West Vancouver.

NEWS photo Nell Lucente
"EVERGREEN qrub...A classic Chinese Gai-lan is presented at the new Evergreen Tree restaurant in

iverereen Tree Satisties

” Evergreen “Tree Chinese Restau-
"ant, 2533 Marine Dr., West -

’ Vancouver, 925-3068. Visa and
" MasterCard accepted. Open.
| Monday to Saturday for lunch

anid dinner. Take the kids or

. call a babysitter? Take the kids.

é Its menu is relatively concise,
with few exotic surprises. 9¥

consistency is both its blessing and

Nits curse.

Timothy Renshaw
TABLE HOPPING

RITIQUING Chinese
restaurants can.be
less than inspiring.
In most cases, the food served
in one is largely indistinguishable
‘from the food served in another.
It is as if the majority of Chinese
food restaurants are‘all serviced by
one massive kitchen from which
issues forth.endless oblong plates
laden with chow meins, chop
sueys, won ton soups, fried rices
and egg foo yongs.
. And while the aforementioned
main themes come in a boundless
‘variety of sub-themes, they are all’
basically the same. It is largely a
cuisine of odds and ends, a grand
study in the creative use of lef-
tovers.
Chinese fcod’s familiarity and

SAUVIGNON BLANC. CLOS
OU BOIS. 1990. $15.60
(U.S.A)

A DASH of semiilon gives this
carefully crafted Celifornia
Sauvignon Blanc a leg up, as does
the faint tang of oak, resulting in a
smooth mouthful of elegantly
subdued fruit.

This is what basic white
Bordeaux should taste ‘ike, instead
of tonsillectomy-in-a-jug.

Clos du Bois’ well-deserved rap
is built on this kind of non-showy
consistent wine- -making and rea-
sonable prices, which, alas, still
double at the border.

it satisfies many, but ‘excites few.

The Evergreen Tree recently
moved into the premises of a
long-time Marine Drive cafe that
used to serve that old standby

n-Canadian Chinese-Canadian

oilerplate that has launched and
sustained the operations of thou-
sands of cafes and.restaurants
across this mighty hungry land.

Its name is elegantly West Coast,
but the Evergreen has dropped
from its menu the Canadian suffix
of its predecessor and concen-
trates instead on simple Chinese
food.

Its interior is spare and clean,
though the pictorial display of
four-color entrees on the wall over
its kitchen is reminiscent of the
Daily Special wallhangings favored
by the galleys of the B.C. Ferry
Corp. fleet.

But the Evergreen’s food,
thankfully, is several rungs above
the institutional goulash dispensed
between Nanaimo and Horseshoe
Bay.

For a Chinese restaurant, its
menu is relatively concise, with
few exotic surprises.

The prices of the various dishes
are reasonable, ranging from $3.75

Tell yourself again we have bet-
ter medicare and social programs,
pony up and try not to cry isto the
wine.

BON MIGUEL TORRES. 1987.
$15.95 (Spain)

Replacing the ‘86, whicty suf-

* for a good-sized bowl of Won Ton
soup up to $8.95 for an order of
Curry Prawns.

A special Hot & Spicy menu in-

_ sert offers an eight-dish selection

of more challenging entrees
(Spareribs with spicy salt and hot
pepper, $7.25; Satay Beef, $7.25;
Hot Pepper Prawns, $8.95).

Table Hopping sampled a Hot
Pepper Chicken ($6.95) that
featured assorted chopped bell
peppers, chicken and hot red chili
peppers in a vigorous stir-fry.

A House Special Fried Rice
($5.95) was festooned with shrimp,
pork and fried egg.

Both were simple dishes that
ably satisfied Chinese food crav-
ings, and both were served by a
staff that is polite and eager to
please.

For dessert, | suggest a stroll
across Marine Drive — watching
of course for that fast approaching
Mercedes or Jeep Cherokee — to
Bean Around the World for a
porcelain bowl of Cafe Latte and
perhaps a homebaked confection.

Or if Bean is too packed with la-
tent beatnik types, head another
block east to the new and bright
Grabbajabba for an iced Moc-
cacino ($3) and a Choco-
late-Hazelnut Biscotti ($1.25).

fered from schizophrenic bottle
variation, this new vintage ought
to have “New & Improved!’’ on
the iabel.

The cabernet sauvignon com-

ponent has been goosed from 70%
to 85%, leaving just 15% tem-
pranillo to add a distinctively
Spanish flourish te the deep reso-
nances of this complex cabernet.

This is a hefty yet sensitive
wine, looking tor a juicy steak,
aged lamb rack or mature cheese
to take !ong romantic walks on the
beach and generaliy hang out
with. Play match-maker.

— by John Mocre

Wednesday, October 21, 1992 - North Shore News - 29

socescocccccsceccce Quy. coesenccesoosenaceeses
ESI
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RESTAURANT

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purchased from our menus.

1200 Lonsdale .

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(Resarvations Recommended)
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LVOSCOCSCHOSTCISSSO COED

Flavour of
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Cuisine
(with this ad)

for

MON, TUES, WED -
4 FREE LUNCH OR DINNER

When a second lunch or dinner entree
. of equal or lesser value is purchased.
¢ Opening Soon e Lunch from 11:30-2:30pm
for Sat/Sun. Brunch Mon-Fri.

© Dinner from
54Gpm, Mon-Sun, _* Excludes beverages
* FULLY LICENSED

° Expires Nov, 11/92

935-5477 | .
175 &. 3rd St., N. Vancouver

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