What are Earthsave Dine-Outs and why does Earthsave hold these events? In this short video clip, taken in 2007, Earthsave's Dine-Out coordinator Nancy Callan talks about the Dine-Outs. Scroll down this page, after the video, to learn more about these events.

Below is a picture from a dine-out at Pasparos Taverna.


We are currently listing our dine-outs on our new meetup group site called Vancouver Meatless Meetup. Check it out here.

Past Dine-Outs:

Date: Friday, May 7th, 2010 at 7 pm
Location: Organic Lives
1829 Quebec Street at 2nd Ave., Vancouver, BC
Inclusive price: $22/Earthsave member; $25/non-member

This new Vancouver vegan restaurant offers the purest, most nutritious organic foods, always produced using fair trade and sustainable farming practices. For this dine-out, trio of snack items will start everyone off: Sesame-Onion Gaufrettes, Spicy BBQ Parsnip Chips, Sprouted Teriyaki Almonds. Each person will receive their own dinner and dessert plates with each of the following items: The Main Course Platter will include: Caesar Salad, Pizza, Sushi, Lavender Bread and (vegan) Cream Cheese and Lasagna. The Dessert Platter will include: Macaroon, Tiramisu, Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake and The "Ridiculous" Ganache. Dessert will be served with a Chocolate Mint Tea. There will also be smoothies and juices available for purchase at a reduced rate. Do not miss this a-ma-zing gourmet, individually plated feast!

Date: Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 at 7pm
Location: Axum Ethiopian Restaurant
1279 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
Inclusive price: $16/Earthsave member; $19/ non-member

Get ready for a vegan and exotic assortment of Ethiopian cuisine at Axum! The cook and owner of this restaurant is a Dietitian (graduated in Hungary) and practiced in Ethiopia so we are sure to sample authentic, delicious and nutritious home cooking! Don't forget to come hungry because we will be served the following buffet: Miser Wot (split lenttils simmpered in spicy hot sauce); Gomen/Spinach (fressh collard greens or spinach simmered in mild sauce with spices & herbs); Atikilt Wot (cabbage, carrot, & potatoes simmered in mild sauce); Inguday Tibs (portobello mushrooms marinated & sauteed with onion, garlic, pepper, fresh tomato, herbs & spices); Shiro (pureed split peas cooked with red onions and garlic); Kik Alicha (yellow split peas simmered in mild sauce); And finally, Ingera (Ethiopian flat bread) and spicy tea will help us wash it all down!

Date: Saturday, June 12th, 2009 at 12 pm
Location: Fantan Kitchen
8900 Sidaway Road, Richmond (between # 5 & # 6, across from the Auto Mall )
Inclusive price: $18/Earthsave member; $21/non-members ($13 children under 15)

At Fantan you are invited to experience a unique “Raw Nutrition“ cooking show and private dining in a farm kitchen specially reserved for our meal. Instructor: teacher and nutritionist, Laara Exsnar, B.Ed., RHN. Menu for this lunch is: 1. Healthful Lemonade 2. Green Dragon Smoothie 3. No-Meat Balls with Zucchini Marinara Pasta 4. Almond-Pumpkinseed Paté with Surprise Rice 5. Rainbow Salad with Dressing 6. Frosted Carrot Cake 7. Homemade Fresh Strawberry–Pineapple low-fat Ice cream. Almost all ingredients are organic with no additives.

Date: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 7pm
Location: Cafe Nuba
146 East 3rd Avenue (at Main), Vancouver
Inclusive price: $20/Earthsave member; $23/non-member

Another year, another Nuba! Even more special this year, we’ll enjoy this delicious (mostly organic) Lebanese buffet at Nuba's new location off Main, opened just in March! On the menu this time: Red Lentil Soup; Fattoush and/or Taboulleh Salads; Manoushe (Lebanese Flatbreads: Zaatar, Spicy Tomato, Spinach & Pine Nuts); Mezze Sampler (Baba Ganooj, Hummus, Homemade Pickle, Falafel, Eggplant Stew, Fresh Cucumber, Najib's Special Cauliflower, Laffa bread). We’ll sample the new Lebanese baked pasteries, as well. There is a limited seating for this one, so don't wait too long to reserve your spot!

