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Family Friendly Dining around Metro Vancouver

Try Hearty Family Fare at The Gray Olive in Burnaby Heights

By Kristi Alexandra In a time when $22 avocado toast is the norm, even going out for a casual brunch can feel pretty bourgeois. Fortunately for residents of Burnaby Heights, The Gray Olive Cafeteria has brought classic, casual fare to the neighbourhood — while still maintaining the class. Located at the corner of Hastings Street and Carleton Avenue, the cafeteria-style, 20-seat eatery opened its doors in February of 2017, serving up comfort food with a refined twist. Founded by brothers Brian, Steve, and Jeremy Wong, the trio of siblings attests they just wanted to dish up mouth-watering food that recalls simple home-style cooking. “We’re such a food-driven family,” Steve, the youngest brother, tells WestCoastFood at the Hastings Street eatery, “all of us are so food-driven. Our mom would cook all our meals and even my friends would come over just to eat dinner with us. All of us are just…

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Metro Vancouver Chef Stories

Chef Will Lucas’ Classic Italian Pizza has Community Appeal at Cotto Enoteca in Burnaby

By Brittany Tiplady The age-old motto “first we eat, then we do everything else,” rings true at North Burnaby’s modern Italian nook, Cotto Enoteca Pizzeria. Serving up generous portions of modernized Italian cuisine, Neapolitan VPN certified pizza, and wine on tap, Cotto Enoteca is the perfect spot to indulge in a bevy of carb-loaded menu options made with sustainability in mind. In true west coast fashion, this pizzeria engages in some unique, eco-friendly initiatives including QWater (filtered water, eliminating bottles), Ocean Wise seafood, and choosing to source their ingredients, specifically produce, locally. Found on the corner of Hastings and Fell, this Italian joint aims to “[Showcase] the best of BC and Italy, [marrying] the traditional techniques of Italy with the best of local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients.” Still wondering what Neapolitan VPN certified pizza means? This authentic seal of approval is awarded to restaurants by the Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza…

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Beer glasses
Craft Beer in Metro Vancouver

Community Spirit on Show at Vancouver Craft Beer Week 2017

By Kristi Alexandra 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 eighth annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week, running from May 26 to June 4. “We keep growing and changing every year because we want to create this beer experience that all of us want to experience ourselves,” says co-founder and events director Leah Heneghan. 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 the four breweries that dot Port…

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Burnaby

Go Way Beyond Granola with Hippie Foods from Burnaby

by Catherine Dunwoody You may be familiar with Left Coast Naturals, a Burnaby-based brand that started back in 1996. Owned by Jason Dorland and Ian Walker, they kicked off with a line of natural nut butters called Skeet & Ike’s that they sold on Granville Island Market on weekends. Things went well, the company ticked along for a long while, and then in 2005 they launched a variety of tortilla chips, named Hippie Chips, after the 60s hippie movement where people looked to raw, natural foods for better health. Hippie Foods has grown since then, and now is a whole line of healthy (and tasty!) snacks, cereals and cookies. See? Going way beyond granola. Though their granola is darn good. Here are some goodies to watch for in markets on Canada’s west coast. Bonus? All of these are organic, gluten free and non-GMO too: Hippie Snacks Coconut Clusters. Organic roasted…

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Sweets

Burnaby’s New French Flavour: Mon Paris Pâtisserie

by Catherine Dunwoody Burnaby’s constantly evolving Metrotown just got a little French and we couldn’t be more excited.   Paris-trained Chef Elena Krasnova opened her first standalone shop, “Mon Paris Pâtisserie” and that means delicious pastries, café au lait, and much more. The 1000 square foot space has a pretty modern, bright Parisian vibe with an open-concept kitchen, and intimate bistro-style seating (plus a patio space will open this spring). Republica Coffee Roasters is the café of choice, plus specialty teas, traditional French pastries, and Cacao Barry chocolate confections are served. Chef Krasnova trained at the famed Ferrandie Ecole de Gastronomie in Paris, and uses only the best local and international ingredients to create classic French desserts like the ‘Opera’ (intense coffee flavours melded with moist dark chocolate mousse), macarons, plus wedding and special occasion cakes. Feeling like trying your own hand at French deliciousness? We say oui! And with pastry…

