The passing of another year is often marked by raucous partying and the overzealous use of spinning, flapping or unfurling noise makers.
Almost invariably, it seems, the stroke of midnight is followed by muddled and saccharine renditions of “Auld Lang Syne.”
The part of that song that has always vexed me is its question of whether or not old (auld) acquaintances should be forgotten, as if the contrived occasion of a new calendar year should affect a fundamental re-evaluation of our relationships.
With due deference to the inimitable Rabbie Burns, I reject the proposition and prefer to use the milestone to confirm the importance of the friends, family, and acquaintances that enrich my life all year round.
In my position as a regular food columnist, I consider restaurants, and the staff behind them, important acquaintances; as far as I’m concerned, they most certainly should not be forgot (sic).
With that in mind, I’d like to pay my respects to a number of restaurants that closed in 2014, places that positively impacted me in my capacity as a foodie, while looking forward to a bunch of imminent openings that have come to my attention recently.
Big changes are afoot on the 100-block of East Second Street. Tom and Kathi Cinnamon, of the eponymous Cinnamon’s Chocolates, brought us thoughtful, well-crafted treats in an approachable atmosphere for many years.
According to their new website (munchbytomandkathi.ca) the duo closed the doors of their shop to “examine life at a slower pace.”
Their old space has been taken over and fully remodelled by newcomer Il Castello, a wood-fired pizzeria committed to authentic Neapolitan pies. Watch for more about them in these pages in early 2015.
Just a few doors down, one of my favourite little haunts, Hanoi Bistro, served its last bowl of delicious pho on Dec. 12. Owners Ken and Thuy Nguyen have decided to try their hand at a larger venue in Vancouver where, Ken explained on my last visit, they will serve Vietnamese-style tapas and contemporary cocktails.
Meanwhile, just east of Il Castello, 30-year North Shore event and celebration institution Cheers poured its final round in September. As yet, I do not have official word on what will become of their former space.
Another long-standing North Shore venue, The Bakehouse in Edgemont Village, buttered its last slice of fresh-from-the-oven bread this year at its cosy, cottage-like location on West Queens Road.
Happily, as reported by the North Shore News in October, it looks like the baked goods purveyor will return to the Village next year with a 30-seat restaurant on the ground floor of a still-under-construction development.
At the very foot of Lonsdale Avenue, in the historic Coppersmith Shop space, Vancouver casual taproom, the Tap & Barrel, will open its third location in the spring of 2015.
It is a massive space for the restaurant in a high-traffic part of town. I have enjoyed Tap & Barrel’s extensive wine-on-tap program and tasty flatbreads at their Olympic Village location, but I sincerely hope that any new diners drawn to Lower Lonsdale as a result of this opening will also discover the charms of that block’s current, smaller venues, like Burgoo, Raglans, The District, Anatoli Souvlaki, Gusto di Quattro and El Matador.
I also encourage the new arrival to devote at least a few of their many taps to the North Shore’s own craft beer creations.
On the topic of local craft beer, Bridge Brewing is seeking to relocate its operation to a larger North Shore space, but their move date is still undetermined. For the time being, it’s business as usual at their garage-style walk-in location off Dollarton Highway, but expect a big move sometime next year.
Stack Grill, a curious but enjoyable joint that featured a hybrid of classic Italian cuisine and Korean-influenced pub fare, closed shop seemingly overnight and gave rise to a new sushi restaurant called Tawara, the third restaurant to open in that same space in the span of less than two years since longtime resident Ricky’s gave it up.
The folks at Café for Contemporary Art and their surprisingly good burritos called it quits in the summer and opened Renfrew Café in the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood instead, featuring sweet and savoury pies and coffee.
Mission Springs, the brewery-pub-restaurant group that owns a number of private liquor stores in the province, took over the Avalon liquor store space in late summer.
They have since pursued a program of inventory depletion as they prepare to launch a new beer-centric restaurant there in the spring. I am excited to see how they transform that long and narrow space into a sit-down venue.
Finally, though scant details are available now, rest assured that I am on the case of another opening slated for 2015: Blvd Bistro on Queensbury Avenue, taking up residence where the Thai Chef used to be. A discreet peek behind the papered-over door reveals a space under serious renovation.
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. Contact: [email protected].
