Located in historic Chinatown, Sai Woo showcases asian cuisine paired with unique craft cocktails.  Their Dine Out menu offers a choice of 3 appetizers, 3 mains, and 2 desserts for $40.  You’ll love the locally sourced ingredients and adventurous menu.  It’s almost hidden away on chaotic Pender street, but once inside, you are greeted by 16ft ceilings with exposed brick walls from the early 1900’s.  Salli, the owner, showed us what the original building looked like pre-restoration.  Her and her team stripped layers and layers of drywall to unearth the building’s natural beauty and heritage.  Sai Woo is a perfectly intimate setting to enjoy some delicious eats.

Asian Casual Eats

The meal commenced with a grilled romaine kimchi salad and a Korean beef tenderloin yukkae.  The latter was a decadent take on beef tartare with an egg yolk to tie everything together.

Paired with the appetizers was Sai Woo’s most infamous cocktail, The Smoking Gun. Dark rum is combined with bitters, sugar, and oak and then infused with tea smoke.  Dave the bartender served it table side as we were mesmerized by the “magic” that was happening in front of us.  This cocktail was a real highlight of the meal and one of the finest cocktails I’ve had.

On to the Next

Our server, Jake, brought the main courses in a flourish of beautifully plated entrees.  The Cantonese style garlic prawns delivered bite after delicious bite with garlic flavours shining through.  It was nested on top of a sweet and spicy bok choi and gai lan medley.

The Szechuan veal cheeks were perfectly tender and melted with flavour.  The cauliflower puree and vegetables were quickly devoured as we couldn’t get enough of this dish.

We sipped the elegant Anna May cocktail garnished with a blueberry as well as the refreshing Chinatown Mule with Jack Daniels and Ginger Beer.  We felt at ease as we finished the last bites and took in the ambience.

Sweet Finale

This journey of asian cuisine ended with a matcha coconut panna cotta that tasted as exotic as it sounds alongside their interpretation of nama chocolate.  A richly smooth chocolate and cream with a truffle-like texture, it was garnished with a yuzu curd and crispy puffed rice to add dimension.

Sai Woo’s Dine Out menu was an adventurous journey that paid homage to its heritage building and vibrant neighbourhood.  The creative cocktails and stunning backdrop brought the cuisine to life.  We would quickly return for dinner or a seat at the bar.  #DoYouSaiWoo

For more information:

Sai Woo
158 E Pender
Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1T3

saiwoo.ca

[email protected]

Dine Out Vancouver is underway and what better way to celebrate than enjoying a gourmet meal at one of Vancouver’s most legendary restaurants, Joe Fortes! I am a huge fan of Joe Fortes casual fine dining atmosphere and of course their west coast inspired menu. As a bartender in Vancouver for the past 8 years, whenever I’m asked by a tourist where to have a memorable meal, Joe Fortes is my first suggestion.

Located in the heart of downtown, Joe Fortes is always bustling with a mix of locals and tourists. The classic decor and upscale touches makes Fortes the perfect spot to impress that special someone. My wife and I were lucky enough to experience Joe Fortes $40 Dine Out menu with cocktail parings designed by our master server Richard.

Can’t Miss Appetizers

We kicked things of with their famous lobster infused oil and bread and were treated with candied salmon with a lemon crème fresh. Pair that with Fortes’ signature Caesar and we had the recipe of what would turn into a beautiful night.

Joe Fortes Dine Out menu offers your choice of three different appetizers, New England Clam Chowder, Beet & Tomato salad, and Albacore Tuna Crudo. We chose the Beet & Tomato salad with ricotta Chantilly which was rich and delicious. As well as the Albacore Crudo which was the perfect appetizer served with the freshest tuna cuts I’ve ever had!

High-End Entrées

The main courses that Fortes offers makes their $40 Dine Out menu an absolute steal. I went for the Sockeye Salmon served on a bed of spiced barley risotto with roasted vegetables. My wife ordered the New York Steak served with balsamic braised mushrooms and mashed potatoes. Our masterful server Richard, paired the steak with an Agave Old Fashioned made with Cazadores Anejo tequila which was unique and matched perfectly. The Salmon was paired with a refreshing Basil Bomb made with fresh basil, limoncello, and prosecco.

