Natural wines, food from local farms and gardens on the menu at Winston
Executive chef Douglas Lee considers himself a lifelong student of culinary arts
Winston. Photo by Rich Won
WITH APRIL BEING Earth Month, now seems like as good a time as any to tell you about Winston. The Lower Lonsdale restaurant and wine bar walks the walk when it comes to catchphrases like “farm to table” and “grape to glass”.
For starters, there are the local suppliers that executive chef Douglas Lee has on speed dial: Zaklan Farms, Bad Dog Bakery, Two Rivers Speciality Meats, and Modus Coffee Roasters, to throw out just a handful. Then there’s the wine list, which consists almost exclusively of natural, biodynamic, and low-intervention wines.
With its bright yellow accents and double-height ceiling, the airy, minimalist space (complete with a spacious streetside patio) is the second venture of owner and wine director Andrew Boutilier, who previously launched downtown Vancouver’s Koffie. The way Boutilier explains it, the focus on supporting small producers and pouring natural wines goes to the eatery’s ethos.
“The vision for Winston was always to provide a welcoming eating and drinking location for people living and working in the community of the North Shore,” Boutilier says. “Our focus has always been on locally sourced food and drink and we have a commitment to work with local suppliers and craftspeople. Coffee and the culture it creates was the foundation for the business downtown and it has been an important part of Winston since the onset.”
There are more than 80 different additives available to wine producers to modify and homogenize their products, but only one of them—sulphites—is required to be mentioned on the label, and only because it is a known allergen, Boutilier notes.
“Most people check the ingredients in the food they purchase, so why aren't we demanding to do the same with wine?” he says. “We feel that customers should know what they're drinking, and natural, or low-intervention, wines are only possible if winemakers focus on sustainable and organic farming practices and allow the grapes to speak for themselves.”
Natural wine is not a new phenomenon, Boutilier emphasizes; it’s merely a way of making wine that was the norm prior to the introduction of industrial farming techniques in the mid-20th century.
“Natural wines are available in a wide range of quality and prices, but one of the common myths of natural wines is that they are ‘challenging’ to the consumer, which is unfortunate, because we've been trained by large producers and critics to favour certain flavour profiles that are commercially exploitable,” Boutilier says. “At Winston, we offer a variety of choices that will satisfy those who are looking for something familiar as well as those looking for something a bit unusual.”
Andrew Boutilier. Photo by Rich Won
Because so many natural wines are made in smaller batches, Winston’s wine list is constantly changing. On any given day, there might be a natural Malbec from France “that is very typical of what people expect from that varietal but is actually much more elegant and refined and made with natural yeasts and absolutely no additives”, Boutilier says. “We also have an orange wine from Chilliwack which is made from cool climate grapes and is super fresh and approachable. On the other hand, we have a skin-contact wine–whites are usually immediately taken off the skins–from Sicily which has an intriguing orange colour and is bone dry. This is a wine we recommend for someone looking for something more adventurous.”
Other examples of labels you might find on the menu? Cipes Blanc de Blanc sparkling (from the Okanagan Valley), Averill Creek’s Joue White Field Blend (Vancouver Island), and Echo Bay Vineyards Merlot (Okanagan Falls), with bottles available to go as well.
Photo by Rich Won
Chef Lee, meanwhile, seeks out seasonal ingredients as well as lesser-known foods from local farms, gardens, and fields. The Burnaby native, who started working in the industry while in his school, did stages at numerous restaurants in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Kyoto before further building his resume at Vancouver establishments such as Hapa Izakaya, Royal Dinette, Savio Volpe, Coquille, and Tocador. He considers himself a lifelong student.
“I like what I do because I learn something new everyday,” Lee tells Stir. “There isn't a definitive style or 'type' of food or ingredients I settle to work with, so I'm constantly learning. I also try to not rest on my laurels because the industry is constantly evolving and every day there are industry partners that are always doing something newer or greater, which is usually my motivation to do better.
“I do make a very conscious effort to showcase the best produce that British Columbia has to offer during prime seasons…as well as Fraser Valley poultry and lamb cuts,” Lee says. “Although I do consolidate all my restaurant orders to once a week deliveries to reduce travel and carbon emissions, my method of sourcing is primarily based on utilizing the best ingredients possible within a reasonable cost and working with down-to-earth people who care about their work. It is a coincidence that some of the B.C. farms and distributors provide some of the best in the country and it is most definitely a privilege to utilize their products.”
Douglas Lee. Photo by Rich Won
Lee is always looking for innovative ways to combine those ingredients. Consider the BBQ Snow Fungus, the vegan dish’s name referring to a wild mushroom that grows on tree bark and branches.
“It’s my way to find a different savoury application for what is traditionally used as a textural component in a Chinese dessert soup. They are rehydrated in hot water to order, and roasted with dry heat until the outer gelatinous basidiocarps are lightly crisp,” Lee explains. “It gets served with a Sichuan peppercorn mapo sauce, and due to the absorbing nature of the fungus, the flavours are intended to be intense and bold with varying textures.”
Lee makes variations of this ingredient on the tasting menu with other sauces. “If you are a texturally inclined person, this is the thing for you,” he says. (Dinner Roulette is the Chef's selection of five courses inspired by the current menu, for $50 per person.)
Other offerings? There’s Lee’s Bowl of Crispy Sustenance (depending on what’s in season); smoky, softened eggplant; firecracker shishito peppers; a 400-hour beef shank ssam with sourdough miso; and, what should be famous, his house-made fermented and smoked chili oil that is “not mild at all”.
On the brunch menu, you can find avocado toast or pandan cloud toast with vanilla butter and Ovaltine Condensed Milk; organic house-made brioche English muffins hold two poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce and 99 Hour pork cheeks in the Winston Benny; and made-to-order fire-roasted vegetables come with a toothsome goma dressing. Brunch is served Wednesday through Monday from 9 am to 2:30 pm; the evening menu is available Wednesday to Sunday from 5 to 8 pm. Happy Hour happens daily from 3 to 6 pm, with $3 off all wines by the glass; $6 pints of lager, IPA or sour beer; and a free Bowl of Crispy with any two drinks.
Related Articles
