Dine Out Vancouver 2012 Food Trends

 

Whether you’re looking to try a new restaurant or just love a great deal, Dine Out Vancouver 2012 gives you plenty of reasons to indulge in the city’s vast culinary scene. This 17-day food festival (January 20–February 5) features specially priced meals from hundreds of restaurants, and we’ve already scoured the menus for this year’s hottest food trends. Here’s what you’ve got to try:

Exotic Meats

We hope you’re an adventurous eater, because chefs are getting creative with this year’s Dine Out Vancouver meat courses. Edible Canada is tapping into local ingredients with its slow-cooked Alberta elk stew, and CinCin Ristorante + Bar is doing the same with its wood grilled Tofino octopus. At Hyde Restaurant, you can try slow-cooked alligator tail sliders, or for something in the (big) bird category, order the ostrich stroganoff at Samba Brazilian Steakhouse or the ash-crusted ostrich at Fraîche Restaurant.

Terrines and Pâtés

Terrine and pâté are closely related; they’re both a mixture of ground meat, fat, herbs and sometimes liquor, but one is like a fine paste (pâté) and the other, more coarse (terrine). They’re both enjoyed as a spread on toasted bread (or, really, as a spread on anything). Nosh on pork pâté at Beachside Forno, rabbit terrine at Edible Canada and duck terrine at Pourhouse Restaurant.

Special Diet Menus

Those with dietary restrictions often get left out when it comes to prix fixe tasting menus, but this year, chefs are taking notice. Thirteen restaurants feature separate vegetarian menus for Dine Out Vancouver 2012, and if you’re following a gluten-free regimen, you’ll be able to find a number of eateries offering diet-friendly alternatives.

Mushrooms

Perhaps it’s the cool, damp weather and the demand for comfort food, but mushrooms are cropping up all over Dine Out Vancouver menus. Try the vegan mushroom potpie at the The Irish Heather Gastropub or The Refinery’s spaghetti with wild mushrooms. Mushroom risotto also is making huge debut this year, and you can try this creamy, earthy dish at Luke’s Corner Bar + Kitchen, Five Sails Restaurant and The Smoking Dog Bistro.

Banana Desserts

This year, chefs are going bananas for dessert — quite literally. This bright yellow fruit is cost-effective, creamy and naturally sweet, making it a shoo-in for the finishing course. Order the banana split at Yew Restaurant + Bar, the chocolate caramel bar with banana ice cream at L’Abattoir Restaurant or the caramelized banana cake at Market by Jean-Georges.