Bins On Top
Our favourite Vancouver small plates spots has recent reason to celebrate. This week, Gord Martin, Chef/Owner of Bin 941 & 942 Tapas Parlours accepted the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Tapas/Small Plates at the Annual Where Magazine – Where to Dine Awards. The award is all the more impressive when you consider that Bin 941 celebrates its 10th anniversary this year – no small feat in a town where hundreds of new restaurants open (and even more close) each year.
This week’s award just proves that after all these years, the Bins are still on top of the tapas pack.
Ten years of small plates and big drinks can leave a restaurant in need of a reno – and that is just what Gord Martin delivered. Completed within the last month, Martin has added more of his signature eclectic/eccentric style to both Bin 941 and 942, funking up Vancouver’s favourite tapas parlours.
Amongst the changes: Bin 941 has new flooring and an updated bar while Bin 942 welcomes their bar back (now featuring boutique Hangar One vodka) in addition to cozy booth-style seating replacing the line of banquettes.
Bin 941 – 941 Davie Street at Burrard. 604-683-1246
Bin 942 - 1521 West Broadway at Granville. 604-734-9421
Open from 5pm to 2am daily
WINESPEAK: WILD HORSE CANYON SHIRAZ 2006
Who – Wild Horse Canyon Winery
What – Shiraz 2006
Where - West Coast Appellation
Why – Cheap and cheerful needn’t be an acronym for <yuk>. Sometimes the situation calls for a straightforward sipper, easy to drink and fun to share. This Shiraz superbly fits the bill. Aromas of blackberry and dark fruit open to flavours of ripe berry, cracked pepper and a sweet vanillan finish. Eminently likeable. And with a price like this, buy by the case to have on hand for those cheep and cheerful nights. Much like this Friday…
When – Halloween night, with hearty beany chili to fend off both the weather (rain?), and the sugar rush.
How (much) - $12.95 BC Liquor Stores
Winespeak of the Week – The uniquely monikered West Coast Appellation (from the folks at Mission Hill) encompasses vineyards in BC, Washington and California. The wine couldn’t be labeled VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance), because BC’s VQA system is an Appellation of Origin program, guaranteeing that 100% of the grapes in the bottle are grown in BC. Similar programs exist worldwide, with rules and regs varying from country to country. In France it is defined by the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Côntrolée); in Italy, the DOC (Denonimazione di Origine Controllata); and in the States, the AVA (American Viticultural Area).
Whisky Dinners with Caskstrength
These are the dinners that started it all for Edible BC – and now a few years later whisky pairing dinners taking place around the globe. Our dinners have been sold out for 4 years running, and we expect the same to continue in 2010.
We have scheduled two dinners as part of our Cooking with BC’s Best series at Granville Island Public Market this year. Like our dinner series, these multicourse meals take place in the market, after hours, and feature the food of a fabulous local chef. The difference is that instead of pouring BC wine with each course, we pair whiskies from around the world, many of which have never seen the light of day in BC before.
When: March 27, 2010 and October 22, 2010
Where: Edible BC at Granville Island Public Market
Time: 7:45pm – 11:00pm
Cost: $130 per person plus GST & Gratuity
For the first time, we are also planning to take the show on the road! In 2010, Edible BC will be expanding our services to offer our cooking classes and dinners in private homes. So, if you are into single malts, and you love to entertain, give us a call and we will arrange a special evening for you!
For those of you who have not been lucky enough to attend a Whisky Dinner in the past (and with a return rate of over 60% Edible BC’s events, we realize it is not necessarily easy to get a ticket), you know that while the focus of the evening is on the food and the drink, of equal importance is learning and having fun. For these dinners, we bring very special guest Andrew Starritt of Caskstrength. Andrew is down to earth, fun and informative, and a leading local whisky expert.
A Previous Whisky Dinner:
Special Events
Contact us to discuss your next special event by email or phone at 604.812.9660
2010 Cooking with BC’s Best Guest Chefs
We’ve had another great year with many of the province’s top chefs joining us in the market at Granville Island as part of Edible BC’s Cooking with BC’s Best Market Dinner series. The support from both the culinary community and the public has been overwhelming. And we’re incredibly excited about our lineup for 2010 – our biggest year ever!
We look forward to welcoming you for another season of Cooking with BC’s Best.
