The city was awash in nationalism as long repressed flag waving urges exploded and poured onto the streets of Vancouver like some giant billion dollar champagne beer bottle spraying out thousands of rabid superfans yesterday; the symbolic final battle (a.k.a. Greatest NHL script ever imagined) against our fellow continental bully brothers in a dramatic game of ice hockey swiftly sabrered off the lid of our bottled up conservative nature and unleashed terrific pandemonium, thus revealing ourselves in full patriotic bloom as a nation proud, strong and free, and quite capable of consuming more beer in 17 days than any other winter loving people. Wow, what a party that was. Go Canadian Iceholes, eh! ~  PK

EDITOR’S NOTE: A HUGE thank you to all the service people and volunteers who manned the front lines of this most epic party, including all the police from around the country who kept us safe during this most memorable experience.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

There are only 2 days left to experience this gourmet Aboriginal fine dining experience during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Nk’Mip Cellars the award-winning vineyard, owned and operated by BC’s Osoyoos Band, has partnered with Kanata Cuisine and the BC Aboriginal Culinary Team to provide the world with a unique culinary event.

Taking place inside the Native Education College’s Longhouse located at 285 East 5^th Ave in Vancouver, this intimate gathering has two seatings per evening allowing 80 people per night to share in the experience..

The night starts off with a traditional welcome song that greets patrons in the longhouses’ fire lit gathering hall. Entertainment is provided by Tzo’kam, an acclaimed family of performers from the Lil’wat Nation. The songs of Tzo’Kam share their culture and heritage. The entertainment is followed by a seven course authentic aboriginal feast by Kanata Cuisine and wine pairings from Nk’Mip Cellars.

The fine dining menu includes a pairing  of braised bison short ribs with watercress and parsnip puree served with Nk’Mip’s 2006 Q2 Meritage. Chef Ben Genaille instructor at Vancouver Community College’s Aboriginal Culinary program and Theresa Contois of Kanata Cuisine state, “we have developed a well balanced menu that showcases local and traditional ingredients prepared and plated for the gourmet palette”.

Partial proceed from this venture will fund the Aboriginal Culinary Team’s, journey to the IKA Culinary Olympics being held in  Erfurt in 2012. ” Kanata Cuisine’s goal is to demonstrate the elegance of Aboriginal food and wine as well as showcase our talented Culinary Team to the world.

Tickets for this event are $245.00 excluding gratuities.

Tickets can be purchased online through www.ticketweb.ca or over the phone 1.888.222.6608.

For inquiries, please contact Theresa Contois at 604.831.1215 or email cuisinekanata@gmail.com

While athletes have been training for gold in Vancouver, an international competition of a different sort has been shaping up. On Sunday, Feb. 21^st, bartenders from around the world gathered at George Lounge in Yaletown for the first bartending “Mixlympics”.

Six international and four Canadian bartenders competed two at a time, creating cocktails with Martin Miller’s Gin and at least one black box ingredient. With the exception of Maker’s Mark White Dog un-aged whiskey, all of the black box ingredients were local delicacies; Venturi-Schulze aged Balsamic vinegar from Edible BC, R&B’s Canadian Iceholes Lager, Mary Bay Points oysters from the Lobster Man, and blood orange-Campari preserves from Vista D’Oro Farms. Contestants got an extra 2 minutes added to their 10 minute time limit for using the un-shucked oysters, but no one took the challenge, instead favoring the lager and preserves. International Bartenders:
Joe Stokoe – Bar Manager for all three All Star Lanes, London, UK
Abdul Kpekawa – Bartender, All Star Lanes, London, UK
David Grieg – Bartender, All Star Lanes, London, UK
Ola Carlson – Bartender, Box 101, Stockholm, Sweden
Nicolos de Soto, Bartender, Experimental Cocktail Club & Curio Parlour, Paris, France
Charles Tan – Bartender, China Club, Paris, France

Canadian Bartenders:
Mark Brand – Owner, Boneta and The Diamond, Vancouver
David Wolwidnyk – Bar Manager, West, Vancouver
Jay Jones – Owner, Pourhouse, Vancouver
Darryl Macdonald – Bartender, Port, Toronto

Bartenders strutted out to national theme songs wearing their country’s flag and many creative cocktails were created, including style points for David Wolwidnyk’s drink floating a Campari-dust Canadian flag and edible gold.

