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Kelowna

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A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending National Best Friends Day with my foodie friend – Dee from Gastrofork. We met in 2011 at this event called Bake for the Quake and I bought banana bread from her for a good cause. All these years later, we’ve been great friends going on trips, eating great food, and geeking out together. Ford Canada sent us on a trip together and we chose Kelowna and Lake Country to be our destination of choice. Here are a few of the places we went in about 24 hours.

We left Vancouver early in the morning and spent about 5 hours each way on the road in our Ford Focus Titanium, with the awesome Apple CarPlay feature, we were able to make sure we got to our destination on the most effective route, but also jam out to Backstreet Boys.

Salted Brick

Our first stop was Salted Brick in Downtown Kelowna for a quick stop for lunch. They are a premium charcuterie shop and restaurant. They source their products locally and you can feel the passion they have for their food. Sharing is caring so we had some oysters, a charcuterie board and their 16-hour Roasted Brisket Sandwich. I enjoyed this spot for such simple yet flavour packed food.

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery

We wanted to try some spirits in the Okanagan as it’s a bit more unique in the area among all the wineries. We tried a flight and I left with the black currant liqueur. Very delicious and mixes well with drinks and even sparkling wine.

Kangaroo Creek Farm

Our most exciting and squee-worthy destination was Kangaroo Creek Farm just North of Kelowna. They have so many unique animals that you can interact with – Kangaroo, Wallaroo, Wallaby, sugar glider, pot-bellied pig, emu, parrots, peacock, goats, fancy chicken, capybara, and a lot more.

Our favourite part was holding the precious little baby joeys. They had a few cute ones ready to be cuddled. The albino one was so cute that I had to hold him in my hands.

Sugar Gliders were another one of my favourite animals to hold and interact with. He loves climbing around peoples arms and even finding pockets to burrow into.

Meet Squeakers, this pretty bird was talkative and we both thought he was so precious.

We were sad to leave Kangaroo Creek Farm, but if we were here any longer, I would have been tempted to take one of their animals.

Arrowleaf Cellars

Next stop was Arrowleaf Cellars. We made it a mission to go to wineries that we have never been before to continue understanding the diversity of wineries in the Okanagan. Arrowleaf is a family-owned and operated winery with a strong commitment to local since 2001.

They have a picnic area, tasting room and a fantastic patio. I grabbed a glass of white wine to enjoy with the beautiful view. Since we needed to drink responsibly, I made Dee be my designated driver.

Ex Nihilo

Around since 2010, they have been crafting wine as a family. We went into their tasting room and tried 5 of their different wines for $5, but since we bought a bottle, that fee was waived.

It’s a lovely place and there were people celebrating huge milestones at the bistro for a birthday. Their wines were really good enjoyed our short time here.

Gray Monk Estate Winery Grapevine Restaurant

Gray Monk Estate Winery is a stunning place with also a great view. We stopped for dinner at Grapevine Restaurant for more delicious meals that are crafted by Chef Siever.

I’ve always wanted to come here to enjoy their amazing wine and try their dishes. We shared a few appetizers to start and then dug into the main courses.

I indulged in Bombay Blackened Duck Duo and Dee had a tenderloin. The views and service were great and we took in all the beautiful views of the area.

Chasing Sunsets

As the sun set over the valleys of the Okanagan, we found a few view points before heading off to the resort for some rest and relaxation. The funny thing about this photo was that Dee was in the car making strange gestures at me and I didn’t understand what she was doing. She opened the door and told me there was a wild deer behind me. He’s got my back literally.

Sparkling Hill Resort & Spa

We got to Sparkling Hill Resort & Spa with plenty of time to spare. The night was still young to do lots of exploring and relaxing. Built in 2010, Sparkling Hill Resort & Spa is a great wellness resort spa destination in North America. I’ve wanted to come here for a long time as I’ve always hear such amazing things about this place.

When you walk around the resort, you will find 3.5 million Swarovski crystal elements. It’s absolutely stunning.

