Trends

Goodbye Raincity Grill & C: Agents of Real Change

Raincity Grill owner Harry Kambolis, at Nu, 2005

Raincity closes Whatever the circumstances, I was saddened by last week’s shuttering of long-running Raincity Grill and, not that long before, of C Restaurant, owned by Harry Kambolis. In the fickle world of dining there are any number of reasons as to why restaurants come and go. (And you can read plenty on line about Raincity, […]

Read more November 17, 2014 Dining

Golden Mile Bench Approved as Okanagan Valley’s First Sub-Appellation

South Okanagan, including the proposed Golden Mile Bench, from Anarchist Mtn., Tim Pawsey photo

Updated: October 17th, 2014 … GOLDEN MILE APPROVED AS BC’s FIRST SUB G-I As per the British Columbia Grape Authority: “Golden Mile Bench” Sub-GI Application On May 20, 2014 the Authority received an application from a group of proponents requesting that a new Sub-Geographical Indication under the name of the “Golden Mile Bench” be prescribed […]

Read more October 17, 2014 Wine

First Bites at Vancouver’s Fat Badger

The Fat Badger: making good use of a familiar space

I knew when I walked into The Fat Badger (1616 Alberni St., Vancouver) for the first time that it would stir my emotions. After all, there are few buildings in Vancouver with which I have a stronger connection than this West End house on Alberni Street, in which Jean-Luc Bertrand established Le Gavroche, in 1978. I was […]

Read more June 15, 2014 Beer

Blue Water Café Unsung Heroes: the 10th Anniversary Edition

Unsung Heroes jellyfish, John Sherlock photography

It was a decade ago that Frank Pabst rolled out his first Unsung Heroes seafood festival. Interestingly, at the time, it was considered to be not only cutting edge but a risky proposition. Pabst served ingredients such as sea urchin, jellyfish and poached periwinkles to a segment of the population entirely unaccustomed to such delicacies! […]

Read more January 16, 2014 Dining

Haywire Unveils Lunar New Year Pinot Noir & Comprehensive Pairing Guide

Another Haywire first!

How about toasting The Year of the Horse with a brightly adorned bottle of Okanagan Pinot Noir? While several BC wineries have turned their attention to Hong Kong and the broader mainland Chinese market in the last couple of years, few have pursued the significant Canadian Asian market here at home. No surprise that first […]

Read more January 10, 2014 Belly's Best Bites

BYO = Brew Your Own: Moonshine Beer in Bag Home Brewing Unveiled in U.K.

Moonshine Drinks UK unveils bag in box brewing

Never at a loss to navigate their way around high liquor taxes, the Brits are at it again. This time with the seemingly ingenious and cleverly named Moonshine home brewing bag. Just add water and wait! I wonder if and when (or if ever) this will show up on our shelves … Even at 50 […]

Read more November 27, 2013 Beer

The Ultimate Customized Wine Tour: Striking Gold in Burgundy

Bourgogne Gold Tour

Bourgogne Gold Tour owner Youri Lebault Thinking of going on a wine tour? You’re not alone. Wine tourism is growing by leaps and bounds. I don’t have the numbers at my fingertips but, from Argentina to Azerbaijan, the ever expanding world of wine culture is driving a big audience. Even here in BC—still an infant […]

Read more May 24, 2013 Top Drops

Tapping In: Wine on Tap Continues to Pour It On

Wine on Tap, Tidings Magazine

There’s plenty going on at Vancouver Urban Winery these days—including wine on tap at Gastown’s soon to be open TUC Craft Kitchen. They’ve even re-purposed a couple of vintage fire extinguishers as part of the deal! Yesterday we were tasting Blasted Church Hatfield’s Fuse on tap from a portable unit at Brix Restaurant. The occasion […]

Read more April 17, 2013 Belly's Best Bites

Vinexpo Tracks the World of Wine: China Rising; Bullish on Canada (Added: All the Stats Fit to Print…)

Robert Beynat, Vinexpo co-founder and CEO, image supplied

  Looking or someone with their finger on the pulse of the world wine market? Chances are Robert Beynat is your man. Beynat is one of the co-founders of Vinexpo. Held every other year in Bordeaux since 1981, it’s now widely regarded as the world’s leading international wine and spirits exhibition. He’s also the brainchild behind […]

Read more January 27, 2013 Wine

SYL at TWB – OK? Provence Marinaside Unwraps a Smart New Wine Bar

Alessandra and Jean Francis Quaglia: smartly tapped into changing tastes with their sleek new TWB, Tim Pawsey photo

We’ve always felt Provence Marinaside is one of Vancouver’s more under-appreciated rooms—but that might just be about to change with the arrival of TWB, which stands for (drum roll) The Wine Bar—at Provence. (We’re a tad over initial names but TWB is AOK for now.) Owners Jean-Francis and Alessandra Quaglia have turned what used to […]

Read more January 17, 2013 Belly's Best Bites

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