Beyond the Rhetoric

My Dine Out Vancouver 2012 adventures continued at Chambar, a restaurant that was founded on Belgian cuisine, but has since looked to expand its scope into just being a great restaurant. Even so, the Belgian roots remain quite clear in this Gastown area eatery, complete with a huge selection of Belgian beers. For this go around, I opted for a strong golden ale called La Chouffe. Its “pleasantly fruity” and “light hops” flavor profile belies its higher than normal 8.0% alcohol content.

This was my third time at Chambar–I had been here before both for Dine Out and for the regular menu–so I already had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I’ve never been disappointed with the food, the atmosphere, or the service at Chambar, so I was hoping that this visit wouldn’t be the exception.

Even though he was originally hired as the sommelier, Robert Stelmachuk is also the “front of house leader” at Chambar. He took on the role of manager/server with our table and he couldn’t be more delightful, always checking in to make sure that everything was to our satisfaction. Noting the couple of cameras we had at the table, he also took extra care to get the food “photo-ready” for us, knowing full well that the pictures would “end up on your Facebook or blog or wherever else.” His good humour and attentiveness certainly added to the appeal of the meal… but what about the meal itself?

The Dine Out menu at Chambar used to be $25, but the 2012 selection came in at $38 per person for three courses.

Carpaccio de Chevreuil: Charred venison carpaccio, garlic chips, radishes, white soy & red wine reduction, soba noodle salad

This was my appetizer and it was certainly larger than I expected. There were easily a dozen slices of venison there, each with just the right amount of seasoning. The garlic chips were great too, but I found the soba noodles to be on the mushy side.

Betterave & Fenouil: Roasted baby beets, orange braised fennel, pomegranate, whipped sheeps feta

Soupe d’hiver: Roasted celeriac & morel soup, shaved apple, lingonberries, watercress

Shown above are the other two appetizer options. I didn’t sample the beets, but I did have a couple spoonfuls of the soup. The sourness of the lingonberries offered a stark contrast to the otherwise earthy taste of the soup. This was different and I think in a good way.

Carbonade Flamande: Chambar Ale braised shortrib, sultanas, sage butter barley risotto

This was my main dish and it was deceptively filling. The shortrib was very tender and flavorful. The risotto was a little on the “crunchy” side, but I didn’t mind it all that much. I was later told by Robert that this was a simpler, smaller version of the braised lamb tajine from the regular menu, which I have tried in the past. I’d say the tajine was definitely better, but understandably a lot more work for the kitchen.

L’omle de l’Artique Niçois: Crispy Arctic char, sea asparagus, pea shoots, bacalao, lemon & grana padano concasse, tapanades

Even though the little dollops on the plate don’t look all that pleasant, they added some interesting flavors to this dish. The char was cooked beautifully with a nice crispness to the skin.

Moules-Frites Congolaise: Mussels, tomato coconut cream, smoked chili, lime, cilantro

No visit to Chambar would be complete without getting their amazing pot of mussels. Pictures really don’t do it justice, especially since we don’t have smell-o-vision. Served with a side of fries (which are also very good), this is a menu item that should not be missed.

A white wine-based option, called the Moules-Frites Coquotte, is also available. It is served with cream, smoked bacon lardons, and spring onions.

Le Fromage: Selection of 2 local cheeses, sultana bread, fruit compote

This dessert option really didn’t feel like a “dessert” to me. That said, I’ve always been a fan of cheese. The shame is that there wasn’t really enough bread to go with the cheese and compote.

Le Fruit: Lemon curd, toasted meringue, thyme scented shortbread

Based on the description, I was expecting a lemon meringue pie without the pie crust. What I got instead was a variation on a pavlova. There was a slight chewiness to the exterior and, with lemon curd in the center, this dish offered a nice way to cap out a great meal.

Chambar lived up to its expectations and easily earns my recommendation. Be sure to check out my other Dine Out Vancouver posts from this year, including Fleuri and Black+Blue. I have one more DOV post coming, but don’t be afraid to dive into my “Food and Drink” archive for more good eating.

As a blogger, I spend a few hours everyday reading other blogs and various forms of amateur content around the web. It’s one way to stay on top of what’s hot, while also allowing me to scope out potential talent for my own site. In addition, it gives me a way to monitor grammar. After reading the 20th blog post of the day, you tend to start to notice some common mistakes being made.

