In Search of Real Pizza in Vancouver

September 1, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

When it come to pizza, Vancouver might not have the storied past of a New York – with its signature big slices – or a Chicago – with its deep dish bragging rights. But that doesn’t mean the city is a pizza wasteland.

In fact, owing to Vancouver’s sizable Italian population (plus some unique contributions from its Greek community) good pizza is available all over the city, from mom ‘n’ pop joints on Commercial Drive to erstwhile souvlaki houses on Broadway and fancy Italian bistros downtown. But what I want to know is where to get great pizza in Vancouver. Not just a good slice but a phenomenal one.

I’d like to put in my own nomination for Vancouver’s best pizza: Bella, which has locations in Yaletown and the West End, plus a few branches in the ‘burbs. Now I know that any talk of pizza supremacy is bound to stir up controversy. Some people like thin crusts. Others like thick, doughy crusts. There’s the issue of toppings – from pepperoni to arugula and everything in between – which can make or break an otherwise decent pie. Not to mention the whole murky terrain of pizzas without cheese and pizzas without sauce and low-carb pizzas that don’t have any crusts at all.

Click here to read the full article on InsideVancouver.ca.

Filed Under Food & Wine, Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With pizza, Remy Scalza, Vancouver

In Search of Mexican Food North of the Border

August 28, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Wanted: Real Mexican Food

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

While many ethnic cuisines from around the world are well represented in Vancouver, Mexican isn’t one of them. For anyone who’s spent time in Mexico – or who knows what a really good taco tastes like – the city can sometimes feel like a no man’s land.

Now there are, of course, a few Mexican places out there in Vancouver. You’ve got your burrito joints – Steamrollers and Red Burrito come to mind – which are great for a big fat tortilla loaded up with beans, rice and marinated steak or chicken. But this is more of a Californian take on Mexican cuisine, rather than the real deal. Then, you’ve got your sit-down restaurants, with the requisite sombreros on the wall and oversized margarita glasses, like Las Margaritas and Primos. Nothing wrong with these places either, if you’re in the mood for a slightly Canadian take on enchiladas or fajitas.

But when I think of the essence of real Mexican food – correct me if I’m wrong on this – I think of tacos. Not the crunchy, Taco Bell kind but soft corn tortillas – handmade and petite enough to fit in the palm of your hand. And inside: not just the standard stuff, but a whole range of savory meats, from pastor (marinated pork) to the delicacy which is lengua (beef tongue).

It’s not exactly rocket science, but – for whatever reason – it’s not easy to find real Mexican tacos around town. So, if you know of a good little taco joint, please spread the word and leave a comment below. I’ll start the ball rolling with a little discovery I made recently: Salsa & Agave, a taqueria in Yaletown (of all places).

Click here to read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca.

Filed Under Food & Wine, Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With Mexican food, Vancouver

A New Saudi Presence in Vancouver

August 25, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Photo: Vancouver Saudi Club

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

Vancouver is a great city for challenging stereotypes. The city’s population is not only incredibly diverse but also mixed. Walk down any downtown street and you’re likely to hear a blend of English, Mandarin, Chinese, Farsi, French and at least a half-dozen other languages. With so much interaction, it’s hard to hold onto simple preconceived ideas about groups of people.

I was reminded of this recently when, on a Saturday night, I saw a group of young guys from Saudi Arabia partying it up on Granville Street. Perhaps no region in recent years has been the victim of as much stereotyping as the Middle East. More often than not, Saudi Arabia is talked about in the context of violence and extremism. In the absence of any real contact with Saudis, that’s all many people know.

But on Saturday night, I saw something entirely different. A small crowd had gathered outside near the corner of Granville and Robson Streets, where Arabic music was being pumped out of a speaker. In the middle of the circle stood about a dozen Saudis, all guys in their teens and twenties. Except for the fact that they were speaking Arabic, it could have been any group of guys. They had managed to plug an iPod into a street busker’s amplifier – the kind of random stuff that happens late at night on Granville Street – and had cranked up a popular Saudi tune.

Click here to read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca.

Filed Under Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With Remy Scalza, Saudi, Vancouver

Baseball in Hockey Land? The Vancouver Canadians

August 22, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Photo: The Province

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

Vancouver is rightly known as a hockey town, and from October through April (and well beyond that on good years) the Canucks are the hottest ticket in town. During the summer, however, other sports take the spotlight. There’s football with the B.C. Lions, soccer with the Whitecaps and – believe it or not – professional baseball.

Although the squad doesn’t get a lot of attention from local press, the Vancouver Canadians is the city’s very own minor league baseball team. The Canadians are a farm club for the Oakland Athletics and play in the little known Pacific Northwest League from June to September. In the past, the Canadians were a prime source of Major League talent, with Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and other big superstars spending time with the club.

In 2000, however, the team moved from the AAA to A division and now features mainly untested rookies still a long way from playing in the big leagues. But that doesn’t mean that a trip to the Canadian’s ballpark isn’t a thrilling experience. The team plays at Nat Bailey Stadium, a 5,100-seat field built in 1951 and located in the suburban neighborhood of Mt. Pleasant.

Surrounded by quaint residential streets and equipped with bleachers and wooden fences, Nat Bailey feels like an old-time ballpark. Plus, with general admission seats in the grandstand starting at $12.50, tickets are among the cheapest in town.

Click here to read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca.

Filed Under Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With baseball, Remy Scalza, Vancouver, Vancouver Canadians

Cheap Brewery Tours in Vancouver

August 19, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment


Photo: Remy Scalza


Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

From its modest beginnings, Vancouver’s microbrew scene has exploded in recent years, with dozens of craft brewers now operating in and around the city. For fans of Vancouver beers, there’s nothing more exhilarating than a brewery tour – getting an up close look at how our local brews are lovingly crafted and – ideally – trying a few afterward.

The only problem is that brewery tours are few and far between in Vancouver. Information on tours is hard to find and often sketchy. With that in mind, I’m issuing a call to to local beer fanatics out there: Do you know of any microbrewery tours being offered in Vancouver? If so, please share the wealth by leaving a comment below.

I’ll start things off by spreading the word about the one tour that I’ve been on myself, the Granville Island Brewing tour. Now purists will protest that GIB is no longer a microbrewery and is, in fact, owned by industrial beer giant Molson. True enough. However, GIB’s special seasonal beers are still made in small, hand-crafted batches at the Granville Island facility where the tour is offered.

Click here to read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca.

Filed Under Food & Wine, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With brewery tours, Granville Island Brewery, Vancouver
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