HUNGRY GERALD

The University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver is, in HG’s opinion, the most beautiful museum in the world. At the risk of being precious, HG would describe the building as a work of visual poetry expressed in concrete. It is a masterpiece by the great Canadian architect, Arthur Erickson. HG/BSK have visited many times and are always astonished. So, on this rare sunny day HG/BSK motored around the beautiful campus and the striking residential areas before arriving at the museum for another visit. The Great Hall has an imposing collection of lofty totem poles from the First Nation villages along British Columbia’s coast. There are also giant hand carved canoes for passage in the seas and rivers as well as giant bowls, spoons and ladles (all fashioned from wood) for use in potlatch feasts. A special rotunda houses a virtuoso example of wood sculpture, “The Raven and the First Men” by First Nations artist Bill Reid. The museum is not devoted solely to the First Nations. There are major collections of South Pacific, African and Chinese art and artifacts. The museum is mind expanding. Of course, this honed HG/BSK’s appetites so the duo had a late lunch at Rodney’s Oyster House in the Yaletown neighborhood. Some two dozen oysters from the British Columbia and Washington coastlines. Wonderful variety of tastes and textures. HG/BSK’s favorites were the deep shelled Kusshi oysters, a new taste discovery for HG/BSK. When asked for the provenance of the Kusshi oysters, the obliging shucker wrote: “Deep Bay Bowser, Baynes Sound, Vancouver Island.” HG/BSK judged the Kusshi as being a worthy competitor of Johnny Flynn’s Colville Bay (Prince Edward Island) wonders for the title “World’s Best Oyster” Tonight, HG/BSK supped in their loaned condo: Pan fried Weisswurst, sauerkraut, wee boiled potatoes, Cornichons, Sweet mustard. Cold Canadian ale. Followed by cheeses and buttered baguette plus a few glasses of red wine. Butter tarts for dessert and (for HG) a snifter of brandy. Finale of a stimulating day.

The Public Market on Vancouver’s Granville Island is HG’s favorite market. This is an informed opinion. HG has visited the mind boggling public markets in Tokyo and Kyoto; the market in Florence; the market in Barcelona with its great food bars; the ancient fish and vegetable markets around Venice’s Rialto…and many more. The Granville Island market is the best. As expected, there is fresh fruit and vegetables from the Okanagan and Fraser Valleys; fresh fish and shellfish from the Pacific; meat from the Canadian prairies. But, there is cheese from every part of the world (the lush Winnipeg cream cheese tastes like the Daitch product HG enjoyed during his residence on Manhattan’s Upper West Side years ago). Bread and pastries galore (including definitive versions of Canadian butter tarts). Spices. Hard to find ethnic specialties of all kinds. And, more. Much. much more. HG’s favorite market stall is Oyama Sausage Co.. Here you will find countless varieties of ham, sausage, pates, terrines, rillettes. Plus select cheeses, mustards, pickles and Oyama’s own duck confit. Shopping and strolling in the Public Market always hones the HG/BSK appetites. So…off to Rodney’s Oyster House in the Yaletown neighborhood. HG and BSK dove into a platter of 18 oysters harvested from various Vancouver Island beds. Fresh bread. Sweet butter. A glass of Burrowing Owl Pinot Grigio (Okanagan Valley) for BSK and India Pale Ale for HG. Adding to the bivalve pleasure at Rodney’s is the joie de vivre of the staff. It’s a happy place.

Oyama Sausage Co.

HG and BSK had great fun spending part of each year year in a Vancouver loft (and then an ultra-modernist glass town house). A city of great architecture, mind boggling scenery, ethnic and cultural diversity. Posh skyscrapers and waterfront mansions; a nude beach; one section of town dominated by junkies and another (Commercial Drive) where the Sixties live forever. Much superior weed cultivated and smoked. Downsides: Rain. Homeless scavengers. Violent Indo/Canadian and Chinese drug gangs. Ridiculously high wine and spirits prices (because of taxes). For HG, the biggest plus was the food. The Public Market on Granville Island (and neighboring Island shops) is Foodie-Died-And-Gone-To-Heaven. There is such a large Asian population in Vancouver that locals refer to it as “Van Kong.” The neighboring city of Richmond is so Asian that New Yorkers may think of it as a vast Flushing. Obviously, this means there is a plenitude of Chinese restaurants. And, folks in Vancouver take Chinese dining seriously. So, while HG and BSK love their Southwestern life, they are pained when they read an article like the recent Vancouver Sun survey of its readership’s favorite Chinese dining experiences. Some 32,273 diners responded with glowing testimonials to such delicious treats as salt and pepper pork loin; Shanghainese pan fried buns; Taiwanese beef noodles; steamed Dungeness crabs; Stir fried prawns with eggs. Restaurants HG will try on next Vancouver visit: Fatty Cow Seafood (for hot pot); Sha Lin Noodle House (for noodles..what else?); Fisherman’s Terrace Seafood for dim sum; Hong Kong Barbecue Shop (for duck and pork). HG will not neglect his traditional favorites: Kirin. Congee Noodle House and Congee Noodle King. Chongquing Szechuan, Sun Sui Wah. Plus — Rodney’s for oysters and Vij’s for incomparable Indian fusion food.