The holidays often bring with them gestures of love, which often also translate to offerings of food.
But, people also get super busy this time of the year so that’s when local eateries, restaurants, diners and lounges can step in to lend a hand. Don’t have time to impress the in-laws with homemade shortbread cookies? No problem, they’re sure to be just as thrilled with a hand-crafted seasonal cocktail or limited-edition menu item.
Parq Vancouver
Christmas brunch buffet
Dec. 24 and 25
10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Menu highlights include fried chicken and waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, fresh fruits and vegetables, continental items, smoked salmon and more.
Christmas dinner buffet
Dec. 24 and 25
5 to 9 p.m.
Guests can fill up from a huge selection of Christmas dinner classics served buffet style, including, turkey, chestnut bread, smashed yams, fresh salads and a selection of desserts. A Christmas cocktail cart with egg nog and mulled wine will also be available.
Christmas Eve long table dinner and limited-edition holiday seafood platters
Dec. 24
The Holy Crab invites guests to get into the festive spirit during the restaurant's first-ever communal dinner. The multi-course Christmas Eve Long Table Dinner begins with a celebratory glass of bubbles and seasonal soup course followed by The Holy Crab's infamous seafood boil tossed in house-made Cajun seasoning sauce and delectable beignets for dessert.
For an additional $15, guests can select three beer pairings from the restaurant's lineup of draft brews, which includes The Holy Crab Lager by Parallel 49, Sleeman's Honey Brown Lager, Granville Island Brewing's Northwest Pale Ale and Vancouver Island Brewing's Broken Island Hazy IPA.
Orphan’s Dinner
Dec. 23
Enjoy a roast beef dinner with horseradish cream, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, house-made gravy and optional bread rolls and fresh salad to start, finish with a personal Pavlova. Guests can also enjoy 50 per cent off their new cocktail list for the evening. The diner is also open for brunch on Tuesday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve morning) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kugelhopf
The workshop at Thierry Chocolates is bustling as the team creates exquisite selections ideal for hostess gifts, to adorn your table or to fill stockings. Popular every year are the Kugelhopfs, a sweet, raisin-filled yeast bread.
Also flying out the door are macarons, chocolate dipped marshmallows, gift baskets and, of course, specialty chocolates.
Dec. 24
Executive chef Adam Meade and his culinary team invite guests to tuck into a three-course Christmas Eve Menu, with live carol singers performing in the dining room throughout the meal to enhance the festive experience. The Teahouse Christmas Eve menu offers a choice of slow-roasted prime rib, roasted turkey, B.C. salmon or vegetarian Bolognese, accompanied by fresh seasonal appetizers and decadent desserts.
Christmas Day dinner
On Christmas Day, the Teahouse kitchen will wow guests with a five-course Christmas Day Menu of West-Coast-inspired holiday classics such as slow-roasted prime rib, roast turkey, sablefish and vegetarian Bolognese.
Reservations for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner services can be made online by visiting vancouverdine.com/teahouse.
Feast of the Seven Fishes
Dec. 23 and 24
Guests can once again enjoy Cibo’s annual spin on the Italian “Feast of the Seven Fishes” culinary tradition. For two evenings only, guests can enjoy a seven-course menu showcasing fresh, local seafood in dishes such as salt cod croquettes (sauce maltaise), caviar capellini (chive crème fraîche), involtini of trout (leek, tomato, celery root purée) and seared octopus (guanciale and chili dressing, caramelized fennel).
Prix-fixe dinner
Now through Dec. 28
In honour of the holidays, Feast is offering an elegant prix-fixe dinner menu — in addition to its regular a-la-carte menu. The chef-curated holiday menu features pan-seared foie gras, crispy squid 'flower,' a show-stopping tomahawk steak, and decadent tiramisu for dessert. Available for groups of four or more, reservations can be made online at feastdining.ca until Dec. 28.
Christmas cocktails
Celebrate the season and New Year’s Eve with unique holiday-themed cocktails at Papi’s, including house mulled wine, made up of red wine, apple cider, cloves, star anise and orange essence. Or maybe the Kerry is more your style. The Kerry is how the coastal seafaring Irish enjoy a Christmas morning and with Islay Single Malt, Earl Grey tea, cranberry and charred rosemary, who wouldn’t?
New Year’s Eve cocktails
Enjoy the Venetian NYE, a mix of chilled Prosecco, aperol, lillet and lemon spirit, or the Laughing Wild, made up of Aquavit, Cocci Americano, Creme d’ Violette, lemon and Golden Sparkle.
Special holiday cocktail with recipe
Crème de Vie
Bar manager Wyeth Maiers has created a delicious cocktail, just in time for the holiday season.
Ingredients
1.5 oz. lemon heart spiced rum
1 oz. heavy cream
3/4 oz. holiday syrup (vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, clove)
One whole egg
Bruléed ladyfinger for garnish
Method
For the syrup, add two dashes of the first four spices and half-a-dash of the clove, as well as one ounce of vanilla to 500 mL of simple syrup.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, cream, syrup, and egg. Dry shake without ice. Fill the shaker with ice, and then shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to ensure the egg is well mixed. Strain into an old-fashioned or cocktail glass without ice.
Add a dash of grated nutmeg or cinnamon as a garnish, along with an optional bruléed ladyfinger.
@sthomas10
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