Author Archives: Rylee Cawthorne

Exploring the Vino in our Backyard

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I know when us Vancouverrites think of BC wineries, our minds go straight to the Okanagan or Osoyoos but we tend to forget about the ones in our backyard. The Campbell Valley Wine Route includes Glass House Estate to Backyard Vinyards and Township7.

My favourite winery in Campbell Valley is Glass House Estate Winery, which is a family owned vineyard that’s managed by the Joesph Richards Group, produces hand selected, single vineyard, low yield artisan wine. They came to the name “Glass House” as it tributes the family’s 60 year history in the green house industry. After selling their green house business in 2004, Aruthor and Ingrid de Jong purchased an over grown Christmas tree farm that is now Glass House Winery. I enjoy the vibe of the inward. I’ve been a few times but my first was a spontaneous trip with one of my Guardians, K. K and I did a tasting at the bar then shared a charcuterie board and had a glass of wine at a picnic table out back. The vibe at Glass House is what has me wanting to go back. During the summer on the weekends, they usually have a band or musician out playing live music for everyone.

From bubbles to Viognier, Pinto Noir and even a Dulcedo dessert wine and a food menu full of charcuterie, tacos and other west coast style finger food, Glass House is the ideal spot to enjoy a wine tasting and a bite to eat. They are also participating in Dine Out with a set three course menu for $49 per person.

Backyard Vineyards was another good one. Opening in 2009, it has been producing awed winning wines made completely in BC. Backyard has a cozy tasting room with a laid back but sophisticated vibe. Liam Berti is the heart to the wines. He joined the team three vintages ago pouring everything he has into making outstanding wines. Liam says, “The opportunity to contribute to the worldwide conversation of wine through the lens of BC fruit is enormously exciting for the whole production team at Backyard Vineyards.” Backyard offers different tours through the winery including private tours and a tour through the production of the wine followed by a wine tasting. Due to COVID-19, they are not doing tours at the moment, but you can come in for a tasting. K also had a great experience when a man walked in on her in the bathroom because she didn’t lock the door. A nice show for the man.

Township7 began all the way back in 2000. Over the years, some things have changed at Township like their new cellar style tasting room and sing but their principles and focus have not. They are just about “making quality wine and nothing else.”They also have a second location in the Naramata Bench, which you will have to pop in for a tasting to learn how they came to this spot.

Their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are destined for sparkling wine as their vineyard is the perfect spot for growing their grapes in a champagne style. Township have a seven stars club dedicated to their sparking wine. They were one of the first bC wineries to create a méthod champenoise with their inaugural seven stars 1999. They have won numerous awards for this including Best Canadian Speaking Wine at the prestigious Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships 2019 in London, England. Winemaker, Mary McDermott’s passion and expertise in traditional wines has helped expanding their cuvées. By joining the seven stars club, you will received six bottles of their sparkling wine twice a year as well as many discounts on other purchases and tastings.

My mom and her friend have also done the Campbell Valley Wine Run, where they ran to five of the wineries, did a tasting at each and of course finished in first because they aren’t competitive at all. I’m not sure if i can run after doing a wine tasting but props to them.

Back to K and I’s day trip, we only had one bad experience where a winery was very rude to us. We were told wonderful things about this certain winery but I guess they thought we were two rowdy 20- something year olds but little do they know we are sophisticated students who enjoy wine. Not saying any names but they are usually a house wine to a lot of local restaurants (hint hint). When I was telling K that I was writing about the Campbell Valley wineries, her first response was, “make sure you say *insert name here* was MEAN.” Safe to say we will not be going back but hopefully you have a better experience than us. The other wineries in the Campbell Valley are lovely spots to escape for a tasting or a glass of wine.

Newest Grape Discoveries of the Okanagan

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Growing up with half my family living in the Okanagan, I have become quite familiar with many of the Kelowna wineries. Either escaping for a quick glass of wine to take the edge off dinner or a dedicated day for exploring the wineries, I have never been left disappointed. Over the course of last summer, I had the chance to hit the road and head to K-Town for a few weekends where I discovered a few wineries I had never been to including Mt Boucherie, Ex Nihilo, Black Swift and Ricco Bambino.

Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery is a two story winery, with a tasting room on the first floor and their restaurant, Modest Butcher, on the second, which serves up a mean charcuterie. Located on the former volcano Mount Boucherie in West Kelowna, the winery’s grapes thrive on the sandy loam, clay and lime soils rich with mineral deposits and volcanic rock. In 2019, Brett Theissen, the Mt. Boucherier Viticulture Manager, says they removed all synthetic chemicals from their vineyards to build a sustainable relationship with their soil and vines. With a patio view of the vineyards, the lake and rural roads, it’s the ideal spot to sit and have a glass of wine and a taste of what Modest Butcher has to offer. Their mission is to express the amazing land by crafting distinct wines that draw on low yields, honest winemaking and patient aging. Their winemaker, Jeff Hundertmark’s winemaking philosophy is something he takes very seriously which is “there is a place for wines to be cherished for years; as big age-worthy collectables, but also as important, there is a place for fresh wines ready for early consumption.” I had the opportunity to go a few times last summer. I did the tasting once and then went back for lunch and a glass of wine a few times on their patio looking over their picture-postcard view. Every time I left, I was wanting more of what Mt. Boucherie has to offer.