The bronze medal went to Vancouver’s Jay Jones of Pourhouse while silver was won by Londoner David Grieg of All Star Lanes. Local Mark Brand, competing for the first time in four years, took gold with his cocktail Angela “The Grande Dame” named after Martin Miller’s 100 year old pot still. Ingeniously, he made bitters on the fly with Maker’s Mark White Dog, dried juniper berries and citrus rind. Here’s the recipe:

Angela “The Grande Dame”
1 1/2 ounces Martin Miller’s Gin
1/2 ounce cachaça
1 egg white
Juice of half a lemon
15 mls R&B Iceholes lager
Bitters: dried juniper berries, fresh cut rinds of grapefruit, orange, lemon wrapped in cheese cloth and drizzled with 10 mls of Maker’s Mark White Dog whiskey then squeezed through an elbow juicer.
2 drops homemade Szechuan peppercorn bitters

Garnish: grapefruit rind soaked in cherry brandy and maraschino liqueur cut into the shape of a gold maple leaf, served in 1988 Olympic “Aviation” Glass from Petro-Canada.

~ Degan Beley

Come inside and take a look at some images taken during the first weeks of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

(CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

Mmm mmm good.

Due to Ukrainian heritage (yes we self identify as Ukrainians, I’m not certain DNA testing would prove much outside of “random eastern European decent”, there hasn’t been anyone born there in five generations at least.) We decided to check out Ukrainian House.

Situated in a church recreation centre, there aren’t any zip lines or laser light shows here, there’s food and booze. Maybe a little music and t-shirts for sale. It’s actually kinda charming in its lack of pretense and simplicity.

Dinner was the predictable amalgam of starches and animal fats arranged artfully like Daniel Boulud plated it himself. Actually I lie it was thrown into random piles on Royal Chinette. You know at some point a Ukrainian asked “how can we make this dough more starchy, the Greeks are winning the arms race of multiple starches on a single plate? I know, we’ll put mashed potatoes inside the dough.” So you had your pierogies (yet another piece of evidence we’re only pretending to be Ukrainian, as my family has always called them pedahay or pedaha, we’re seemingly the only people on earth to do so.) Garlic coil sausage, cabbage rolls with meat, which to my mind and experience is just putting on airs. We’re so rich in Canada we can have more than a quarter pound of ground beef in a family sized tray of cabbage rolls. That would have never happened in my family.  A quick cured cabbage that was really excellent. Garnishes of sour cream (duh) and something I’d never had before; A superb relish of grated beets and horseradish, further evidence to my theory we’re imposters.

Fun bonus fact; The pierogi came to eastern Europe via trade with China, in return Eastern Europe shared their love of flammable colour blocked nylon tracks suits. Almost all of the previous sentence is true!

Dessert was a cake consisting of hazelnut butter cream layering meringues. Not my idea of Ukrainian dessert, which I assume is traditionally more vodka. It was really good regardless. Ukrainian House is a nice low key alternative to the glitz and flash that’s taken over the city, a pleasant alternative to the higher profile national showcases.

And check out my maturity, a whole post about the Ukraine, and not a single reference to hottie Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko or her extraordinarily brave hairstyle choices.

~KT

After sabering open a bottle of Tribute commemorative Sparkling wine with a downhill ski, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery founder Harry McWatters and senior winemaker Mark Wendenburg presented Alexandre Bilodeau, the first Canadian to win an Olympic Gold Medal on Canadian soil, with a signed bottle of Tribute Gold.

With a ski?! I’d love to see that picture! ~ PK

~ Image courtesy of Sumac Ridge Estate Winery

What epitomizes Canadian food? Top Vancouver chefs gathered with ministers, media and suppliers at the Vancouver Art Gallery Sunday to showcase some of our finest ingredients.

C Restaurant’s Robert Clark started things off with the raw bar; Fanny Bay oysters on the half shell, fresh scallops with sea asparagus (also on the half shell), geoduck and sea urchin while the sunny room on the sunny room on the patio held five tables with specially prepared dishes and local wine. Chefs were tasked with creating a dish based on a Canadian ingredient that was then paired with local wines.

