"I keep attorneys on retainer for guys like you," said the man, taking two steps forward to shove the lens of his camera in my face.
"You'll never work in this city again," he continued, an alarming bluish vein in his forehead straining under the effort of his anger.
At the time of this memorable exchange I was the manager of a restaurant noted for its outstanding views of the city, in addition to its exceptional cuisine. My crime? Failing to provide the man with one of three prized window-side tables at the very front of the room.
Most tables (including the one at which he was ultimately seated) were situated next to windows and provided good views of the city, but there were certainly a handful of tables that proved fanatically more popular than others.
Despite the ferocity of the displeasure expressed inches from my visage, I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation and tried to imagine how a legal scenario would play out.
"Your honour, my client is pursuing damages for trauma induced by the defendant's brazen negligence in ensuring preferential dinner seating."
Happily, I did manage find continued work in the city following that dire incident, but I must confess, it was that sort of occurrence that contributed to my eventual departure from restaurant management, a gruelling and exhausting line of work not for those with fragile constitutions. I knew it was time to move on from that job when I looked at those windows and wished they were painted black and covered with tin foil.
These memories were triggered by my recent visit to Pier 7, a bustling restaurant beautifully located on the new pier development at the very foot of Lonsdale Avenue, looking directly at the city of Vancouver. I visited the restaurant alone and, from my seat at the bar, watched with bemused familiarity as the host and management team coped not only with the considerable volume brought on by the sunny weather, but also with the thankless and incessant job of relocating guests who had grudgingly accepted a table inside with the understanding that they would be moved later to a spot out on the admittedly spectacular patio.
Now, here's the irony: Pier 7 has five large-screen televisions inside the room that nearly everyone watched at one point or another. The folks out on the patio, however, did not sit rapt in awe of the view of the city as you might expect them to, but were rather engaged in conversation with their dining partners while enjoying super fresh seafood and creative summer cocktails. You know, kind of like they might at any other good restaurant. Go figure.
I began my meal, quite happily seated in the layover lounge, with half a dozen kushi oysters, plucked mere hours earlier from the cooler depths of the Pacific.
To me, there is no food that affords a more immediate connection with its origins than a raw oyster on the half shell, still partially contained in its ocean abode and providing a briny, sea-like slurp with every bite.
Pier 7's oyster service was thankfully simple and classic: the oysters were nestled in a tray of ice and accompanied by wedges of lemon, mignonette (red wine vinegar with shallots) and freshly grated horseradish.
Next up was a Dungeness crab cake served with arugula and marinated onions, tossed in a simple vinaigrette. The peppery rocket and flavourful onions, tempered by marinating, supplied a welcome contrast to the rich and crab-laden cake. I must admit that I did wince a little at the $15 price tag on this appetizer.
While it was expertly prepared, it was not particularly substantial and, beyond the crab, did not contain any ingredients that seemed to warrant the price tag. A glass of Burrowing Owl Riesling, with its bracing acidity and citrus and mineral notes, was a great accompaniment to the appetizer.
For a main course, I chose seared scallops with cauliflower risotto, a combination of flavours I have not encountered before.
It was a winning dish, featuring six plump and perfectly cooked scallops, seared over high heat to achieve a golden tint on one side while retaining a moist, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness on the inside.
The risotto was rich but not overwhelmingly so, the addition of capers and plump little currants offsetting the creaminess nicely. The Arborio rice had a nice al dente texture and the cauliflower, present in small florets, still had a toothsome crunch. A glass of Belle Glos pinot noir, with its reserved tannins and fruit-forward palate, married well with the scallops.
Chef Michael Mikoda and his team clearly have a firm handle on the seafood-leaning menu at Pier 7. I hope that eventually people will realize that the patio is a nice bonus to the food experience, and not the other way around.
My meal of two appetizers, a main course, and two glasses of wine was $86 before gratuity.
Pier 7 is located at 25 Wallace Mews, North Vancouver. pierseven.ca
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. Contact: [email protected].
