The Hired Belly has been researching ways to stay cool during the current warm spell, which promises to continue for quite some time. While these tried and true methods may not be cure-alls in their own right, they might serve to mollify marginal mercurial suffering.
Oyster shot
Not that long ago Pidgin鈥檚 name was being bandied about everywhere. But the once controversial Gastown room has settled into a solid routine. The style is more laid back and casual than the early days, with the kitchen in the hands of chef Shin Suzuki. Go for the tasting menu that kicks off with an oyster shot of zippy horseradish and apple. You鈥檒l want a couple 鈥� trust me 鈥� before you move on to the mussels escabeche and monkfish liver, the kale and nori-kraut with wild mushrooms, or the spring salmon with apple pistachio puree and mustard tosazu. Details at pidginvancouver.com.
Consider the lobster
It鈥檚 tough to beat a seat on Provence Marinaside鈥檚 patio, overlooking False Creek, savouring crab and shrimp cakes with watercress salad and smoked tomato relish plus a glass of floral and citrus-toned Unsworth Allegro. Worth a nod: the new and smarter Provence sports an impressive post-makeover array of 32 wines on tap in an airy, casual setting. Coolest plate this month? Lobster Proven莽al-style (or grilled or steamed) with rice, grilled asparagus and peppers, lobster Thermidor, or local Lois Lake Steelhead trout and lobster 鈥� all part of the Atlantic lobster festival, through July 31. Details at provencemarinaside.ca.
Man on a Mission
Curtis Luk (ex-Fable Kitchen and The Parker) has finally landed where he always wanted to be: his own place. Aptly monikered Mission is located in the former August Jack spot in Kits. Sip on a Sea Breeze before diving into a taste of green garbanzo hummus and piperade and sidestripe shrimp cocktail. Or indulge in the full-on tasting menu, including wild salmon and sorrel, shrimp blini, oyster and pork with bitter greens, duck with turnips and anchovy, and more. To finish, goat milk ice-cream with beet and caramel. An 脿 la carte menu also features a daily nose-to-tail plate. missionkits.ca.
Not so sweet
For those hard pressed to find appealing thirst quenchers that buck the sugar trend, SoCIAL Lite is a new, entirely unsweetened cooler, which has just arrived on local shelves. We sipped these low calorie, all natural, unsweetened vodka based sodas and were duly impressed as it uses neither sugar nor sweetener. We like the subtlety of the Lemon, Cucumber, Min, and the quiet kick of the Lime-Ginger. Take your pick. Launched with the not-too-shabby assistance of Dragon鈥檚 Den. Find them at private stores, around $11 for four cans.
Openings
New arrivals continue unabated: About to emerge from under wraps, Royal Dinette (905 Dunsmuir St.) is locavore chef David Gunawan鈥檚 (ex-Wildebeest) newest offering. Look for casual and sustainable fare with hints of a 鈥渂ygone diner鈥� but also 鈥渁n air of elegance in presentation鈥� in the ground floor of the Blackbird Public House & Oyster Bar. The wraps are off Supermarine, the latest from Wildebeest and Bufala owners James Iranzad and Josh Pape, in their former Abigail鈥檚 Kitchen space (1685 Yew St.). On the menu: smart-casual seafood plates with no holds barred, globe-trotting influences, plus an equally serious/fun cocktail list. And as mentioned last column, Giardino is going full swing.
Belly鈥檚 Budget Best
Pares Balta 鈥淏鈥� Blanc de Pacs 2013 (Penedes)
When the mercury climbs the way it has, this is what you want to be drinking: an edgy drop, with orchard fruits on the nose, apple palate, bright acidity, a quick hit of minerality and a dry, clean end. Certified organic, too. Private stores $18-$20, 90 pts.
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