Vancouver International Wine Festival is one of Canada’s premier food & wine event that you don’t want to miss. Although this year’s themed wine region is California, we enjoyed a sumptuous winery lunch at Lift Bar & Grill at Coal Harbour featuring food-friendly wines from Chile and Argentina.

Featured Wines:

Domaine Bousquet Organic Brut NV – Aromas of citrus, apple and tropical fruits. Tastes of green apple flavour and aroma, tropical and delicate minerality. Made from organic grapes.

Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2018 – Aromas of citrus, grapefruit, lime, pineapples and white flowers. Smooth, flavourful taste of acidity, mineral and saline hints. 20% in French barrels for 5 months leads to a less oaky finish.

Viña Santa Ema Amplus Carmenére ONE 2017 – Aromas of sour cherries, black pepper and chocolate. Bright tasting, well bodied and concentration with a fruity ending linger.

Bodegas Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2016 – Aromas of red fruit, plum and cherry. Velvety smooth tastes with a long and an oak finish. French oak barrels for 12 months. 94 points, James Suckling.

Bodega Argento Cabernet Franc Reserva 2016 – Aromas of cherry, raspberry, currant leaves and fruits. Tastes of herbs and cassis for spicy notes. Tastes of sweet tannins, spiciness, rich and full-bodied with a long finish. Argento Reserva is a limited selection of fuller-bodied wines with a greater concentration of fruit and complexity. The grapes used to make these wines come from the Argento’s oldest vineyards in Mendoza.

Achaval-Ferrer Mendoza Malbec 2017 – Aromas are fresh and floral, featuring blackberry, raspberry and violets. Taste is dense, thick with a noticeable mineral frame. It is acidic with silky tannins and a long finish.

My favourite was the bright crimson Gran Reserva Carmenere from Santa Ema.

Featured Lunch Menu:

• AMUSE: Argentinean Prawn with Chimichurri
• CHILLED SEAFOOD SALAD: Wine braised octopus, clams, mussels, squid, chorizo chips and warm garlic beard
• SLOW COOKED BEEF SHORTRIB: Infused Jasmine rice, winter vegetables, spicy corn salsa and red pepper coulis
• CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL

more: Wine Festival 10 Things To Know | GUSTO LATINOAMERICAO 2018 | LA VITA RUFFINO | WINES OF VENETO & SICILY | Italian Dinner at Yew Seafood

 

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Lift Bar & Grill
URL: http://liftbarandgrill.com
Cuisine: Pacific Northwest

 

Hours:

Mon 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Tue 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Wed 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Thu 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Fri 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Sat 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sun 11:00 am – 11:00 pm

 

Menchion Mews, Vancouver, BC V6G 3H2
(604) 689-5438

 

 

 

I was invited by Vancouver International Wine Festival for a menu tasting.

 

 

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Lobster Avocado Toast 18: sourdough, avocado, lobster mango salsa, topped with arugula and balsamic reduction drizzle. The combination of mango salsa and balsamic reduction does not go well with the avocado toast. I also wish they had fanned out their avocado instead of it mashed. If I were to be picky I also wished they had not diced up the lobster.

Nicoise Salad 13: added seared ahi tuna +8. mixed greens, tomatoes, olives, peppers, artichoke hearts, corn, hard boiled egg, feta, white balsamic dressing. The ingredients are were fresh and I would definitely order this again.

Spiced Onion Rings 5: we ordered a side of my favourite onion rings. I liked the extra crispy skin. It is not greasy and has a slight spiciness. It comes with a side of aioli sauce.

Unfortunately with so many food options nearby, we most likely would not return. Service is spotty and the waitresses are too cool to serve you. Ours at least did not bother asking us how the food was or to refill our water.

Luckily, The Juice Truck is across the street.

more: La Mezcaleria Brunch Menu | OLO Restaurant Brunch Menu | Taps and Tacos Port Moody | Good Coffee Portland | Cafe Myriade Montreal

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Banter Room
URL: https://www.banterroom.com
Cuisine: Canadian

Hours:
Mon 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Tue 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Wed 11:00 am – 12:30 am
Thu 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Fri 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Sat 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Sun 11:00 am – 12:00 am

1039 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC V6B 5P9
(604) 565-1039

Botanist Restaurant will soon open doors on April 24, 2017 at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. Replacing the old Oru Cuisine is a beautiful West Coast botanical chic restaurant.

