Mirabelle opens in WV From page 18 commercial says: try it, you'll like it. $3.99 per pound. Nelly’s Deli, at the Capilano Mall, North Vancouver, 984-0706. Don Nelsen, Ronda Partiak and Jeff Cornish opened Nelly’s in September in the gastronomically chal- lenged Capilano Mall. It's a solid 1,200 sq. ft. natural wood and stainless steel affair. Comes with an 80-seat patio and 30-seat interior. Open every day. Serves meats, cheeses, barbecued chicken and Cornish Game hen and a host of other deli items. Eat in or take out. Beer and wine licence to follow. Velvet’s Dine and Disco, 1552 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, 988-5332. This ain’t no sports bar; this ain’t ne shooter bar; this ain’t no fooling around. This be Velvet’s. A little something soft and subter- ranean from the brothers Fiddis, Verne and Stan, and Charlie Perkins, former pro- prietor of the British Canadian Social Club, itself . formerly the notorious Pegasus Soccer Club. Velvet’s is none of that though me lads. It’s a 4 p.m. to midnight place of disco sounds and light meals. The old Pegasus has been outfitted in purple crushed velvet booths, a proper ser- vice bar, a kitchen with / microwave and other reheat- ing facilities (no subterranean open flames allowed), a dance floor and a DJ booth. Don’t forget the mirror ball, the champagne by the glass and the selection of champagne cocktails (Kir Royal, Spike, Velvet, Tarzan, Rhett Butler, Blue Moon). A recipe that maximizes female-friendliness, according to the Fiddis boys. Velvet’s menu will feature a light selection of pizza, pasta and easy to consume finger foods (chicken wings, nachos, smoked salmon, gar- lic bread). Whoa! easy on the arlic boys. That’s not female iendly. More substantial irems include Chicken Cordon Bleu and Lemon Garlic Prawns. Live music could be added to the Velvet’s mix. _ Get down under tonight. Calvin’s Cafe, 2452 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 922-4222. Rene Widmer, former William Tell food and bever- age manager, has joined Hermann Orth and Milo Bigler at Calpin’s. Widmer, along with exec- -utive chef Anna McSporran, now delivers the evening ver- sion of Calvin's to Dundarave diners. Menu includes such entrees as Ricutta Cheese and Spinach Cannelloni ($8.95), Linguini with Shrimp ($9.95), Chicken Zurichvise ($10.95), baked West Coast Salmon ($11.95) and New York Steak ($14.95). ; No need to wait anti} the year 2000 to savor the smoke-free Calpin’s experi- “2, ence, Orth’s restaurant was one of the first West Vancouver restaurants to institute a 160% non-smoking atmosphere. : Starbucks, on strategic strect corners all over the Globe. The caffeine giant from Seattle is celebrating its 25th anniversary. (And those of us not quite in the java-mad know thought it was just a ‘90s phenom.) It started in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market as asingle outlet. As we speak, there are over 825 Starbuck's stores all over the place. Starbuck’s 25th anniver- sary celebrations include bar- ristas and other highly caf- feinated Srarbuckers wearing all manner of crazy clothing and patrons being greeted with “Welcome to 1971” motifs. Hey, grab a double extra latte, imbibe some Maui Zowie beans and take me back man. Mirabelle, 2168 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 925- 2765. Ben Mirabelli opened this new French Italian restaurant in the old Valentino’s location on Oct. 13. The Italian-born Mirabelli, tate of Toronto, where he ran a restaurant for 16 years, promises a haute dining experience. Fine quali- ty cuisine with roots in northern Italy. He will have to labor hard to bring the locale up to snuff. Previous tenants have fallen short of four-star levels. Mirabelle, however, appears to have the raw matec- nals: its kitchen features Michel Poipras, formerly of Vancouver’s highly regarded Star Anise. On the floor will be Antonio Calderone, formerly of L’Hermitage, and formerly of Toronto, where he worked with Mirabelli. On