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For one night only, the Science of Cocktails will transform Science World at TELUS World of Science into Vancouver’s largest cocktail laboratory of the year. Science World is inviting Vancouverites to mix, mingle and be merry, for a great cause. I went last year and had so much fun. Tickets sold out for 2017 so quickly, so you’re out of luck unless you can find someone selling theirs.

Each ticket includes complimentary cocktails from 20+ bar stations run by award-winning bartenders, paired with 12 food stations featuring molecular gastronomy from local talent. You will also enjoy a variety of special cocktail science activities, hands-on science demonstrations and classic Science World fun.

Event Details

Thursday, February 9, 2017
8 pm – 12 midnight
TELUS World of Science
SOLD OUT | 2018 Pre Sale $125 General $225 VIP

2017 Sneak Peak

Science Programming at the Science of Cocktails is going to be pretty awesome. Here is a sneak peak of some of the cool demonstrations during the evening.

Robotic bartender


Photo Credit: Christopher Guy

The Robot Bartender is created by MakerLabs. Using a few lines of code allow a simple computer to control motors, belts, and valves to create an amazing robot cocktail.

Free-Pour Challenge


Photo Credit: Christopher Guy

Can you pour as accurately as a professional bartender with no measurements to guide you? I sure can’t.

Support Science World’s Class Field Trip Program

Group of Kids 2
Photo Credit: Science World

This fundraising event, for Science World’s Class Field Trip Program will  provide kids from underfunded schools free access to Science World.

An average class field trip to Science World at TELUS World of Science, including transportation to and from the facility, a workshop, an OMNIMAX film and a take-home activity, costs between $900 and $1,100 per class.

With your help, they hope to raise enough to invite thousands of students from under-served schools in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to Science World for this free, one-of-a-kind experience.

Websitehttp://scienceworld.ca/cocktails

2017 marks Canada’s 150th birthday and what better way is there for the Vancouver International Wine Festival to pay tribute to the sesquicentennial than to have Canada be the theme country?

While a few folks might have already grabbed some of the early bird tickets made available in 2016, public ticket sales will be launching on Tuesday, January 10 for the series of events to take place between February 11 – 19, 2017.

This year’s wine festival will feature 180 wineries from 16 countries. Among them are more than 70 wineries from British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia, making it the largest gathering of Canadian wineries ever at an international festival!

Featuring a range of activities, events include winery dinners, paired lunches/brunches, wine seminars and our favourite, the wine tastings! The seminars will fill your mind with knowledge to make sense of what you taste but what we love most about the international tasting room is that we walk away from the event feeling a sense of connection with the winemakers and always with new found favourites in our arms.

A few local favourites that we recommend you don’t miss:

  • Black Hills Estate Winery
  • Tantalus Vineyards
  • Osoyoos Larose
  • Painted Rock Winery
  • Quails’ Gate Winery

As we launch into 2017, we can’t wait for another year of tasty adventures. For tickets and to learn more about the Vancouver International Wine Festival, visit www.vanwinefest.ca.

For a list of Canada 150 events in Vancouver this year, check out Tourism Vancouver’s list of ways to celebrate 2017 all year long: https://www.tourismvancouver.com/media/articles/post/canada-150/

Enchant is new to Vancouver this year and it is the world’s largest Christmas Light Maze, made up of over 55,000 sq. ft. of illuminated sculptures arranged to create an evening adventure.

This maze has been busy ever night this year with people pre-purchasing their tickets in advance. Those who wait till the last minute were only able to get tickets for entry after 8pm.

Christmas Light Maze

The Christmas Light Maze is more than just a maze, there is a story behind it.

After a snowstorm hits the North Pole during the night, Santa wakes up to see the town buried in snow and his reindeer missing! Without them, Santa cannot fly around the world, and Christmas would have to be cancelled.

You must go into the maze through the enchanted lights and search for the missing reindeer. You get a passport to collect stamps to show you’ve found all the reindeer.

The maze was pretty easy to navigate and there are tons of photo opportunities inside.

Since it was raining, it made enjoying the maze quite difficult. Since it was pouring so hard, we couldn’t let go of the umbrella to take better pictures. Waterproof boots, a thick jacket, and an umbrella were essential.

There were some people that went without an umbrella and they were miserable and soaked.

We successfully found Rudolph with his bright red nose and the exit. This area was very crowded as everyone is trying to get stamps and take a photo.

One area I wished was undercover was this space with dangling lights. We had to go through it without umbrellas and there was so much rain that no one was able to enjoy it.

Christmas Market + Food Trucks

Along with the maze, Enchant features a market with over 40 local vendors, 12 food trucks and a licensed eating area where guests can enjoy their favourite holiday drink.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the best way to enjoy Enchant is pick a nice dry evening to attend. Since it was it’s inaugural year, it was super busy. Wise people bought tickets ahead of time, but since the weatherman can’t predict the weather to 100% certainty, you can wait to get tickets but it might be sold out if you wait too long.

In my case, I bought tickets a few days in advance and the weather said it would be snowing. Little did we know, it would be snowing everywhere else except for the downtown area.

When it comes to the price, it is a bit higher than other holiday light show around town.

Address:
299 W 1st Ave, Vancouver

Website:
http://enchantchristmas.com/

VanDusen Botanical Garden is back this winter season with their annual Festival of Lights. They have over one million lights decorating VanDusen Botanical Garden open until January 2. My mother in law and M came here on Christmas Eve and it was packed. Lot of families were visiting before Christmas to get a view of the garden all covered in lights.