Instagram / @mtboucheriewine

The next winery is Ex Nihilo, located in Lake Country and was the first stop on my last trip to K-Town in August. During a trip to San Francisco in 1999, Decoa and Jeff Harder, fell in love with a replica sculpture display of Ex Nihilo and immediately after leaving, Jeff said that one day they would build a winery called “Ex Nihilo” and they did just that. In 2003, Decoa took Jeff up North to scout out terrain that supports farms with vineyards along the Lake Okanagan. On Camp Road, the duo saw a “for sale” sign on a 10 acre slopped hillside that became Ex Nihilo Vineyards. Ex Nihilo is Latin for “Out of Nothing. Ex Nihilo is “more than vineyards and wine, it is about a sense of place and the people who are involved in creating and perfecting their craft.”

The third stop on my list is Black Swift Vineyards and if you know me, then you know I really only went because I’m the ultimate “Swiftie” and had to get a picture of their sign. It was a bonus when it turned out that I actually enjoyed the wine as well. Black Swift is the sister winery to Screaming Frenzy and in the same family as the hatch. Throwing around bird names, Black Swift got its name as Black Swift birds only lay their eggs one at a time and it went along perfectly with their single-vineyard focused releases. Their “high flying and aspirational wines designed to express the most exceptional vineyard, reflect the eccentricities of each vintage.” For my tasting, I sat out on the patio at a picnic table with a view of the vineyard. I ended up taking home a bottle of Chardonnay and a Cabernet franc. And of course, I got my picture out front of the “Swift” sign.

I discovered a new winery that recently opened in the downtown core of Kelowna located just off Pandosey Street, Ricco Bambino. It’s a micro urban boutique winery that produces small lot, natural wines. One of my friends showed me their Instagram before I headed up and I knew I had to check it out. Their Instagram aesthetic was what caught my eye. It’s filled with ladies drinking wine, having a great time, sitting in a modern interior pink room. It’s crazy to me how companies can market themselves so well on Instagram. With their beautiful photos, all they need is one person to see and send to the rest of their friends which is exactly what happened with me. Their tasting room was inspired by when a bar was a bar and was not also a restaurant or bistro.

Ricco Bambino offers an “unadultered” pure expression of their unique terror driven wines. They use sustainability farmed and organic grapes from the Okanagan and Similkameen Valley. The wines are unfined (vegan), unfiltered, spontaneous wild ferment (no commercial GMO) and aged in their unlined concrete and stainless steel tanks. They are one of very few in Kelowna who use unlined concrete tanks to age the majority of the wines. That process plays an important role in crafting their natural wine which allowed for the wines to breathe and develop a rounder mouth, textural feel without any unwanted flavours from oak or additives.

When I went for my first tasting, I was by myself and the guy behind the bar was very friendly and full of information. When I first tried the wine, I was shocked by how unfiltered their wine was especially the Sauvignon Blanc. Through my multiple tastings, because yes, I did go back multiple times with different friends, I enjoyed their rosé sparkling Very Troubled Child. Not only does it have a fantastic name, it tastes just as good.

I’m excited for the Summer when hopefully (finger crossed we can travel in BC again) I can get the chance to head to K-Town and go back to some of my favourite wineries and also explore some new ones.

 

A Trip to the Flavourful North Shore

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So the last stop on my trip on some of the lower mainland’s finest brewery areas, is in North Van along the North Shore Ale Trail. Trapped between the Ironworkers Memorial and the Lions Gate Bridge live some spectacular brews.

Bridge Brewing 

Just over the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, you will find Bridge Brewing. Bridge opened in 2012, as Vancouver’s first nano brewer and they have been working hard and creating top shelf beers. As time went on, Bridge opened a new brewery and added to their brewhouse to keep up with the popular demand. They are big on sustainability and making as little impact on the Earth as possible. From ingredient selection to the ned of the brewery process, they are constantly analyzing their footprint, making decisions to a more sustainable future. PrimeTime is their new low calorie, low carb beer that tastes just as good and is 5%. They have a kitchen were they serve tacos and pulled pork.

Bridge also opened a new restaurant, Lonsdale BridgeDeck, which is down on Lonsdale pouring Bridge brews and serving brunch through dinner. From a fried egg sandwich to burgers and many tacos, BridgeDeck will satisfy your food needs.

Wild Eye Brewing 

Not far from Bridge, Wild Eye Brewing has a large tasting room and out door patio with a bistro serving up west coast inspired food. They even have happy hour from Monday to Thursday, 2-5pm.. Wild Eye offers many styles of beer, from your classic lager guy to your Hazy IPA lover, everyone will be happy. You can also find one of the best food trucks around town,  Tacofino, outside three times a week. Wild Eye has “Live Music Fridays” from 7-10pm with music from many local musicians which is provided by @musosent.

Deep Cove Brewery and Distillery  

Not only can you find beer at Deep Cove, there is also a distillery that serves craft cocktails. Deep Cove is “craft certified” by using sustainable BC ingredients. Each beer and cocktail has their own unique story behind them which are designed for the first timer or the craft beer enthusiast. Deep Cove’s motto: “celebrate everyday.” Their small batch distillery is the the perfect way to experiment with flavours, botanicals and processes that result in exchanging profiles outside of beer. They have the Deep Cove Rosemary and Olive Gin and a Vodka that has won Double Gold at the Great American Distillers Festival. Deep Cove also has a kitchen where they serve up appies from nachos and charcuterie to their entire options Lobster Mac and Cheese, pulled pork and flatbread.

