Vancouver Chef goes Local! | Food, Wine & Real Estate | November 2013

The Farmer’s Apprentice

The Farmer’s Apprentice was recently suggested to me by a colleague and seeing that it was walking distance from my office, I decided to meet my wife for lunch one Friday last month.

This small restaurant located in the Fairview Slopes is headed by executive chef David Gunawan (formerly of Wildebeest and West) and his partner Dara Young (a chef but now manages the front of house). We were greeted by Ms Young and seated at the small bar overlooking the open kitchen. She explained their concept as choosing local food, embracing the farm-to-table movement and that their menu changes daily depending on what products are available. Most plates are meant to be shared.
I started with the mushroom soup ($6). It was so delicious that my wife had to order her own. We shared the butternut squash preserve, with ricotta and honey and their house made sourdough bread ($4). My wife had the winter squash, eggplant, pumpkin seeds and arugula salad while I sampled the natural Angus Beef with salsa verde and pickled red onion sandwich ($8.5). To finish off our meal, the chef presented us with an arrangement of delicious cheeses, preserves and candied nuts. It was a perfect ending to a very enjoyable lunch.

The room was ¾ full ranging from a family with young children to business men having a quick lunch. The Farmer’s Apprentice has a relaxed, comfortable and welcoming atmosphere that provides something for everyone. We look forward to returning to sample their dinner menu.

Church and State – Quintessential

I first came to sample Church and State wines after attending a wedding located at their winery in the Okanagan Valley. Recently I attended a dinner where their Quintessential wine was served. This is their flagship red wine made from 5 Bordeauxred grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot. It is dense and dark in colour with black cherry and cassis aromas. The palate has concentrated black cherry fruit with a generous tannin producing a great richness but well balanced.

This wine can be consumed now or as it is one of their pricier wines, it can be kept and enjoyed for a special occasion.