GE-Free Solutions pilot helps restaurants and diners rethink GMO
1 Comment
Karen Hamilton
April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day, everyone!
I’m marking the occasion with a topic that has caught my attention over the past year — GMOs — and what some people in Vancouver are doing about it.
What’s a GMO, you ask?
It’s any living thing that has been exposed to genetic modification. I’m not talking Mendel here. More like Mutant X.
If you’re thinking, like I once did, that there was no way I was going to let shady organisms like that into my diet…well, sorry folks. It’s already in your diet…unless you have abstained from soy, corn, canola, vegetable oil, and honey in the past decade, which few people can say for sure.
When I first met Nigel Tunnacliffe of GE-Free Solutions at EPIC 2008, finding out that I was already eating GMO foods scared the living daylights out of me. However, the skeptic in me required further research, so for the following 2 months, I read up on the issue, from Monsanto’s point of view to the non-GMO extremists. My verdict? Crap, I wish I knew which foods were untainted, to be safe!
Unfortunately for North America, there isn’t a regulated infrastructure of labelling foodstuffs as genetically modified (in Europe, this practice is widespread). This is what organizations like GE-Free Solutions and GE-Free BC have been attempting to improve. Both are actively working to raise consumer awareness about the suspect stuff we’ve been ingesting and approaching government and business to be forthcoming.
An Ocean Wise for GMOs
Nigel has enlisted 7 restaurants in the Lower Mainland to participate in a pilot program for genetic engineering (GE) verification, which is similar in concept to Ocean Wise.
By participating in the GE-Free pilot, these restaurants are required to develop at least five verified non-GE items on their menu by working with local, organic suppliers.
“We all have the right to know what’s in our food,” said Nigel at the launch of the pilot program at Great Bear Pub. And with genetically engineered ingredients present in more than 70% of processed food, the push for a change in the way we eat is starting to gain legs.
Below, you’ll find an intro to each of the participating restaurants, whose GE-Free menu items will be featured for the next 3 months. On each successive menu launch, participants will contribute up to 25% of their GE-Free menu sales to a charity dear to them.
GE-Free Pilot Program Participants
Agro Café
1207 Hamilton Street, Yaletown
1363 Railspur Alley, Granville Island
Agro Café grows and roasts their own beans and offer their fair trade, certified organic coffee in their Yaletown and Granville Island locations. It’s my go-to place for roast beef paninis and Cloverized brew, as I have mentioned before.
Launch day TBA.
babyeats
143-1233 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver
Babyeats offers delicious breakfast, lunch and dessert for you to enjoy while they take care of your kids.
On their launch day on April 10th, babyeats donated 25% of sales to the Make a Wish Foundation.
Current Coffee
4737 Victory Street, Burnaby
Current Coffee works to provide the best coffee in conjunction with 49th Parallel Roasters while choosing environmental friendly methods for their coffee deliveries. Current Coffee offers barista training, coffee catering as well as weekly coffee delivery service to your office.
Launch day TBA.
The Great Bear Pub
175-5665 Kingsway, Burnaby
The Great Bear Pub offers West Coast style pub food and entertainment and they aim to be the “greenest pub” in BC. Great Bear Pub is also the only Ocean Wise pub in Greater Vancouver.
Launch Day: April 26th
During their new GE-Free menu launch, Great Bear Pub will donate 25% of their sales to the Ride to Conquer Cancer, which benefits the BC Cancer Foundation.
Nature’s Garden Organic Deli
8969 University High Street, Burnaby
Located in the SFU campus, Nature’s Garden is committed to providing local and organic produce to the customers.
All of their items have been verified – way to go!
On their launch date on April 9th, Nature’s Garden donated a portion of their sales to the Union Gospel Mission.
Peake of Catering
4501 Main Street, Vancouver
Peake of Catering is dedicated to using locally sourced products and sustaining a green environment in Vancouver. They’re working with GE-Free Solutions to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner menu to suit your next catering needs.
Launch day TBA.
Qoola Yogurt and Fruit
1116 Denman Street, West End
Qoola is a new “fresh frozen” yogurt shop in the West End that also serves wholegrain waffles and crepes, both made from scratch. I’ve written about them before.
On their launch day on April 20th, Qoola donated 25% of its sales from GE-Free verified items to the Ride to Conquer Cancer as well.