House of Funk 

House of Funk is constantly challenging the status quo and experimentation with a devotion to quality. They use a small batch system with allows boundaries to be pushed and  to constantly serve up unique and fresh flavours. House of Funk is located in the traditional and unneeded territories of the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations and they are doing their best to create a safe inclusive space for everyone.

House of Funk has their own House of Lager which began from them wanting to provide the market with quality lagers that are brewed traditionally and given proper time and condition. They want to change people’s perceptions of lager and showcase the effort and ingenuity that goes into crafting the perfect lager.

House of Funk also has a roastery where they are developing funk flavour profiles where they tailor their degree of roast to highlight the nuances of every organ. They only produce traceable green from farms that align with their values of sustainability and community. There series include Timeless, for the classic coffee crowd, Funky with complex and slightly weird coffee lovers and lastly the Psychadelic series for floral, fruity and slightly absurd flavours.

Come stop by for a pint or maybe your next absurd favourite coffee flavour.

North Point Brewing Co.

After having a dream of opening a brewery, North Van locals, Liam, Matt and Sean found their home for North Point Brewing Co. North Point has a cozy, rustic cabin vibe with plays both a role in their logo and interior. Grab a seat beside the fire place and enjoy a flight mixed with lagers, sours and a double dry hopped hazy IPA. North Point has also teamed up with Nook offering a delicious pizza menu to go along with your pints.

Streetcar Brewing

Back in the day, North van streetcars were a thing. There were three street car lines in 1906 to 1947 that went through the North Shore. The streetcars may be gone but their legacy lives on at Streetcar Brewing tucked away from where the BC Electric Railway’s Number Three streetcar used to run along Lonsdale Avenue. Streetcar serves up beers from their Barrel Aged Golden Sour to a Blackberry Saison and the Shipyards Stout. In the back, there is also a small kitchen and a bath store above.

When you’re on the hunt for some new flavours, the North van Ale Trail will welcome you with open arms and a pint.

Yeast Van’s Hoppiest Destinations

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The East Van or as the craft beer lovers like to call it, “Yeast Van” has some of Vancouver’s best brews. Yeast Van has a bit of a “rough around the edges” vibe with their industrial connection to Canada’s busiest port. It’s is a multicultural area, where Luppula has deep Italian Roots and Andina Brewing gives it a taste of Columbia.

Storm Brewing

Storm is the first brewery to hit the East Vancouver area back in the 1990’s. James Walton has lead the brew team to produce over 400 different “brainstorm” brews, which gained Storm the reputation of being the most creative and innovative brewery in the country. Walton is renowned for his quality in crafter by both the media and the trade. When you enter Storm through their landing door, you will be “behind the scenes” of an active working brewery. Every Saturday, they have a new assortment of brainstorms, which are constantly changing and so is their beer board and off sales.

East Van Brewing

East Van Brewing was the idea of tan owner of the London Pub who decided to register the name when he saw a bunch of breweries opening in the area in 2012. East Van Brewing Co opened five years later. East Van has 12 taps with their core lineup as well as seasonal that are constantly rotating. They also serve paninis, calzones and other snacks from Bianca Maria, a local Italian restaurant. The tasting room is spacious and since COVID, they have opened a mezzanine upstairs and a side walk patio with a view of  downtown.

Andina

Andina Brewing’s name comes from the way you refer to women from the Andes Mountains, which stretch along the entire west coast of South America from Cape Horn to Panama, distancing 7250 kilometres. Andina represents where the Amaya brothers come from and provides them with the foundation to pursue their main objective: Promote South America but more specifically, Columbian heritage within their customers. The Andina Girl, which you cannot miss as she is painted across the side of the building, is named “Pola”. Pola is Columbian slang for beer and also the nickname of Policarpa Salavarrieta, a heroine who helped Columbia gain independence from the Spanish regime.

Andrés Amaya, the co-founder, is also the creator of the line up of ceviches Andina serves. Through his travels of only 52 countries, he acquired an impressive amount of skills which he is able to apply to Andina and it also embodies his ultimate dream “to own my own business before the age of 50.”

Ben Greenburg is the head brewer and he brews with the philosophy that beer is meant to be fun and enjoyed with friends and family. He started at Night Owl Brewing and some of his best memories were working behind the bar and talking with customers about what they enjoyed in each batch. This is what drives Ben’s passion of making craft beer at Andina Brewing. From their classic Lager to a Guava Saison and Hazy IPA, Andina will leave you wanting more.

Strathcona

Strathcona Beer Company was founded by an impassioned group of friends with connections to the neighbourhood and an appreciation of beer. They are located in the heart of Strathcona, which is Vancouver’s oldest and most diverse neighbourhood. Their interests from art, music, skateboarding and design have influenced their brand as they are striving to push the boundaries of the craft beer industry.

“We chose Strathcona for its strong community feel, character, vibrancy and are dedicated to contributing to the neighbourhood in a positive way.“ says Strathcona Beer Company President, Tim Knight. When Tim was approached to open the brewery in East Hastings, it was the perfect way to expand his roots in the Strathcona neighbourhood as he has been living there since 2002.

Strathcona has beers from their Premium Pilsner to the Big Sexy Funk IPA and one of my favourites for a hot summer day near the water, Beach Lemon Mandarine Radler.

