Getting the most value out of Dine Out Vancouver 2010
6 Comments
Karen Hamilton
April 20, 2010
Dine Out Vancouver comes to us much further into the year this time around, most likely to avoid overlap with the craziness of the Olympics. Good to see that many participating restaurants are taking advantage of this late start with menus that trumpet springtime is here!. Also pleased that more cross-promotion is in place this year, with hotel packages catering to Dine Out enthusiasts and food tours, cooking classes, and wine seminars wanting to tag team with your dinner plans.
I’ve created my 2010 Dine Out Vancouver shortlist with quite specific criteria: restaurants I’ve never been to that are cooking trout on nights that we have a babysitter. Since I don’t expect you to share these conditions with me, below are my 2009 Dine Out Vancouver tips rejigged along with new advice to account for some of the changes to the program this year.
Try something new
The incredible Dine Out dinners I’ve had in the past always tempt me to revisit those restaurants responsible for such fond memories, but to date, I’ve committed to picking places I’ve never been to for each new round.
If you have downtown Vancouver tunnel vision like I often do, consider going to a restaurant in Burnaby or Richmond instead. You could even go further afield for the parallel (but not co-produced) Dine In Whistler event. I’d make a beeline for Araxi and Bearfoot Bistro if I had the means to drive out there for it!
If you see this event as an easier way to explore the restaurant scene, not as a sale for your tried-and-true places, you may wind up with a new favourite eatery as a result.
Do lunch
Dine Out Vancouver used to be a right steal when it started, with meals as low as $15 and menus capped at $25. Since its inception, we’ve seen the addition of a $35 tier — now $38 — and the use of the Special Notes field to denote add-ons like wine pairings and even fine print like automatic gratuities. These do add up…and now a couple out for a Dine Out evening could easily spend over $100, wondering where the so-called deal has gone.
If your wallet or your spending sensibilities can’t handle the burgeoning price of Dine Out Vancouver dinners, try a Dine Out Vancouver lunch instead! Nearly a third of participating restaurants are offering it.
There isn’t a way to search for this option on the Tourism Vancouver website so I’ve decided to do the grunt work for you. You’re welcome.
- Amarcord
- Ashiana Tandoori Restaurant
- Bistro 101 at the Pacific Institute for Culinary Arts (PICA)
- Blarney Stone
- C Restaurant
- Cardero’s
- cassis bistro
- Ciao Bella
- Cru
- Darby’s Pub
- db bistro moderne
- Diva at the Met
- Don Francesco
- Elixir
- Fogg n’ Sudds Robson
- Goldfish Pacific Kitchen
- Gramercy Grill
- Hamilton Street Grill
- Harold’s Bistro & Bar
- Hell’s Kitchen
- Hermitage
- Herons
- hidden
- Kerkis Greek Taverna
- Kirin
- Las Margaritas
- Le Gavroche
- Maurya
- Medley’s Restaurant
- Moustache Cafe
- nu
- O’Doul’s
- Plato Estiatorio
- Raincity Grill
- Reflect social dining + lounge
- Rocky Mountain Flatbread
- Salt Tasting Room
- Sanafir
- Seasons in the Park
- Seawall bar & grill
- Society Dining Lounge
- STONEGRILL Restaurant
- Chongqing
- Thai Spice
- The Fish House in Stanley Park
- The Point Restaurant & Tapas
- The Sandbar
- The Teahouse
- Westward Ho! at the University Golf Club
- Wild Rice
- Yokohama Teppanyaki
You do still have to call these restaurants if you’d like to know how much their Dine Out lunches cost as well as what’s on the menu for it, but I’m betting that it’ll be more affordable than its dinner counterpart.
Put your ear to the ground
Not sure where to go? Hold off on making a reservation and wait for initial feedback. I typically seek out the opinion of food writers with similar palates, search for reviews of Dine Outs past, and listen to the rants or raves of loved ones returning from their experience.
Now that Twitter is the haunt of many a food lover, you could also lurk the feeds of your favourite restaurant addicts or check in on whatever event hashtag wins out (#dov2010 is probably your best bet).
One downside to this strategy is that the hottest restaurants will be fully booked by the time you decide to go there. If you were already thinking of dining at the likes of Chambar, West, Boneta, db bistro, and Market, don’t think: just book now. West is already sold out and tables at Boneta are going fast.
Compare against the regular menu
Don’t assume that all Dine Out participants are offering you a deal. Some are cheaper than their set menus imply, especially those that offer $18 menus for normally communal fare. Unless you are really smitten by their Dine Out lineup, you would do better to sample these restaurants on a regular day rather than competing with the crowds during Dine Out. [I am also puzzled by the continued presence of certain restaurant chains that have been with Dine Out since the outset, but that's all I will say about that.]
Upon closer inspection, you might also discover that restaurants with top tier Dine Out Vancouver offerings have more affordable prix fixe specials during regular service. Some may also have lunch service: a good way to try a restaurant out of your budget free of the crowds that Dine Out brings. And if you had had your heart set on the now sold-out West, West’s lunch may very well be your only option during Dine Out this year!
