With the return of DINE AROUND THOMPSON OKANAGAN presented by the Wines of British Columbia January 17 to February 4, 2018, members of The British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA) are presenting another exciting array of menus.
You’ll find tasting menus featured, generally three courses, for $15, $25, $35 and $45 with suggested BC VQA wine pairings, BC Craft Beer pairings or spirits and cocktail pairings. Says Christina Ferreira, event coordinator, “More than 8,000 people are expected to take in the festival with some 50 participating restaurants from Kamloops to Penticton.”
Half the fun is checking out www.dinearound.ca to learn which restaurants are committed to the action and to preview their Dine Around menus online. This festival inspires owners and chefs to show the capability of their kitchens, so reservations are highly recommended.
“This festival is great for restaurants as we help promote their businesses during what has been traditionally a slow time of year,” comments Ian Tostenson, President/CEO BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association. “Consumers also appreciate it as they have the opportunity to sip, savour and save with these delicious three course menus for such incredible prices. Many residents take the opportunity to get out and try restaurants that they may not have ever been to or don’t visit often enough, it’s a win win for the consumer and our member restaurants.”
Ferreira adds, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to promote the Wines of British Columbia during the Dine Around Thompson Okanagan Festival. This is an excellent opportunity for local restaurants, wineries and breweries to focus locally and showcase how well BC VQA wines, BC Craft Beer and Craft Spirits pair with our local foods.”
I’ve been perusing the many delectable menus in restaurants in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, Penticton, Summerland, Vernon, and Kamloops, and keen to try out a few.
I did have a sneak-a-peek at the Dine Around Launch held last week at Okanagan College. It’s worth the trek to Kelowna from Penticton just to see the range of options available. At the launch, some 300 people enjoyed an evening featuring delicacies from 15 restaurants and 20 wineries.
As if the special menus weren’t incentive enough for the community to visit participating restaurants during Dine Around, The BCRFA is added a contest you can enter to win $250 in restaurant gift cards by requesting a ballot entry form, completing and leaving at the restaurant. There are also chances to win throughout the festival by winning $25 gift cards from participating restaurants by using social media; to enter, the community is encouraged to take a photo of your food and wine, spirit or beer pairing and then tag the restaurant you are visiting along with #dinearound2018 and post to twitter, Facebook or Instagram to be automatically entered, winners will be selected at random throughout the festival and there are more than twenty chances to win through social media.
To follow the festival, you can like the page on facebook.com/sipsavoursave follow @bctastesbetter on twitter and Instagram and follow the hashtag #dinearound2018
Now which restaurants to choose this year?
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