Renfrew-Collingwood Community News

News stories from the Renfrew-Collingwood community in East Vancouver


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Eating Out in RC: Sushi Miga

4441 Boundary Road, Vancouver
Phone: 604-563-0722
Open every day 11 am – 9:30 pm

BY PAUL REID

Sushi Miga’s Party Tray A (a mere $22)

Sushi Miga’s Party Tray A (a mere $22) along with a few side dishes, left the accomplice and I more than well satisfied. Photo by Paul Reid

Greetings food fans. I want to tell you this month about the good folks and food I found down at Sushi Miga, the object of my accomplice and I’s latest gastronomic investigation.

First, so we can get a vision, do you know where the north end of Joyce street curls around into Boundary? Where James St. Café used to be for so many years? It’s in there. Remember, with ample parking to the north?

It’s nice. There’s a nice new sushi bar in the back; a familiar yet revamped layout with some new décor. My favourite is the new liquor licence and the ice cold genuine Asahi draft on tap at a mere $4.90 a pint. That alone is worth the trip. But folks, there’s more.

My accomplice and I ordered Party Tray A (44 pieces of tuna, salmon, kappa, California, spicy tuna, yam and dynamite rolls – $22); prawn and vegetable tempura ($5); gyoza ($5); and miso soup ($1.50).

How often can two people dine on healthy, delicious, visually appealing, tongue-tantalizing, stomach-filling goodness (including that cold Asahi draft beer) for under $40, and still have some to take home for a snack later? With Sushi Miga now in our ’hood, the answer is every day.

Now about the good folks, let’s start with Simon Kang – proud new father of Sushi Miga – who knows that he is not alone in Vancouver when it comes to sushi restaurants. “Apparently there are twice as many sushi restaurants in Vancouver than Los Angeles, and they have 10 times the population!” Simon says.

So how will he set Sushi Miga apart? One thing will be the addition of Korean fare to the menu. This will coincide with the arrival of Sushi Miga’s new chef, a master of Japanese and Korean cuisine, who joined the team in June 2014.

One of the current chefs is Simon’s old-time friend. We’re talking high-school chums, serving in the Korean military together, 40-year-strong type of friendship. It was his encouragement paired with Simon’s background in restaurant supplies that brought Sushi Miga to life.

Sushi Miga is already involved in our community’s awesome spirit with a generous donation to Graham Bruce Elementary’s recent fundraiser. “I want Sushi Miga to be a cornerstone of this community over time. We may not be the largest or the fanciest restaurant, but we want to provide fresh quality food to the community, in good amounts, at fair prices.”

But don’t just listen to me or Simon. Taste for yourself. Not just Sushi Miga either, but all fine eateries across this fine community. Bon appetite!

Copyright (c) 2014 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News


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June 2014 issue of the RCC News is here

The new issue is full of the many wonderful people, events and programs happening in our neighbourhood!

Read the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News, June 2014Get your June 2014 issue of the RCC News at your local coffee shop, grocery store, library and community centre.

Or click on the cover image to view the new issue.

In this issue:

  • Mobile City Hall launches at Collingwood Neighbourhood House
  • Speakers wanted for TEDxRenfrewCollingwood
  • Come celebrate Canada Day at Renfrew Park Community Centre, July 1 at 1:00 pm
  • Nootka school’s 50th anniversary celebration a huge success
  • Loretta Houben’s family tree series continues with tips finding clues in old notebooks and journals
  • Eating Out in RC: Sushi Miga

Do you have a local story to tell or an event to share? We’d love to hear about it! Email rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca. The deadline for the July 2014 issue has come and gone, but this month we still have a bit of space for a couple more articles. Please send in your submission by July 16. Around 300 to 400 words, with high resolution photos in jpg format of at least 1 MB file size.


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Fresh and local: Weekly VanTech market garden starts Wednesday, May 28

BY MARILOU BOURDAGES

Veggies for sale at Van Tech market garden

Veggies for sale at Van Tech market garden. Photos courtesy of Fresh Roots

“This is as local as it gets,” says Marilou Bourdages, community coordinator with Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society. “Our vegetables are grown in VanTech Secondary School’s soil by students and neighbours, and are then sold back to the neighbourhood community, right on the school grounds!”

Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society, in collaboration with the Vancouver School Board (VSB), is transforming underutilized school grounds into schoolyard market gardens, creating productive farm fields that are used as outdoor classrooms by the school community.

A year ago, Fresh Roots and the VSB signed a first of its kind licensing agreement, plowing the way for one-quarter-acre schoolyard market gardens at David Thompson and Vancouver Technical (VanTech) Secondary Schools.

Fresh Roots grows community through growing food

The schoolyard market gardens are places where knowledge of food and health is shared between generations, cultures and languages. “We have students that come to the field, with elders hand in hand. They translate their grandparents gardening methods – basking in their families rich heritage,” explains Ilana Labow, co-director of Fresh Roots. Teachers also use the garden to achieve BC’s core curriculum objectives in various subjects like biology, physical education and English.

Starting May 28 until November, Fresh Roots will run a weekly market stand on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at VanTech Secondary School.

Starting May 28 until November, Fresh Roots will run a weekly market stand on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at VanTech Secondary School.

These gardens are not just for students

During the summer, neighbours can taste Fresh Roots’ locally grown produce by visiting their Good Food Markets. Starting late May until November, Fresh Roots will run a weekly market stand on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at VanTech Secondary School. On May 28, for the first market of the year, lettuce, salad mix, radishes and turnips will be waiting for neighbours to take them home.

“The food is delicious and affordable,” says Melanie Beliveau, a teacher and resident in the community. “Every produce bought at the Good Food Market directly supports schoolyard grown crops and programming.”

Neighbours interested in supporting the market garden are also encouraged to commit to a weekly Veggie Box – customers pay up front for the entire season and in return get an assortment of delicious vegetables weekly. It is a wonderful way to support local agriculture and ensure that families have access to healthy, high quality food every week.

The season is already well underway

The amazing schoolyard garden at VanTech Secondary, 2600 East Broadway, was built with the help of students.

The amazing schoolyard garden at VanTech Secondary, 2600 East Broadway, was built with the help of students.

At VanTech, students and neighbours have been working in the garden since March, boosting the raised beds’ fertility by adding rich compost. The overwintering kale has been completely harvested to create space for this year’s crops. The head lettuce left the greenhouse and is now enjoying the sun outside, next to the beet and carrot seedlings. As the season progresses, the diversity of vegetables will keep growing. Everyone is welcome to drop by anytime and check out what is growing on.

“It doesn’t matter what language you speak, nor where you come from,” says Marc Schutzbank, co-director of Fresh Roots, “everyone has a relationship with food.”

Weekly Veggie Boxes!

Support the Schoolyard Market Garden by enjoying a weekly box of delicious vegetables. Pick up will take place at the VanTech Secondary Good Food Market, on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm.

  • $475 for 24 weeks of veggies; May – November
  • 10% off Fresh Roots’ Good Food Market
  • Sample weekly veggie box includes:

1 large leafy green (kale, chard or mustard)
1 salad creation (salad mix, spinach or head lettuce)
1 herb (cilantro, parsley or dill)
1 root vegetable (carrots, beets or turnips)
1 crop of the week (zucchini, beans or garlic)

For more information and to sign up, please visit: www.freshroots.ca

Marilou Bourdages has been passionate about urban agriculture and food for many years. Being able to work at engaging the community in the Schoolyard Market Gardens is a dream come true for her.

Copyright (c) 2014 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News