Best of the City is a celebration to bring together the top winning restaurants from the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. The winning restaurants create a special dish to pair with one of the top category winners from their wine winners and craft beer winners.
It’s an amazing event as you get to taste the best foods, drinks and meet the amazingly talented chefs and producers behind each restaurant.
Similarly to last year, there were 10 booths that you can go to.
Of course I went to every single booth twice and maybe had too many drink with a few of my foodie friends.
Blue Water Café
Winner: Best Seafood
We were treated to Sturgeon Liver Mousse with Foie Gras and Green Apple. A delicious taster paired with Tasmania Premium Cuvée, which is a sparkling wine. Very refreshing and light choice for the start of the event.
Lufficio
Winner: Best Casual Italian/ West Side
Their Duck Ragu and Polenta paired with a rich red wine – Musella Valpolicella Superiorie Rispasso 2013. Duck and rich red wine is a perfect pairing. Very delicious.
Bufala
Winner: Best Pizzeria
We were treated to Pork Shoulder, beef brisket, bacon, ricotta and basil. The first beer pairing on the night with a North American IPA – Red Racer Super Stella IPA.
CinCin
Bronze: Best Upscale Italian
A sampling of their Spinach and Ricota Ravioli, poppy seed and lemon with brown butter and Soubise Sauce. A rich white wine – Monte del Fra Custoza Supiore DOC Ca’del Magro 2013.
Tableau Bar and Bistro
Silver: Best Casual French
On the plate was their Beef Tongue Rillete, horse radish, beetroot shaved and puree, salt caper and sauce vert. Haywire Gamay Noir Rosé 2015 was the pairing.
Bao Bei
Winner: Best Gastown/Chinatown
Deliciously cured Hiramasa, Kohlrabi, Pomelo, crushed panuts and fermented chili lemongrass dressing. This was paired with Laurenz V Singing Gruner Veltliner 2014, a medium white wine.
Prestons
Host Chef’s Selection
Oh hello. What is that? It’s a Dungeness crab, smoked shallot, gingered apple, house hot sauce, and lemon grass in a cheddar crispy shell. It paired with a Pilsner and German Style Lager – Le Trou du Diable La Pitoune.
Hawksworth
Best Upscale
Housed in a beautiful shell is their Scallop Poke, cucumber, jicama, meyer lemon, and pickled onion. A light white like Clos de Soleil Pinot Blanc 2015 was a good match. I am not a big fan of cucumber, so I felt like it over powered the natural sweetness of the scallops.
Maenam
Winner: Restaurant of the Year
One of my favourite items was the Palm sugar and spiced braised pork belly served with cilantro, fried shallots and fried garlic. Arrowleaf Pinot Noir, a light red wine was the pairing.
Cactus Club Café
Silver: Best Casual Chain
My favourite of the night was braised short rib and caramelized onion lasagna with tomato ragout, fontina cream, and cabernet reduction. Medium Red Wine – Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 was the pairing. Cactus Club Café is a pretty great chain restaurant as it’s my go to place for their happy hour menu.
Russian Standard Vodka
There was another booth with Russian Standard Vodka and they were creating cocktails throughout the night.
Final Thoughts
Overall, good picks for this event and it was great to meet up with old friends, try delicious food and wine for the best places in the city. Keep an eye open for next year’s event, as it will be a hot ticket in town for foodies.
Website: http://vanmag.com/event-bestofthecity/
1 Comment
Looked so good! I missed it this year but hopefully next year i’ll go.