Off the Rail

Steve Forsyth has equipped Off the Rail with a 2000 L brewhouse and with 2000 L, 4000 L and 6000 L fermentation tanks. They love traditional English Ales, german Lagers and US IPAs so those take up the majority of brews. Off The Rail’s tasting room features 15 taps, including 3 nitros, which are rarely available outside of the tasting room. Although they do no operate a kitchen, they serve local Jamaican patties, Potato pea Samosa’s, pepperoni sticks and chips, but their food truck, La Sella, serves up pizza on most weekends. The second story tasting room is the perfect spot to watch cyclists whip by on the Adanac route. Off the Rail has also scored big at the Canadian Brewery Awards with the Classic Pale Ale winning gold in 2016 and the Crazy Train IPA getting Sliver in 2017.

Strange Fellows

Opening in 2014, Strange Fellows has been inspired by the strange and the extraordinary. While struggling to come up for a name of their brewery, Aaron and Iain were declared that they were “just like the odd couple,” and the name came from there. Their vision for the brewery came from a common vision: two strangers can have a beer together, look each other in the eye and toast each other’s good health. They are known for their sour and barrel-aged beer but they also brew a broad range from hoppy and sessional to stouts to traditional Belgians.

Luppolo

Luppolo Brewing is owned by two couples: Eleanor Stewart and Ryan Parfitt, and Anique Ross and Federico Stucchi. Anique and Eleanor have been frinds for over twenty years and their love of beer and entertaining lead them to the dream of opening their own brewery in 2016. “Lupollo” meaning “hops” in Italian, has a refection of their Italian heritage and to embrace the concepts of craftsmanship, community and family values that are associated with Italian culture. They believe in experimenting is the key to developing unique and interesting beers. They spend lots of time investigating and researching to create less known beer styles and hybrids. They brew beers from Sours and Gose’s to Italian Pilsners and double hopped IPA’s. Along with their beer, Lupollo serves an assortment of Italian appetizers and pizzas.

On a rare sunny day in Vancouver, grab a bike, or if you can’t bike, just walk the Yeast Van breweries and you will be sure to find your next favourite pint.

Grab a Pint by the Water

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Port Moody is a wonderful area full of hiking trails, Rocky Point Beach, with Pajos Fish & Chips, an ice cream shop and Brewers Row is just steps away from the park. Brewers Row has five breweries along Murray Street accompanied by many food trucks and an exciting atmosphere.

Yellow Dog

Yellow Dog was the first of the row to open back in 2014 by Mike and Melinda Coghill. Yellow Dog is now one of the biggest breweries in BC. From their core beers, Play Dead IPA, Chase My Tail Pale Ale and Retriever Golden Ale to their Seasonal Elf Juice, El Niño Session IPA, Yellow Dog always has a full line up on tap. Yellow Dog is open for tastings and off sales to take home. They have one of the largest tasting rooms on the row as well as an outdoor picnic patio at the back that usually has corn hole for the perfect summer games and bright, hanging lights.

Moody Ales

Moody Ales was the second to open along the row. It is located on the farthest West of the breweries. Adam Crandall and Dan Helmer opened the brewery so they could share their passion for craft beer with as many people as they can. Their tasting room was designed to provide the community with a place to enjoy the fruits of their labour with friends and family. They also have a patio out front that swings along the side which is the perfect place to watch the sunset over Burnaby Mountain. They have up to 14 beers on tap as well as cider, wine and non alcoholic drinks and dogs are always welcome. From Boss Juice Hazy Double IPA, to the Vienna Amber Lager to the Sublime Pineapple Hefewizen, Moody has something on tap for everyone.

Twin Sails

Twin Sails was the third to open on the row in 2015, next door to Yellow Dog. Their name comes as the two owners are identical twin brothers and both have a love of sailboats so they got“Twin Sails.” Their main focus is progressive American IPAs, stouts, sours and wild barrel beers. They have some trendy beers, Would Crush Raspberry Wheat Ale, Low Life Lager, Cookie Jar Oakmeal Fudge Stout and my personal favourite, Dat Juice Pale Ale. Twin is always trying to push the boundaries of beer in BC. They have an intimate tasting room with a patio out front and usually you can find Mama Said’s Pizza food truck out front, which is delicious. Come by and grab a pint or take some off sales to go.

The Parkside Brewery

The Parkside Brewery was the fourth to join the bunch back in 2016 by Vern Lambourne and Sam Payne. The name is literal as Parkside is proud to be located across the street from Rocky Point Park. Their dream is to be connected in every community as their motto is: wherever there is a park, there is a Parkside. Parkside has a spacious tasting room with a large outdoor patio at the front and a smaller, heated side patio. Dogs are always welcome on the patios and at Halloween, Parkside has a dog costume party. With a great atmosphere and lovely staff ( I might be slightly biased), Parkside is the perfect place to sit down for a pint. With beers from their classic Dawn Pilsner and DreamBoat Hazy IPA to some tasty seasonals like the Dim Wit Belgium Wheat Ale and the Pleasantside Mixed Berry Ale (the best beer on the row, which I have one left that I’m saving for a rainy day), Parkside never disappoints. Pop into their off sales window or come and see their lovely hostess who will get you all set up for an unforgettable experience.