It was our first time coming here and we were astonished by the different areas of the garden.

Dancing Lights on Livingstone Lake

Once you enter from the main gate, you will be facing Livingstone Lake. You can marvel at Vancouver’s most unique light show programmed to modern and classic festive tunes. A lot of people were in this area taking photos.

Carousel

This year they’ve expanded the experience to include a new carousel, which all tickets include a free ride on the carousel. The line was long when we went, but you can keep warm with a few of the food trucks in the area as you wait to get on the ride.

Jardins de Paris

There is a small area sponsored by Air France and YVR airport. The trees are covered in red, blue and white lights, and there is even an Eiffel Tower to pose with. If you take a selfie under the dazzling lights and share on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #JardinsDeParis, you can have a chance to win two economy tickets to Paris.

Gingerbread Woods

Deep inside the Gingerbread Woods are gingerbread houses, gingerbread men, and tons of lights. Each are has it’s own theme and I kinda like it since it looks like it’s taking your on a holiday adventure.

Other areas

Of course there are other areas to see and take photos. There’s no shortage of photo opportunities in the garden.

Some areas of the garden are closed, but there is lots of walk around. We spent about an hour here, but we could have spent more time, but it was getting quite chilly.

A lot of the people visiting were very friendly, instead of taking selfies, there were lots of people offering to help take each others photos. You won’t be stranded without a picture of your whole group.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was worth it to go into VanDusen Botanical Gardens for the Festival of Lights. Even with the entrance fee, it’s still cheaper that some of the other options in town to see lights. Coming closer to Christmas was very busy, but if you plan your visit earlier in December.

Website: 
http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/festival-of-lights.aspx

Address:
5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC

Juxtapoz x Superflat, a dynamic exhibition conceived by the renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and co-curated with Evan Pricco, Editor-in-Chief of Juxtapoz Art & Culture, a legendary San Francisco-based magazine committed to contemporary art, design, fashion and graffiti.

Featuring the work of more than 30 artists from Japan, Korea, Canada, the United States and Europe, this exhibition at Vancouver Art Gallery runs until February 5, 2017.

The exhibit is a manifesto for new creative practices that can no longer be adequately described by the traditional categories of art and modes of production. Takashi Murakami and Evan Pricco conceived the exhibition as a survey of the most exciting visual art to emerge in recent years, with a heavy emphasis on artists who operate outside of the central hubs of the global art world.

Expanding upon Murakami and Juxtapoz magazine’s interest in flattening high and low cultures, this exhibition includes work by artists whose practice has been shaped by a variety of sub-cultures including skate, surf, graffiti, street art, comics, design, illustration, painting, digital and traditional arts.

I’m not usually into art, but I love their modern approach by using so many different mediums.

If you get a chance to visit, make sure you take lots of photos and some pieces are mesmerizing.

Some sculptures even have a familiar look.

I love this wall! When do you get a bunch of your favourite cartoon characters done in graffiti.

Of all the current exhibits at the gallery, I loved this one the most. A great time to go is on Tuesday evenings from 5:00 – 9:00 pm as it is by-donation admission. It’s definitely a good way to save some money, but it will be busy.

Websitehttp://vanartgallery.bc.ca/

FlyOver Canada has a magical twist for the holiday season. Riders will embark on a mission to help Santa Claus search for his missing elves during the exhilarating flight across Canada, and on to his magical workshop in the North Pole. I’ve never been to FlyOver Canada in the last 2 years that it has been around. They have welcomed over 1 million guests from around the world and received rave reviews from travellers and locals.

FlyOver Canada’s Christmas edition goes on until January 2nd. Don’t miss out on finding Santa’s workshop in the North Pole. You may even be able to catch the scent of Mrs. Claus’ baking as they swoop over her gingerbread factory.

I heard so much about it that I couldn’t wait to give it a try when my relatives were in town. What better way to experience the rest of Canada without actually going on a plane. We got general admission tickets and it is busy on a weekend leading up to Christmas. We waited about 20 minutes outside before entering Santa’s Workshop to begin the journey.

Santa’s Workshop

The total experience will take approximately 25 minutes, including the 8 minutes you’ll spend on the ride. You are first taken into Santa’s workshop to see the light displays as well as a short video from Santa explaining the premise of the ride.

After, you are lined up and then Miss Clause will speak with you before you enter the theatre.

Ride Begins

Once we were seated in the theatre, there were a few glitches getting the ride to start, but they figured it out after the third try. Once she show started, I was impressed by the 4D experience, flying through clouds, waterfalls and the beautiful landscape of Canada. Being a local, seeing the places I’ve been to brought me back nostalgia, but some unfamiliar places reminded me of how large Canada really is. I still have a bunch of places to check off my bucketlist.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was glad I went on it to see how it is like, but I wasn’t in a hurry to watch it again even with the different themes throughout the year. The ticket prices are a bit high for a 25 minute experience, but with rainy Vancouver,  if you are struck with bad weather, this is a good indoor activity, plus there is a lot of free activities to do around Canada Place to add more to the experience.

Website:
https://www.flyovercanada.com/christmas/

Address:
Canada Place, 201-999 Canada Pl, Vancouver

Coquitlam’s Lights at Lafarge Winter Lights Display is one of the largest free outdoor light events in the Lower Mainland, and this season’s spectacle will be even bigger and brighter than ever before.