More GE-Free pilot coverage to come
Tiny Bites will take a closer look at each of these restaurants throughout the pilot period, so for now, take note of who is taking action and check them out if you can.
* Thanks again to Jessica Funk for assisting in the research and roundup.
Categories: Blogging for Social Change, Burnaby, Downtown, Food, Going Green, Granville Island, Restaurants, West End, Yaletown
A round-up of Easter fun for your consideration
Leave a Comment Jessica FunkApril 8, 2009
Photo by Anna Duncan Art (Creative Commons)
A long weekend of religious observation is imminent, and with that, perhaps incongruously, a celebration filled with crazy scary gigantic bunnies***, eggs coloured and/or cocoa, and lots of good eats during the brunch and dinner hour.
The following list was compiled thanks to your suggestions on Twitter and the research and compilation efforts of Jessica Funk, who recently contacted me about honing her web publishing skills as a Tiny Bites intern. With Tiny Bites Consulting projects taking up the majority of my time these days, I certainly could use her aid with providing all of you with research-heavy pieces like this.
We met for coffee this morning and she is nearly as tiny as me! Please help me give a warm welcome to Jessica.
Okay then. On to the Easter selection.
Good Friday – April 10, 2009
Fried Chicken Good Friday at Fuel Restaurant
I find it amusing that Fuel is inviting you to eat chicken on the day in the Catholic calendar that you’re emphatically requested to refrain from meat. Having said that, I’m going to overlook my religious heritage and join Fuel for lunch…and hope to (in their words) “make Good Friday a Great one”.
This weekly Friday occasion is under $20 and gets you Buttermilk Fried Chicken, seasonal sides, gravy and a beer from R&B Brewing Company. See you there if you get a spot; I hear that reservations fill up well in advance.
Adults – $19.50
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Easter prix-fixe at the Shangri-La’s Lobby Lounge
If you haven’t dined yet in the city’s tallest edifice, now’s your chance. The Lobby Lounge is serving an Easter 3-course prix-fixe dinner menu during the entire long weekend. A served Sunday brunch will be featured on April 12th.
Adults – $55
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Easter Vigil – April 11, 2009
Township 7 Easter Egg Hunt
Between 11am and 4pm, Township 7 plans to regale your kids with an Easter egg hunt, face painting, snacks and drinkables, and the chance to meet Palmer the bunny of Dr. Doolittle fame. Grown-ups are invited to participate in wine tastings and more. The $2 admission per child goes completely towards the Small Animal Rescue Society (which has an unfortunate acronym…this is coming from a site that has the misfortune of being contractable to “TB”).
Call by Thursday, April 9th to reserve your spots.
Tony & Guy Vancouver’s First Annual Crazy Hair Egg Hunt
This was the coolest egg hunt I’ve heard about this year! 40 coiffed Easter eggs will be hidden all over Kitsilano and downtown Vancouver. Each contains the requisite chocolate plus a T&G gift card ranging in value from $5 – $100.
To join in on the scavenger hunt, follow the clues that will be tossed out Friday afternoon and Saturday morning on the Tony & Guy blog and their Twitter account.
(Thanks to Five Corners and Miss 604 for bringing this event to my attention.)
900 West Easter Tea
A special Easter High Tea from one of the foremost purveyors of afternoon tea in the city. View the menu and book for a Saturday or a Sunday sitting.
Adults – $39
Children (6 – 12) – $16
Tots (5 and under) - Free
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
VanDusen Garden’s Great A-Mazing Egg Hunt
VanDusen will entertain your kids from 10am to noon with crafts, mazes, and a Cadbury’s egg hunt. Mr. Bunny will be present to open the maze gates at 11am sharp. The hunt is included with admission to the garden.
It may be a little late to register your little ones since the deadline is for 4pm today, but try giving them a call anyhow and see what’s possible.
Easter prix-fixe at the Shangri-La’s Lobby Lounge
If you haven’t dined yet in the city’s tallest edifice, now’s your chance. The Lobby Lounge is serving an Easter 3-course prix-fixe dinner menu during the entire long weekend. A served Sunday brunch will be featured on April 12th.
Adults – $55
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Easter Sunday – April 12, 2009
High Tea Series: an Easter Sunday invite to The Secret Garden
Wow. How did I publish this round-up without including an invite to the afternoon tea we’ve been organizing on Twitter these past few weeks?
Read the original invite on Tiny Bites and RSVP by commenting on that post (not this one). Our table is now big enough for 25!
