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Presented by the National Bank of Canada, Fleurs de Villes NOËL will be returning to Vancouver December 10th – 19th. Now in its third year and hosted by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and Robson Street Business Association, the spectacular floral art trail will decorate Vancouver’s downtown core with over 40 festive floral art displays, designed by Vancouver’s top local florists.

The floral trail will begin in the lobby at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, where visitors can see one of Fleurs de Villes’ signature mannequins and pick up a map or scan a QR code on the adjacent signage. From there the trail will travel up Robson Street, loop back down Alberni Street, and finish at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Fleurs de Villes NOËL is free and visitors can safely walk the self-guided trail while adhering to COVID safety protocols.

Fleurs de Villes NOËL will feature floral couture mannequins, beautifully adorned entryways, colourful candy canes at National Bank Private Banking 1859 on Alberni, a huge floral snowy mountain at Bentall Centre, Santa’s sleigh bursting with holiday blooms at Park Place, as well as giant floral presents at Arthur Erickson Place and a large floral peace sign at the Vancouver Art Gallery, and more.

“We are thrilled to be returning to our hometown of Vancouver with Fleurs de Villes NOËL for a third year in a row. This stunning celebration of the holiday season brings together community partners, local businesses and talented florists to create a magical and enchanting experience for visitors, just in time for the holidays,” says Karen Marshall, Co-Founder of Fleurs de Villes.

Along the Fleurs de Villes NOËL floral trail,various local restaurants will be featuring special menus and pop-up

Along the floral trail,various local restaurants will be featuring special menus and pop-up patios for trail walkers to stop and enjoy a warm beverage or snack:

  • Visitors can take a break and warm up inside the gorgeous and calming Holts Café to enjoy their Fleurs de Villes NOËL Afternoon Tea.
  • PAUL Bakery, Café & Restaurant will be hosting a Baileys Winter Patio featuring Baileys and Hot Chocolate, Baileys Red Velvet & PAUL Hot Chocolate, and Baileys Apple Pie Chai Tea.
  • Hawksworth Restaurant will be featuring festive Johnnie Walker cocktail menu serving a Purple & Black Espresso Martini, Orange Blossom Highball, and The Dark Walker
  • JOEY Bentall One will be serving Baileys cocktails
  • The 1931 Gallery Bistro at the Vancouver Art Gallery will be serving up a Fleurs de Villes NOËL Lavender Milk Chocolate Fondue paired with Kim Crawford Pinot Noir, Mulled Wine and Apple Rose Cake.

Each unique floral art display will be designed by local florists, including Arbutus Florist, Botany & Bloom, Dushan Flowers, Flower Factory, Granville Island Florist, Southland Floral, Arizel Studio, Écorce Flowers, Faux Floral, Gardenia Flowers, Get a Bouquet, Gilligan Girls Flowers on Main, J Events, Lotus Flower Boutique, Niche Boutique Florals, Nogori Flowers, Plush Floral Studio, Port Moody Flowers, ROA Floral and Event Designs, Rogue Florist, Shadow Jiang, Simply Perfect Flowers, Stems at Stong’s Market, Tila Flower Boutique and Vivió Flower Gallery.

Floral display sponsors include National Bank of Canada, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA), the Robson Street Business Association (RSBA), Kim Crawford, Hudson Pacific Properties, Mobi by ShawGo, Peterson, Carmana Plaza Hotel, QuadReal Property Group, Colliers, Holt Renfrew, Oliver Peoples, PAUL Bakery, Café & Restaurant, JOEY Bentall One, Hawksworth Restaurant, 1931 Gallery Bistro, Baileys, Johnnie Walker, Blue Ruby, Arthur Erickson Place, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Cadillac Fairview, Ladurée, the Blue Horizon Hotel and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

“National Bank is thrilled to return as the presenting sponsor for this year’s Fleurs de Villes NOËL. Each year the event infuses our community with a unique and festive energy that brings people together. We are proud to be a part of it and can’t wait to see this year’s spectacular floral installations,” says Darwin Schandor, Regional President, British Columbia, National Bank.

“We are so excited to be partnering with Fleurs de Villes NOËL again this year and see some of our favourite downtown locations festively decorated throughout this 10-day event,” says Nolan Marshall III, President & CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA). “This is the 3rd annual NOËL floral trail in the downtown core and arriving at an exciting and optimistic time. A lot is going on downtown this holiday season, and Fleurs de Villes NOËL is the perfect event to get people in that festive spirit and showcase our beautiful city.” 

“Now in its third year, Fleurs de Villes NOËL has become a beloved holiday tradition in the city, and we are thrilled to co-host such a unique event that brings beauty, joy and season’s greetings to the streets of downtown Vancouver. We look forward to welcoming visitors to experience this year’s festive floral trail and to creating many merry moments #onRobson,” says Teri Smith, Executive Director, Robson Street Business Association.

Vancouver-based Fleurs de Villes is an international luxury experiential brand that creates bespoke floral events, partnering with top local floral designers to showcase each city’s world class talent and create stunning displays of art.

Fleurs de Villes NOËL will be in Seattle December 17th-27th.Fleurs de Villes FEMMES, a floral celebration of remarkable women, launches in Bal Harbour, Miami, in March 2022 and will tour five countries and over 15 different cities globally including Vancouver from June 3rd–12th, 2022.

For more information visit fleursdevilles.com.

Glowbal Restaurant Group is ringing in the New Year with special three-course menus for dining-in only at Coast, Glowbal Restaurant, Italian Kitchen, and Black+Blue. GRG Winterlicious is available from January 5 to 24, 2020.

Glowbal Restaurant’s 3 course meal

We got a look at Glowbal Restaurant’s 3 course meal for $38 featuring:

AMUSE-BOUCHE
Wild Mushroom Soup
truffle oil

APPETIZERS
Beet & Goat Cheese Terrine
beet vinaigrette, shaved fennel, fresh horseradish
-OR-
Winter Green Salad citrus supreme, roasted hazelnuts, torched burrata
pomegranate vinaigrette
-OR-
Cheese Fritters & Shaved Prosciutto
arugula, roast tomato, shaved parmesan, pesto

ENTRÉES
Braised Beef Cheek Cannelloni
wild mushroom ragout, truffled parsnip purée
-OR-
Gnocchi & Winter Squash
butternut squash romesco, pumpkin seeds, parsley gremolata
-OR-
Mediterranean Sea Bass
beluga lentils, charred cabbage, carrot & ginger purée

DESSERT
Apple Galette
crisp pastry, toasted almonds, vanilla gelato

A Quick Look

Wild Mushroom Soup
Beet & Goat Cheese Terrine
Winter Green Salad
Cheese Fritters & Shaved Prosciutto
Mediterranean Sea Bass
Gnocchi & Winter Squash
Braised Beef Cheek Cannelloni
Apple Galette
Sãn Pablo Sour with Smoke Bubble
Sãn Pablo Sour with Smoke Bubble
Sãn Pablo Sour with Smoke Bubble
Jasmine Passion fruit Iced Tea

Final Thoughts

A 3 course meal for $38 is a pretty good deal at the Glowbal Restaurant. A nice break for a date night where you can feel very safe during this pandemic.