Vikram Vij (Vij’s) served a chicken curry with mint mango chutney highlighted by Therapy wines while Pino Posteraro of Cioppino’s created one of my favorite dishes of the day, a dry cranberry and blueberry salad with grains topped with Comox Valley buffalo mozzarella. The pairing suggestion for this was a Pinot from Vista D’Oro Farms that really brought out the sweetness of the blueberries.The red meat quotient was handled by BBQ master House of Q with bar-b-qued brisket on a sweet potato latka and a round of beef tenderloin with a dry merlot from the newly launched Lulu Island Winery. As we made our way around the room of riches, sun was streaming through the windows and screams of excitement could be heard from the zip line just outside in Robson Square.Hidekazu Tojo of Tojo’s Restaurant demonstrated popping a pink salmon sushi (garnished with asparagus and salmon row) into his mouth in one bite then ushered me to the Quails Gate table to complement it with a fruity Chenin Blanc.The next stop was Nk’mip’s table, shared with John Bishop (Bishop’s), who prepared a lovely cold plate of Yukon potato cubes, celery root and Jerusalem artichoke pastry, and roasted red pepper relish, then Ned Bell of Cabana Bar and Grille in Kelowna prepared dessert. Paired with the Tinhorn Chardonnay, he called it “a study in apples” – cheesecake with cubed Fujiya apples, apple sorbet, red sugar and for the ladies a white chocolate heart.

Once everyone had had a chance to sample the dishes and thank-yous had been offered all-around, Nathan Fong hosted a taste test judged by Steve Thomson, B.C.’s Minister of Agriculture and Lands and dynamo Tracy Cameron, a Canadian Olympic Bronze medalist in rowing. They did a great job of identifying various ingredients and chose Tojo as top chef of the day, as did the popular vote.

~ Degan Beley

Gold Medal Menus at Lumiere; Chambar restaurant highlights the work of Vancouver artists during the Olympics; Red Card Sports Bar welcomes the world; CRU stirs up its small plates menu; Bistro Pastis Olympic menus.

GOLD MEDAL MENUS AT LUMIERE OFFERED FOR LUNCH FEB 12-28

Yes, lunch – but just for a limited time. Lumière is intimate in scale, and with just 45-seats (50, family style), the pressure was on to open for lunch – and an extended one at that – during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Daniel, in Vancouver to celebrate the Olympics with his own medal-winning culinary team, suggested opening the restaurant mid day to make room for everyone.

Chef Boulud is shown right with Chefs MacKay and Istel, after taping an Olympic Cooking segment for NBC’s TODAY SHOW Feb 12th up the mountain. It looks like they took home gold, silver and bronze – photo courtesy of Chef Boulud’s PDA

The Chefs invite you to join them for lunch then, or dinner to celebrate the games and experience Grand Relais & Chateaux class cuisine. All dinner menus will be offered during lunch service, from the three-course seasonal prix fix menus offered for $65 per person, to the five and seven course tasting menus.

And, a special three-course, prix fixe Gold Medal Menu will be offered through February 28th for $90 per person. Gold Medal Menus will change daily, as inspired by the Chefs and by the games. Wine pairings by the glass or bottle are offered by Sommelier Drew Walker. Tax and gratuities not included.

This is a unique opportunity to visit Lumière during the day, and the timing couldn’t better for those of us with clients, family and friends visiting from out of town.

Gold medal and regular menus will be offered daily from noon through 11pm daily. To inquire about Gold Medal Menus or other Lumière menus or events, please contact General Manager Chris González via email or call 604.739.8185.

RESERVE a table at Lumière

Sister restaurant, db Bistro Moderne (Vancouver, right next door) has their own extended hours and special menus for the games, so if enjoying modern French bistro fare sounds like a delicious Olympic event, be sure to check the db Bistro Moderne website.

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EAT, ART, AFTER DARK

Chambar restaurant highlights the work of Vancouver artists during the Olympics

Vancouver, BC, February 13th, 2010 – Chambar restaurant will feature the work of two Vancouver artists during the Olympics, with the intention of sharing with the world some of the fantastic young artistic talent that the city has to offer. With Chambar’s close proximity to BC Place and Canada Hockey Place, thousands of Olympic visitors will have the opportunity to view local artwork as they dine on fresh BC mussels and chef Nico Schuerman’s Belgian inspired cuisine.

