Renfrew-Collingwood Community News

News stories from the Renfrew-Collingwood community in East Vancouver

Category Archives: Eating Out


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El Sol de Acapulco Cafe

2269 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC
604-428-2880
Open Tuesday to Sunday

BY PAUL REID

  • Acapulco-style Mexican Food
  • Pupusas
  • Latin American-style breakfast
  • Spicy options
  • Vegetarian options

Greetings food fans. How is everyone this June 2013? How many of you made it to Collingwood Days for an Indian taco? Speaking of tacos, we journey to Mexico this time around, and in particular that city famous for its food, Acapulco.

Welcome to El Sol de Acapulco Café.

Yes folks, now you can experience the authentic taste of Acapulcon cuisine by travelling slightly west of the Renfrew-Collingwood community border (Nanaimo), into friendly Kensington-Cedar Cottage territory, to 2269 Kingsway. If you hit the old Canadian Tire, you’ve gone too far. North side. Lots of underground parking.

OK, so now you’re there, relaxing in the clean, wonderful, Acupulcon-inspired dining area of El Sol. You have been greeted by one of the gracious hosts, perhaps owner Miguel or brother Manuel or Miguel’s wife Erika. Although she’s likely in the back working over a hot grill to bring us our much-loved Mexican and Salvadorian favourites.

You’re seated now and your host brings you tortilla chips and salsa—on the house, and you look through the menu and your mouth is watering.

If you’re like me, your accomplice will be from Mexico and she’ll know exactly what to do and say and order.

Now a word to the wise: apparently, the amazingly delicious Pozole soup is not just for Thursdays anymore, as the menu indicates. Had we known this, I believe we may have gone that way, but that’s OK because the Sopa (soup) Azteca was completely delicious. We shared a large ($7) of this tomato-and-chicken-based soup with fried tortilla strips, cheese, fresh avocado and lime.

Next up was our three tacos. Made of soft corn tortilla, these tacos come with a variety of meats, and/or vegatariano (with sautéed eggplant or mushroom). We went with Suaderero (tender slow-cooked beef); Tinga (juicy chipotle stewed chicken); and Cochinita Pibil (slow-roasted pork).

All three of these super-delicious morsels can be had for a mere $6—nearly half the price you’d pay downtown and more, yes more, delectable!

We weren’t done yet though—I had to have some of one of my favourites—those Pupusas—El Salvador’s national dish. These consist of a hand-made, stuffed corn tortilla cooked golden on a griddle and served with Curtido (Salvadorean-style coleslaw) and salsa de tomate (savoury tomato sauce). Your choice of fillings include Revueltas (beans, cheese, pork); Frijoles (home-style refried beans); Chicharron (savoury ground pork rinds) or Queso (mozzarella-feta blend of cheese, loroco, green pepper and zucchini). Pupusas are delicious and, like pizza, you can eat it with your hands—a steal at $2.50 each.

To wash it all down we each had one of the specialty beverages—Horchata (ground almonds, rice, cinnamon, sugar and milk. Really delicious. Other specialty drinks include Tamarindo and Naranjada (a blend of fresh-squeezed juices).

It is Erika who hails from Acapulco and studied cooking at home and at university. It is the brothers, from El Salvador, who bring us the Salvadorian influence in—like those Pupusas we now know and love—or for breakfast, the El Salvadoreno (two eggs scrambled with tomatada (tomato sauce), home-style refried beans, fried plantains, home-style cream and two hand-made Salvadorean-style corn tortillas). The El Sol features a complete line of breakfasts.

My accomplice and I thought that the food at El Sol Acapulco Café was excellent and I look forward to getting back there soon. I also hope that you will take some time to try El Sol for yourself: for the excellent food and to meet the really nice Linares family.

Bon appetit or, in this case, buen provecho.

Copyright (c) 2013 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News


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Kingsway Coffee Shop / Dias Kingsway Cafe

2223 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC
604-434-5764

BY PAUL REIDdiascafesoupsandwichweb

Dear food fans. It is my pleasure to introduce to you this month’s feature — a hidden gem to Renfrew-Collingwood’s western border. Yes, we travel once again down that piece of Kingsway between Nanaimo and Victoria, this time to Dias Kingsway Cafe, for a little taste of Portuguese sandwich artistry.

This gem truly is hiding, under the guise of a mere coffee shop, so what you are looking for on the north side of Kingsway, a block west from Nanaimo, is the Kingsway Coffee Shop. It’s in here.

Here you will find a menu featuring a variety of fresh sandwiches and paninis. These sandwiches are awesome! Gigantic sandwiches on delicious Portuguese bread, custom made to your liking by Maria, and grilled if you like. Portuguese sausage, cappicolo, ham, salami, turkey, prosciutto, mortadela, egg salad, tuna salad, boconccini ($4.75-6.79). With soup: $8. 1 had the prosciutto sandwich with pea soup — for $8. A delicious homemade meal and this Gourmet Gourmand was full!