Address:
590 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://glowbalgroup.com/grg-winterlicious-2021.html

With everything that has happened in 2020, I love when I see companies do good especially for those in need. I pass by my local food bank every week and it’s very sad to see my neighbours not having enough funds to make ends meet. With rising food prices and hours being cut, we need to find ways to be there for one another without judgement.

McArthurGlen Outlet in Vancouver has created a month long food festival called A Taste of McArthurGlen Food Festival with discounts and deals in October from 4pm – 8pm.

This festival is in support of Richmond Food Bank Society. Guests are invited to drop off non-perishable food items in designated blue bins.

Deals

  • Caffè Artigiano  
    • Enjoy 20% off our Pumpkin Spice Latte for participating guests from 4-8pm during the month of October
  • Bibo Pizzeria 
    • Enjoy 20% off your entire bill between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Food Folk Eatery 
    • “Buy One, Get One” including Poke bowls from Hula Poke, Salads from Dirtbelly and Sandwiches from Chachi’s between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Freshly Squeezed 
    • We would like to offer 25% off any drinks on our Bubble Tea Menu and Veggie Smoothies Menu from 4pm onwards
  • Hugo’s Churros
    •  Buy 1 Churro, get 1 free! between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Japadog 
    • Enjoy 40% off Kobe terimayo + Bombo (a bag of fries with your choice of flavour & medium size drink) between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Neptune Wonton Noodle 
    • Enjoy 15% off between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Ryuu Japanese Kitchen 
    • Enjoy 15% off between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • The Praguery
    •  New pumpkin spice chimney cake for October. Buy one, get one 50% off any item between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October

Website:
https://www.mcarthurglen.com/outlets/en/ca/designer-outlet-vancouver/whats-on/taste-of-mcarthurglen/

The area around The Amazing Brentwood has transformed a lot in the last few years and will continue evolving to bring more people into the area. The latest event to pop up is the Brentwood Great Takeout, a Food Truck Festival presented by Grosvenor and organized by the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s not your ordinary food truck festival, but a adapted version to keep safe with their families.

This festival will now taking place weekly every Saturday until September 26 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on part of Grosvenor’s latest development site in Burnaby. The ‘Brentwood Great Takeout’ series is part of Brentwood Community Days presented by Grosvenor and demonstrates the developer’s commitment to building engaging and meaningful public spaces.

I personally loves these types of event happening in our city as it brings our community together and makes it more lively, plus it makes the neighbourhood much more tasty.

The food trucks do rotate, so make sure to check back weekly on the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival website.

We were invited to check out the food trucks at the Brentwood Great Takeout.

Parking

There is complimentary parking available if you decide to drive. There is also lots of public transportation options like the Brentwood Skytrain Station and buses.

Safety

To ensure your family’s safety, hand sanitizers are offered at the entrance and wearing masks are highly encouraged. They limit the amount of people into the festival, one way entry, and social distancing.

Also, note you can’t eat on the premises.

Food and Drink

As the food trucks do rotate weekly, keep an eye on their website to see if your favourite food truck is at the Brentwood Great Takeout. When we were here, we got to check out:

  • Salt Spring Noodle Bar
  • Wing’s Outdoor Grill
  • Indian Delicacy
  • Slavic Rolls
  • Los Tacos Hermanos 
  • Lenny’s Lemonade
  • Betty’s Greek Honey Ballz – Loukoumades 

I personally loved Betty’s Greek Honey Ballz – Loukoumades and Indian Delicacy (butter chicken poutine is amazing).

Indian Delicacy – Platter
Betty’s Greek Honey Ballz – Loukoumades 
Slavic Rolls with Strawberry and Barvarian Cream
Wing’s Outdoor Grill – Salt and Pepper Wings
Indian Delicacy – Butter Chicken Poutine
Los Tacos Hermanos  – Fish Tacos
Salt Spring Noodle Bar – Teriyaki Chicken and Veggie
Lenny’s Lemonade – Pink Lemonade and Blue Raspberry Lemonade

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a quick stop to grab some food. You can’t eat inside the event area, so you’ll have to eat it somewhere close by or take it home. We opted to grab it all to go and enjoy it at home as we live close by.

Address:
 2150 Alpha Avenue, Burnaby

Website:
https://greatervanfoodtruckfest.com/events/

Magkasama is a unique Vancouver virtual market for Filipino entrepreneurs to showcase their business, with the goal of growing, educating and delighting. The word ‘Magkasama’ means ‘together’ in Tagalog and it’s the perfect phrase for this event.

The event is focussed on celebrating modern and progressive Filipino businesses that have their sights on the future, while maintaining the integrity of the culture.

The event is in it’s second year, they wanted to make it an in-person market, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they decided to make it virtual so anyone can browse in the safety of their homes. Shoppers can buy items from various vendors and pick up at a select date and time.

When are the shopping dates?

You can go to magkasama604.com from June 15 – July 5, 2020 to browse and do you shopping.

When is pick up?

The pick up dates are on July 10-12, 2020 from 11am – 6pm. To have social distancing, you will select a date and time to show up to pick up your items.

Where do I pick up my items?

302 Industrial Ave, Vancouver, V6A 2P3

Look for the Shameless Buns Food Truck and you’ll know you’re in the right place. They will also be serving up delicious food as well.

Who are the Vendors?

This year, there are 15 amazing vendors to choose from. I personally heard of a few of them before this market was put together, so I was so excited to get a taste of what these vendors had to offer.

Bukobaba

Bukobaba produces healthy premium coconut food and wellness products. Their coco jam is delicious and recently, they launched their Coconut Black Vinegar, which can be used like a balsamic vinegar for salad dressings and sauces.  

Coco Cakes

 Dan is behind Coco Cakes and he crafts Filipino-inspired Mochi Cakes featuring flavours like buko pandan, ube, mango, calamansi, chocolate peanut butter swirl.

