For a lucky few, taking a seat in the iconic domed car of the Rocky Mountaineer just got a whole lot more affordable. The high-end rail service is joining the Dine Out Vancouver Festival for the very first time when it pulls into its station for a two-day pop-up restaurant experience.
Media were invited to preview the experience on a rainy Thursday evening this past week. After arriving at the station in East Vancouver, one member of our group was chosen to operate a foot-operated train whistle followed by the command, “All aboard.”
After climbing aboard the Gold dome railcar our group was directed up a small circular staircase to the second floor where we were served a glass of bubbly and an opportunity to look around. We then headed downstairs for a sample of the award-winning menu to be served to diners lucky enough to score a reservation for dinner. And while the Rocky Mountaineer has not gone into the fine dining business, for the first time it is participating in the annual Dine Out Vancouver Festival. The Rail Car Pop-Up: All Aboard Rocky Mountaineer dining event has proved so popular it almost immediately sold out. In response the Rocky Mountaineer has added a second date, Feb. 1 from 8:45 to 10:45 p.m.
The Dine Out festival began in 2001, when a group of food and wine enthusiasts got together with the team at Tourism Vancouver and pitched the idea of a fixed-price menu deal to get Vancouverites out and into restaurants during a normally slow time of the year. At the time, 57 restaurants jumped on board and since then Dine Out Vancouver has grown into Canada’s largest food and drink festival with more than 300 eateries taking part this year. (See list below) This year the festival runs from Jan. 19 to Feb. 4.
With so many restaurants to choose from, there is literally something for everybody and every budget. And if you’re still undecided, here are some of my recommendations to consider — places I’ve eaten at in the past and enjoyed the service and food.
The Cascade Room’s ($30) menu features roasted apple and parsnip soup, goat cheese salad, smoked bacon sausage, Alberta venison burger, chickpea tikka masala, and a honey mustard pork chop. Diners can finish with a double chocolate brownie or choose to add-on the artisanal cheese plate.
The Union makes its Dine Out Vancouver debut with a three-course menu with vegan and gluten-free options available as well. First course dishes include sweet and sour soup or (green papaya salad. Main options include a lamb curry, Malaysian seafood curry and an Indian thali with vegetables, rice and naan. For dessert, indulge in a slice of flourless chocolate cake served with coconut gelato.
Tableau Bar Bistro ($40) diners can choose from pâté de campagne or salade roquette, followed by boeuf Bourguignon or saumon grillé and an almond financier or pot de crème for dessert.
Mamie Taylor’s Low Country Pig Roast returns for two nights during Dine Out Vancouver, Jan. 23 and 24, and the $62 includes a three-course pig roast, welcome cocktail, all taxes, gratuities and ticketing fees.
Westin Bayshore: H2 Rotisserie & Bar offers guests a three-course menu for $30, with an optional 'flight of local taps' for an additional $9. Start off with organic baby kale salad or mushroom bisque, move on to rotisserie chicken pot pie or winter squash ragu, and finish up with peanut butter panna cotta or cranberry apple crumble.
H Lounge ((HJU:Z) provides diners with their choice of heirloom tomato and cold-pressed avocado or ponzu seaweed salads, seared diver scallop or 28-day aged striploin entrées and tri-chocolate mousse cake or green tea passion fruit mousse for $40.
Also at the Bayshore is An Evening in Beijing Jan. 30 ($131), part of the World Chef Exchange presented by Aeroplan and Air Canada. This Beijing-meets-Vancouver collaboration combines the skills of H Lounge executive chef Alex Mok and visiting executive chef Jacky Fan from the Westin Beijing Financial Street. The Bayshore is offering complimentary valet parking and dine-and-stay packages during Dine Out.
The Victor ($40) is offering a three-course menus including lobster and crab bisque or Belgian and red endive salad or kappa roll as an appetizer choice, sirloin cap and Angus reserve potato gratin or grilled salmon or saffron risotto as an entree and, finally, the Eaten Mess, including raspberry, banana, vanilla, custard, sponge cake, cream and meringue; or a chocolate mousse dark chocolate cake.
Provence Marinaside is offering both a lunch and dinner deal for $40.
See below for a list of participating restaurants or visit Dine Out Vancouver:
$20 menu
Afghan Horsemen Restaurant
Afghan Kitchen South Surrey
Asylum: Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
Banana Leaf Malaysian Cuisine: Kitsilano, Broadway, Davie, Denman and Robson locations.