The one mistake we are going to hone in on in today’s Grammar 101 posting is the improper listing of decades in numerical format. Referring to the culture or the history of a particular decade is a common feature among blog content creation. Among the most popular blog subjects – homemaking, fashion, pop culture, finance – years are mentioned frequently and thus this is an incredibly important aspect of online grammar that must be addressed.

Simply put, you do not include an apostrophe when referring to a specific decade. For example: “The company Instructure has been developing LMS classroom strategies since the early 2000′s.” is incorrect. In this case an apostrophe would denote possession, despite the decade not being in possession of anything within the sentence. Yet in nearly 50% of the blog postings I read where a specific decade is listed, an apostrophe has been included.

To prevent yourself from making this seemingly common mistake, simply stop and remind yourself the rules regarding apostrophes. A decade is a thing and thus a noun. Nouns with apostrophes are always either in possession or in action. If you are merely referring to the aspects of a particular decade, then you only have to add the “s” to denote plurality.

For those of you thinking about contractions, keep in mind that a decade’s status as a plural subject prevents a decade from ever sitting in front of “is” or “was.” Thus, such a contraction-based reason for writing “2000′s” would never exist in the first place.

So let’s recap: There is virtually no situation where an apostrophe should be included when referring to a decade. It is simply a matter of plurality, and as such needs only an “s” to make sense. Anything more than that is violating basic laws of the English language.

The preceding was a guest post by Nancy E. and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Michael Kwan or Beyond the Rhetoric.

Wake up! It’s the first the month! So, we’re taking a look back at the month of January to see who were the most active when it came to comments on Beyond the Rhetoric. You’re going to see some familiar faces here and I’m glad that they’re sticking around to keep the conversation going.

Once again at the top is our good friend Ray Ebersole. To kick off the new year, Ray chimed in with his opinion on the Mayan apocalypse, as well as the US Presidential election, the GOP candidates involved in the race, and Florida Governor Rick Scott. From Nancy Pelosi to John Bonner, there’s plenty to read here.

Next up, we have Used tires. Seeing how I live in Vancouver, the post about how to stay safe while driving on wet roads hits a little close to home. Remember to check those treads for problems, deficiencies, and wear. Uneven tire wear can be indicative of a problem with your wheel alignment, which can prove disastrous under less than ideal conditions.

To my knowledge, this isn’t the first appearance by Zagorath on the top thinkers list and I hope it won’t be the last. A great read on the myth of the retina display was published on his blog a while back, reminding us that the “magic” number of 300ppi is only relevant at a specific distance. Beyond that, the pixel density can be less and still achieve the same “retina display” experience. The 720p display on the recent Galaxy Nexus is one example of that.

The last post written by Betshopboy on his own blog showcases his SCMS 2011 result, completing a full marathon in four hours and 21 minutes. I wonder if he has participated in any other marathons since then and, if so, if he has been able to crack that sub-four hour target time yet.

And finally, we have Sourish @ iPhone 4 Problems to round out the top five for January. If you’ve ever wondered about the benefits of jailbreaking, the forum thread has over 20 responses with all sorts of information about why you may want to hack into your preferred iDevice. There are risks, of course, but there are certainly rewards to be enjoyed too.

Side note: The winner of my CES swag bag giveaway has been randomly selected. Congratulations goes out to Ratman2050. You are the winner! Please contact me with your shipping address and I’ll send it out to you right away. Thanks again to everyone else who entered.

Following up on my first Dine Out Vancouver 2012 experience at Black+Blue Steakhouse, we made our way onto our second food adventure. This time around, we visited Fleuri inside the Sutton Place Hotel in Downtown Vancouver.

While I was expecting more of a “restaurant,” Fleuri is probably better described as a hotel dining room. It’s almost like you are simply sitting in the lounge and there just happens to be a few dinner tables there. This doesn’t really make for the best ambiance or atmosphere, but it didn’t really detract from the food either.

The Dine Out Vancouver 2012 menu for Fleuri was $28 and consisted of three courses.

BC Clam and Tomato Chowder chowder vegetables, tarragon essence, crab fritter

This was one of the appetizer choices. The crab fritter hardly had any crab flavor in it and soup was rather uninspired, but I wouldn’t say it was bad either.

Crudo of Albacore Tuna citrus, soy and sesame flavours, squid ink, cod roe aioli

Crudo is essentially an Italian take on Japanese sashimi. The albacore tuna here offered a fresh crispness and this worked quite well with the crispy bits that they placed on top.

