Angus An, owner of Maenam, Longtail Kitchen and Fat Mao, has expanded his empire with the opening of Freebird Chicken Shack at New Westminster’s River Market. The casual food counter offers Asian-style chicken served in quarter-, half- and whole-bird portions, along with sides of rice, salad and soup. Options include rotisserie marinated in coconut milk, fish sauce, garlic and palm sugar, as well as Hainanese, poached in lemongrass, coriander and pandan leaves, and garnished with cilantro and sliced cucumber. Congee will also be served mornings only, topped with the rotisserie chicken and a 64-degree egg. Open daily, 10am-6pm.
The owners of Bestie beer and sausage parlour have opened Vancouver’s first cidery, Sunday Cider. The cider is made from apples from the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys, and is available at Bestie and The Alibi Room.
Sabrine Dhaliwal, former bar manager at West and winner of the Global Belvedere Challenge, has joined the team at Uva Wine and Cocktail Bar as lead bartender, working with award-winning bar manager and sommelier Lauren Mote.
Vancouver Craft Beer Week has released early bird tickets for festival passes and tickets at a reduced price. Early bird prices will be on sale until April 5, 2016, when the full schedule of events is released. VCBW runs May 27 through June 5, 2016.
On Dec. 10, local companies The Juice Truck, The Juicery Co, and Nectar Juicery, in both Vancouver and North Vancouver, will be selling soup from kitskitchen in support of children from the DTES. The soup (butternut squash and ginger) will be served all day, for a suggested donation of four dollars per bowl, with 100 per cent of proceeds going to Strathcona Community Centre’s Backpack Program, which provides food for under-privileged children.
Prohibition, the underground bar at Rosewood Hotel Georgia, has launched a new cinq à sept program in time for the holidays. Every Monday through Saturday, 5pm-7pm, guests can enjoy special cocktails and bites, as well as live entertainment. Guests will also receive complimentary bites, such as flatbread and pork rillettes, as well as a glass of the daily punch. During December, the program will extend by an additional hour, beginning at 4pm.
Bauhaus has launched a Wine Mondays program, with 25 per cent off all wine offerings. Want to bring in your own bottle? Corkage fees are waived every Monday as well.
Wild Rice has launched a new lunch soup and sandwich combo for $11, Mondays to Fridays. The bao bun sandwiches include albacore tuna salad, roasted vegetables or hoisin-braised beef with caramelized onions, paired with soups such as vegan cream of mushroom, hot and sour, and organic beef and barley. In addition, every Wednesday, get $10 off any bottle of wine, and $2 off any glass.
Edible Canada has launched a pre-theatre three-course prix fixe menu for $35. Menu options will change frequently, but include items such as bison bourguignon, butternut squash risotto, maple bread pudding and an artisanal cheese plate.
The famous stöllen is back at Yew Seafood & Bar. Made annually by retired master baker Gerhard Weitzel, a loaf of the marzipan- and raisin-stuffed cake is available for $25.
La Pentola is offering a variety of Christmas Day menus, including a three-course menu for $40 per person, as well as a 10-course menu for $85 per person. Dishes include parmesan cheese soufflé, whole roasted prime rib, prosciutto-wrapped whole, deboned turkey, and honey-glazed pork leg.
If you’re heading up the Sea to Sky Gondola anytime soon, you can take in the sights at the peak while enjoying a four-course fondue dinner at The Summit Lodge restaurant. Options include roasted butternut squash with boursin and radish sprouts, Two Rivers steak tartare, as well as two fondues: cheese fondue with apple slices and bread, and chocolate fondue with fresh fruit, marshmallows and spiced cake. $89 includes life ticket, dinner, tax and gratuity ($60 for passholders).
The Fat Badger is holding Sunday roast dinners with weekly rotating menus. First up is heritage pork shoulder with crackling and applesauce on Dec. 6, followed by local leg of lamb on Dec. 13 and Christmas goose on Dec. 20, with sage and onion stuffing, and cider gravy. Prices range from $20-$30, and reservations recommended.
The Acorn vegetarian restaurant has partnered with Luke’s General Store in Gastown to offer healthy vegan and vegetarian takeaway lunch options. Items include vegan and vegetarian sandwiches, as well as other choices.
