REVIEW: AMBROSIA at The Naramata Inn

It was a special day for me as it was the 6th anniversary of my father's passing so we decided to go out for dinner. I wanted a change from the usual spots so I thought of a place we had not been to for a couple years, The Naramata Inn. We had not been here for a while because they were having some issues and had changed owners, chefs and had closed, last year they re-opened but I thought it best to wait a while to make sure that their issues were behind them again. 

I went to the website of the Naramata Inn and found a link to Ambrosia and their celebrity chef, Chef Victor Bongo. Chef Bongo has a very storied and illustrious resume that is enviable for all aspiring chefs and the chance to taste his creations was something I could not turn down.

We arrived at Ambrosia around 630 without a reservation and we luckily managed to find a table as most were reserved and there were only 2  other tables that were available upon our arrival.

Chatting to our server we found out they just got new furniture earlier that day, the setting was quite comfortable and cozy, the atmosphere light and intimate. We perused the menu and ended up buying a bottle of wine, Black Widow Gewurztraminer, one of our favorite local wines.

The menu consisted of a tapas which we were a little bit nervous of and at the same time thrilled because we have long believed that Penticton (and area) has need a good tapas place but have been disappointed with the options that we have found in town. 

We started off ordering some Beef sliders and some Caribbean Chicken Flat bread, delivered by Chef Bongo himself. The dishes sounded amazing in the menu description and let me tell you they were amazing, absolutely perfect! The sliders were full of layered flavors that I swear every bite revealed a new depth of flavor; it was juicy, succulent, full of love and care that only a true master creates. The Caribbean Chicken Flatbread reminded me of being back in the caribbean, it had a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Closing my eyes when eating it reminded me of being back in the caribbean on a white sandy beach, the sun shining down and the warm gentle waves of the ocean lapping against my feet as I relax in paradise. 

https://naramatainn.com/ambrosia-restaurant-lounge/

We savoured every mouthful, our prayers for finding a place that would elevate Okanagan Cuisine to where it should be in our minds had finally arrived. We drooled over every bite and when done we craved more, so we ordered more.

https://naramatainn.com/ambrosia-restaurant-lounge/

Our next round of appetizers were just as pleasing; we ordered some Sacciatelli and some Chicken Popsicles. Again the dishes were delivered personally by Chef Bongo and I could not help but tell him how the first course was perfect with the singular exception that we wish there was more of it all.  The sacciatelli was a perfect little bundle of pasta with a pouch of cheese on a bed of flavorful cream sauce. The Chicken Popsicles were large chicken wing drummettes on a roast butternut squash puree, heaven pure heaven. The popsicles had a hint of spice which was matched perfectly with the squash puree.

https://naramatainn.com/ambrosia-restaurant-lounge/

The meal was absolutely exceptional, to the point I had said to my beautiful wife Tabitha that I wish I was a 20 years younger so I could apprentice under Chef Bongo. She then said "you don't think you can replicate these dishes?". I pondered her words for a moment before answering with a firm "No"; i then explained to her that I am not familiar with his blend of caribbean cuisine and that there is more to the talent of making the dish when learning from a master.

Chef Bongo, good on you sir, you have a fan and supporter who will happily spread the word of Ambrosia and your talent.

I wholeheartedly give a 5 out of 5 for your efforts. (if I could give more I would !)

Penticton, you have been served notice as this is the standard that we expect in the Okanagan!

The mic has dropped...

Complacency, and The Need For Change

I am just throwing this out there, though I have said it many times in my blogs...

The restaurant and pub industry, especially my town of Penticton BC, needs to drop the complacency and expect more from the restaurants and pubs serving the community.

Too many times we the public are offered the same style food, everywhere they go. the same old beef dips, the same old generic burgers, the same old bowls of pasta. Too many places have lost their passion for creating works of art through flavoring; instead they just do things similar to the pub or restaurant a few blocks away. And when they do create something different and it is a hit they don't progress forward with it , they just keep it on the menu for years on end so that everyone else can copy and make slight modifications to make it their own.

