R&B Brewing’s third release in their popular Chef Series is chef Robert Belcham’s Burnt Citrus Fruit Pork Bone Charcoaled Filtered Black ESB. The beer is filtered through 30 pounds of charred pork bones, with notes of burnt lemon, orange and grapefruit. Available in private beer and wine stores in 650mL bottles and on tap at participating restaurants, including Campagnolo, Upstairs at Campagnolo and Campagnolo Roma.
Thomas Haas has created a special chocolate work of art designed to mark the Year of the Sheep. The sculpture features a chocolate backsplash inset with a red-accented Chinese character denoting “sheep” and a coloured edible mandarin orange filled with eight gold-foiled chocolate coins, which symbolize the sheep’s place as the eighth sign in the Chinese zodiac. $38 at the Kitsilano and North Vancouver locations.
Valentine’s Day deal…Wild Rice is offering a special dinner for $60 per couple (two Kir Royales can be added for only $10 more). The dinner includes a seared scallop amuse, a family-style platter of seared shrimp with jasmine rice pilaf; asparagus, radish, cucumber, green onion and potato salad with sesame vinaigrette; and braised organic beef shortrib, parsnip puree, grilled scallions and vanilla red wine jus, followed by dessert of mountainberry and vanilla rooibos tea-infused cream puffs with chocolate ganache.
Salt Tasting Room in Gastown is also offering up a lovely deal. $60 per person gets you a starter, tasting plate and a shared dessert.
L’Abbatoir is offering a special three-course Valentine’s menu in its new private dining room. Dishes include smoked salmon with fresh sourdough, crème fraiche and roe; roasted prime rib of beef with potato gratin, mushrooms with sauce perigord; and honey cake with white chocolate cremeux, grapefruit and lime. Also included is a welcome cocktail from bartender Shaun Layton, as well as specially selected wines for each course. Tickets are $125 per person, and include all beverages, taxes and gratuities.
The Vancouver Winter Farmers’ Market will be holding its annual Food Truck Fest, which serves as an audition for its busy summer markets rosters, every Saturday in February. The market will also be moving from Nat Bailey Stadium to Riley Park on Feb. 14.
Café Pacifica at Fairmont Waterfront Hotel is offering a special Chinese New Year brunch on Feb. 22. Menu includes a variety of salads, Chinese cold cuts including pork hocks, beef shank and jelly fish; smoked meats, juice station, baked goods, chilled seafood, sushi, omelette station, wok station, steamed rock cod, grilled quail, dim sum, carving station and dessert buffet. $52 per person, $26 for kids aged six to 12.
The Eat! Vancouver Food & Cooking Festival has expanded this year to a full week, with over 35 unique culinary events, as well as the three-day tasting festival. New events this year include collaborative chef dinner series; hands-on workshops at restaurants, chefs’ private homes and artisan kitchens throughout the city; a Canadian Flavours Gala and a hospitality symposium, as well as 250 exhibitors at BC Place. Tickets go on sale March 5.
Chef Lee Humphries, formerly of Local Lounge & Grille in Summerland, has been appointed director of culinary operations, and Damian Mischkinis, Humphries’ sous chef at Local, is now chef de cuisine at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery’s The Sonora Room Restaurant.
Okanagan Crush Pad is releasing a special Haywire Pink Bub for Valentine’s Day, with crisp green apple and light cherry notes, as well as the Baby Bub, a pale rose bubbly with strawberry, raspberry and lime notes. $24.90/$13.90 respectively, with $2 from every bottle sold donated to Pacific Assistance Dogs Society.