Chambar owner Karri Schuermans has maintained a commitment to the arts community since she and husband Nico opened the Beatty Street restaurant five years ago. “It has been important for us to use Chambar as a place for guests to explore the dynamism of Vancouver, not just on their plate, but through their entire dining experience.” Schuermans typically rotates exhibitions in the restaurant every four to six weeks. Running for the duration of the Olympics, the sculptural work of Josh Van Dyke and large format resin paintings by George Vergette will adorn the restaurant’s heritage brick walls.Twenty-nine year old Josh Van Dyke alters reclaimed skateboards into masks, animal heads and west coast inspired antler sculptures. Chambar will be showing a selection of sculptures in the front and mid-section of the restaurant, where guests will dine beneath hot pink deer antlers and skateboard decks that have been manipulated to look like hunting trophies. Van Dyke’s work can also be found during the Olympics in Whistler, where he is exhibiting at the Club Intrawest Hotel and Millennium Place; as well as on Bowen Island where he is participating in the Cultural Olympiad.George Vergette is a successful Vancouver painter and sculptor whose work utilizes epoxy resin and taxidermy. Upon first viewing them, many of Vergette’s paintings cause a transcendent and spiritual reaction but bring viewers down to earth with quips like ‘Last Victor’, ‘Listen’, and ‘Vilify Paradise’. The contrast between such terse text and such outward beauty invite us to reflect upon the dichotomies we ourselves experience throughout life: successes, failures, or a sweet memory now forgotten. At Chambar, guests will view a new 8×9ft resin painting as well two 5×5 blue and black paintings that will hang in the main dining room. Vergette’s work is also on view at the Museum of Vancouver Ravishing Beasts taxidermy exhibition.

Chambar is located at 562 Beatty Street in Vancouver. The restaurant utilizes local ingredients and also brews its own craft beer, Chambar Ale. For more information please visit www.chambar.com.

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FROM CURLING TO COCKTAILS, RED CARD SPORTS BAR WELCOMES THE WORLD

Combining Italian roots with a true passion for Canada, the team at Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery has created a delicious feature menu, to welcome the world to Vancouver. Enjoy all the Olympic action on eighteen high-def screens whilst enjoying a delicious feature pizza and a signature Podium Cocktail.Red Card Sports Bar is home to a high-tech, “Marani Forni” wood-burning pizza oven, capable of producing eighteen pizzas in two minutes, and a chef team trained to perfection by an Italian pizza expert. Two special pizza creations have been added to the menu for the duration of the Games, to honour celebrated Olympians who will be competing for medals:

• “The Glider” pizza honors Giorgio Di Centa, Italy’s chosen flag-bearer and cross-country skier, featuring mushrooms and prosciutto, both popular ingredients in Di Centa’s home region of Tolmezzo.

• “The Goalie” pizza celebrates Vancouver Canucks superstar and home-grown Olympian, Roberto Luongo, featuring locally-smoked salmon, mozzarella and mascarpone.

Podium Cocktails add the finishing touch to this stylish celebration; Raise a glass to our athletes, whether celebrating Bronze (Southern Comfort, Absolut Mandarin, orange bitters), Silver (Absolut Vodka, Creme de Cacao and coconut water) or prized Gold (Metaxa, Goldschlager, apple juice and Prosecco).

Visit Red Card Sports Bar during the 2010 Winter Games to celebrate our Olympian superstars and you may even see a famous face or two!

For more information on Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery, visit www.redcardsportsbar.com or call 604-689-4460.

About Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery
With inspired Italian cuisine, prepared with the freshest ingredients to the highest standards and a beautifully-restored heritage building, Red Card Sports Bar offers a dramatic and elegant environment in which to enjoy your favourite sports game.

Red Card Sports Bar is located at 900 Seymour Street, adjacent to Moda Hotel, on the corner of Seymour and Smithe Streets, in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Open everyday throughout the 2010 Winter Games between 11.00am and 01.45am, with pizzas served until 01.00am!

www.redcardsportsbar.com

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CRU STIRS UP ITS SMALL PLATES MENU

Neighbourhood favourite CRU restaurant is adding some new items to its tantalizing menu. CRU won Best Small Plates in last year’s Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, but it’s clear the restaurant hasn’t become complacent because of its success. The new items on the menu are sure to get any epicure’s mouth watering:

Cru’s Version of “Bruschetta”: grilled foccacia with edamame spread, marinated tomatoes & pecorino romano

Pickled Beet & Chèvre Salad with sherry beet purée bull’s blood greens, black pepper pistachio powder

Crostini Three-Way: fig & walnut tapenade / white bean purée with sage / roasted red pepper

Pan-Seared Ling Cod scallion dumplings, dashi ponzu broth, bok choy sprouts, ginger chillies

Grilled Lamb Chop with apricot and pine nut couscous, harissa rouille

Riesling-Poached Pear with crumbled gorgonzola, toasted filberts, organic greens in dijon vinaigrette

Guests can now choose from these fresh additions to the menu, as well as old favourites like Crispy Duck Confit, Syrah-Braised Short Rib, Mushroom Truffle Risotto, and Cru’s famous Cellar Door Caesar.