I want addictive flavour profiles, I want thinking outside the box, I want unique and stylized food that makes me say "Wow I never thought of that!",  I want menu changes to be seasonal to reflect the changing flavors of each season, not a full menu change but a good 25 to 30% at least. I want these places to focus on service and consistency, I want these places to train well and constantly even after initial starting of an employee. 

Training is one of the biggest keys to success, by utilizing a pre-shift meeting to discuss one menu item, teaching first the kitchen staff the techniques of cooking the dish with details of the ingredients and why they are used to detailing the cooking techniques. By picking a different dish everyday and going through the ins and outs of the techniques and ingredients you instill the passion behind the products you accentuate the importance of the rendering of the fat or the sear of the steak, you teach about the reason you create that dish in a certain way so that your kitchen staff know all aspects of perfecting the dish on a consistent base.

Then you take that dish that was created and do a pre-shift with the front of the house so that they know what is in the dish, how it is prepared and how it should look. By teaching them about the flavours, teaching them about the ingredients and explaining why it is created in a certain way they will be better tooled with the information and  will be able to show the guest the passion they have for the food by displaying their knowledge and detail of the dishes. 

By doing this simple training daily you reinforce the importance of knowledge and consistency, and it only costs you a couple of dollars. I must suggest that when doing this training that the trainer make a dish in front of the kitchen staff then pick one team member from that group to re-create this dish. Have the team taste the one dish that was made, it not only is it a nice reward for the team but lets them identify flavor with the cooking process and bonds the training with the knowledge given. Use the second dish  that was made for the service staff  food orientation.

I openly challenge all restaurants and pubs to push themselves to be better, I challenge them to break out the complacency with the status quo and to educate the public on becoming a foodie. I ask all owners and restaurateurs to elevate their businesses and utilize the amazing ingredients grown in the Okanagan and use those ingredients to create dishes that instill passion and create memories for the guests.  This industry of ours is a very social industry, people go out to eat to celebrate birthdays and positive events in someones life, to escape a tough day and not wanting to cook, to entertain friends and bond over the big game or a promotion, to find comfort and solace with friends after a break up or loss of a close friend or family member, to come together during good times and sorrow; so it is on us to help associate those events and memories with great food.

Somedays I regret not pursuing harder the opportunities to become an owner of a restaurant or pub; or even just staying in the industry as head chef of a pub or restaurant, I got burned out and thus bitter at the industry and have been on a 4 year break. The passion is in my blood and that will never change

Expectaions of the Modern Restaurant Business

I have been reviewing a few places now and I want to be clear in explaining my views and expectations.

Since the mid 90's there has been a massive food knowledge explosion. As TV grew from 13 channels as I remember it to now being 1000's of channels available plus other media through facebook, youtube, websites, TV reality shows and its own Food Network Channel. Society has grown in knowledge of quality and flavor of food and meals, be it from the frugal gourmet  (from the 80'son PBS) to Emeril Live! , to Hell's Kitchen or Diners Drive Ins and Dives to MasterChef to whatever is in between.. we are all being educated on food and it's quality and the expectations we should have. 

The time of generic food is over, we want our burgers to be juicy and flavourful; we want our steaks seared and seasoned to perfection; we want layered flavors that come from subtle simplicity. Why use garlic when you can use roasted garlic? Why use ground beef when you can use kobe beef? We expect more for each bite and morsel you make and we want it to be unique. We can go anywhere and get a burger or a beef dip, what we want is something unique to make us comeback over and over again since no one else makes that beef dip as good as you! I firmly believe that people will pay a higher price for quality if you provide them with exceptional flavor and service. 

Think outside the box. I want to hear people describe your food as "...it's like a (fill in the blank) but on steroids!". I want to see people describe a restaurant as the "best place I have ever been to" when describing their favourite restaurant. No more generic slop on a plate pasta places that call themselves Italian Ristorantes or Mediterranean Restaurants that 95% of it is greek, where is the Libyan food of the Egyptian, Spanish or French cuisine on your menu? 