More than 100,000 twinkling lights illuminate Lafarge Lake this holiday season in a magical outdoor display that’s sure to delight visitors of all ages.

The lights display can be viewed seven days a week from dusk until 11 p.m. until Jan. 22.

We came at 7pm on a weekday and it was pretty busy with lots of families viewing the lights. With the opening of the Evergreen Line, it’s super easy to hop on the skytrain and the station is literally a few meters away.

There is parking, but it can be hard to find spots at peak hours. If you can make the trek out to Coquitlam, it’s definitely worth it.

They have different events throughout the evenings and during the holidays. When we were here, there was live music and a lantern making workshop.

The huge display wraps around Lafarge Lake  on a 1.2km loop through 10 different themed zones.

Overall, I really enjoyed walking around the lake after dinner. Although it was a bit cold, we made sure to wear extra layers and boots to keep warm.

Website: http://www.coquitlam.ca/parks-recreation-and-culture/parks-and-trails/park-spark.aspx

My annual Christmas tradition is getting Santa Photos at Metropolis at Metrotown. It draws thousands of families each year until December 24th. All photos with Santa are by donation for a minimum of $2 per photo. All proceeds go towards the Burnaby Christmas Bureau.

I came early in December on a Friday and there was about a 20 minute wait. Not too bad compared to the week before Christmas. I remember I did that last year and I told myself that I will get our photos done early.

Games

When you’re waiting in line, they have a few games that kids (or adults) can play. I had this weird fascination with finding a mouse under a santa hat.

Photos with Santa

Once you get to the front of the line, they ask you how many poses you want. We went with one pose and put our donation in the bin. Their Santa has a real beard and was pretty friendly with us. The picture only took less than a minute and then we were on our way.

The photo is digitally sent to your email, so you get it right away. I downloaded it onto my phone and was able to begin sharing it.

Websitehttps://metropolisatmetrotown.com/

Toruk – the First Flight is inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar. Cirque du Soleil transports you to the world of Pandora in a visually stunning live setting.

You get to experience a storytelling odyssey through a new world of imagination, discovery and possibility. Cirque Du Soleil always does a great job dazzling the audiences with mind bending acrobatics and stunts.

The show is currently travelling through North America for a limited time. I watched the show in Vancouver, BC and it only runs from December 13 to 18, 2016. After this date, they move on to the next location.

The show is 2 hours long including a 20 minute intermission.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the show as my friend’s guest to enjoy this amazing show. I made sure to show up at least 20 minutes early to find my seat and get comfortable before the show began.

I never want to be the one person coming in when the show starts. If you’re parking, make sure to leave home early as there was a lot of traffic for those who needed parking.

When we were waiting for the show to begin, they reminded a lot of the audience to download their Toruk app to dive into the world of Pandora.

You get to see what it’s like to become part of the show and get access never-seen-before backstage photos and videos.

What’s great about this show is that you can take photos with your phone without anyone yelling at you.

During the show, it will instruct you to turn your phone towards the stage as it adds the the whole experience. The app makes your camera light flash on and off to imitate stars for the show. I thought it was super cool.

The show is visually stunning and I liked their choice of venue at the Pacific Coliseum as it’s much bigger than their travelling tent. It’s not too big, so most seats do have a great view.

As for the content of the show, I found that you didn’t need to see Avatar to enjoy the show, but knowing the basics of Avatar helped me to understand parts of the show.

The main characters are three Na’vi teens – Ralu, Entu and Tsyal – who are on a mission to find and tame Toruk, but they must collect talismans from all five clans to do so.

Their journey through all five clans was interesting to see as the transformation of the sets always amazes me. The costumes are also very amazing and detailed.

Overall, it was a great experience watching this show. But with that being said, the show isn’t perfect. The actors do their best to execute all stunts, but it’s was very hard to tell if stumbling of stunts were intentional or not. Either way, I still enjoyed it. It’s mind blowing to see the performers contorting their bodies in ways I’ve never seen before.

Website: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk

The Vancouver Christmas Market has relocated for their 7th year at Jack Poole Plaza – also home to Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Cauldron. There is about 50,000 square feet of space, and 70 huts in which to savour the German Christmas experience.

Making things merry & bright at the expansive seaside site, visitors are invited to indulge in the authentic German market’s array of mouth-watering delicacies –from sizzling sausages, handbrot, German Pizza, Bratwurst, Gulasch, Spätzle Glühwein, gingerbread, traditional German beer, and others.

I was invited to give a few of the food vendors a try. So, I went with a few foodie friends to experience the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Das Gulash Haus

Das Gulasch Haus is a new addition to the Vancouver Christmas Market. Owner Thomas Goelles is sharing his mother’s Gulasch recipe with all his customers to get a little taste of Austria.

The wholesome stew is made with tenderly braised BC Beef, potatoes, and Hungarian paprika. They also have a Vegan version made with carrots, potatoes and a blend of Hungarian and smoky Spanish paprika. You can have it served it a bread bowl.

We found it was a perfect item to eat as it keeps you warm as you are walking around the market. With temperatures going close to 0 degrees, you’ll want something to warm your stomach and hands.

Freybe Brat Haus

Freybe Brat Haus is one of the most popular vendors at the market. They serve up their traditional Bratwurst as well as a few other sausage flavours on the menu. You can top it off with sauerkraut, grilled onions, mustard and ketchup.