CRU Restaurant
1459 West Broadway | Vancouver
Tel: 604-677-4111
www.cru.ca

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BISTRO PASTIS OLYMPIC MENUS

Bistro Pastis offer special new menus:
Appetizer | Main

Hours of Operation during the Olympics:
Closed on Mondays
Lunch: Tuesday – Friday: 11:30am – 2:00pm
Dinner:Tuesday – Sunday: 5:30pm – 10:30pm
Brunch: Saturday and Sunday: 11:00am – 2:00pm

Bistro Pastis
2153 West 4th Avenue | Vancouver (Kitsilano)
Tel: 604-731-5020
www.bistropastis.com

Attention visiting guests: The good folks at Zagat have opened up their Vancouver reviews (including restaurants, hotels, and attractions) to the public for free during the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Click here to view.

Enjoy our city and thanks for coming! ~ PK

What could be more Canadian than the above headline? Nothing, that’s what, unless Don Cherry dressed as a beaver while eating a beer flavoured Timbit. On that note we attended the media opening of Molson Canadian Hockey House today. If it’s always been your dream to watch Olympic hockey in a big tent decorated to resemble the third nicest CFD  chain in Abbotsford, while drinking terrible beer you are going to love Molson’s self described “cathedral to hockey”.  If you stump for a VIP pass, at only $450 you get to eat food catered by famous Canadian chef Wolfgang Puck. (The irony of the caterer section is so rich in light of the brand of Molson’s largest product line that it defies belief. Maybe their prime criteria was someone with a hockey-centric last name.)  It’s hard to believe they had to slash ticket prices to attract the punters with all that on offer. You do get free nightly concerts though. There’s no info on the website as to how much tickets are to an area where you don’t have to hear The Barenaked Ladies however.

~KT

Last Friday, the Vancouver Aquarium unveiled their Ocean Wise Canstruction Inukshuk sculpture to celebrate the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games and to also raise awareness amongst visiting media and tourists about sustainable seafood choices.

Made of donated cans of Ocean Wise-recommended sustainable seafood (both salmon and tuna), generously donated by Raincoast Trading, the Inukshuk will be on display at the Vancouver Aquarium through February 28th with the food being donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society after the Games. ~ PK

Crave Beachside presents Valentine’s Day 2010; Upcoming Bourbon Whiskey dinner at The Refinery; New Olympic hours for Cobre: New Olympic hours for Deacon’s Corner; Wine Out DiVino; Olympic Hours – Provence Marinaside in Yaletown; Fraîche Restaurant introduces bar menu and Valentine’s Day celebration; Opus Hotel Vancouver brims with Olympic spirit.

CRAVE BEACHSIDE’S PRESENTS VALENTINE’S DAY 2010

West Vancouver, BC. Amidst the Olympic fervor, take your special someone for a lovely dinner by the seashore this Valentine’s Day. Executive Chef Wayne Martin has created an intriguing menu of exciting flavours at Crave Beachside. Complimentary sparkling wine and live music set the tone for a fun and romantic evening.

DINE BY THE SEA SHORE
$45.00 Seatings from 5:00pm Until Late – Sunday, February 14
Live Music by Emily Chambers

Amuse-Bouche and glass of sparkling wine

tempura oyster truffle ponzu and white asparagus and wild mushroom salad

__________________

smoked spring salmon, celeriac remolade, potato crisps, capers, pickled shallots
-or-
roasted salsify voloute with truffled mushroom Pithivier

__________________

Marinated sablefish, lobster and potato croquettes, asparagus, lobster butter sauce
-or-
beef tenderloin, potato confit, wild boar bacon, wrapped green beans, porcini mushroom jus
-or-
slow roasted lamb loin with goat cheese and pine nut ravioli and lamb jus

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warm poached pear with Tahitian vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce
-or-
dark chocolate mousse with praline feuilletine, caramel sauce

Call 604.926.3332 for Reservations

About Crave Beachside
This waterside location on Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver offers a comfortable, coveted setting overlooking beach, ocean, mountains, the Vancouver skyline and even the rainforest that is Stanley Park. The “landmark” building has long been a neighbourhood favourite, with its large sunny patio and airy interior. It’s an ideal spot for a romantic cocktail, a friendly lunch, gatherings for family and friends and, of course, to watch the summer sun set from the patio.

CRAVE: where quality and care are evident in every bite of the grown-up, comfort-food menu. A delicious creation of Chef Wayne Martin, former Four Seasons Hotel executive chef, this upscale bistro prides itself in featuring fresh, local, and often organic ingredients. The atmosphere is relaxed, casual and fun while the food is creative, generous and affordable.

