Cru vs Bin 942 --- A Study in Contrasts

[cabrales]

The bottom line: Cru is a restaurant I would revisit. Bin 942 is a loud, younger scene-type place (although I did not sample the cuisine at Bin 942) with very loud, aggravating music.

The decor at Cru has been improved a bit in the last 4-6 weeks, according to my dining companions. Lounge-type sofas in medium and a lighter brown have been added to the left-side of the restaurant (accommodating dining there, but adding a bit more of a lounge, comfy type feel). Each sofa has cushions ranging from a matte light blue to a medium blue in color that were appropriate-looking. Also, three pieces of modern art have augmented the decor.

The decor is pleasing to me, although not entirely unexpected for a restaurant of this type. The space is a narrow one, very close to Broadway and Granville, on the side that is not the side of the large Borders store. When one enters the narrow area, the initial area is painted a fairly vibrant medium blue, and lit by lights that includes lights from the floor. A nice sense of light and of color. The restaurant has the sofas described above to the left (maybe 3-4 tables), then a bar area, which is then followed by the kitchen. To the right is a long row of tables for roughtly 2-4 persons on average. The seats appeared to be of a slightly yellow/beige seude-like material. Pleasing lines and colors.

I had a fairly good meal at Cru, at reasonable prices. I suppose the prices would have been even more reasonable, had I had less wine. However, C$150 for three after tax and before tips is a good deal, given the number of by-the-glass selections sampled. (Approx USD 120, at the current weak USD)

My two dining companions and I started by sharing the foie gras off-menu special.We ordered from the a la carte (aka "Small Plates") menu. The Hudson foie was not a large piece, but it was appropriately prepared. It sat on top of a bed of cooked down, dark lentils that had a hint of white truffle oil. Ordinarily, I strongly dislike white truffle oil for its superficiality and its overuse by some restaurants, but here it was alright. On the side was a salad that included thin slices of (red) apples (without the skin edge) that were lightly covered with a light consistency oil that was a bit similar to, but a bit more acidic, than olive oil (perhaps apple cider-based oil??) This dish was nice, although my personal preference would have been to have had the foie cooked ever-so-slightly less. I paired this with Select late harvest Risling, 2001, Quail's Gate, Okanagan (C$12 for 3 oz) -- which was a bit more acidic and less sweet and thinner on the mouth than an ice wine would have been. A nice pairing, although the darkness of the lentils and the likely meat stock-based saucing for the lentil/foie part of the dish could have suggested a light red. One of my dining companions had the seafood soup, which had 4-5 mussels and certain other items. He liked it.

An aside on the way the wine list is arranged. Wines by the bottle and by the glass are listed in categories labelled Crispy, Mellow or Luscious for the white wines, and Juicy, Smooth or Big for the reds. Wine list had some BC local selections, but also covered wines from Australia, France (to some extent) and the US. Each dish on the menu (prix fixe or a la carte) contains a color coding that is matched to one of the above six wine categories (e.g., Juicy). Some dishes have two categories that the dish could be paired with. That helps diners with less wine knowledge to navigate the pairing of wines and food. I tried to focus on local wines for my choices, although the bottle of Bollinger RD 1990 at C$239 somewhat tempted me (not indicative of the general level of wine pricing at the restaurant).

Our dining party of three then proceeded to share 2 orders of the Moroccan-spiced lamb on cous cous (C$14 each). Each order was substantial enough to have been filling to me, on its own, and had two lamb chops with protruding bones. They were arranged on top of cous cous (tapioca-type texture) and a nicely prepared, possibly veal-stock (??)-based, medium thickness sauce that had non-sweet mini black currants in it. The lamb was appropriate-tasting. I sampled a glass of the Cabernet Franc, 2000, Poplar Grove, Okanagan (C$14). The serving of the by-the-glass wines is a bit more than a typical glass; it comes in a mini decanter that is smaller than a Batali quartino, but larger than the volume of a glass. That the Cab Franc was stark and unappealing was not unexpected, for the Okanagan region has always had more difficulty with its reds than its whites. One of my dining companions ordered an Australian Shiraz by the glass, which might have been C$16 or environs. It would be the appropriate pairing, among the reds available by the glass, for the lamb.

