SCENE | HEARD
Red Truck Brewery is opening a new brewery and Truck Stop Diner on June 3 on the site of the city’s original Vancouver Brewery at 295 East 1st Ave. The showpiece will be the new diner, which will have indoor and outdoor seating for 120, with 24 taps. The brewery will also house a growler station and retail store. A live concert series will launch June 13, and watch for brewery tours and live music by early summer. RedTruckBeer.com
The old Raincity Grill space next to English Bay will soon see a new West Coast-themed resto open its doors. Beach Bay Café & Patio comes from the same team behind Uva and Cibo, and will have chef Scott Korzack (L’Abbatoir, Bambudda) at the helm. Andrea Vescovi (formerly of Blue Water Café) is the GM, and opening is set for early or mid-June.
Are you fan of Le Tigre food truck? Get ready to rejoice, because owners Clement Chan and Steve Kuan are expanding into the bricks-and-mortar stream with a new, izakaya-style eatery, Torafuku Modern Asian Eatery in a couple weeks. The menu will be different from the popular food truck, but will follow the same pan-Asian ethos.
Grapes & Soda, the much-anticipated natural wine bar from Farmer’s Apprentice owners David Gunawan and Dara Young has, at long last, officially opened its doors next door at 1541 West 6th Ave. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm-11pm, with happy hour from 5pm-6:30pm featuring 50 per cent off all food. GrapesAndSoda.ca
Vegans and vegetarians, sing a dirge for The Parker, which is closing its doors after last service on June 13, only to open shortly thereafter with a new casual, walk-in concept that will include “carefully selected proteins,” as well as the vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free favourites that the restaurant has become known for. Stay tuned for more info. TheParkerVancouver.com
Secret Location chef Jefferson Alvarez has had to leave the kitchen of the controversial restaurant and retail operation. In his place, Montgomery Lau, former chef de cuisine at Market by Jean-Georges, has taken over and is launching a new menu soon. Here’s hoping we’ll see Alvarez running his own operation in the near future.
DRINK | DINE
The Pop-Up Patio at The Westin Grand is back for the summer starting on June 4. Open every Thursday and Friday evening throughout the summer, this rooftop pool-side patio features live DJ, and a new menu, including watermelon and prawn salad, bbq action station, caramelized chicken wings, baked potato nachos, and happy hour specials 5-6pm. WestinGrandVancouver.com/Vancouver-Patio
Railtown Cafe will be hosting a series of five, street-side Tailgate Barbecue events over the course of the summer, launching on Saturday, June 6, with additional dates on July 4, August 8, September 12, and September 26. Railtown co-owners Dan Olson and Tyler Day will fire up their custom smoker/barbecue barrel from 4 pm to 10 pm on each, and serve up heaping plates of slow-smoked brisket, pork shoulder, beer-brined chicken and sausage, cornbread, corn on the cob, plus your choice of two sides for $16 per person (vegetarian option $10 per person). Price includes one drink ticket. Drink offerings include local breweries Postmark, Driftwood, Red Truck and Strange Fellows, as well as housemade sangria and Lynchburg lemonade, wines by the glass and bottle, and happy hour specials on tap from 4-6 pm. RailtownCafe.ca/Events