I made sure to drunk mine in grainy mustard with a Weisswurst sausage on grilled onions and sauerkraut. Very delicious!

Spätzle Haus

Spätzle Haus creates hand-make their fresh herb spätzle, which is egg noodle with a traditional recipe passed down from their Grandmother.

Enjoy your Spätzle with one of 3 toppings and our gurkensalat (German cucumber salad).

You can choose from:

  • Traditional Butter and Swiss Emmenthaler 
    garnished with caramelized onions and parsley
  • Wild Mushroom Cream sauce
    garnished with pickled red cabbage and parsley
  • Coconut Curry Tomato 
    topped with fresh pea shoots and rainbow carrot rondelleo

Our personal favourite was the traditional butter and swiss emmenthaler.

Art Meets Chocolate

Art Meets Chocolate aims to fuse the creativity of artisan chocolate making with the inspired talents of local artists while showcasing the unique feel of various Vancouver and British Columbian neighborhoods.

They have a vast collection of chocolate to sample as well as selling other local chocolates from Lisa Lou.

Cändy Meister

Candy Meister offers a selection of colourful, scrumptious, all natural, gluten, dairy and corn free candies from Germany. A wide variety of their treats originate from the candy producer Wilhelm Mueller, who maintains candy making traditions the same way as he did in 1949.

Stop by the hut and try up to 40 different flavours, such as our popular Mulled Wine, Assorted Fruit, and Crunchy Candies as well as our wide selection of herbal candies.

Handbrot & Soup

Dresdner Handbrot (hand bread) is offered at town festivals, Christmas markets and festivals across Germany. You can now get it at the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Handbrot is made and baked in wood fired ovens on location, with savoury fillings like Gouda Cheese, House Smoked Ham or Gouda Cheese and Mushrooms. This version is topped with sour cream and green onions. It was super delicious and I would definitely order it again.

They also serve a warming Pea & Ham Soup made daily using a traditional recipe. Super delicious too. Plus warming on cold days.

German Pizza & More!

You can find German Pizza here too. Their pizzas are made with organic spelt sourdough. All ingredients are BC produced, our cheese is provided by Smits & Co in Chilliwack and the German Prociutto (Schinkenspeck) is from Summit Creek Sausage, located in Bridge Lake.

They had 2 version available:

  • German Prosciutto, creme fraiche, aged gouda, onions and fresh herbs.
  • Vegan – tomato sauce, sweet potato, garlic scapes/pesto and fresh herbs.

Final Thoughts

There’s lots to eat and discover at the Vancouver Christmas Market this year. You will have to pick a good day when it’s not raining or snowing to come take a visit to enjoy the songs, shopping and the food.

I wasn’t able to try all the food stalls at the market, but there are definitely some new favourites and old classics.

Websitehttp://vancouverchristmasmarket.com/

Look no further than just a 2-hour drive to Whistler, BC for an immersive 11-day (November 10 – 20, 2016) celebration of food and drink, and a much-needed fall getaway.

2016 marks Cornucopia’s 20th anniversary dinners, grand tastings, culinary workshops and more. With range of events to pick and choose from, all you have to do is determine how many days you’ll want to stay and which events you’d like to attend.

With events and accommodation packages based out of Whistler Village, the location makes everything within walking distance. You’ll be able to enjoy all that Cornucopia and the village has to offer.

We were recently invited to take part in a few of their events over the Remembrance Day long weekend.

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The Culinary Stage series at Cornucopia 2016 was held on the festival mainstage at the Whistler Conference Centre and provided a space for both culinary demonstrations and fantastic meals.

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We attended Pembytopia, a 4-course lunch event (with drink pairings), featuring the tastes of Pemberton with hosts Randy Jones, owner and Chef at Mile One Eating House and Tyler Schramm, owner and Master Distiller at Pemberton. Showing off a passion for the region, the hosts tag teamed and took us through an informative experience of both the food and drink of what they call Pembytopia.

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To start the event off, Tyler Schramm prepared a Meadows Punch waiting for us at the table – Organic gin, summerschnops, Hare’s Farm blueberry and hibiscus syrup, Coast Mountain brewing saison, lemon, and absinthe mist.

Tatlayoko braised beef ravioli with Gremolata, ricotta, tomato whisky ragu – paired with a shot of Schramm vodka, the world’s only organic potato Vodka.

Highlights were the perfectly braised beef and interesting pairing of vodka. The vodka was very smooth, cool and cleanses the palette.

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Second course: Sablefish slider with scallion chutney, pancetta, citrus ginger liqueur mayo. Paired with Farma C Mule a cocktail with organic hemp vodka, hopped Farma C Ginger beer, lime, and fresh finger leaf.

Yum! The sablefish was perfectly crisp, moist, and was balanced by the mayo and chutney. The cocktail also paired perfectly with the ingredients in the slider and was very refreshing. You could tell that lots of care was taken to present a drink that would complement the dish.

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BBQ Yarrow Meadows duck leg, apple cabbage arugula slaw, plum liqueur glaze. Paired with a Riley Creek Sour, a cocktail with organic whisky, plum liqueur, roasted plum syrup, and lemon bitters.

By the third course, I was starting to get full but my tablemates were determined to savour every bite. The duck confit with glaze was fall off the bone and the richness was balanced by the slaw on the dish. The drink pairing was again complementary through the use of roasted plum syrup and whisky. The plum syrup in the drink matched well with the sweetness of the glaze and whisky matched well with the duck.

