Bruno Restaurant at Versante Hotel Welcomes Spring with Easter specials, Seafood Brunch and New Dishes Bruno Restaurant is ringing in the spring season with fresh fare from British Columbia’s bountiful fields and coast. From a weekend seafood brunch to the new dinner menu, there are now a few more reasons to pull up a seat at this vibrant new Greater Vancouver venue. More restaurant news. Weekend Seafood Brunch Brunch enthusiasts and seafood lovers need to rush to Bruno Restaurant for their weekly seafood brunch. Tuck into elevated spins on classic dishes, like the delectable Salmon Lobster Benny and Pistachio Mascarpone…
Author: cassandra
West Coast Wine Tastings with Good Wine Gal It’s a great month for wine tastings as the spring releases are coming out and many of the wineries are opening their cellar doors after their winter closure. This coming Wednesday and Thursday we’re going to check out two great new world wineries. First up is Peak Cellars with winemaker Stephanie Stanley and then Thursday is California Winery, Benziger, both via ZOOM from the comfort of your home or office. Don’t forget to have your wine glass ready! More on wine As a bonus on Thursday, we’ve got two tickets to the April…
Mixologist Masahiro Urushido from New York City Bar, Katana Kitten, Bring Japanese Flair to Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim The Three-Night Pop Up from Katana Kitten will Include a Custom Cocktail Tasting Menu at Botanist and Japanese Bites and Drinks at The Lobby Lounge & RawBar For three nights only, New York City’s beloved World’s 50 Best cocktail bar Katana Kitten is heading to Vancouver. Led by internationally renowned owner and mixologist Masahiro Urushido, Katana Kitten will pop up at Vancouver’s premier luxury hotel Fairmont Pacific Rim, creating a specialty menu at both of the hotel’s exquisite restaurants: Botanist and The…
Monarca Cocina Mexicana, Sister Restaurant to Ophelia, Showcases Modern Authentic Mexican Fare Monarca Cocina Mexicana is now open in the heart of the historic Gastown district at 181 Carrall Street. Accomplished Mexican Chef Francisco Higareda revisits his roots and renews his relationship with the traditional and beloved dishes of his homeland in this new location. For other restaurant news check out our dining section. Restaurant News Open Tuesday to Saturday from 4 pm until midnight for dinner service, Monarca Cocina Mexicana showcases a menu of playful, modern-yet-authentic Mexican fare, in an expansive, inviting dining room. Monarca also offers guests a…
Archer will Highlight Modern Canadian Cuisine An exciting new culinary destination is coming to Vancouver, taking guests on a culinary tour of the Pacific Northwest for brunch, cocktail hour, and dinner service. Located at 1152 Alberni Street, Archer will highlight the bounty of the region’s talented farmers, fisherfolk, and producers, all while celebrating the diverse cultures and flavours of Canada. The kitchen team is helmed by seasoned chef and culinary director Clement Chan, a Vancouver Community College Red Seal alumnus, whose extensive repertoire includes some of Vancouver’s notable restaurants, such as Torafuku, Chambar, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Blue Water Cafe, and Hapa.…
Hot Chefs Cool Jazz More Events The 2022 Hot Chefs & Cool Jazz Gala, in support of Junior Culinary Team Canada, will be hosted by Fairmont Pacific Rim Executive Chef Damon Campbell. Top culinary talent from the Vancouver and Kelowna areas will be providing exclusive dishes specifically designed for the event. TICKETS Join us for a night to remember as BC’s top chefs get together for one night only. This experience is one you don’t want to miss. Enjoy live chef cooking stations, featuring exclusive dishes designed for this event only, paired with award-winning Mission Hill wines, all…
Diplomatico Easter Chocolate Manhattan It’s not the Easter Eggs that we look forward to on Easter, it’s the Easter Cocktails like the Easter Chocolate Manhattan made with Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva . Whip up a few of these for your guests. More Cocktail Recipes [do_widget id=black-studio-tinymce-10] Easter Chocolate Manhattan Cocktail Ingredients: 2oz Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva 0.25 oz red vermouth 0.25 oz amaro 0.25 oz coffee liqueur 2 dash chocolate bitters Orange zest Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing carafe, add ice, stir ingredients over ice to dilute, pour into martini, coupe or bodega glass, garnish with zest, and enjoy.…
Spring To Do’s Around Vancouver The blossoms are blooming, the daffodils are out, and it’s still snowing in some parts of the province! Fortunately, Vancouver has been spared, although it’s a bit chilly out there as I discovered hobbling about the seawall yesterday while I await my back to feel better, a visit to the Chiropractor is in the plans. There are many outdoor, and indoor events and wine tastings that are popping up again with the Vancouver International Wine Festival in May from the 16-22, Okanagan Falls Wineries on April 13, and California on April 25. Here’s more on that…
Vancouver Chefs Compete for the Curry Cup After two years the Curry Cup is back at Heritage Hall in Vancouver to heat things up before Spring fully arrives. Presented by Chefs’ Table Society of BC and the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Area, this friendly competition brings eight chefs together for one night of curry education, competition, and comradery. Photos from 2014 = HERE. For many chefs and their brigades, curry is the ultimate family-style staff meal, the proud product of a cook’s cultural heritage. It was through this principle that the Curry Cup began in 2014 and has become a yearly celebration of the…