Date: Saturday, July 24, 2009 at 11 am
Location: Fo Guang Shan Temple (www.vanibps.org)
6 floor 6680-8181 Cambie Road (inside the shopping center beside Radisson Hotel)
(Skytrain to Richmond Aberdeen Center & Radisson Hotel). Free parking ticket from temple.
Inclusive Price: $15/Earthsave member; $18/non-member and $10 for children under 15

Lily arranged another chance for us to experience a Chinese Buddhist temple, that is the 2nd most well-known in North America, (#1 is in L.A. & #3 is in Toronto)

11:00 Welcome Reception - Beverage for guests
11:15am DVD Watching
11:45am Temple Tour
12:00pm Lunch Buffet in Dining Hall
01:30pm Farewell and Souvenir for guests
We’ll enjoy a vegetarian buffet including : Steamed Tofu, Sweet & Sour Veggie Sausage, Pan-Fried Green Beans with Minced Olives, Seasonal Vegetables, Cabbage Rolls, Veggie Sticky Rice, Pan-fried Noodles, Veggie Soup, Steamed Buns & Dessert. You whole family will never forget this summer trip.

Date: Sunday, April 4, 2010 at 10:00 am
Event: Meditation and Mindful Meal
Location: Dharma Kitchen
3667 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC
Inclusive Price for meditation class and lunch: $15
A meditation lesson by international meditation teacher Michael Lutynski (of no religious affiliation) followed by a mindful meal, served at 12:30. During lunch, we will debrief about our experience together.

Menu for the event:

Tamarind Soup (Bean spouts, celery, mushrooms, pineapples, tomatoes and tofu in tamarind base)

Sauteed Mushroon (Mushrooms sautéed with fresh garlic and lemongrass)

Dharma Bowl (Grilled artichoke hearts, eggplant, mushrooms, red onion, green and sweet peppers, zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes served with miso gravy over brown rice)

Grilled Tempeh and Tofu Steaks

Basil Tofu (Tofu with green and sweet peppers, mushrooms and red onions sautéed in basil sauce and coconut milk)

Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 7 pm
Location: Purity Vegetarian Restaurant
1111-3779 Sexsmith Road, Richmond, BC
Inclusive Price: $18 Earthsave members; $21 non-members
This restaurant has been getting rave reviews since it opened in July 2009. The chef has created a lot of menus combining Eastern & Western ingredients. We’ll try: the famous Veggie Shark fin soup;?Organic Quinoa Pilaf; Homemade Veggie Meat in Sweet & Sour Sauce; Veggie Cabbage Rolls; Spicy Tofu Szechuan style; Pan-fried Veggie Drumsticks; Stir-fried Noodles; Green Veggies; Brown rice ?& Café Conjac Jelly (it’s veggie starch jelly) to finish. This dine-out will be a real taste adventure.
Date: Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 7 pm
Location: Gorilla Food
101-436 Richards Street, Vancouver
Inclusive price: $23 Earthsave members; $26 non-members
We are pleased to announce our first ever dine-out at the inspirational and creative Gorilla Food! The focus is on pure, healthy food served with artistic flare and passion. Gorilla Food is devoted to ensuring we are fed with as little impact as possible on the earth, supporting local organic farmers. The following menu is completely organic, raw, and vegan: Wetness: To the Rescue Cleansing Spring Lemon-aid or (Various) Herbal Tea Infusions. At the start: 3 seasonally inspired canapes. Main Hub: We'll explore what’s sprouting from the gardens of our favorite farms and toss an electrically charged bio-dynamic baby greens salad beside a savory and wild craft influenced Veggie Pot Pie. Sweet Ending: Mmmm-–Cookies & Cream!

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 7 pm
Location: Pearl House
7152 Sperling Ave., Burnaby, BC
Inclusive Price: $15 Earthsave members; $18 non-members
A well-known Taiwanese restaurant for over 10 years, we’ll be sampling their specialties: homemade Veggie Chicken; Stewed Seaweed & Tofu; Stewed Veggies with Bean Curd; Spicy Hot & Sour Soup; Stir-fried Taiwanese Mountain Cabbage; Stir-fried Green Peas & Mushroom; Stir-fried Taiwanese Noodles; Taiwanese style Fried Rice; & very well-known Taiwanese Bubble Tea ( your choice of Coffee, Green Tea or black Tea flavor). As most Chinese restaurants in Metro Vancouver are Cantonese, don’t miss this opportunity to try real homemade Taiwanese food.

Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 7 pm

Location: Sabra Kosher Restaurant
3844 Oak Street, Vancouver
Inclusive Price: $21 Earthsave members; $24 non-members
Vegan AND kosher, what more could you ask for? If you haven't been to Sabra Kosher Restaurant yet, you're in for an experience. Step back in time, as if visiting your Jewish grandmother's living room. Okay, maybe she didn't have a soda cooler in her living room, but work with me here! Two appetizers, two entrées, dessert and a feeling as if you've left Vancouver! Here's the menu: The appetizers will be a vegan soup (TBA) followed by a potato knish. The entrées will be: stuffed eggplant and vegan shawarma with your choice of 3 kosher salads inside. (tabouli, carrot salad, zucchin-mustard etc....). There will be non-dairy cheesecake for dessert.

Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7 pm
Location: Wild Rice Restaurant
117 West Pender Street, Vancouver
Inclusive price: $23 Earthsave members; $26 non-members
Wild Rice is a chic and modern restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. We are looking forward to the following vegan menu created just for our dining experience! Canape: roasted garlic and butternut squash puree, taro chips. Appetizers: ma po tofu potstickers with sweet chilli sauce; house pickle trio; crispy tofu strips & warm satay sauce. Main: sweet and sour seitan (gluten); roasted king oyster mushroom and broccoli with chili & black bean; fried wild & jasmine rice with fakoo mushrooms; maple and candied ginger glazed roasted lotus root. Dessert: silken tofu dark chocolate mousse with drunken berries; lemon and ginger cupcakes with lychee icing.

Date: Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 7 pm
Location: Pasparos Taverna
132 West 3rd Street, North Vancouver
Inclusive price: $23 Earthsave members; $26 non-members
A huge delicious Greek Feast in a beautiful Atrium at Pasparos Greek Restaurant--our third visit! No one leaves hungry. Here is the menu: homemade homous and pita; Fakkes (tomato, lentil) soup; Spanakopitakia (little vegan spinach pies); Greek Salad; Marouli Salad; Vegan Moussaka (one of the few Greek restaurants to have vegan Moussaka on their menu!); Green beans with carrots in a savory tomato sauce; Seasoned Rice; Lemon Potatoes.

Date: Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Radha Yoga and Eatery
728 Main Street, Vancouver
Inclusive Price: $25 for members: $28 for non-members

After months of green renovations, Radha has reopened and will provide us with an exclusive and unique festive holiday dinner. Mark this on your busy December calendars and come and celebrate the season with us. This plated feast includes: the Local Waldorf Salad (apples, celeriac and hazelnuts with a creamy hazelnut dressing); Roasted Squash Coconut Curry Soup; Lentil Terrine with winter root vegetable mash, stuffing, cranberry chutney, seasonal vegetables and miso gravy. For dessert we will savor a wheat-free, gluten-free pumpkin pie sweetened with maple syrup and served with whipped cashew cream. All of this is local, organic and vegan - who could ask for more?

Date: Thursday, November 26th, 2009 at 7pm
Location: The Eatery
3431 West Broadway, Vancouver
Inclusive Price: 25% off all orders (non-members--$3 to Earthsave)

What will we have? With the newly expanded menu, there are so many veggie options! Maybe we’ll have one of their funky veggie rolls, like the Firecracker roll (tempura red & green peppers, yam, and lettuce), or Green Decadence (tempura green onions, asparagus, avocado, balsamic vinegar olive oil, or Magic Mushroom (grilled asparagus with shitake mushrooms), or the beautiful Roll Du Soleil (avocado, cucumber, sundried tomatoes, topped with tempura avocado) or the melt in your mouth Mango Paradise (avocado, cucumber, mango, and agge). Or we could order a curry, a veggie tempura, a bowl of yaki udon…so many options, create your own menu this time, at your own price!