We also shared a single order of the Syrah-braised short ribs with macaroni and cheese (C$12). This was a large serving. A dining room team member advised that the short ribs were Alberta beef. This was average-plus, with a contiguous amount of short rib meat, including a portion of bone. The saucing was a medium density, appropriate, dark one. The mac and cheese was presented in a small round ceramic container, and was average at best. There was a slight crunchiness to it unassociated with the browning of the cheese on top; perhaps that type of texture emanated from bits of breadcrumb in the mac portion. I couldn't really tell.

We finished by my sampling Pinot Blanc Ice wine 1999, Sumac Ridge, Okanagan (C$18 for a 50 ml mini-bottle). This is a very different icewine than Inniskillin (incl. Vidal or Riesling). The Sumac Ridge is lighter, coating the mouth less. It's also slightly less rich and slightly more acidic. I thought it was an interesting (in a good way) sampling. Our dining party shared an order of the sticky icewine cake. I'm always tempted to order icewine-based dishes, including the pork dish at Feenie's with an icewine and mustard sauce. The dessert was appropriate, although the stickiness was not obvious to me.

Interesting that bread and butter are charged for separately (C$4 per order). True, the breads are Terra, similar to that at Lumiere. Still, I rarely find restaurants where even bread and butter have a separate pricing.

The dining room team assistance was appropriate. Cru is a restaurant, instead of a wine bar, in my eyes.

Contrast this perception with my short-lived experience at Bin 942, which is less than two blocks away from Cru and a very easy walk on the same side of the street (but across Granville). A very loud, weirdly decorated, trying-to-be-hip-and-young-but-not-so-type establishment. Although I was too full after Cru to sample the cuisine at Bin 942, the thundering, trying-to-be-modern music alone would have dissuaded me from taking in any food at Bin 942. Whereas the dining room team at Cru seemed somewhat knowledgeable and earnest and interested in food/wine, the team at Bin 942 seemed not quite that way :( I took in a 2 oz pour of the Fonseca LBV 10-year port, which was acceptable. There was also a Warre's and a Taylor Fladgate 1996, I believe, in port. The wine list at Bin 942 is inferior to that at Cru. I exited Bin 942 after less than 1/2 hour.

Cru represents significant competition to two very different nearby establishments -- Star Anise (which does not have good food, and charges more than Cru and Bin 942) and Cheesecake Etc. (a dessert specialist). It will be interesting to see whether Cru may become the final nail in Star Anise's "coffin" :> (West is clearly better than even Star Anise in its prime, let alone the declining Star Anise now. So, in some ways, Star Anise was sort of doomed anyhow. I gave it less than five more years. Cru might accelerate that process, because Cru has better food, at cheaper prices, than Star Anise.)

[mdine]

Not much of a study.

[slum_grrl]

Frankly, my dear, there is no need to be ungracious. Cabrales reflections are always worthwhile, and I am particularly interested in the comparison of the 2 restaurants mentioned from an educated diner's perspective. I don't always agree with Cabrales, but I am always interested in reading Cabrale's posts.

[mdine]

Cabrales often says that diners should "go with the flow" when trying a new restaurant. She/He wasn't even willing to go into Bin 942 to try the food before doing " a study in contrasts". If you are looking for a comparison between the two restaurants, you will find very little pertinent information in the above mentioned review. I was just stating a fact. I must add that in general I find Cabrales' opinions to be incredibly critical, sometimes incorrect and often ungracious. Respectfully, I think it's time that someone pointed out some of her/his imperfections.

[Gobstopper]

Like or dislike, Cabrales is a top contributer - I agree that there isn't much comparison besides the decor, ambience and the wine list, but there is no need to be all troll like.

[mdine]

I just think that Gord Martin (bin 941/942 ) is and has been a solid contributor to dining in Vancouver. He has paved the way for modern tapas with small plates of solid, creative and interesting food. This should not be overlooked. He too deserves the respect of a top contributor.

[David]

Just like the culinary inclined to 'stir the pot'!

Nice, it's sure good to see a level of passion in the discussions. You're all quite astute to note cabrales seemingly overbearing or snobby attitude, but she's quite right, and calls it like she sees it. Whether her opinion is of concern to anyone else is the reader's choice, is it not?

