Mooncakes
Soirette has launched a Mooncake collection in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival, featuring Snow Mooncakes made with fresh fruit, tea, and French couverture chocolate. Mini mooncakes are sold as a set of four ($42) or eight ($80) and include flavour combinations such as mango and hibiscus, lychee and jasmine, strawberry and matcha, and blackberry and passionfruit punch. A deluxe set ($88) includes four mini mooncakes plus an extra-large double cognac truffle chocolate mooncake, with handmade crushed lotus paste, crushed caramelized hazelnuts, salted caramel pearls, and 24K gold leaf. All available by pre-order until Oct. 4. soirette.com
Six-course dinner
Bauhaus co-executive chefs David Mueller and Tim Schulte have launched a new fall tasting menu. The six-course dinner features duck liver with shortbread, sunchoke with mushrooms, venison with apple and parsnip, halibut in shellfish consommé, beef with coffee and squash, and pear with white chocolate. Six courses for $99, four courses for $79. Optional wine pairings available for $54 and $70, respectively. bauhaus-restaurant.com
Waffles galore
Cacao 70, a chocolate-based eatery,has opened its first “Dippery” location in Gastown at 433 Abbott St. It features soft ice cream and Belgian waffles that can be dipped into various flavours of chocolate, including Earl Grey, matcha, praline, dark and white, peanut butter and black sesame. The store will also sell brewed and chilled chocolate drinks, chocolate bars and coffee. cacao70.com
Sustainable fish
Sustainable seafood continues to grow in popularity. Ocean Wise has just announced a partnership with all Sobeys and Safeway locations in Western Canada. You can now find fresh and frozen sustainable seafood options at both chains. ocean.org/seafood
Sustainable Squamish
Joinery has opened its doors in Squamish. The new restaurant from the team behind The Locavore food truck and Cloudburst Café is a full-service operation that focuses on local and sustainable ingredients. Executive chef Cameron Hunter has cultivated strong local partnerships and Shaun Layton has consulted on the bar program. joinerysquamish.com
Railtown on Granville Street
Railtown Café has opened its latest location at 429 Granville St. The new counter-service space has licenced seating for 60 and the same homespun menu as at the other locations, including the epic build-your-own salad bar. railtowncafe.ca
Tacos for a cause
From Friday, Sept. 22 to Friday, Sept. 29, La Taqueria locations will donate $1 from all Margarita sales toward an Oaxacan charity in light of the recent earthquakes in Oaxaca and Mexico. Also, on Oct. 4, La Taqueriais celebrating National Taco Day with two-for-one tacos at all locations during happy hour, 3-6 p.m. There will also be a taco-themed scavenger hunt with prize packs hidden in Vancouver and Victoria. lataqueria.com
New chef
Villa Eyrie Resort has announced Carmen Ingham as the new executive chef of Summit Restaurant. Ingham trained under departing chef Terry Pichor, who is leaving to spend time with his family and new baby. Ingham also previously staged in Italy and Japan, and was recognized as the “Le Creuset Rising Star” of the 2013 Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship. villaeyrie.com
Whole-animal dinner
On Friday, Oct. 13, Campagnolo Roma will hold its 13th Quinto Quarto whole-animal dinner, featuring guest chef Jonas Stadtländer, alongside Roma chef Jesse McMillan. The dinner will celebrate fall’s harvest, as well as unique cuts of meat, paired with local beverages. Tickets are $100 via Eventbrite, including dinner, beverage pairings, and gratuity. campagnoloroma.com
Tasting Yaletown
Taste of Yaletown is back Oct. 11-27, with 26 participating restaurants, pubs, chocolateries and cafes taking part in the annual dining event. Each business will offer a $25, $35 or $45 menu. This year’s list includes Fayuca, Lime and Moon Pie Co., DD Mau, Provence Marinaside, WildTale Coastal Grill, Xoxolat, and more. Partial proceeds will go to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
Slow Fish Dinner
On Sunday, Oct. 15, Chefs’ Table Society of BC will hold the fourth annual Slow Fish Dinner at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. The evening will begin with PICA culinary students serving up canapes and salmon-safe wines. Next, guests will move through the school’s eight professional teaching kitchens to meet the visiting chefs, who will each offer tasting portions of local sustainable seafood delicacies. This year’s participating chefs include Angus An (Maenam), Alex Chen (Boulevard), Curtis Luk (Mission), Hamid Salimian (NextJen), Jeff Van Geest (Miradoro), Felix Zhou (Heritage), and more. This is a 19+ event. Earlybird tickets until Sept. 30 are $99 plus tax via Eventbrite. chefstablesociety.com
Aquarium fundraiser
On Friday, Oct. 20, Vancouver Aquarium’s Toast to the Coast is back for a night of food, wine and ocean conservation. Enjoy gourmet dishes from top Ocean Wise dishes, sip B.C. wines and enjoy the late-night after party. Participating restaurants this year include Bauhaus, Cacao, Home St. Café and Bar, Nomad, Provence, Yew and more. vanaqua.org/tttc
Eat! the festival
ICYMI…Eat! Vancouver Food and Cooking Festival is back Nov. 6 to 11, and more than half of the events are already sold out. Tickets are still available for select dinners, tastings and other events, including EAT! Pastry and EAT! Harvest. Participating pastry chefs and chocolatiers this year include Adam Chandler (Beta5), Betty Hung (Beaucoup), Christophe Bonzon (Chez Chirstophe), Greg Hook (Chocolate Arts), Eleanor Chow (Cadeaux), Thierry Busset (Thierry), Steve Hodge (Temper), Thomas Haas (Thomas Haas), Patrice Demers (Patrice Pâtissier, Montreal), and Nadège Nourian (Nadège Patisserie, Toronto), among others. Proceeds from the festival will benefit Project Chef, a local not-for-profit. eat-vancouver.com
