I was just reviewing my list of foodie goals for the year (yes, a little “Type A” of me) and realized that I’d better get on it if I’m going to be completing this list by the end of year. I can’t believe that we are almost in May – where has the beginning of this year gone?! Here is my 2011 list as it now stands:
Restaurants to visit in 2011:
1/ Bao Bei
2/ Bo Laksa King
3/ Au Petit Chavignol
4/ Chambar
5/ L’Abattoir
6/ Nicli Antica Pizzeria (when it finally opens) Have been numerous times and highly recommend it.
Ok…so not doing so well on visiting new restaurants. I guess that’s because I keep getting distracted by old favourites…
Anticipated return visits:
1/ Vij’s Went for my birthday dinner but wasn’t all that impressed. Yes…we even ordered the lamb popsicles.
2/ Kingyo
3/ Araxi We visited Araxi when we were up in Whistler in February. I am still in love with Araxi!
4/ Cioppino’s
5/ Bishop’s Spent a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at sophisticated Bishop’s.
6/ La Quercia Recently returned with friends. Still represents good value.
7/ The Hanuman (my favourite restaurant in Darwin that I hope to visit when we are there in May)
Looks like I’m definitely doing much better on returning to old faves than trying new places.
Other foodie goals:
* To utilise more recipes from my cookbook collection, especially from my new Jamie Oliver cookbooks that I got for Christmas (“Jamie’s Italy” and “Jamie at Home”). I have definitely been attempting new recipes, especially from “Jamie at Home”, but I won’t cross this one off just yet. This is more of an on-going goal.
* Participate in a cooking class. Completed my “Serious Foodie” course at the NorthWest Culinary Academy. I really enjoyed the class and will now be looking to do shorter classes.
* Find, or make, an incredible laksa. (Not yet…)
* Be able to frost a cupcake so that it doesn’t look like a pre-schooler did it. (Am going to sign up for “Michael’s” cake decorating class in the fall.)
* Spend less money on mediocre weekday lunches and use the money saved for lavish dinners out instead. (This hasn’t gone as well as I’d hoped…)
* Sit on a Darwin beach with B, at sunset, whilst enjoying exotic foods from Mindil Beach Markets.
* Devour many flat whites whilst in Australia. (This will be one of the first things I do!)
* Host a really girly afternoon tea.
* Host a successful dinner party.
As you can see, I still have a way to go. We leave for Australia in about three weeks (hell yeah!!) so I will be able to knock a few things off the list then. It’s been a long five years since I was home last so I can’t wait to touch down on Aussie soil. The first thing I’m going to do is enjoy a flat white coffee and then I am going to run straight to a supermarket so I can stock up on all the Aussie snacks that I have been missing. I think B is going to be impressed (appalled? scared?) with just how much his wife can eat! With the trip being so close I am currently deep in restaurant research for our visits to Sydney and Melbourne – both have amazing food scenes so it won’t be too hard to find incredible food. And I’m also looking for some restaurants for our upcoming Vegas trip. If you have any restaurant recommendations for Sydney, Melbourne or Las Vegas, please send them my way!
The Culinary Adventures of a Greedy Guts 
Most of these places are on my list too! So if you don’t limit your food outings to just girls, maybe we can collaborate on some of these.
Sounds good! Regardless of what you think, I don’t limit ALL of my outings to just girls 😛
Hi
I was wondering why you weren’t that impressed with Vij’s? I had exactly the same experience. I went for a birthday visit, ordered the lamb popsicles and just didn’t understand the hype. I thought the sauce for the popsicles was bitter from a heavy-handed use of fenugreek powder and my friends, ordering other dishes, enjoyed them but really weren’t blown away. I come from the UK where curry houses are big business and have heard that Vij’s is the best Indian in North America. I highly disagree, although I quite like his package dinners. I have his first cookbook and a few recipes I tried didn’t work.
I went to Bao Bei last week, also a birthday visit, and that was a good dinner!
Hi Delyth,
Thanks for reading. Glad to hear that Bao Bei was good. I really, really have to get there soon!
I think we were a bit like you – just underwhelmed. I had been before and really enjoyed it but this time I was disappointed. Not so disappointed that I wouldn’t go back but for the prices and the line-up, I expected more. That is kind of why I prefer Rangoli because the food is still great and your expectations are lower because you aren’t paying almost $30 a plate. Are there any Indian places in Vancouver that you recommend? I always trust a Brit when it comes to curry…