The Bakery Brewing

Owned by Moody Ales, Bakery Brewing, is the latest on the row. It focuses mainly on experimental, flavour explorations and barrel aging. They are constantly making new beers often as they are mainly brewing small batches. Bakery got their name because an Italian Bakery, Calabria, used to be in the same building and baking and brewing have a lot of the same commonalities from the ingredients of yeast, starch and water and the customization and experimentation. With a large menu, a retro style tasting room and a front patio, Bakery always provides a lovely experience.

All breweries on the row are following BC Health Guidelines and are doing their best to make sure the community stays safe.

No plans this weekend? Head down to Port Moody and check out the row. You’ll find something you can’t get your hands on anywhere else.

Indulge Like a Celeb in Vancouver

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Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds 

Blake recently revealed on her Instagram Story that some of her “favourite things in the world” include Rain or Shine, Cartems Donuts, Granville Island’s À La Mode Pie Café and Ask For Lugi.

Like the perfect husband and wife duo, Ask For Lugi is also one of Ryan Reynolds fav spots in town.

Ask For Lugi is a Italian inspired restaurant which specializes in handmade pastas. They do a family-style service so all dishes are meant to be shared. They also have a large wine list, Italian coffee’s and grappa.

They got the name “Ask For Lugi” from an idea that we are always more inclined to have a better experience when we go where we know somebody of when a friend sends us to see someone we know. Their goal is to have an environment where everyone feels as though they were sent by a mutual friend.

Seth Rogan 

Seth Rogan recommended to Chrissy Teigen and Quest Love on Twitter to try Phnom Penh Cambodian wings, Go Fish tacos, Maenam Thai and the Asian Night market in Richmond for anything else.

Maenam, located in Kitsilano, serves up an authentic Thai couisine with many different twists on old recipes. Chef Angus An is a graduate from the New York prestigious french Culinary Institute. He has the perfect balance to intense fresh flours with seasonal ingredients and local products.

Manean has also won many awards including Vancouver Magazine’es restaurant Gold Award for Best Thai from 2009 to 2016 and Restaurant of the Year in 2016.

Go Fish is a small blue steel seafood shack on W 1st Ave in False Creek. Their menu includes Tacones, which is their take on fish tacos. They are serving the tacos with grilled salmon, cilantro salsa, chipotle and slaw rolled in a white flour tortilla cone. They also have fish & chips (my personal favourite), Char-Grilled Tuna and Oyster Po-Boy. Go Fish uses Granville Island Beer in their light, non greasy batter. On any day, many people will be lined up and then enjoy their meal at the outdoor picnic tables.

Kelly Rippa 

On Live with Ryan and Kelly last summer, Kelly was asked what she was thinking about when her stomach was growling. She responded with Miku which is in Coal Harbour.

She says she loves the sushi at Miku. “They know me there, they know what I like, and so I’ve become very finicky in my old age over my sushi,” said Ripa. “I like to watch them pull it right out of the ocean.”

Miku delivers gourmet Aburi-style cuisine since it’s opening in 2008. Aburi translated means “flame seared,” so Seigo Nakamura, the owner, took the idea of applying a flame to sushi changes the sushis flavour and treats something new and exciting. They then mixed the idea with taking traditional Japanese ingredients and techniques and combining them with local ingredients and palates for a innovative culinary experience.

Nakamura took the family business to Vancouver, after opening eight successful restaurants in the city of Miyazaki in Japan. He got the name “Miku” as that is his eldest daughters name and when written in Japanese, it means “beautiful sky”.

I went to Miku’s sister restaurant, Minami in Yaletown over the holidays and it was outstanding. I had never has Aburi before and I loved it. They also had the best Spicy Sesame Edamame. Highly recommend.

Gotham Steakhouse

Gotham Steakhouse is one of the best steakhouses in the city. Gotham is full of stars from George Clooney, Dwayne Johnson, the cast of Twilight and even Once Upon a Time was filmed inside too.

Their soaring ceilings, luxurious details and delicious cuisine will leave you with an unforgettable experience. From the perfect cocktail or glass of wine to your flavourful steak, you will not be disappointed.  Gothem only serves Prime Grade beer and the finest fish and seafood you can get your hands on.

Joe Fortes 

And I have saved the best for last. One of the main restaurants you will see celebrities: Joe Fortés. You will also see me at least once a month, I’m not a celebrity yet, but I will be.

Celebrities from John Cena, to members of Fleetwood Mac and so many more enjoy the atmosphere of Joe Fortes.

Joe Fortes name is inspired by a local Vancouver legend, Joe Fortes, who landed in the city in 1885, where he settled in a cabin along English Bay. He first became a bartender and then became Vancouver’s first official lifeguard. Joe had a warm, welcoming nature which is what Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House believes is the key ingredient for their hospitality.

The environment of Joe’s is one of the best in the city. From their horseshoe bar to the mezzanine with a birds-eye-view of the room, and their unbelievable roof top patio, Joe Fortes is the perfect spot for any occasion. They also have a piano in the middle of the stairs where someone if usually playing in the evening which adds to the ambience of the room. Their gorgonzola Mac & cheese is outstanding and is by far the best I have ever had.

I hope this helps you dine like a celebrity because who would’t want to pretend they are Blake Lively galavanting around Vancouver and just happened to stumble across Cartems Donuts?

