Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

In Malwina Gudowska's first assignment as the new SweetLife Calgary Editor she blogged about the new JOEY EAU CLAIRE, a "restaurant that means so much to [her] as a Calgarian." Read her article here.

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Making Sushi Cones With Executive Chef Chris Mills

While we were in Calgary last week for the re-opening of JOEY EAU CLAIRE (after their fabulous renovation) Executive Chef Chris Mills went on BT Calgary to make sushi cones with host Jill Belland.

Here is the recipe for the cones. Note: the soy wrapper is what makes these cones extra special. And the tempura prawns. And the daikon sprout. And the roe. And the Sriracha mayo. OK the whole thing is fab!

Most of the ingredients can be bought in Chinatown or at an Asian grocery store such as T&T. The soy wrappers can be bought online, but you can also use Nori, the dried seaweed sheets, which are more widely available.

Ingredients: Cooked Sushi Rice (cook according to package instructions) ½ cup Rice wine vinegar 2 Tbsp Sugar 3 tsp salt Store-bought Tempura batter ½ cup Flour Prawns* Oil for frying Toasted sesame seeds Fish roe (if desired) Daikon radish sprout or julienne daikon radish Cucumber, cut into 2-3 inch strips, leaving skin on, no seeds Soy wrappers (available online) or Nori Tube of wasabi Store-bought Sriracha Vietnamese Mayonnaise

* To vary the cones, instead of using tempura prawns you can also use seared salmon, poached prawns, or raw tuna.

Directions: While you are cooking your sushi rice according to the package instructions, begin making a brine. Combine sugar, salt, and rice vinegar. When rice has cooked and is cooling, season rice at a ratio of about ¼ cup of brine per cup of rice, or to taste.

Chill your store-bought tempura batter so that it is ice cold. Pour batter and flour into two separate bowls. Dredge each prawn first through the flour and then through the batter. Deep fry in a shallow fryer (frying pan or wok) for 60-90 seconds until golden brown. Set aside.

On one half of a 3”x 6” sheet of soy or Nori layout the ingredients. Start with some rice, followed by sesame seeds, cucumber, daikon, mayonnaise, one prawn, a dab of wasabi and a piece of pickled ginger.

The folding is a bit tricky to explain, but it is much easier than it sounds. We suggest that you watch the video for Chris’ tips!

Take the bottom left corner and fold it up until it is touching the middle of the top of the sheet. Holding the bottom centre, roll it around the remainder of the sheet to form a cone. Crush a kernel of cooked rice with your fingers and use it as ‘glue’ to hold the cone together.

Serve with soy sauce

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JOEY EAU CLAIRE Gets a Facelift

It has been a long time coming, but JOEY EAU CLAIRE is getting a facelift. The restaurant has been undergoing extensive renovations since it closed in early May. The newly designed space will pay homage to Eau Claire’s industrial past through the use of salvaged and reclaimed materials. The restaurant will reopen on June 1.

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Summer is surely here....

...because the sun is shining and today Nimby Burger officially opened for the summer at Kits Beach. Go to Nimby for your summertime fix of a classic beach burger, fries, and a shake.

Corner of Cornwall & Yew at Kits Beach

Saltlik Banff

Media attending the Banff Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival over the weekend were treated luncheon at Saltlik Banff, where JOEY Restaurant Group Executive Chef, Chris Mills, unveiled the steakhouse's latest menu. Saltlik (with locations in Calgary and Banff) just recently joined the JOEY Restaurant Group Family. Check out this post from Calgary's City Style & Living magazine for the scoop on the new menu items.

PR Internship Opportunity

Elettra Communications is offering a six to eight week Public Relations internship. This is an ideal position for someone who would like to gain valuable experience working in the field of PR, and is currently enrolled in, or has recently completed, a Public Relations program or a degree in Communications, Arts or Business. It will provide the chosen candidate with a general overview of the industry, as well as relevant skills and experience. The intern will be responsible for assisting with the following: • Drafting media releases and other materials • Creating media lists • Preparing PR campaign recap documents • Conducting research • Coordinating aspects of events, including working with suppliers and sourcing materials • Administrative duties

Requirements: • A keen and demonstrated interest in the field of public relations. • A high level of interest in the media and current events. • Excellent written and verbal communications skills. • The ability to multi-task.

Hours: 9am-5pm. Position will likely be four days per week, however, this is TBC. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.

About Elettra Communications Elettra is a communications agency based in Vancouver. Our services include: media relations, media training, product launches and openings, community relations & CSR strategy, events, promotions, and issues and crisis communications.

Our clients include: Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR), JOEY Restaurant Group, Vancouver magazine, Great Western Brewing Company, Larco/Morgan Crossing, Noise Digital, and Meetingmax. http://www.elettra.ca

Please send cv and cover letter to: Gwen Hardy Elettra Communications gwen@elettra.ca

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Top Restaurants Honoured at 22nd Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards

2011 Restaurant Award winners reflect the shift to quality casual dining

Vancouver, B.C.; April 13, 2011 – In celebration of B.C.’s dynamic culinary scene, top chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and food critics paid tribute to the winners of the 22nd Annual Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards yesterday at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel.

“It’s clear that quality casual food is what diners were seeking this past year,” said Vancouver magazine Editor-in-chief, Gary Stephen Ross. “That’s the lesson to be drawn from our stellar group of Restaurant Award winners.”

Nowhere was the shift more evident than in the Restaurant of the Year category, where the winner of Best Informal Restaurant, La Quercia, took the top honour. La Quercia also won Gold in the Best Casual Italian category. Last year’s Restaurant of the Year, Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar, was named Best Formal Restaurant and took Gold again in the Best Seafood category.

As further evidence of the casual dining trend, Bao Bei won multiple awards including Best New Restaurant, Best Small Plates, and Best New Design. Best Food Cart, a new category this year, saw Roaming Dragon take Gold for its Asian-infused street eats, while Southern food style Re-Up BBQ took Silver, and Japadog won Bronze.

Nico Schuermans was honoured as Chef of the Year for nurturing the burgeoning culinary scene on Beatty Street with Chambar, Café Medina, and Dirty Apron cooking school and delicatessen. Chambar won Gold in the Best Other European/Middle Eastern category and the magazine singled out Café Medina for having the city’s best breakfast.

Jack Evrensel, Proprietor of the Top Table Group (Araxi, Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar, Cin Cin, and West), was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Thirty years after opening Araxi in Whistler, he has set the standard by which rooms in B.C. are judged. Evrensel was honoured for his unrelenting focus, demanding standards, and hard work. Several perennial favourites also received top honours, including: Vij’s for Best Indian; Le Crocodile for Best Formal French; and Tojo’s for Best Formal Japanese. The inaugural Pastry Chef of the Year award went to Thomas Haas.

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