An awesome part about the resort is the exclusive access to the seven unique aromatherapy saunas and steam rooms, experience showers, igloo, indoor pool complete with underwater music and starry Swarovski crystal sky, hot pool, outdoor infinity pool, Kneipp water therapy, Tea & Serenity Relaxation Rooms, and the Keiser-equipped fitness studio.

We spent some time at the spa and then headed back to our room for the night.

In the morning, there was a complimentary breakfast at their restaurant, so we enjoyed out meal while looking out into the views of the lake.

Recap

Our getaway for National Best Friends Day was awesome and we were happy that Ford Canada was able to make it happen. In around 24 hours, we were able to enjoy the best of the Okanagan and I was able to show Dee one of my favourite places in BC – Kangaroo Creek Farm. What is awesome about our friendship is that we are so chill about everything, have similar tastes in food and just love to be silly. It’s definitely hard to find great friends, so make sure you keep them close.

If you want to check out a video recap of our trip, check out Dee’s video below on her Youtube channel.

manteo-dock

Manteo Resort is located on the shores of Okanagan Lake in Kelowna. It is minutes from downtown and of course the many wineries in the area. M and stayed here during our road trip across BC for one night. We were looking for a place that had a great view and right on the water.

manteo-parking

Manteo Resort offers a “no surprise fee guarantee”, so there are no extra charges for use of amenities, local phone calls, internet, national newspapers and parking. All the parking is outside of the hotel in the rear. When you check-in, they will provide you with a parking pass for your stay.

manteo-beach

M and I arrived here 45 minutes early for the check-in at 4pm. They checked us in right away and told us they would give us a call when our room was ready. This wasn’t a problem at all since they had a mini beach that we could relax as we sat on their huge colourful chairs as we waited.

manteo-chairs

15 minutes later they told us our room was ready.

manteo-kitchen

M and I stayed in the one bedroom premium suite with a lake view. It can fit up to 4 people.

All the rooms have:

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Flat-screen TVs
  • Duvets, feather beds and feather pillows
  • Alarm clocks with iPod docking stations
  • In-room safes
  • Daily newspaper delivery
  • Robes
  • Coffeemakers
  • Discounted hotel breakfasts at Smack DAB

This particular room also has:

  • Private bedroom with a King size bed
  • Living room with double pullout sofa
  • Fully equipped kitchen and dining area
  • Private balcony
  • Business desk
  • iPod docking station and iPod stereo

manteo-licingroom

At first glance, the decor is a bit dated and all the furniture doesn’t exactly match. I have a feeling the colour of the couch and the blue chair is supposed to mirror their logo as it has blue, red and yellow.

manteo-couch

The living room is spacious and great if you have kids.

manteo-music

Their iPod docking stereo is now outdated too. You can only use it on the older generation iPhones. You can also put in a CD if you happen to have one with you.

manteo-kitchen-appliances

There’s a kitchen with a stove, microwave, a refrigerator and a Keurig. It’s convenient if you want to cook. For us, it wasn’t really needed since we spent our time eating out at the restaurants in the area. I can see how this would be great if you had kids with you or staying here for more than a night.

manteo-coffee

They have coffee and tea pods for the Keurig.

manteo-cookies

They even dropped off some cookies after we got into our room. A nice touch.

manteo-dining-area

The only thing that bothered me about the dining area are the abundance of chairs in the suite. A bit much for the 2 of us, but if we had other people on this trip or kids, I think it would be handy.

manteo-view

From the living room, you can get to the balcony. It has a great view of the Okanagan Lake.

manteo-bed

The bedroom has a king sized bed and looks more modern that the living room area.

manteo-tv

There’s also a flat screen tv with cable. We spend most of our time watching Food Network.

manteo-bathroom

Pretty basic washroom with one sink in this area.

manteo-tub-shower

There is a bath and shower combo.

manteo-shampoo

The products that they have are from h2o+, which is a pretty good brand.

manteo-washroom

You can section off the bathroom from the toilet room with a sliding door. It’s good for letting others use the toilet when someone is in the shower. This also has its own separate sink.

manteo-d

While you are here, make sure you walk along the dock during the day or night. It takes you pretty far out into the lake, so great for taking photos of the area.

supermoon

At night, I was able to catch the Super ‘Blood’ Moon at the docks.

