Executive chef David Wong oversees the kitchen at Oru, a pan-Asian restaurant in the recently opened Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.

Credit: supplied

ON THE PLATE: Post-Olympics, the restaurant bonanza will continue

They’ve been a stunning, bewildering thing, these Olympic Games. We’ve either been looking forward to them or downright dreading them for so long that it seems impossible to imagine what life in Vancouver will be like after the rest of the world packs up and leaves.

For me, it’s as if a fence has been erected on the immediate horizon, over which I’ve chosen not to see, temporarily suspending the future because the now is just too compelling to abandon.

It’s hard to imagine, for example, that the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will soon be upon us (April 19-25), showcasing the wares of New Zealand and Argentina. And then, Dine Out Vancouver — which was pushed back from its usual February run time, now happening April 26 to May 6 — will have me scrambling for reservations at many of its almost 200 participating restaurants.

But things are happening right now, too. Exciting things. Restaurants have opened in the midst of Olympic madness, and there will be more in the weeks to come. Though they might currently seem over the hill and far away, they’ll be throwing open their doors to the hungry hordes before you know it.

THE COMING OF CALABASH
There are several restaurants of note that are busily preparing to open after the Olympics, but the one I’m looking forward to most is the 75-seat Calabash, an artsy, two-level, Caribbean-themed joint that promises to further enliven the dining scene on the Downtown Eastside. Co-owner Roger Collins, a veteran of the Chambar school of service, is also the mastermind behind the world-groove-themed podcast Foundation Radio, so we’re pretty much guaranteed a jumping vibe. His business partner is Sam Willcocks, a former co-owner of Cassis Bistro and a man who knows how to do offer a culinary bounty without charging an arm and a leg.

The pair have been toiling at their location, on the ground floor and in the basement of the recently restored Pennsylvania Hotel (428 Carrall), for the past 11 months. The main floor will include a 35-seat dining room and open kitchen, while the downstairs will seat another 40 in a stylish but relaxed lounge. (One of the hotel’s ancient, ornate elevators sits dormant in one of the corners, crying out to be converted into a DJ booth.) The cooking will be in the hands of Cullin David, who was the executive sous chef at Provence for a decade, while construction is being overseen by Ryan Murfitt, one of the most under-sung individuals in the trade. In recent years, Murfitt has helped to midwife several restaurants in the surrounding neighbourhood, most recently the deservedly well-reviewed Bao Bei in Chinatown.

But it’s more than just the prospect of quality food, drink, and atmosphere at a fair price that has me drooling, even though this city has suffered a shortage of Caribbean restaurants for way too long. Rather, it’s always inspiring to see new operators who are more excited by the challenges of the Downtown Eastside than they are afraid. Willcocks and Collins are in it for the long haul, with eyes wide open. Their project has all the ingredients to make it an out-of-the-gate winner when it opens in April, long after every symptom of Olympic fever has been forgotten.

ALSO COMING SOON...
Many start-up restaurant owners worked round the clock to be ready to launch in time for the Games. As a reward, they’ve found their new ventures busier than they could ever have hoped to be. I’ve given them all a wide berth so far, but here are the handful I look forward to checking out once the flame passes on.

First up, the two-level Cork & Fin has just opened at the entrance to Blood Alley in Gastown (604-569-2215, CorkAndFin.ca). As the name suggests, it’s equal parts wine bar and raw bar, like a stripped down Blue Water Cafe (exposed brickwork included). The owner is the affable and wine-savvy Francis Regio, who for years was key to the front-of-house team at the West End’s Tapastree. The chef is Elliott Hashimoto, also formerly of Tapastree. I don’t expect to be disappointed.

In Yaletown, I’m excited to give Charlie’s (1265 Hamilton, 604-568-6685, CharlieLovesPizza.com) a try, where they’re plating modern Italian food with a focus on gourmet 14-inch pizzas. It’s in a tough location (Pinkys Steakhouse and LK Dining Lounge quickly came and went from there), but my hope is that the Olympic crush will quickly whip them into good enough shape to sustain a long run. They’ll close for a few days after the Games to recalibrate and lick their wounds, reopening to the public on March 4.

Last but certainly not least is Oru (1038 Canada Place, 604-695-5300, Fairmont.com/PacificRim), the freshly revealed 140-seat pan-Asian bistro in the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. I took a sneak peek before it opened last week, and couldn’t help but appreciate the seriousness with which the kitchen approaches its cuisine. The 38-person crew is shepherded by executive chef David Wong, who led Team Canada at last year’s Bocuse D’Or international culinary competition in France. A stickler for perfection, he’s gone to great lengths to ensure authenticity in his dishes, such as making his own ramen noodles in house. The hotel opened to 100-per-cent capacity in its first week as the Games got underway, so it’ll be a seasoned operation once things return to normal.