This #plantlife decor with soft pink aesthetic is designed by award-winning Ste. Marie Design (Kissa Tanto, Savio Volpe, Mosquito) with with brand and identity developed by Glasfurd & Walker (Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, Ask for Luigi, The Juice Truck).

The Champagne Lounge overlooks The Lobby Lounge on the second floor and is surrounding by glass and planters for a brighter and more airy vibe. Small indulgences include oysters, caviar, seasonal crudités, and local artisanal cheese platters.

The Cocktail Lab led by Grant Sceney, the hotel’s creative  beverage director, and David Wolowidnyk, Botanist head bartender, offers select libations with a chemist-like sentiment inspired by roots and botanical background.

Candy Cap Magic (above): mushroom rye, vermouth, spiced maple, forest, and moss for its sweet and refreshingly appeal.

Executive Chef Hector Laguna’s menu is Pacific Northwest focused rooted by seasonally abundance, sustainably sourced seafood and organic agricultural. You will find lots of root vegetables, oven-roasted halibut with spring vegetables and crab emulsion, and herb crusted lamb rack with green garlic panisse, fava and shallots.

The menu is accompanied by wine director Jill Spoor’s boutique terroir-driven wine program that supports sustainable, organic and biodynamic farming and winemaking practices.

Everything about Botanist looks promising and we can’t wait to come back once they open for a relaxed #pnw dining experience!

Doors opens to the public next Monday! See you there!

I was invited by Botanist and Fairmont Pacific Rim for a media preview.

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Vancouver Community College International Culinary Arts Program lasts 17 months. There are various accreditation one can achieve through this program. Sometime during their 11 month program, they get to experience a bit of real life setting in the form of a Pop Up Kitchen. There is a lot of hard work and prep that goes unnoticed most of the time when we enjoy a delicious meal. So I’m very excited to support my local community of aspiring Chefs. And when Chef Hamid Salimian also shares his knowledge and expertise, I’m there!

The VCC Broadway Campus is located 1155 East Broadway. The Pop Up Kitchen is modern and bright at the Quizine Kitchen (off Glen Street and 8th Avenue).

VCC The Chef’s Table pp

• $30 five-course menu designed by Chef Hamid Salimian.
• $45 five-course menu, paired with a selection of B.C. wines.

taxes and gratuities not included

Tuna cannelloni: Side stripe prawns, squid morsels, cucumber, avocado, truffle soy sauce. A light refreshing appetizer with Asian flare.

Fern Walk Saugvignon Blanc: The taste of lemon and lime citrus. Tropical fruit flavours and kiwi. Medium body, balanced acidity, and a zesty finish.

Grilled Octopus: Spicy Chorizo, navy bean, olive, bell pepper, salsa romesco. I love the subtle spice and could possibly lick the dish clean (if only it was socially acceptable).

See Ya Later Ranch Riesling: Bright aromas of melon with hints of orange and peach. The palate bursts with fresh citrus and herbal notes, leading to a clean and crisp finish. Check out our wine tour at SYL Ranch!

Foie Gras & Duck Confit: Root raisin, croutons, sherry gastrique. We thought we were thru with foie gras until we had this light buttery dish.

Sumac Ridge Reserve Pinot Noir: Aromas of red cherries and fresh berries abound with an undertone of black plums and dark chocolate covered cherries. Delicate and smooth with complex flavours that seem to linger. Check out our wine tour at Sumac Ridge!

Roasted Beef Striploin: Sous Vide striploin cooked perfectly, marinated oxtail jam, pomme dauphine (crisp potato puffs), roasted carrots, deep fried potatoe skin, and cipollini onions.

Red Rooster Hen House Ruffled: This blended wine of54 percent Cabernet Franc and 46 per cent Merlot comes from Naramata Bench. It is a fun wine with ripe rich fruits of cherry and plum, with notes of tobacco and a bit of spice.

White Chocolate and Strawberries: Lemon curd ice cream, white chocolate mousse, compressed strawberries, and coconut crisp.

Whistler Late Harvest Chardonnay: Late harvest can be more interesting than icewine.Opulent and full-bodied, with luscious flavors of apple, apricot, creamy flan, golden raisins, honey and vanilla overlaid with lemon zest. Well balanced acidity contributes to the long, smooth finish.

You can leave the whole bottle on the table please!

The menu rotates every two weeks. I hear the next menu will include fish!

Vancouver Community College Broadway
URL: http://www.vcc.ca

Hours:

Dates: August 30 – October 14, 2016
Time: 6:30 p.m. seating

1155 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5T 4V5
(604) 871-7000