Smack Dab is the restaurant inside Manteo Resort and they are open for breakfast buffet, lunch and dinner. They serve up new style classics with bolder flavours. You can grab a drink inside or be sitting outside in the patio. They have a good selection of craft beer with 12 on tap and 20 by the bottle. A good way to celebrate BC and what we make here locally. Don’t worry they also have wine and cocktails too.

They also have a private dining room that seats up to 22 people. Great for large groups if you are here for a family get-together or birthday party.

Not quite sure what else to do here? They have indoor/outdoor pools, hot tubs, kids waterpark, saunas, movie theatre, fitness centre, tennis court, 9 hole putting green, playground, private beach and boat moorage.

Thats a lot of things you can do especially keep the kids entertained or to keep yourself relaxed.

manteo-lakeview

Overall, our stay was great. It was right between downtown and Summer Hill Pyramid Winery. The service was good, beds were comfy, strong wifi signal and it has a fantastic view. The only 2 things that would have been improved would be an update on the living rooms decor, also the cable would cut out a bit in the evenings.

manteo-sign

Address:
3762 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna BC

Website:
http://www.manteo.com/

Smack DAB Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

kangaroo-creek-farm

Kangaroo Creek Farm in Lake Country is close to Kelowna and its’s a must for families visiting the Okanagan. It costs $5 per person or $20 for a family of 5. They only accept cash, so remember to visit the bank before you arrive.

I was drawn to visit this farm during my road trip across BC since when do you see kangaroos in BC? No need to visit Australia or go to a zoo.

kangaroo-creek-farm-parkin

You can park on the street outside of the farm, but not parking inside. There are limited parking spots, so make sure you come early or somehow avoid the rush.

kangaroo-creek-farm-sign

There are 2 areas of the farm. One area on the right with the kangaroos and other animals, and on the left are sugar gliders, wallabys, emus, pigs, etc. You have to visit both areas when you’re here.

kangaroo-creek-farm-pet

We came on a weekday, so it wasn’t too busy. It was mostly tourists and local school kids on a field trip. Not too crowded. Still plenty of room to play with the kangaroos and other critters.

kangaroo-creek-farm-field

kangaroo-creek-farm-feed

You can go up to the volunteers with yellow baskets and ask for food to feed all the animals. There is also a joey holding area. Cradling the little kangaroos are pretty awesome since they are very tame and calm.

kangaroo-creek-farm-eats

There are good amounts of kangaroos here and they are friendly. You must pet them on the back rather than the front or else they get a little feisty.

kangaroo-creek-farm-albino

There is one little guy who is quite unique. An albino wallaby named Irwin.

kangaroo-creek-farm-pig

Pigs!

kangaroo-creek-farm-baby-goat

The little goats are pretty cute. You can’t help but stare into their oddly shaped eyes.

kangaroo-creek-farm-kids

Kids love them.

kangaroo-creek-farm-feed-goat

Even M loved feeding the goats leaves.

kangaroo-creek-farm-baby

Baby ducks! So cute and small. I was so afraid I would step on this little guy.

kangaroo-creek-farm-capybara

Capybara is a largest type of rodent in the world. When we were there, this fella didn’t really do much. I think he was just enjoying the sun too much.

kangaroo-creek-farm-chicken

Chicken! I’m always amazed how all these animals can roam around the farm without getting into fights.

kangaroo-creek-farm-other

This is the other side of the farm. It’s not connected to the area of kangaroos. You will see more wallaby’s, emus, pigs and sugar gliders.

kangaroo-creek-farm-ducks

Ducks are near the little pond. They were so vocal when we were there. Not quite sure what they were squawking about. Maybe they wanted more food.

kangaroo-creek-farm-c

I have no idea what animal this is. Its like a rabbit  but its not.

kangaroo-creek-farm-emu

Emu! There’s a few of them around the farm. Cute but I was kinda afraid to approach them.

kangaroo-creek-farm-sugar-glider

Sugar Gliders are pretty cute! You can feed them bananas as they cling onto your arms. Very soft too.

kangaroo-creek-farm-kangaroo

Overall, it was a great attraction for adults and kids. M and I spent about 45 minutes here since we went around to all the animals, fed and petted them. Also, lining up to hold the baby kangaroos.

