One of the best features of the Dine Out Vancouver Festival is getting to try new-to-you restaurants, experiences and sometimes entire cuisines. With hundreds of restaurants participating again this year, it’s impossible to try them all, so we’ve had a preview for you and come up with five Vancouver spots a little off the beaten path.
Bovine Rice Bowls
It’s just a bowl of rice, right? WRONG. What started as a culinary tour to Japan by two friends has blossomed into a passion project that is bringing a whole new concept of “comfort food” to the downtown lunch scene. Slow cooked ribeye, vegetable curries and globally inspired “sandos” all mingle together in a big ol’ bowl of goodness.
During Dine Out we’re ordering: Steak Sando with house-made tamarind jam
Chi Vegan
This is hardly news in Vancouver but maybe you need to hear it anyway: Vegan food is downright delicious. In the right hands of course and two of those hands belong to Chef Chi at her namesake eatery on Fourth Avenue. For the past four years, Chef Chi has been perfecting her unique brand of completely plant-based meals that not only delight your taste buds, but your health and the planet too!
During Dine Out we’re ordering: Okonomiyaki with mushroom and pickled ginger
Shaken “beef” at Chi Vegan
Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen
Immerse yourself in an authentic Nepali dining experience at Gurkha, in that funky little house on Davie Street – you know the one. It’s named after Nepali soldiers known for their loyalty and generosity and you’ll find both on full display here. Traditional lentils, rice and chutney are served alongside hearty meat and vegetable dishes. Their head chef hails from Gorkha, nestled in the Himalayas, and brings with him a true Gurkhan “pursuit of perfection.”
During Dine Out we’re ordering: Grilled Chicken with ginger-garlic yogurt
Lucky Taco
Even without the delicious food, this funky laid-back “semi-authentic” taqueria in the heart of Kitsilano is just a darn fun place to hang out. Whether it’s happy hour on the heated patio, or down the stairs to tuck into a mezcal flight under pixie lights, it won’t be a stretch to forget there’s any kind of “January” going on outside.
During Dine Out we’re ordering: Calabaza Taco with tempura squash, refried beans and garlic-guajillo salsa
Potluck Hawker Eatery
Potluck Hawkers Eatery
If you’ve been dreaming lately of that special kind of backpack-and-flip-flops style of travelling, or if you’ve just been binging Anthony Bourdain episodes, one step into Potluck on Cambie will transport you. Inspired by the street food markets of South East Asia, as well as the family-style “potluck” dinners of Chef Justin Cheung’s childhood, this cozy, rambunctious eatery will fill your soul along with your stomach.
During Dine Out we’re ordering: Nasi Lemak with Duck Confit and Kale La-ing
To check out the full menu of these and all other Dine Out participating restaurants, as well as info on how to make reservations, visit dineoutvancouver.com.
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