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Where to Eat in Metro Vancouver

Video: Canada’s West Coast Destination for Foodies

With a backyard of clean rivers and lakes, the Pacific Ocean, and rich fertile land, the farmers, chefs, brewers, distillers, fishers, and producers are able to bring their diverse traditions, cultures, and creativity to the plates, cups, and glasses of Canada’s west coast. The taste is hyper local, from Vancouver to the Fraser Valley. Featured in this video: The Vancouver Aquarium, The Liberty Distillery, Fraser Valley Cider Company, Cherry Lane Farms, Burnaby Village Museum, Bella Gelateria, Crazy Cows, Steveston Seafood House, Campbells Gold, Central City Brewers and Distillers, Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks, Trading Post Brewing, Steel & Oak Brewing, Vij’s

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Festivals & Events

Bed & Brunch at Dine Out Vancouver 2017

by Catherine Dunwoody Here’s fun Dine Out Vancouver idea: Book brunch or lunch at one of the participating restaurants and stay the night before at a nearby Vancouver hotel. Remember the festival ends February 5th so make your reservations now! Brunch Crawl – East Village January 28, by Vancouver Foodster, this event starts at 10am and during the course of four hours, you’ll visit several restaurants in Vancouver’s East Village neighbourhood (Hastings/Sunrise to Grandview/Woodland) sampling everything from smoothies to brunch pizza. Book online. Hotel pairing: Waldorf Hotel at 1489 E Hastings Street is also your meeting place for the crawl. Roll out of bed, into the lobby and boom – brunch tour begins. Explore BC Wine Brunch at Boulevard On Saturday, February 4 at 11 a.m., brunch-lovers can taste some of BC’s best wines paired with Executive Chef and 2015 BC Gold Medal Plates Champion Alex Chen’s delicious fare. The…

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Festivals & Events

Best of the Fest: Gluten-Free Expo 2017

By Catherine Dunwoody Canada Place hosted the largest gluten-free food trade show in the country recently, the Gluten Free Expo. An opportunity for the consumer to stop and sample the wares and gain information at the many booths, plus check out some cooking demos and presentations – all geared to folks with gluten-allergies or sensitivities. Newly diagnosed with celiac disease myself, this show intrigued me both professionally and personally as a food writer with a rather refined palette trying to navigate this New Year eating gluten-free. Here’s my ‘best of the fest’ – products I tried and thought worth sharing, and mostly made right here on Canada’s west coast. Naked Coconuts from Vancouver makes soy-free teriyaki sauces.  Not only gf, but also soy-free, this organic, non-GMO, sauce has that salty, umami flavour we crave when it’s stir-fry time, and this one has 65% less sodium too. Free Yumm cookies and…

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Farms

Guide Yourself Through Burnaby’s Big Bend Farms and Gardens

by Catherine Dunwoody Such a glorious way for any food aficionado to spend some time – exploring all the bounty Burnaby’s Big Bend offers. Burnaby Food First, in partnership with the City of Burnaby and with support from Tourism Burnaby, has just released a self-guided map listing participating farms and nurseries that are opened to the public within Burnaby’s Big Bend area. Talk about buying local. Sustainable food, all grown right in the area, plus Burnaby Food First is offering local workshops on growing and cooking healthy. Fill up your bike basket with the freshest summertime vegetables and fruit around, or pile the family in the SUV and shop big. Soon enough it’ll be pickle and canning season after all, but visit throughout the summer season as the variety will change as produce becomes in-season. Participating farms and nurseries include, Urban Digs, Hop on Farms, Gardenworks at Mandeville, Wing Wong’s…

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Indian food in Metro Vancouver

