QUICK. Lace up those running shoes and hit the gym, road or treadmill.
You've got just over two weeks to counteract some of the damage done by holiday feasting before the next eating extravaganza begins: Dine Out Vancouver.
Now in its 11th year, Tourism Vancouver's city-wide celebration of eating out allows diners to sample menus from more than 200 restaurants around the city, all for a prix fixe cost (price points are $18, $28 and $38 per person) and many with suggested BC VQA wine pairings, available at an additional cost.
This year, Dine Out runs for 17 days, from Jan. 18 to Feb.
3. Participating restaurants and their menus will be revealed and reservations open on Jan. 7, though advanced reservations open for American Express cardholders tomorrow (Jan. 3).
This year once again, the Dine Out festival also features events that spotlight the talented chefs, restaurateurs and food gurus who contribute to Vancouver's reputation as a world-class culinary destination. Some of the festival's most highly anticipated events include:
? Plated & Paired at the Public Market - a rare, after-hours opportunity to taste the best of Granville Island paired with BC VQA wines.
? The Grape Debate - a wine-focused debate among industry leaders followed by tastings of more than 20 B.C. wines.
? Hawksworth @ Holt Renfrew - an intimate evening at Holt Renfrew's designer boutiques, featuring a champagne cocktail reception, informal modelling of the Spring 2013 collections, and dinner with wine and dessert by Hawksworth Restaurant.
? Secret Supper Soirée - a culinary-centred trolley tour including two secret dining locations, delicious food, cocktails, wine and entertainment.
? Act 1, Eat 1 - a theatrical collaboration that pairs unique performances with communal dining at restaurants throughout the city.
Dine Out also offers special hotel room rates and packages, with rooms priced at $78, $108 and $138 (per room, per night), and many are also offering food-focused packages guaranteed to please diners' palates.
Rates and packages are available for stays taking place Jan. 18 through Feb. 3, and can be booked through dineoutvancouver.com.
Throughout the festival, diners can also take part in the Best Bite Awards by voting for their favourite festival experiences and be automatically entered to win the Dine Out for a Year contest.
For more information - and to start making your Dine Out plan of attack on Monday - visit dineoutvancouver.com. Happy eating!
Deana Lancaster has been writing about food and wine since 1998, and worked in restaurants for more than a decade before that. She is passionate about good food. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/deanal, or send her an email, to [email protected].