Select by menu, not by reputation
If you’re like me, you’ve eagerly looked up the menu of a restaurant of high repute at the Tourism Vancouver site only to discover how truly ho-hum its Dine Out edition is. The uninspired (re: cheap) offerings or plans that read like a workday set lunch turn me off from attempting an otherwise promising restaurant.
Make sure your palate is already salivating on what you’re going to eat or be prepared to have a less than stellar meal at a place that normally has a good reason to draw praise.
Share your Dine Out Vancouver experiences with others
Help your circle narrow down their dining choices by relating what you’ve enjoyed (or detested) in the past. On my part, I’ll list places of note from our Dine Out Vancouver history.
Pleased by:
- Imperial Chinese Seafood Restaurant
- Hart House
- Fleuri
- West
- Brix
- Raincity Grill
- Aqua Riva
- Provence Marinaside
- Rex Rotisserie & Grill
- Chambar (I’d prefer to go on a regular day and pig out on mussels)
Disappointed by:
Feel free to leave me a comment about your past, present, and future with Dine Out Vancouver.
Categories: Events, Food, Restaurants
On Argentinean wine and Mendoza bodegas
1 Comment Bruce NguyenApril 14, 2010
The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is just around the corner. With Argentina and New Zealand being co-theme regions this year, it seems opportune to share experiences from my recent jaunt through Argentina this past Christmas break.
A primer on Argentinean wine
Let’s start with some basic Spanish-to-English terminology:
- vino = wine
- bodega = winery
- viñedo = vineyard
- salud = cheers
- uno mas, por favor = one more, please
The above, plus charades, got me through three weeks in Argentina!
In terms of vino, Argentina is mainly known for its Malbec. This grape has its roots as one of the handful of kosher varietals allowed in a Bordeaux wine blend. The most popular Bordeaux blends these days, however, do not contain this grape at all, mixing Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot instead. It’s said that the Malbec grape was so maligned and unsuited to the wet and cold French climate that it earned the lesser name of côt. I’m told that it’s not an endearing name, but all wine varietals sound Greek to me when I first hear them.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century, when Malbec was planted in Argentina – where the scorching sun shines over 300 days a year – that the grape finally came into its own. And now, if you believe the marketing hype of my tour guide, Malbec is one of the hottest crazes in wine. In other words, the story of Malbec is the story of a poor French immigrant achieving the great (South) American Dream!
A lesser known wine varietal equally coupled with Argentina is Torrontés (Torontel). You may have had a more intimate experience with it in the form of Chilean Pisco. Crisp, floral, and fruity, this was our white wine of choice in our travels. Perhaps “choice” is the wrong word, as it was rather insisted upon us whenever we asked for a white wine recommendation.
Argentina’s Mendoza region is known for its Malbec, while the best Torrontés are said to come from Salta. While we didn’t get a chance to visit the latter, we did make it to Mendoza, visiting a couple wineries between taking mid-day siestas, feasting at parrillas (grill houses), and discovering surprisingly good Italian food (a tale for another day).
The two wineries we visited were Vistandes and Don Artuo, both located in the Maipú sub-region. Here, glacial waters from the Andes, high altitudes, and large day/night temperature swings lead to successful vineyards. The temperature swings, called thermal amplitude, makes the grapes constantly expand and contract, drawing in and concentrating the flavours and nuances of the terroir.
Personally, whenever “terroir” is brought up during a wine tasting, I have a tendency to disguise the rolling of my eyes with a swivel of the wrist, a sniff of the glass, and a murmur that “mmm, yes, the yeast is quite expressive”. While I would never claim to have nearly as nuanced wine-buds as the rest of Team Tiny Bites, I’ve learned long ago to never pick a fight with a sommelier.
Bodega Vistandes
Vistandes is a boutique winery located in the Cruz de Piedra sub-region of Maipú in Mendoza, Argentina. While the owners have been selling grapes to other wineries for years, they only recently set up their own in 2006, giving them a modern winery with access to older vines. The winery’s entry hall doubles as a music hall. Unfortunately nobody was playing when we were there mid-day, which in retrospect was a bit of a tease since we do appreciate the Tango.
Known mostly for their Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, this winery likes to combine grapes from both their two vineyards, one in Mendoza and one in the Famatina Valley of La Rioja. The claim is to a more sophisticated flavour profile.
We tried their Malbec, Cab Sauv, and Torrontés, with part of the group giving top marks to the Cab Sauv and the other half of the group liking the Torrontés best.
Bodega Vistandes
Ruta 60 y Carril Urquiza, Cruz de Piedra | Maipú, Mendoza
+54 261 5246213 / 5246214
Bodega Don Arturo
Another boutique winery in Mendoza, Don Arturo has been family run for the past eighty years. Our guide proudly pointed out the weeds in between the vines as proof that no chemicals or pesticides are ever used on the dirt. Heaven forbid that chemicals penetrate the terroir! Mmm, yes, the yeast is quite expressive… sorry, force of habit.
