The real deals: Best value Wines. Best value bites. Budget conscious picks of what to drink and where to dine.
The View's Hail Mary white blend. More than just a wing and a prayer Yesterday’s BC Bloom spring release tasting yielded up a wealth of wines, especially in the category of decent white blends, which I’m gearing up for summer. (We also judged a whole bunch of them at the All Canadian Wine [...]
Taas, a tasty starter plate of grilled lamb with puffed rice, garnished with fresh cilantro, Tim Pawsey photo (Updated May 8, 2014) Upstairs restaurants (i.e. those without any significant street level presence) can be notoriously challenging. In a business where 'location, location, location' is everything, you can count one hand those in downtown [...]
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 [...]
Dine Out Vancouver: It's about food and wine UPDATED, Jan 16, 2014. The Trouble with Dine Out Lists... Is that you're guaranteed to miss not only a few worthy restos but likely many. So be it. However, here, in random order (i.e. as I think about them or hear about them from reliable sources), is [...]
UPDATED, April 16, 2017. Change of ownership. UPDATED, NOV 26TH, 2013... Siena Offers Granville Shoppers 15% Off! (from the release) Siena Restaurant is getting in the holiday spirit by rewarding South Granville merchant shoppers with a 15% discount when they show a purchase receipt. Step outside the mall and take a walk down South [...]
Matias Rios explains Cono Sur's new single vineyard range UPDATED: No thanks, not for wine, anyway! Last night I got a chance to re-taste the Cono Sur Viento Mar Block 21 Pinot Noir 2011 mentioned below. I'm sorry, I don't care how casual and 'friendly' they are, these kinds of [...]
Peller Okanagan (Similkameen?) Dry Riesling A few insiders will know that Peller Okanagan Dry Riesling heralded in this year's garlic crop! 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 [...]
In sippers, Picpoul Rules This unique wine is always on our Go-To summer 'fridge' list 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 [...]
Chicha: tasty, healthy and novel plates A Chicha highlight: quinoa salad with red onion, mango and avocado plus jalapeño and Haucatay dressing 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 [...]
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. [...]
