The Meatball Challenge features 14 restaurants in Vancouver, Burnaby, Langley and Pitt Meadows, and runs from April 1 -26, 2015. AND we are judging! That’s a lot of meatballs to consume!

Participating restaurants are showcasing new Meatball creations invented for this meatball challenge.

These are just some of the unique Meatball creations in this challenge:

Linh Café – Bun Cha ( pronounced Boon Cha )
Price: $12.95
Created by: Chef Tai Luong Nguyen
Description: Pork meatballs, vermicelli, fresh herbs, pickled green papaya & carrot, fish sauce.
Main Protein Ingredient: Pork
Optional: Add Spring Roll for $5.00
Offered: Wednesday to Sunday between 9AM – 9:30PM.
Linh Cafe
2836 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver
Tel: 604-559-4668
Web: http://linhcafe.com/
Twitter: @LinhCafeVan

Via Tevere Pizzeria-La Vera Polpetta
Price: $3.25 each
Description: Nonna’s classic Southern Italian recipe – the way they were intended to be
Main Protein Ingredient: Beef
Created by: Nonna
Available:  During regular business hours (5pm daily, closed Mondays)
Via Tevere Pizzeria
1190 Victoria Drive, Vancouver
Tel:   (604) 336-1803
Twitter:   @ViaTeverePizza
Web:  http://viateverepizzeria.com/

Zia Maria
Price: $8
Created by: Chef Brian Fodor
Description: The meatballs are made by gently sauteing some garlic and onion before adding it to a meat blend. The mixture is then seasoned with fresh herbs and cheese. They are then baked until they caramelize and immediately added to a lightly seasoned pomodoro to simmer until done.
Main Protein Ingredient: Veal, Pork and Beef
Offered: Tuesday – Sunday all the time

Pronto
3473 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-722-9331
Twitter @ProntoCambie
Web: http://www.prontocaffe.ca/

Prontino
3475 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 722-9331
Twitter @ProntinoCambie
Web: http://www.prontocaffe.ca/prontino/

Argan Bistro
Quail You Try My Cheesy Meatballs
Price: $20
Created by: Chef Nourdine Majdoubi
Description: Quail egg and emmental cheese stuffed Moroccan meatballs baked in homemade taktouka sauce.
Main Protein Ingredient: Beef and Pork
Offered: All the time

Argan Bistro
795 Jervis Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-563-8466
Web: http://arganbistro.com/
Twitter: @ArganBistro

Salida 7
Albóndigas del cazador
Price: $14
Created by: Chef Devin Blaney
Description: Description: Venison and wild boar meatballs stuffed with dates, wrapped in wild boar bacon, organic pork and game red wine jus, shaved almonds, valdeon cheese
Main Protein Ingredient: Venison and wild boar
Offered: Tuesday – Sunday after 5pm
Salida 7
52 Alexander Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604 569 3088
Web: http://www.salida7.ca/
Twitter: @salida7gastown

Ban Chok Dee
Surf & Turf on a Bed of Pad Ped
Price: $15
Created by: Executive Chef Parinya and Chef Ladda
Description:  Beef and pork blended with Thai herbs (including ginger; kaffir lime skin; grated coconut; basil; and glass noodles) wrapped around a single prawn. Served on a nest of crunchy and soft egg noodles with asparagus stalks, shitake mushrooms, pepper slices and fresh peppercorn. Topped with a thick, rich pad ped sauce harmonized with coconut milk.
Main Protein Ingredient: Beef and pork
Offered: All the time

Ban Chok Dee
20563 Douglas Crescent, Langley
Tel: 778-278-3088
Web: http://www.banchokdee.com
Twitter: @BanChokDeeThai

The full list of participating restaurants can be found here
http://vancouverfoodster.com/2015/04/01/vancouver-foodster-meatball-challenge/

For our Challenges, we have 2 sets of winners. The People’s Choice winners will be selected by the public who are invited to visit any of the participating restaurants and order the Meatball creations and then decide on which ones they think are worthy of winning the challenge by casting their votes.

For this challenge we have 4 media judges and they are:
Tara Lee
Freelance journalist and broadcaster. Writer for Georgia Straight
Twitter: @VanGlutton

Art Factora
Morning Show Producer Z 95.3 FM
Twitter: @artfactora

Cassandra Anderton
Writer and Broadcaster for many publications including her ownhttps://goodlifevancouver.com/
Twitter: @goodlifevan

Stephanie Yuen
Food Writer. Author. Broadcaster. Blogger for many publications including her own http://beyondchopsticks.com/
Twitter: @stephyuenyuen

Voting: The public is invited to order these Meatball creations at the participating restaurants keeping in mind this criteria – originality, creativity, uniqueness,  traditional, non-traditional, price, value and most importantly taste. People can vote the same day after trying the Meatball creation and they can vote once a day throughout the promotion. People will be encouraged to Vote for their favourites from April 1-26, 2015.
http://vancouverfoodster.com/meatball-challenge/

With a smartphone, customers will be able to vote from their table in the restaurant right after they have eaten the Meatball creation.

We will announce the winning restaurants and their Meatball creations on April 27, 2015.