Dine Out Vancouver offers some tasteful events
By Angela Espinoza, Arts Editor
Thereās been some negative news regarding Vancouverās artistic scene as of late, namely a nonsensical change to liquor laws for venues and the sale and closure of the Waldorf Hotel. But while those are sad (and infuriating) stories that every respectable resident of BC needs to look into, right now we should focus on something positive that everyone can enjoy. Whether or not the City of Vancouver recognizes its independent hubs, the City at least recognizes its immensely eclectic culinary sceneāsomething surely exciting for borderline connoisseurs or any folks with a rumbly in their tumbly.
Dine Out Vancouver is returning for its 11th year on Friday, January 18. The festival will run for just over two weeks, ending on Sunday, February 3. This vast event, hosted by dozens of restaurants all over Vancouver, is produced by Tourism Vancouver, who have worked to make it āCanadaās largest celebration of eating out,ā according to the official website.
With over 200 restaurants playing host to the festival, there are literally too many to list. What can be said though, is that these restaurants cover virtually every aspect of culture and flavourāItalian, Indian, Malaysian, Japanese, seafood, wine bars, grillsāwhatever you want, everything is available!
The goal of the festival is to simply indulge everyone in culture. Not only will you be able to get a taste for the tasty, youāll also get to experience (if one so chooses) live theatre and musical performances during your meal, open discussions on the culinary world in the form of debates and lectures, exciting and fun cooking classes, and you can even join in on sampling wines and beers. Whatever kind of dining experience you are looking for, it will be there.
Another important aspect is cost, and while the website states their host restaurants will be offering three (or more) course meals priced at $18, $28, and $38, one will need to factor in the cost of drinks, taxes, and tip. Putting the more expensive packages aside though, the $18 packages will probably come to be around $30. That said, $30 is a pretty sweet deal for what should be a fantastic three-course meal.
Nonetheless, whether this is an experience you want to share with yourself, some friends, family, or even as a pre-Valentineās Day surprise (only four weeks away, folks), you really couldnāt ask for a better opportunity to share some delightful culture with yourself or a loved one. So enjoy yourselves, head for something you know youāll love or try something new. Either way, Dine Out Vancouver is an experience that should not be missed.
Check out the full list of dates, restaurants, menus, and prices over at http://www.dineoutvancouver.com/.
