L’Abattoir (Vancouver)

For a variety of reasons (mostly due to a Disney cruise to Alaska by the kids and Jim’s mom and nephew), we found ourselves in Vancouver (that’s in Canada) for a few days. In addition to discovering the flagship Fluevog shoe store (a story for another time), we discovered wonderful food of all cuisines during our stay. The most memorable meal, however, was at L’Abattoir. The restaurant is located in Gastown, a part of town that is simultaneously edgy and touristy. It’s clear that the chef is passionate about his cooking and his ingredients, and our waiter, Roland, was knowledgeable and skilled. The vibe was described to us as “hipster meets one percenter,” and it is a particularly apt description. Altogether, it was a fabulous dining experience.

There were three of us at dinner, and we started off with a terrine of duck foie gras, accompanied by cherries, yogurt, and brioche

Terrine of duck foie gras

Terrine of duck foie gras

And a salad of tomatoes with fresh cheese served with basil pesto, peach, and gazpacho

Tomato salad

Tomato salad

And a tartine of Dungeness crab that is served with fried chickpeas, bean salad, and melon.

Tartine of Dungeness crab

Tartine of Dungeness crab

For entrees, we had:

Beef short rib served with chanterelle mushrooms, corn, and chard (which is technically an appetizer but a generously-sized one)

Beef short rib

Beef short rib

Grilled pork belly with plums, radichhio, and beetroot, and

Grilled pork belly

Grilled pork belly

Lightly smoked duck breast with a confit leg, apricot and beans.

Duck breast & confit

Duck breast & confit

While all the dishes were excellent, the duck was universally agreed to be the clear winner.

Only two desserts were chosen, a vanilla and yogurt panna cotta served with local cherries, cherry sorbet, and pumpkin seed crumble

Vanilla and yogurt panna cotta

Vanilla and yogurt panna cotta

And a coffee flour financier that came with a tonka bean mousse, coffee ice cream, and carmelized bananas.

Coffee financier

Coffee financier

If you ever find yourself in Vancouver, this is definitely a restaurant worth visiting! The cooking is fresh, innovative, and skilled. The address is 217 Carrall St, Gastown, Vancouver (www.labattoir.ca).

Book review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity, #1)Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is classified as Young Adult fiction, but it is so much more than that. The plot is fairly simple–a young woman is caught by the Gestapo in occupied France and is writing her story about how she ended up as a spy in France. But the book is so much more than a story of World War II. It is the story of the bonds of friendship and what true friendship really means. It is the story of wartime and how it affects families. It is the story of women and their role in World War II. But, mostly, it is the story of two young women from two very different classes in life, who wind up as unlikely best friends, and how their friendship evolves and withstands the test of time and war and tragedy. The universal themes of friendship and conflict will resonate with every reader. It is a fabulous book for kids (my 12 year old son read it and loved it) and adults. I highly highly recommend it!

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Book review: The Serpent’s Shadow by Mercedes Lackey

The Serpent's Shadow (Elemental Masters, #2)The Serpent’s Shadow by Mercedes Lackey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have not read any Mercedes Lackey in quite some time (I really loved her Valdemar books), and I was thrilled to discover that she was as good as ever in “The Serpent’s Shadow.” (Being OCD, I will have to go back and read the first book in the series.)
The heroine of the book is Maya, a half-English, half-Indian doctor at a time when both were extremely rare. There are interesting interactions depicted by the author where Maya encounters discrimination on either or both counts, but it’s done with a light hand with little moralizing.
The hero, Peter Scott, is a lovely man who respects Maya’s independence and intelligence (and magical capabilities).
For those of you who enjoy Dorothy Sayer’s Lord Peter Wimsey stories, the author pays tribute to that character with a clone of her own.
And the fantasy/magic interwoven in the story is done well, with consistent magical principles and terminology.
All in all, this was a well done fantasy with interesting characters and a nicely done plot. I highly recommend it.

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Book review: The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in HistoryThe Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book really deserves a bifurcated rating. I give the actual story–the history–5 stars. Recovering and preserving the priceless art that the Nazis looted during their march through Europe is a riveting story that deserves far more publicity than it has received. Unfortunately, the book does not do the actual story justice.
While this is a review of the book and not the movie, I have the same critique about both. That is, I find the actual historical events far more interesting than the book (or the movie). The writing is flat, and the characters–some of whom would be extraordinarily interesting, I think–came across dull and boring.
It is with disappointment that I write this because the actual events and discoveries and personalities are and should be compelling and exciting. Unfortunately, the book does not do the Monuments Men and their accomplishments justice. However, the book does throw light on an undeservedly obscure chapter of World War II and, for that, it should be appreciated. (Not to mention that I’m highly appreciative of the casting of George Clooney in the movie!)

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