Buttermilk Chicken Sous Vide and Shiitake Mushrooms mushroom pudding, sour plum jus, red chard and braised celery, aged cheddar croquette

This was the option I selected for my main course, mainly because I have never tried something prepared as a sous vide. Indeed, the chicken was mostly able to retain its moistness, but the overall flavor profile wasn’t all that special. The shitake mushrooms had a great earthy taste to them.

I didn’t sample the other two mains, shown below, but I was told that the beautifully earthy flavors of the mushrooms held up in those two dishes too. In the case of the pot au feu, there is a large piece of salmon underneath that, but there could have been more shellfish to round it out.

Seafood and Shellfish Pot au Feu creamy curry emulsion and consomme, clams, mussels, sweet peas, curried squash

24-Hour Braised Beef Flat Iron root vegetables, tiroler bacon jus, onion horseradish froth, sweet potato puree

Butterscotch, Vanilla Chamomile Gelato and Passion Fruit Coup

Everyone received the same dessert and it was a pleasant way to end the meal. The crispy sesame cracker on top reminded me of Indian papadum, which offered a nice contrast to the silky gelato.

While Fleuri isn’t quite as top shelf as a place like Pear Tree, it is perfectly adequate as a fine dining experience. The food is prepared well, service was attentive, and even the regular menu prices are very fair. The “hotel lobby”-like ambiance does throw you a little, though.

Even though I make my living as a freelance writer, I’ve always been fascinated with numbers. Some may say that I become obsessed with them, which is why it is a little curious how I didn’t end up with a career in finances, economics, or accounting. And it is around this time of year that, whether or not you have an interest in numbers, you have to deal with them. It’s tax season.

For me, this means going through the books of my freelance writing business, but it also means dealing with my personal finances. As you may already know, 2011 was a monumental year for me as I finally entered the demographic known as home owners. And with that came a mortgage. And with that came more complexities and more decisions.

The good news is that I do have some “extra” (and I use that term very loosely) money around and I wanted to see what was the best way to handle it. One decision that many Canadian homeowners face around this time of year is whether the “extra” money should be put toward paying off the mortgage or if it should be invested into a retirement fund via an RRSP. So, which is the sounder decision?

Buy More RRSPs If…

Even though your personal income tax return isn’t due until the end of April, you only have until the end of February to buy more RRSPs for the 2011 tax year. That’s the same kind of RRSP deadline we’ve seen for previous years.

There are several advantages to investing in your RRSPs. You’re saving for your retirement, to be sure, but you also “save” on your current income taxes. The tax liability doesn’t disappear, but it is deferred and the assumption is that you’ll be in a lower tax bracket upon retirement. That said, does it make sense to invest in your RRSPs in lieu of putting that money toward paying off your mortgage?

If you have “extra” money, you should invest that in RRSPs if doing so triggers a larger tax refund and if the expected rate of return on your investment is higher than the interest rate you are currently paying on your mortgage. If you are reasonably confident that you can earn a 5% return, for example, and your mortgage is currently at 3%, then it is a sound decision to invest in your retirement.

Pay Down the Mortgage If…

When, then, is it appropriate to pay down the mortgage in lieu of putting that money toward buying RRSPs? First, if buying those RRSPs only has a minimal impact on the size of your tax refund, then I wouldn’t bother. Not surprisingly, the other huge factor is the difference between your expected rate of return on your RRSP investment and the interest rate on your mortgage.

If the mortgage interest rate is higher, then you should focus on paying down that debt. It doesn’t make sense to “earn” a 2% return on your investment product, only to pay 3% interest on your mortgage. This also assumes that your mortgage allows for lump sum payments, above and beyond your regular payments. If you have outstanding debts with a higher interest rate than your mortgage, as would be the case with credit card debt, then you should focus your energies on paying those down first.

As Always, It Depends

In my case, even when we bought the house, I made a conscious decision to remain reasonably liquid. That’s because I still needed the cash on hand to pay for my wedding and I expect to have a few other major purchases related to my house in the next couple of years. As such, I want to have enough cash on hand to deal with these expenses, as well as a rainy day fund for “in case” purposes.

Given the current volatility of the market and the relatively low interest rates, I’m likely going to put some of that “extra” money toward the mortgage and leave the RRSP cap room for future investment. Keep in mind that I am no financial expert and your individual situation will surely vary. If you’re not sure, check with someone with more expertise and who has your best interests at heart.