Street food to venture out for, a corner store to die fore, and more.
by Trish Kelly
Eat In
The Flying Tiger in Kitsilano is the kind of restaurant crush that can actually motivate you to doff the fuzzy slippers and venture outside in January. The cozy, sophisticated room and warm service seem reason enough to make the trip, but here’s the clincher: Chef Tina Fineza’s Asian street food menu features Ocean Wise sustainable seafood, free-range meats, and organic produce. The varied selections include Vietnamese “Nuoc Cham” Sablefish with ginger wontons, and the Mumbai Chaat Masala that comes with darling little fried breads. With the coming Lunar New Year Jan. 26 and weeks of Dine Out Vancouver starting Jan. 16, the next thing you know it will be February… then spring is just around the corner.
2958 W. Fourth Ave., theflyingtiger.ca
Eat Out
If “stop coveting Strathcona’s great corner stores” is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, then avoid strolling by the Wilder Snail Neighbourhood Grocery at the corner of Keefer and Hawks. The former convenience store, whose biggest draws were fuzzy peaches and Kraft Dinner, has been transformed into a destination for both locals and envious neighbourhoodlums from all over Vancouver. Focaccia sandwiches imported from La Grotta del Formaggio on Commercial Drive, organic yogurt in the cooler, and fair-trade organic espresso at the bar are a just a few more reasons why you’ll wish you were a resident of one of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods. In the coming months, new owner Boyd Thomson plans to add homemade desserts and soups, plus a ride-thru window for cyclists. 799 Keefer St., 604-216-0640
Check Out
Though you may have been blaming the January chill for your brain freeze this afternoon, according to scientists, the root cause of most fatigue throughout the day is dehydration due to falling blood pressure. So instead of dragging yourself to the coffeemaker, grab some H2O. Tap water will do the trick, but for those who want the convenience of a bottle, Icelandic Glacial is a great option. Sourced at Ölfus Spring in Iceland, it is extremely pure and comes from a self-replenishing source, which means unlike a finite source such as an artesian well on a tropical island, Icelandic won’t ever dry up the local community’s water supply. Also cool is the company’s carbon-neutral status. Use your well-hydrated noggin to recycle the bottle, and get on with your day.
icelandicglacial.com
Trish Kelly lives and eats in East Vancouver. She likes coffee on the corner, public displays of restaurant affection, and carbon-neutral second winds. At her request, SharedVISION donates Trish’s contributor fee to a local food-focused organization. This month’s recipient is Potluck Café (potluckcatering.com), a Downtown Eastside social enterprise that offers free meals to area residents and operates a professional catering service.