There is nothing wrong with having a beef dip on your menu, just doing something special with it! I mean come on how hard is it to braise it in red wine first? Or slow roast it with a nice stout? Or serve it with gorgonzola buttered bun? Or Roasted garlic frites? Or have it come with some home made pan jus instead of the powder crap, or better yet a cross between some hunter gravy and pan jus, or more of a traditional flavoured french onion soup type dip? 

Just use some imagination people!

 

I understand that some of the Penticton population may not want so many "fancy flavoured" foods, and I am not going against their wishes but the truth be told there are more people like me who expect more than there are of those who want their plain ham sandwich with a broth soup for less than $10! Be the house of yes and be willing to have those plain or generic possibilities as an option if you carry all the ingredients to do it but push the envelope and the expectations to a different level.

I was chef at a golf course in Kaleden and I had one golf course member who everyday just wanted his plain ham sandwich while 99% of the others loved and appreciated the bold flavours of my Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla, or the home made beef burger made from ground beef and italian sausage to give it a great meaty flavour that was juicy as well. I always told my staff that I will always say yes to any customer that wants something not on the menu as long as I have the ingredients, and the only thing the servers had to explain is that the request may cost a bit as we would price it to something comparable on the menu and that as it is a special request it may take a bit longer to make.

Case in point is my wife went to the Hooded Merganser once and wanted a vegetarian option for a rice bowl they had on the menu, she very politely asked no chicken extra vegetables please and were told "NO", that "it will screw up the kitchen to add 4 pieces of broccoli"... OMG seriously?????

A coat of paint to your establishment won't change or cover up what your menu lacks, take pride in your product and don't try to be like everyone else. Push the expectations, think outside the box, constantly strive to bring something new to the table and don't settle for less than what your potential can be. The results will increased sales, more return guests and a less stagnant menu which regulars and tourists will all enjoy.

REVIEW: Kettle Valley Station Pub

I have known for a while that Kettle Valley Station Pub was working on a remodel and updating of their place so we were looking forward to the day when it was completed. 

In early March there was a news article online about the recent re-opening and their renovations so we decided to go in and check it out. 

On first entering we noticed gone the old clutter and generic look and now was more contemporary and modern look with clean looks and crisp design it made us anxious to see what else has changed. 

Before:

After:

It was quite busy for a Friday and I was happy to see that the changes have helped create a busier atmosphere: I talked to the Chef James and he told me that since the change the sales have increased significantly, this made me excited to see what creations were made to accompany the new look pub.

My wife, brother in law and I all find a table to squeeze in to as the place was packed and our waitress came by to get our drink order and drop off some menus. I ordered a Black IPA and opened the menu to see the delights...

One of the menu pages was holding on for dear life and the pages were sticky, perhaps this is just from careless kids who were in our section of the pub (yes kids between ages of 6 to 15 were around us). As I began to peruse the menu I could not help but notice there was no effort in layout or design of the menu. A generic font, no graphic to draw your eye or attention to anything in particular on the menu; it was like reading a random page from a textbook, no expression no passion. The menu did not seem to change at all, or at least not that I could tell; disappointing to say the least but perhaps the quality had changed.

We started off with a Spinach and artichoke dip to share between the 3 of us and it was okay, it had a spice  to it that gave it some after taste heat. Surprising but I could live with it, i figured it was a nice change and great way to up your beverage sales with a touch of heat in the appetizer, on to the next course.

I had ordered a burger that came with cheese bacon and onion rings on the burger and for a side I asked for fries. Disappointment continued when our meals came. I don't understand how any place can not even slightly melt cheese on burger? But that was not my only issue, the burger was overcooked and flavourless, no seasoning, no taste, dry, and unappealing. I understand maybe it was just me and that my expectations are higher than most people's and I get that, but I also think I am right to expect more as everyone does the same thing in the town.  I asked my wife how she liked her food and she said it was okay, but the dip for her yam fries with her bacon cheddar burger was weird, I had a taste of it and I most definitely agree, it was different and threw me off; it was a sweet honey mustard type of dip for the yam fries that was in my opinion not a very flattering accompaniment for the yam fries.I asked if her burger was over cooked like mine she said yes but she did not mind so much. My brother in law Kevin had similar thoughts on his meal as well, it was ok but nothing worth writing home about.