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Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream and nocino caramel. Paired with the Aged Nut Nog with vanilla infused vodka, nocino, Hazelnut liqueur, farm eggs, milk and cream, cane sugar, chocolate bitters, and  fresh nutmeg.

This has everything I love about dessert! The sticky toffee pudding was warm, drizzled in caramel and contrasted with the cold ice cream. Nocino, a walnut liqueur, was used in the caramel and Aged Nut Nog – both were aromatic and had a warmth like a subtle sweet whisky candy with a nuttiness to it. I’ve never had nocino on its own before but am going to try incorporating it into my Christmas dinner menu this year.

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Overall, I was amazed by this event. For $42, you get a lot of food and drink. You’ll walk away feeling like you got your money’s worth and that you learned a few new things. Randy and Tyler were also great hosts. They kept us entertained and informed us of every ingredient and forethought that went into the dishes and cocktails.

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Showcase Restaurant inside the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel had a special event featuring a 8 course meal highlighting the wines at Poplar Grove Winery in Penticton. As usual, Executive Chef Jesse Hochhausen and Executive Sous Chef Westley Feist crafted an amazing dinner.

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Matthew Holler of Poplar Grove Winery shared with us the rich history of their winery and his family’s passion for producing wine. Each course was paired with one of their wines.

Salt block seared scallop

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Salt block seared scallop with corn puree, chili crumble, corn and poblano hash with cilantro. Beautiful dish and the scallop was really fresh.

It was served with chambord, champagne, and raspberry sugar.

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Strawberry gazpacho

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Strawberry gazpacho has strawberry confit, fermented strawberry, and roof-top cucumber.

It is served with Poplar Grove Pinot Gris 2015.

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Tuna Tataki

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Tuna Tataki has pea shoots, yuzu, sea foam, and sesame seeds served in a tin sardine can. A cute presentation and I love when they use the tin cans.

It is also paired with the Poplar Grove Pinot Gris 2015.

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Fresh baked bread

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Fresh baked bread with house focaccia, parmesan flatbread, black garlic whipped butter and citrus salt. Their black garlic whipped butter is so good that they even gave us some to take home.

Oven Roasted Haida Gwaii Halibut

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Oven Roasted Haida Gwaii Halibut with chorizo vinaigrette, english peas, and heirloom tomatoes. The halibut was moist and very flavourful.

It is paired with Poplar Grove Chardonnay 2016.

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Brohme Lake Duck Breast

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Brohme Lake Duck Breast with haruki turnips, fermented & puffed barley, and blackberry. Beautifully cooked!

It is served with Poplar Grove Merlot 2013.

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Nut Fed Pork Loin

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Nut Fed Pork Loin with smoked pork belly, sole food farms vegetables, peaches, candied hazelnut, and spiced bearnaise.

It is paired with the Poplar Grove Legacy 2011.

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Chocolate Eclair

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Chocolate Eclair with chocolate pudding, caramelized banana, peanut butter chocolate ice cream.

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Final Thoughts

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The dinner was really good and paired well with the Poplar Grove Wines. My favourites were the duck, tuna, and halibut dishes.

We Rate Showcase45rated

Address:
1122 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.showcaserestaurant.com/

Showcase Restaurant & Bar - Marriott Pinnacle Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Look no further than just a 2-hour drive to Whistler, BC for an immersive 11-day (November 10 – 20, 2016) celebration of food and drink, and a much-needed fall getaway.

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2016 marks Cornucopia’s 20th anniversary and features winery dinners, grand tastings, culinary workshops and more. With range of events to pick and choose from, all you have to do is determine how many days you’ll want to stay and which events you’d like to attend.

With events and accommodation packages based out of Whistler Village, the location makes everything within walking distance. You’ll be able to enjoy all that Cornucopia and the village have to offer.

We were recently invited to take part in a few of their events over the Remembrance Day long weekend.

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One of a few signature tasting events at Cornucopia 2016 in Whistler, Cellar Door featured fine wines each priced at over $35 from more than 30 wineries. The event took place from 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm in an intimate setting where you’re able to connect to the winemakers directly without feeling too rushed or intimidated.

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New to wine or don’t know where to start? We recommend joining one of their 45 minute guided Sommelier tours for the inside scoop on how to make the best of your night. We found a few new favourites on this tour!

Tantalus Chardonnay

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Tantalus Chardonnay 2014: We really enjoyed this chardonnay because of its subtlety. In comparison to some of its more in your face oakey cousins, this chardonnay had an elegant buttery smoothness, hint of oak, and was also refreshing at the same time.

Foxtrot Pinor Noir

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Foxtrot Pinor Noir: I’m not typically a pinot noir fan but it might be because I’ve never tasted what it could be like! If you’re a pinot noir fan, this one is special. It’s more of a full-bodied pinot noir on the spectrum with a beautiful smooth balance of flavours. It’s a juicy and fruity red with a well-balanced earthiness that reminds me of the smell of raisins.

Craggy Range Le Sol

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Craggy Range Le Sol: This winery was new to me and their Syrah blew me away! It was medium bodied and incredibly well-balanced with dark red fruitiness and fine tannins.

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To learn more about Cornucopia, Whistler’s celebration of food and drink, visit http://whistlercornucopia.com/.