Fill your Plate at Burnaby’s Indian and International Buffets

By Tim Pawsey Somehow, amidst the never ending tsunami of trends and the revolving door of openings and closings, the buffet endures. An array of tastes and flavours offered at a reasonable price is tempting to the eclectic diner and to parents of choosy children, but to really be a hit, a good buffet needs to not only offer variety but also be well tended, with dishes kept warm and replenished as needed. Perhaps because it remains a bastion of family dining, frequently served only on weekends, the buffet is the one holdover from times past that we not only tolerate but celebrate. In Burnaby, which neighbours Vancouver with a thriving community of families and multiculturalism, there are many to choose from, with a strong focus on international cuisine. In Burnaby, Indian buffets rule. Four blocks west of Metrotown, contemporary toned Saffron Indian Cuisine yields both lunch and dinner extravaganzas.…

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Shops & Markets

Le Meadow’s Pantry – A Passion for Preserves in Burnaby and Vancouver

By Kathy Mak In an ideal world, we’d probably all like to make our own preserves; but most of us don’t have the time or the talent. Preserving food requires patience and practice. Making exquisite artisan preserves is an art form, which Geneviève Blanchet has mastered. A cut above ordinary homemade spreads, her handcrafted preserves uniquely capture the vibrant fruit flavours of the seasons by using traditional techniques blended with a holistic approach, wholesome values, and some French flare. When you understand her passion for preserves, you can fully appreciate why so many of us have upgraded our pantry with her remarkable jams, jellies and marmalades. Designing and creating interesting preserves come naturally to Geneviève. Influenced by nature and neighbours that lived off the land in the Quebec countryside, she learned to forage and use healthy ingredients, as well as make jams, at a young age. An early interest in…

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Recipes

Recipe: Orange Rice Pudding

By Geneviève Blanchet, Le Meadow’s Pantry This unctuous rice pudding will bring warmth and comfort on cold winter days. A tart blackcurrant or blackberry jam would work equally well during the summer months. I would substitute the cinnamon and saffron for fresh mint and fresh lemon balm for a cooling effect.  INGREDIENTS Jasmine rice (1/2 cup) Sea salt (a pinch) Fresh almond or nut milk (2 cups) Saffron (1 teaspoon) Ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon) Thick-cut orange marmalade (2 tablespoons) Pieces of walnut for garnish Maple syrup or honey for garnish DIRECTIONS Place the rice in a saucepan, cover with cold water and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and drain. Combine milk and saffron in a saucepan and heat over high heat to a boil. Add the rice, cover, lower the heat to very low, and cook, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn’t…

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Farms

Meet the Pigs at Urban Digs

By Joanne Sasvari At Urban Digs Farm, the pigs are brown and black and copper coloured, with jauntily spotted wiry coats, twirly tails and alert ears. You’d swear they’re smiling at you. And why not? These are some of the happiest pigs around. “We carry pigs that make good bacon and have good personalities,” says Julia Smith, co-founder and operations manager of Urban Digs. “Adorableness is one of the important characteristics we look for.” Smith and her partner Ludo Ferrari started the farm in 2012 on two weed-choked acres in Burnaby. Right from the beginning, they wanted to raise free-range, pasture-fed heritage pigs, not the big, pink commercial pigs we all know so well. Those commercial pigs have been bred for size, weight, uniformity and a lean, mild meat. They grow quickly and produce many litters of piglets, often without ever leaving the inside of a barn, making them ideal…

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Shops & Markets

In Praise of Winter Markets and Comforting Community Flavours

by Kathy Mak Winter may seem an unlikely time to visit an outdoor farmers market in Canada, but the milder climate in the Lower Mainland allows the markets and abundance of seasonal products to thrive. Deserving of more recognition, a winter market’s appeal lies not only in the quality and range of offerings, but also in knowing that it’s served by a passionate community of both food artisans/farmers and shopping foodies, all prepared to brave the elements in support of fresh local products. The charm of a winter market is in the smaller and manageable crowds. With shorter line ups, there’s time to sample and chit-chat with merchants. Live entertainment, food trucks and heating stations are also on hand to add some extra warmth. To visit a winter market is to crave comfy and warming flavours. It’s easy to take inspiration for cozy dishes from the bounty of seasonal products…

