Lunch at THE WHIP!!!

I got this new piece of kitchen equipment a few weeks ago. It requires 'seasoning' before I can use it. I haven't gotten around to that yet...but it looks lovely on my kitchen counter! I am anticipating creating a life-altering chicken dish... or a mind blowing pasta dish...Wouldn't it be wonderful if new kitchen equipment really had the power to change your life?

I have always been interested in Architecture and design. On Sunday, the P-Man and I picked up my dear friend J. and headed into the big city to go on a sort of designer showcase of new condos. There were 9 units, a variety of shapes and sizes, all decorated by a different designer. It was GREAT! The units were very interesting, and very different...and we all got to experience what living in this location would be like. After we had seen all the units, we were hungry for some lunch. It was an awkward time of day, especially for a Sunday. Vancouver is definitely not the sort of city that has restaurants that are open 12 hours a day. As we were close to Main Street, I suggested THE WHIP!

www.thewhiprestaurant.ca

This restaurant was a great example of the food perfectly matching the marketing and design. Let me explain. I like to shop at independent stores. Having had my own independent store for 17 years, gave me a unique insight into how difficult it is to run a successful business. These businesses, and restaurants, need every one's support. Period. I picked up a copy of MUG ( Modern Urban Guide) at one of these businesses, and have used it quite a bit. I also walked past The Whip, when the P-Man and I were on the search for new patio furniture. All I remember was the restaurant had a cool name, and the building was old and painted brick red and black. I personally HATE that particular color combination...but on this building, it seemed to work. In short...I REMEMBERED The Whip.

We walked into a space that looked lived in. The girl who welcomed us had turquoise blue hair and a really nice tattoo. She let us know that the kitchen needed about 20 minutes to get switched over from brunch service to supper service, but if we could wait, she could seat us and bring us a drink. I liked this place, a lot. We each had a drink, and a look at the menu, and it was VERY reasonable, and quite interesting. They had PEROGIES, as well as burgers, and stir fries, and puff pastry tarts with savory toppings for an appetizer. I had one of the specials. A lovely fresh piece of halibut, with a light breading, on top of some roasted asparagus, and some herby, buttery rice pilaf. J. had one of the savoury puff pastry tarts. It was topped with pear and blue cheese, and caramelized onions. The P-Man had a burger. All was excellent. We had room for dessert, and decided to split a half baked cookie, and deep fried bumble berry pie. This is where my love for The Whip grew DEEPER. The 1/2 baked cookie was a small cast iron skillet containing chocolate chip cookie dough that had been baked, but not all the way, topped with vanilla ice cream. The texture was soft and melting. The cookie was sweet and rich and a bit salty. It was exactly the right from the oven temperature. In short... INCREDIBLE. I was so busy helping the P-Man with the cookie, I nearly didn't notice how quietly J. was devouring the deep fried bumble berry pie! I did manage to get a bite, and the dough was lightly fried, and you could taste each berry. It too came with a scoop of ice cream, and it was tart and sweet and yummy!
As we were finishing up, we noticed how BUSY the place had become! It was noisy and boisterous, and almost every table was filled. On a Sunday late afternoon in Vancouver! I am really looking forward to returning to The Whip!!

The Whip
Restaurant Gallery
209 E 6th Ave at Main Street
604-874-4687
open daily for lunch, dinner, and drinks
brunch Saturday and Sunday