SCENE | HEARD
Top Table Restaurant Group, comprising of West, Cin Cin, Blue Water Café and Araxi restaurants, has been acquired by Aquilini Group. Former proprietor Jack Evrensal will be engaged in a consulting capacity during the transition, and operations remain unchanged.
Vancouver’s first pot-friendly pizzeria has opened on Kingsway. Mega Ill Pizzeria and Café allows patrons to bring in their own cannabis for smoking, as well as renting vaporizers. They will also “medicate” your pizza if you so desire. MegaIll.com
Reflections, the al fresco lounge at Rosewood Hotel Georgia, is re-opening April 1 with a new cocktail and dining menu, as well as a proposal package for couples about to get engaged. RosewoodHotelGeorgia.com
In other rooftop news… Joe Fortes is re-opening its rooftop garden on March 31, weather permitting.
Running now until April 15, Xi Shi Lounge at Shangri-La Hotel is adding an artistic element to its afternoon tea service with its Artist in Residence afternoon tea. Enjoy a Canadian-inspired afternoon tea while enjoying latest works from B.C. photographer Ron Smid. Shangri-La.com/Vancouver
On Saturday, May 10, check out BC’s premier micro-distillery festival, BC Distilled. Check out 16 of the province’s leading small-batch distilleries, plus one from the Yukon, along with their gin, vodka, whiskey and other fine spirits, as well as beverages from Bittered Sling Extracts and SIP Soda, and bites from top local restos. BCDistilled.ca
Chef Paul Moran, last year’s inaugural winner of the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship and fresh from a stage at Michelin-starred Pujol in Mexico City, has taken over as executive chef at Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler.
DRINK | DINE
On Sunday, March 30, La Pentola is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its Famiglia Supper Series with a special nose-to-tail heritage pig dinner featuring Tamworth and Berkshire pork from Thompson Heritage Ranch. $55 for 10+ courses. LaPentola.ca
Dish ‘n Dazzle returns on May 1 to the Vancouver Convention Centre, presented by the BC Hospitality Foundation and New Zealand Wine. Taste 80 wines from 20 wineries paired up with food from 12 of Vancouver’s best restaurants in support of the BC Hospitality Foundation. Early bird tickets are $69 before April 1 (use promo code wnz14).
Looking to get out of town? The Oyosoos 3rd Annual Oyster Festival takes place April 23-27, with tasting events, dinners and more. OooysterFestival.com
Wildebeest is holding a second Four Winds Brewing dinner, following the quick sell-out of their first event. Join chef Wesley Young on April 1 for a five-course beer-paired menu for $69 per person.
One of Cibo Trattoria’s favourite producers is Campagna Farm. On April 2, it’s highlighting the farm-to-table freshness that this Abbotsford farm affords by hosting a four-course beef-themed dinner paired with hand-selected Italian wines. Diners can chat with the farm’s owners, Sandra and Leonardo Zambrano. It’s $99 per person and tickets are avaliable by calling 6-4-602-9570.
This month Whole Foods is raising money for Whole Planet Foundation’s efforts to end poverty. People can support by participating in a Twitter Chat on Thursday. Just log on to Twitter and follow #WFMdish.
Anya Levykh has been writing about all things ingestible for more than 10 years. Hear her every Monday on CBC Radio One’s On the Coast and find her on Twitter @foodgirlfriday and Facebook.com/FoodGirlFriday.
