hired belly’s best restaurants and dining

Bizou+Yukon Celebrate #CanadianRestaurant #TakeOutDay

By |2022-10-05T15:10:27-07:00April 15th, 2020|Dining, Features - sponsored posts, Latest Posts, Wine|

Bizou+Yukon—The Hired Belly’s four legged friends—recently expressed an interest in being guest reviewers, checking out a few take out spots. “Why not,?” we thought. After all, we want to do all we can to help restaurants in these uncertain times.  Bizou+Yukon, are keen observers of the local scene, with impeccable taste, of course—as you’ll see! [...]

Tin Fish Gourmet: A Cookbook for our Times

By |2023-08-01T11:48:18-07:00March 21st, 2020|book reviews, Dining, Latest Posts|

There’s something to be said for holding onto your old cookbooks—well the better ones, anyway. In Tin Fish Gourmet (Raincoast Books, 1998) my long time friend Barbara-jo McIntosh wrote one of the most practical cookbooks ever. Way back then it was pretty innovative. And in these trying times it’s turning [...]

VV Tapas in Strathcona and the Resurgence of True Tapas

By |2020-05-26T11:53:08-07:00March 14th, 2020|Dining, Latest Posts|

Updated May 25th. VV Tapas Lounge will re-open in-house dining as of May 26th, with a NEW menu. 🎉🥂 “We will be open from Tuesday to Saturday from 4:00 pm to close and happy hour will be from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm to close. Pick up and Doordash delivery will continue.”  “In [...]

Glowbal Group puts the wind in Five Sails

By |2020-03-12T08:27:58-07:00March 12th, 2020|Dining, Latest Posts|

“There’s no view in Vancouver anywhere like this,” says Glowbal Group CEO Emad Yacoub. We were sitting by the west-facing windows in the Five Sails Restaurant, just off the soaring Pan Pacific atrium. Yacoub’s company (which operates numerous successful entities) took over the iconic space on January 1, from the accomplished husband and wife team [...]

Vintners Brunch Wraps @Vanwinefest 2020

By |2020-03-04T17:22:47-08:00March 3rd, 2020|Dining, Latest Posts, Wine|

It’s a wrap! Sunday’s Vintners Brunch capped off in style another highly successful Vancouver International Wine Festival. Sponsored by the Vancouver Sun, Vintners Brunch is the week’s undisputed highlight for those lucky enough to attend. After all, it is one of the fastest selling events in the festival. Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre ‘backstage’ [...]

The Harry McWatters Scholarship Fund Announced

By |2023-01-12T07:58:29-08:00February 13th, 2020|Dining, Latest Posts, Wine|

Okanagan College and the Chefs’ Table Society of British Columbia are honouring the late Harry McWatters with a major scholarship, awarded to qualifying Okanagan College students who identify specific opportunities to pursue food and wine studies overseas. The Harry McWatters Scholarship will be adjudicated by Okanagan College. Chefs’ Table is launching the fund with an initial contribution of $2,000 [...]

5 Reasons to Relish Dine Out Vancouver 2020

By |2023-02-04T08:47:10-08:00January 22nd, 2020|Dining, Latest Posts|

With 18 years of Dine Out under my (thankfully elastic) belt, a few hours spent clicking through the current festival’s menu offerings has me convinced that this is one of the best lineups yet. There are plenty of good reasons to relish Dine Out Vancouver. While the festival has grown to include many more special [...]

Dine Out Vancouver: A Plethora of Perfect Pies

By |2023-01-15T14:24:04-08:00January 11th, 2020|Dining, Latest Posts|

The owner chef of on-line pie purveyor Gaia Kitchen, Lee’s pies took centre stage—and rightly so. From salmon en croûte, and steak stout mushroom (perfect with Strange Fellows Blackmail Stout) to Duck Cherry Goat Cheese, her butter double crust pies are superb.

Farina a Legna Lights Up Lower Lonsdale

By |2019-10-25T12:15:30-07:00October 25th, 2019|Dining, Latest Posts|

Just a few steps from Lonsdale Quay, the remarkable evolution of Lower Lonsdale continues at a rapid pace. It seems this new community has blossomed almost overnight (well, in a few short years). However, it's surprising so many Vancouverites don’t realize just how close to downtown this bustling North Shore mecca is.  Yet one more [...]

West Restaurant to Close after 20 years

By |2020-01-06T17:57:37-08:00October 9th, 2019|Dining, Latest Posts|

Toptable Group has announced that award-winning West Restaurant + Bar will close at year end. It will not be renewing its lease. It's by no means official. But I'll hazard a pretty good guess that the cost of the new lease didn't make sense to continue. The building is also possibly slated for development. The closing [...]

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