SCENE | HEARD
Truffles Fine Foods & Catering, the popular café at VanDusen Botanical Garden, has opened a new stand-alone location called Kitchen at 785 Davie Street. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. TrufflesFineFoods.com
Sean Heather, proprietor of Heather Hospitality Group, which includes The Irish Heather, Shebeen, Salt Tasting Room, et al, has sold Bitter Tasting Room to Lightheart Hospitality, owners of Darby’s in Kitsilano. The new owners intend to keep the same name and concept.
The Vancouver regional finalists have been announced in the Hawksworth Young Chef Competition. First place went to Kevin Tang of Shangri-La Hotel. The other finalist was Keith Hodgson of Rosewood Hotel Georgia. The final round of the competition will take place this September at Vancouver Community College. HawksworthScholarship.com
Patrick Corsi, formerly of the Quattro group of restaurants, has announced he is opening a new restaurant this July. Baccano Osteria-Bar will open at 1889 West 1st in Kitsilano, in the old Smoking Dog space.
DRINK | DINE
Yew Seafood & Bar is offering some surf ‘n’ turf specials for Father’s Day this Sunday, June 21. The Father’s Day brunch is $59 per person, or go for the $69 dinner menu, which includes a beer or Caesar for dad. YewSeafood.com
On June 25, Basilio Pesce of Toronto’s Porzia will be joining chef Robert Belcham in the Campagnolo kitchen for a special collaborative dinner. Fratello (“brother” in Italian) will include a five-course dinner, beverage pairings, and a copy of the summer issue of Montecristo magazine. Tickets $100. CampagnoloFratello.Eventbrite.com
On June 27, come out to Wise Hall on Main Street for Garagiste North: The Small Guys Wine Festival. Taste the small-batch wines (under 2,000 cases annually) from more than 20 local winemakers at this annual event. Tickets $49. GaragisteNorth.com
On Sunday, June 28, The Acorn Restaurant and Kanazawa Wines from the Naramata Bench are partnering for an exclusive evening titled Vintage + Veg. The five-course vegetarian dinner with wine pairings is $95 per person, including tax. TheAcornRestaurant.ca
On Friday, July 10, chef Jefferson Alvarez, in partnership with Txotx Basque Imports, will be holding a pop-up traditional Basque Pintxos Bar at Propaganda Coffee at 209 East Pender. Along with a lot of pintxos, two glasses of Txakoli and Sidra are included. Tickets $75 plus tax and gratuity. ChefJAlvarez.com
On Wednesday, August 12, the BC chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier presents Summerdine, a unique dinner party hosted simultaneously at more than 30 different restaurants, wineries, cooking schools and culinary venues across the province. Held in support of their scholarship and outreach programs, tickets are $79 per person for a multi-course dinner with wine (each venue offers a unique menu). Greater Vancouver locations include gluten-free dinner for eight at Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks created by chef Jennifer Peters of Nextjen Gluten Free, six seats at the Chef’s Table in the newly renovated Provence Marinaside, and many more. See the full list of venues at LesDames.ca/Summerdine.