Meals to Share with Your Lover or Just to Drown Your Sorrows in on Love Day

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Are you a hopeless romantic who cannot wait to share your meal and post a sappy picture to Instagram about how much you love your significant other and how in love you are? Or are you like me, who wants to go somewhere alone and stuff my face with food and then go home and  get very wine drunk? Either way, you are going to need somewhere to eat for this horrible holiday so I have you covered.

After you finish your hand in hand walk around the seawall and many cozy, couple selfies, it’s time to feast.

Here are your options:

National Chowder Festival: 

What better way to spend a cold winter day than eating warm creamy chowder? The Chowder Chowdown is running through the month of February all the way across Canada. Ocean wise Seafood has partners across the country and is selling sustainable seafood chowders which have been inspired by some of the best chefs across the country. With each chowder purchased, a portion of the money will be going to the not-for-profit Ocean wise Seafood program.

Some of Vancouver’s restaurants participating are Little Mexico Cantina, Pajo’s Fish & Chips, Shuck Shuck and Stanley Park Brewing Restaurant and Brewpub. Each place has their own spin on chowder which encourages people to try from many different venders over the month.

Feast of Fortune:

The Chinese Restaurant Awards have been showcasing culinary excellence at the annual Scotiabank Feast of Fortune for St. Paul’s Foundation, since 2015. This year, the Awards have found ten of the best eateries in Vancouver to create menus to elevate the gourmet excitements for this Lunar new Year. It is a delicate, refined and curated vision of the Lunar New Year. Some of the restaurants include Bamboo Grove Restaurant, Heritage Asian Eatery  The Fish man and Torafuku.

Hot Chocolate Festival:

Hot chocolate and Valentine’s Day… the perfect pairing. Vancouver’s Hot Chocolate festival first launched in 2011 and it was the first city wide festival Vancouver had seen. The best chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, gelato and ice cream makers have all come together to make some of the best hot chocolates you find in the city. Their goal this year is to help support local, independent Vancouver businesses. Participants include 49th Parallel Coffee + Lucky’s Doughnuts, Bench Bakehouse, East Van Roasters, Ladurée, Uno Gelato and so many more.

They are also putting on an Instagram contest where you can enter to win gift certificates to participating vendors. all you need to do is take a photo of your hot chocolate, tag @hotchocolatefest or #HCVphotocontest in your caption and you’re entered.

Nightingale 

Nightingale is putting together heart-shaped roasted sunchoke and Truffle Pizza with Leek and Chanterelle Mushrooms which are available for pick up or dine in from now until the 14th. They are requiring a 48 hour notice if you will be purchasing a heart-shaped pizza. You can also get your hands one their sparkling wine, H’s brut, at check out.

Blue Hat Bakery-Café

If you are looking for a brunch option then this is it. Blue Hat is offering a DIY “Bubbles and Brunch in Bed.” All of the prep has been done by a team of chefs containing, baked eggs with tomato, parmesan, Italian prosciutto, mini croissants, decadent chocolate sauce, handmade chocolates and strawberries. You are able to chose whether you would like brunch with La Barca Prosecco for $69 or brunch with Mini Moët Champagne for $89. The deadline to order is tomorrow so chop chop.

Notch8

On Valentine’s Day, Notch8 will be serving a three-course set dinner menu, starting at 5:30-9pm. This will be $75 a person. Notch 8 will also be featuring a to go dinner with a four-course menu and all you need to do is reheat when you’re ready to chow down with you special someone. This option is $135 for two.

Fairmont Pacific Rim 

Botanist restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim has put together a six-course meal with wine pairings. They are featuring Norther Divine Caviar, Wagyu Striploin, Olive Oil Poached Red Sea Bream, Grilled Venison Loin followed by a Chocolate Praline Bar for dessert.

Botanist is also doing a Valentine’s three-course brunch which includes a glass of sparkling, a cocktail and a selection of brunch favourites, Crab and Avocado Eggs Benedict, Brioche French Toast and Wild Mushroom Risotto.

Juke Fried Chicken

Juke Fried Chicken is making they popular “I Cluckin’ Love You” Fried Chicken Bouquets. This is including eight pieces of their fried chicken in a decorative Valentine’s wrap. These are selling for $29 each. They are also selling cocktail kits for two to go along with your fried chicken.

A lot of these ideas are “for two” but for all my single pringles out there, that doesn’t mean you can’t do all of this by yourself. This means extra food and bubbly and wine for you. What else could you want on Valentine’s Day?

Vancouver’s Latest Places to Devour Mouth Watering New Dishes

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Texas BBQ: Slims BBQ

Vancouver’s latest spot for Texas BBQ is Slims BBQ, open from 12-10pm daily. It is the sister restaurant to Dixie’s BBQ which was originally a sit down place on Hastings, is now a catering and delivery business. Slim’s is located where the old Rumpus Room at 2301 Main Street used to be.

The Co-owners of Dixie’s, Christine Cottrell and Shoel Davidson, teamed up with David Duprey of Vancouver’s Narrow Group, which has a main focus of the bar side with fancy cocktails. This made the three the perfect team.

Their menu is full of smoked meat. Co-owner, Christine Cottrell grew up in Texas and they food they are serving brings her back to her childhood. They are serving smoked pork ribs, smoked pork butt and hot links but after 5pm, you can get your hands on their tender smoked brisket. And don’t forget about the cocktails. They have their Smokey BBQ Caesar, Vaquero Old Fashioned, Mount Pleasant Lemonade and Bulldogs along with many local craft beers.