Look no further than just a 2-hour drive to Whistler, BC for an immersive 11-day (November 10 – 20, 2016) celebration of food and drink, and a much-needed fall getaway.

2016 marks Cornucopia’s 20th anniversary dinners, grand tastings, culinary workshops and more. With range of events to pick and choose from, all you have to do is determine how many days you’ll want to stay and which events you’d like to attend.

With events and accommodation packages based out of Whistler Village, the location makes everything within walking distance. You’ll be able to enjoy all that Cornucopia and the village has to offer.

We were recently invited to take part in a few of their events over the Remembrance Day long weekend.

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The Tinhorn Creek Winemaker’s dinner at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler was one of our favourite events and featured a beautiful marriage of food and wine. Featuring almost the full gamut of Tinhorn Creek’s wines, Executive Chef Isabel Chung was tasked with creating a 5-course menu that accentuated the best of both wine and her culinary creations.

It was a wonderful tribute to the season, the wine, and the local produce.

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The elegant event started with the Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series 2Bench White and a few canapes that circulated in the room. A great start to the night with this fruity, refreshing, and off-dry white.

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Cute foccacia bread baked in a flowerpot! The chive butter that came with it was tasty too. I told myself not to fill up on bread because lots of food was coming.

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Tinhorn Creek’s winemaker, Andrew Windsor as he explains the wines of the night.

Honey Roasted Okanagan Pear and Winter Beet Salad

Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2015

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Honey Roasted Okanagan Pear and Winter Beet Salad with white balsamic and puffed barley paired with Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2015.

It was lightly dressed and was a great start to the evening. There was a fall comfort to her salad with the roasted pear and and sweet earthiness of the beets. The vegetables paired nicely with the pinot gris. The pears and beets meshed with the sweetness of the wine.

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Caramelized George Bank Scallop

Tinhorn Creek Chardonnay 2014

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Caramelized George Bank Scallop with maple glazed pork belly and sage butternut risotto paired with Tinhorn Creek Chardonnay 2014.

One of my favourite dishes of the night! The scallop was perfectly cooked inside and out with the flavourful caramelization. The pork belly was very flavourful and not overly sweet. The proteins went well with the risotto and had a more gentle sweet savoriness to it. The chardonnay had a tropical sweetness to it, a subtle hint of oak, and wasn’t overly buttery – the kind of chardonnay I like. Another great pairing!

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Smoked Brome Lake Duck

Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Merlot 2012

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Smoked Brome Lake Duck with preserved cherries, and wild baby arugula paired with Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Merlot 2012.

By the time that this dish came along I was starting to get full. I was imagining a duck leg and thankfully they were more like duck croquettes. At first I thought they were on the salty side but with the sauce, vegetables and cherries together, it married nicely. At first when I saw that the wine chosen was a merlot, I thought that it might not work well but with 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Syrah, it made for a more fuller bodied and complex wine. I would definitely drink this again.

Juniper Rubbed Black Apron Striploin Medallion

Tinhorn Creek 2Bench Red 2012

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Juniper Rubbed Black Apron Striploin Medallion with oxtail braisage, matsutake mushroom, heirloom carrots, melted leeks with Pemberton potatoes paired with Tinhorn Creek 2Bench Red 2012.

This was my favourite dish of the night and could have been the best beef that I’ve had in my life so far. It was perfectly seasoned and the oxtail braisage placed underneath the striploin medallion gave it an interesting contrast in flavour and texture. The leek with potatoes were also creamy and nicely done. Paired with this was a big bold red.

Juliette and Juliette

Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc 2013

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Juliette and Juliette – Salt Spring blue Juliette with apricot and hazelnut cracker; Salt Spring white Juliette with green apple, celery, and rye – paired with Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc 2013.

I’m not usually a cheese for dessert person but I was definitely open-minded for this experience as I knew we were in good hands with Chef Isabel. Salt Spring Island Cheese made the white and blue Juliette. Juliette is a surface ripened cheese made to taste like a goat camembert.

The cheeses were paired well once again. The white Juliette with celery was an interesting one and surprisingly went together nicely with the fresh vegetal taste. I normally don’t enjoy blue cheese but the blue Juliette was very mild and was outstanding paired with the apricot preserve and hazelnut cracker. The wine pairing was a lighter red with softer tannins and the right amount of acidity to take us down from the bold red we had with the beef.

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Overall, it was a fantastic dinner. The flavours worked well together and everything felt like i was done for a specific reason with intent.

Prices for the winemaker’s dinner can be steeper but they always sell out. It’s the perfect dining experience for a special getaway. Hearing the winemaker and chef speak about their creations was also a good learning experience since we normally rarely get to hear the stories of planning that goes into the finished product.

To learn more about Cornucopia, Whistler’s celebration of food and drink, visit http://whistlercornucopia.com/.

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Caffe Divano has been in my neighbourhood for a very long time and they are celebrating 8 years in Port Moody and 17 in Coquitlam. A big milestone and they have been keeping the neighbourhood caffeinated.

The Beecroft’s opened Caffé Divano’s first location in 2008. The duo’s vision for its Port Moody café was to offer the neighbourhood a place where members of the community could feel at home.

To celebrate this milestone, Lisa, Patrick, Gabi and Jules, invite you to participate in their month of giveaways. From October 31st – November 30th, they will have a month of delicious offers and be giving away daily prizes each week with one grand prize.

