As we explore in our feature story on pages 4 and 5, vegetarians and vegans might be serious about what they put in their bodies but it doesnt mean they dont want to have fun while theyre at it. Many of Vancouvers vegetarian restaurants are developing respected cocktail lists made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. On August 12, Graze restaurants chef Karen McAthy is hosting a wine and food pairing night. There are five courses and 15 BC wines to try for only $30. There are two seatings, one at 6, the other 8:30pm, and reservations are recommended. Meanwhile, its not only meat-eaters who love firing up the barbeque. On August 24, the Fraser Street restaurant is hosting a real mans vegan bbq from 2pm to 11pm. You can eat all you want for $30 and support local charies at the same time. GrazeRestaurant.ca.
East Vans Culture Crawl is famous. Now, a group of Eastside vegetarian restaurants is hoping to pull in the hungry crowds with its first annual Eastside Tour de Veg. People are invited to work up an appetite by pedalling their bikes to each of the six participating restaurants on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 2 to 6pm. Keep your eye on GrazeRestaurant.ca for more details.
Bookmark IrishHeather.com to check for the date of its Pit for Your Supper dinner this month. In exchange for helping them pit bushels of just-picked peaches, theyll feed you and send you home with some peaches. Check out the Long Table dinner series, including the first Meatless Monday LTS dinner on August 12 while youre there.
Every year, Milestones restaurants across BC gather for a fun team-building exercise. This year, they really got a work out when they went to Playland and took part in a bike-building contest on July 30. Each bike was donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of BC; the value of the contribution was $4,500. The team from the Milestones on Denman (pictured) came in second to the team from Whistler. It was part of a three-day leadership program.
Heres a magic-carpet trip for you: Chambar, La Mezcalaria, Wild Rice, Wildebeest, Fable, Cibo, Sea Monster Sushi, Harvest and The Parker, all on one night. On August 16, these Vancouver restaurants will compete in the Dumpling Cook Off at the Chinatown Night Market. Sponsored by Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, you can buy a Dumpling Passport for $12 to taste the bite-sized morsels of perfection. But if gorging is more your style, five men and five women will be battling for the title of the first-ever Chinatown Night Market Dumpling Eating Champion. In two minutes, just how many dumplings can they eat? Both events are 7 to 9pm in the parking lot beside the Keefer Bar.
Where can 10,000 vegetarians (and food lovers) eat for free? The Chariot Festival of India at Second Beach on August 11. The festival starts at 11:30am with a cultural parade along Beach Avenue from under the Granville Bridge to Second Beach while the festival gets officially underway at 1pm, ending at dusk. There will be entertainment on two stages, music and dancing, live theatre, hand tattoos, yoga and mediation, clowns and balloon artists, and kids fun tents. The only thing you have to pay for is whatever catches your fancy at the market bazaar. There will be a free shuttle bus and bike parking. Go to VanChariotFest.com for details.
Mark Taylor got to know the cooking talents of Jessica Howery when the chef from Pender Harbour worked for him at his previous restaurant, CRU. Now hes appointed her as executive chef at his South Granville restaurant, Siena. Howery is a graduate of VCCs Culinary Arts program, where she earned both Student of the Year and Centennial Food Service Award accolades. Her new menu includes Burrata made with produce from UBC Farm, seared Qualicum Bay scallops with roasted fennel and lemon mascarpone risotto, goat cheese Gnudi and braised nature pork ravioli. Go to EatSiena.com for details.
Correction: In last weeks Fresh Sheet photo, Railtown Café chef Dan Olson was incorrectly identified; we apologize for the error.
