Wednesday, December 30, 1992 - North Shore News - #3

Outstanding dining experiences of ’92

ABLE HOPPING staff
put away a lot of calo-
ries in 1992.

Some were more enjoyable than
others,

The following list pays homage
to the restaurants that produced
those superior calories.

Compiling a best-of list is fraught
with danger. The list below will
not be everybody’s best-of round-
up and it does not include alt of
Table Hopping’s favorite dining
spots.

It is, instead, a compilation of
outstanding dining experiences
enjoyed by Table Hopping at
North Shore restaurants during
1992,

Staff did not dine at every local
restaurant during that time, and
they did not dine at every great
North Shore restaurant during that
time.

But we dined at many.

So here, without further
Qualification, are Table Hopping’s
annual bows of appreciation to
those restaurants that were most
impressive in 1992:

Best Overall Restaurant:
La Toque Blanche, 4368 Marine

#

z a

Timothy Renshaw
TABLE HOPPING

or, if you indulge too much, calor-
ic enheavyment.

Zen features a wide-open dining
room, a big sushi bar manned with
a team of sushi chefs, a big menu
and sophisticated surroundings.

Service is quick and attentive.
Food quality is very good.

Best Indian Food:

Flavour of India, 175 East Third
St., North Vancouver, 985-5477

Service can be slow and
disorganized, but the food pro-
duced at the Flavour is the equel
of Vancouver's Raga for richness
and complexity.

Best Comeback:

Carmelo Ristorante Italiano,
1448 Marine Dr., West Yan-
couver, 922-4719

EY AeA 2
REWS photo Nell Lucente

BEST BURGERS ... Cal Ostrander of Dex Gourmet Het Dog and
Burger Bar at the Lonsdaie Quay public market.

Or., West Vancouver, 926-1006

Peter Wieser’s restaurant has
survived and prospered in an
obscure West Vancouver location
for five years primarily because its
food is excellent, its service is in-
formed and efficient and its at-
mosphere is warm and
sophisticated.

Runner-up:

Chesa Restaurant, 1734 Marine
Dr., West Vancouver, 922-2411

A Nov. 10 fire knocked Chesa’s
kitchen out of action for the
balance of the year, which threw a
lot of festive North Shore dining
plans into confusion.

Chesa has been the favorite res-
taurant for a lot of North Shore
residents for the past 12 years, and
it shows no sign of losing its popu-
larity.

Menuela and Jurgen Schulte
hope to reopen Chesa in January.
Best New Restaurant:

Zen japanese Restauram, 2232
Marine Dr., West Vancouver,
925-0667

As its name suggests, this is a
place of culinary enlightenment

After a 10-month closure to
make way for a new office build-
ing, Carmelo reopened two doors
to the west of its original location
full of renewed vigor and culinary
inspiration.

A new menu widened Carmelo’s
kitchen focus from exciusively
Italian to a more interesting
“borderless cuisine.”

Best View:

The Grouse Nest, top of Grause
Mountain, 6400 Nancy Greene
Way, North Vancouver, 986-6378

Diners are treated to a 180-
degree feast for the eyes from the
Nests windows, and an excellent
feast for the tummy from the res-
taurant’s kitchen, which continues
to make steady progress towards
cuisine as haute as its view.

Best Burgers:

Dex Gourmet Hot Dog and
Burger Bar, the Lonsdale Quay
Public Market, 123 Carrie Cates
Crt., North Vancouver, 980-6151

Dex’s burgers are big; they are
fresh; and they come in uncom-
mon and imaginative variations.

How about a Moroccan (finish-

OPEN NEW YEAR'S.
DAY -10:00AM.t010:00PM. =
BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER

1495 Bellevue, West Vancouve:

Pattisserie/Bakery

926-5115
926-4555

FARCE OW

ed with a honey glaze and topped
with crushed peanuts)? or a Yukon
(patty finished with maple syrup
and topped with grilled ham, fried
egg, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise,
tomato and lettuce)?

All selections are carefully made
using all fresh ingredients from the
surrounding Lonsdale Quay public
market.

Best Greek:

Pasparos Taverna, 132 West 3rd
St., North Vancouver, 980-0331

North Vancouver's first Greek
restaurant, and it remains one of
the area’s best.

Lots of crowded Greek taverna
atmosphere; lots of good food; lots
of action; tots of fun.

Best Place to Take Your Kids:

Red Robin, 801 Marine Dr.,
North Vancouver, 984-4464; Earl’s
Tin Palace, 303 Marine Dr., North
Vancouver, 984-434 1

A pair of youthful, progressive
and lively restaurants that produce
good quality fast food that is as
interesting for parents as it is famil-
iar to their offspring.

Always lots of action, lots of
flashing lights and lots of young,
cheerful staff.

Best Bets that Table Hopping
did not visit officially this yeac:
Salute Restaurant, 1747 Marine
Dr., West Vancouver, 922-6282;
Bistro Piccolo, 770 Marine Dr.
West Vancouver, 926-0833;
Pierre’s, 1209 Lonsdale Ave.,
North Vancouver, 980-9008; Cafe
Norte, 3108 Edgemont Blvd.,
North Vancouver, 255-1188;
Anatoli Souvlaki, 101-5 Lonsdaie
Ave., North Vancouver, 985-9853;
Chez Michel, 1373 Marine Dr.,
West Vancouver, 926-4913; Beach
Side Cafe, 1362 Mazine Dr., West
Vancouver, 925-1945; The
Savoury Restaurant, 4390 Gallant
Ave., North Vancouver, 929-2373;
The Park Royal Hotel, 540 Clyde
Ave., West Vancouver, 922-2828;
The Salmon House on the Hill,
2229 Folkestone Way, West Van-
couver, 926-3212; La Cucina
italiana Restaurant, 1509 Marine
Dr., North Vancouver, 986-1334;
Corsi Trattoria, 1 Lonsdale Ave.,
North Vancouver, 987-9910; West
Vancouver Seafood and Grill,
2168 Marine Dr., West Van-
couver, 922-3312.

Please Volunteer

Cail 732-4334 or
4-800-665-6526

CawAQUN | aSSOCIATION
DABETES Cams oetwnt
ASSOC Atom ty CARTE

NEWS photo Terry Patera

BEST GREEK ... Pasparos Taverna's Erodotos Anayiotos and a
Pasparosian feast.

159% OFF your
Christmas or
New Year’s Party! cfs

(over 10 peapie) Hl
Staff Banquets up to 250 rece've 2 FREE CRAB!
accommodated. "

OPEN NEW YEAR’S

Ra Forek A qeh-2,

Choose any 4 dishes

83 Chesterfield Ave., t

ee / RESTAURANT Wee
GENUINE AND CALIFORNIA STYLE
MEXICAN FOOD AND FUN

LUNCH  ‘canncroeussawinomer . DINNER

* Cannot be used with other
save up to: save up to:

$ 5 95 = $@Qoo

* NOT valid on specia! occasions

including special parties

New Year's Eve, Valentine's,

Mother's Day arid others

« Present coupon with order.
After 6:00 p.m. Wednesday thru Sunday.
Karaoke in Spanish & English, Fri. and Sat. after 10pm.
. SPORTS ON THE BIG SCREEN

8 We cordially invite you and your guest to enjoy one complimentary LUNCH
e OR DINNER ENTREE when a second lunch or dinner entree of equal or
: grexter value is purchased from our menu.

@ Reservations Recommended 985-TACO 1200 Lonsdale, N.Vancouver
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