The price was only $5 and its a lot cheaper than going to a zoo. You can get up close and personal with all the animals.

kangaroo-creek-farm-wallaby

Address:
3193 Hill Rd, Lake Country, BC V4V 1T7

Website:
http://kangaroocreekfarm.com/

the-jammery-outer

The Jammery is located north of Kelowna near Lake Country. They serve up all day breakfast and lunch daily until closing time. I was making my way to Kangaroo Creek Farm and had to stop here for breakfast before continuing on our road trip across BC.

the-jammery-you-gotta-eat-here

They have also been on an episode on You Gotta Eat Here. The video footage is here.

the-jammery-surround

The restaurant, gift shop and jam production facility is located on 7 acres of agricultural land. It’s surrounded by natural beauty.

the-jammery-inner

You can sit inside or in their newer patio area with large windows so you can see the natural beauty outside.

the-jammery-coffee

Coffee is a must. The staff were really nice and diligent about filling these right up. We woke up pretty early to make the long drive to Golden, BC, so we made sure we loaded up on caffeine.

the-jammery-burger-benny

Bacon Cheeseburger has 4 pieces of bacon, two homemade beef sliders and poached eggs on a toasted english muffin smothered in their buttery hollandaise sauce and topped with cheddar cheese. It is served with oven roasted hashbrowns and a slice of orange.

It was pretty interesting to see this as a brunch dish, but it’s quite popular after it appeared on the Food Network. M enjoyed it.

the-jammery-special

Jammery Favourite! gives you the choice between 1/2 golden waffle or one piece French toast with 2 eggs any style, three bacon or three sausages or honey ham and oven roasted hash browns.

I went with the golden waffle, sunny side up eggs, and sausage. It give you a little bit of everything you need. The waffle was cooked very well and has a crispy texture on the outside.

the-jammery-jam

In their gift shop, they sell their signature jams. Instead of making wine, The Jammery makes a lot of jam.

Overall, it was nice stop on the way to our next journey across BC.

We Rate the Jammery

Address:
8038 Highway 97, Kelowna, BC V4V

Website:
http://www.jammery.com/

The Jammery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

krafty-kitchen-outer

Krafty Kitchen + Bar is a casual farm to table eatery in Kelowna. They focus on using local Canadian ingredients in their dishes where possible. They also have Kelowna’s only Duck Fat Fryer, so you know their fries will be amazing.

krafty-kitchen-inner

The interior is beautiful and it has an industrial feel to it. They have tables that can seat large groups to small groups.

krafty-kitchen-bar

There is also bar seating if you want to engage with the staff a bit more and see them at work.

krafty-kitchen-menu

Their menu is pretty fun and puts a good spin on classic comfort dishes.

krafty-kitchen-lemondae

Seasonal Italian Soda is on their menu and the daily flavour that they had was raspberry vanilla. It sounded great, but when we drank it, it fell a bit flat. It could have been a tad sweeter with more bubbles.

krafty-kitchen-cheese

The Worlds Most Interesting Fried Cheese comes with 2 pieces of Halloumi cheese, topped with corn, tomato jam and greens. The dish was ok, but we felt the cheese could have been more hot in temperature. It still had good flavours though.

krafty-kitchen-salad

Okanagan Salad comes with greens, stone fruit and chili vinaigrette, goat feta, and toasted seeds + nuts. It was delicious and the toasted seeds + nuts were so good.

krafty-kitchen-mac-bacon

Krafty Dinner with Pork Belly arrived at the table. We were surprised the pork belly was so thick and crispy.

krafty-kitchen-bacon-mac

I couldn’t stop eating this dish. It was sinfully delicious! It’s the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had. You have to order it with the pork belly.

krafty-kitchen-market-tart

Market Tart has the base of puff pastry, pesto, fresh tomatoes and creme fraiche.

krafty-kitchen-tart-crust

It was a good twist on pizza with the puff pastry to give the flakey crisp crust.

