Go, Go Fish!

2009-11-10-IMG_5212
Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Go Fish Ocean Emporium

As you can see by the picture, this really is just a shack by the water. There are some seats (some even under the only slightly dripping cover). But you're not coming for the ambience, you're coming for some of the tastiest food in Vancouver (and that's saying a lot for this foodie heaven).

I went with the salmon tacones (taco cones, get it?) with slaw. Simply one of the best prepared salmon I've ever had.

A colleague comments, and I agree:

Literally a seaside fish shack. Food usually comes off the neighboring dock and onto your plate. Great fish and chips, sandwiches, soups/chowders, specials. Go early.You gotta eat outside or huddle in your car, but totally worth it.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 10 November 2009
Rating: *****
Address: 1505 W 1st Ave., Vancouver, BC V6J 1E8
Website: N/A

Galloping Gourmet: Vienna, Austria

Vienna Overview

Attending a series of intense, morning to evening meetings is not the best way to enjoy the culinary treats of Vienna. All but one of my dinners was under the constrained circumstance of having to seat 15-20 people. The one dinner outside the group environment, was fabulous.

I also didn't get to take full advantage of the coffee house culture, only making it to three different ones (breakfast, lunch, drinks). I was able to hit one of the prime tourist spots, the Cafe Sacher and indulge in the famed torte.

Here's a rundown of my eating adventures in Vienna:

Breakfast

• Das Möbel Cafe

Lunch

• Café Bendl

Dinner

• Palmenhaus
• Karl Kolarik's Schweizerhaus Gesellschaft
• Kristian's Monastiri
• Das Riverside

Dessert/Drinks

• Cafe Franz Blauensteiner
• Cafe Sacher

United 870: SYD to SFO

United 870: SYD to SFO

Dinner on the flight, served just out of Sydney, was a choice of chicken or pasta. I went with the chicken. It was alright, a little on the greasy side, served with a side of roasted potatoes (good) and carrots and green beans. A side salad with Italian dressing plus a roll topped off the savoury side of the meal. Dessert was a bit too dense bit of chocolate cake. A nice touch was a complimentary wine (I selected the Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon).

For breakfast, well, I seemed to have slept through it; there was a cookie, pretzels and a little sandwich on my tray, so either that was the simple handout or there were airline fairies at work, we'll never know.

Meal: Dinner/Breakfast
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

United 840: MEL to SYD

United 840: MEL to SYD

Well, back on a US carrier for a short hall, relatively, beverage and peanuts. Qantas, you spoiled me!

Meal: Snack
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

I wasn't expecting much from the culinary options for Canberra, my first dinner was very good, so when my colleagues suggested Indian on the second night, I felt on I was on a positive roll.

And I wasn't disappointed. The Jewel of India was among the best Indian food I've had. Our group agreed on the banquet options. This included poppadom, appetizers (tandoori chicken and samosa), a basket of naan, and four entrees (Aloo palak, Beef madras, Lamb rogan josh, and chicken korma). All the selections were fabulous. The beef madras, if I had to pick one, would be my favorite (perhaps since I don't have it very often).

There was also dessert (the obligatory golum jabba (I'm never cared for that dish, so I didn't even try it) and a mango ice cream that was very good (but took a while to soften up).

Staff were attentive and the decor quite nice. Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 11 Bougainville St., Griffith, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2603
Website: http://www.jewelofindia.com.au

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

My colleague from the University of Melbourned recommended Cutler & Co. if I wanted some "smart" bar food instead of a full dinner. That sounded both good and intriguing and it was also on the way back to my hotel.

The ambiance was cool hip with lots of black and chrome and spot lightinng. The host quickly met me at the door and was pleasant and happy for my request for a single table near the bar. Looking over the menu, it was indeed a smart menu with too many tempting choices. I had gone in with the idea of a single appetizer, but everything looked so good, I had to have two.

I created my own "surf and turf" with a selection of three South Australian Kumoto oysters (figured June is really December and hence has a "r" in it), and Wagyu beef ribs. I accompanied it with a Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir.

Service was quick and attentive. The food was amazing. The oysters were strong, and served on a mound of salt (a nice touch); I missed a bit of horseradish with them, but made do with a squeeze of lemon. The ribs were tender and sauced just right.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 55-57 Gertrude St., Melbourne, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: http://www.cutlerandco.com.au

Wig and Pen: Drinking in a political pub

Wig and Pen

We had two days of very good meeting in Canberra, and so, before some of our group headed back to other parts of Australia, we went out to the highly recommended (well, actually, the only recommended) pub in Canberra. It was a Friday night, so it was packed. Unable to get seats, we hovered around on wall and bar area. Wig and Pen is a brew pub, and we sampled some of the local brews. The best was Venom, a strongly hoppy beer (the way I like it). Likely a nice place to relax when it was less crowded, it was also family friendly with a number of children in the bar area.

So, I'll join in with my Melbourne colleagues and give the Wig and Pen two thumbs up.

Meal: Drinks
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 53 Alinga St., Canberra City, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Website: http://www.wigandpen.com.au