I can confidently predict that with time and no other changes that the furor of what is making Kettle valley Station Pub busy now will die off and the realization that nothing has really changed other than a fresh coat of paint.  The crowds will filter away and business will be back to the way it was and if it was not attached to a Ramada and nearly across the street from the South Okanagan Event Centre this pub would struggle.

I would have to rate this 2-1/2 stars out of 5.

Review: The Hooded Merganser

The Hooded Merganser, or The Hood as us locals call it, is located at the Penticton Lakeside Resort here in Penticton. This location has one of the best views in Penticton as it is located on the water near Okanagan Lake Beach.  The atmosphere and decor is very modern and open and the service was quite good and over all the experience was decent.

It was my uncle's 20th anniversary of being 64 (84th birthday for those mathematically challenged), and we had a small family gathering of 6 people. My wife and I have not been here for dinner for a few years as my wife was a vegetarian for a while and there is a very limited amount of options that cater to her former needs. However she is no longer living a vegetarian life and it was a special occasion so off we went for a nice dinner. 

Upon being the first to arrive there was a loud group of about 40 people who were celebrating a retirement right behind us, this created for a loud atmosphere but generally it is a quieter atmosphere and you don't usually have to strain to hear a conversation at your own table, on this night though you did, no fault of anyones just a chance happening.

We have come a few times for breakfast as the breakfast they serves is quite tasty, dinner though in the past had been less memorable. I want to feel that the Hood is the premiere place to go in Penticton but I feel let down so often I just can't say it, I hoped that this time would be the redemption.

Once the rest of our group arrived we ordered some wine and our entrees, no appetizers were ordered. For my wife and I it was approaching 6:30 pm and lunch was nearly 7 hours ago, we were starting to get hangry (hungry / angry for those not hip to the term). Tabitha was pleasantly pleased with the wine selection as they seemed to cater mainly to local wines, as they should in my opinion since we are in wine country!  

I ordered the 12oz ribeye steak and my wife the 6oz filet mignon, not often do I get the chance to order a steak dinner let alone a ribeye steak, so I had to take advantage of the opportunity. Our steaks came, and I have to admit I was put off a bit by the brown dull looking plateware, it reminded me of something you would get at Walmart. the food presentation was okay at best, some roast vegetables and potato with a steak on top. I could tell that the steak was brushed with butter just prior to being plated and sent to the customer, me, and it looked tasty. the steak had good grill lines and was glistening as I cut into it, I was expecting perfection..

What I ended up with was a decent steak with no real seasoning on it. When I personally order or cook a steak in a professional environment I expect the flavors to pop in my mouth. The first bite should include the taste of the caramelization of the meat on the grill giving it the grill lines, it should be properly seasoned so that the flavors burst in your mouth complimenting and satiate one's appetite. You should notice a slight sense, in the very least, salt and pepper, enough to compliment the steak and bring out the flavour of the steak; alas I got nothing. I then had a taste of Tabitha's filet.. nothing. Both steaks were cooked spot on but to me, I feel like there was no real love given to the meals, I felt as if they were made on an assembly line at a hospital, that bland was the objective so that you don't affect anyones medication. 

I don't mean to sound like a dick with this but for the price of the steaks $32 for the filet and $40 for the ribeye it should be seasoned to perfection and i should not see each of my family members reaching for the salt and pepper at the table.  Any chef or kitchen of quality will agree with me that food should always be seasoned to perfection prior to serving ( has no one seen Hell's Kitchen and Chef Ramsay go off on his staff about bland food?).  It bothered me as a chef to see everyone grab the salt and pepper from the table; I expect it from Denny's or White Spot but the Hood should be so much more..

