-“_

52 - Friday, August 23, 1985 -

North Shore News

Prospect of fine dining

IF RESTAURANTS were rated on_ balconies
alone, the Prospect Point Cafe in Stanley Park
would immediately be issued four forks.

Nestled amidst Stanley
Park foliage at the south end
of the Lions Gate Bridge,
the Point, as those in the
know refer to it, stands
teady to feed the droves of
tourists at Prospect Point.

In these hallowed
grounds, the mechanical

commands to ‘‘say cheese’’
and the click of instamatics
blend into 2 continual audio
drone that resounds off the
volcanic rock that forms the
grand scenic locale,

by Tirhothy
Renshaw |

Until two summers ago

the Pojnt’s’ ambitions. and
abilities were Janguishing
behind the tawdry facade of
a tourist knick-knack and
postcard shop adjoined to a
half-hearted French fry and
overcooked hamburger
dispensary.

- Two-foot high totem poles

and Prospect Point penants
mingled with | institutional
issue coffee and egg salad

‘sandwiches’ on Wonder
bread.
- DIAMOND IN ROUGH

_ George: Frankel stumbled
upon this diamond in. the
rough“like John Speke onto
the source of the Nile.

? The location's possibilities
— the.trees, the view, the

tranquility, the tourists ~~

lunged at him from every
angle... He ran

‘A stodgy park: outpost of
heartburn and ho-hum has
since flowered into a first

ate culinary compendium to
Prospect’ Point's glorious

harbor view.
DIFFERENT VIEW

“The view takes in the ci-
ty’s north side, framing the
industrial back bone of
North Vanconver in Stanley
Park forest, North Shore
mountains, and the First and
Second Narrows bridges.

No namby-pamby skyline
of office towers, hotels, and
banking centres, just down-
to-earth grain elevators,
freighters at dock, railway
marshalling yards, and
mountains of sulphur —
meat and potatoes North
Shore.

. The menu at the Poinris a
concise celebration of
seafood, Of the !0 entrees
offered seven are fish.

Chef Ellie Lincoln has
managed to chart a culinary
course far from pedestrian
waters. Red Snapper ($9.95),
all too often the edible
equivalent of white noise, is
enlivened with fresh mint,
marinated in olive oil, and
presented with Calico

screaming
- from the site wild-eyed.

scallops. Halibut (11.95) is
spiced up with lime butter.

SEAFOOD TREATS

But it is the Point's night-
ly seafood specials that real-
ly inject new life into the art
of elevating seafood onto
higher edible levels.

Accompanied by my
brother and his wife, visiting
from distant Qualicum
Beach, we listened to
waiters, made tanned and
cheerful from a, summer's
labor on the Point’s
sundeck, sing the praises of
the restaurant’s food.

They cajoled us, with
gleaming teeth, to test the
Fresh Pacific Game Fish of
the evening, Swordfish,
gently broiled and bathed in
lemon butter ($12.95), and
further suggested the Catch
of the Day, Tuna, grilled,
then smothered in a sauce of
pinenuts, herbs, and rasp-
berry vinegar ($13.95).

Both selections were ex-
cellent. The former, a hearty
slab of firm white swordfish
meat, juicy and rich, similar
in texture to chicken.

SAVORY TUNA

The latter, tuna as you've
never experienced it: savory
dark meat tinged with rasp-
berry that will send past vi-
sions of a thousand soggy
tuna fish and mayonnaise
sandwiches and 10,000 over-
cooked tuna fish casseroles
momentarily packing off to
darker mental! regions. -

Scallops and. Prawns,
presented in a light tomato
and Pernod sauce, ‘whipped
the dang worksocks off
anything in Qualicum,’’ ac-
cording to sister-in-law.

.. From the Point’s interest-

-ing and wide-ranging wine
‘selection, 25 whites, 14 reds,

three roses, and six sparkling
priced between $9 and $76,

- we waded arm-in-arm into a

full-bodied 1980 Californian
Cabernet Sauvignon
($19.30).