Please Note Olympic Hours: February 12 to 28 – open 9:00am until late, 7 days a week

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BOURBON WHISKEY DINNER AT THE REFINERY

The second installment in the Refinery’s whiskey seminar series is a definitive look at Bourbon Whiskey. As it has claimed many people’s hearts in the past, let us indulge your palates on Tuesday February 2, 2010. What better host than one of Vancouver’s most respected “bourbon” personalities, Maker’s Mark Brand Ambassador, Mr. Ron Oliver. Along with the obvious inclusion of Maker’s Mark, Mr. Oliver will be guiding guests through three other expressions in the Maker’s Mark portfolio, including “1 Day Old” through to “Over Mature” – this will effectively showcase the evolution of Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey. Additionally, Mr. Oliver will guide guests through two other American whiskey styles. As informative as it is delicious, the whiskey seminar will be accompanied by some fantastic cheese, charcuterie, and other goodies The Refinery is well known for. Oh, and let’s go completely overboard and start everyone with a cocktail.

Cost: $45 (+ tax and gratuity) includes 6 whiskies, handouts and food.
Date: Groundhog Day, Tuesday Febraury 02, 2010.
Where: The Refinery, 1115 Granville St (above SIP)
Time: We will begin promptly at 8:00pm, please be on time.

Space is limited to 25 people. To reserve, please send an email to rsvp@therefineryvancouver.com (quoting BOURBON WHISKEY SEMINAR in the subject line). All rsvp’s will be confirmed by email. Please include first and last name, number of guests and phone number to secure your spot(s).

For additional information, please contact Lauren Mote at (604)687-8001. Visit: www.therefineryvancouver.com

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NEW OLYMPIC HOURS FOR COBRE

Starting February 13 through to February 28th, Cobre will be open for both lunch and dinner 7 days a week, noon til late night.

Regular dinner menu will be in effect during extended hours for both lunch and dinner. To see the menu, visit Cobre’s web site www.cobrerestaurant.com

EXTENDED HOURS: noon – late every night Feb.13 – 28, 2010

Cobre
52 Powell Street | Vancouver (Gastown)
Tel:  604-669-2396
www.cobrerestaurant.com

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NEW OLYMPIC HOURS FOR DEACON’S CORNER

Vancouver’s favourite diner, Deacon’s Corner, will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day from February 4 through February 28, 2010.

Regular menu will be in effect and offered all day long. To view menu, visit Deacon’s web site www.deaconscorner.ca

EXTENDED HOURS:  Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. Feb.4 – 28, 2010

Deacon’s Corner
101 Main Street | Vancouver (Gastown)
Tel: 604-684-1555
www.deaconscorner.ca

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WINE OUT DIVINO ~ 5 COURSE MENU INCLUDING WINE PAIRING

Amuse Bouche
Moet & Chandon Imperial

Mix Exotic Citrus Ceviche & Avocado Textures
Primula Bianco, Italy 2007

Glazed duck breast & Foie Gras on French toast
Gewürtztraminer, Alsace 2007 ***

Choice of Meat or Fish of the Day
Merlot Reserve Mission Hill, BC 2007

Choice of Dessert or Cheese
Merlot Late Harvest; BC

From Tuesday to Sunday 5pm to 10pm
Reservations Required 604 512 0005
Cost: $75

Restaurant DiVino
1590 Commercial Drive | Vancouver
www.divinovancouver.com

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NEW OLYMPIC HOURS FOR PROVENCE MARINASIDE

Provence Marinaside, located only a few blocks from major Olympic venues and City Live Sites, will be open for special extended hours  February 1 – March 15, 2010. Please check the web site for menus www.provencevancouver.com

EXTENDED HOURS Feb.1 – Mar.1, 2010:
• Breakfast:    Monday to Friday: 7 – 11:30 a.m. no reservations
• Lunch:    Monday to Friday: 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. no reservations
• Afternoon:    Monday to Sunday 3 – 5 p.m. no reservations
• Dinner:    Monday to Sunday 5 p.m. – 11:30 pm reservations accepted
• Late Night:    Monday to Sunday 11:30 pm – late. no reservations
• Brunch:    Saturday & Sunday  7 a.m. – 3 p.m. no reservations

DINNER RESERVATIONS: available both by telephone and on-line

Provence Marinaside
1177 Marinaside Crescent, in Yaletown at the foot of Davie Street on the water
Tel: 604-681-4144
www.provencevancouver.com
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FRAÎCHE RESTAURANT INTRODUCES BAR MENU AND A DECADENT VALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATION

(West Vancouver, BC.) In all the excitement that February will bring to Vancouver this year, don’t forget Valentine’s Day. Take your sweetie for an over-the-top dinner high up in the hills with a meal and a view to take your breath away. Executive Chef Wayne Martin has created a mouthwatering menu to celebrate the night in style. See below for complete menu details.