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Specials and Giveaways

Motivation Monday: Happy Hour

  • 9am – 11am: $3 latte or a $2 scone or muffin
  • Enter in-person to win a $20 Gift Card – drawn weekly

Thirsty Tuesday: Awesome Afternoons

  • 3pm – 5pm: $3 spanish lattes and $2 off all desserts on Tuesdays
  • Enter in-person to win a free lunch or breakfast – drawn weekly

#TBT Giveaway

November 14th-18th Business Card Giveaway

  • At each location, drop off your business card between November 14th – 18th
  • WIN: 10 boxed lunches delivered to your office on Monday, November 21st

#DoGoodDivano Saturday Giveaway

  • With all purchases on Saturday, you can enter to win the grand prize drawn at the end of November
  • Grand Prize: $200 Caffe Divano Gift Card & $200 Donation to a charity of your choice

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Caffe Divano Anniversary Events

Celebrating 8 Years in Port Moody

  • Monday, October 31st – 11am Anniversary Cake Cutting
  • Location: 101 Klahanie Dr, Port Moody, BC V3H 0C3

Celebrating 17 Years in Coquitlam

  • Wednesday, November 9th – 11am Anniversary Cake Cutting
  • Location: 3003 Burlington Dr, Coquitlam, BC V3B 6X1

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If you are a returning customer or a new one, definitely check them out for the month of November.

Website:
http://caffedivano.ca/

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Presidio Twilight is a fun outdoor event put on by Presidio Trust and Off-the Grid. It happens on Thursdays at the Main Parade Ground from 5-9pm at the Presidio from mid-May to October. They have had this event the last 3 Summers. All for FREE!

We came here when we were visiting San Francisco in September and wanted to check out some food trucks and play some games.

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Grab your blanket, bundle up, and enjoy the Presidio’s delightful views of the bay, fire pits on the lawn, yoga at dusk, and live music under the stars.

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There are lots of food trucks lined up and we were ready to check out the vast array of food.

Southern Comfort Kitchen

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We tried out Southern Comfort Kitchen for their Fried Catfish and Cajun Fries.

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Bobcha 

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We also went to Bobcha, which sells Korean food and got their Korean Fried Chicken. The portion was large and definitely enough for 2 people to share.

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Beer, Wine, & Craft Cocktails

If you are feeling a bit thirsty, they have a selection of beer, wine and craft cocktails. What better way to enjoy the view than to enjoy an ice cold drink with it.

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Final Thoughts

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Overall, it was a fun place to hang out with friends. All the cabanas and fire pits are first come first service, so make sure to come early.

Website:
https://offthegrid.com/event/28/#about

Bob Cha Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Southern Comfort Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Eat Harvest was one of many events for this years EAT! Vancouver Food and Cooking Festival. This year was a bit different than in past years where it’s a series of many events rather than the larger trade show.

This event features Canada’s top culinary talent together for a unique epicurean feast. There were lots of opportunities to meet Canada’s top chefs and sample their exciting new fall dishes. The event was headlined by Food Network host Michael Smith and 17 of Canada’s renowned chefs celebrating Fall flavours accompanied by premium California wines and decadent desserts. This sold out event had proceeds from this event support the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

Chef Michael Smith

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Chef Michael Smith was such a joy to meet and after years of watching him on TV, I was super excited to meet him. He was a lot taller in real life than I imagined.

He sampled Village Bay Oysters from New Brunswick topped with a bloody mary ice. The oyster were very fresh and has a salty and savoury profile, which the bloody mary ice complimented.

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Chef Ned Bell | Vancouver Aquarium

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Chef Ned Bell has made waves in the Vancouver Culinary Scene and has recently joined the Vancouver Aquarium. His team created a decadent kelp and chocolate custard served over a cookie.

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Chef Carl Heinrich | Richmond Station

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Once of the business booths of the night was Richmond Station with Chef Carl Heinrich and his team preparing poached halibut. There were lines right across the room, but we knew we couldn’t miss this. The poached halibut was very delicious. Everyone wanted more.

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Chef Edmund Yee | Pinnacle Hotel

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As the event was held at Pinnacle Hotel, it only made sense for Chef Edmund Yee to showcase his skills by presenting a mushroom gele with truffle goat cheese espuma and en croute,

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Chef Ryan Murphy | Anna Lena

Anna Lena, a local favourite restaurant was there with Chef Ryan Murphy showcasing their truffle marshmallow with terragon and potato crumb. It was an interesting pairing as truffle and marshmallow didn’t seem to be a common combination.

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Chef Wayne Morris | Boralia

Another chef from Toronto’s Boralia restaurant delighted guests with their mussels escabesche with a shrimp chip, fermened chili, corn and bergamot. This was one of our favourite of the night.

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Chef Alessandro Vianello | Wildebeest

Who isn’t a stranger to unique types of meat? Chef Alessandro Vianello from Wildebeest was serving Elk tartare.

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Chef Nick Liu | DaiLo Restaurant

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Chef Nick Liu of DaiLo Restaurant in Toronto surprised with with a Trout Bental Leaf. Roll it up, put it into your mouth and the flavours were well balanced to highlight the trout.

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Chef Quang Dang | West

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Chef Quang Dang and Sous Chef Alex Hon put together a beautifully plated dish. A meatball topped with jalapeno, pickled vegetables and herbs.

