Belly’s Budget Best

BC Riesling Deal Alert: Peller Estates VQA Private Reserve Dry Riesling 2011

August 2, 2013
Eagle-eyed observers will know that Peller Okanagan Dry Riesling heralded in this year

 Peller Okanagan (Similkameen?) Dry Riesling If you move really quickly you can buy Andrew Peller Private Reserve (VQA) Dry Riesling for just over $11 at BC Liquor Stores.  Believe me, as they say “while stocks last”, it’s worth it. I can’t say for sure (as I don’t have my notes handy) but I’m fairly sure […]

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Belly’s Budget Best: Seven Summer Sippers

August 2, 2013
This absolutely unique wine is always on our Go-To summer

In sippers, Picpoul Rules   There’s no rhyme nor reason to this list. Just a few decent and, above all, pretty wallet friendly whites, perfect for value-driven summer sipping. You can pin this one to the fridge!  We’re also working on a better way to feature many more Belly’s Best picks … • Ormarine Picpoul […]

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Chicha Brings Vibrant, Modern Peruvian Cuisine to Vancouver

July 12, 2013
A Chicha highlight: quinoa salad with red onion, mango and avocado plus jalapeño and Haucatay dressing

Chicha: tasty, healthy and novel plates Chicha, 136 East Broadway, between Quebec and Main, 604-620-3693. Open for dinner nightly; for lunch maybe in the fall.   Even after more than a few years in this business, I never fail to be impressed when people hit the ground running. When I bumped into chef Shelome Bouvette, […]

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Fat Bastard Revisited and Gabrielle Meffre at Le Crocodile (Video)

April 20, 2013
Best selling Fat Bastard Chardonnay

I’m not sure why but I always figured that cheekily named “Fat Bastard” had to have something to do either with the guy who might drink it (me) or the guys who made it—Thierry Boudinaud and Guy Anderson. But here’s the real story, as told by Fat Bastard co-owner (and Gabrielle Meffre globe-trotting sommelier) Anthony Taylor.   […]

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Colby Red: A Good News Wine Story with Real Heart

March 7, 2013
Daryl Groom: serious passion for a cause that

When I interviewed Daryl Groom a couple of weeks ago, it was first and foremost to talk about Colby Red. However, how could I hang with Daryl Groom and not talk about his remarkable career, which saw him emerge as one of the original “flying winemakers”, going back to the time when he was senior […]

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Belly Up to Que Guapo: A Bargain Taste of the Barrio

February 22, 2013
Que Guapo - it means "You

I’m always looking for ways to re-live last fall’s visit to Argentina, and to remind me of my first visit to Buenos Aires—a truly remarkable city that’s not just big (Greater BA is home to 12.8 million) but amazingly diverse and culturally fascinating. Here’s a wine that’s a fitting salute to one area. And you can’t […]

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Hired Belly’s Best Dine Out Vancouver $28 Menus with Wine Pairings

January 17, 2013
Dine Out offers a chance to experience Maenam

The $28 menu selections are probably the toughest to sort through, because they represent the most competitive price point. It’s good to see so much action here; and we’ve tried be somewhat eclectic in our choice. Any middle to upper tier place where you can enjoy a three course dinner for two plus glasses of […]

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Some Great $18 Dine Out Vancouver Picks – Plus a Smorgasbord of Events

January 16, 2013
Edible Canada

Dine Out Vancouver Festival (Jan 18-Feb 3) kicks into high gear this weekend.  You could spend a lot of time sifting through DoV’s three tiers of menu offerings, which on the surface appear to have grown yet again this year. For the most part they’re still a good deal, at least, the menu prices haven’t increased over […]

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12 Newbies in 2012 That Made Vancouver’s Dining Scene Even Better

December 18, 2012

One of the hazards of writing “Best of” / “Year End” lists is that you’re guaranteed to miss one (or more)—even more likely if you’ve been waging a kleenex demolition derby against the lurgy sweeping through Vancouver these days. That said, here’s a greatly expanded version of our best dining newcomers column that ran in […]

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Eight Perky Sparklers to Get You in the Holiday Mood

December 17, 2012

Thinking of buying some bubbles in the next few days? You’re not alone. By far the majority of Champagne quaffed during the year is consumed during the holidays—and the same goes for sparkling wine. Here in the swank surroundings of Hired Belly corporate HQ, while we relish the taste of Champagne as much as anyone, […]

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