Cheers,
Eric Pateman, EBC founder & president
2010 Market Dinner Schedule
Tuesday, September 14 – campagnolo - Chef Rob Belcham $89.95 per person, plus taxes - SOLD OUT!
Chef Robert Belcham oversees the kitchen at not one of Vancouver’s top restaurants, but two. Kitsilano’s Fuel Restaurant (regional, seasonal and approachable cuisine) and East Van’s campagnolo (casual and rustic Northern Italian) are packed daily, and in a sea of dining possibilities, remain two of this city’s best bets. Chef Belcham sources out only the best quality regional products for his oft-changing menus. By doing all his butchery in house from whole animals, Robert & his kitchen team offer incredible whole roast items and a wide selection of skilled housemade charcuterie.
Tuesday, September 28 – Culinary Capers Catering - Chef Jonathan Chovancek $89.95 per person, plus taxes – SOLD OUT!
If you want to know how to entertain with style and create an evening for your guests to remember, this is your night! Internationally recognized for his culinary talents, Chef Chovancek is in demand globally for his catering. His experience in award-winning restaurants, such as the Aerie Resort and Sooke Harbour House, helped prepare him for the challenges of working in a creative and fast-paced catering environment, and his commitment to using the freshest possible ingredientsto produce fine food rules his philosophy.
Tuesday, October 12 – The Beach House Restaurant - Executive Chef Michael Cameron, Executive Sous Chef Joe Duprey, Executive Pastry Chef Steve Hodge – $89.95 per person, plus taxes – SOLD OUT!
It’s very fitting that this iconic West Vancouver restaurant on Dundarave Pier is now overseen by a local boy. Executive Chef Michael Cameron, a native of West Van, arrived at The Beach House with over twenty years of experience both locally and internationally. One of the North Shore’s oldest and most celebrated landmarks, this restored 1912 historic teahouse is now the home of acclaimed seasonal West Coast cuisine and award-winning wines. This is the first time that The Beach House has joined us for a Market Dinner, and we can’t wait!
Friday, October 22 – Whisky Dinner with Cask Strength and Eric Pateman – $130 per person, plus taxes – SOLD OUT!
These are the dinners that started it all for Edible BC. Together with personable and knowledgeable Andrew Starritt from Cask Strength, enjoy an evening of unique and rare single malt whiskies, all paired with rich, sultry dishes created to enhance the complex flavors of the spirits. With price points generally ranging from $80 to $400 a bottle, these dinners provide outstanding value and are perfect for the whisky lover and learner.
Tuesday, October 26 – Vij’s & Rangoli – Chef Vikram Vij – Tickets by Lottery $89.95 per person, plus taxes
Due to extremely high demand, we will again be offering tickets to this class by lottery ONLY, so if you would like to try and win an opportunity to purchase two tickets to this hotly anticipated class, please send us an email before September 15, 2010. Vikram Vij is widely recognized as the world’s top Indian cuisine chef – guaranteed to be an evening of a lifetime.
Tuesday, November 23 – Araxi Restaurant - Chef James Walt $89.95 per person, plus taxes – SOLD OUT!
One of EBC’s must visit restaurants in Whistler is Araxi. As the first restaurant in Jack Evrensal’s Top Table empire, Araxi holds a place in Whistler history. No matter how many times you visit, or what season, they never stop improving or fail to impress. Be it an intimate dinner in the heart of winter, a summer lunch on the patio, or oysters and bubbles at the bar, the staff and atmosphere at Araxi always offer something extra special. And Chef James Walt plays an instrumental part. One of this country’s leading chefs, James Walt continues to inspire both his contemporaries and his guests, creating compelling regional cuisine based on local, sustainable ingredients. In late 2009 Araxi was catapulted to the world stage as the winning restaurant for Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen. This promises to be a delicious – and entertaining – evening as James will share stories from one of the world’s top ski destinations just months after the world arrived for the Olympics.
Tuesday, December 7 – Holiday Entertaining – Chef Eric Pateman $89.95 per person, plus taxes
Our last public dinner of the year before we are into holiday party season, this is the perfect opportunity for you to pick up some tips and tricks on festive entertaining. Whether it be holiday beverages to start, tasty platters to share or sides to go along with the turkey, this class will help breathe new traditions into your holiday entertaining.
WATCH FOR OUR 2011 MARKET DINNER SERIES DATES TO BE RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2010!
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