Spring Forward – Notes on Recent Awards, Springtime Menus, and Upcoming Events

Top Table Tops Playhouse Wine List Awards

Vancouver + Whistler, B.C. – Top Table restaurants were successful again this year at the annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Wine List Awards. Convened on Friday, April 23rd at a luncheon to kick off the final weekend of the 32nd festival, Blue Water Cafe and West won two of only three Platinum Awards, whileCinCin won one of five Gold Awards, and Araxi, Silver.

The Wine List Awards draw upon restaurants from across British Columbia and Alberta, with judging criteria measuring each restaurant’s wine program philosophy and how successfully wine and food pairing goals match it. Further criteria include the quality of wine education for staff, an accessible and user-friendly list, and the provision of value at all price points.

We would also like to congratulate Owen Knowlton, wine director of West, who was nominated for Sommelier of the Year, a distinction awarded to Blue Water Cafe’s Andrea Vescovi in 2009 and Chris Van Nus in 2007.

Top Table’s wine libraries are also perennial recipients of the ‘Best of’ Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine.

Spring Menus

At each of our restaurants, our chefs are heralding the arrival of Spring with fresh seasonal menus. Highlighted are halibut, spot prawns and early run salmon; and from our growers’ fields, the first peas, fava beans, fiddleheads, and morels. We invite you to enjoy springtime’s bounty. Click on the restaurant links to view the current menus: Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin, West.

Blue Water Cafe Honoured by Red Cross

We were honoured to be recognized by the Red Cross recently with a ‘Power of Humanity’ award.  Presented yesterday evening, April 27th during the annual meeting of the Canadian Red Cross, Lower Mainland Region, Blue Water Cafe was recognized for its continued support through its founding sponsorship of the annualRed Carpet Soirée. Following highly successful events in the past two years, Blue Water Cafe is proud to play host to the third annual event on Thursday, May 6th.

Upcoming Events

We are excited to be involved in these upcoming events. Click on the links for further details, or visit our online event calendar.

May 6th

Red Cross Red Carpet Soirée                                        Blue Water Cafe
in support of the Canadian Red Cross

May 12th

Pastry in Europe 2010 Cookbook Event                        Thierry, Thierry Busset
Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks

May 13th

Hot Chefs Cool Jazz                                                       Araxi, James Walt
in support of Bocuse d’Or Team Canada                       CinCin, Todd Howard

May 16th 

Chefs for Life                                                                   Araxi, James Walt
in support of Vancouver Friends For Life Society           BWC, Frank Pabst

June 2nd

VISA Infinite Winemaker’s Dinner                                    Blue Water Cafe
for VISA Infinite Cardholders

June 11th

Night at the Aquarium                                                     BWC, Frank Pabst
in support of the Vancouver Aquarium

July 18th

Outstanding in the Field                                                   Araxi, James Walt
Pemberton, BC

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Media contact:

Shelley McArthur
Communications Director
Top Table Restaurant Group
Araxi | Blue Water Cafe | CinCin | West
604 836 8005 | shelley@toptable.ca
www.toptable.ca