Overall, the food was good. I wish I had the stomach to try more dishes. The atmosphere was good and it was indeed casual. I enjoyed the Krafty Dinner dish the most.

We Rate Krafty Kitchen + Bar:

Address:
281 Lawrence Ave,
Kelowna,BC

Website:
http://kraftykitchen.ca/

KRAFTY kitchen + bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Mission-Hill-Vineyard

Mission Hill Family Estate welcomes guests around the world to experience winery tours and wine tastings. My second stop in Kelowna was to Mission Hill to take a look at their breathtaking architecture as well as taste some wine.

We drove up a long hill and through some large gates to get into the winery. It definitely has a high-class feel when you walk around the property.

Mission-Hill-winery

It gave me a sense of a University town when I walked in.

Mission-Hill-statues

The winery has a vast art collection, including one-of-a-kind sculptures.

Mission-Hill-main

To see more of the winery, they do offer tours as most areas are only accessible through tours. I didn’t have a lot of time, so I skipped the tour and went straight to the tasting. They do have different types of tours and you should try to reserve ahead of time.

Mission-Hill-restaurant

Terrace Restaurant overlooks the rows of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the vineyard. It is an award-winning restaurant and has been named the top five winery restaurant in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine. Also, 2015 Diners Choice winner from OpenTable.

 

If you have time and want to indulge, it’s a pretty good choice to have dinner or lunch here.

Mission-Hill-tables

Instead of dining here, you can bring some snacks with you. You can sit at their tables and just enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Mission-Hill-sculpture

To find the tasting room, head past the statue in the fountain. The statue kind looks sad but I love the reflection.

Mission-Hill-tasting-room

Mission-Hill-comp

At the Tasting Bar, they offer one complimentary white and one complimentary red wine.

Mission-Hill-ice-wine

You can also do 4 additional tastings for $8 to try their other wines. I gave the additional tastings a try and split it with M since he only wanted 2 more and I wanted 2 more too. The ice wine stood out as it wasn’t too too sweet.

Mission-Hill-pinot-noir

They even have the World’s Best Pinot Noir.

Mission-Hill-tour

Overall, it was nice to stop at Mission Hill to get a sense of their wines. Next time when I’m out dining at a restaurant, I’ll remember which wines from Mission Hill are my favourite.

Address:
1730 Mission Hill Rd,
West Kelowna, BC

Website:
http://www.missionhillwinery.com/

Terrace Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

quails-gate-sign

Quails’ Gate in West Kelowna was our first stop on our BC road trip across the Okanagan. It was highly recommended by friends as they have beautiful views, complimentary tastings and their Old Vines Restaurant.

It is located minutes away from Mission Hill Winery, so make sure you add this to your stops if you are ever in Kelowna.

quails-gate-building

Once you park in the lot, their Wine Shop is the main centrepiece of the public vineyard. It was built in 2007 and looks modern and beautiful. They have a patio on the second floor, so you can see the stunning views of the Okanagan Lake and their vineyards.

quails-gate-rows-of-grapes

How can you not love this beautiful view? So awesome.

quails-gate-tasting-room

Inside the Wine shop, there are tons of things to buy, but most people gravitate to the tasting bar at the back by the windows.

quails-gate-tasting-menu

Complimentary tastings are available everyday. They have one white and one red. When I was here, they offered:

  • 2014 Chasselas – Pinot Blanc – Pinot Gris
  • 2012 Old Vines Foch

quails-gate-white

2014 Chasselas – Pinot Blanc – Pinot Gris is their most popular white wine. I quite enjoyed it, its fresh and fruity. Great for the summer.

