The love for authentic Thai cuisine and the persistence of offering the best and most innovative dishes has blossomed into Vancouver’s elite Thai restaurant. Last June 2nd marked the One Year Anniversary of Thai sensation, Maenam, which blends simplicity, innovation and balance, which is based on the philosophy of its owner and chef, Angus An. The cuisine at Maenam, which means ‘river’ or ‘mother water’, is a fusion of authentic Thai cuisine with the intense fresh local flavours and was inspired by Chef David Thompson of the world-renowned Thai restaurant, Nahm, in London.

Under the watchful eyes of Chef Angus together with his wife and business partner, Kate, Maenam offers traditional, centuries-old dishes fit for the royalty of Thailand infused with locally-sourced ingredients giving it an intense fusion of flavours.

Much of the menu is inspired by the annual trips of the couple to Thailand where they would roam the streets to uncover new dishes that would serve as inspirations for their innovative cuisine. The restaurant brings a top-notch Thai dining experience into Vancouver’s local restaurant scene.

The event had free flowing bubbles and cocktails along with some appetizing bites courtesy of Chef Angus. Bar manager, Alicia Grunert, was on hand to serve the ‘Green Eyed Love’, which was a vodka cocktail with Thai basil, freshly squeezed lime juice, lychee and a heavy rinse of Absinthe. The drink was named after the favourite song of Alicia.

Gracing the occasion were John-Paul Lamb of the Glowbal restaurant Group, Nadine Mcdowell, Ben Schach, renowned food writer James McRobbie and CBC food columnist Jaeny Balk.

Aside from the food, Maenam also offers a stimulating array of wines from the Rhein and Mosel river valleys of Germany. The Reisling wine collection of the restaurant is focused on the lighter reds aside from having a good range of aromatic whites,which would complement Maenam’s excellent cuisine. Under the guidance of General Manager and Sommelier, Tara Thom, the wine list has evolved into a collection worthy of praise and envy from any bona-fide oenophile.

Maenam was designed by Vancouver based Scott Cohen in collaboration with artist Ken Lum and Chef Angus. With a minimalistic interior decorated with Thai artifacts, Maenam is definitely a modern, casual and comfortable setting to enjoy a world-class Thai dining experience.

Maenam is located along West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC and is open seven days a week.

A treat it was indeed, a feast for the eyes and the soul . . . and good for the stomach too. Jolly’s Indian Bistro located at the heart of the Kitsilano has recently moved a few blocks further West to a more spacious and elegant venue.  Inspired from traditional Northern and Southern recipes, and enhanced by his culinary skills, Jolly’s creations are rich in flavours and aroma, using freshly ground, specially handpicked spices from India to ensure a traditional taste to every dish.

The Jolly Indian Bistro has a cozy and warm atmosphere where the staff is polite and attentive even as the owner, Jolly Kumar, will also come out of his kitchen and personally talk with his guests giving the bistro an added personal touch.

The appetizers of the bistro include the bite-size Paneer Pakoras (mixed vegetables and home-made cheese which are fried to a crisp with chickpea flour batter), the Samosa (potatos and peas wrapped in light pastry served with peas and chutney) and the Lamb Boti Kabab (marinated lamb cutlets in chilies and rare spices roasted in a tandoori oven and served with a small salad)

For the entrees, you can try the Mumbai Chicken Masala (Stuffed chicken breast with spinach and paneer with tomato and mushroom chutney), the Kashmiri Lamb Rogenjosh (Leg of lamb pressure cooked with rare mixed spices and mint), Goa Fish Fry (cod fillet marinated with spices and lemon juice finished to perfection with onion sauce), or the Butter Chicken ala Jolly (a boneless chicken breast marinated with yoghurt and tandoori masala, roasted and infused with light cream sauce), or the Delhi 6 Daal (black lentils simmered slowly with kidney beans, and finished with desi ghee ginger and garlic taka.)

After you’ve had your fill of the main dishes, you can try their desserts: the chocolate cake served with whipped cream, Ras Mala (an Indian cottage cheese flat dumpling in pistachio, rosewater and saffron infused milk), and an exotically spiced carrot cake that has real cream cheese icing.

And for those that are thirsty, they serve several non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks including Raj beer.

Jolly’s Indian Bistro
www.jollysindianbistro.com

2928 West 4th Avenue (MAP)
Vancouver, BC V6K 1R2
(604) 730-6926

In most cases, the recipient receives a mystery box of ultra-fresh vegetables in their delivery and from there, the games begin.

On Tuesday, June 23rd, three local farmers, Donna Stokoe and David Catzell from Fraser Common Farm and Ward Teulon from City Farm Boy, delivered two mystery boxes of seasonal vegetables at their peak to Chef Andrea Carlson at Bishop’s. The subsequent event was the second dinner in the Producer’s Dinner Series at the acclaimed restaurant.

To find out what we ate, sipped and savoured, plus to find out more about the Producer’s  Dinner Series, read more, after the jump.

