32 — Wednesday, September 15, 1999 - North Shore News

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@ DINING
Owner seeks new life for WV cafe

From page 31

Amid the beer hall hyste-
ria, however, there is gen-
uine concern over the
impact a pub would have on
the Village and its character.

Because impact it would
have. But Wiechold main-
tains that impact would be
positive.

It would add some vitali-
ty to Dundarave’s somno-
lent street life, and it would
provide a buoyant place of
social intercourse for
Dundaravers near and far.

And buoyancy is in short
supply along Dundarave’s
Marine Drive strip — espe-
cially after 8 p.m.

There are some new signs
of tife such as the recently
opened Delany’s in

_Dundarave on the south side

of Marine Drive, a couple of
doors due cast of Brewsters.
There is Calvin’s of course;
there is Verdicchio’s deli-
catessen.

But there is precious lit-
tle else.

Some residents might like
it that way; others would
prefer a few more volts of
social electricity added to
their town. "

Wiechold believes he’s: S°
the man with his finger on
the switch. And it’s not-just
any electricity he wants to
tap. Nope. He’s secking
oe energy to power, his

ub.
P Neighbourhood, after. all,

SNS = $10 10 $25

is the key adjective in the
Wicchold plan. It’s what dis-
tinguishes one B.C. pub
from another.

Thus, a neighbourhood
pub in East Vancouver or
North Vancouver would
theoretically have a different
ambience from a neighbour-
hood pub in West
Vancouver or Dundarave.

Wicchold is set to sunply
the renovated tea room with
a 65-seat Craftsman-style
interior and 20-scat sidewalk
patio; assorted ales; dart
boards; and upscale
Dundarave pub menu cour-
tesy of Dundarave Cafe chef
Dean Russell.

Ambience and character.
are up to local residents.

And that’s the way it
should be.

Still the neighbourhood
pub process is a long and
winding road that can run
down some dark dead ends.
Especially if opposition
forces take the wheel.

Readers need look no
further than Esplanade and

- Lonsdale in North

Vancouver for one such
dead end, Veteran restaura-
teur Nick “The Great
Greck” Vavaris waged a
seven-years neighbourhood
pub war that ultimately left
him with neither pub nor
restaurant.

it is a cautionary tale for
any aspiring publican.

Dundarave and Lower
Lonsdale are different areas,

‘but Wiechold is determined

to steer clear of the road
travelled by Vavaris.
Having secured provin

o cial ap proval for his

pub in 1997,

“$" icons denote the approsimare range of a
restaurant's entree prices. Restaurants may
offer some entrees above or below she price

range indicated,
$ $5 00 $10 $5- $9 t0 $12"
SESE - $13 to $30

The Gathering Place

3010 Twleit-waueuth Rd., NY 929-9421 $
The Great Canadian Bagel
1746 Harine De. WY, 913-0257. $

in 1998,
The alliance makes a lot
of sense,

Through the operation of

the Queens Cross in Upper
Lonsdale and their current
Black Bear pub in Lynn
Valley, Slinger and Raht
have established 4 reputation
for bringing the North
Shore better-than-average
neighbourhood pubs that
offer high quality food in
bright and amenable sur-
roundings.

As with Vavaris’ attempt
to convert his Lower
Lonsdale Greek restaurant
co a pub, Wiechold’s is 2
survival plan.

The Dundarave is 11
years old. Je has logged far
more hours than its Swan
and Brando’s New Orleans
Pasta Bar predecessors com-
bined. But competition in
the restaurant trade is
relentless.

The arrival in West
Vancouver of such major
draws as Milestone’s and the
Keg Steakhouse have cut
deeply into the bottom lines
of many local restaurants.

Wicechold’s is no excep-
tion. Where once the
Dundarave Cafe employed

5 people, it now employs .
pet aps.15. :

And the future business
prognosis is not good.

Besides: the Dundarave
Cafe is a tired concept.
However, it remains neigh-
bourly, and its food is good.

Recently sampled entrees,

for example, included a well--

turned out Angus stcak
wrapped. in bacon and»
accompanied with filly-
dressed ‘baked-potato and

julienne of zucchini, red and _

green pepper, carrots and -

The Green House, Restat

“222 Pemberton ‘hve. AV 990-1142: $88

men Boat Restawrant -
iio Creek Hasina, MV 904-3832 -

os a Steakhouse
132 W, HY 984.3534 S55
' Knight & ‘Day, Restaurant
+ Westview: Centre, NV 383-308) ‘SS.
' Marina Grill 2
: 1653 Columbia St, NY 960-0038 is

Milestone’s

ask Royal South, WY 5.981555

Orange Club Cafe

1440 Lonsdale Ave. EY. 986-4272 ss
Quizno’s -.. :

Six North Shoce tocations_987- 1821 $
Red Robin.

"40.901 Marine DF. RY 662-3283 s

:. Swiss Chalet Chicken & Ribs)...

600-801 Marine Dr, NY 966-1858 $$ - =
Tomahawk Barbecue. .

Park & Tilford Centres NY 984199. ss
White Spot Restaurant Led
2205 Lonsdale Avs., NY. 927-002 :
White Spot Restaurant Ltd.

Bask Royal South, WE 9224520, $5 a

. The Wrap Zone

1829 Lonsdale, NY 984-1838 $-

Norte Restaurante Mexicano —
1200 Lonsdale Ave. BV 904-9848 $$$

Caspian Restaurant

1495 Haring Dr, WY 921-1311 $55"
Persepolis

GtZW. (3th Se, NY 990-0008 SSS

Pink Etephant

11) W. 3rd, WY 986-2209 $$

onions; Grilled prawns with
rice and a somewhat pedes-
trian vegetable stir-try.

But the Dundarave
retains minimal buzz.

An investment of
$600,000 to turn the her-
itage building into a pub
would add new life and
energy to the Dundarave
area. It would triple the
number of jobs currently
provided by the Dundarave
Cafe. It would, in’ short, be
a good idea on a host of
fronts.

The neighbourhood sur- |
vey portion of the ;
Dundarave Cafes pub appli-
cation — stage 6 in the

neighbourhood pub process
~— should be under way next
month, . .

The survey’s results will
then be considered by West
Vancouver District council.

Public. hearings would
foliow those considerations. ©

If all goes Wiechold’s
way, Dundarave’s first pub |
will be up and running by.”
the end of this year. :

Prospective names for. the:
operation have thus far
ranged from Two Oars,--
which is the ald Scottish
translation of Dundarave, "

homege to's some of the.

area’s more mat ire patrons :

The Dundaraver sounds
touch boisterous...

Pll add Humphreys, a ti
of the hat to the long-serv-
ing West Vancou
of the same name:?:

Send your-suggestioi
tl ¢ Table Hopping mail,
room. ..

plewood Pub ;
ices, NY 924-1834 %

Pemberton Station Pub... ¢
13 Pemberton’ St, WY 904-3558 = $. “4
Queens Cross Neighborhood Pub

9969 lonadale Ave, WY 9ROITIS $ ™

Raven Neighborhood Pub
1052 Cove Rd, RY 920-3834" $$
~ Rusty Gull Neighborhood Pub

~ VTS-E. Ist St, WY 988-5585 $$.
- Sailor. Hagar’s Brew Pub .
86 Semisch, NV £84308? $
‘Square Rigger.
5 $2450-1425 Marine’ Or. WY g16380F

The Trotler 7
san by St, Horseshoe Bay, WE nisl $

Seen page 33