66 ~ Friday, February 28, 1986 - North Shore News

Seafood diner charts successful

THE Sea Mates seafood restaurant has charted a long and
successful course through the unforgiving waters of a

treacherous business.

On Feb. 11 the obliging crew of
the good ship Sea Mates celebrated
irs Jith anniversary, an achieve-
ment that becomes all the more
staggering when you consider that
in terms of stress and strain upon
the system, one year in the life of a
restaurant is worth eight years in
the life of a human being.

The key to its longevity is the
affable Peter Chiu.

LOVES WORK

Sea Mates’ owner, manager and
one-time chef since the Marine
Drive location’s launching in 1975,
Chiu mixes the nonchalance of a
lightly seasoned restaurant veteran
with the enthusiasm of a man in
love with his work.

She.” M4 ;
by Timothy
— Renshaw -

. Chiu slipped into the driver’s
seat of 998 Marine Drive after
manning the ovens of Van-
couver’s now-deceased Wharf res-
taurant, where he was the original
chef. ,

Sea Mates was installed in digs
formerly occupied by such forget-
table eateries as the Frying Dut-
chman and the Deimar Cafe.

The latter restaurant was a
hangout for mischievous chaps and

‘gals, where, on a normal Friday
night, patrons’ could expect to
sandwich orders of burgers be-
tween punches in the nose. .

HOUND GHOSTS

But Chiu managed to hound the
ghosts of deep-fry and amateur
boxing from the building. ;

He expanded its diner propor-
tions to the present 85 seats, and
he developed a flare for seafood
cookery that has neither diminish-
ed over the years nor taken itself
too seriously with opulent menu
-prices.

Sea Mates atmosphere is one of
a seafood bistro beached on the
shores of Hong Kong.

For the legion of Sea Mates
fans, the restaurant's menu is in-
delibly imprinted in the seafood
sector of their palates; for those
whose appetites have never been to
sea — Sea Mates style — selection
is almost entirely given over to
undersea edibles.

CULINARY VOYAGE

On a recent mid-week voyage
through the restaurant's culinary
waters with the sure-handed Cap-
tain Chiu at the wheel, my wife,
the wee man and | tested a cross-
section of recommended specials
from the nightly Sea Mates’
blackboard offerings.

First up was a raft-load of
cultured muscles ($4.95) from the
civilized shores of Boston.

With the traditional muscle grit
and grime removed through their

| Call 984-3304

Bostonian upbringing, they were a
delicious opening.

Baby Lobster Tails and Sirloin
Steak ($11.95) and Tiger Prawns
and Baby Lobster Tails ($10.95),
both from the blackboard selection
and both mammoth plateloads,
again avoided the dreaded seafood
doldrums of heavy sauces and
heavy-handed garlic and butter ac-
companiment.

Chiu’s culinary philosophy tends
to minimalism: let the seafood do
the talking.

On the regular Sea Mates’ menu,
the two dozen seafood entrevs
range in $9.95 to $13.95 financial
depths.

SALAD TRIP

Oysters, crab, prawns, scallops
and salmon are all well repre-
sented. All regular menu items in-
clude a trip around Sea Mates’

restaurant

ty skyline.

Sorren

parties.

} Coupon not to be used with any other coupon,

Sorrento’s Pizza

2385 Marine Drive
West Van

SENSUOUS FOOD
Lea tt uc en7

oO

and banquet

BOOK YOUR WEDDING,
BANQUET OR PARTY NOW!

New banquet facilities for up to 200 people; excellent §
food; great selection; free covered parking: view of ci- |

260 West Esplanade
North Van (next to Troli's)

(until March 3ist/86 with this coupon)

Each evening from 5 p.m.

sajad bar.

Most seafood items are purchas-
ed fresh daily, handpicked by
Chiu.

For those who prefer a blend of
the offshore with the onshore, Sea
Mates has three steak and seafood
combinations.

MAGIC TRICKS

Added to the restaurant’s pleas-
ant atmosphere and above average
edible output is Chiu’s unaffected,
hospitable personality and his rep-
ertoire of magic tricks, designed
for the emergency amusement of
wee chaps with wee attention
spans.

Balancing a pair of forks on the
lip of a wine bottle with a
toothpick is guaranteed to stop
dead in their tracks anti-social
table manners from the chronically
rambunctious representatives of all
generations.

Open Tuesday to Friday for
lunch and Tuesday to Sunday for

OPENING END}
OF MARCH |

Is
Homemade Pizza

proudly announces
Mrs. Sorrento's is back to mahe the
most delicious & nutritious pizza
in town. This is her treat for your

Pizzas with cheese, .
tomato sauce & 2 other
toppings of your chotce.
X-tra topping Ige.

$1.00 med. 80¢. Pick up
& eat in only. Delivery $1
x-tra each pizza.’

922-7671
926-6060

‘ ot a.
m. Our lease has expired
“> ¢réate.room for an;
2. day sale’ in. ou
"e

route

seafood remains intact after 11
long vears.

dinner, Sea Mates is a sturdy old
ship whose reputation for good

d Yam Mon.-Fri.
__ESPLANADE
NSN

Special Menu

117-260 W. Esplanade
Free Parking
986-2228

Mon.-Thurs. 9am-10pm, Fri. 9am-1 1pm
Sat. 11am-1ipm, Sun. 11am-10om

G 7
Shrimp. Scallops & Seaiood or Chicken &
Mushroom Crepes tor $9.99,
Special from 4,30-9.00pm daily til March 7, 1986
Open for lunch & dinner from 1130,

ds
2 can dine for...
Sat. & Sun. from 9,30 am

Buy one order ot Seafood Crepes with Pacitic
Served with side salad, rice & fresh vegetable. G
I Reservations 987-8812, 1301 Lonsdale, North Van.

where’s the
best food
in town_/