Every January for the last 15 years, the city of Vancouver and surrounding areas celebrate a culinary festival called Dine Out Vancouver. According to the official website, these include “guided dining adventures, brunch crawls, cocktail masterclasses, wine debates, guest chef dinners, BC VQA wine and craft beer tastings, street food markets and more”. In Toronto, the city celebrates something similar called Winterlicious. And no, that’s not my stripper name. Because I’m new to the city and am keen on exploring it through food, I thought this would be a good incentive to brave the bitter cold and satisfy my bottomless pit of a stomach.

Actual live footage of me entering any dining establishment.
Actual live footage of me entering any dining establishment.

I’ve gone through the menu and selected some restaurants that piqued my interest. I chose the following because they either:

  1. Serve something that you don’t normally see on any menu. Everyone can make grilled salmon or roasted pork tenderloin. Big whoop. But Korean Style Tacos? Pig and Duck Red Curry? Yaaasss.
  2. Recommended by a friend. Because friends care.

To make the decision easier, I also filtered it down to just dinner menus. I mean who’s waking up at an irrational* time on a weekend to go to lunch. Not I. I also opted to just go for the $28 menu and the $48 menu because my mood is either Budget Becky or Billionaire Blair. There really is no in between.

*10:30am

$28 options
259 Host – Indian
Arisu – Japanese, Korean
Bangkok Garden – Thai
Bar Buca – Italian
Canteen – Contemporary, International
Hawker Bar – Asian, South East Asian, Vegan
Insomnia Restaurant and Lounge – Canadian, Fusion, International
Lisa Marie – Contemporary, Fusion
Lisbon by Night – Portugese, Seafood, Steakhouse
Sambucas on Church – Italian
The Badali Bar – Italian

$48 options

Benihana Japanese Steakhouse – Japanese, Steakhouse
Bent – Asian, Fusion, International
Bymark – Canadian, Contemporary, International
Leña – Argentinian, Spanish
Oro – Italian

If you’re going to/have been to any of the restaurants above, let me know what you think!