Ensaimada Moment

They craft up come beautiful and mighty delicious Filipino Ensaimadas. One bite of their Gouda Ensaimada and I was hooked. Their best selling flavours include Parmesan, Gouda, Queso de Bola, Dulce de leche, Salted Egg, and Ube halay. Highly recommended.

Gigil Clothing

They have modern and playful Filipino and Chinese inspired clothing for kids and adults. They even started selling adorable face masks. Their line of kids clothing is so adorable from their lumpia designs to their siopao.

Hapag Restaurant

Hapag Restaurant on Victoria Drive is an authentic and delicious Filipino restaurant offering ready made meals. They have combo meals and buko pie.

Kape Coffee

Kapé is a social enterprise promoting farmer-first coffee from Philippine Indigenous women growers, and small batch roasted in the traditional unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-waututh nations.

You can have a great cup of coffee and feel good about where it comes from and who they support.

Kasama Chocolate

They craft small batch, artisan, bean-to-bar chocolate with cacao from the Philippines. They have some unique flavours, so be sure to check them out.

Kayebakes

Kayebakes serves up classic Filipino desserts and cakes. We tried the Yeamamon Chiffon Cake and we were hooked. Highly recommended.

Kiligraphy Co.

 Find Filipino inspired cards, signage, buttons, digital art and much more. If you’re looking for something unique, reach out for custom designs.

La Meryenda 

They serve up Filipino inspired pastries and desserts like their popular cheese bread and ube cheese pandesal. They also have Spanish bread, puto flan, and leche flan.

Panaderia Corner

Panaderia Corner serves up authentic Filipino breads and baked goods like cheeese bread, Spanish bread, ube roll, putok/star bread, pandesal, pan de coco, cheesy ube pandesal, kalihim/talembang, pan de longga, longanisa, and ube cheesymada roll.

Sago ToGo

Sago Togo serves up Filipino inspired bubble tea, waffles and the classic Filipino treat – Taho. Their cold taho is delicious and they have a lot of other treats at their shop in New Westminster.

Shameless Buns

Vancouver’s funkiest Filipino inspired Food Jeepney, specializing in creative and delicious sandwiches, loaded fries, house made sauces, Filipino dessert and the occasional wacky creation.

Their menu items are definitely very cheeky and their spam fries are a must.

The Sweet Alley

The Sweet Alley specializes in custom cakes and artisan confections to satisfy any cravings, giving you sweets not only pleasing to the eyes but deliciously divine to satisfy any sweet tooth. If you’re looking for something custom for a special celebration, contact Christine, the Sweet Artist behind The Sweet Alley.

VanCity Cookies

Vancity Cookies is a local gourmet cookie maker, bringing you a variety of thick, freshly baked cookies. They have thick cookies with and ooey gooey centre. The Oreo Chocolate Chip and Nutella Hazelnut were our personal favourites.

Website:
https://magkasama604.com

I haven’t been able to count which day we are at for social distancing, but I do know I miss my friends and family a lot. Somedays I don’t even remember if it’s a weekday or weekend.

Molson Canadian is inviting Canadians from coast to coast to connect over a #VirtualHappyHour. As a bonus, they will reward hosts with a $25 gift card to use at their favourite local bar or restaurant. This helps bring people together while supporting an important sector.

I raised a glass with one of my favourite Vancouver bloggers – Vie A Maggi. All you have to do is take a screenshot of your Virtual Happy Hour and post it on Instagram or Twitter. I nominated one of my favourite Vancouver restaurants – Miku Restaurant, which boasts a great cocktail menu and delicious Japanese eats.

They message you to verify your eligibility as you have to be of drinking age. There is a little bit of back and forth, but your $25 gift card to your favourite restaurant or bar will be on its way.

The program runs until April 30, 2020 or while supplies last (whichever comes first). Rules on how to participate are available on the website. Follow @MolsonCanadian on Instagram and @Molson_Canadian on Twitter to see #VirtualHappyHour being featured from coast to coast.

Glowbal has brought back their limited time Burger Mania menu from March 16 – 27, 2020. This menu is available Monday to Friday from 11am to 6pm. Great for those who are working downtown and want a very filling lunch.

There are 5 different burgers which come with their own unique side dish. The prices do vary depending on the burger, but it’s very resonable.

Menu

BBQ Beef Brisket Melt

This beast of a burger has Montréal-styled smoked brisket, peppered bbq glaze, Swiss cheese, dilly kraut with bacon, and all in a toasted pretzel bun.
It is served with deep fried dill pickles. A good pairing as you can’t go wrong with deep fried pickles.

The burger is pretty hefty and the brisket is really packed in there.

Crispy Fried Chicken Burger

This Crispy Fried Chicken Burger has gooey aged cheddar cheese house famous hot sauce, and pickled cabbage slaw in a ciabatta bun. It is served with housemade bbq kettle chips. The BBQ Kettle chips were solid. The crispy fried chicken was big and crispy but can go limp quickly because of the moist ingredients in the burger.

We were actually surprise their hot sauce really packs a punch.

Surf n’ Turf Burger

This burger has double house ground chuck patties, buttery lobster & tarragon shaved fennel, and bearnaise sauce in a brioche bun. It is served with cheesy fried gnocchi bites.

The burger definitely needed more lobster and the pieces were cut up in small. The gnocchi bits were very gooey and best eaten when hot.

The Spicy Mexican

This massive burger has double house ground chuck patties, habanero & lime guacamole pico de gallo, and cilantro queso fresco in a brioche bun. It is served with waffle fries supreme.

The burger is very stacked with the double patties. It can be a bit messy to eat, but I like the fresh vibrant flavours from the lime.

Veggie Parmesana

There is a vegetarian option on the menu and it has a True veggie patty, crispy eggplant, parmesan, provolone cheese, tomato fondue, basil aioli, and rocket greens on a multigrain ciabbata bun. It is served with fried parsnip chips.

We all thought this wouldn’t be as good at the others but it’s solid. Very big burger.

Final Thoughts

The burgers and size are huge so you really get full if you can finish both the burger and side. There are a nice variety of burgers to celebrate Burger Mania. BBQ Beef Brisket Melt and Veggie Parmesana were my top choices. They paired the burger and sides nicely, but you can’t mix and match.

Address:
590 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC 

Website:
https://www.glowbalgroup.com/glowbal/index.html

Chop Steakhouse & Bar’s Executive Chef Stephen Clark and Award-Winning Vancouver-based Chef Alex Chen have reunited to create the limited-time only Steak Masters menu, celebrating all things steak.

