Vancouver chefs turn picnics into an artform
Miso bowls, Syrian dips, and French fare are among the options for the beach-blanket dining
Artigiano has launched Picnic Kits featuring artisanal local products.
WHETHER YOU SEEK sun or shade, picnicking can be as casual or as elaborate as you want it to be. Whichever style suits, several local chefs are injecting fresh creativity in meals to go designed for outdoor dining.
Railtown Catering goes French with its new Parisian Picnic, featuring culinary favourites from the City of Lights. Think house-made baguette with French country pâté, pickled cherries, toasted pistachios, and sweet red fruit jelly. Niçoise salad with seared albacore tuna and tarragon dressing along with cheese and fruit are also on the picnic table, while Paris Brest with praline crème mousseline makes for a classic finish. (The Parisian Picnic starts at $69 and serves two to four.) French and B.C. wines are optional add-ons, as are pastries, quiche, and other goodies made by chef Dan Olson.
Fable Diner has a new Picnic to Go delivery program being offered to greenspaces throughout Vancouver. That means you can order dishes like milkshakes, ice-cream sandwiches, and burgers and have them show up at your blanket at Dude Chilling Park, Habitat Island (Beer Island) Park, Jonathan Rogers Park, and Mount Pleasant Park. Meat and cheese trays are among other options; so is a Margarita Couples Picnic with burgers, salad, fries, and frozen cocktails ($30). On the drinks list, aside from non-alcoholic beverages, are beer, wine, or hand-crafted cocktails in single-serve bottles (Kombucha Negroni anyone?).
Railtown Catering’s Parisian Picnics come complete with house-made baguette.
Artigiano has partnered with a handful of beloved local artisanal food suppliers for its new Picnic Kit program.
You get your pick of organic products from Two Rivers Specialty Meats, cheese from Granville Island’s Benton Brothers Cheese, and dairy-free cheeses from Main Street’s Blue Heron Creamery for the build-your-own box. Those premium items come with organic dips and breads made in-house $49. (The kit, $49, serves four to six people).
If you order from one of Artigiano’s three North Shore locations, you also have the option of adding a bottle of Italian red, white, or rosé; or a 4-pack of North Point Brewing Co. Life of Riley Hazy IPA or Staycation Pilsner. The Picnic Kits are available for pick up, delivery, or “dine-in” on the patios at five locations (Hornby Street across from the VAG, Kerrisdale, Edgemont, Shipyards, and Park Royal).
Honolulu Coffee Vancouver has introduced Picnic Kits at its downtown and Kerrisdale cafés. The Greatest of All Time box for four to six people ($79) includes a 16-ounce bottle of each the Hawaiian Toddy Latte and Matcha Latte, an açai bowl set, desserts (like guava bread, matcha cookie, and chocolate brownie), assorted macarons (in flavours such as rose lychee and yuzu); caprese-ham croissant sandwiches; and Hawaiian Sun Tropical Drinks. (A smaller box with similar contents goes for $50.)
Field & Social has a fresh menu of park-friendly foods and picnic sets for two to four, as well as a new collaboration with Cree-Metis Two Spirit chef Heat Laliberte, whose One Arrow Meats has earned a loyal following for its artisanal bacon. The Bacon & Egg Miso Bowl is a carbonara-style salad featuring One Arrow black-pepper bacon, ramen egg, romaine, arugula, orzo pasta, roasted yams, and miso dressing. Canadian farro, seasonal Chilliwack corn, and strawberries from Maan Farms are among the featured local ingredients
Tayybeh, a social venture helmed by local Syrian chefs, carries picnic goods like pita chips, mutabbal (smoked eggplant dip), labneh, hummus, mhammara (red pepper) spread, chickpea salad, and much more. (It’s offering 15 percent off picnic items until June 13.)
Field + Social.
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