Egg hunt of a truer kind with the Stanley Park Ecology Society
Squeeze in an educational afternoon in between the platefuls of Easter offerings with the Stanley Park Ecology Society’s Egg Hunt. The hunt begins at the Lost Lagoon Nature House to spot eggs of a range of species.
Adults – $10
Children – $5
Easter buffet care of YEW restaurant + bar
Chef Oliver Beckert creates a spring buffet inclusive of sweets for the whole family. The Easter Bunny will make an appearance, too.
Adults – $75
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Bridges Easter Brunch
Bridges’ prix fixe Easter menu is also what they’re planning to serve for Mother’s Day, so if you miss out in April, don’t fret.
Adults – $30
Children – $15
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Organic Easter at Restaurant Connor Butler
Chef Connor Butler is offering an organic, seasonal brunch and dinner menu to celebrate Easter.
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
An Easter first at db Bistro Moderne
Chef Istel and his kitchen is celebrating their first Easter in Vancouver with a special menu.
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Griffins Restaurant Easter Brunch
Griffins will be visited by the Easter Bunny (who will lead your children on an Easter Egg Hunt) while they put on an Easter feast for your family. View the menu and book now.
Adults – $55
Children (6 – 12) – $27.50
Tots (5 and under) – Free
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
900 West Easter Tea
A special Easter High Tea from one of the foremost purveyors of afternoon tea in the city. View the menu and book for a Saturday or a Sunday sitting.
Adults – $39
Children (6 – 12) – $16
Tot (5 and under) - Free
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Easter prix-fixe at the Shangri-La’s Lobby Lounge
If you haven’t dined yet in the city’s tallest edifice, now’s your change. The Lobby Lounge is serving an Easter 3-course prix-fixe dinner menu during the entire long weekend. A served Sunday brunch will be featured on April 12th.
Adults – $35 for brunch; $55 for dinner
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Easter brunch and dinner at Elixir
Start the day with a basket of fresh baked hot cross buns at Opus Hotel. Chef Letendre’s Easter brunch and dinner menu is available on Easter Monday as well.
Brunch, 2 courses – $25
Brunch, 3 courses – $30
Dinner, 2 courses – $28
Dinner, 3 courses – $32
A la carte options available
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Easter brunch at Pan Pacific Hotel
Cafe Pacifica welcomes you for an Easter brunch complete with Callebaut chocolate fountain and kids activity center. The Easter Bunny will provide endless fun for your kids with egg and face painting, and the pastry chef will be in the dining room to decorate cookies and s’mores. Adults can enjoy the strains of Lyndon Davies Duo while indulging in a buffet featuring West Coast favourites.
Adults – $65
Children – $32.50
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Easter Monday – April 13, 2009
Easter brunch and dinner at Elixir
Chef Letendre’s Easter Sunday brunch and dinner menu is available on Easter Monday as well.
Brunch, 2 courses – $25
Brunch, 3 courses – $30
Dinner, 2 courses – $28
Dinner, 3 courses – $32
A la carte options available
Reserve your spot via OpenTable
Other Easter resources and activities
Don’t want to dine out or scavenge for sweets? Here are a few alternatives for you.
- Treat yourself to a special Easter selection from Thomas Haas
- Try these recipes like we did last year (the soufflé and Nutella banana nut muffins are still faves)
- Decorate eggs for Easter so that you can eat them later – pick up a copy of Edible Vancouver for a terrific article
Hope you all enjoy the Easter weekend!
*** That’s right, I’m scared sh#tless of bunnies. I blame Bunnicula and my cousin’s pet that bit me when I was a kid. When I was in high school, I broke the gate of Dave’s rabbit enclosure when he locked me in with his bunnies “for fun” (jerk). Despite all this, I find rabbit to be delicious, whether interpreted in chocolate or as the real thing.
Categories: Events, Food, Restaurants
A Tiny Bites dinner date at Hai Phong
4 Comments Karen HamiltonApril 6, 2009
Trudy, whom I had met during the inaugural Social Bites dinner last fall, asked me to try her go-to Vietnamese place: Hai Phong. Rather than go it alone or drag my errant husband, who’s been distracted with tax season, I asked her to take me there. She was game.
We were joined by Jason Lau, foodie and frequent design partner of Tiny Bites Consulting, and served by brother and sister tag team Khiem and Lai Chau (who, despite all our compliments, was too camera shy for the photo above).