Cut her some slack, because while I think she may be on the obsesive compulsive side of the detail appreciation, that is exactly the type of person who will pick up on all the tiny little details that someone like Jack Evernsall is working so hard to achieve. He, who has spent millions building his dining environments, does so to attract those who relish in the minutiae of those morsels.

Now don't let that detract from your appreciation of those bins. They are among my favourite restaurants, as is Fiction, Lucy mae brown, Parkside etc. etc.. These places have fun, take their food seriously and themselves not so much. As a middle-aged diner fighting the years, I'm not ready to go quietly into the night, and I wan't some energy to the night. Clearly, cabrales would be unhappy in all those environs, regardless of the attention to detail. Let her have it, she seems to have some food background, and we need more of those to support the beautiful restaurants in our city that we can afford only rarely [west, lumiere, etc. . not C, right cabrales? :) ].

I say, power to her and the rest of us. We're all winners if we argue the relative details of such great venues.

[Kirk]

I don't disagree, but I would just like to add a quote from the esteemed Robertson Davies:

"There is no nonsense so gross that society will not, at some time, make a doctrine of it and defend it with every weapon of communal stupidity."

[mdine]

Good quote!

[audrey II]

Sometimes it pays to put things into perspective. When Gord Martin opened Bin 941 there was no tapas craze other than the 30 year long authentic Spanish show down the street at la Bodgea.

Bin 941 turned on a whole bunch of younger people to decent wines by the glass and great value on the plate. If you've ever watched him prepare a dish, this man is as detail driven a chef as any. Martin managed to convert a bunch of people (some of whom might otherwise have been elsewhere doing wings and shooters) to the joys of playing with good food and wine in a totally unintimidating environment. It would appear to be a lesson that hasn't been lost on others. Check the onslaught of small plate places, as well as the move in that direction by almost every high end restaurant.

The only thing that surprises me about Cabrales' in depth post is that s/he dropped in for a glass of Port right after the meal at Cru ('"although I was too full after Cru to sample the cuisine at Bin 942"), which seems an odd, if not completely unfair manner in which to form an opinion. Let alone use it as a basis for public comparison.

No wonder there was no inclination to stay and eat. And no wonder the highly energised (and, yes, loud) scene at Bin 942 was a tough swallow.

While criticism will always be subjective there are occasions when an ounce of objectivity is crucial. This would appear to be one of them.

[Jamie Maw]

I have been reading this thread with interest as I have just completed a retrospective of 'small plates' or tapas-styled dining in Vancouver, something well-evidenced here for almost six years. Since Bin 941, Tapastree, Tangerine and other restaurants recognized what Vancouver diners already knew, i.e. that modern dining here would evolve in more casual circumstances and that invention was better served fresh daily (nightly invention at that time being largely restricted to the appetizers on offer), many others have followed.

When we published the first article on small plates dining, called 'Tapastown' in October of 1999, we polled food writers and restaurants in various North American culinary capitals. None had heard of the trend to small plates that chefs such as Gord Martin had pioneered, or, as we put it at the time, 'big flavours served on small plates in diversity and profusion.'

Only very recently, Bon Appetit signalled the trend, and according to an article in the National Post on Saturday (adjacent to Jake Richler's review of the East Meets West dinner) by Anne Kingston, small plates are finally now catching on in Toronto, but often in expensive tablecloth restaurants and without the benefit of the rapid service they require to ward off starvation.All of which rather misses the point.

I too give Gord Martin full marks for his invention and for promoting the notion of very flavoursome food, accessibly presented and priced. Fortunately, new restaurants like Cru (and Feenie's, Parkside, Umami, and even Bis Moreno) have taken his lead, serving smaller courses punched up with taste. They provide a wonderful alternative (full of opportunities at small risk) to the old 'three-and-your-out' style of dining.

The small plates phenomenon may soon become ubiquitous in North America, (and they may disappear faster than Von Dutch tractor caps after Ashton Kutcher wore one on the MTV Music Awards), and may lose culinary traction in cities that care more about a sense of occasion than a sense of taste.

But they're here to stay in Vancouver, in restaurants like Cru and the Bins. For that we can thank what I assume is Cabrales' native country, and the many Asian restuarants that now pepper this town.

I am only sorry that Cabrales did not see fit to stop in at Memphis Blues to top up on her long walk along West Broadway.