Sitting in Joe Fortes, listening to the live pianist and soaking in the classic atmosphere is one of the best Vancouver dining experiences in my opinion. Fortes has a way of being upscale yet welcoming and casual. The perfect balance of high end service paired with gourmet food is why Joe Fortes is my favorite place to go for a date night.

The food at Joe Fortes is amazing and a testament to Fortes’ dedication to gourmet cooking. I am lucky that I get the opportunity to experience it and during Dine Out you can too! Dine Out gives everyone a chance to try restaurants that you may have been intimidated by. The $40 Dine Out menu at Joe Fortes is a must visit and you still have time, don’t miss out!

For more information:

Joe Fortes
777 Thurlow St.
Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 3V5

joefortes.ca

[email protected]

The first thing that catches your eye when you walk through the front doors of Strathcona Beer Co. is the word “Community” spelled out in gold neon. This represents the connection that Tim Knight, Adrian McInnes and Michael Nazarec have to the Stratchona neighbourhood. Strathcona is Vancouver’s oldest residential area, founded back when New West was the capital and before Vancouver became the vibrant city it is today. So, it would only make sense to establish a local brewery in the heart of our rapidly expanding metropolitan area.

Strathcona Beer Co.

On our tour of the brewery and tasting room, we first met with Adrian McInnes — who acts as the brand manager for Strathcona. Quickly scanning the space, you can see that he’s clearly great at his job. From the tasting trays shaped like vintage skateboards, to the streetwear inspired merch area, the brand’s look is cohesive and effortlessly cool. It took some real professional restraint not to cop one of the 5 panel hats then and there.

Adrian then introduced us to Michael “Fezz” Nazarec, a long-time homebrewer who recently turned his hobby into a full time job. He stresses classic, international beers and promotes the Dark Mild, the Belgian Gold Ale and the British IPA as their flagship brews. You would imagine its difficult for a new brewery to stand out amongst the competition, especially in the East Van area, but Strathcona stresses quality. They aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, just create good tasting beer that honours the traditional recipes.

Fezz acknowledges a shift in the consumer, and says “People know beer now”. While the average joe was once content walking into a bar for a pint of Coors Light, many people now are able to confidently ask for the latest rotating tap, or know that they have a penchant for a crisp, hoppy IPA. Even my own father will regularly send me photos of a tasting flight from the newest brewery to pop up back east.

World Class Brewery

The times are changing, and Strathcona caters to the craft connoisseur in search of a quality brew.  Fezz talks excitedly about upcoming projects, including a Belgian double (their Christmas beer), a smoked porter in the new year, a white IPA, rye ESB and a radler for the spring and line of kettle sours aged in Okanagan oak barrels should be finished the aging process in about a year from now.

President Tim Knight built the space from the ground up. He designed an Instagram-ready tasting room with an industrial yet sleek vibe. Concrete bar and family style table tops with black leather and wood seating line the space to maximize socializing. If you’re on the go and don’t have time to stop in for a pint, Strathcona has you covered with growler fills and a cooler stocked full of bottled beers. And of course, nothing pairs better with a cold one than a delicious warm pizza from the full service kitchen.

Yeast Vancouver

Strathcona joins the ranks of the established “Yeast Van” family, adding yet another tasting room to this local pub-crawl.  They really embody the neighbourhood, so much so that each of their 5000 litre tanks are named after a major street (Union, Prior, etc.). Tim owns a house just two blocks south of the brewery, making for a pretty reasonable morning commute. Fezz mentions that they’ve received an outpouring of local support, and that the brewing scene is much more of akin to family than competitors.

Strathcona Beer Co. is a welcome addition to the Vancouver craft brewery scene. Do yourself a favour and stop by this local hotspot that’s bringing the community vibe back to the place where Vancouver got its start.

For more information:

Strathcona Beer Co.
895 East Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1R8

strathconabeer.com

[email protected]