Toast to Cheers

OCCASIONALLY,

circumstance and _ profes-

sional necessity require a restaurant reviewer to gO

it alone.

The experience is in-
valuable for not only open-

ing eyes and ears to the

world of the lone eater, but
for attuning taste bud and
restaurant consciousness tc
levels of concentration unat-
tainable when otherwise
socially accompanied.

To. eat alone is to bear ‘a.

cloud of. suspicion that hints

at - social: inadequacy or
clandestine operations. As a
lone eater you. become a4
symbol. of 20th Century
man’s number one fear:
isolation in a crowd.

_For the restaurant
reviewer, however, going
solo affords the perfect op-
portunity to fully analyze the
edible and ‘social ‘attributes
of . any. restaurant. . Senses

very outset of its Novernber
1984 opening, this bright
slice of °80s informality has
filled an ever-increasing
lower Lonsdale need for res-
taurants in the middle
ground between grease pit
and haute cuisine. The result
has been an instant and con-

- tinued popularity with mid-

dle income jet-setters, both
_ young and old.

b y Timoth wy Renshaw

Cheers’ staff is young and
enthusiastic; management is
obliging and flexible; while
Cheers’ owners, the same
astute lot who own the adja-
cent Li Gardens Chinese
restaurant, have installed a

, menu full of economical and

topical - appetizer | dishes,
middle-weight entrees, and
full-scale meat and potatoes.

INEXPENSIVE

sharpen. You become a.sat- .

ellite dish. for. _ Surrounding -
an. aroma

coaversation,...
detective; : ‘a- suspicious. and
furtive oddity . jotting. down
noies; frightening both staff
_and clientele.

FILLS NEED

On Friday, a “took
heightened senses and
lone-wolf réflexes into the
ever-popular. Cheers restau-

rant, 125 East Second Street, -

North Vancouver. “From the

PANCAKES AND barbecue”
salmon await some 500 jog- ;

gers and 1,000 walkers Sun-
day at West Vancouver’s 6th
annual Coho Festival.’ °

Festival events start
Thursday with informational
displays at Park Royal
featuring live fish tanks and
an art exhibition. on the
salmon theme.

Joggers start'at Ambleside,
Beach, cross. Lions Gate
Bridge, ‘run through Stanley
Park on the causeway and
pass through Vanier Park

before completing the 14 km .

run at the Kitsilano Park
showboat.

“The ‘séenic run has: a

significant historical touch,’”’
says Mike Nicell, Coho Fes-
tival chairman. i
The first runners to reach
Kitsilano, the ancestral home
of the Squamish’
Band, will cry out:
Coho ‘are here,’’ meaning:
the fall Salmon runs, have
reached the Capilano River.
“In earlier times,’? ‘Nicell
said, ‘‘families would cross
English’ Bay in f reight canoes
and camp at the river mouth.
to.harvest winter
needs."’ Today, runners ‘will

" return by.’bus to West''Van.

A, second popular’ event,

the Coho Walk, starts’ at 10 |

aim. from Park Roya’: and is
organized by “the Greate:

: Vancouver Regional. District.

wr
i . ‘

‘a

“Run or walk — ~
to: ‘sixth annual _ .
salmon barbecus |

Indian 3°
“the og

food -:f

.. Ambleside , Park;

‘*Appeteasers”’ come in 13
varieties, all under $4, from
a basic Soup Du Jour

. ($1.50), which on Friday was
.@ cream of mushroom bis--

que; to the Kegpioneered

-offering of Potato Skins

($2.45), served at Cheers
with’ sour’ cream dip and
covered with melted cheese;
to Nachos ($3.95), Mexico’s

contribution to the world’s

supply of fast-food dishes.
From Cheers’ short-order
grill, the infallible ham-

Parks.

Hikers will:be transported
by bus te Cleveland Dam.
The two-hour hike dewn the
bank of the Capilano River .

passes through the. fish
hatchery.’ and “traces the
journey of the salmon to the
sea.” said Nicell. — '
The 7% km, walk ends at
“scene of
the noon to 6 p.m.. salmon
barbecue’ ‘and all-afternoon
entertainment program. °
; Coho Festival information
is available at 926-6614.

Fresh

‘decorated... Offer

E ‘September 12,
Value $9. 50°

(10-ounce,

“Week”
* and assorted staff dashed to

Home style fish & chips at an old
fashioned price. You and your guest
will receive 2 orders of fish & chips

“for $6.95 upon presentation of this

ad.' Fully licensed and newly
expires’

‘SEAFOOD

burger ($4.95), available
with cheese (Cheddar or
Mozzarella), side bacon,
pineapple teriyaki,
mushrooms, and sauteed
onions. ‘

Other selections for the
mid-range appetite include
the Cheers Basket ($6.75),
deep-fried prawns, chicken,

zucchini, and French fries all,

tossed in a basket; and
Seafood Melt . ($5.95), an
upscale seafood Egg
McMuffin, simmered in a
white sauce and served'on a

toasted muffin covered with
asparagus.

Cheers entrees cover the
basic steak, seafood, ribs,
and chicken dance steps so
popular and familiar to
North Americans
everywhere: Teriyaki Sirloin
$9.75), Beef
Stroganoff ($8.75), Salmon
Filet ($8.95), available char-
broiled, baked, or poached,
Barbecued Baby Pork: Ribs
($9.95), and-daily chicken
specials..