the menu: Appetizers ($5 to $8) include such items as Prosciutto and Bresaola; Tomato Basi! Tart; Duck Liver Pate and Caesar Salad. Entrees ($12.50 to $20) Featuring range from Tortellini alla Panna to Deboned Quail stuffed with fennel and por- tobello mushrooms and Grilled Lamb Chop with gor- gonzola soubise, filo cake and garlic jus. Stay tuned for a full Table Hopping review. O00 Table Scraps: The 19th annual Playhouse Wine Festival is scheduled to run from April 2 to 6, 1997, at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. Over 500 wines will be available for sampling. Ready the spit buckets, Call 872-6622 for information. ong Wendy’s opened its first North Shore outlet Oct. 8 at 1488 Main St. in North Vancouver, just west of Mountain Highway (986- 1770) There are now 31 stores in B.C. ooo The ever-energetic Antonio Corsi is opening another restaurant. This time in the ski boom town of Whistler. Queattro’s owner is set co kick off what is tenta- tively called Quattro at the Pinnacle International. The 110-seat restaurant will be in the new Pinnacle Hotel in downtown Whisder. QOo00 The Beach Side Cafe (1362 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 925-1945), Janet McGuire’s perennial West Vancouver favorite, has been voted Favarite Neighborhood Spot by readers of the highly regarded Gourmet magazine. a) The first-ever crush of wine grapes in Howe Sound took place Oct. 13 on Bowen Island at The Vineyard Bed and Breakfast, home to Bowen Island’s first vineyard. Trips aboard the Bowen ferry are bound to get much more interesting. QQ The Black Tsk restaurant Many Fabulous Cheese Dishes for the Month of November Rt 1734 Warine Drive Ry West Vancouver 922-2411 :. eer (922-5311) is now open for breakfast. Golf and eggs. gO0 Legends on 2nd (990- 1012) is featuring live jazz on Friday nights and live folk music on Saturday nights. Entertainment starts at 8 p.m. ga08 Jason Troll and Mark Sayer threw a grand opening party Oct. 17 at their new Ciao Mein restaurant in West Vancouver (235 15th St., 922-1317). It played toa packed house of tamily, friends and assorted industry freeloaders. Much delicious Ciao from the Mein’s bright, young executive chef Scott Jaeger, who is now executive chef for all Ciao Mein restau- rants. How many is thar? Two now, but come November there will be another in Whistler. These young folk just won't sit still. Q20 Saki’s 22nd Street Cafe (2222 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 925-2218) now delivers. The restaurant’s fine line of Greek and Mediterranean specials is available. 000 Thai House (180 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, 987-9911) held its grand opening on Saturday night. The North Vancouver outlet is the sixth in the That chain. Will it be another win with a Thai? Stay tuned for a full Table Hopping review. f EXQUISITE SUNDAY & MONDAY § Buy 2 pieces of deliciously * fresh Ling Cod at regular:: . price and recetve the 3rd, plece FREE) 0 F800 C-Lovers North Vancouver only this coupon to the carhier pronioticnal WEEKDAYS LUNCH OR DINNER P from Octobe ¥ Honenape Focacen BREAD. *Kids under 10 eal FREE 1209 Lonsdale Ave,, N.Van. ITALIAN FOOD. JUST LIKE. MOMMA NEVER HEY, IT'S THE NINETIES! THAT'S WHY CIAO MEIN | has invented what we like to call “Ciao for now”: Iralian cuisine that takes exotic Eastern spices off the back burner and serves them up for an in-your-face taste experience. Sample our Stir-fried Italian linguine with black beans, or our delicious Chinatown pizza with barbequed duck and shiitake mushrooms. And if you're tired of swimming in the mainstream, you'll love our grilled salmon served with bamboo shoots and devilishly hot wasabi mayo. And don’t forget, we offer a great selection of Italian dishes for traditional pasta lovers. So Ciao on down and discover the grownup taste of two old worlds. | Downtown at Dunsmuir & Hornby, 669-6346 § Now open, West Vancouver {5th & Bellevue, 922-1117 Come watch the game in our “living room”