Enjoy them all.

Jamie Maw
Food Editor
Vancouver Magazine

[cabrales]

Hi, Jamie :) Where were you seated for the East Meets West meal? If you were seated at the same table as Alexandra Gill, as well as the Vancouver Sun and local radio reps, I was just adjacent to your table, but closer to the kitchen (please do not mention identifying characteristics) :)

Everybody else --

Jamie's October 1999 Tapastown article:
http://www.vancouvermagazine.com/9910/diner.html

Jamie's thoughts on Cru:
http://www.vancouvermagazine.com/0311...
(includes Cru discussion)

[Jamie Maw]

I was the broad in the bad hat passing myself off as Joanne Kates.

Watch this space for my vitriolic review as the waiter studiously refused to return my advances.

I was disappointed that the Globe exorcised my quote. When Alex Gill asked me what I thought of the dinner, I could only say that the Lee/Hawksworth collaborative reminded me that great cooking, like sex and Beethoven, is about tension and release.

Needless to say, towards the end I felt quite relieved, even if Vicki and Yvonne said I looked more like a chesterfield.

If you must know, due to the early sell-out of the event, I ate dinner in my car.

As always,

Jamie Maw

[mdine]

It must be my “troll” like demeanor that stops me from moving on from all of this. I will say a couple more things before attempting to find another bridge to guard.

I agree with much of what you say David. I value your postings. I must add (re: details) that if you want true unconditional quality of service and refined details in Vancouver…there is only one choice. Bishops. They truly put the guest first. No one can hold a candle to what they do. Not even with $millions$.

My feeling on your posting (“subjective” of course) is that Cabrales would never cut the restaurants she visits any slack. She/he makes that clear. If she/he is putting herself out there in that way, attempting to be a titular food critic, then she too deserves a little critique. I find many contradictions in her advice to diners. Many people read these pages and make dining decisions based on the content. I cringe to think that they might not chose to go to the bins because of her uninformed opinion or that they might think less of “C” because of a lone lunch visit 2 years ago. What happens if she has a bad day as a top contributor? Someone needs to set the record straight when she/he falters.

Keep up the good work David.

[cabrales]

"I must add that in general I find Cabrales' opinions to be incredibly critical, sometimes incorrect and often ungracious."

To clearly point out the weaknesses in a restaurant, to demand good cuisine and be critical when that is not provided, and to be convinced of one's ability to tell the difference between bad and good cuisine for oneself are not to be ungracious :) I don't believe in gushing over mediocre "cuisine". I don't believe in being diplomatic when I receive mediocre meals. I also don't believe the membership of the board is well-served when constructive comments about a restaurant are not clearly set forth.

As for your perception my assessments are "sometimes incorrect", that assumes something that I don't agree with -- which is that cuisine is somehow objective and there is a notion of what is "correct". Everything's subjective, and therefore any diner's assessments are as valid as any other diner's. If you'd like to enter a discussion on which of my specific assessments about any restaurant you find "incorrect", I'd be happy to do that :)

[Buddha Belly]

Yes, I agree..Cab's pretentious reviews are off-putting...Although I do like reading long opinions on the Van dining scene.

I don't know how anyone can seriously compare Cru with Bin, they are so totally different in scope and intent..And then to throw in the Cheesecake restaurant as a competitor??? And then off on another tangent putting the kibash on Star Anise!

I have enjoyed Bin many times and Star Anise is quite good, although not great for the $$.

Put on a pair of ear plugs and try Bin, Cab, you'll be very pleasantly surprised

[Kirk]

Is it safe to assume that these places are in Vancouver, and not, say, Regina or St. John's?

[islandgirl]

Yes, they're both in Vancouver

[Chino Wayne]

Thanks for asking for the clarification, some of us who are visitors to this board do not have so much worldly dining experience that it would have been apparent that restaurants in Vancouver were being discussed.

-Just A Local Yokel

[Lauren]

Cru is high on my list for my next visit. But, for now, Bin 941/942 are hands down my favorite places to dine in Vancouver. Don't let the music put you off. Once you are settled in your seat with a plate of fabulous food in front of you, chatting with the people at the table next to you, you will find yourself not even hearing it any more. And, no, I'm no youngster!