Hailing from Castelo Branco, Portugal, these guys came to Canada in about 1988. Their first establishment was on Commercial Drive, the Grandview Deli, which is now the Mediterranean Specialty Foods (remember, our friend Jack who was here near Victoria and Kingsway?). Anyhow, the Diases were there for seven years before moving south to Commercial Street. Here is where the sandwiches and coffee gained a foothold when, one day, Manuel pulled a coffee machine out of the garage. That was the beginning — a side biz to enhance the grocery biz that they had for 10  years there at 3599 Commercial Street.

“We love our new place,” says Maria, “but we miss our old place and the people at 3599.” Slowly but surely, the Diases’ long-time followers are learning to find them at their new location.

And I hope you do, too. It’s here that they have been for just over a year now, a relaxing, cozy place to hang out, facing the southern sun, or where it should be. The coffee is delicious — a hand-picked brew from Brazil called Mogiana. The espresso is from Italy — Cimo.

And let’s not forget the Danishes, pastries, breads — sweet treats to enhance your existence — literally and physically. “Forget about Starbucks. This is where it’s at.” — a sample of the good reviews on the ‘net. And from my friends down the street at the Green Cross Society — rave reviews. I told this to Maria who responded, “I just sent eight sandwiches to them.”

I had a wonderful meal at the Dias Kingsway Cafe. I was impressed by my soup and sandwich deal and I took home with me a bag full of those pastries — really delicious. And the Diases — so nice. I hope you get a chance to drop by soon and give these guys a warm welcome to their new neck of the East Van woods. And in advance for this tip, I say, you’re welcome.

Bon appetit.

Copyright (c) 2013 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News


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Poor Italian Ristorante

3296 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver, BC
604-251-1122
www.pooritalian.com

BY PAUL REID

It was just over three years ago that the old Choppers Diner disappeared from this Rupert and First location and a sign went up that said “Poor Italian.”

And you thought, “Hmm, Poor Italian, maybe this is going to be kind of like Choppers, but like cheap spaghetti and pizza (for us poor Italians).” But then you saw and maybe heard that “no, there ain’t nothing poor about the Poor Italian―this is one fine dining place, valet parking–oh my God! Tony Parsons?” What?

Yes folks, it’s all true. This is one classy dining establishment owned by Tony and the Musconis, an extremely fine addition to the area―if not the finest. The service, I found, was top shelf, the room itself―finely appointed, and the food … well, even this gourmand knows gourmet when he tastes it.

Folks, I am talking about ravioli like no other ravioli that you ever imagined. Silky smooth, melt-in-your-mouth pasta containing the most delicious gems. Choose from porcini and truffle with veal; Italian fennel with sausage, or ricotta and spinach. During Poor Italian’s Lobster Festival starting February 21, there is also sure to be some lobster ravioli.

Makes you say mmmm.

And that mmmm is largely in part to executive head chef Greg Turgeon. Born and bred here in Vancouver, Greg has 31 years of chefery under his hat. He started out in high school, briefly strayed from the path to become a police officer, but thankfully, returned to cooking school.

“I was classically French trained in the beginning,” says Greg, “but then I switched to Italian cooking.” He prefers Italian cooking, he explains, in that it is more simple, more clean. “With just three ingredients, we can make an amazing uncomplicated dish where the flavours really stand out.”

Everything at Poor Italian is made in house, including their famous pasta. Thanks to an expensive commercial-grade pasta machine, Poor Italian is able to make beautiful fresh pasta unlike most can. Their sauces and everything else, too, are high quality, fresh and made in house.

Also in Poor Italian’s arsenal, helping everything to run smoothly and comfortably for everyone, is manager Christian Gaudreault. Christian, who grew up in a small town in Quebec, the eighth of 10 children, grew up in the restaurant industry. “My parents had this large restaurant, 150 seats, that we all worked at. Beginning at about age 10, Christian soon learned through his father how to manage multiple tables and to do it well. “Teamwork is so important. I need my staff to work as a team. I see it like producing a play at a theatre. Everyone needs to know what to do and to work together as a team.”

“As manager, I am always looking to see that the customer is happy. At the end of the day, customer satisfaction is what is important, so I try to make their experience comfortable, like an extension of their home.”

And Christian does just that, making the rounds, making sure everything is perfect, catching up with the regulars and greeting the new folks. “This is my passion. I love food, and I love people.” I believe that. And, I believe that Poor Italian’s reputation will catch up with the reality that it is a restaurant that is accessible and comfortable for 90% of the population.

So don’t be fooled by the white table cloths and the valet parking (Friday and Saturday nights); Poor Italian is as affordable as, say, the White Spot. Sure, you can spend up to say $34 for the Costata di Vitello (10 ounces of grilled grain-fed veal chop, rosemary, garlic and lemon, and seasonal vegetables), but you might also spend $15 on a linguini. My hearty gourmet lunch, with coffee, water and the most delicious bread you ever tasted, was just $20. I know, I know, you could buy two Big Macs and fries for that, but really folks.

Wish I had more space. Don’t forget about Poor Italian’s Valentine’s Day special, followed by their Lobster Festival starting February 21. Bon appetit.

Copyright (c) 2013 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News