Giardino: Umberto’s Latest Almost Open

By |2021-01-23T15:36:53-08:00June 16th, 2015|Belly's Best Bites, Dining|

Umberto: You'll be impressed, Updated: Now Open. See below...   Giardino is just about ready to welcome its first, lucky guests. And judging by the number of enquiries on this site, there is no more highly anticipated event on the culinary calendar than Umberto Menghi’s return to Vancouver. In the past couple of [...]

Cactus Club Wine Matches: Try this at Home

By |2022-10-08T09:09:19-07:00December 2nd, 2014|Sustainable, Wine|

Cactus Club exec chef Rob Feenie and sommelier-service director Sebastien Le Goff Scratch the surface of a Cactus Club wine list and you’ll often find what constitutes an unlikely line-up of wines—for what we now refer to as “Casual Fine Dining” restaurants. Much of the reason for more interesting than usual selections (especially [...]

First Bites at Vancouver’s Fat Badger

By |2019-01-17T07:39:54-08:00June 15th, 2014|Beer, Belly's Best Bites|

The Fat Badger: making good use of a familiar space CLOSED   I knew when I walked into The Fat Badger (1616 Alberni St., Vancouver) for the first time that it would stir my emotions. After all, there are few buildings in Vancouver with which I have a stronger connection than this West End [...]

The RawBar at Fairmont Pacific Rim: Vancouver’s First All Ocean Wise Sushi Bar

By |2023-07-29T09:19:25-07:00March 14th, 2014|Belly's Best Bites, Sustainable|

Fairmont Pacific Rim Rawbar dragon and motoyaki rolls I’m always annoyed intrigued by people who scoff at the idea of Vancouver becoming a truly  “green city.” Maybe it’s just so much an entrenched part of the Canadian psyche: a feeling that progress and innovation always have to come from outside. Much in the [...]

Chinese Restaurant Awards: 2014 Diners Choice Winners

By |2021-11-20T08:39:04-08:00March 10th, 2014|Belly's Best Bites|

  Landmark Restaurant's Geoduck hotpot (CRA supplied)  Just announced: the winners of the 2014 Chinese Restaurant Awards, Diners’ Choice, as tabulated from 19,612 ballots. The Chinese Restaurant Awards have grown from small beginnings into a hotly contested process that focuses a much needed spotlight on the top Chinese tastes in Metro Vancouver. The awards [...]

The Roof at Hotel Vancouver Re-Opens as a Pop Up

By |2018-01-21T15:05:18-08:00February 4th, 2014|Belly's Best Bites, Travel|

The Roof is back! Martinis too, Tim Pawsey photo UPDATED, March 25th, 2014... From the announcement: "…It’s official – The Roof is now open!   After several unexpected delays, the doors swung open this morning.   Thank you for your patience and on behalf of the team at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, we look forward [...]

Wild Rice Closes Groundbreaking Original

By |2021-01-23T15:30:30-08:00February 2nd, 2014|Belly's Best Bites|

Andrew Wong & chef Stu Irving (who went on to open Cobre). Hmmm, sure took some awkward pics in those days! Wild Rice, Andrew Wong’s trend-setting downtown room at Vancouver’s Pender and Carrall streets, has closed. Wong has decided to focus his energies entirely on Wild Rice Bistro at River Market, in New Westminster. I’m [...]

Il Giardino to Re-Open: Umberto Menghi’s Iconic Room to Rise Again

By |2018-04-04T16:40:33-07:00January 30th, 2014|Belly's Best Bites, Dining|

Il Giardino, Umberto’s much lamented restaurant, which he closed last spring to make way for redevelopment, may well resurface just up the street. It appears that once Umberto realised just how much Il Giardino really meant to people he wasted little time in seeking out a new home for his flagship, long running room. I’ve [...]

Hail forage! Where Caesar Rules!

By |2018-01-21T15:05:19-08:00January 28th, 2014|Belly's Best Bites, Cocktails, Ocean Wise|

The well foraged Caesar, TP photo If you're a regular visitor here (and if you're not, why not subscribe?!) You'll know that I have a lot of time for what goes down at forage. (1300 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-661-1400) Right now they're in the midst of Dine Out madness—serving upwards of 200 customers [...]

Dazzled by the dumplings at Lin. Again!

By |2018-01-21T15:05:19-08:00January 23rd, 2014|Belly's Best Bites, Belly's Budget Best, Restaurant Reviews|

Six delicious little juicy packets You will no doubt be horrified to learn that the Hired Belly can be fickle, even, occasionally, weak-willed—especially when it comes to certain foods. Nevertheless, I’ve learned over the years that the path of least resistance is usually the most prudent course of action. The other day I [...]

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