2012 Old Vines Foch has black ripe cherry, milk chocolate with notes of toasty vanilla. I’m not a red wine drinker, but M did enjoy it.

quails-gate-rose-red

If you want to keep on trying more wines, they have Tasting flights, 3 choices for $5. But, it’s waived if you buy 2 or more bottles of wine.

You can choose from:

  • 2014 Dry Riesling
  • 2014 Chenin Blanc
  • 2014 Gewurztraminer
  • 2014 The Bench Pinot Gris
  • 2013 Quails’ Gate Chardonnay
  • 2013 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay
  • 2014 Rose
  • 2013 Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir
  • 2013 Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir
  • 2013 Quails’ Gate Merlot
  • 2013 Stewart Family Reserve Old Vines Foch

quails-gate-bottles-shelf

quails-gate-bottles

All the wines they have for the tastings are available to purchase. I bought 2 bottles and got the tasting fee waived.

quails-gate-field

They also do private winery tours for at least 10 people. Since it was just M and I. We just wandered around their vineyard and looked around.

quails-gate-rows

quails-gate-grapes

Grapes! It was cool to see them on their vines.

quails-gate-picnic

There is also have a picnic area if you brought your own lunch. The view is great too.

quails-gate-parking

quails-gate-barrel

Overall, it was a great stop along the Winery Trail in Kelowna. There’s lots of vineyards to see, so make sure you pace yourself and not get too drunk.

Address:
3303 Boucherie Rd,
Central Okanagan, BC

Website:
http://quailsgate.com/

quails-gate-building

Quails’ Gate Winery is located in West Kelowna and is a beautiful vineyard right by Okanagan Lake. Their wine ship is the centrepiece at the estate, which houses their tasting bar and gift shop. Complimentary tastings are available daily, year round. They also do additional flight tastings and tours.

quails-gate-old-vines

old-vines-quails-gate-patio

Old Vines Restaurant is just located on the left side of the Wine Shop. Their menu highlights the abundant resources of the Okanagan Valley.

M and I were quite hungry driving from Vancouver, so we made this our first meal on our Kelowna adventure.

old-vines-quails-gate-seats

We came at the end of September, so sitting outside was a tad chilly around noon. This didn’t stop other groups from soaking in the sun and the beautiful view.

old-vines-quails-gate-bar

Sitting inside is equally as beautiful. Just ask for a seat by the window.

old-vines-quails-gate-choices

Their wines are available on their menu. If you aren’t too familiar with them, maybe you should do the wine tasting in their wine shop prior before dining here.

old-vines-quails-gate-dry-reisling

2014 Dry Riesling (5oz -$8) has a crispy and zesty taste. You can notice the subtle notes of honeysuckle, lime cordial, and orchard fruits. I mainly got this since it pairs well with the crab cakes appetizer.

old-vines-quails-gate-sparkling-lemonade

Sparkling Lemonade is non-alcoholic and made by Boylan Soda. M said it was good.

old-vines-quails-gate-crabcakes

Dungeness Crab Cakes ($19) has shaved fennel & apple slaw and a buttermilk “rémoulade” dressing.

old-vines-quails-gate-crab

This crab cake is packed with crab and no filler. Very good! It is quite pricey for an appetizer, but when on vacation, you gotta indulge.

old-vines-quails-gate-chicken

Farm Crest Chicken ($24) is served with pattypan squash, creamy polenta, and chicken jus. They suggest pairing it with the 2013 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay. The chicken was juicy and had a nice char on the outside.

old-vines-quails-gate-burger

Cache Creek Natural Dry Aged Beef Burger ($24) has a Tiger Blue dressing, Spanish onion, Brassica aioli, and bacon. It is served with fries. They suggest a pairing with their 2013 Merlot. The burger patty was cooked to a medium rare. Good tasting burger, but it was pricey for a burger.

Overall, the food was good, but pricey. It is expected since it is a restaurant on a vineyard. We wanted to dine here as a treat to ourselves. The view from the restaurant is beautiful.

We rate Old Vines Restaurant

Address:
3303 Boucherie Rd,
Central Okanagan, BC

Website:
http://quailsgate.com/restaurant/

Old Vines Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato