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Boulevard’s takeout clam chowder is just the kind of comfort we need. Photo by Leila Kwok
From the best wine, beer and takeout in the city to virtual events, great reads and more: our picks for taking on 2021
PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS BEST TAKEOUT
The Covid Takeout Honour Roll Legends Haul
HOLY HELL, WHAT A YEAR. We would say it took the industry on a roller-coaster ride, except there were scant few ups to go with what seemed like a never-ending series of stomach-churning downs. But one bright area was the huge advances made in the realm of takeout, an area long tapped to be a potential saviour for an industry that had some serious dysfunction even before COVID strolled into our lives. So, in honour of this ray of light in a sea of darkness, we polled our fave foodie peeps and asked them for their greatest takeout hits from last year. by Neal McLennan
Ten months ago, few outside of the industry had heard the name Legends Haul, but they quickly became pivot masters and the go-to supplier for home delivery for a city that was missing its restaurants. You could get prepare-at-home from spots like Maenam, Chambar, Café Medina and Chau Veggie Express, meat from Hills Legacy, condiments from Downlow. We’re going with a simple, delicious bag of greens from Zaklan Heritage Farm that kept us healthy. All delivered quickly and always for free. Legends, indeed.
Organic Ocean ALBACORE TUNA LOINS Not a restaurant, but a beloved restaurant supplier who pivoted to direct-to-consumer brilliantly with uber-local, amazing fare. The winner, however, was the bulk order of 36 beautiful, sustainable sashimigrade albacore tuna loins at a price ($151) that was about the same as a pork tenderloin.
Say Mercy! LASAGNA When the history of the pandemic in Vancouver is written, there’ll be a special place for this Fraser Street spot that, two months old at the time and facing financial ruin, asked: How can we help others? Thus was born the Staff Meal initiative—affordable food for industry types and frontline workers. But even normal folks were treated to their largesse: a huge pan of Southern-inflected lasagna and a side of Parker House rolls was just $28.
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SAY MERCY! L ASAGNA: K ATIE CROSS; BOULEVARD CHOWDER AND MASAYOSHI EDOMAE CHIRASHI: LEIL A K WOK; ANNALENA: SCOT T MITCHELL; ELISA STRIPLOIN: ISTOCK /K ARANDAEV
ZAKLAN GREENS
AnnaLena
Elisa
ROTATING TUESDAY TAKEOUT
HOLSTEIN STRIPLOIN
While many of the dishes here came from the early days of the pandemic, leave it up to AnnaLena to shine in the second act with a high-wire four-course mini tasting menu (smoked squid bruschetta, bison ribs) created just for takeout at the they’ve-got-to-be-losing-their-shirts price of $59.
In the realm of things you couldn’t buy anywhere before, we choose the Holstein striploin from Top table’s Elisa. We’d enjoyed the cut pre-COVID at the restaurant for a cool $55, and while we’re no match for Chef Andrew Richardson, this falls in the almost-impossibleto-screw-up category. When we needed a pick-me-up from the grind, this special occasion cut at a Safeway price ($20) was there.
Boulevard CLAM CHOWDER Choosing just one thing from our reigning restaurant of the year is near impossible, given that they spanned the spectrum from a kit for baking a fresh sea bream in salt (surprisingly easy) to cornbread that could save the worst pandemic day. But we’re going with their flawless rendition of clam chowder served by the litre at an affordable price (it started at $10, and is still just $14). That it got you JP Potters strolling out to cheerfully drop it in your trunk in the Sutton Place roundabout was the icing on the cake.
Dachi A MAGNUM OF BELLA RESERVE CUVEE Once the province relaxed its dumb-ass rules on wine, there was a cavalcade of spots that turned to their cellars for financial salvation. For the savvy there were deals and for the nerdy there were unicorns, but no one combined both better than Dachi, selling a long soldout magnum of gorgeous Bella bubbles for $88—or 25 percent less than the wine’s retail price (when it was available).
Actual Daddy PIZZA
Masayoshi EDOMAE CHIRASHI The sight of Masa-san working away with a huge smile on his face as he prepped takeout was one of the most uplifting moments of the early days of the pandemic. It was like watching Lucian Freud happily painting a house. His restaurant joined with its neighbour Say Mercy! in the Staff Meal program, offering Japanese stews and the like, and while all his takeout was a treat and a rare bargain, it was the sold-out-every-dayin-10-minutes chirashi ($25)—marinated fish on a bed of sushi rice—that became the beauty of a calling card.
