best of BC

Culmina Family Estate Hypothesis, More Than a Theoretical Winner

September 6, 2013
Culmina

Culmina Hypothesis 2011     Here’s a wine we figured would be worth waiting for, and we weren’t disappointed, as it more than lived up to our expectations. This is the inaugural release from just opened Culmina Family Estate, the project undertaken by Don Triggs, his wife Elaine  and their daughter Sara Triggs. If you […]

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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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Winners: 2013 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in BC Wines

June 27, 2013
Judging for the BC Lieutenant Governor

It’s tempting to just run the list without any comment, as the wines tend to stand on their own. And that’s the point. At the outset of this competition back in 2002, more than a few thought that selecting ten or 12 wines from a field of over 100 entries was a well nigh impossible […]

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Chef Hamid Salimian bids farewell to Diva at the Met

May 17, 2013
Chaf Hamid Salimian: on the move TP photo

It’s been only a matter of weeks since we were raving about Chef Hamid Salimian and his remarkable Persian inspired tasting menu at Diva at the Met. But Chef Hamid is on the move.  June 4th, 2013, will be his last day at Diva before he leaves to take up teaching in Culinary Arts at Vancouver Community College. When […]

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The Sex Lives of Vegetables: What Carrots & Co. Really Get Up To

April 12, 2013
Edible Bouquet by Elaine Savoie of Hornby Island

If you’re a regular visitor you know this site is concerned almost entirely with food and drink, which is why we think you should hear about a unique, (almost) all Canadian concert, The Sex Lives of Vegetables—and other Delicious Distractions, April 20th, 7.30 p.m. at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Full disclosure: we’re romantically connected (as in […]

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Bella Gelateria’s James Coleridge Named an Ace Bakery Artisan

March 30, 2013
No half measures in James Coleridge

Bella Gelateria’s James Coleridge We’re big fans of Bella Gelateria. In part it’s because we never know what the extraordinarily talented James Coleridge will get up to next. Another reason: if you walk by his always-busy storefront at the corner of Vancouver’s Burrard and Cordova, no matter what time of day it is, chances are he’ll be there, working at […]

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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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Blue Water’s Frank Pabst Celebrates Sustainable Seafood with Unsung Heroes

January 16, 2013

UPDATED, Jan 17, 2013. It’s a long way from British Columbia to Cornwall, in the South West of England. But, beyond the stunning scenery—which is in some ways quite reminiscent of Canada’s west coast—there are some other similarities. That beautiful part of the world is where, growing up, I learned to appreciate some of our […]

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Sun Peaks Winter Wine Festival: The Skiing Senator, Snowshoes and Syrah

January 4, 2013
Sun-Peaks-Sundance-Lodge-Tim-Pawsey-photo-300x199

UPDATE: There are still a few tix to be had for this year’s Sun Peaks Winter Festival of Wine (January 12-20, 2013). Take a look at last year’s post and you’ll see it’s a lot of fun—particularly if you’re a skier or into any other winter sports. Sun Peaks is one of those ‘just right’ […]

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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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