As it was a birthday there was dessert and most of us ordered something, I ordered a chocolate mousse and while it was good, i was expecting something lighter, something less dense. It was tasty and I did like it, I was just thinking more pillowy and delicate. tabitha did not have any dessert but I did have a taste of my cousin's chocolate torte and it was rich and tasty, but for me again it was a bit too dense. We had joked about needing a knife to cut through it as it was nearly pure chocolate.  that was slightly melted on the outside. 

Now perhaps the steaks were under seasoned on purpose due to the aged population of Penticton which I am sure averages somewhere in the 60+ age range, and from my experience in kitchens they are more sensitive to seasonings. However for me being in my 40's and what I like to consider the median age of tourists coming to Penticton and a representative of what their expectations are when arriving I found the Hood let us down again. they are so close to hitting that home run but end up just hitting that pop fly to left centre field, not even at the warning track. 

Overall I give The Hooded Merganser a 3 out of 5  average rating.

On a side note that I can never reiterate enough:

Penticton needs someone to come in and revitalize the food quality and expectations in most establishments here in town. The people moving here are more educated and come from top foody markets where people push the envelope and create exciting dishes and thus the expectations need to be raised to accommodate the growing and changing needs of the people. 

REVIEW: TUGS TAPHOUSE

I had only been to Tugs one other time since the name change from Best Damn Sports Bar to Tugs Taphouse a few years ago so we thought it was time to go back and see what is going on.

We walked in and my wife searched the place for a suitable table; she knows that I do not like chairs with arm rests as I am a fluffy guy and the handles bother me, and even though it seemed that was all that was available the arm rests did not bother me much. I think it was a combination of me working out and the chairs being a bit wider than normal chairs so they were nice and comfy!

We perused the menu a bit to see what they had, and while the selection was decent it was the same as most other pubs in Penticton ( I just want something original, flavorful and unique when it comes to menu development! C'mon man!). We ended up ordering some wings to share, I had a burger with yam fries (against my wishes as my wife loves yam fries and I rarely find ones that are worthy enough to my standards) and Tabitha ordered a Vegetarian Pizza with Feta added.

The wings came out and they were okay, there isn't much you can do to screw up wings. The wings came with the usual carrot and celery sticks, about a dozen wings in total and had just the right amount of salt and pepper on them.

Our main course followed shortly afterwards, I had the "Rattle Snake Bite" Burger, a burger with cheddar, BBQ sauce, crispy onion rings and banana peppers (though I asked for no banana peppers as I am a wuss). the burger was decent and as I said before that I was skeptical about the yam fries I was pleasantly surprised. Usually I find the fries undercooked and the dipping sauce proved bland but at Tugs Taphouse they were spot on! 

Our server was nice and friendly and very helpful with Tabitha on assisting in menu suggestions. I am not sure how the wine list was but I know my wife found a wine that she never had before but really liked. 

All in all a 3-1/2 out of 5, 

(And in my opinion one of the best choices of places to watch the game and have something to eat here in Penticton.)

Mother's Day.. my own personal Hell in Restaurant Biz

After 25 + years in the industry I have come to a few conclusions; 

Never touch another chef's knives!

There is no such thing as a day off!

Mother's Day is hell on earth!

Don't get me wrong, I love my mother and I am very appreciative and thankful for all she does and had done. I think every day should be mom's day; but in the restaurant business it has a different meaning for me. 

Many times in my years I have worked the open to close on Mother's day, the busiest day of the year in the restaurant industry. Not only have I worked doubles but I have worked the two busiest positions for each of these positions when doing doubles; eggs in the morning and broil/grill at night. Working at a busy chain restaurant, Milestones (exclusive to BC only at the time) so many years ago, in the late 90's, I was tasked with working a double, and asked at the last minute too! Where a typical sunday brunch at the time would be a $5000 morning (average breaky back then was between $8 and $10) a mothers day we would be looking at around $8000 to $10,000 between 10 am and 3pm. The night time on a busy night would be around $7000 in sales but on Mother's Day  it was closer to $12,000.  