I know only two things about the owner of the Instagram handle @actual_daddy: I think he works at Como Taperia and every Monday he hand-made pizzas for friends, with goofy names like Howdy Valley Ranch. And they went bonkers for them. They’re the perfect lo-fi antidote to the flurry of bad news bombarding us every day and it looks like they’ll soon be available to the rest of us under the name Good Pizza (@goodpizzayvr). That seems like a win.
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PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS BEST VIRTUAL EVENTS
Coco
Screen Is the New Stage
UNEXPECTING Premiering February 10 artsclub.com This show goes on in your ears: Unexpecting is the Arts Club’s very first audio play. It tells the story of married couple Annie and Jo, who have been trying for years to start a family. They’re about to give up when their last chance at a baby bursts through their door (literally). Tune in for a touching exploration of marriage, friendship and modern motherhood.
PAINTSKILLET: A SKILL-BASED PODBUCKET Every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. facebook.com
The shows go on in Vancouver, and even though our stages have gotten a little smaller, local creatives are still producing great work in a big way. Stay plugged in to the arts with these online events—we know you’re spending all day staring at your screen, anyway. by
Alyssa Hirose and Anicka Quin
Lots of us vowed to spend the pandemic learning a new skill, but only the brave demonstrate it live online. And only the super brave also do improv. Every week, comedians Vivian Tang, Maddy Rafter and Steve Currie challenge each other to learn a new skill (for example, beatboxing, echolocation, a Michael Caine impression) and share their new talents for a virtual audience. The shows are free to view on Facebook Live and feature wacky local guests playing even wackier characters.
ISOLATION DRAG WITH COCO Ongoing Instagram @drecked Local drag queen Coco, the alter ego of Derek White, has been doing a daily drag show on their Instagram channel since lockdown—going on 300 one-minute shows now—and each one is the morning pickme-up we all need. The goal, says White, is to put a smile on someone’s face. “I try to keep them uplifting, to have a positive message,” White explains. “Something that’s kind of fun— and I have no problem making myself look silly.”
MADE IN CANADA Ongoing riceandbeanstheatre.com Created by Pedro Chamale, Made in Canada: An Agricultural Song Cycle digs deep into our local agriculture and sheds some light on the folks who travel here to work under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The audio project is a pandemic pivot from live operetta—listen and grow through this series of music and stories.
PAINTSKILLET: CHELSE Y STUY T; ISOL ATION DRAG: GRAHAM SPENCE
Maddy Rafter, Vivian Tang and Steve Currie make up the Paintskillet podcast.
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PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS BEST WINE
The Pandemic Wine Time Capsule THERE’S NOT A DAY THAT’S GONE BY DURING THIS PANDEMIC that I haven’t stopped and said: “I can’t believe how weird all this is.” And, like everyone else, I can’t wait for it to be over—but that doesn’t mean I want to forget it. So, here’s the plan: you buy a mixed case of bottles that spoke to you during the pandemic and, at regular intervals, drop in on them, see how they’re doing and remember 2020—while being thankful for the many gifts of a great glass of (aged) wine. by Neal McLennan After 3 Years
After 7 Years
After 10+ Years
Le Vieux Pin Ava 2019
Tantalus Riesling 2019
Poplar Grove Legacy 2016
You see an increasing amount of roussanne and marsanne grapes in the Okanagan, but they were a novelty when Severine Pinte started making this wine years ago. It’s a classy bottle—rich with notes of honey drizzled on toast—and it’ll continue to evolve with some downtime. $30, levieuxpin.ca
The more obvious choice might be Martin’s Lane exquisite rieslings or even Tantalus’s own Old Vines offering, but how cool will it be to crack a $21 bottle of wine in 2028 and have it sing the song of citrus zest, apple and petrol that I know this one will? $21, tantalus.ca
It speaks to the maturity of the industry that there are literally a dozen Bordeaux blends that could occupy this spot, but the nod goes to Legacy because Poplar has kept its price reasonable, given the company it keeps. And it won a gold at the Decanter Awards, which is one of the few programs that is rock solid. $52, poplargrove.ca
