Bodega on Main, the latest opening from Paul Rivas of The Parlour, is now open for dinner nightly from 5pm. Favourites from the former La Bodega, like the patatas bravas, are on the menu, as well as new additions like cured meats imported from Spain. BodegaOnMain.ca
The long-running (15 years and counting) Brix Wine Bar & Restaurant, and its sister property George Ultralounge, is going through a metamorphosis. George has closed down to undergo renovations and will be re-opening as part of the new Brix & Mortar, a new fine-dining concept that will take over both spaces as one new cohesive unit. Brix will stay open during the renovations. BrixVancouver.com
On Oct. 2, Sai Woo is opening Woo Lounge, their downstairs lounge space. Expect dedicated craft cocktails and a live DJ on Friday and Saturday nights from 7pm onward, as well as a separate bar menu. SaiWoo.ca
Okanagan Crush Pad in Summerland has received a craft distillery license and has launched their first spirit, Narrative Distilled Small Batch, a grape-based spirit composed of red and white wines. OkanaganCrushPad.com
BC Craft Beer Month is back for October and BC Craft Brewers Guild is launching a month full of craft beer events, kicking off Oct. 1 at Central City on Beatty. Taste seasonal and specialty craft beers from 24 local brewers. Tickets are $20. BCCraftBeerMonth.com
Want to learn to cook from the best? Twelve of Vancouver’s top chefs, including Meeru Dhalwala of Vij’s and Robert Clark of The Fish Counter have signed on to teach a series of adult cooking classes in order to raise funds for EarthBites, a local non-profit initiative that teaches schoolchildren to connect with food and nutrition. See the full list of classes at EarthBites.ca.
To celebrate the lifting of the ban on eating West Coast oysters, Parallel 49 Brewing is partnering with Merchant’s Oyster Bar and Sawmill Bay Shellfish for a month-long Oyster Fest. Running now until Oct. 22, enjoy buck-a-shuck oysters and $3 12-ounce craft lager from Parallel 49 at Merchant’s daily. Parallel49Brewing.com
Railtown Catering is offering a hassle-free Thanksgiving-to-Go gourmet dinner package that includes a 16-pound organic roasted sage turkey (sliced), gravy, salad, bread stuffing, maples-glazed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, carrots, Brussel sprouts, dinner rolls, focaccia bread, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. The dinner feeds eight to ten guests and is $259 plus tax. Ten per cent of proceeds will be donated to Mission Possible, a Downtown Eastside non-profit that provides street-level care for those with immediate and critical needs. Order deadline is Thursday, Oct. 8 at noon. RailtownCatering.ca
BC Hop Fest, Canada’s first wet hopped beer festival, is coming to an Abbotsford hop farm on Oct. 3. Often touted as the Beaujolais Nouveau of craft beer, this unique brew requires that hops are fresh off the bine and into the brew master’s kettle while their oils and resins are still at their peak, usually within 24 hours. Wet hopped beer is only available at hop harvest time and BC Hop Fest is the first festival to exclusively showcase 17 of BC’s best breweries and their fresh beer offering. BCHopFest.ca
The 11th annual Taste of Yaletown is back Oct. 15-29, with almost 30 restaurants offering set menus for $25, $35 or $45. Participants this year include the new Brix & Mortar, Lime and Moon Pie Company, Minami, Provence Marinaside, Sushi Maro, Yaletown l’Antipasto and Zend Conscious Lounge, among others. YaletownInfo.com