The Menu:

CITY FARM BOY
and
FRASER COMMON FARM
C.S.A. MENU

(Blue Mountain Rose – welcome wine)

Peas and Carrots

Kale Chips

Chilled Amaranth Soup
goat ricotta and oregano
filled squash blossom

(paired with Quail’s Gate Riesling)

Rouge D’Hiver Lettuce
shaved radish, sweet cicely flower and
pickled spring onion vinaigrette

(paired with Mission Hill’s Unoaked ’07 Pinot Grigio)

Seared Ling Cod Spotted Shrimp
saute of romaine, mint and broad beans,
garlic scape and tarragon butter sauce

(paired with the Prospect Winery Pinot Blanc)

Roasted Squab Breast
metchosin wheatberries, radicchio
and currant saute, fennel seed paneer,
shaved fennel

(paired with the ’04 Morning Bay Merlot)

Lemon Verbena Panna Cotta
nootka rose honey gelee, rhubarb broth
alpine strawberries

More Alpine Strawberries

(paired with the Late Harvest  Optima from Quail’s Gate)

The original news release:

(Vancouver, BC) – When you think of dinner at Bishop’s, you don’t usually imagine it coming out of a box but that is literally what will happen this coming July and August. Bishop’s Executive Chef Andrea Carlson is a huge supporter of CSA’s – Community Supported Agriculture. For those who are not yet familiar, CSAs allow small-producer farmers to pre-sell their crops. For a fee, people ‘subscribe’ to share in the harvest. Each week during the season, ‘shareholders’ receive a box brimming with just-picked, organic produce straight from the farm.

The trick with this system is that you never know exactly what you are going to receive from week to week. You might have a fair idea based on what is in season but you never actually know until you lift the lid. “Every week is a special creative challenge,” says Chef Carlson. “It’s a bit like Christmas, every box is a surprise – it’s a lot of fun to work with.”

Currently Bishop’s is supplied by two CSAs – Glorious Organics Cooperative (Fraser Common Farm) and City Farm Boy.

More than 30 years ago, a group of like-minded people banded together to form Fraser Common Farm Cooperative which bought its first ten acres of farmland near Aldergrove. Eight years ago, they were able to purchase a neighbouring property thereby doubling their land base and production. Two co-ops – Fraser Common Farm Co-op, whose shareholders own the land, and Glorious Organics Co-op, who farm it – work together to run this ‘community farm.’ Members of the farming co-op are all shareholders in the land co-op. David Catzel, who heads up the CSA ‘division’ of the Fraser Common Farm, says they grow more than 30 varieties of salad greens along with peas, beans, squash, garlic, herbs, onions, leeks, beets, carrots, potatoes, fennel, Jerusalem artichokes and edible flowers.

City Farm Boy, the brainchild of Ward Teulon, is the ‘new kid’ on the CSA block. Mr. Teulon’s approach is unique, he farms plots of land within Vancouver – usually yard gardens in private homes or unused allotment spaces. This year he is selling only 30 ‘shares’ and has planted a wide range of produce: beans, broad beans, beets, carrots, rhubarb, sugar snap peas, cucumbers along with several varieties of lettuce, peppers and tomatoes to name only a small portion of the 2009 crop.

“From each box I create a menu that accommodates approximately 10 people as our fresh sheet and early bird menus. When it’s gone it’s gone. They send what they harvest – that’s the point – it’s sharing in a portion of the harvest – not customizing,” says Chef Carlson.

The three-course ‘Out of the Box’ early bird menu is available every evening in July and August (while supplies last) from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The price of only $38 is certainly a pleasant surprise.

If you wish to add a wine pairing created by Maitre d’ Abel Jacinto, then that is an additional $20 for 3 oz. pours or $38 if you prefer larger 6 oz. pours.

Reservations are always a good idea and can be made online at
www.bishopsonline.com or call 604-738-2025.

The impromptu concert was arranged as a promotion for the upcoming Chip’s Not Dead Yet race which will take place on Saturday, June 20th. Attendees not only got to register for the funnest charity race alive, but they were entertained the whole time while doing it.

For more information about Chip’s Not Dead Yet, stay tuned, or check out the official website, HERE. All proceeds matched by the event will be matched by Chip Wilson and then donated to BC’s Children’s Hospital.

Urban Mixer is stepping in this year and sponsoring the post-race LifeLid Gala on June 27th, 2009, which will occur in lieu of Lululemon’s Flip Flop Soiree.

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You are cordially invited to:
LifeLid Art Gala – A celebration of life
Saturday, June 27th
7:00pm – 11:00pm live Auction starts at 8:00pm
Dress to impress

10 artists have created their interpretations celebrating life on a life-size coffin lid made from BC denim pine as the canvas for their inspiration (www.LifeLidGala.com).  The LifeLid Gala is the showing, fundraising auction and party celebrating this art.

These 10 unique masterpieces along with a Nita Lake Lodge Spa vacation will be auctioned off at the LifeLid Gala June 27th at Winsor Gallery. Proceeds benefit BC Children’s Hospital.

Find out more about this event, HERE.