Sperling Brut Reserve 2011
Quails’ Gate Clone 220 Chenin Blanc 2019
You wanna talk crazy? This méthode champenoise sparkler is already nine years old, but its backbone of vibrant acidity will see it continue to age—adding some creamy and brioche notes as it does—for easily another few years. $80, sperlingvineyards.com
Wow, is this wine going to be cool in seven years. Chenin is an unheralded genius of a grape when it comes to aging—in its home base of the Loire, vouvrays and savennières made from chenin can last for decades. Expect to be blown away by a combo of waxy meyer lemons and wildflowers with a tremendously long finish. $40, quailsgate.com
Blue Mountain Block 14 Gravel Force Pinot Noir 2018
Moon Curser Touriga Nacional 2018
Phantom Creek Pinot Gris 2018 Aging pinot gris? Yes, when it’s overseen by Alsace legend Olivier Humbrecht and has a depth and weight (with some oak cask time added in for structure) that’s the envy of the Valley. $33, phantomcreekestates.com
Every wine geek I know has a bottle or two of this showstopper by Osoyoos’s Moon Curser tucked away in their cellar— and that’s because it’s that intersection of well-made and risk-taking (growing touriga in Canada is unheard of) that produces magic. And the hearty Portuguese grape can take age like nobody’s business and still deliver a tender wallop of berry fruit and dusty leather. $40, mooncurser.com
There are a number of great pinots in the Valley that I think will age wonderfully—and one, this one, that I know will. Since the early 1990s Blue Mountain’s pinots have proved they can handle 10 years plus of cellar time, and their new vineyard-specific bottle only doubles down on that legacy. Ideally, you’d buy each of the three vineyards, but if it has to be only one, choose the structure of Gravel Force. $80, bluemountainwinery.com
Zenato Amarone 2015 I was keeping this all B.C., but in March and April, Northern Italy was on all of our minds—and this sledgehammer of a wine stands for the resilience of the people there. I often shy away from amarone because of the richness, but this bottle from Zenato underplays that aspect and increases the freshness and juiciness—and it has the tannic backbone to preserve all this like a champ. $65, zenato.it
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PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS BEST BEER
A Year of Beer
MARISSA MILLS: TANYA GOEHRING
THERE WAS NO TIME like the entire year that was 2020 for having a drink. So we asked some of Vancouver’s beer industry folk to chime in on what’s been popular at their shops during a period like no other. by Nathan Caddell “Our most popular beers since opening have been Colour and Shape, which is one of our two flagship beers, and our Coconuts IPA, which we first introduced at the beginning of the pandemic. It’s been a huge hit, as it’s something different and familiar at the same time.” —Adam Henderson, co-founder, Superflux Beer Company
“When the pandemic first hit, our Naked Fox IPA, Barrel-Aged Stag and Pheasant Stout and Barley Wine were going like crazy. We had decided last year not to brew our barrel-aged beers—we had cellared quite a few cases from previous years that we were going to slowly release. But we quickly realized that there was a huge demand for those 10-percent-plus ABV beers, and we sold out of them months ago. Apparently the more the alcohol the better.” —Cameron Forsyth, co-owner, Main Street Brewing Co.
“We recently collaborated with the Hatch winery in the Okanagan and made a Belgian Blond Rosé with their pinot noir skins. It’s been a big hit since release.” —Samantha Lindeman, founder, Wildeye Brewing
“Our Amethyst Purple Sour with Guava. It’s stunningly purple in colour thanks to the butterfly pea flower and it sold out almost immediately. We have plans in place to relaunch it in early 2021!” —Marissa Mills, brand manager, Granville Island Brewing
“Our Fatalis Ginger and Turmeric Sour. We’ve had this beer on tap for the past few months and it’s turned out to be a perfect sour option for this time of year. Red-orange in colour, bright acidity complemented by the spice of ginger and turmeric— it’s a warming winter sour.” —Darren Hollett, co-founder, House of Funk Brewing Co.