If you’re dining solo or catching up with friends over a few drinks, Fraîche’s new bar menu will hit the spot. As of Monday January 25 Fraîche’s bar opened all day from 1:30pm, accompanied by a tasty new menu which features: Kumamoto oysters, Kobe carpaccio, Dungeness crab cakes and the Daily Tartar Special. Ostrich tartar anyone?

Fraîche’s extensive cocktail and wine list is ever-evolving to compliment the cuisine and offers a variety of fresh and fabulous flavours. Try one of our Olympic-themed cocktails for inspiration – Fortius is a savory martini of muddled celery and tarragon balanced with yuzu, chartreuse and gin or cool down with the Mary Rose – an elegant martini of local, sparkling sake, lychee and lime compliments and hints of aromatic muddled rosemary.

Fraîche welcomes neighbours and guests to pull up a chair and enjoy. If drinks turn into dinner, you couldn’t be in a better place!

New Hours: 11:00am till late, seven days a week

VALENTINE’S DAY HIGH IN THE SKY AT FRAÎCHE RESTAURANT
$125 per person – Seatings from 5:30pm until 9:30pm – Sunday, February 14

Amuse Bouche – lobster and coconut mousse, micro shiso, yuzu
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Kumamoto oysters on the half shell, trout caviar, Riesling and gelée
- or -
Fingerling potato carpaccio, cured venison, Mache, deep fried Quail Egg
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Caramelized onion and mushroom soup
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Butter poached veal lion, sweetbreads on fleuron and braised cheeks
-or-
Curry poached lobster, Big Eye tuna, cauliflower purée, snap peas
-or-
Truffled ricotta gnocchi, grilled king oyster mushrooms, sunchoke puree
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Roasted pineapple with sauterne – saffron sabayon, nut brittle
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Cherries and Chocolate, warm ganache, pistachio ice cream, cherry – caramel sauce
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Trio of chocolate truffles to take home

Call 604.925.7595 for Reservations

About Fraîche Restaurant
The team behind Fraîche strives to create an exceptional dining experience of both calibre and comfort – their mission is to create memorable, interesting cuisine that is seasonal and regional in a welcoming setting. Fraîche’s subtle elegance makes it versatile for every occasion – from brunch to business lunches and after work drinks to romantic dinners and celebrations of all sorts. Fraîche was named one of Canada’s Top Ten Best New Restaurants of 2008 by enRoute Magazine and received a silver for Best North Shore in the 20th Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. The restaurant’s panoramic cityscape views complement Martin’s inspired menus, as does the impressive service, top notch wine list and lovely little extras, such as free valet parking.

Fraîche Restaurant
2240 Chippendale Road
West Vancouver
t: 604.925.7595
www.fraicherestaurant.ca

Yaletown’s Chic Boutique Hotel Features Olympic Lifestyle Cocktails and O Bites

(Vancouver, BC) January 26, 2010. With the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games just around the corner, world-renowned OPUS Hotel Vancouver is poised to cheer on our Canadian athletes in style.

Located in trendy Yaletown, the unofficial party zone during the games, OPUS Vancouver and OPUS Bar will welcome guests with chic events—plus new Olympic Lifestyle Cocktails and O Bites—that will have guests seeing gold.

Figure skater, hockey player or snowboarder? OPUS Bar’s innovative, hand-crafted cocktail menu allows guests to choose a cocktail to match their room or alter-ego, one of the five fictional muses behind the hotel’s décor schemes. The names of the lifestyle cocktails and O-Bites were inspired by the sports that these characters will watch during the Olympic Winter Games.

New York celebrity mixologist Charlotte Voisey, Ambassador for Hendrick’s Gin, was a special guest mixologist at the OPUS’ 7 Year Anniversary party in November 2009 and created this feature cocktail menu with OPUS’s five lifestyle characters in mind. While snowboarding fan Billy will sip a twist on a dark and stormy, alpine skiing enthusiast Mike will linger over a whiskey smash.