New French Bakery: Marché Mon Pitou

Opening last Saturday, Marché Mon Pitou is Vancouver’s latest French cafe on W 7th Avenue. Their menu includes baked goods, caffeinated beverages and brunch food. Mon Pitou is inspired by the French “savoir vivre,” which basically means not counting calories. They are passionate about using the best local ingredients to create a classic french Flare: fresh from the market.

https://twitter.com/DailyHiveVan/status/1358856185219276802

They are open daily from 8am-8pm.

Korean Fried Chicken:

DonkyChicken is Vancouver’s new spot for authentic Korean Fried Chicken in Mount Pleasant, located at 363 E Broadway.

This chain has been serving Asian chicken since 1986. Most of their restaurants are in South Korea but the Vancouver location is the first to open in Canada.

Donky Chicken will be open daily from 11:30am to 11pm.

Acquafarina

Acquafarina, the cities latest Italian fine dining restaurant has opened it’s doors on West Georgia and Homer downtown Vancouver. The building has beautiful woodwork, one of a kind European antiques, with copper details and soaring ceilings which brings a Sicily golden era vibe.

They originally opened late last year but closed during the holidays. The opening was quiet and so is what is on the menu but everything is made in house. What we do know is they have rotating tasting menus that feature six to seven courses all with wine pairings.

They are bringing an interesting twist into the dining experience. They have a no phone and camera policy. Fabrizio, the owner and the Director of Operations for his restaurants, Oli Bureau, told Dished Vancouver that the reason for this was easy, for the art of dining. Hats are also not permitted in the dining space.

Acquafaria has an executive Sommelier (a dream job), Leagh Barkley put together the wines. There are 8000 bottles with 1500 labels. They also are featuring the largest selection of grappa in Vancouver.

There is a capacity of 200 patrons inside but they are currently in the middle of building an all weather patio which will seat up to 70 people.

Open from Wednesday to Saturday, 5pm to 9pm, Acquafarina has a reservation only policy.

Bombay Kitchen + Bar

Bombay Kitchen + Bar kicked off their second location in South Granville earlier this winter. Their original location is on Commercial Drive.

Bombay is a family of restaurants that serve up an authentic Indian cuisine. You can dine in or you can get take-out. From chicken curry to beautiful Indian desserts to a large bar menus, Bombay has it all.

Bombay is also participating in Dine Out Vancouver.

The newest location is open from 11:30am to 10pm

Hoshi Japanese Cuisine

Hoshi just opted its doors on Beach Ave in English Bay. The restaurant is waterfront located where the former M8 Bistro was.

They are offering a line up of traditional set menu Teishoku options for lunch and a larger list of appetizer sushi and sashimi during dinner. During dinner, Hoshi is also serving up donburi bowls, noodle dishes and hot pot.

Juanita

Juanita is opening later this month on Yew St in Kitsilano. Jane Young, Juanita’s owner is also the owner and chef of North Vancouver’s Lift Breakfast Bakery. While working at a restaurant in Spain, she was nicknamed “Juanita” which is closely translated to Jane in Spanish.

Juanita has a Southern European twist to an all-day dining with breakfast, lunch, dinner and many cocktails. Later in the day, handmade pasta, traditional Spanish small plates and other entries with the influence of Southern France and Portugal.

They have seating inside for 150 and a patio for 12 patrons which they are hoping to expand by the summer.

Maxine’s Cafe & Bar

Maxine’s is the sister restaurant to Homer Street Cafe and Bar in Yaletown and Tableau Bar Bistro, located Coal Harbour. The details have been kept on the down low but Maxine’s will be an all-day dining restaurant on Burrard, downtown. Like the other two restaurants, Maxine’s will most likely be a cozy room with a modern touch and beautiful large windows with lots of natural light.

Expand Your Horizons with the Mouth Watering Cuisine of Vancouver

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On Friday, Vancouver kicked off its 20th annual Dine Out Vancouver. Now if you don’t know what Dine Out is, let me give you a little background.

Dine out first started in 2002 when a group of food and wine enthusiasts decided they wanted to help the restaurant industry during the slow periods they experience after the holidays. They teamed up with Tourism Vancouver where they pitched the idea of a fixed-price menu deal to get Vancouverites out to restaurants. Right away, 57 restaurants joined and 20 years later, it is now Canada’s largest food and drink festival. 

https://twitter.com/DineOutVanFest/status/1353734463109406726

This year, there is a record of over 330 restaurants partaking as well as wineries, breweries, hundreds of chefs and many suppliers for the festival. Royce Chwin, President and CEO of Tourism Vancouver told Eat North, “We are grateful and delighted to have a record number of restaurant partners participating in this year’s Dine Out Vancouver Festival.” It is the perfect event for Vancouver “foodies” to taste some of the best food the city has to offer. Restaurants from Downtown Vancouver to Langley and Maple Ridge are all participating. There are also about 170 restaurants offering meals as take-out so you can eat in the comfort of your own home. The pricing ranges from $15 to $54. Dine Out’s goal is to have community, collaborations and share Vancouver’s talented food with the rest of the world.

Some of Dine Out’s restaurants include: Bartholomew, Black + Blue, Burgoo, Cactus Club, Hawksworth, Joe Fortes, Nuba, Romers, S +L, Tap and Barrel, The Flying Pig and hundreds more.