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Chef Dave Mottershall | LOKA

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All the way from Toronto is Chef Dave Mottershall from LOKA. They were featuring nduja with seared goat yogurt and burnt honey on a toasted crostini.

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Chef Dave Gunawan | Farmer’s Apprentice

Something a little different was the Matsutake Mushroom Broth served in tiny glass. It was piping hot but full of mushroom flavour.

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Chef Pino Posteraro | Cioppino’s

They had a salad with organic basmati rice, watermelon, sweet potato and dates. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a salad without greens.

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Chef Rob Gentile | BUCA

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BUCA is one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto and I always try to go there whenever I can. Their Italian food is amazing. At Eat Harvest, they had schiacciata with Cunza, grapes and vincotto.

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Chef Mandel Hitzer | Deer + Almond

Chef Mandel Hitzer created Dirt McGirt, which has feta, concord grape, fermented garlic, dark rye dirt on a rice cracker.

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Chef Taryn Wa | Taste US

To feature US products and agriculture, It has a chickpea flatbread topped with an eggplant chutney.

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Chef Angus An | Maenam

Crispy Thai Cupcakes was a lovely surprise and burst of flavour. The crisp shell and the delicate flavours of crab with the ikura.

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Chef Antonio Park | Park

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Chef Antonio Park put together tuna tataki cones, but they sadly ran out before we got there. I think we werejust a few people shy of getting our hands on them. They were still able to put together ikura cones for us, which was nice.

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Chef Jack Chen | Royal Dinette

Royal Dinette is another local Vancouver eatery and Chef Jack Chen put together cured albacore tuna with pickled vegetables and sake kasu.

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Chef Sean Reeve | The Mackenzie Room

They were serving roasted leek with a crab apple puree on top. A nice one bite appetizer.

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Chef Matt Blondin | OMAW

A unique display of cured Chinook Salmon has them hanging on a wire above some foliage.

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Dessert Stations

Bella Gelateria

For dessert, Bella Gelateria was sampling 3 of their delicious gelato. Alway high quality and worth a visit.

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Beaucoup

3 platters of mini croissants was amazing! Piled high of these crispy croissants. So good. Beaucoup has the best croissants.

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Beta 5

Beta 5 had 2 of their new chocolates and their cream puffs to sample with all the attendees. Very solid chocolates that are too pretty to eat.

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California Wine Station

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There were 7 wine booths featuring a few California Wineries. Of all of them, my favourite is Meiomi, which has great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun event to see all the amazing chefs behind the restaurants. The event was a sold out event and one of the most popular for the EAT Vancouver series of events.

Website:
eat-vancouver.com/eat-harvest/

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Vancouver Community College has brought back their popular again – VCC Chef’s Table for the Fall until October 14 at their Broadway Campus. I came here last Summer and was moved by the amazing experience. You can check out that review here.

I am a huge fan of dining at culinary art schools as meals are well priced, tastes great and it helps train our future chefs. The 5 course meal is $30 and wine pairings is an additional $15. When you see the pictures, the price point is just sooo good.

I came with a few of my friends to check it out.

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Chef Hamid Salimian i back at it again sharing his knowledge and expertise with a new generation of chefs as an instructor in the VCC Culinary Arts program. He did an awesome job crafting the menu with the students.

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Dining Area

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The table is set up like a U-shape, so everyone gets a good view of the students preparing each dish. Since I did come with 7 people, it was a bit hard conversing with the other side of the table due to the set up. Most other groups were in either 2’s or 4’s.

Wine Pairings

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For $15 for wine paired with 5 dishes, it’s a pretty good value.

We got the opportunity to try:

All very good wines that were paired with each dish.

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Sturgeon Crudo

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This beautiful dish has scallop, side stripe, egg yolk puree, trout caviar. It is paired with the Fern Walk Sauvignon Blanc 2014. The saltiness from the caviar went well with the delicate flavours of the scallop, shrimp and sturgeon.

Smoked Black Cod

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The dish also has sunflower, sunchoke, pearl onions, and a porcini foam. It is paired with the Luna Argenta Prosecco Treviso Brut. Loved the different textures of the plate. A good amount of smokiness on that black cod.

Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Parfait

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The dish also has pickled veggies, chicken lover fie gras, pickled veal tongue, beets and a bone marrow ball. The bone marrow ball pops in your mouth and all that delicious flavours coats your mouth. There was a generous amount of foie gras, so I wished there were were chips to go with it.

The dish was paired with the See Ya Later Ranch Gewurztraminer 2015.

Bacon Wrapped Lamb Loin

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The plate is dressed with portobello, parsnip, tomato, and lamb jus. That lamb loin and bacon was so tender. Great flavours and we all wanted more.

This is paired with the Pepperwood Grove Old Wine Zinfandel 2013.

Dark Chocolate

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The evening ended with the Dark Chocolate dessert which has chocolate soil, chocolate rocks and chocolate ice cream. Great for chocolate lovers.

The last pairing of the night was the Whistler Late Harvest Chardonnay 2014.

Final Thoughts

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It was a pleasure dining here again to see all the students creating the dishes right in front of our eyes. All the dishes came at a good pace and it was a great experience. For $30 for 5 dishes, it is worth the price. I’ll definitely be next for the next dinner. It was my 3rd time trying their Chef’s Table and the amount of techniques used here are amazing.

Address: 1155 E Broadway, Vancouver

Website: http://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop–more/the-chefs-table-pop-up-kitchen/

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