Dining Out For Life on March 27th

Anyone who's lived in the city for more than a year is sure to be familiar with the phrase 'Dine Out', the name of a three-week, tourist nabbing celebration of the best in Vancouver restaurants. Local reactions to the event, which took place in January of this year, are typically mixed... for the few years I've partaken, the 'Dine Out' experience has been associated with empty wallets, rumbling stomachs and under impressed palates. Whether or not you're truly getting any kind of "deal," the event does seem to force Vancouverites into the city, and has the potential to introduce 'em to some really stellar restaurants.

Another culinary event playing on that same phrasal verb (an attempt to scare our ESL away?), but one which comes with my unequivocal support, is about to occur for one day only on Thursday, March 27. Dining Out for Life is a Vancouver-wide fundraising event to help raise money and awareness for local AIDS-based charities. It's been going on for a few years now, and is one tradition that its impossible to be cynical about. With more than 200 restaurants from the Vancouver area donating a quarter of their food revenue to charity, Thursday night is a great opportunity to sample a new menu while supporting our city's less fortunate...

Since its establishment in Philadelphia in 1991, Dining Out for Life has become a North America-wide event, now taking place in 46 different cities. One of three participating Canadian locations, the Vancouver/Whistler fundraising will have the support of over 200 of the area's best restaurants. A full list is available online.

Each business will donate 25 percent of their food revenues on Thursday to A Loving Spoonful and Friends for Life, two lower mainland charities devoted to supporting Vancouverites living with HIV/AIDS. If you're really too tied up to participate on Thursday, they've made it easy to make a tax-deductible donation online.

I've barely made a dent in the list of restaurants myself, but one that I would instantly recommends is Aurora Bistro, which I visited recently after their win for 'Best Regional Restaurant' at the 2008 Urban Diner awards. With a comfortable, unpretentious atmosphere and notably relaxing music, the girlfriend and I were able to enjoy one of our nicest meals out in a long time; her duck cooked perfectly and my risotto near the best I've had. Using homegrown organic products, the restaurant is also one of a handful of Vancouver eateries that exclusively serve locally raised pork and beef. Regardless, it really was the most satisfying "West Coast" meal I've had in awhile...

Many of the restaurants, including Aurora, also offer lunch, so there's no reason not to have some nibbles and wine earlier in the day if you've already got dinner plans. Bin 941 Tapas Parlor won 'Best Small Plates' at the Urban Diners, and could be a good bet. As mentioned, there are over 200 restaurants to choose from, and almost everyone allows themselves the occasional nice meal out... so make it Thursday!

Additionally, the event will offer a rare opportunity for some selfless sousing, as Stella Artois will donate $1 from every sale in Dining Out For Life restaurants on Thursday, while Wolf Blass will donate 75 cents from every bottle of wine bought in BC restaurants and liquor stores during the entire month of March.

So do what you can for our city's sick and needy by scoping out one of the city's great restaurants and ordering yourself a glass of Stella. Could it be any easier?

Dining Out For Life takes place on Thursday March 27th at restaurants all over the Vancouver/Whistler area, check their site for details and a full list of participating locations

image courtesy of kaishin of the Beyond Robson flickr pool