What to Eat and Drink Around Vancouver This May

Farmers’ market season is back! I took a spin around the West End market on Saturday, and oh man, it was so very good to see so many old friends back, from the delicious Chouchou crêpes and wild B.C. salmon from Blue Comet Seafood, to my favourite blue cheese-stuffed olives from Dundarave Olive Company, along with fresh organic veggies and fruit from Klippers.

Spring is springing up all over. Enjoy the weeks ahead (hideous Junuary lurks in the wings…) and don’t forget those napkins, it’s gonna get messy.

Discover a Secret Mexican Speakeasy

Hastings-Sunrise is becoming quite the culinary hot spot these days. Joining Dachi, Peya and Selene as destination dining spots, meet Pantitlán. By day, the space is the Mercado Panadería, a tasty bakery. But from Thursday to Saturday, the bakery transforms in the evening into a speakeasy taco spot, which specializes in delicious Mexican street eats, like al pastor sliced from the trompo—essentially a vertical spit which slow-roasts that pork marinated in smoky spices. Here’s the fun part: you don’t access it from the front. Head to the alley at the back and look for the yellow door.

Eat All the New Season Rhubarb

Oh, little pink-green marvels, how I love you. Rhubarb heralds the start of sunshine and good times. Eat it raw and dipped in sugar, make a shrub to preserve it for tasty sodas or just go buy all the rhubarb pastries and desserts that you can find.

Livia’s Pop-Up Season Continues on Commercial

 

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What is it with Vancouver bakeries and good times? The ever-wonderful folks at Livia are continuing with their pop-up evening series (lasagna nights were so good!), starting on May 8 with a Portuguese night. Think vinho verde, clams, piri piri shrimp and African chicken. Check their Instagram for more details, but this is sure to be a good time.

Visit Rain or Shine at English Bay

Of course, ice cream always tastes terrific. But when you eat it while looking at the ocean perched atop a log on English Bay, then it’s simply heaven. Rain or Shine’s seasonal Ice Cream truck is back at the Bay, so take a stroll down there—you may see the whale that’s been visiting us—and pair perfect views with a scoop or two of their blueberry balsamic or maybe the malted milk chocolate honeycomb.

Half-Priced Champagne? Yes Please!

Continuing in my mission to bring you the absolute best value in town on fancy treats, Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie has quietly launched a steal of a lunchtime deal: half-off Champagne, Tuesday to Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Don’t forget L’Abattoir also offers 50% off all Champagne at the bar during their happy hour (Tuesday-Saturday, 5 to 6 p.m., and all night Wednesday).

B.C. Asparagus Is Back

Beautiful B.C. asparagus is back on menus across town, and it’s a nightly treat for me at home. Don’t overthink it: toss in a little olive oil and air fry. Then dress with Maldon smoked salt (a game-changer), fresh-ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Seriously, I cannot get enough of this.