THE GOODS FROM DINE OUT VANCOUVER

The 15th annual Dine Out Vancouver is almost upon us! Running from January 20th to February 5th, the massive festival is Canada’s largest celebration of food and drink, drawing more than 100,000 visitors and locals alike to over 280 restaurants for special three course prix fixe menus at great price points ($20, $30, $40). Presented by Tourism Vancouver, the festival promotes local and regional ingredients, the wines of British Columbia, and – most deliciously – Vancouver’s exceptional culinary talent. To see which restaurants are involved and to browse all the menus, click here.

In addition to its hundreds of prix fixe options, the festival showcases a series of exciting culinary events. Dine Out is packed with a veritable chefs’ table of delicious and altogether unique experiences crafted by Vancouver’s top chefs, restaurateurs and food experts. The mix includes the return of the wildly popular Vancouver World Chef Exchange, presented in partnership with Air Canada and The Westin Bayshore (a series of collaborative dinners that pair top chefs from London, New York, San Francisco, Mexico City and Galway with local chefs to produce powerhouse feasts in the local chef’s home restaurant); an OceanWise Pop-Up at the Vancouver Aquarium (Chef Ned Bell hosts a sustainability-focused dinner enhanced by an interactive experience at the Discover Rays touch pool); a Robbie Burns Celebration at YEW Seafood + Bar (Lauren Mote and Jonathan Chovancek bring back their Bittered Sling Bistro for this Scottish feast attended by special guest Charles Joly – a World Class Global Champion bartender, James Beard award winner and founder of Crafthouse Cocktails); Lunar New Year at Heritage Asian Eatery (an intimate, family-style dining experience featuring 10 exotic courses crafted by Chef Felix Zhou); and many more.

What’s Hot for 2017:

– Available for select events, Club Amuse-bouche allows diners with discerning tastes to purchase premium tickets for VIP perks ranging from cocktail receptions to chef meet-and-greets.

– Winter is the perfect excuse to cozy up with stick-to-your-bones comfort meals, and Dine Out has you covered. Check out Mamie Taylor’s Low Country Pig Roast (a whole-roast suckling pig carved table-side, sweet potato cheddar biscuits and apple pie with Kentucky whisky pudding, and Craft Beer and Food Pairing Tour (Vancouver Brewery Tours showcases perfect pairings at local craft beer mainstays).

– Vancouver’s cocktail scene is off the charts, and this year’s Dine Out is infused with spirits – from Lauren Mote’s series of cocktail masterclasses (three classes explore a different significant spirits region, including France, Scotland and Latin America; the fourth schools participants in Bitters 101) to a whisky-themed hotel package at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (including whisky-infused dinner, a reception in the hotel’s clandestine speakeasy, and a private class in roll-the-dice cocktail-making).

– Beat the post-holiday blues by splashing out on a wild-and-crazy culinary escapade. Travel back to the ‘30s and spend the evening in a secret speakeasy on Swallow Tail Tours’ Secret Supper Soiree; explore the best of both worlds with a coffee-and-beer tour; or take a trip Down Under at Café Medina’s Australia Day Wine Dinner. Because food should be fun, and you deserve it!

Making Dine Out all the more attractive to out-of-towners and locals looking to make a night of it are special “Dine and Stay” packages, discounted hotel rates ($110 or $140 per night) and luxe “Amuse-Bouche” overnight experiences that pair accommodation with once-in-a-lifetime gastronomic adventures (like a private cocktail class and whisky dinner at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver). The complete list of participating hotels can be found here along with package information and booking details.

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Web links: Festival information www.dineoutvancouver.com | Menus www.dineoutvancouver.com/restaurants
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