The concept for new Vancouver restaurant Pidgin is East meets West. It's the latest from young star chef Makoto Ono, who was born to Japanese parents in Winnipeg (his father owned a celebrated sushi restaurant), and after winning the Canadian Culinary Championships in 2007, traveled the world with cooking knives in tow.
Pidgin is Ono's third restaurant—but his first in Canada. Ono trained in Vancouver before working with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, then opening his own establishments in Beijing and Hong Kong. His East/West concept is prominent in food and drink: Starters include potatoes with spicy cod roe and seaweed butter, and in addition to generous choices for tea and sake, there's both single malt and Japanese whisky.
For the design, Ono teamed with Craig Stanghetta of Ste. Marie, who transformed disparate ingredients into a bright, minimal whole. To add spice to his signature white walls and subway tile, Stanghetta featured the work of Mexican-born Vancouver artist Ricky Alvarez, including a trio of taxidermy quails and a single goose wing jutting from one wall. It all adds up to a subtly edgy combination.
Above: Stanghetta combined two neighboring restaurant spaces into an 1,808-square-foot whole.
Pidgin's East/West theme extends to its Gastown locale: It sits across from its namesake, Pigeon Park, a gritty locale that connects the east and west sides of the city. The restaurant, which made its debut last winter, was greeted by enthusiastic reviews, but initial protests from locals who perceived it as gentrifying the neighborhood.
Above: Pidgin's chef Makoto Ono (right) with pastry chef Amanda Cheng.
Above: Three taxidermied California quails perch in alcoves above the chef's table.
Above: Stanghetta used simple panel moulding at counters and commissioned modern black lighting from Ste. Marie offshoot Good Animal Lamps. “I certainly like to evoke a sense of atmosphere," he told The Vancouver Sun of his approach to restaurants. "After that, I like the style to be able to drift in and out of schools of design thought.”
Above: Pidgin serves sake on tap; the curious ceramic handles with gilded claws are the work of local Espiritu Design Studio.
Above: A goose wing extends from an orange block in a piece by artist Ricky Alvarez.
Above: The Japanese-inspired tables and bench seating are made with joinery. Like the look? See Built to Last: Joinery Kitchens by KitoBito of Japan.
Above: Good Animal Lamps created the custom copper-plated bubble lights. To see another Vancouver restaurant by Stanghetta, go to our post on Pizzeria Farina.
Below: Go to Pidgin for more details.
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