FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Food anniversaries from around town

Congratulations to The Sweet Spot Bakery on their first anniversary.

The word has spread quickly about this Steveston bakery, although I should let you know that they are more than a bakery with house-made ice cream, soup, ready-to-go entrees.

However, it is the coconut macaroons and the chocolate brioche that had the first customers drooling and coming back for more. The team, pastry chef Kirsten Degenhardt and chef Keiran Flaherty, left their positions at the Opus Hotel to pursue their own dreams. And we are glad they did. Be sure you pay a visit for holiday entertaining and to reward yourself after all the planning and shopping.

The Sweet Spot Bakery, 12000 First Ave, Steveston; 604 271 8865; closed Mon/Tues.

•Le Chocolatier also celebrates their first anniversary. Located inside the Izumiya Japanese Marketplace on Alderbridge Way between No. 3 Road and Minoru Blvd, Japanese chocolatiers Taka and his wife Kayoko specialize in ganache chocolate. Both of them worked in research and development at a chocolate factory in Japan before moving to Canada, which they fell in love with on their honeymoon.

Try their signature green tea chocolate, or blue cheese. There are more than 20 flavours and their website has an excellent pairing chart. Taka continuously experiments in order to make the customers’ experience memorable.  Tiny bites of chocolate are colourful and fragrant with a smooth texture. To celebrate the anniversary, Taka has special offerings. My latest favourite is his new chocolate bar – caramel and flaked sea salt.

Le Chocolatier, 7971 Alderbridge Way; 604 214 6607; lachocolaterie-vancouver.com; Open 7 days a week.

•Speaking of chocolate, Bernard Callebaut is on my to-do-list: ’tis the season for their organically grown BC cherries which have been aged in kirsch for five months and hand-dipped in semi-sweet chocolate. A box contains eight to 12 of these liqueur-filled, seasonal treat. And they still contain the pit, so careful when taking that first bite.

Bernard Callebaut, Blundell Centre (No. 2 Road and Blundell); 604 275 1244

•Also celebrating an anniversary is Gudrun Tasting Room in Steveston. Three years ago Patrick Tubajon took over the gallery space set back from Moncton Street (beside Dave’s Fish & Chips) and offered a style of food that was only found in Gastown. Charcuterie and cheese plates, above-ground salads or below-ground salads, soups, cheese fondue, and an award-winning selection of wine and beer.

Working without a fully-equipped kitchen, Chef Alison produces the best bacon and chocolate waffles for weekend brunch. Gudrun has long been a favourite of those working in Steveston’s food industry and now it seems that everyone else is fully appreciating this social, artsy, and hidden gem.

Gudrun Tasting Room, 3500 Moncton St.; 604-272-1991; gudrun.ca; closed Mondays.

•Working towards their first anniversary is Casa Pinoy, a Filipino restaurant that opened in February of this year. Rene Hipolito and his wife Malu offer not only Filipino food (including Halo Halo), but also a Canadian menu that includes omelets, pasta, fish & chips, burgers, corned beef hash, and poutine.

Friend Lucy suggested we meet at the Bridgeport & No. 5 Road location for lunch. She eats there often, because the service is friendly, the prices reasonable, the room clean and bright, and “it’s different from the day-to-day Asian food in Richmond”.

I ordered spring rolls (Filipino friend Cirila used to make these for me and I had to see if they were as good as hers). I also ordered the Sisig, a sizzling dish of pork belly and Chicken Inasal with basmati rice.

Casa Pinoy is famous for their pork hock and crispy pata. They don’t have all the Filipino foods, but they do have a good selection of favourites, with many dishes from the southern Philipines. There’s milkfish, beef tongue, grilled stuffed squid, and a list of breakfast items that reads like poetry: tapsilog, daingsilgo, lumpiasilog – served with two eggs, all day. No MSG here, just Himalayan salt.

Their success has come from word of mouth.

“All Richmond councilors eat here,” says Rene, who employs seven staff, many of who come in to eat with friends on their day off.  “This is a place where you feel at home and get the good food you deserve.”  And it is like a bit of home cooking.

Casa Pinoy 11911 Bridgeport Road; 604 276 0201; 10am to 7pm every day.

Arlene Kroeker writes about food every weej in The Richmond Review. She may be reached at akroeker@aol.com.