After brother and wife in-
sisted on instamatic shots of
us all with our waiter posed
deckside, we plunged into
dessert, .

SWEET DESSERT
Fresh. Fruit Flan ($2.95)

~. set.in sweet pastry, topped

with Kiwi fruit, and draped
in whipped cream; Profiter-
oles ($2.95), puffed pastry
sodden with chocolate, in-
jected with custard, and
again socked in with clouds
of whipped cream.

The combination of li-
quers andthe steady 2/4
beat of traffic clanging
across the bridge inspired
inquiry from our visitors in-
to Vancouver's foremost pe-
culiarity.

‘“What's
bridge?”’

“Eh?”

“Three lanes. A joke or
something?"

Along with the Ferguson
Point Teahouse anc the

with the

FRANK BAKER'S
2 ror 1 FRE

r
I
j
I
Entrees include: Seafood, Chicken, Pastas, Specialties, Lamb & Steaks.
j
I
i
!
i
[
|

Frank Baker's
Restaurant
Cambie at 14th

Reservanuns absolutely
necessary

«874-0174

YOUR LUNCH & DINNER COUPO

You and your guests ore invited to enjoy one FREE
DINNER OR LUNCH ENTREE when a second Ginner
or lunch enteze of equal or greater value is
purchased.

UP TO $10.00 VALUE

Volid everyday, lunch from 1 1.30 a.m. and dinner from 4,00 p.m.
bo oe on oe CLIP MOW AND SAVES See ee

Stanley Park Beach House
Restaurant, the Prospect
Point Cafe has helped raise
Stanley Park*s culinary
character to one that com- and do not forget the Lions
plements its natura! splen- Gate Bridge anecdotes or the
dor. instamatic.

The restaurant is open

3:30 p.m. and $:30 p.m. to
to p.m. Bring your visitors

Fresh from the Sea
Fresh Red Sockeye

"72065" °péifarton.

“Hwy. 929-1597
OPEN 10 AM - 6 PM 7 DAYS

K ROYAL ‘or3-g812. 8
: jarine Drive,
“West. Van -

arte

= =
Special . of

the Weekt! | ¢

Chicken Oscar

— bonless chicken
topped with seafood
& hollandaise served
with rice or salad.

S6”

Aug. 25-31 only

Book the loft for
lunch meetings

of private party From 3-8 p.m.

Black Sheep Summer Hours
S 121 E. 12th St. Sun.-Tue. 11:30-10:30pm
BE off Lonsdale Wed--Thur. 11:30-11:00
7 N. Van. Fri.-Sat. 11:30-11:30

RESERVATIONS: 984-9595 |

LUNCH &
DINNER OFFER

Ly

everyday from 11! a.m. to |

| BUFFET BRUNCH Sat Sun 12-3 |

FUSCES

f THE BEST HAVE COME WEST

( 2168 MARINE DR. W.V- 926-6037

You can’t beat
px tact s for

¢ Dancing Thurs. §
Fri. & Sat. nites |
® Sunday Brunch

60 Semisch. North Van. 984-0274

Any evening to Sept. 3rd., you and your
guest will receive a complimentary dinner
entree (with this ad) when one of equal or.
greater value is purchased.
Live music nightly.

the food, the friendliness
the atmosphere...
very Spanish.
Lunch Mon-Fri. 4:30-2:00
Dinner Mon-Sat. 5:30-0:00

3108 Edgemont Blvd.
North Vancouver

’

988-3376

WERE BRINGING ~
“THE BEST

Were the only authentic Cliinese seafood restaurant on
the North Shore. With our live seafood tank you can.
choose your own succulent seafood feast.

© Crab © Prawns @ Lobster ¢ Rock Cod
© plus unique and authentic Cantonese dishes

15

NORTH SHORE’S ONLY

Chinese
Seafood j
Restaurant |