Chop is committed to steak excellence and combines the outstanding quality of 100% Canadian beef with modern culinary techniques to ensure each steak has as much flavour as possible and done perfectly time after time. Chef Stephen Clark and Chef Alex Chen have made sure these core principles are reflected in the Steak Masters menu.

This menu features four unique dishes and is available at Chop Richmond from February 27 until April 7, 2020 before moving across Canada to Chop restaurants in Edmonton, Greater Toronto Area, Regina, Calgary and Winnipeg later in the year. We were excited to see this menu kick off at Chop Richmond and we got an inside scoop on the delicious Steak Masters menu.

Behind the Scenes

At Chop Steakhouse, they’re committed to steak excellence – combining great, 100% Canadian beef with state-of-the-art technology that guarantees maximum flavour and perfection every time. In the kitchen, Chop’s skilled chefs craft all of their steaks with this beautiful Montague steakhouse broiler that can reach temperatures of over 900ºC to create the perfect crust and cook them way faster than any kitchen at home. This is one of many reasons why I love going out to steakhouses! Steaks just don’t taste the same at home. 

When their kitchen is slammed with orders, they use a grid system for the steaks to ensure they are cooked exactly to your preference.

Steak Tartare

The steak tartare is made with hand chopped Certified Angus Beef and served with a stack of house-made Russet potato chips. They use an aged top sirloin that is fresh cut so it doesn’t oxidize. According to Chef Stephen, a good indication of high quality meat is the bright red colour. This steak tartare appetizer is a great item to start the meal.

Sirloin Cap Picanha

This dish features an 8oz Smoked Sirloin Cap Steak, smothered in chimichurri and Brazilian spices and served with potatoes and broccolini. The chimichurri and Brazilian spices are brilliant and make the steak so flavourful. While the chefs recommend ordering  it medium rare, they’re happy to customize based on diner preferences. A good item to order all for yourself, but you can also share a few pieces if you feel inclined to.

Tomahawk for 2

If you are here celebrating something special or just excited about a night out, the tomahawk for 2 is a great deal. The massive 40oz rib eye has a black pepper crust and is served with a brandy peppercorn sauce, creamed corn, roasted baby potatoes and cauliflower. It is massive and can definitely serve more than 2 people depending on your appetite. Also, that creamed corn is fantastic!

The seasoning on the steak is simple, but the rib eye has so much natural flavour of its own which shines through. The Tomahawk is the star of this menu and a perfect example of how Chop celebrates steak.  When cooked with the Montague broiler, the texture and flavour of this beautiful rib eye really shines through and showcases Chop’s commitment to steak excellence – just thinking about it is making me salivate all over again!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

The last item on the Steak Masters menu is their Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. You gotta have dessert on the menu to complete the evening. It is a rum cake with caramelized pineapple, buttermilk gelato, candied pecans and a burnt rosemary marshmallow. A good way to end the meal and satisfy that sweet tooth.

Final Thoughts

Chef Stephen Clark and Chef Alex Chen did a great job on the Steak Masters menu – these four items are very refined and show off their love of steak. While the Steak Masters menu is not large, Chop offers plenty of other options, including steak, seafood, salads and more, soyou’re sure to find something for the whole family to enjoy!

Address:
10251 St Edwards Dr, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://chop.ca/steakmasters

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Chop Steakhouse. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Chop Steakhouse.

Dinner with A View is a highly anticipated dining event in Vancouver. Guests get to dine for 2 hours in a clear dome in an outdoor setting right by Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver. Dinners get to experience a 3-course blind tasting by 2019 Top Chef Canada winner – Chef Paul Moran.

We were invited for to experience Dinner with A View in Vancouver to show you what they have in store for you.

When and where is it?

It is on now until February 16th with 3 seating every evening – 5:30pm , 7:30pm, and 9:30pm. It is located near The Boatshed on Argyle Avenue. You will see the glowing light of Dinner with a View so as long as you follow the light, you’ll find it.

How much is it?

You pay a fee to book the dome for your party, which is originally $200 per dome, then each person pays $109 for the 3-course dinner. All reservations require a minimum of 4 guests and can have a maximum of 6.

If you want a good discount, TravelZoo has a $29 deal on booking the dome for your group, rather than the original $200.

Are drinks included?

Drinks are not included, not even water. You can purchase drinks from the server in the dome or at the bars on site. All alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will cost extra.

Where to park?

There is free parking along Argyle Street or adjacent parking lots if you decide to drive.

The Dome

The dome is like a translucent beehive with lots of hexagonal pieces bolted together to create the dome. There are 20 domes in total with a maximum of 6 seats inside.

Each dome is inspired by a different region of the world and you’re essentially in a terrarium-like environment. It is warm and cozy as long as the door doesn’t open too much. There is a heater inside as well. Our dome has a lot of cactus, so it wasn’t as lush and green as some other domes.

The View

None. We looked around to see if there were any good views as it was in-between the parking lot and Ambleside Beach, so there was no nice views from any dome.

Sourdough with Tofino Seaweed Butter

Love the inclusion of the Tofino Seaweed as that’s where Chef Paul Moran is from. The produce is stellar and you can really taste the infusion in the butter that does with the bread. A good start to the evening.

Appetizer

The appetizer to start is a beet tartare, a vegetable forward dish that replaces the classic beef tartare. You have the beet mixture below with the crisp sunchokes that added a nice texture. This really was more like a beet salad rather than a tartare. It was like eating a whole beet.

Fraser Valley Chicken (Meat option)

The chicken has some nice rendered chicken skin on top and it was flavourful. It is brined overnight, so the flavour infuses inside. We did find that some of the chicken dishes were more tender than others.

The chicken is served with a smokey and sweet mustard and tarragon. There is also German fingerling potatoes, heirloom carrots, celeriac, morel mushrooms, and a sabayon sauce. The mushrooms were even foraged by the chef himself. It does take quite a lot of effort and patience to clean these mushrooms, so it’s always a treat. I did find the seasoning and flavour of the vegetables to be quite lacking. The sauce didn’t add too much to the dish.

Miso Maple Yuzu Marinated Black Cod (Fish option)

The black cod sits on top of forbidden black rice, sesame and yuzu emulsion, and bok choy in a garlic sauce. Then there is also some sesame seeds. Can’t go wrong with black cod, but we felt the sesame yuzu emulsion was super super salty. The bok choy was a touch salty too.