Hotels are also participating in Dine Out and are offering special deals so people are able to enjoy an overnight experience. Hotel Vancouver, Sutton Place, Rosewood Hotel Georgia and The Westin Bayshore are hotels part of the festival. If you do chose to book a hotel, Dine Out is offering a complimentary $50 Visa gift card.

Dine out started February 5 and it is running until March 7, lasting 31 days, instead of the usual 17. Lucas Pavan, the Festival Director explains the reasoning behind the festival lasting for a longer period of time, “ We extended the festival to 31 days so that people have more time to explore restaurants, which are operating at reduced capacity.”

This year, Dine Out is only available for locals as COVID-19 health guidelines are not allowing for anyone out of province to partake. This is the perfect opportunity to help to the hospitality industry since many have struggled through the past year.

As per the Dine Out Vancouver website:

  • Current provincial orders require patrons to dine only with someone from their own household, and within their local community. So, support your neighbourhood restaurants!
  • Your Dine Out experience will look and feel different than in previous years as restaurants have invested in implementing government-approved health and safety measures to protect both patrons and their employees.
  • The guidance from public health authorities limits capacity for restaurants, so it is even more important to honour your reservation or cancel well in advance.

Pavan told News 1130 that all pandemic precautions will be in place, “Having a 50 per cent capacity, having plexiglass dividers between tables, having staff and guests wear masks while not seated at table, contact tracing, sanitization, all of those different things.”

Pavan is encouraging locals to participate in Dine Out, “Restaurants are in clear need of this support. We would encourage Vancouverites and those from across Metro Vancouver to support their local restaurants within their communities and within their household bubble,”  This pandemic has been especially tough for the hospitality business and this is an awesome way to help out in your community.

This years virtual events include a beer and cheese tasting, wine tastings and coffee tastings all with Canadian Craft Tours. The Belgard Kitchen is doing virtual Valentine’s Day cooking classes over the upcoming long weekend. There will also be dumpling making classes, a cocktail making class and seminar a from Tacofino.

The whole festival is funded through Dine Out’s sponsorships and participation fees. Dine Out Vancouver is partnering with Evo Car Share, Colour Tome, Breaking Bread, SMC Communications, BC Ale Trail, Wines of British Columbia, Daily Hive, Vancouver Sun, The Province, Downtown Vancouver BIA, Westend BIA, VHDA, Kubera and OpenTable. Their charitable partner is British Columbia Hospitality Foundation, which supports people working in the hospitality industry who have faced a financial crisis due to their health condition.

The Tri-Cities are also hosting their own spin off of Dine Out called “Tastes of the Tri-Cities.” This is running for five weeks starting on February 15 running until March 19. There will be 50 of the best restaurants in Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam. The only difference between the two is that there will be no set menu like Dine Out.

Now, go spice it up and venture away from your usual “go to” meals. I know I’ll be venturing away from my “food comfort zone” over the next few weeks.

Live Shows with Your Bubble in a Real Bubble

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Oklahoma City band, The Flaming Lips, are performing to people in bubbles. But like, real bubbles. Fans are inside of plastic, transparent bubbles and the band members are inside of separate bubbles too.

I mean first can we think about the band name? Did they name it after having extremely hot, hot wings or like my mom says, “hmm sounds like what happens to me when I blow up a balloon with my latex allergy, ‘flaming lips’.”  Wayne Coyne, the bands front man told Spin, they had no idea what to call the band and he “read somewhere about a group called the Flaming Hands, which was a name I’d liked and that led to the Flaming Lips.” There are many fans out there with different speculations and I will leave it at that.

The Flaming Lips are a psych-rock band which formed in 1983. They put on elaborate live shows and are extremely experimental. This wasn’t the first time the band put on a show like this. They played a similar show with this concept in October as well as performing on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in June.

The Flaming Lips provided 100 inflatable bubble “pods” for fans which held up to three people. They put on shows in Oklahoma City last Friday and Saturday night.

Originally, the shows were scheduled for December, but cases of COVID in Oklahomas were rising and many fans were traveling to attend. They though it would be best to postpone until the cases dropped. Coyne also included that their concert bubbles are “safer than going to a grocery store.” Although, the band has many precautions in play, there are still health experts questioning if it is safe.

Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, director of Global Health at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y said to the New York Times, “I’d need to see how the air exchange was occurring between the outside and the inside of the bubbles to be able to say if it were safe over all or reduced risk of transmission.”

Dr. Sandro Galea, Dean of the Boston University School of Public Health is also concerned about having no evidence of these bubbles actually causing zero transmission of COVID-19. Galea says, “So, in theory, if air filtration is good, protective barriers can helpfully augment and reduce risk of transmission, but I would be hesitant to attend a concert in a bubble at the moment unless this has been assessed further.” 

Richard E. Peltier an associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, suggests adding “a small CO2 sensor to the bubble” to know when it’s time to replace the air.

Coyne spoke to Rolling Stone after their October show saying, “We collect everybody and then take them row by row to their bubbles. The whole thing happened in 20 minutes from everybody being inside to everyone being blown up in their space bubble.”

The band has had the idea of bubble concerts since March when Coyne posted a photo to Instagram, showing what it might look like to attend a concert after COVID-19. 

They have added two more bubble shows in Oklahoma City next month.

I’m not sure if I would attend a concert with no scientific evidence of preventing transmission of the virus, would you?