Big Rock Urban Brewery and Eatery
The Bimini Public House
The Blackbird Public House and Oyster Bar
Bottleneck Bar and Grill
Bridge Brewing Company
Bufala
Burnaby Mountain Clubhouse
Butcher & Bullock
The Cannibal Café
Cazba Restaurant
The Cheshire Cheese
Chutney Villa South Indian Cuisine
Cinema Public House
Clough Club
Deepwater Micro Eatery
The District Brasserie
Dosanko Restaurant Inc.
The Fish Shack
The Flying Beaver Bar and GrillGranville Room
Gyoza Bar Ltd.
Hurricane Grill: Yaletown
Juke Fried Chicken
Kaya Malay Bistro
The Lamplighter Public House
Library Square Public House
Lickerish Restaurant & Lounge
Lucky Taco
Mahony and Sons: Stamps Landing
Mahony & Sons Public House: Coal Harbour
Masa Japanese Restaurant
Max’s Restaurant: Cuisine of the Philippines
Monkey 9 Brewpub
Neptune Chinese Kitchen Coquitlam
The New Oxford
Old Spaghetti Factory
Park at English Bay: Best Western Plus Sands Hotel
Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery: Moda Hotel
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.: Kitsilano
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.: Main
TAPshack: Burrard Bridge
TAPshack: Coal Harbour
Tavern
The Three Brits Public House
Timber
Vaades the Indian Restaurant
Village TaphouseChewie's Steam and Oyster Bar
$30 Menu
Arms Reach Bistro
Arriva Restaurant
Avocado Bay Restaurant and Lounge
Baci Ristorante
Baggio Gelateria and Pizzeria
Ban Dao
Bay Moorings
Bayside Lounge: Best Western Plus Sands Hotel
B.C. Kitchen
Beach Bay Café and Patio
Bellaggio Cafe: downtown
Bellaggio Wine Bar: Convention Centre
Biercraft Bistro: Cambie
Biercraft Bistro: Wesbrook Village
Bistro Verde
Boathouse Restaurant: English Bay, Kits, New West, Port Moody, Richmond, White Rock
Bogart's Bar and Restaurant Ltd.
Bravo Cucina Ristorante
C Prime Italian Steak and Wine
Cactus Club Cafe: various locationsCafé Ça Va
Campagnolo Restaurant
Campagnolo Roma
Cardero's Restaurant
Carthage Cafe
The Cascade Room
Catch 122 Cafe and Bistro
Catch Kitchen + Bar
CAVU Kitchen Bar: Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotel
Chewies Steam & Oyster Bar: Coal Harbour
Chewies Steam & Oyster Bar: Kitsilano
Chi Modern Vietnamese Kitchen
Chicha Restaurant
Chickpea
Cibo Trattoria: Moda Hotel
Crowbar
The Distillery Bar + Kitchen
Dunn's Famous Restaurant B.C.
Earls Kitchen & Bar: Robson, Test Kitchen, Taletown
Ebisu on Broadway
Edible Canada at the Market
El Santo
Fable Kitchen
Fayuca
Feast Neighbourhood Table
Fishworks
Flying Pig Olympic Village
Forage
Frankie's Italian Kitchen & Bar
Fresh Restaurant & Lounge: Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel
Gramercy Grill
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ: Downtown
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining: Broadway
H2 Rotisserie & Bar
Hapa Izakaya: Coal Harbour, Yaletown
Harold's Bistro & Bar: Sheraton Vancouver Airport
Hendrick's : Westin Grand Vancouver
Hook Seabar
Horizons Restaurant
Kamei Baru
Kitanoya Guu Garden
La Cigale French Bistro
Las Margaritas Restaurante Y Cantina
Little Mexico Cantina
Lobby: The Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier
Milltown Bar & Grill
Mission Kitsilano
Moxie's Grill & Bar, various locationsNammos Estiatorio
Nicli Antica Pizzeria
Nonna's Table
Oakwood Canadian Bistro Olive & Anchor
Ouisi Bistro
p2b bistro & bar: Pinnacle Vancouver Harbourfront Hotel
Pasture to Plate Grill Broths & Deli
Pat Quinn's Restaurant & Bar
Peninsula Restaurant
Pier 7 Restaurant
Pink Elephant Thai Restaurant Ltd.