I thought we were in for a typical first-visit dinner : a dish apiece, perhaps an appetizer, perhaps a drink or two. As it turned out, Lai and her family bombarded us with an array of plates that they felt we had to try and then refused to let us pay for any of it. Behold the spread:
Banh Khot – Green bean muffin lettuce wrap dish, $8.95.
Trudy warned me beforehand that mung bean is often an acquired taste, but I wanted to try something besides the usual pho and bun. This dish was one of my favourites of the evening: the creaminess of the mung bean balanced with the umami and chunk of the pork and shrimp. (Jason was not a fan; Trudy prefers this dish in the usual crepe-style presentation.)
This dish is meant to be eaten in lettuce wrap format, but for us, it was too messy an operation. I wound up spearing a chopstick into my target and dunking the whole thing into my bowl of nuoc cham.
Hu Tieu Kho – Dry rice noodles, $6.95.
A Vietnamese take on chow mein, I suppose? This dish was another first for me; my acquaintance of noodles in Vietnamese fare is limited to pho and vermicelli. Trudy prefers Hai Phong’s rendition over that of Phnom Penh, a restaurant that she is also a fan of. This didn’t stick out for me. I ate it; it was good, I think; but it didn’t knock my socks off like other first bites in unfamiliar territory.
Complimentary servings of pork rib broth accompany dishes that aren’t already soupy in nature.
Bun Rieu – Crab mix noodle in soup, $6.95.
Trudy ordered this dish with a heap of customizations. I was surprised by this flexibility. At many family-run Asian diners, ingredient substitutions are discouraged if not outright impractical, considering the barriers of culture, language, and more. At any rate…whatever Trudy changed made for a damn delicious outcome. I even ate the Vietnamese ham, which I studiously avoid in most cases.
Hu Tieu Mi Bo Kho – Tomato beef brisket stew with rice noodle and egg noodle in soup, $6.95.
Lai recommended this soup when I explained my adoration of tendon. When it came to our table, I was saddened that there was no tendon in sight. Lai apologized for the confusion (she thought brisket was what I was referring to). Oh well – I’ll just have to come back to try something with tendon.
This dish sat well with me despite the mix-up. It reminded me of 3am brisket noodle soup dinners with my father and his musician friends, famished after a long night of jamming (I was part-time backup singer) at the venue a few doors down.
Bun Bo Hue – Spicy beef noodle in soup, $6.95.
Its broth was beautifully layered, deep with flavour and nuance, though that can be said of all the soups we had tried. The bun bo hue contained my favourite noodle of the night, which seems to be specific to this dish. I wish I had had enough appetite remaining to eat more of it, but the rest of the spread was already in my belly and I was no longer in the mood for more spice.
Sinh To Bo – avocado shake, $4.
Avocados are my weakness. I order this drink at Vietnamese restaurants, eternally an optimist, and am constantly disappointed by its artificial make-up (powdered mix once held appeal for me in Tang, but I grew out of that phase before I was 10). This was the real deal, chock full of fruit and green. It didn’t even trigger my lactose-sensitive system despite the presence of condensed milk.
A modern facelift
Hai Phong had been closed for nearly a year when a sewage pipe burst on their block, affecting the location and its neighbours***. The city lagged on the operations and administration necessary to get the restaurant open to the public. During that waiting game, the family decided to renovate.
I’m a fan of the simple, cheerful, and modern decor.
Kudos to Hai Phong for playing Canucks games on their flat-screen TV in lieu of the usual musical variety shows.
The restaurant shut down for the night before we realized that we had stayed for nearly 5 hours, sampling Hai Phong’s cuisine, chatting about food and Cooking Master Boy, and getting to know the family behind the business. We said our thanks to the Chaus as they sat down for their repast and quickly left them to their meal, minds buzzing with the lure of Tamarind Crab for our next visit to Hai Phong.
Hai Phong
1246 Kingsway | Vancouver
(604) 715-7098
Cash only
*** Myth busted: Hai Phong was not closed because of shootings or other gang activity, which seemed to be a rumour that was going around the community when I had originally asked around about this restaurant.
Categories: Food, Kensington, Restaurants
About Tiny Bites
Tiny Bites is a food blog that explores all things edible and imbibable in Vancouver, British Columbia. More >
Articles by Karen Hamilton
Read the food and non-food articles that I've contributed to sites other than Tiny Bites.
