By Brittany Tiplady Our beloved BC salmon season is here and whether it’s baked, grilled, smoked, or served raw, BCers love their salmon (and preferably, of course, Ocean Wise). As the summer continues to be heated (this BC heat wave sure is intense), cooking in-doors becomes less of an option and outdoor BBQs, waterfront patios, and AC-clad restaurants reign supreme. Check out this helpful list of local Metro Vancouver restaurants and small-scale shops who are serving up fresh BC salmon to enjoy this season. Vancouver’s North Shore The Salmon House A truly stunning and coveted spot serving Indigenous West Coast fare for over 40 years. The Salmon House On The Hill is not for any old dinner, this iconic North Shore haunt is perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, and really, celebrations of any kind. Bonus: the window-wrapped dining room bares the breathtaking view of the Vancouver and Burrard Inlet. As the…
Martin Ebadi, owner of Green Leaf Brewery, and avid kombucha creator, was willing to let us behind his scene to have a look at what goes into this fresh fermentation, brewed right at his Lonsdale Quay brewery alongside the beer casks.
The area’s craft breweries are pouring classic beers with a west coast twist, super-hoppy IPAs, unexpected sours and satisfying stouts, and it’s entirely possible that you’ll discover your new favourite beer while exploring this hopping craft beer region.
By Brittany Tiplady For the love of garlic! We’re so fortunate to live in a province that is abundant with beautiful fresh produce year round. Gear up for garlic month happening in August with this list of Metro Vancouver restaurants that have added some garlicky features to their menu, as well as a list of Farmer’s Markets so you can support local and grab your garlic to-go. Richmond Garlic Festival You won’t want to miss the 10th annual Richmond Garlic Festival happening August 19. Chefs from various restaurants in Richmond and Vancouver will be volunteering to present festival-goers with a grand selection of garlic-based eats including garlic ice cream. Of course the festival’s supporter, The Sharing Farm, will be selling their famous own-grown garlic as well. Dates: Sunday, August 19 Time: 10 am- 3 pm; visit their website for more details! Location: 2771 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC Kulinarya Filipino Eatery…
By Alexis Baran What if cheese wasn’t made from dairy? Would it still be cheese? This cultured snack favourite can be buttery, sweet, herbal, earthy, pungent, bitter, footy, even barnyardy. It’s one of the few foods that people will gladly eat even (or especially) when visibly laced with thick blue mold and it is a staple of modern dining. For centuries it’s been made using cow, goat, sheep and other animals’ milks – but who’s to say milk is the only thing that can create a fantastic cheese? The assumption that animal milk must be the base for cheese is a notion that Chef Karen McAthy, the founder of Blue Heron Cheese, has been challenging. She’s aiming to change how consumers, as well as the food regulators, think about these wheels of flavour, all from her store and creamery on Vancouver’s Main Street. Blue Heron Creamery opened in Vancouver in…
By Ariane Fleischmann Hillcrest Bakery is serving up something a little different these days. Owner David Moyer had to think outside the box when the 45-year-old bakery relocated due to construction in the burgeoning uptown White Rock area. What started as casual conversations with local breweries White Rock Beach Beer Company and 3 Dogs Brewing soon became a new business model: using spent grain from the brewing process at the bakery to create unique and tasty eats. Canada’s West Coast is known for many things: scenic ocean and mountain views, hiking, biking, kayaking–pretty much every outdoorsy activity you can imagine–and craft beer. Yes, after a day on the water or in the woods, people love to grab a bite to eat and a craft beer to wash it all down with. So, is it really a surprise that a bakery would team up with some breweries to combine the two?…
Scoop up the kids – it’s time for ice cream! But this time they’ll have to work for it. Burnaby Village Museum invites families to come learn how to make old fashioned ice cream using simple ingredients, classic methods, and a little bit of crank-churning muscle.
By Brittany Tiplady Giddy-up for the inaugural Clover Valley Beer Festival, happening August 11 in the heart of Cloverdale! This first-time festival— hosted by the powerhouse team that also produces the Whistler Village Beer Festival and the Great Okanagan Beer Festival—promises an afternoon of coveted craft beer, food truck favourites, live music, and event support from local sponsorship. Clover Valley’s festival team has also partnered with Twins Cancer Fundraising as their charitable partner, who will receive proceeds from ticket sales to support their efforts on raising money for cancer-fighting charities. Over 40 craft breweries are expected to set up camp at the fest, including Langley’s Trading Post Brewing, Central City Brewing, and Port Moody’s Yellow Dog Brewing and Parkside Brewery. “We really want to highlight BC craft beers and ciders but we also have some international brews joining us,” explains events manager Tara Myers. For cider lovers, this festival has…
By Kristi Alexandra It’s no wonder that New Westminster’s downtown hub is warming up to its nickname “Delicious Downtown.” It’s home not only to a handful of hip eateries, but to Canada’s largest-ever food truck festival. The Royal City’s residents and their neighbours are about to get all trucked up as the annual Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Festival celebrates its sixth year on July 28, 2018. With more than 150 vendors on the docket for the mouth-watering milestone, there will be no shortage of options to treat the taste buds. From newly-scouted trucks such as the Frying Pan (crispy fried chicken) and Taco’N Todo (authentic Mexican fare) to returning favourites like Vij’s Railway Express and Gypsy Trunk Vegan Food Cart, there’s a nosh or nibble for everyone. REEL Mac & Cheese, Japadog, Crab Park Chowdery, and Feastro the Rolling Bistro also feature on the lineup — but food isn’t the…
By Jaclyn Jularbal The Steveston Fisherman’s Wharf in Richmond boasts an amazing view of the Fraser River and it’s also home to some of the best fish and chips around. Whether you’re a cod, halibut, or even a prawn fan – the deliciously deep-fried choice is up to you. In rain or shine, for here or to go, the wharf is open year-round to serve you up some world-famous eats. Pajo’s 12351 3 Ave, Richmond, BC One of the most recognizable, long-standing places along the wharf is Pajo’s. Having been around for over 30 years, its yellow banner and unique dock-style entranceway has been a staple in Steveston for decades. Don’t let the lineup of people fool you, the cooks and counter clerks are speedy and the food is worth the wait. Ask anyone in line and they’ll be able to attest that what they’re waiting for is fish-and-chip perfection. Pajo’s…
By Ariane Fleischmann On July 31, 2018, you’ll have a chance to experience an authentic spread of Syrian cuisine and be entertained by bellydancers and drag performers – all while supporting a charity that ensures safe passage of queer refugees into Canada. When Danny Ramadan first came to Canada as a Syrian refugee in 2014, he initially felt alone and out of sorts. He’s proud of his Syrian heritage and, although he was forced to leave his home, slowly but surely, Ramadan says he fell in love with his new Canadian community. “Syria has a very rich and long history that has so many identities being accepted,” says Ramadan, who informed us that same-sex marriage was accepted and normalized in the 1800s and welcomed as part of the structure of their communities. “Only over the past hundred years or so has the community become more and more socially and legally…
By VisitRichmondBC.com We’re ready for summer! When the sun is shining, indulge and cool down with one of these five delectable treats found in Richmond, BC. Screamers The Screamer is a half drink, half dessert hybrid that combines flavoured slush with vanilla soft-serve ice cream on the bottom and top. You can pick this treat up at Screamers Soft Serve in Steveston during the spring and summer months. Mango Desserts This juicy tropical fruit’s natural tartness and sweetness is a natural pick for Asian desserts. A great mango dessert should be juicy, fragrant, sweet and most importantly, it should send you on a tropical escape. Mango Yummy (6564 No. 3 Road) features a menu of mango-based desserts including drinks, shaved ice bowls, ice cream bowls and much more. Our top pick is the mango sago with pomelo, made with mango, pomelo, sago, coconut milk, cream, sugar and drizzled with condensed…
By Joyce Chua, Vancouver Foodie Tours Funky, fruity, estery, tart, dry, and sour; these beer flavours can be under-appreciated but, this July, the fourth annual Farmhouse Festival returned to Vancouver to tease some diversity into a sold-out romp of discerning palates. If you didn’t make it to the festival, not to worry, we’re here to help you find some of the featured flavours. Over 50 breweries and cider makers were invited to the UBC Farm, bringing their most innovative concoctions with them. From mouth-puckering to thirst-quenching, it was a field day (quite literally) for beer enthusiasts. While the majority of recipes were created specifically for the event, a handful of items are will be available for British Columbia locals. Here are 5 locals Farmhouse Festival beers to look out for: Hailing from Burnaby, Dageraad Brewing was the proud supplier of this year’s official Farmhouse Fest beer. The Genever -…
By Catherine Dunwoody Visitors to Vancouver’s North Shore and locals alike enjoy spending time in Capilano Suspension Bridge Park; breathing in all that pine-scented fresh mountain air while you explore one of British Columbia’s oldest rainforests just can’t be beat. But fresh air also makes us hungry. Cliff House Restaurant is situated so that after you wobble bravely over the suspension bridge with its jaw dropping views, scramble on the Treetops Adventure and conquer Cliffwalk, a lovely sit-down restaurant with canyon views awaits for the whole family to enjoy. Inspired by the first park owner’s original cabin in 1889, the restaurant’s dĂ©cor has a Pacific Northwest look that is part old-timey and part modern chic. 150 seats both indoors and on the patio allow for visiting when the sun is shining brightly and when coastal rains roll in to quench the lush greenery. The menu is all about local. There…
By Marc Slingsby-Jones, Bar Manager, Café Medina INGREDIENTS Flor de Cana (any aged rum will do) (1 oz) Calvados (½ oz) Fresh lemon juice (¾ oz) Fresh apple juice (1 oz) Moluccas syrup* (¾ oz) Garnish: Apple slices, cinnamon, sugar INSTRUCTIONS Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into coupe or glass of choice. Garnish with apple slices dusted in cinnamon and sugar. *Moluccas Syrup Recipe Makes 1L INGREDIENTS Sugar (1kg) Water (1L) Cinnamon stick Whole nutmeg (3) Cloves (8) Whole all spice (4) Vanilla bean (½) Peel of half an orange INSTRUCTIONS Add all ingredients to a pot and bring to boil, then simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow to cool overnight. Strain to remove spices before use.
By Ariane Fleishmann Learning from the past starts with a question. Or many questions. For Lisa Codd, curator at Burnaby Village Museum, one of her questions was, “how has Chinese migration to the Burnaby region affected farming practices over time and space?” And that curiosity has led to many ways that visitors to the Burnaby Village Museum can now learn more about the region’s history and how it relates to the foods we eat today. What’s more? The research all ties in to an interactive market garden and the Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. herbalist shop on site. “We’re really interested in learning more about Burnaby’s early Chinese-Canadian residents,” says Codd. “A big part of what we’ve been working on behind the scenes is connecting with Chinese-Canadian farm families. Burnaby—especially in the Fraser River Big Bend area—starting in the late 1800s there were people coming from China… people…
By Brittany Tiplady If you’re looking for seasonal, colourful, Italian cuisine in the Fraser Valley, the heart of Langley has a true hidden gem: The OSSO Lunchroom is a rustic, Italian break to your day, serving up fabulous lunch and dinner plates. Helmed by the acclaimed executive chef and owner Sean Bone, the chalkboard menu is always budding with options suitable for various palates and preferences. It’s nearly impossible to decide one item: the options for soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, pizzas and desserts seem to be endless. The space is warm and inviting; the decor is somewhat reminiscent of a rustic kitchen or dining area that could be found in a Tuscan villa. “Our vision for the restaurant was to have a modest beginning, based on Italian cuisine. Providing food made from scratch using as much local product as we could, from the ground to your plate,” says Chef Bone.…
By Catherine Dunwoody Remember W Network’s The Shopping Bags? Co-host and co-producer Anna Wallner may have closed that chapter of her career some time ago, but she’s moved on to an exciting new project. Wallner has recently purchased Vancouver catering and event-planning company, Savoury Chef Foods. After wrapping her last series, Anna and Kristina’s Grocery Bag, she studied at Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver. Since Anna is a culinary enthusiast, we asked her to share her favourite picnic spots in the lower mainland, and what she likes to eat. Here’s what she had to say: “I love a picnic. And eating al fresco is my favourite way to enjoy a meal with friends. A gorgeous summer’s eve, cold drinks, delicious food and a relaxed atmosphere is pretty much perfection in my mind. When you picnic with me you’ll be getting a gourmet offering. I’m in favour of grazing. A little…
By The Dirty Apron INGREDIENTS Puff pastry sheet (10 x 3 inch, rolled thin) Large onion (1) Soft goat cheese (170g) Olive oil (2 tsp) Toasted walnuts (2 tbsp) Grape tomatoes (12) Vegetable oil Salt & pepper Egg (1, beaten) DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450 F Heat vegetable oil in a small sautĂ© pan over medium heat. Add onions and, stirring constantly. Cook until golden brown and evenly caramelized. (Season the onions with salt and pepper and then remove from heat.) While the onions are caramelizing, prick the puff pastry all over with a fork, brush with egg wash and bake for 8 minutes. Remove pastry from oven and using a spoon, push down the center of the puff pastry to make an indentation for the goat cheese, onion, tomatoes and walnuts. Spread the goat cheese in the middle of the pastry and top with the onions, tomatoes and…
By Wildebeest Vancouver A unique twist on the classic Negroni cocktail, Wildebeest’s “Basilisk Negroni” delivers a smoky bite thanks to its blend of Mezcal, Cocchi Americano and Amaro Nonino. The limited-edition cocktail will be on offer during Negroni Week until June 10 – after that you can make it on your own. INGREDIENTS Mezcal (30ml) Cocchi Americano (20ml) Amaro Nonino (10ml) Grapefruit twist INSTRUCTIONS Combine all ingredients in a cocktail tin. Add ice and stir. Serve in a rocks glass over ice with a grapefruit twist.
By Brittany Tiplady In search of the perfect cuppa, coffee connoisseurs generally flock to the many Vancouver cafes pouring quality espresso. Outside the city though, you can find some hidden gems. Black Tiger Coffee Co. a new Cloverdale haunt, is offering the city cafe vibe in Surrey’s burgeoning subdivision. You may have heard of the place: Black Tiger has garnered some significant attention on Instagram, posting frequent photos of their mouth-watering-Voodoo-like donuts, frothy lattes, and decadent sandwiches. “Black Tiger is a fun, relaxing, open atmosphere. This is a place for friends and young families in the neighbourhood to come, chat, and catch up,” says Black Tiger owner and operator Natasha Multani. “We have a lot of regulars coming in. We’ve been open only eight months and we’ve grown quite a bit since we [opened our doors] and I think we can still grow even more.” Multani, a chiropractor by trade,…
By Mary Ann Bell As with all classic cocktails, there is a tried and true method to creating the perfect sip, and there will always be those people who say that you shouldn’t mess with perfection. Well, we think that there’s always room for a little creativity, and when it comes to a Negroni, it’s just waiting for a talented bartender to make their mark. June 4-10, 2018 is Negroni Week, and bartenders across Metro Vancouver have thrown their shakers into the ring to showcase their interpretation of this classic Italian cocktail. Traditionally mixed with equal parts gin, vermouth rosso (red, semi-sweet), and Campari, a classic Negroni is always garnished with an orange peel and is best enjoyed on a sunny patio, while dreaming about Italian vacations. Negroni week was started in 2013 by Campari and Imbibe Magazine with 120 venues participating and has since grown to include over 7,700 venues…
Win a trip for two to Vancouver, Canada, complete with transportation, accommodation, a guided food tour, dinner and a basket of local culinary delights. Bring a friend for a foodie experience that represents a taste of what lies beyond Vancouver’s cityscape. You’ll make the Westin Bayshore your urban oasis for two nights with views of the mountains, the coastline, and scenic Stanley Park. Relax in your beautifully designed guest room or energize at the fitness studio or a yoga class to prepare for your foodie adventures. During your visit you’ll enjoy Vancouver Foodie Tours’ Gastronomic Gastown Tour. From savoury to sweet, this is an all-inclusive ticket for a full, progressive meal complete with Vancouver craft beer, award-winning wine, cocktails, and immaculate desserts. Settle in for dinner at Burnaby’s newest high-end dining experience; Atlas Steak + Fish is a modern twist on the iconic North American steakhouse. Selecting the finest ingredients,…
By Brittany Tiplady Although it’s available year-round, spring and summer just feels like the right time to enjoy all of the fresh seafood that BC has to offer. Sure, you can grab a bowl of mussels or a platter of oysters just about anywhere, but where in Metro Vancouver can one go to try BC seafood prepared and served with innovation and uniqueness in mind? We sat down with Jenice Yu, proprietor of Fresh Ideas Start Here, seafood expert, foodie and fish purveyor to get the inside scoop. Let’s eat! Coquille 181 Carrall Street, Vancouver Coquille is the brand-new kid on the block, that’s already making quite the impression. When ordering, check out the spaghetti with clams, basil and uni butter, and the roasted lingcod or the extravagant seafood platter. “Coquille has a different approach to West Coast seafood. They are very innovative; Coquille uses a lingcod collar, which actually…
By Catherine Dunwoody Vancouver Craft Beer Week is the annual summer beer festival. Now in its 9th year, (VCBW) Festival returns to the PNE Fairgrounds on June 2 and 3. Not a beer lover? Gotta drink gluten-free? Keep reading. The BC Farm Crafted Cider Association has created a brand new “cider row”, and you don’t want to miss out. Some to check out: Merridale Cidery & Distillery from Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island is pouring house craft cider, their Mexican-inspired Jalisco, Lime, Merri Berri and a juicy Mo’ Moro Dry Hopped Blood Orange. Vancouver’s own 33 Acres Brewery is proud to pour their 33 Acres Of Cid3r house cider, which is their interpretation of an old English scrumpy. Howling Moon Craft Cider is serving up their refreshing Cucumber Mint Maker’s Series, made with cucumber and lime, and both their semi-dry and dry craft ciders from the Okanagan Valley. Also from the Okanagan…
By Jack Chen, Chef and Co-Owner, Coquille Fine Seafood Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 1 filet of Halibut (approximately 1 lb.) Curing Salt Coarse sea salt (1 cup) Granulated sugar (1 cup) Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 lime Zest of 1 orange Combine all ingredients and let it sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours. Poaching liquid Fish stock (any flavoured stock will work) (2 L) Butter (1 cup) 1 sprig tarragon 3 bay leaves 1 lemon peel Pinch salt Combine and set aside for later use. Oyster Beurre Blanc Butter, diced into 1 cm cubes (1 lb) White wine (1 cup) Heavy cream (2 cups) 3 shallots, thinly sliced 1 bay leaf Lemon juice (1/4 cup) Oysters, chopped (1 cup) Pinch salt Parsley Chives Chervil Tarragon DIRECTIONS Beurre Blanc Reduce white wine with shallots and bay leaf until you have a syrup-like liquid. Add cream and reduce…
By Kristi Alexandra & Mary Ann Bell With indie breweries becoming almost as ubiquitous as Starbucks’ in Vancouver, you’d have to be wearing blinders to miss a brewpub or tasting room on any given block between Boundary Road and Kits Beach. But Vancouver’s not the only city under the influence, as the craft brewing boom has reached through Burnaby to the Valley, taking root in the communities in between. This year, brews from outlying towns are making a splash at the ninth annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week, running from May 25 to June 5. Once again this year, it seems communities outside the big city are unofficially on show. The week-long fete’s feature collaboration beer is a shared effort between three breweries found along the spectacular Sea to Sky Highway: North Vancouver’s Beere Brewing, Backcountry Brewing in Squamish and Whistler’s Coast Mountain Brewing. In keeping with craft beer trends, this year’s VCBW…
By Brittany Tiplady Jenice Yu is a force. You may have seen her live on a CTV or CBC segment, or maybe you’ve followed one of her delightful seasonal recipes on BC Living, MONTECRISTO Magazine, or Western Living. Or, maybe, you’ve stopped into one of her fish shops, Fresh Ideas Start Here (f.i.s.h.), for some fresh seafood and a poke bowl to-go. Yu is a savvy business woman, an Ocean Wise advocate, seafood expert, a recipe developer and one of the most beloved entrepreneurs in Metro Vancouver. Her accolades are many. She’s been lauded as ‘Supplier of the Year’ by Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, just a few years after opening her first f.i.s.h. location, and is recognized province-wide for her knowledge and passion for sustainable seafood. At a young age, Yu and her family immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong. The fish processing business became a family business, paving the…
By Kristi Alexandra Meaty, cheesy, messy, mouthwatering. Depending on who you ask, the most savoury junk food treat to come out of French Canada–maudite poutine–roughly translates to “a damn mess” or “a fine mess.” The hodge-podge of ingredients–meat, gravy and fresh cheese curds atop fries–has been around since the 50s. In its younger days, poutine’s appeal was questionable, but twists on this classic comfort dish have been picking up steam on this side of Canada of late. It’s a damn fine mess that we don’t mind translating to our tastebuds, and here’s a few places you can find it. Big Red’s Poutine Traveling food truck Go meat or go home! That’s the way Big Red likes it. This roaming poutine-only food truck serves up 14 meat-based poutines, from “the original” all the way to the spring roll poutine, packed with vegetable spring rolls cut into pieces in a homemade beef…
By Thomas Haas Patisserie – Chocolate CafĂ© Makes about 4 six ounce glass terrines. INGREDIENTS Cream (1 Âľ cups) Milk (ÂĽ cup) Dried lavender (1 tsp) Egg yolks (7 yolks) Granulated sugar (ÂĽ cup) Vanilla bean, split and beans scraped (½ bean) DIRECTIONS In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine cream, milk, vanilla bean, dried lavender and bring to a scald. Tightly cover and steep for 30 minutes (or longer for a stronger flavor). Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Slowly incorporate the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg yolk-sugar mixture while continuously whisking Strain the crème mixture and refrigerate overnight The next day, pre-heat oven to 210°F Arrange the vessels into a baking pan that is about 2 inches deep Pour the crème brulĂ©e mix into the dishes to almost full Pour boiling water into the baking pan allowing the pan to be filled halfway with water Carefully transfer to…