From now until November 14th, four of Vancouver’s best wine bars will feature a wide assortment of Languedoc wines by-the-glass: Brix, Siena, The Wine Bar, and Seasons In The Park. While the well-known regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy produce some stellar wines, the value in France is to be found in regions that aren’t necessarily on the radar of all wine lovers….
Category: Good Life Samplings
Cook Hall at Market Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver
Until month end (October 2013) MARKET by Jean-Georges is featuring a southern influenced gastpub menu inspired by the hotel’s Atlanta location’s restaurant – Cook Hall. Atlanta chef David Gross stopped by for a few days to properly school Chef Montgomery Lau and his kitchen staff with tips for creating this interesting menu. This is a menu…
Kessel & March Host Octoberfest
Head down to East Van’s Powell Street for their Oktoberfest family-style supper on October 18 and 25th. With breads, salads, meats and veggie sides, pretzels, salads, bratwurst, cabbage rolls, sauerkraut, spaetzle, and desserts such as Black Forest Cake, you’ll have everything you could ever want for Oktoberfest without having to travel to Germany. This is…
Hastings House Hosts Chef Denis Cotter for Chefs Across the Water
Each year Hastings House hosts guest chefs at their excellent country house hotel for an event entitled “Chefs Across the Water”. I’ve attended several of these events in the past, but they’ve never had an entirely vegetarian menu. In general I thought this was a good thing as I do like my meat; however after dining…
Vancouver Foodster Chefs Signature Dishes Preview
Until September 30 the following chefs have created off the menu dishes for Richard Wolak’s, The Vancouver Foodster’s, Chefs Challenge: PARTICIPATING CHEFS & RESTAURANTS Vancouver Chef Matt Repeto The Bibo 1835 W 4th Ave Restaurant Sous Chef Brian Luptak Café Pacifica Pan Pacific Vancouver 999 Canada Place Way Chef Ian Errington Catch 122 122 West…
Galloping Goose at Langford Lanes
When I was told there was an excellent restaurant inside a Victoria suburb’s bowling alley I was less than convinced. Upon further research I discovered that this spot, The Galloping Goose at Langford Lanes is actually staffed by some pretty high-calibre talent who had previously been at Oru, a restaurant in the Fairmont Pacific in…
Kerrisdale Farmers Market
While the Trout Lake and Kitsilano Farmers Markets are tightly packed with shoppers, the Kerrisdale Village Market moves at a slower pace, allowing buyers to properly interact with the farmers and vendors. The market is held each Saturday from Saturdays, June 15 – October 12, 2013 from 10am – 2pm each week at East Boulevard between 37th and…
The August Jack
Recently opened on 4th Avenue in Kitsilano is The August Jack, a restaurant that “aims to bring foodies and craft-beer enthusiasts together”. The chef, Benjamin Curtis, is sourcing locally and is very focused on pairing food with beer. They’ have over 80 bottled craft beers and six rotating taps. We tried a few items…
Preview of Feast to Fields Krause Berry Farm
On a rainy day in August we headed out to Krause Berry Farm to check out a preview for the upcoming September 8, 2013 Metro Vancouver Feast of Fields. I adore Krause Berry Farm for their corn pizzas, pies, ice cream, u-pick fruit and excellent hospitality. Whole Foods, Chicha and Forage were all out with…
T.G.I.M. Margarita Mondays are back at Earls
If you look outside Vancouver today (August 18) the weather does not scream hit the patio, but I’ll guarantee that there will be some sunny days ahead. Since I happen to be a big fan of margaritas, and tacos, when Earls announced it would be squeezing fresh limes and serving them up with a splash of Il…
Locals Restaurant Courteney
Chef Ronald St. Pierre and partner Tricia have recently moved Locals Restaurant into THE OLD HOUSE, a Comox Valley heritage building constructed as residence in 1938 in and turned into a restaurant in the 1970’s. Set amongst gardens beside the Courtenay River and with a gorgeous sunny patio as a bonus, this home is the…
Island Joy Rides Wine and Chocolate Tour
We’ve been doing some cycling around Vancouver and when we headed to Vancouver Island’s Comox Valley we felt an afternoon ride would be in order; especially on a tour that was entitled “Wine and Chocolate”. Not knowing the area’s bike routes we were referred to Island Joy Rides who guided us for our biking, sipping…
An Evening with Roberto Caporuscio at Famoso Pizzeria
Neapolitan Pizza has finally hit Vancouver and the city has at least a dozen or so places that are serving the authentic pies that adhere to the strict standards required. There is in fact an Association of Neapolitan Pizzaiuoli, a governing body that teaches the craft of Neapolitan pizza making and certifies pizzerias as true…
Blackberry Hill Bakery
At farmers markets around Vancouver Christine Hoekstra can be found with her delightful baked goods under the Blackberry Hill sign. Her pies are what she is known for, but I’m always tempted be the date squares, eccles cakes and deliciously moist carrot cake. Hoekstra also makes jams and jellies and supplies her pies to a few…
MARKET at Shangri-La Hotel Brunch
Every second Sunday from May 19- September 22nd MARKET BY JEAN-GEORGES at the Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver hosts a farmers market along with an exceptionally local and farmer-driven brunch featuring ingredients from the market. At the market you’ll find baked goods, greens, fruit spreads and olive oil, and if you are lucky Erin Ireland’s amazing It’s…
Culprit Coffee
Tucked just around the corner of 4th Avenue at Vine in Kitsilano is a gorgeous little coffee shop with espresso from Fernwood Coffee, delicious freshly baked goodies from Little Nest and The Gluten Free Epicurean and home made soups, salads and sandwiches. 100% independent and 100% friendly this little spot has just started offering Banh Mi, a…
Las Margaritas
Kitsilano’s Las Margaritas is one of the oldest restaurants in the area. Home to food that is a combo of Mexican and Californian influence, it is a fun spot with lots of different tequilas, in fact the biggest collection we know of in British Columbia. I’d go ahead and customize your margarita with an upgrade….
Le Tigre Cuisine
Chefs Steve Kuan and Clement Chan are behind the magic at Le Tigre Food Truck, an innovative Asian dining concept that travels the streets of Vancouver. They serve up dishes such as the incredibly tasty Kick Ass Rice, a dish of fried rice with sake, dashi, poached egg and a choice of braised pork belly of…
Chili Tank Food Truck
The meaty aromas coming from a strange looking tank-like fixture at the Winter Farmers Market is what first attracted me to the Chili Tank, but vegetarians fear not, there’s a veggie version too. The tank is an actual military soup kitchen that was found in Germany and shipped to Canada and can be heated…