Now I know you think ok, so your really busy but lets break the numbers down further for the brunch sales. 

$9000 = Average Mothers Day Brunch food sales 

$9.00 average meal price

1000 meals served

10am to 3pm is service time = 5 hrs of brunch service

1000 meals / 5 hrs = 200 meals an hour

200 meals per hour / 60 mins = 3.33  meals a minute

ideal ticket times is 7 to 8 mins - but Mothers Day  is about 12 to 15 due to volume

15 mins x 3 meals a minute means you have 45 meals to pump out in those 15 minutes.

Believe me this is not fun or easy!

Dinner was not much different than brunch in the respect of craziness, and the truth is for the first 3 hours all I did was poach eggs and make 2 or 4 of everything and waited for the finisher to call for something and i would cross with the item. I never even looked at the ticket. Even during night shift on broil.. I would have on 3 or 4 steaks for each doneness, if a rare wasn't selling for long enough i would make it sell as a medium rare instead, same with the other donenesses. This system is not easy to do especially trying to avoid any waste; I had to have complete control over my grill and the hot zones and holding/resting zones of my charbroiler, and was absolutely vigilant at making sure no one touched a thing on my grill, they were not allowed to take or add to my grill without my permission, not even the head chef would have the balls to mess with my grill.

 I took complete ownership of my station, no matter where I was in the kitchen because I was a perfectionist and did not want anyone to disrupt my flow of the system I had in place. Once I noticed it was starting to slow down with tickets coming in I would ease back on the loading of the station.

I would start my day with purchasing 4 or 5 gatorades and end the day guzzling the last one down around 8 or 9 pm, drenched in sweat, I would have changed my uniform at least twice. Management would have ordered pizza for 3pm and 10pm for the staff to have something to eat; most of the time pizza would be gone before the main line guys would have a chance for a piece so I would have a steak that would be a casualty of the loading of the grill, there is always one or two that fall through the cracks but a manager would usually have it so as not to count it as a loss. I would tell them I am having a steak or whatever was left over and it would be on them as I was doing a double shift for them. They would moan and bitch and I would not care most of the time. I once had a manager (Pat W) argue with me over a skewer of prawns and that he wanted me to pay for it, I caved and did but I would make it very clear in the future that any favours I do for them would cost a full meal and 2 beers after work on the house, plus my overtime wage.

After 20 years I still remember the feeling and anxiety of working these shifts, the adrenaline rush, the sweat, the intensity, the overwhelming feeling, the feeling of accomplishment when it was over, and the exhaustion at the end of the day; and after all that I would do it all again.

Now a few pet peeves and things needing to be cleared up on Mother's day.

1. Everyone is in a rush, not just you so sit and wait your turn and your table will be ready when it is ready.

2. Clearly we are busy so no you can not get your meal faster.

3. The server has more than one table and you are not more important than any other table, it may take 5 or 10 minutes before your food is rung in so when you say it has been a long time for your food, get a grip relax and it will be up as soon as possible.

4. Dont exaggerate waiting "an hour" for your food, we can tell exactly how long it took to make and send out to you.

5 Always make a reservation for Mother's day at least 2 weeks in advance. DO NOT CALL IN ON MOTHER"S DAY looking for a reservation as I will laugh at you and hang up.

6. Tip your server extra well on Mother's Day as we are all sacrificing time with our mother to take care of yours, show us some respect.

7. WE ARE NOT BABY SITTERS. YOUR CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING AROUND THE VERY BUSY RESTAURANT. KEEP YOUR LITTLE MENACES AT YOUR TABLE!

8. Don't be an asshole and complain for the sake of complaining! Have some common sense, we are busy, if we see steam coming off your food it is still hot, don't say it isn't just to prove a point.

9. If you have a legitimate complaint we will gladly fix the issue but nothing is instantaneous but please know your complaint if legitimate will be taken seriously and made the top priority in the kitchen.

10. Smile and be polite, we do remember who you are if you have a shitty attitude and you will get bare minimum attentiveness back in service.