WHEN WE SAY CANADA YOU SAY POUTINE!

Fries, cheese curds and gravy — it’s the holy trinity of quintessential Canadian cuisine. Right up there with ketchup chips and maple syrup.

Today marks the kickoff of #LaPoutineWeek, and in celebration of this beloved dish, a number of restaurants across Canada are offering up a cavalcade of unique creations and clever spins on the traditional recipe for take-out, delivery and — where available — dine in. The premise is simple: eat #poutine, then go online at lapoutineweek.com and cast a vote for your favourite.

Some of the 30 restaurants participating in the annual celebration out here across Vancouver include: @lonsdalebridgedeck, @tapandbarrel, @stormcrowalehouse, @luckytacoyvr, @breakfast_yvr, @dublincallingvan, @yalesaloon, @bellsandwhistlesyvr, @colonynorthwoods and @donairdude.

Read all about the different poutines available for Vancouverites to dig into during La Poutine Week via a recent @viawesome article at the link in our bio above!

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local. Eat Poutine.

Next up on our ongoing roundup of Valentine’s Day features from far and wide is Hachiro Ramen Bar in North Vancouver.

This cozy little enclave is teaming up with @vancouverprivatedining to offer an unforgettable six-course meal that explores the best of Japanese and Italian cuisines. The menu will venture outside the realm of what the ‘little-neighbourhood-ramen-joint-that-could’ usually serves, and their bar team will be offering optional beverage pairings to complement the meal.

For more information on the menu (some highlights to stoke the appetite: Furikake Focaccia (Castelvetrano olives, cultured pickled herring butter), Koji Grilled Whole Branzino (hijike carrot salad, yuzu vinaigrette, black sesame) and Squid Ink Pasta (uni cream sauce, chorizo confit, baby octopus, ikura, furikake, sliced Guanciale) or to purchase tickets, head to @hachiro_ramen!

And a reminder to all of you out there in Breaking Breadville — whatever you’ve got planned for your customers this February 14 (flower bouquets, chocolate-dipped strawberries, take-home brunch kits, special Table d’Hôte To Go dinner menus or more), siiiiilide on into our DMs or send us an email at hello@breakingbreadnow.com and let us know all the details so we can help spread the love via IG and breakingbreadnow.com!

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.

“It’s not fancy, it’s dire” is the motto of a Toronto coffee shop called Two Hot Babes Coffee Co.

Nancy Silverman started the company as a way to survive the pandemic. (Full disclosure: the other hot babe is her dog/bestie Penny).

“People buy a coffee and that means I can put dinner on the table tonight, it means I can pay my rent,” she said, in a recent interview with @cbcthenational.

Before the pandemic, Silverman was a full-time yoga instructor. “Life was great, I had a great life,” she said. Then, like it has for everyone, COVID changed everything. Silverman went from teaching 25 classes a week to three. Her income dropped to almost nothing. So, to make ends meet, she decided to sell coffee.

In just two weeks, Silverman registered her business, built a website and set up shop in a neighbourhood bar called @wenonalodge that was also hit hard by the pandemic — business there was down 90 per cent.

“I think the biggest scare is losing everything,” said Wenona Craft Beer Lodge owner Faye Blais. “We’ve been on the brink of having to close for the last six months at least.”

Renting out part of her bar to Silverman to sell coffee [take-out only due to COVID restrictions] helped them both.

“From disaster comes opportunity. It’s in these kind of trying times that beautiful things can come from it.”

Watch the full story at CBC The National’s YouTube channel (link in @cbcthenational bio).

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.