To further stress their focus on using and accepting the character of the land, the irrigation for the vineyards and the coolant system that keeps the vats at the right temperature uses glacial waters siphoned from the nearby Mendoza River. These systems were engineered to be driven by the force of gravity, with powered pumps turned on only when necessary.
Again, being based in Mendoza, Don Arturo specializes in reds, but with more blends rather than pure varietals.
Bodega Cavas de Don Arturo
Franklin Villanueva 2233, Lunlunta | Maipú, Mendoza
+54 261 154538854 / 154540843
Afterword
Unfortunately, neither of these two wineries will have a presence at this year’s Vancouver Wine Festival. Although glancing through the participating wineries list, I do see a few wineries that I have had good experiences with:
- Doña Paula – Malbec
- Familia Zuccardi – Torrontés (Santa Julia brand)
- Finca Flichman – especially their Malbec 2007
- Norton – Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (Perdriel brand)
- Masi Agricola – Granderella
That last one isn’t Argentinean, but I am so enamoured with their Granderella it that I can’t help but include it on the list!
The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival runs Monday April 19th through Sunday April 25th. Tickets and more information are available at their website. We’ll be around, and remember to say salud if you see us!
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival
April 19 – 25, 2010
Multiple venues | Vancouver
Categories: Argentina, Events, Food, Travel, Wine
How to saber a bottle of bubbly in a morgue
Leave a Comment Karen HamiltonApril 9, 2010
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been to the Vancouver Police Museum.
Copyright John Biehler. Photo used with permission.
I had heard about it over a year ago from the museum’s Executive Director, Chris Mathieson, who had been hosting a number of intriguing fundraisers there that always seemed to be at odds with my schedule. An invite to visit arrived from Sumac Ridge during the bustle of the Olympics, so I took along my visiting father-in-law while my mother-in-law babysat my daughter (and stayed away from potential morbidity).
That bubble is on an autopsy table, folks.
The concept of the evening was unusual. We were to learn about the history of the city’s police enforcement by touring the grounds, once upon a time Vancouver’s Coroner’s Court, and then end off in the autopsy room, where Sumac Ridge’s Harry McWatters was to share the history of BC’s sparkling wine industry and teach us a thing or two about sabering a bottle.
My daughter decided to be hungry just as I was to leave for the event, so we arrived too late to catch the actual tour of the Police Museum . What I can tell you is that in our 15-second dash from entrance to morgue, we raced by a crime scene, a menagerie of brass knuckles and other cool weaponry, a showcase of The Chameleon’s various fake identities, and all manner of fascinating displays that would have otherwise arrested my attention [pun intended]. We were also running through these empty galleries at 8pm on a dark, wintry night. It was a good thing my mother-in-law wasn’t there, because the creep factor was certainly present, even before we entertained the idea that this heritage building might be haunted.
We passed through the freezer room, complete with mannekin in body bag sticking out of out of the slabs in welcome. Beyond that was where we spotted the gathered crowd, who were standing around or seated casually upon autopsy tables, sipping on flutes of Sumac Ridge’s Silver Tribute as McWatters fielded questions about the sparkling wine industry and the art of sabering. We had missed McWatters’ sabering demo with the Police Museum’s Stewart to Stewart commemorative sword, but were just in time to pop our names in a hat for the chance to try our hand at it. My father-in-law was one of four who got to have a go.
McWatters had this to say about sabering a bottle of bubble:
- Hold the sword with your dominant hand with the edge at a ~20 degree angle to the curve of the bottle neck.
- Hold the bottle with your other hand, arm straight out and as far away from your body as possible, with the cork end pointed towards the part of the room that can handle the landing of such a projectile.
- Slide the blade along the bottle starting from the middle until you reach the cork, applying the same smooth pressure and velocity throughout the motion. Practice the movement a few times until you get the feel of it, if that helps.
- Once the bottle is opened, do not touch the top of the bottle, where the glass is razor sharp from the act of sabering.
- If you do not have a sword available, most heavy objects with a similar edge will do. He mentioned a machete…I don’t know about you, but I have neither machete nor sword lying around at home. Someone mentioned that you could do it with a butter knife but McWatters was vigorously shaking his head at us upon hearing that suggestion.
The Sumac Ridge Silver Tribute itself was a pleasure to sip. Having first tried it in Summerland during a Sumac Ridge Founder’s Room tasting in October, paired with a bowl of truffle popcorn, we enjoyed it this time with generous helpings of potato chips. The salt in both cuts through the brightness of the bubble, adding glam to otherwise ordinary snack foods. I had the bottle of Tribute from that Okanagan trip chilling in our fridge during the Olympics, so it was decided that we would pop it open after getting home from the Men’s Hockey semi-final and have bowls of both popcorn and Ms. Vickie’s chips to accompany it.
We wound down our evening at the Police Museum chatting about the Okanagan with McWaters as our bowl of chips and glasses of bubbly sat incongruously atop one of the autopsy tables. It’ll be a tasting experience that we and he would be unlikely to forget. Will have to return to the Police Museum to have a proper tour…perhaps in the light of day!
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