Le Vieux Pin wine maker’s dinner at Yew Restaurant and Bar; It’s Bin 10 years; Trafalgar’s Bistro partners tie the knot; President Obama served Quails’ Gate Chenin Blanc during Ottawa visit; Dimming for dinner at C, NU, and Raincity Grill for Earth Hour.
LE VIEUX PIN WINE MAKER’S DINNER
In anticipation for the upcoming Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Le Vieux Pin has teamed up with YEW Restaurant and Bar for a wine maker’s dinner on Thursday March 19th. YEW has created a 5 course menu paired perfectly to highlight the elegance and complexity of 6 different Le Vieux Pin wines for $150. Dinner includes taxes and gratuities.
The evening will begin at 7:00 p.m. and reservations can be made directly with YEW at 604-692-4939
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IT’S BIN 10 YEARS
Vancouver, BC… It has been 10 years since Chef/Owner Gord Martin opened the doors at Bin 941 and 942 Tapas Parlours, introducing Vancouverites to his tapas-inspired “tapatisers” and “tongue twisters”. Now, ten years later, it’s time for a costume change. Keeping with their existing vibe, Martin has updated the Bins by adding a few new and eclectic décor pieces, many of which have been acquired during his extensive travels around the world. In addition, Broadway’s casual and elegant Bin 942 Tapas Parlour sees a new bar and seating, while Davie Street’s Bin 941 Tapas Parlour has been further funkified with updates to the flooring and bar.
Alongside the physical revamp, the menus at both Bin 941 and 942 have seen some changes inspired by global flavours and created with local ingredients where possible. While fan favourites such as East West Crab Cakes with burnt orange chipotle sauce, charred baby bok choy, cucumber salsa, tobiko, Steamed Cortez Island Mussels, and Navajo fry bread with Kalamata black olive homous and/or goat cheese oven dried tomato salsa remain, there are a multitude of new items to seduce your senses. New dishes now appearing on the menu at Bin 941 include: Plum Wine Ginger Glazed Pork Belly with pan-seared Qualicum Bay scallops, white miso ice wine glace, shitake mushroom gai lan pan salad, and Risotto with crimini mushroom, black truffle cream, shaved parmigiano reggiano. Joining the Bin 942 line-up are: Cedar Wrapped Salmon, on the grill, with sticky black thai rice shitake mushroom cake, warm winter greens, candied salmon vinaigrette, and Kobe Beef Meatballs as contemporary stroganoff, black truffle pinot noir sauce, hand-cut papardelle, creme fraiche, mascarpone garnish, among others. In addition to these new menu items, look for pinxos coming to a Bin near you this spring. For more information, please visit www.bin941.com or call Bin 941 at 604.683.1246 or Bin 942 at 604.734.9421.
A repertoire of tapas-inspired small, affordable sharing plates, a superb selection of wines by the glass and an array of local micro-brewed beers make it easy to sample a variety of tastes. Proving they are still leader of the pack after ten years, the Bins have once again been named Best Tapas by the readers of the WestEnder. Bin 941 Tapas Parlour is located at 941 Davie Street at Burrard; Bin 942 is located at 1521 West Broadway at Granville. Seating is first-come, first-served. The Bins are open from 5:00pm to 2:00am daily (midnight on Sundays), indulging early diners and late-night cravings. For information, call Bin 941 at 604.683.1246 or Bin 942 at 604.734.9421.
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LONG-TIME COUPLE AND TRAFALGAR’S BISTRO BUSINESS PARTNERS TIE THE KNOT AFTER 25 YEARS AT VALENTINES WEEKEND WEDDING
VANCOUVER, BC – Partners in life for 25 years and partners in business for 16, Lorne Tyczenski and Stephen Greenham, owners of Sweet Obsession Cakes and Pastries and Trafalgars Bistro, were legally married on Sunday, February 16 before a group of 100 or so assembled family and friends. Guests came from as far away as Halifax, Ottawa and Santa Cruz, CA.
The wedding took place at an art-filled ocean-view 6,000-square foot private home on the University of British Columbia Endowment Lands. Guests were treated to champagne, a margarita toast and lavish tapas prepared by Trafalgars Bistro Head Chef Chris Moran and Sous-chef Chris Beltrano.
The couple chose to forego the traditional “two grooms on a caketop” and opted for a simple, yet elegantly designed Sweet Obsession wedding cake adorned with fresh flowers in an early spring theme, designed by Greenham himself.
Wedding gifts (gratefully received) in the form of cash were donated to the Guatemala Project, the educational charity founded by Vancouver’s Dr. Ellen Coburn, Covenant House and the Jewish Muslim Feed the Hungry Project. The newlyweds plan a honeymoon in Oaxaca, Mexico.