All entrees include a ticket

- to run the vegetable gauntlet
of Cheers’ salad bar, a sim-

ple if somewhat uninspired

-eross-representation of tet-

tuces, pickled beets, sliced
carrots, ‘sesame seeds, and

cottage cheese.

GREEK WEEK

Boasting that something
special is always happening
within its four wails, amidst
its 200 seats, Cheers on Fri-
day night was in full “Greek
regalia.’ Waitresses

and fro dressed in togas and
mild self-consciousness..’:
“With no seats available in

‘the main restaurant, a sym-

pathetic, hostess, noting’ my
absence of company, offered
me. accommodation. in

The Fish and Oyster Bar :

Ss RESTAURANT
‘. + Monday - Saturday 11-9:30 Sundays 4-9:30
1445 Lonsdale, North Van 980- 8113 |

tary,
larger ° parties and lots of

Cheers’ front-end
where, in

lounge,
the prevailing

frivolity and sociabilitiy, | -

glowed with solemn solitude.

When I produced pen and
Paper and proceeded to take
notes, eyebrows raised,
foreheads knitted, rumor
became rampant: ‘‘Must be
a cop, eh?”’

Gazing at the Second
Street view from Cheers’
north side window, which
frames the building that
once housed the legendary
Famous Cafe, ! shrugged off
the suspicion of fellow
diners and tucked into an
order of Salmon Wrapped in
Bacon ($2.95), a nicely pres-
ented side dish of a half
dozen generous salmon

. morsels, juicy and quite
delicious, rolled in crisp
bacon.

.ACCOSTED

Midway into a New York
Steak ($9.95), charbroiled to
precise rare specifications, |
was accosted by a member

-of that portion of society

who equates volume of. con-
versation with quality of
good time.

“Whadya writin’ for?
Doona survey or sommin’?
Not writin’ bout me are
ya?"

After assurances that.-1
was neither an undercover
police officer nor an eccen-
tric recorder of: his table
manners, he strode off with
a bellow cf forced laughter.

Though tempted by offers
of homemade . Mocha’ Ice
Cream Pie'- (SI. 95) from

Cheers’ small but extremely. §
reasonable dessert menu, i

could. not ‘fit. in ‘another cal-
orie: : ‘Instead,
satiated, chronicling the ex-

. uberant. ebb, and. flow of

Cheers constant high tide of
clientele.

_ The prevailing atmosphere
at Cheers is one’ of. light
conversation: bolstered with

“light, meals and affordable

drinks (most cocktails are
$1.99). Interesting and ac-
commodating for the’ soli-
but more suited . to

laughs, Cheers is open for
dinner every day and. for
lunch Monday to Friday.

I sat fully.

i First. Street.

53 - Friday, Scptember 6, 1985 - North Shore News

You can’t beat
Charley's for | —

* Dinner

¢ Dancing Thurs.
Fri. & Sat. nites

© Sunday Brunch

~~,

"BLACK SHEEP

- Specials aa
=’ the Week! |

Seafood Crepe | | Steak & Lobster. &
Mixture of

f | 602. ‘New York Steak . ae er

Shrimp, Sole, Cod, . |. with 2 slipper a. oon “
and Seafood in a’ Lobster:Tails’ “

white wine sauce, topped - " served with baked

with Hollandaise Sauce, ‘| Potato, or vice, oF salad

served with rice or salad

Valid Sent 814
Bock the lotr |

lunch meetings
* of private party -

Black Sheep Summer Hours:

E 121 E. 12th St.

Sun.-Tue. 11: 30-10: SOpm ge
off Lonsdale _). Wed.Thur, 11:30-11:00 |
N. Van. . oO BriSate 11:30-11: 30;

‘RESERVATIONS: S: 9889595"

HISTORIC.
- LILLOOET |
CIRCLE TOURS

BC Rail and Richie Bus Lines of Lillooet have
teamed up to give you a round look at'some
of British Columbia's most spectacular scenery
— all in a one-day excursion. 4
Travel dates are limited. On Seatember 14,21 1p

_and 28 (ail Saturdays), take BC Rail.to Litlooet at

‘via the Cheekamus Canyon. After a bus tour
of Liltooet, return by bus via the FraserCanyon. | | f
On September 15, 22 ‘and 29° {all Sundays), the
order’ is reversed with buses: departing to
Lillooet via Fraser Canyon. After.a bus tour of
Lillooet, you. return by BC Rail via; the
Cheakamus Canyon. we
“All tours: originate and terminate at BC Rail’ s:

~North Vancouver passenger depot, 1311 West,

ie
oa

Saturdays: ue
Train departs North Vancouver 7:30 a.m.
Bus arrives North Vancouver, 8:45 p. im.
Sundays: .:.:°
Bus departs, North Vancouver 7: 45 p.m.
Train arrives North Varicouver 8:45 p.m.
Fares: a
Adults $45. els)
Seniors $40.50
Children 5-14 years. $35. 95°
Children 2-4 years $31.40 -
Visit historic Lillooet - B.C.'s little nugget. .
For more information call 984-5246 -...