Dine out, Vancouver!

It is the second week of January so naturally, we've all I've already failed miserably at my resolutions for the new year to "eat healthier" and "eat out less"So! What better way to keep the ball {of self destruction} rolling than with eating out at as many of the 2012 Dine Out Vancouver restaurants as possible!

10 years running, Dine Out Vancouver offers seventeen days from Jan. 20th to Feb. 5th to experience culinary bliss from over one hundred of Vancouver's finest restaurants. 

It's ok if you feel like a bloated penguin after dinner because you can also "Stay Out Vancouver" at one of the many participating hotels that will be offering special night rates over the festival! {Ranging from $78, $108, or $138} Packages pairing restaurants and hotels are also available to make for the perfect night out!More information here.

2012 Dine Out Vancouver Festival from Barbershop Films on Vimeo.

The festival offers an incredible variety of restaurants with different sets of fixed menus priced at $18, $28, or $38. Dine Out Vancouver is the perfect opportunity to revisit an old favourite, or check out that restaurant that you've been just dying to try!

Cento Notti via Vancitybuzz

My picks! {click the restaurant to see the DOV menu}: 

• Joe Fortes - perfect for the seafood lover, and practically highway robbery at $38
• Hawksworth - at the newly renovated Hotel Georgia, see what all the buzz is about, $38
• Cento Notti - the city's newest and hottest Italian restaurant, go for the food, décor, and atmosphere, $28
• Hapa Izakaya - choose from Rosbon, Kits, or Yaletown locations, a favourite for Japanese cuisine, $28
• Chinois - I have been ABSOLUTELY DYING to try this hot new Yaletown restaurant! Can't wait to compare their contemporary take on the Chinese dessert dofu fa with my mom's! $28
• Thai House - never go wrong here with traditional pad thai and more... deeee-lish! $18
• Save On Meats - recently featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" this Gastown diner is all about the comfort food, $18
• Trattoria Italian Kitchen - a Glowbal Group restaurant with an unbelievable menu, a steal at $18

Chinois Yaletown

Noteworthy mentions:

Chambar $38, Boneta $38 {at its new location!}, Black & Blue $38, 

Cardero's $28, Water St.Café $28, Pink Elephant Thai $18

                                                Boneta                                        Hapa Izakaya

Pink Elephant Thai

Not to forget all the wonderful festival features this year including culinary tours, cooking lessons and food tastings. 

Something you will most definitely find me attending is Street Food City, where the best of Vancouver's street food scene come together at one location so we can sample devour bits and bites from some of Vancouver's most diverse street food carts!

Check out a full list of the festival events here.

                                              Joe Fortes                                                           Hawksworth

Read Scout Magazine's online guide to "Everything you need to know about Dine Out Vancouver" here.

images via Scout Magazine and Tourism Vancouver

Bon appétit!

Kat, xo.

Something with a view?

Kat here!
So great news Vancity, I checked the weather forecast for the next week and I saw something I have yet to see so far this year. SUN ALL WEEK?!

Us three girls have all been so busy doing our own thing, but with August knocking on the door (indicating that there is ONE - I repeat ONE - more month of summer freedom left) I've decided that I'm going to drag get the girls together and visit our fave patios in Vancouver.

Here's where you can find us:

chill winston - gastown

a patio for people watching, one of the best spots for vibe and atmosphere

local public eatery - kits

great view of one of the world's sexiest beaches - kits beach!!!  chill, relaxed, amazing.

havana - commercial drive

admire the adorable pups being walked on the drive and the beautiful art displayed in the gallery inside

the keg - yaletown

unbelievable rooftop patio - fireplaces, skybar, yaletown view...... need I say more?

joe fortes - robson st

seafood, fine wine, and a rooftop garden - bliss!

water st. cafe - gastown

dine to the sight and sound of gastown's iconic steamclock.... you may recognize this one from the movie 'Love Happens' - what up hollywood!

bridges - granville island

patio literally on the water. enough said.

goldfish - yaletown

quaint tables amongst a garden, c'est comme le français, non? can't forget the cozy lounge couches, pillows and candles for late night... why yes, i'll take a glass of wine.

All of these restaurants are phenomenal in their own unique ways (obviously because we're featuring them!), and you can be sure that the food is delicious and more most importantly the drinks are always pouring!
Let us know what you think, and if we missed your fave, tell us about it!

Bon appetit!

Kat, B, & Nita, xo