4330 Halifax St., Burnaby, BC | 604-298-6252 4337 Boban Dr, Nanaimo, BC | 250-729-9766 #1110-1579 Kingsway Ave, Port Coquitlam, BC | 778-948-9854
info@citytileltd.ca | citytileltd.ca
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PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS BEST WALKING ROUTES
A DISTANCED WALK is just about the only way to socialize right now. On the bright side, Vancouver is an eminently walkable town, with parks, beaches, leafy streets and coastline-hugging pedestrian pathways for days. Here, our editors share their best bets for a great social stroll. by The Editors Stanley Park Loop
The Fairview ’Hood
I’ve been in the West End for going on a decade and I’m a longtime seawall stroller, but I didn’t head into the trails themselves much until it was pandemic time and I desperately needed room to breathe— particularly in those early, stranger-danger days. Nine months later, I’ve got a pretty regular loop: head into the trails at Second Beach, follow Bridle Path to Lees Trail and then turn right on Tatlow to hit the lagoon. Keep following that loop around, admire the glassy water on still days, and wind my way back through the West End, playing spot-the-artdeco with the buildings that characterize west of Denman. I was once afraid of getting lost (and in fact I have)—but 2020 tech means all the trails are on Google Maps now. So just pick a trail and keep walking. —Anicka Quin
Tucked between Oak Street and Cambie, the Fairview neighbourhood doesn’t get much buzz (save for the always busy Corduroy Pie Co.) but the sleepy residential area makes the ideal locale for an evening walkabout. I like to pick a corner of Douglas Park to start at, and meander the surrounding leafy streets in a zig-zag west-to-south-toeast-to-south-again route as my whims decide. Any direction you go, you’ll find adorable heritage houses, with the odd modern new build tossed in, sure to fuel real estate debates for blocks on end. I call dibs on the modernist beauty at Heather and 28th. —Stacey McLachlan
Trout Lake I recently moved to Commercial Street, and while I definitely did and continue to mourn moving out of Mount Pleasant, it hasn’t been all bad in my new spot. A large part of that is the landlocked wonder that is Trout Lake. With a mishmash of very walkable trails and actual chances to get lost in the middle of East Van, it really is a nice getaway from, well, everything that is 2020. There’s even a farmers’ market (well, usually), a basketball court to practice your solo game and (we assume) the city’s smallest beach. —Nathan Caddell
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Steveston’s West and South Dikes Before you dismiss this for the 25-minute drive (yes, it’s only 25 minutes from Vancouver; my mom reminds me of that every time I go more than a week without visiting), let me tell you: the dike lining the Richmond waterfront is the most peaceful, people-free, COVID-cool walk you can find in the Lower Mainland. Lots of parking, no cars rushing by and enough space on the gravel path that walking past another person doesn’t feel like sidewalk parkour. You can start at Garry Point Park and walk west, but parking at the end of Williams, Francis or Blundell Road is better. Any way you slice it, you’ll have the ocean on one side, gorgeous homes on the other and absolutely no uphill, guaranteed. —Alyssa Hirose
THE SOCIAL-WALK ESSENTIALS
LIGHT IT UP With only so many daylight hours this time of year, it’s essential for mental health to embrace the idea of nighttime walk-and-talks. Sure, the sun is down, but schedule that after-work friend date anyway, and strap on a Nite Ize Slaplit LED wrap to offer both visibility (safety first) and a little ambiance. $15, mec.ca
SIP SIP HOORAY We’re copyrighting the concept of a Roving Happy Hour right now: roaming the streets feels a lot more festive when you’ve got something quaffable in hand. But walking and talking and drinking requires the proper tools if you don’t want to slosh your beverage down the front of your parka. The Kinto travel tumbler keeps the hot hot and the cool cool and the liquid directed to its rightful destination. $44, walrushome.com
BOOTS MADE FOR WALKIN’ If you’re committing to a winter of walking, you’d best come prepared. The Vancouver-designed Vessi Weekend sneakers are an excellent option for logging kilometres in style—waterproof as all get-out (puddles are a part of life here and it’s time you accept that) but lightweight enough for long strolls, and available in on-trend hues. $165, vessi.com
TROUT L AKE: JAMESVANCOUVER/ISTOCK
WALK THIS WAY
PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS BEST PODCASTS
Ear to the Ground Keep your house empty and your ears full: here are the funny, uplifting and bingeworthy local podcasts worth listening to. by
Alyssa Hirose
Retail Nightmares Working in retail gives you insight into the worst of humanity—and some very good stories. In 2015, comedian and writer Alicia Tobin and musician Jessica Delisle started a podcast about their own retail horrors, and since then they’ve tagged and bagged nearly 300 hilarious episodes featuring local guests and funny folks from across the country.
When Kerri Met Allie What we wouldn’t give for romcom-like predictability right now. On this podcast, leading ladies Allie Entwistle and Kerri Donaldson invite guests to bring their favourite romantic comedy, then they all critique the mushy, the cliché and the downright bizarre. Listen with a glass of wine while you daydream your own meet-cute fantasy—will it be at the grocery store, or the grocery store?
WHEN KERRI MET ALLIE: NOL AN SAGE
Dark Poutine Get your fill of the creepy and the Canadian with this true crime podcast. Host Mike Browne has been producing Dark Poutine since Halloween 2017 (a fittingly haunting beginning) and has since reached over 150 episodes and almost a million downloads. It’s dark history that’s close to home, so prepare to be delightfully disturbed.