Crispy Ginger and Soy Tofu (Vegetarian option)

No one at our table ordered the vegetarian option, but our server was able to let us know what it would have been. The crispy ginger and soy tofu is also served with forbidden rice, morel mushrooms and bok choy in a garlic sauce. Then topped with sesame seeds.

Dessert

The dessert is pineapple marinated in Madagascar vanilla and lime. It is topped with a coconut mousse and crumble. Then dusted with blackberry dust and mint to finish. I really liked the coconut mousse. It was a very light dessert to end the meal which doesn’t leave to too heavy.

We also got chocolate truffles as a last taste of the evening. As the dessert was light, the truffle really stuck to our throats, which some of us didn’t like.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun experience to dine with friends outdoors in the dome, but for the price you are paying, the food doesn’t live up to the expectations as each person can be paying $100+ without beverages. For that price, you might as well go to a nice high end restaurant downtown.

Since they did bring in a Top Chef winner, I had high expectations of the food, but because of having to accomodate a wide variety of allergies and dietary restrictions, the dishes fell short and was either too salty or lacked any flavour. We found major flaws in each dish.

Even when it’s called Dinner with a View, the view was severally lacking. All we could see from our table were other domes, the washroom, and the parking lot.

I wouldn’t pay regular price for this experience as there are so many discounts for Dinner with A View. If you insist on going, TravelZoo has a $29 deal on booking the dome for your group, rather than the original $200 price tag. But of course, that doesn’t include the price of dinner per person.

Website:
https://www.dinnerwithaview.ca/en/vancouver

Image provided by Vancouver International Wine Festival

One of our favourite wine festivals are back for its 42nd year and we’re looking forward to this year’s featured country, France! Ticket sales for public events are on sale now, so be sure to check out all the events they have lined up before they sell out.

The 2020 festival runs from February 22 to March 1 and features a range of events including winery dinners and lunches, wine seminars and our favourite, the international festival tasting! The dining experiences and seminars will fill your stomach and mind and what we love most about the international tasting room is that we always walk away with new found favourites in our arms.

Image provided by Vancouver International Wine Festival

This year’s International Festival Tastings will feature 163 participating wineries from around the world with 42 participating wineries from 10 regions across France. The cost of the International Festival Tasting event ranges from $95 to $115 online and with access to so many different wineries, we think the cost is worth it. Having access to so many wineries at the festival tasting makes it a unique experience that you don’t have to travel far for.  

Here are a few wineries from France that we’re looking forward to checking out: 

  • Champagne Taittinger 
  • Joseph Mellot 
  • Laurent-Perrier 
  • Louis Latour 
  • Paul Jaboulet Aîné 
  • Piper-Heidsieck / Charles Heidsieck 

To learn more about events and tickets, visit www.vanwinefest.ca.

The Gluten Free Expo is happening in Vancouver January 11 & 12, 2020 from 10am – 4pm at Canada Place. This event happens every year and we absolutely love it. For those who are Celiac, gluten intolerant, or just trying to cut gluten out of their diet, there are a lot of companies catering to the gluten-free lifestyle. I love embracing favourite products and discovering new ones.

There will also be stage presentations where you can hear from dietitians, doctors, chefs, and other industry experts to answer questions surrounding various topics. Of course, this event is kid-friendly as well. There is an interactive learning centre and play area set up for kids to explore, and all kids under the age of 14 can attend for free.

There are hundreds of local and international brands at the Gluten Free Expo where you can sample a lot of products and get Expo exclusive deals.

Below are 5 of my favourite Canadian companies at the Gluten Free Expo in Vancouver.

truLOCAL

truLOCAL is a monthly meat delivery service in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Buying the best local products from farmers and butchers doesn’t have to be hard, but it can be if you don’t know which places to go to or trust, you’ll just default to your usual grocery store.

I love supporting local farmers and butchers, but sometimes it’s a bit out of the way to go straight to the source. As I am from BC, they source their products from places like Organic Ocean Seafood, Farmcrest Farms, Two Rivers, Hopcott Farms, Georels Bone Broth, among many others. I was able to enjoy a few of my favourite local producers and discovered a few new ones. All the suppliers are very transparent about their processes and how they raise their animals and it’s now more important than ever.

Hippie Snacks

Hippie Snacks is an Organic Health Snack Producer located in Burnaby, BC. They began in 2005 creating tortilla chips and it didn’t go so well as it was hard to differentiate themselves in the market. As they evolved, they realized they had something special by putting a “Hippie” twists on traditional snacks. When they first released their Coconut Chips, it was pretty darn good and the name Hippie Snacks stuck to my mind.

July Snackbox

I even wrote about the coconut chips ages and ages ago. They have since release sesame snaps, coconut clusters, granola, seed and nut clusters.

Recently, they added two new products to its lineup: Cauliflower Crisps (in Original and Classic Ranch flavours) and Avocado Crisps (in Guacamole and Sea Salt).

JusTea

JusTea is a local Vancouver company, which partners with small-scale Kenyan farmers to make organic, Fair Trade, biodegradable tea for their customers. They are able to create jobs in Kenya so they can earn a decent and steady wage, where the money can then circulate in the village and boosting their local economy.

They are continuing to expand their partnerships to work with more tea farming families in Kenya to offer more green, black, oolong and their signature purple tea.

Wholly Veggie

Wholly Veggie! are veggie patties that are soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, GMO-free, and no added sugar. Started in Toronto in 2013 by David and John, they are on a mission to add more veggies on your plate. They have debuted with 3 flavours – Southwest BeetSweet Curry Carrot, and Herby Garlic Greens.

Vegan Pudding Co

Vegan Pudding Co is a husband and wife duo that specializes in all-vegan custard puddings. They have their store on Richards Street in Downtown Vancouver, but you can find their products around the city at different grocery stores.

Recently, they launched their make at home pudding packs so you can enjoy their vegan pudding anywhere in the world.

Website: https://www.glutenfreeexpo.ca/expos/vancouver-expo-2020/

If you’re looking for something different to do this year with friends or family, you’ll want to check out H Tasting Lounge’s Winterlust, their Winter Patio experience. This is the first of it’s kind in Vancouver, where you get to dine in cozy ‘snow globes’ outdoors on their patio. It is available now till February 29, 2020.

We got a sneak peek of Winterlust at H Tasting Lounge, so you can see what it’s like before going.

Reservations and Details

It is highly recommended that you make reservations to guarantee a seat as they only have 3 ‘snow globes’ at one time and seats up to 6 guests per globe.