O-Bites, a selection of global plates named for the lifestyle characters and their sports, round out the Olympic-inspired tastes. Guests will dive into dishes such as Carving Karage (chicken karage), Buffalo Bobsleigh (miso marinated buffalo sate) and Sockeye Slalom (salmon tempura roll) while soaking up the vibrant, energy-fueled atmosphere.www.opusbar.ca/menus/obites

To complement its five lifestyle-inspired guestroom décor schemes, OPUS offers guests a choice of five virtual guides to the city. The Lifestyle Concierge offers interactive online personality profiling so that guests may discover which personality best suits their lifestyle. For guests wanting to know the hottest happening during the Vancouver Winter Games, OPUS Hotel has launched a special edition of their Lifestyle Concierge online city guide featuring the best of the cultural Olympiad, Olympic attractions and the hottest restaurants and bars, as chosen by the five OPUS’ muses. www.opushotel.com/services_concierge

OPUS Hotel is proud to be hosting an exciting VIP Media Welcome Party for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on Tuesday February 9th, 2010. Hosting national and international media, this dramatic podium themed party will show guests that while Vancouver is known for its snow-capped mountains and sparkling blue ocean, it’s also a cool, world-class city that knows how to throw an amazing party. VIPs will be wowed by interactive, dare-to-disturb room tours and will savour 2010 inspired canapés and fabulous Skyy Vodka cocktails.

OPUS Hotel Vancouver
Uniquely stylish and always fresh, OPUS Hotel Vancouver redefines the boutique experience, blending contemporary design with warmth and intuitive service. Ninety-six guestrooms feature vibrant colours, spa bathrooms and five lifestyle-inspired décor schemes. Located in fashionable Yaletown, close to Vancouver’s best restaurants, spas and boutiques, the hotel is home to Elixir Bistro and the dramatic OPUS Bar. OPUS was voted one of the world’s top 100 hotels by readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine. www.opushotel.com

Job details inside.

Culinary Capers Catering is gearing up for an exciting array of Olympic catering contracts and are looking for a cross-section of enthusiastic Cooks, Event Servers, Bartenders and Dishwashers.  From February 12-March 1, 2010 we are looking for flexible full and part time contract staff.

Shifts will vary.  These are hourly paid opportunities based on experience.  Cooks require FoodSafe.  Event staff require Serving It Right.

Please forward your resume to:
jobs@culinarycapers.com. 
Attn:  Olympic Contracts.  Include availability.

For additional information on hourly rates please visit our website’s employment page:  www.culinarycapers.com

Photo Credit: Charlie Booker

Olympic hopeful, Keith Loach, has been dreaming of competing in the Winter Games for 22 years and a highly coveted spot on the Olympic Men’s Skeleton team is within his grasp thanks to the help and generous support of a local Vancouver pub, The Regal Beagle.

Dave Barnett of The Regal Beagle says, “Keith is an amazing guy, he’s worked hard for everything he’s received and unlike a lot of pro athletes, he’s had to do most of this on his own.  In August we heard about Keith’s story and wanted to help him out, so far we’ve raised almost $15,000 so he can get to the games.  He still has to secure a spot on the Senior National Team and then challenge for an Olympic spot and we’re happy to support him every step of the way.”

Keith Loach has had to pay his own way this far, joining his own gym, hiring his own coach, and competing hard to work his way up the competitive ranks and onto the World Cup circuit of this rather foolhardy sport . “Growing up in Calgary during the 1988 Winter Games, I got hooked on the Olympics at a young age,” says Loach.  “This is my dream and everyone at The Beagle has been so great in helping me achieve it.  The only thing that’s left is competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics.”

Olympic Men’s Skeleton hopeful Keith Loach has dreamt of competing in the Winter Games for 22 years.  Today he’s one step closer to realizing that dream thanks to some major financial support from Vancouver’s neighbourhood restaurant, The Regal Beagle Bar and Grill and local real estate company Dayhu Investments.  On October 19th, The Beagle is sending Keith off to the Olympic Qualifying Camp in style, and everyone’s invited.

In an effort to push Keith over the top, The Regal Beagle recently threw a fundraising party and also created the ” Loach Bowl” to collect donations for his cause.

I encourage everybody to help Keith go FAST so he can capture some golden hardware for Canada on our home turf this winter. Go to The Regal Beagle and donate to the Loach Bowl. ~ PK

The Regal Beagle
2283 West Broadway | Kitsilano
Tel: 604-739-0677
www.thebeagle.ca