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PRESIDENT OBAMA SERVED QUAILS’ GATE CHENIN BLANC DURING OTTAWA VISIT
Kelowna, BC, February 20, 2009- Quails’ Gate 2007 Chenin Blanc was the exclusive British Columbia wine served to US President Barack Obama during his luncheon with Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday in Ottawa.
Proprietor Tony Stewart was elated by the news, calling it “an historic honour for Quails’ Gate” and “an endorsement of the
highest regard.”
“To have Quails’ Gate’s wine as one of President Obama’s first impressions of our nation during his inaugural visit to Canada is not only an honour, it’s recognition of the effort and passion we put into our vineyards and our wines,” explained Stewart. “We’re exceedingly proud to have represented the Okanagan Valley and the entire British Columbia wine industry to the American President.”
The Chenin Blanc is harvested entirely from the Quails’ Gate Estate vineyards from 12 to 15 year old vines. The soil is rich in volcanic rock and glacial till, which gives the wine great depth. The wine varietals are Chenin Blanc (90%) and Sauvignon Blanc (10%). Winemaker Grant Stanley describes Quails’ Gate’s 2007 Chenin Blanc as a rush of exuberant fruit flavours, zesty lemons, limes and melons that mingle with subtle notes of gooseberry and boxwood, and as the definitive BC oyster wine.
The Quails’ Gate Chenin Blanc accompanied menu selections including Pacific coast yellowfin tuna and maple and miso cured Nunavut wild Arctic char. The other Canadian wines on the menu were:
- Stratus Vineyards Red 2002 (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario)
- La Face Cachee de la Pomme Neige Ice Wine 2005 (Hemmingford, Quebec)
Renowned producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Quails’ Gate currently farms over 200 acres of vineyards and have won such prestigious awards as Best New World Chardonnay and Best of Varietal (Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay 2005 ) at the New World International Wine Competition. Quails’ Gate was also recently awarded Best Light Red at the Vancouver Magazine Wine Awards for the 2006 Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir, and a Silver Medal at the 2008 Canadian Wine Awards for the 2006 Chenin Blanc.
Quails’ Gate Estate Winery is nestled in the beautiful Okanagan Valley. Our 125-acre Estate vineyard, located on the shores of Lake Okanagan, is owned and operated by the Stewart Family, pioneering horticulturists in the Okanagan for 100 years. We invite you to visit us daily, year round in the Wineshop and Old Vines Restaurant for a unique taste of the Okanagan.
www.quailsgate.com
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DIMMING FOR DINNER
RAINCITY GRILL, C RESTAURANT, NU RESTAURANT + LOUNGE TO PARTICIPATE IN EARTH HOUR
Vancouver, BC… For the second consecutive year, Raincity Grill, C Restaurant and nu restaurant + lounge will shut off the lights for an hour on Saturday, March 28th in observation of one of the world’s biggest climate change initiatives – Earth Hour™. Last year, Harry Kambolis’ three dining hotspots were the first independently owned group of restaurants in Vancouver to participate in Earth Hour, flipping the switch not only in the dining rooms but also in the kitchens, where his talented brigade prepared meals by candlelight. For more information, or to make your Earth Hour reservation please contact Raincity Grill at 604-685-7337; C Restaurant at 604-661-1164; nu restaurant + lounge at 604-646-4668.
Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, during which more than 2 million businesses and residents turned off their lights for one hour, reducing Sydney’s energy consumption by 10% for that hour. This simple, yet powerful act has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world. As a result, in 2008 Earth Hour went global with the participation of over 35 countries worldwide. This year, at 8:30pm on March 28, join Harry Kambolis and his restaurants alongside millions of people across the globe as we unite and switch off for Earth Hour. For more information on Earth Hour and how to participate visit www.earthhour.org and www.earthhourcanada.org.
Raincity Grill, opened in 1992, introduced Vancouver diners to new concepts; first, focusing on their own region for a dining experience and secondly, the ability of a small restaurant to offer over 100 wines by the glass. C Restaurant opened in 1997, as Vancouver’s first contemporary seafood restaurant. C has broadened the horizons for seafood lovers and the Vancouver food industry by developing awareness of sustainable seafood choices. Open September of 2005, nu restaurant + lounge is a waterfront restaurant, steps away from sister restaurant C. Sleek, sexy and affordable, nu offers farm to table cuisine; from nibbles to principal plates, late night desserts and designer cocktails all day long. Check them out online at www.raincitygrill.com, www.crestaurant.com and www.whatisnu.com.
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