SCENE | HEARD
The Juice Truck has opened a bricks-and-mortar location at 28 West 5th. The space houses a new production facility, retail space, and a juice bar and café. TheJuiceTruck.ca
Odd Society Spirits has brought on cocktail veteran Matt Cooke as their full-time brand ambassador and bar manager. Cooke is past director of the Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association’s B.C. chapter and was senior bartender at Tableau Bar Bistro for the last year. He will be creating an advanced cocktail program based on the distillery’s spirits. OddSocietySpirits.com
Get your grill on…The BC Wine Institute is offering something a little extra for the month of July. Purchase a bottle of BC VQA wine and receive a free packet of Kootenay Spice wine marinade. Get a list of participating wineries at your local VQA store.
Robson Street is hosting Pop-Up Picnic during July and August, featuring eight Robson Street restaurants that will be offering special picnic lunch options that can be enjoyed at one of several outdoor spots along the street. Full details at RobsonStreet.ca.
Brutus Beverages has launched Walter Caesar Mix, Canada’s first all-natural craft Caesar mix. Created by locals Aaron Harowitz and Zack Silverman, and named after the inventor of the original Caesar in 1969 in Calgary, the mix is made with whole ingredients and contains no artificial flavours, colours, or preservatives. Visit the website for a list of local retailers. WalterCaesar.com
My Shanti, the newest restaurant from Vikram Vij, is now open in South Surrey at Morgan Crossing. The restaurant focuses on Indian food infused with international flavours based on Vij’s travels. MyShanti.com
Finalists for the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship have been chosen from across Canada, including Vancouver’s Michael Christiansen (The Pear Tree) and Cory Hess (L’Abattoir). The final competition will take place on Sept. 28 at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. HawksworthScholarship.com
Wolf in the Fog has opened in Tofino, with chef Nick Nutting at the helm. The 150-seat restaurant focuses on fresh and wild, with dishes like charred Humboldt squid with Vietnamese slaw, as well as numerous share platters. WolfInTheFog.com
A new food, wine and craft beer event is launching in Vancouver Sept. 15-16. Top Drop is a two-day festival featuring 24 international terroir-focused wineries, four craft breweries, artisan cheese, cured meats and more. Stay tuned for more details later in summer. TopDropVancouver.com
DRINK | DINE
La Pentola at the Opus Hotel has introduced a new summer menu and cocktail list, with a strong focus on local, seasonal produce, including kale, nettles, beets, carrots and fruits. Look for poached asparagus with soft quail’s egg. Dinner menus are priced at $60 or $75 per person for seven or 10 courses. LaPentola.ca
Harmony Arts Festival is back Aug. 1-10 in West Vancouver. This year, the music, art, family, food, and wine festival features multiple food and culinary events, including food and wine pairing competitions, the Art of Food street festival with over 35 chefs, vendors and producers, food carts and more. HarmonyArts.ca
The Mile High Wine and Food Festival is taking place again on Aug. 8-10 at Silver Star Resort near Kelowna. Combine scenic outdoor hikes and mountain biking with wine and cheese seminars, cooking classes, winemaker dinners and much more. TheWineFestivals.com