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Sweets

A Sweet Outing by Public Transit

By Kathy Mak There’s no denying it, eating counts as sightseeing, and when you have a sweet tooth, bakeries, pastry shops and other sweet stops are the attractions! You don’t have to go far in Vancouver to find every possible sugary delight, from award-winning ice cream, to-die-for pastries, and gourmet macarons to handcrafted chocolates. But, finding some of the unsung sweet treats further afield can be the real taste-adventure. Take this sweet-packed outing to discover a selection of local, laid-back gems in Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond and Vancouver, all easily linked by convenient public transit and short walks. Your self-guided, sweet tasting spree begins in downtown Vancouver with an early morning stop at Cartems Donuterie (534 West Pender). It’s hard enough to resist regular donuts, but resistance is futile when it comes to Cartems’ donuts as they are dreamy! (And, literally, Cartems was born out of a dream by the…

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Canadian/American food in Metro Vancouver

Lakeside Dining in a Tudor Manor at Hart House

By Tim Pawsey Nestled on the shores of Deer Lake, Hart House was built by Frederick Hart well over a century ago. The mock Tudor manor and immaculate gardens were privately owned and developed by the Moore family and others, over the better part of the last century, until being acquired by the City of Burnaby in 1979. The restaurant, which opened in 1988, offers an idyllic escape from the nearby bustle of Burnaby and Vancouver. In many ways, Hart House’s dining history parallels the story and rise of regional cuisine in Vancouver. For years it specialized in the tried and true formula of continental cuisine, with a solid emphasis on roasted meats and grilled fare. In short, a protein lover’s paradise, with a cellar to match. More recently, though, the restaurant has changed course to embrace the notion of Pacific Northwest cuisine, perhaps no more so than today, with…

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Burnaby

The Height(s) of Good Taste

By Tim Pawsey Foodies have long known that the stretch of Hastings Street which runs east from Boundary Road (known as Burnaby Heights) is home to a wealth of myriad flavours. A reviewer once cheekily suggested that The Pear Tree was one of downtown Vancouver’s best dining destinations. (It’s not downtown and never has been, but just sports a certain sophistication that makes it feel that way.) Over the years, Pear Tree owners Stephanie and Scott Jaeger have won accolades for being very polished, cutting edge, and serving with casual flair in contemporary but comfortable surroundings. Scott’s regionally driven plates features the likes of pan roasted Lois Lake Steelhead salmon, served with pomme Dauphine and butternut squash, or twice cooked ‘Berkshire’ pork belly with white bean Cassoulet. Also firmly locally focused, Cotto Enoteca Pizzeria features VPN certified Neapolitan pizza (by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana ) and down to earth, truly…

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Metro Vancouver Chef Stories

Burnaby’s Scott Jaegar Gets Seasonal

By Nikki Bayley BC is known as a chef’s paradise for the sheer abundance, variety and quality of its produce from the land and sea. From super-sustainable spot prawns and juicy Okanagan peaches to fresh-foraged salmonberries and briny sea asparagus, there is something exciting to taste year-round you just need to know what to look for, and who better to explain the gems of BC seasonal dining than Scott Jaeger, one of Canada’s most respected chefs. Scott represented Canada in the prestigious Bocuse D’Or Culinary Competition in Lyon, France in 2007 and has won a brace of awards for his culinary skills including Chef of the Year and Best Restaurant for his Burnaby-based Peartree. “Here in BC we have a short but intense growing season when things ripen all at once; around May or June things start to pop out of the ground for four months. That’s our main season…

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Sweets

Glenburn Soda Fountain

By Nikki Bayley If you want a sweet taste of BC in a glass, leave the downtown core and jump on a 135 bus which will take you straight along Hastings Street and deliver you to Glenburn Soda Fountain and Confectionary in the heart of Burnaby Heights. As a residential area dotted with historic heritage houses, it’s not necessarily somewhere that most visitors would see, but fans of ice cream and soda fountains need to add Glenburn to their itineraries; you’ll be delighted that you did. Once you’re in the parlour and take a seat at the shining counter, prepare to enter a world of delicious indecision: what should you order? So many choices! From milkshakes, malteds and egg creams to piled-high sundaes with a myriad of flavours, everything looks so tempting; but it’s when you discover that it’s you’re getting a truly local flavour that things get interesting… Owners…

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