Do note, there is a minimum spend of $200 per group and limited to 2 hours. You can book them for lunch and dinner seatings. During the day, you can even get their afternoon tea set.

Inside the Snow Globe

As there are 3 snow globes, each one is set up slightly differently, but nonetheless still seat up to 6 people. We were in the second globe and it has a large dining table where it can fit all the food we ordered. hahaha.

Even thought you are seated outside, it is still warm inside the snow globe. It is heated by 2 Dyson warmers and there is a sound system for music, because we all know every great dinner experience has some great tunes.

As for the decor, there are different types of decor in each globe, but it all has the same type of feel.

At night, there isn’t much of a view, but I absolutely love the gas fireplace surrounding the snow globes. It makes it feel so intimate and cozy. I love it.

Menu

There is a featured menu just for Winterlust, but you can always order off the regular menu. The Winterlust menu comprises of drinks, fondue, snacks, and dessert, which work well with the setting.

Cocktails and Zero Proof Mocktails

H Tasting Lounge is known for their excellent cocktail program, so their drinks are really great. There is a little something for everyone who dines here. I got the Saturday Morning Cartoons and it was just so fun as well as delicious. Then I went with the Yuzu Spritz, which was very refreshing.

Saturday Morning Cartoons
Brandy, Irish Whiskey, Reese’s peanut cup cereal, lemon, stout
Cranberry Cobbler
gin, cranberry, all spice dram, lemon
Spiced Cider
lot 40 rye, apple cider, demerara, orange, clove
Mulled Wine
red wine, holiday spices, brandy, peach schnapps
Rolling Uphill (Tealeaves Co. mountain berry tea, coconut, lime)
Yuzu Spritz (yuzu, lemon, cucumber, soda)

Fondue

What is more fun the cozying up the the snow globes with fondue? They have a meat and potatoes version and a vegetarian version of the fondue. With both versions, the cheese is comprised of a mixture of Swiss and Gruyere. You can also add a it more to add Truffle Mushrooms & Truffle Oil to make it more decadent and fragrant.

I am more of a Meat and Potatoes kind of girl, but it’s great that there are more options on the menu. I really enjoyed chatting and picking away at the fondue.

Meat and Potatoes Fondue with shrimp, sausage, beef filet, crusty bread or pretzel rolls, roasted potatoes, tomatoes, endives
Vegetarian Fondue with crusty bread or pretzel rolls, roasted potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, roasted pumpkin, brussels sprouts, endives

Two Rivers Postmark Stout Beef Wurst

There are 2 pieces of wurst with curry ketchup, fries, and mustard. It’s definitely German and I love how they are working with local producers like Two Rivers. A good snack for the table.

Kale Salad

The kale salad is a good option if you want something on your own or share with others. It has roasted sweet potato, maple pecans, and roasted fennel.

Dessert

Of course ending the night with some dessert is a must. Whether it be the galette or the baked chocolate ganache, you can’t go wrong. I enjoyed both. If you want something unique, the baked chocolate ganache will give you a little surprise with those pop rocks.

Winter Fruit and Ricotta Galette
Baked Chocolate Ganache
spiced hazelnuts, pop rocks, orange oil

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this dining experience in the snow globes at H Tasting Lounge and I would definitely want to return with friends. The food menu on the Winterlust menu is small, but you can always order off the regular menu.

You’ll want to make reservations as soon as you can because it’ll be a popular place to dine in the evening when the sun goes down.

Address:
1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://htastinglounge.com/winterlust/

Taste of Yaletown is back for 2019 from October 17 – 27th, 2019. This is the 15th year showcasing the very best of Vancouver’s chefs as they present a unique set of cuisine, tasting plates and pairings for this distinctive festival.

West Oak is participating again with a decadent $45 and $55 3 course menu that will have you salivating. They specialize in local Canadian cuisine.

We were invited by the Yaletown Business Improvement Association to check out the space and menu.

Menus

Appetizer

The $45 and $55 menu have the same appetizers – prawns, beet & burrata salad, and beef tartare. All the appetizer options were decent, but the prawns as well as the beet & burrata salad were favourite among the table. The beef tartare was lacking more depth of flavour.

CHINOIS PRAWNS
House-made spicy, aioli, candied walnuts

BEET & BURRATA SALAD
Golden and purple beets, mandarin orange, candied walnuts, radish, basil oil, fennel mandarin vinaigrette

STEAK TARTARE
AAA steak, goat feta Salata, truffle, parmesan, toasted baguette

Entree

The entrees that we tried were from the $55 menu, so we didn’t try any dishes that were exclusively for the $45 menu. We did find that for $10 more, you get more unique dishes to choose from.

You can choose from – chicken, scallops, tenderloin, and veal chop. The dishes were executed well but the veal chop was very impressive for it’s size and hit the spot. The tenderloin was delicious and we got it rare, but you can choose the doneness however you like. If you get the scallops, they are massive and 3 pieces to the entree is a very good size. As for the chicken, it looks pretty plain, but it was juicy.

ROASTED CHICKEN
Organic free-range chicken, roast potatoes, broccolini, grainy mustard and white wine sauce

8OZ AAA TENDERLOIN
Grass-fed tenderloin, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables

FRESH WILD SCALLOPS
Pan-seared sea scallops, quinoa, crisp apple, asparagus, baby carrots

14OZ VEAL CHOP “PARM”
fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil, tagliatelle Pomodoro

DESSERT

The meal ends off with the chef’s dessert. When we were here, the dessert were these mini donuts. It was covered in a good amount of sugar and still maintained its beautiful crunch a while after it arrived at the table. I really enjoyed it. The dessert is the same for the $45 and $55 menu.

Final Thoughts

At first, I thought the appetizers were a bit weak to start off with as it wasn’t outstanding. When the entrees arrived, it made up for it. Entrees were definitely very safe choices but had a lot of good flavour and the item were cooked well. The dessert of mini donuts was very fun.

It’s another solid dining choice for Taste of Yaletown. We tried mostly the $55 menu, so unfortunately we don’t know how the entrees are for the $45 menu.

Address:
1035 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://yaletowninfo.com/event/taste-of-yaletown/
http://pmentertainment.com/westoak-yaletown/

Taste of Yaletown is back for 2019 from October 17 – 27th, 2019. This is the 15th year showcasing the very best of Vancouver’s chefs as they present a unique set of cuisine, tasting plates and pairings for this distinctive festival.

