Event: Food Fight – The Battle for Brunch!
Date: Sunday June 27, 2010
Venue: Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place

Every Saturday we serve up our popular Surf and Turf BBQ, and then on Sundays don't miss brunch all day! River Rock Casino. 3250 Highway 128, Geyserville, CA 95441. Reviews on River Rock Casino Buffet in Richmond, BC - The Buffet, River Rock Casino Resort, The Hotel At River Rock, The Buffet at Grand Villa, Starlight Casino, Parq Vancouver, Holiday Inn Express Vancouver Airport - Richmond, Four Points by Sheraton Vancouver Airport, Grand Villa Casino.

“Food Fight! The Battle for Brunch!” took place on Sunday June 27 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. This food event was created to support the BC Variety Children’s Charity. Variety Children’s Charity is dedicated to helping families and children with special needs.

Executive chefs from some of Vancouver’s popular restaurants gathered to compete for the best brunch. Guests were invited to sip on mimosas, freshly squeezed orange juice, fruit skewers and of course sample brunches provided by each restaurant. Each guest was given a voting card to declare one chef as the “Food Fight! Champ”.

Featured Restaurants: Executive Chefs from LIFT Bar & Grill, MARKET at Shangri-La, O’Doul’s Restaurant and Bar, River Rock Casino Resort, Tigh-Na-Mara and YEW Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel. ( Stella’s Tap and Tapas Bar and Subeez Cafe & Bar were also listed but under unknown circumstances they were unable to participate.)

Added note: Since this event was for charity I’m not going to comment on the food too much.

On the table:

The winner of Food Fight – The Battle for Brunch!

Restaurant 1: Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort
Executive Chef: Eric Edwards

Warm Nanoose Edibles’ Spinach Salad: It was a creamy vinaigrette with seared jumbo scallops and it was delicious! The scallops were crispy and perfectly tender. It was topped with toasted pine nuts and served on a bed of mixed greens and red grapes. Ingredients are organic and all natural.

River Rock Casino Sunday Brunch Las Vegas

Sweet Potato Waffle with Okanagan Pecan and Roast Pecan Compote: This was the 2nd part of their brunch to complement the savoury scallop dish. The flavours were delicious and worked very well together – almost like a dessert.

Restaurant 2: Subeez Cafe – MIA due to unforeseen circumstances

Restaurant 3: Stella’s Tap & Tapas Bar – MIA

Restaurant 4:River Rock Casino Resort
Executive Chef: Sylvain Cuerrier

Poached Egg with Asparagus, Prawns, Truffle Hollandaise, Parmesan

Restaurant: O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar
Executive Chef: Chris Whittaker

West Coast Benny – Dungeness Crab and Pacific Shrimp Cake with Spot Prawn Enriched Hollandaise. Served with a warm cranberry herb scone.

• O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar also competed in the Oceanwise Seafood Chowder Chow Down I attended and won People’s Choice for Best Seafood Chowder.

Restaurant:Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver
Executive Chef: Wayne Harris

Dungeness Crab Scramble – with cherry tomatoes and served on a baguette.

Restaurant: LIFT Bar & Grill
Executive Chef: Scott Kidd

Miniature Egg Benedict with Quail Egg, Ham, and Kewpie Mayonnaise on Brioche Toast. This was really a bite sized appetizer… however I did already eat 2 poached eggs at this point… (Kewpie is Japanese mayo)

Restaurant: Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Executive Chef: Oliver Beckert

YEW Crab and Poached Egg Sandwich and Donuts with Small Quenelle of Chocolate Mascarpone – it was a crab cake with arugula and a poached egg on top. This was my second choice and also the runner up.

There was tons of crab and the egg was perfectly poached.

Lavender Donuts with sweetened Mascarpone Cheese – the menu said Chocolate Mascarpone but it wasn’t. They serve these mini sugared donuts complimentary during brunch but without the Mascarpone cheese and lavender although you can request it. They’re actually very good and I would go back for them.

It tastes like those Mini Donuts you get at carnivals – but the gourmet fancy version.

I actually went back to Tigh-Na-Mara for a 2nd waffle… c’mon now, does that really surprise you? I also asked for extra roasted pecans and Okanagan Peach compote. That shouldn’t surprise you either lol… they were very supportive of my decision as you can tell from the photo.

On top of that I created my own tasty twist! I went to The Yew station and asked for a spoonful of their sweetened Mascarpone cheese and ate it with the waffle. I don’t want to brag… but OMG that was a genius idea!

The event continued with Vancouver personality Fred Lee who was a hilarious live auction emcee that got the crowd really bidding. Proceeds from tickets, raffles, silent auctions and a live auction went to support the BC Variety Children’s Charity.

The Conclusion to Food Fight! The Battle for Brunch!

The winner of “Food Fight! The Battle for Brunch!” was also my personal favourite: Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort all the way from Vancouver Island. When I go back to you twice after eating 6 brunches – it’s a GREAT thing!

I was confident they were going to win so even before the announcing started I made my way over to their table to get ready for the “winning” shot!

The winners: Executive Chef Eric Edwards with Sous Chef Nicky Matthews from Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort in Parksville, Vancouver Island in BC.

The event raised over $38,000 and all funds will be used by Variety to support children in BC who have special needs. Congratulations to everyone who participated and hopefully the event will become annual.

Hours of Operation: Closed until further notice.

Open daily 24 hours
Serving noodles, rice, fried dishes and much more.

Number 3 Menu

Sunday to Thursday 11:00am – 2:00pm & 5:00pm-11:00pm; Fridays & Saturdays 5:00pm – 1:00am

Casual sit down dining restaurant serving sizzling savoury pots, delectable noodles, and Northern dim sum delicacies.

Rock House Burger & Fries Menu

River Rock Casino Sunday Brunch Reservations

Sundays through Thursdays 11:00am – 11:00pm; Fridays & Saturdays 11:00am – 1:00am
Serving burgers with fresh cut chips, milkshakes, onion rings and much more. Uses local and high quality ingredients.

Sunday Brunch River Rock Casino

Zio’s Menu

River Rock Casino Sunday Brunch Specials

Sundays through Thursdays 11:00am – 11:00pm; Fridays & Saturdays 11:00am – 1:00am
Freshly made, thin crust pizza and hot sandwiches made in an authentic stone oven. Wide selection of toppings available.