Pacific Northwest Restaurant Reviews (PART II)

Parkside on Haro (1906 Haro Street, Vancouver, BC, 604-683-6912)
Raincity Grill (1193 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC, 604-685-7337)

Vancouver, British Columbia has long been nicknamed the Hollywood of the North; since the 1980s the majority of American television series (and countless films) have been shot in the city and surrounding areas due to tax-breaks and the weaker Canadian dollar. If you've ever watched a drama on the Fox network, you're sure to experience deja vu when entering this majestic and madly landscaped city. Hyperactive foliage abounds on every street it seems, with near-jungle neighborhoods, palm-lined avenues and an encompassing seawall, all backdropped by stern snow-capped mountains and a slate-colored sea. If ever there was a reason for constant rainfall, this verdant metropolis is the shining (well, overcast) crowning example!

Tucked away on the primarily residential streets of gorgeous English Bay (our favorite 'hood in town) is a hidden treasure - Parkside on Haro. Shake off your umbrellas and settle down in the warmly lit modernist dining room, surrounded by a chic clientle and attractive waitstaff. And thus we begin to sing the praises of Parkside . . . alert the presses on this accolade, hard-earned to be sure from the exacting standards of Cafe Drake . . . THE BEST SERVICE IN NORTH AMERICA. Friendly and gracious to be sure, the staff at Parkside epotimizes professional restaurant skill. Never hurried, always nearby but non-intrusive, proficient at complicated flatware maneuvors required by the prix-fixe tasting menu (a la carte is not available), elegant yet unpretentious, these masters never miss a beat. Water glasses stay full, plates are whisked away only when all diners have finished the course, and not a surly attitude (such a souring experience often in our own hometown) within miles of the Canadian border. Every bad stereotype we've perpetuated, of Canucks as Molson-guzzling hockey fanatics, was destroyed as our waiter presented sublimely dry martinis and scotch-on-the-rocks served with beakers of water on a glass tray. Thoughtfulness reigned as the waiter politely asked if we'd like to sample the wine ordered after we finished our cocktail for a cleaner palatte evaluation. Multiple courses are brought to the table at a leisurely pace, oblivious to the late hour or gathering crowd awaiting tables.

Most of that which glitters is rarely gold, and restaurants often coast on high-wattage glamour courtesy of interior design and high-concept menus that lose their lustre upon tasting. Mercifully, Parkside on Haro (if we keep saying the name enough, maybe you'll use your good sense and book a flight and dinner reservation immediately) lives up to its initial impression.

(Before we go any further, in good conscience, it pays (pun intended) to note here that this is not an inexpensive dining experience, and can go even higher if one doesn't pay close attention. Example: of the two Scotchs on the drinks menu, only single malts are available, and at $19 a pop and a Canadian measured pour, you might be better off sticking to one here and grabbing your serious buzz at a dive bar over in seedy Gastown. The tasting menus prices are relatively reasonable in comparison and worth the splurge. Many thanks Mummy, for this special meal!!)

According to the restaurant menus change weekly depending upon the season and available meats and produce. We lucked upon the Wild Game and Wild Mushroom Menu, with many choices available for each of the courses. Culinary highlights: grilled pheasant with coriander oil, a pasta course of spaghetti with prawns and red chilies, fresh porcini and scallop risotto, and loin of venison with pear pudding and white truffle grits.

In a city bursting with great chefs and showcase venues, the aptly-named Raincity Grill boasts one of the loveliest views imaginable - tranquil waters, an elegant broad avenue and mountains along the horizon. Friendly greetings and the ubiquitous ritual of umbrella storage welcomed us to the smartly turned out establishment -sparkling open kitchen near the entrance, starched white linens and windows to soak up the scenery. Another deeply proficient staff is on hand here as well, with our waiter cleverly directing us to the four choices of wine flights available. An extra courtesy was extended when, upon recommendation, he expertly substituted one of the three "spicy whites" to a Riesling more suited to dessert. (Annoyed Aside: why don't we get this sort of consistent exemplary service in New York? Probably because here most waiters naively consider themselves actors or singers or dancers first, waiters secondly.)

The $25 Early Bird menu provides that rare motivation to dine at 6pm; two choices are offered per course and everything sampled was superb. Excellent starters included a quirky grilled Ceasar Salad and a delicate porcini broth with fresh clams and braised black radish, both stars of presentation. For a main we suggest the Seared Wild Salmon, delicious in its own simplicity but further distinguished by a sunchoke and wheat berry hash, moistened colorfully with an apple gastrique. Both desserts are equally strong but different in mood - choose from a White Chocolate Custard with pumpkin seed brittle or the lighter-than-air Dark Chocolate Souffle.

Regretably the name of an excellent lunch spot on busy Denman Street escapes us, but the house speciality of Japanese curry with rice or udon noodles was both tasty and economical ($7.95). A side trip by water taxi should also be made to Granville Island, where the local gourmet food market stretches for several city blocks, and houses stalls selling artisinal cheeses, vegetables and fresh seafood from across the region.