WildTale is participating again with a decadent $45 3 course menu that will have you salivating. They specialize in fresh seafood with their coastal flavours.

We were invited by the Yaletown Business Improvement Association to check out the space and menu.

Appetizers

There are 3 appetizers to choose from kale salad, beef carpaccio or ahi tuna tostadas. All three appetizers I really enjoyed. Definitely a tie between the ahi tuna tostadas and the beef carpaccio. The sauces were so good.

ROASTED SQUASH & ORGANIC KALE SALAD
shaved pear, crumbled feta, pomegranate vinaigrette

BRANT LAKE WAGYU BEEF CARPACCIO
pickled shallots, shaved pecorino, horseradish aioli

FRANCISCO’S AHI TUNA TOSTADAS
corn tortilla, avocado crema, burnt salsa

Entrees

As for the entrees, there are also 3 to choose from – lamb, trout, and bolognese. Of the 3 options, I was surprised that I liked the trout the most. It was really tender and bursting with flavour.

PEACE COUNTRY LAMB DUO
roasted lamb sirloin, risotto of braised lamb shoulder Pinot noir jusor

CRAB & BRIE STUFFED STEELHEAD TROUT
rosemary whipped potatoes, buttered beans citrus & dill beurre blanc

BAKED VEGETARIAN BOLOGNESE MACARONI
porcini mushrooms, cauliflower, zucchini ragout roasted san marzano tomato sauce

Dessert

Ending off the evening with dessert is a nice finish. There is only one choice – the bittersweet chocolate tart. I wasn’t a fan of the crust but the mousse was delicious.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE TART
caramel & chantilly cream

Final Thoughts

For the Taste of Yaletown 2019 $45 menu at WildTale, it is a solid menu. My favourite dishes of the evening are the beef carpaccio, ahi tuna tostada, trout, and lamb.

Address:
1079 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://yaletowninfo.com/event/taste-of-yaletown/
https://wildtale.ca/

Bells & Whistles is located near Fraser and Kingsway in Vancouver. They have a rotating tap of beers and a variety of food items to pair with them.

Of course, there is also something going on at Bells & Whistles. Right now, they have launched their Wünderbar Oktobeerfest pop-up until October 6, 2019. If you can’t be in Germany for the real thing, celebrate in style at Bells & Whistles.

Interior

There’s always a lot of different events hosted at Bells & Whistles. I love the centre of the room with the long tables and big screen. If you aren’t into mingling, there are other cozier tables if you want to be in the comfort of your friends.

At the rear of the restaurant, you can play some skee ball and shoot some hoops.

Menu

Seasonal Beers

I am loving all the beers on the menu. There is a good range of Oktoberfest beers from Germany to Vancouver. I tried the Persephone Oktoberfest and its a good beer from Gibsons, BC. Its a German Märzen that is an amber lager with hints of caramel, spices, and malt.

Warm Pretzels

The little round pretzels are more like buns and they are served with a tangy honey mustard dip. It came out super hot and steamy. Best eaten warm as it’s the best way to enjoy it. They honey mustard sauce was pretty good.

Currywurst – Vegan Edition

They have currywurst made with Beyond Bratwurst on top of curry ketchup fries. As a meat eater, this was very impressive. The curry ketchup really ties that taste together. All the meat eaters were so into this. They do have their regular bratwurst made with Two Rivers, which is also good.

Oktober Feast Platter

If you’re sharing a meal with friends and want a bunch of things to nibble on, the Oktober Feast may be a good option. It has pork schnitzel, Two Rivers Bratwurst, rosemary bacon, German Potato Salad, sauerkraut, mustard and pickles. Really good quality meats they use.

All items are easily sharable among 2-4 people. Not a full meal, but just nibbles.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Smoked Pork Shank with celeriac remoulade, green cabbage and hickory sticks are inside this. It is served in a milk bun with fries but you can always swap it with onion rings too.

This was my favourite of the 3 sandwiches. Lots of flavour from the pork and the other ingredients balance it out.

Eggplant Schnitzel Sandwiches

This has fried eggplant, braised sauerkraut, and a caper and mustard aioli. It is also served in a milk bun with fries but we got onion rings instead. The eggplant was pretty chunky and tough to eat. As the skin in pretty tough and the center of it more soft, the eggplant schnitzel would slide around. Even though it is called a schnitzel, it didn’t resemble it at all.

When you bite into the sandwich, you can only taste the eggplant as the aioli and saukraut doesn’t stand out at all.

Pork Schnitzel Sandwiches

This has fried pork cutlet, braised sauerkraut, rosemary bacon, and a caper and mustard aioli. It has all the same items as the eggplant schnitzel but with the pork instead of eggplant. I liked the crunch of the pork schnitzel. It’s not as large and extravagant as schnitzels you can find in Germany, but a decent portion in a handheld format.

Streusel Sundae

There is the base of the vanilla soft serve, streusel topping, and a caramel-apple compote. It’s always nice to end the meal with a sweet treat. It does melt quickly as it is soft serve. I enjoyed the crunch of the streusel and the sweetness that comes with the caramel-apple compote.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a place to celebrate Oktoberfest with friends, check out the Bells and Whistles Wünderbar Oktobeerfest pop-up. Some items are a hit and miss, but there are a few surprises like the Currywurst with Beyond Bratwurst option. The Oktober Feast Platter is a good item to share among the table too with high quality meats.

Address:
3296 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC 

Website:
https://www.bellsandwhistlesyvr.ca/

With the holidays coming up soon, planning special gatherings may have already started. Planning ahead is key since venues and caterers get snatched up pretty quickly. If you’re a fan of Hawksworth located in Downtown Vancouver, they have their exquisite York Room for private events. Also, they have their catering services that will come to you wherever your event is.

York Room for Private Dining

The York Room at Hawksworth Restaurant can fit large groups of 63 people seated or 80 for a standing reception. The room overlooks the Vancouver Art Gallery and the surrounding areas.

The room takes you back to the 1920’s filled with chandeliers and ornate heritage pieces, while paired with modern technology that will work for an array of private events from receptions, birthdays, to business meetings.

Hawksworth Catering

Hawksworth has a catering division that can cater weddings, galas, office luncheons, and just about anything you can think of.

You can choose from their menu of options or request something personalized that suits you theme, budget, and any other preferences.

We were invited to get a sneak peek of what they are able to create a 4 course menu situated in the The York Room with similar dishes from the Hawksworth Restaurant. The dishes were all seasonal using the freshest ingredients available. The dinner was crafted by Chef de Cuisine Antonio Sotomayor.