Prestons: Coast Coal Harbour Hotel
Prospect Point Cafe in Stanley Park
Rangoli
Reef Restaurant on Main
Reef Restaurant on the Drive
Reflect Social Dining + Lounge
Romer's, various locations
Sai Woo
Sandbar Seafood Restaurant
Scandilicious Foods
Seasons in the Park
Second Floor Eatery + Bar
Shady Island Seafood Bar & Grill
Shoestring Café
Showcase Restaurant & Bar: Marriott Pinnacle Downtown
Smoke And Bones BBQ
Spacca Napoli Pizzeria
Spade
Sports bar LIVE! At Rogers Arena
Stages Bistro & Lounge: Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre
Stanley Park Pavilion
Steel Toad Brewing Company
Sula Indian Restaurant
Sylvia Restaurant & Lounge: Sylvia Hotel
Tap & Barrel, various locations
Teahouse Restaurant
Tivoli’s
Torafuku
Trattoria: Park Royal
Trattoria: West 4th
Trump Champagne Lounge
Union
Urban Thai Bistro
UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar: Moda Hotel
Village Table Local Eatery
Water St. Cafe
Whiskey Six BBQ
WildTale Coastal Grill
WildTale Olympic Village
Yaletown Brewing Co.
Yokohama Teppanyaki Japanese Restaurant
Mak N Ming
$40 Menu
1886
Acorn
Al Porto Ristorante
American Grille: Vancouver Airport Marriott
Ancora Waterfront Dining
AnnaLena
ARC Restaurant: Fairmont Waterfront
Atlas Steak + Fish
Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge: Wedgewood Hotel & Spa
Baru Latino Restaurante
Bishop's Restaurant
Bistro Pastis
Bistro Sakana
Black + Blue
Blue Canoe Waterfront Restaurant
Blue Martini Jazz Cafe
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Bridges Restaurant, Bistro & Bar
Brix & Mortar
Burnaby Riverway Clubhouse
CACAO Vancouver
Cactus Club Cafe: Coal Harbour
Cafe II Nido
Cafe One: Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel
Carver's Steakhouse
Central City Brewpub
Chambar Restaurant
Charcoal & Woodz: Holiday Inn Surrey Cloverdale
Chop Steakhouse & Bar
Ciao Bella Restaurant
CinCin Ristorante + Bar
Coast
Copper Chimney: Executive Hotel Le Soleil
Cuchillo
DIVA at the Met: Metropolitan Hotel, Vancouver
Dockside Restaurant: Granville Island Hotel
East is East Chai Lounge: Broadway
East is East Chai Lounge: Main Street
Ebisu on Robson
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
Federico's Supper Club
Forkhill House Irish Bistro
Glowbal
Gyu King Teppanyaki
Hart House Restaurant
HJU:Z Lounge
Holy Crab
Homer Street Cafe and Bar
Honey Salt
House Special Vietnamese
Italian Kitchen
Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House
Juniper
Kamei Royale Japanese Restaurant
Keg Steakhouse + Bar, various locations
Kobe Japanese Steak House
La Mezcaleria
La Pentola: Opus Hotel
La Terrazza
L'Abattoir Restaurant
LIFT Bar & Grill
Maenam
Mak N Ming Restaurant
MARKET by Jean-Georges
Minami Restaurant
Mosaic Bar & Grill: Hyatt Regency Vancouver
Neptune Seafood Restaurant Surrey
Notch 8 Restaurant & Bar: Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Observatory: Grouse Mountain Resorts
Oceans 999 Restaurant
Pidgin
Poor Italian Ristorante
Portobello Ristorante
Provence Marinaside
Red Star Seafood Restaurant: Richmond
Red Star Seafood Restaurant: Sounth Granville
Reflections the Winter Terrace at Rosewood Hotel Georgia
Robba da Matti
Salmon House on the Hill
Salmon n' Bannock Bistro
Sorella
Spencer's: Delta Vancouver Suites Hotel
Tableau Bar Bistro: Loden Hotel
Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant
Tramonto: River Rock Casino Resort
Vancouver Fish Company Restaurant & Bar
The Victor
Vij's Restaurant
West Oak Restaurant
West Restaurant + Bar
Wild Fig
Wildebeest
YEW seafood + bar
Zen Japanese Restaurant
