Okanagan Crush Pad has released the latest wine in its annual Okanagan Wine Campus mentorship program. The collaboration allows a different Vancouver sommelier each year to make their own small lot wine using the grape variety and in the style of wine they wish. This year’s sommelier is Jill Spoor of Botanist Restaurant at Fairmont Pacific Rim. Her wine is a white terroir blend featuring Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. The wine has a nicely rounded mouth feel with juicy green melon notes and a refreshing lime finish. Find it at Botanist Restaurant and select private wine stores, as well as at Okanagan Crush Pad. Proceeds from the sale of the wine go to the BC Hospitality Foundation to support students pursuing higher-level wine education certification. okanagancrushpad.com
Choices Markets has now made the commitment to now sell only fresh, Ocean Wise seafood. The local BC chain joined the Ocean Wise program in 2011 and has gradually been working up to making its seafood selection completely sustainable. Choices now offers organic farmed sturgeon, Arctic char, BC wild sockeye salmon, halibut, cod, prawns and more. choicesmarkets.com
Canada Day might be over, but the celebrations in honour of our country’s 150th are still going strong. Yew Seafood and Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel has created an “East Coast-West Coast” burger that might just require three fists to properly hold and devour. Available now through to Labour Day, this ode to both coasts ($50) features wild salmon filet, maple syrup-glazed lobster tail, back bacon, tomato, lettuce and avocado, all on a housemade toasted brioche bun and sided with hand-cut waffle fries. Pair it with the Rocky Mountain Caesar ($16), a smoky concoction featuring Canadian Club Whiskey, Clamato, adobo peppers, maple syrup, olive juice, lime and bacon. yewseafood.com
Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver will be holding its first-ever public long table dinner on Friday, July 21. The outdoor event will take place on the hotel’s pool deck, long considered to be one of the city’s secret sanctuaries. Enjoy the mountain and city views while enjoying the multi-course meal. Dishes include albacore tataki with charred asparagus, halibut ceviche, whiskey-cured salmon with lemon confit and smoked crème fraiche, lamb loin stuffed with tomato and artichoke, charred sweet corn polenta, desserts and more. Tickets $150 via Eventbrite, including wine pairings from Le Vieux Pin and La Stella wineries. There will also be a cash bar. fourseasons.com/vancouver
Provence Marinaside is once again holding its Lobster Fest during the month of July. The three-course menu from executive chef Jean-Francis Quaglia and chef de cuisine Sheldon Maloff is $62, with optional wine pairings from wine director Joshua Carlson available for an additional $26 (mini-pours available for $16). Menu options include lobster salad, lobster Thermidor, traditional whole lobster steamed, grilled or sautéed Provençal-style, whole lobster gratin, grilled sockeye salmon with butter-poached lobster, and strawberry-rhubarb shortcake. provencemarinaside.ca
Coast Restaurant is now serving weekend brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. The menu includes the restaurant’s signature seafood towers and chilled shellfish, as well as lobster omelette, stuffed French toast, fried chicken and waffles, seafood chowders, smoked salmon flatbread, ahi tuna poké, oysters, fresh fish and more. coastrestaurant.ca
Brand-new Vancouver beer brand Two Wolves has launched its first two brews, a bright Arctic Blonde Ale and a rich Great Plains Brown Ale. Two Wolves will donate five cents from the sale of every can and bottle across the country to supporting the protection of wolf habitats in Canada and aiding in the prevention of their extinction. Find the beers at retail outlets and hospitality establishments through Western Canada starting this month. twowolvesbrewing.ca
On Wednesday, July 5, H2 Rotisserie and Bar is launching their monthly al fresco long table wine dinners. The dinners, set on the restaurant’s 30-seat patio and paired with BC wines, will feature dishes such as shellfish bisque, beef tartare, stuffed morels with bone marrow, halibut with scallop and strawberry shortcake. The dinners occur on July 5, August 16 and Sept. 14. Tickets $150 per person. westinbayshore.com/long-table
On Wednesday, July 19, chef David Gunawan of Farmer’s Apprentice will welcome Jonathan Tam of Copenhagen’s Michelin-starred Relæ for a special guest chef collaborative dinner. Featuring two seatings at 6pm and 8:30pm, the multi-course dinner includes an amuse bouche and dessert, as well as wine pairings from wine director Kieran Fearing, for $150 per person. Highlighted ingredients include cucumber, oyster, celtuce, Dungeness crab, lamb and green strawberry. farmersapprentice.ca