New BC Releases Featured at Upcoming Heart of Wine Country™ Tasting Premium wines from a selection of BC’s best wineries will be in the spotlight at an upcoming event devoted to the wines of the Okanagan Falls/Skaha Lake Winery Association. The Heart of Wine Country™ Spring Release takes place Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at Vancouver’s Terminal City Club. Tickets are $102.36 per person. For more events check out our EVENT LISTINGS. PURCHASE TICKETS CODE VanWineEd22 = $10 off The tasting is a wonderful way to explore the new offerings from these small boutique wineries, as you’ll not only get to sample…
Yaletown hideaway The Stock Room to Showcase Fruit Forward Cocktails Sometimes the best things you find are the ones you have to search for, and The Stock Room promises to be an experience well worth the hunt. Tucked behind Hundy Burger with no visible street signage, it will blend unpretentious cocktail excellence with décor that plays stylishly with South Seas elements like tsunami blue walls, bamboo thatch, mermaids, and pineapples. Built on the exemplary heritage bones of brick walls and exposed wood, The Stock Room’s intimate bar will offer a drinks program created by Freehouse Collective Bar & Beverage director…
Best Waffle Recipes for those wanting to get serious about their waffle making! It’s International waffle day and we’ve got the best waffle recipes for you so you can impress all the brunch lovers in your house! Recipes courtesy of Bottomless Brunch UK! Red Velvet Waffles Red velvet lovers must try this delicious waffle recipe for brunch that’s milk chocolatey flavour melts in your mouth. These bold red waffles not only make a statement on the plate but will not disappoint when it comes to flavour either. Serves: 4 Ingredients • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup sugar •…
Burt’s Bees Beauty Powered by Nature The newest crop of nourishing beauty products from Burt’s Bees includes the new Sensitive Solutions skincare line that’s even safe for those with eczema, several balms to treat and tint your lips and brow gels, waterproof mascara, luminizing highlighters and soothing face balms. Shop Burt’s Bees Since I’ve been spending so much time at home, my makeup rituals have been a little less formal than usual. Initially, I’d make sure I’d try if I had a few Teams or Zooms meetings, but once I settled into the new job, last year and got a…
Vancouver Cocktail Week – Presented by The Alchemist magazine The countdown is on! Within a few short weeks, we can all raise a glass to Vancouver’s first-ever cocktail week. Get your tickets before they sell out! From March 6 to 10, 2022, Vancouver Cocktail Week presented by The Alchemist magazine will celebrate the excellence of the city’s cocktail scene and the hospitality of its bars, hotels, and restaurants. We had a sneak preview of what’s to come in November at Gotham where we grabbed a few photos and a quick drink, or two! Gotham will host – Give in to…
A Couple Valentine’s Day Suggestions for Food Lovers I love Valentine’s Day, my husband, and others, may not appreciate this day as they’re in the “it’s so commercialized!” camp and that’s fine with me. But growing up I had the good fortune to have a mother who celebrated everything (Suzanne Anderton btw check out her art) and Valentine’s Day was no exception, and I shall continue this tradition. I’ll spoil myself or do something “romantic” because romance can be as simple as buying someone a beer, even if that someone is yourself. Should you be looking for something to get…
Vacationing in Qualicum Beach I’m fortunate to visit Qualicum Beach at least a few times a year as my in-laws live there and graciously open their home to us. This summer we visited in July when the weather was warm and glorious, farmers markets in full swing, and beaches sunny and sandy, and we recently returned from a December visit where the snow had dusted the landscape and winter jackets and scarves replaced sunhats and swimsuits. No matter what the season, we’ve always found something new to explore. Fortunately, both trips were made in the 2021 Acura TLX, equally great…
January To Do’s Around Vancouver While we wait to hear what the next wave of this pandemic will bring, there is still some safe fun to be had. We did some Dine Out Vancouver last week and are planning on venturing out a few more times more, but cooking at home is really appealing for me, as the cookbooks I am working on are so damn awesome and I want to make so many recipes in many of them. Here are some things to keep you out of trouble including Street Food City, Cookbooks, The Hot Chocolate Festival, Dinner at…
Some fun stuff to check out this week The first week of the new year is here and we’re not sure whether to crawl up into a ball and avoid the world or get out and enjoy it while we still have our freedom. Nevertheless, the clock keeps ticking and we’re hoping for the best. Here are a couple of things to put on the to-do list if you have some time on your hands. A couple of new spots have opened recently that we’re looking forward to stopping into. First up there’s Nightshade, a vegan/vegetarian restaurant, brought to us…
The 20th Anniversary of Dine Out Vancouver Festival from January 14 – 31, celebrates the flavour, innovation, and resilience of Vancouver’s restaurant industry The dates are now set for the 20th anniversary of Dine Out Vancouver Festival, and the feasting and fêting promise to be epic. Canada’s largest food and drink event — taking place January 14 – 31, 2022 — celebrates the flavour, innovation, and resilience of Vancouver’s restaurant industry. We’ll have an update on events once we hear back in early January as COVID has raised its ugly head, once again to throw a wrench into things! What…
Rounding Up the Best Cookbooks of 2021 This was certainly a stellar year for cookbooks and narrowing down the list to the Best Cookbooks of 2021 was an extremely challenging task. So many great ones made their debut, but here are more than a few that are worthy of a spot on your shelf, in no particular order. We will dive deeper into some of these and provide recipes shortly here. Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love Recipes to Unlock the Secrets of Your Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer: A Cookbook by Noor Murad and Yotam Ottolenghi I’m often guilty of purchasing…
