Monday, May 15, 2006

LERS Score

I decided we need to have some form of rating scale. After a bit of thought (well, a couple of minutes, anyway) I've decided upon a 6 point scale indicating the likelihood of ever coming back. I'll call it the LERS (Likelihood of Ever Returning Scale) Score:
  1. No way
  2. Not Likely
  3. Someone Else's Idea
  4. For Take Out
  5. Probably
  6. Definitely
Jay

posted by Jay MacDonald @ 10:39 a.m. 0 comments

The Journey Begins: Bella Pizza 2006-05-10

Here is where it all starts. Bella Pizza. We've ordered delivery from them before and always enjoyed it. This was our first time eating there.

The inside is dark and a bit dingy. Tristan had to use the washroom and the staff was very pleasant and helpful and directed us through the kitchen to the washroom at the back. I was surprised at how cramped the quarters are in which they make the pizzas.

I ordered a medium Mastrepiece pizza (Pepperoni, Back Bacon, Onions, Mushrooms, Capicollo & Green Peppers) for myself and a Tristan in front of Bella Pizzaslice of cheese pizza for Tristan. They don't have a liquor license so we ordered an orange soda and apple juice then proceeded out to the sidewalk and sat at one of the cafe tables they have enclosed in a fenced off area. We played table hockey with the apple juice cap while waiting for the pizza to arrive. The table had a few tiles broken out of it, and the whole area was pretty grubby.

When the food showed up it was as good as I expected. While not my favourite pizza in North Van I'd easily rate it in my top 5 as far as the pizza itself goes. But as a pizza joint to eat at? Hmmm... I think I'll stick to delivery.

Bella Pizza is located at 2045 Lonsdale Ave across the street from London Drugs. 604-983-3636.

LERS Score: 4 (For Take Out)

posted by Jay MacDonald @ 8:45 a.m. 0 comments

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Introduction


Welcome to Eating Lonsdale, a blog about a culinary stroll down Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver.

The idea for this blog came about last Wednesday when my wife, Kristin, was at her dragon boat team practice in Deep Cove. I decided that rather than eating at home it would be fun for Tristan, our four year old son, to go out for pizza at Me & Ed's parlour on Lonsdale at 20th. Well, to our chagrin it was closed, so instead we wandered over to Bella Pizza next door. While sitting at the grubby cafe table on the sidewalk, enjoying the evening mood and the time spent with my boy, I happened to notice that the next two or three business were all restaurants and how fun it would be to try them too. In fact there must be twenty or thirty restaurants along Lonsdale; some obvious with their big signs and glitzy presence, some almost hidden away in their modest unobtrusiveness.

Thus the idea was born, and here I am on a Saturday morning creating my first blog.

The plan is for Tristan and I to visit each eatery on the west side of Lonsdale, working our way down to the waterfront, then work our way back up the east side. With each stop we'll write a short review and post a photograph or two. I should point out that I'm no culinary expert, but I do love my food. I've eaten in everything from greasy spoons in Carvers, Nevada to three star restaurants in Europe, and have enjoyed many wonderful meals in the most unexpected places. Hopefully this journey down Lonsdale will introduce us to some dining gems right here in my home town.

I hope you enjoy sharing this journey with us.

Jay MacDonald

posted by Jay MacDonald @ 8:07 a.m. 1 comments