Your life, organized! Solutions for your home, office, and garage. arbutus.com • 604-734-1949
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PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS DESIGNER HOME IMPROVEMENTS
Not-So-Extreme Home Makeover: Pandemic Edition EVEN IF YOU LOVE YOUR SPACE, there’s something about an extended (and extended, and extended...) amount of quality time that tends to magnify those less-than-perfect elements. Here, a trio of interior designers share their own pandemic home improvements—perhaps the inspiration we need to stop doomscrolling and start decorating. by
Stacey McLachlan
Chad Falkenberg of Falken Reynolds Interiors Design problem Chad Falkenberg and partner Kelly Reynolds got keys to their condo on day one of lockdown. Right away, they realized they needed to make the space warmer than their bright, gallery-like previous home. Design solution Making the space warm and cozy with colour and light. “Rather than white and bright, we used a combination of slightly grey and slightly ivory for warmth and added depth,” says Falkenberg. A 57 Stem Bocci fixture features black mirrored glass when it’s off, and a warm glow when it’s on.
abantu.com
new year new you
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It may be unclear what 2021 has in store for us but superb hair and sensational styles are always instore and online at Abantu. See you soon.
3596 Kingsway | Vancouver 604.431.8008 | info@abantu.com 1/6/21 10:30 AM
Y O U A R E A L R E A DY B E AU T I F U L
Lightweight. Volumizing. Smudge-free.
Phyllis Lui of Kalu Interiors Design problem Now sharing a home office with her husband, Lui wanted to create a space that reflected both of their aesthetic tastes. Design solution Wallpaper from Metro Wallcoverings, simple black Ikea cabinets and sketches of their current and past homes suit both co-workers’ style. But they couldn’t enjoy the makeover for long... because they soon welcomed a new baby and transformed the space into a nursery. “My new home office is my dining table,” she laughs.
u Aleem Kassam of Kalu Interiors Design problem Kassam found that both he and his partner were gravitating toward the kitchen to work—but the island wasn’t exactly designed for modern business affairs. Design solution A re-build that takes into consideration cooking, entertaining and working, with an oversized island (a 13-by-5-foot Dekton countertop offers ample space and durability), hideaway plugs from Legrand and ultra-comfortable upholstered swivel stools from Restoration Hardware.
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PLEASANT DISTRACTIONS BEST BOOKS
Let’s Book It No surprise: we all read a lot more in 2020 and beyond—so we asked local bookstores to share some of their bestsellers.
It’s not just a light.
“One mystery set we’ve seen a huge uptick in for quarantine reading is the Lane Winslow series by local author Iona Whishaw. A light historical mystery series set in post-war B.C.” —Jina Koolen, Black Bond Books
112-3560 190 St Surrey BC | 604.576.8733 | designlighting.ca
“Braiding Sweetgrass has been a bestseller during COVID times. Robin Wall Kimmerer interweaves Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants in a way that vividly captures beauty.” —Kolin Lymworth, Banyen Books and Sound
“Chinatown Pretty is a photo and storytelling project that shares the wisdom and excellent fashion sense of seniors across six North American Chinatowns. The vibrancy and insight the seniors offer is a pleasure to read, and to recreate in our own wardrobes! Vancouver’s Chinatown is featured in the book, so you can understand why it is close to our hearts.” —Patricia Massy and Emily Dundas Oke, Massy Books
“James Baldwin has become wildly popular. He’s a classic, but he’s back and he’s big. I think people want books about change—how to fix things, how to change them. Human rights and climate are the two big issues.” —Emilie Dierking, Pulp Fiction
“There’s been a demand for local mystery and fantasy authors. Sheena Kamal’s characters, particularly her protagonist, are complicated and human. In her latest, No Going Back, there’s lots of action, moving from Vancouver to Indonesia, and implicit attention to social conditions.” —Walter Sinclair, White Dwarf Books
2832 Granville Street, Vancouver BC 604.736.6016 www.mjjewellers.ca
“The Island of Books by Dominique Fortier is a moving, rich celebration of words, explored through the story of an illiterate scribe on the island of Mont Saint Michel in the 15th century. During this year, when different places feel so very far away, The Island of Books feels both nostalgic and necessary. It basks us in the world of books and the mysteries of love.” —Zoe Grams, Upstart & Crow.
“When my team and I could access healthcare from anywhere, at any time.” Real benefits for your business
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