Vancouver chef makes local luscious
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Local writers Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon caused a stir in foodie circles when they published "The 100-Mile Diet," their account of a year of eating foods from a tight geographic radius.
Despite the book's almost numbing recitation of potato dishes, the couple's idea seems to be catching on. If you want to sample this extreme version of eating local, check out the 100 Mile Tasting Menu at Vancouver's Raincity Grill. In the hands of a sure chef, it can be a revelation.
The restaurant, according to general manager Brent Hayman, was the first in the world to offer a 100-mile tasting menu. Situated in Vancouver's West End, practically on the shore of English Bay, the menu naturally draws on fish from local waters, as well as meat, cheese, and local produce.
The menu is seasonal, but might start with a beet-root salad with goat cheese, followed by asparagus vichyssoise, then seared sea scallops with pork belly and cauliflower. After roasted Muscovy duck, dinner might conclude with macerated strawberries sweetened with honey.
Some new ingredients are in the pipeline. "There's an olive grove on one of the Gulf Islands," says Hayman, "so we may be able to cook with olive oil soon."
Raincity Grill, 1193 Denman St., 604-685-7337, www.raincitygrill .com. Dinner nightly 5-10 p.m., lunch Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., brunch Saturday-Sunday 10:30-2:30. 100 Mile Tasting Menu at dinner only, $54.75 per person, $80 with wine.
PATRICIA HARRIS 