in folk clubs and
pubs. ; . :
Joining McLachlan will be his
band, Canadian Sky — Blaine
Dunaway, Rob Marr, Dale:Diduck
and Howie Abel — completing the
Oct. 28 show lineup. .

McLachlan plays at the Eighth
and Ontario club in Vancouver at
8pm, —
For information, call 987-2704.

‘

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