Amuse Bouche – peach, heirloom tomatoes, and Nasturtium
Starter – Octopus ceviche, kohlrabi, orange and tomatillo.
Mid-Course – Suckling pig, miso honey, radish, and tarragon
Main – Yellow Meadows Duck, beets, gooseberry, pumpkin seed
Dessert- Dark chocolate, Chantilly, raspberry, and almond.

Final Thoughts

It’s good that there are more options than just the Hawksworth Restaurant if you’re looking to have larger special events but still have the same dishes or even different ones that fit your party.

Website:
https://hawksworthrestaurant.com/

Pirate Pak Day is back on Wednesday August 14th! For every Adult and Kids Pirate Pak and select entrees that sell on this day, White Spot will make a $2 donation to the Zajac Ranch for Children. It’s a great cause since it’s a summer camp that brings joy to children and young adults with serious medical conditions.

Over the years, over $780,776 for the Zajac Ranch has been raised to give kids an awesome summer camp experience they’ll never forget.

We were invited for a sneak peek of this year’s Pirate Pak offerings.

Adult Pirate Pak Options

If you’re over 10 year old, there are a number of Adult Pirate Pak options that will sure fill you up. There’s definitely more than the standard Kids Pirate Pak options.

All Adult Pirate Paks come with creamy coleslaw, endless Kennebec fries plus a soft drink, our famous chocolate coin and a scoop of ice cream.

The Legendary Burger

The traditional ¼ lb. 100% fresh Canadian beef burger with their signature Triple “O” sauce & a pickle on top. You can add Jack or Cheddar cheese, or crispy bacon, or sautéed mushrooms for an additional charge.

Bacon Cheddar Burger

The ¼ lb.100% fresh Canadian beef burger with crispy bacon, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion & their secret Triple “O” sauce.

We ordered this and it was pretty delicious! Big thick pieces of bacon and the patty was juicy too. We upgraded our fries to Sweet Potato Fries and it sure hit the spot. To finish off, we had chocolate ice cream to go with this.

BC Chicken Burger

A Chargrilled fresh BC chicken breast, Cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion & their secret Triple “O” sauce.

Brie and Mushroom Veggie Burger

A crispy veggie burger with brie, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, mayo, arugula, tomato and balsamic glaze. 

The White Spot Club

This has fresh turkey breast, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo and chili sauce on your choice of toasted white, multigrain or sourdough.

The Spot’s Fish and Chips

This has two pieces of our crispy tempura battered cod. You can add extra pieces for an extra charge.

Dippin’ Chicken

There are crispy breaded chicken tenders with dip.

Nat’s Original Beef Dip

Slow-roasted and tender Certified Angus Beef piled high on garlic panini bread. Served with au jus. You can load up your dip with Jack cheese, sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions for an extra charge.

I got the loaded beef dip and subbed the fries for zoo sticks. It comes with a lot of zoo sticks, but there were pretty darn good.

Final Thoughts

The meals were quite large and perfect for an adult appetite. It’s fun feeling like a kid again, enjoying the company of your family, and supporting a great cause like Zajac Ranch for Children. Their goal this year is to help 400 kids saddle up and ride this season, make 800 dips in the water and toast 1300 marshmallows by the campfire.

Pirate Pak Day is Wednesday August 14th, 2019, so make sure to head to White Spot early with the family to have a great meal.

Website:
https://whitespot.ca/piratepakday

Black Market Supper Club is an exclusive dining experience in a secret supper club atmosphere located in South Surrey. This is hosted and prepared by a world class chef, but no identity has been revealed. Not even a hint. As they cook in the kitchen, they wear black masks to keep their identity a secret.

I have my hunches who this chef is, but lets’ just keep that mystery as it’s more fun that way.

Each dinner has a particular theme attached to it. The one we attended was honouring the 25 year Anniversary of The French Laundry. This is the Chefs rendition of some classic french laundry dishes from the restaurant.

We were invited to check out the supper club and see what it entails.

Arrival

72 hours before the dinner, we were given and email with instructions to prepare for the dinner. This included the instructions and what to do when we arrived.

It began at 7pm, but we were told to arrive at 6:45pm at the said location. We just walked in, mingled and found our seats.

The home is gorgeous and it made me have some envy.

BYOB

The dinner doesn’t have alcohol provided, so you have to bring your own booze. An email will arrive and it will suggest what types of wines to pair with the meal.

They poured sparkling and still waters, as well has tonic, soda and cola, as these are complimentary.

Bread Service

Dutch Cheese and Charcoal Gougères with 3 types of compound butters:

  • lemon shallot and herb compound butter
  • brown butter burnt onion
  • everything bagel

The gougères were delicious and I loved all the different types of butter. I really loved that everything bagel butter.

Truffle Custard

The truffle custard is served with a black truffle ragout in a beautiful and colourful egg shell. As you dig through the layers, you get a dominant truffle aroma and then the texture of the silky custard. I found it was a tad salty.

Lobster Pancake

The pancake is stuffed with lobster, chives and mascarpone. Then it is served with a brown butter and carrot puree. The chunks of lobster were a good size and cooked well. You can’t go wrong with that delicious puree either which adds great complimentary flavour.

Yabba Dabba Do

This dish has various components – a slice of wagyu beef, braised short rib, bone marrow stuffed inside a potato and chanterelle mushrooms.

This was the main dish of the evening and was very hearty and rich. The bone marrow just oozed out of the potato with all its liquid gold. The braised short rib was very tender and fell off the bone. As for the slice of wagyu, it was a bit inconsistent from plate to plate. My friend got the end piece, so it was hard to get the melt in our mouth feel if you have those pieces.

Chocolate Veloute

Under the chocolate veloute is a Dutch caramel cookie and cinnamon stick ice cream with an edible flower as a garnish.

I found the dessert pretty sweet and the Dutch caramel cookie really sticks to your teeth.

Final Thoughts

Overall, if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, this is definitely it. Each dinner is themed differently, so you can see which cuisine fits your tastebuds. The pacing of the dishes were very good as it started at 7pm and ended by 9:30ish depending how long you want to keep chatting.

With supper clubs, you’ll have a better time if you are mingling with the others at the table as it is communal seating. It’s not a place to have a quiet intimate meal, as these types of dinner are meant for you to meet others who have come to the dinner.

They haven’t revealed the next dinners yet, but you can email chef@blackmarketsupperclub.com to see what upcoming dinners are available and get your reservations.

Website:
https://blackmarketsupperclub.com