Date: Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Bandidas Taqueria
2781 Commercial Drive (at Grandview Highway), Vancouver
Inclusive Price: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

Back by popular demand- Bandidas Taqueria is going to host another great dinner for us this year! This new restaurant is exploding with delicious vegan options and their commitment to sustainability and community makes it a winner with us! This time there will be even more food to sample, including: Tortilla Soup (lightly spicy Mexican soup made of roasted tomatoes in a rich vegetable stock, blended with avocado, tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime); Los GLD Nachos (Roasted pineapple, black beans, sweet peppers, onions, corn, and jalapenos, on a bed of yellow corn tortilla chips); Ronny Russell Taco (roasted yams and onions, guacamole, black beans, green salsa, purple cabbage, & pumpkin on handmade corn tortilla); Leona Gail Taco (smoky-sweet chipotle tofu, pinto beans,roasted red salsa, romaine & vegan sour cream on a handmade corn tortilla; Camillo Taco (spicy breaded walnuts, pinto beans, purple cabbage, fresh salsa & vegan sour cream on a handmade corn tortilla); Sides of beans and rice; Finally for dessert we will sample triple chocolate brownies! Ole!

Date: Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Budgies Burritos
44 Kingsway (near Broadway), Vancouver
Inclusive Price: $14 for members; $17 for non-members

We have finally arranged a dine-out at Budgies Burritos! Budgies has expanded and now has seating capacity for 25, which we’ll gladly occupy. We will start with a bowl of Budgies Tortilla Soup and follow it with two half 12” burritos: The Henry (tofurky sausage, rice, black beans, guacamole and lettuce) and The Blair Stanley (tofu in a roasted chipotle and red pepper sauce, rice, refried beans, guacamole, salsa and lettuce). Dessert will be a grilled 10” flour tortilla filled with dark vegan chocolate, bananas and cinnamon—oh so good! You’ll be stuffed and you’ll be amazed how great vegan burritos can taste.

Date: Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House
8681 – 10th Avenue, Burnaby (in Crest Plaza)
Inclusive Price: $15 for members; $18 for non-members
This six year old restaurant is owned by a vegetarian family from Vietnam. Their specialty is homemade sauces. We will have steamed spring rolls, salad with their special homemade dressing, Vegetarian Noodle Soup, Mixed Vegetables in Curry Sauce, Spicy Lemon Grass Tofu, Deluxe Tofu Roll, Broccoli Veggie Chicken meat in black bean sauce, white & brown Rice, Monk Bean & Tapioca dessert. Maximum 28 diners, so register early.

Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Red Sea Café
670 Broadway East, Vancouver
Inclusive Price: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

Red Sea is a warm and friendly family run restaurant offering authentic Ethiopian and Eritrian cuisine (not to mention music and artwork!). We will sample a large variety of flavors and textures, buffet style! These include: yellow split peas flavored with garlic, ginger, chili, and other spices; red lentils seasoned with turmeric, chili, ginger, and garlic; kale cooked with red onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and spices; green beans, carrots and potatoes cooked with garlic and ginger; shuro (ground roasted peas flavored with exotic spices); fresh okra cooked with spiced chili and tomatoes; spinach sautéed with red onions, jalapeno, garlic, and spices. You will have the opportunity to eat in traditional style using injera (flatbread) with your right hand to scoop and devour everything, or if you prefer, with utensils and rice. Limited seats available for this one, so reserve early!

Date: Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 7 pm sharp!
Location: Simply Vegetarian Restaurant
135-8291 Ackroyd Road, Richmond. ( near # 3 Road, beside Save on Food )
Inclusive Price: $15 for members $18 for non-members

The owner of this 12 year old restaurant is a vegetarian family from Taiwan. Having a Japanese licensed chef, the cuisine is a mix of Taiwanese and Japanese. We will have sweet & sour soup, stir fried gyoza, Lettuce wrap (lettuce stuffed with ground veggie meat), Sweet & sour Veggie treasures (delicious gluten based veggie meat), Sea smile oyster mushrooms, Tofu in black bean sauce, Chili eggplant with Cha Huo sauce, Baked Kabocha squash with brown rice, Yaki Udon with vegetables and Yam Dessert.

Date: Saturday, August 29th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Location: Fo Guang Shan Temple
6 floor 6680-8181 Cambie Road (inside the shopping center beside Raddison Hotel)
www.vanibps.org
Inclusive Price:$15 for members; $18 for non-members

Lily has arranged another chance for us to experience a real Chinese Buddhist temple. (This is a different temple from our last temple excursion.) We will start at 11:15 with a tour of the temple followed by the Master’s speech. At 12:00 we’ll enjoy a vegetarian buffet including spring rolls, Marinated Sliced Tofu Bean, fried rice noodles, Sweet & Sour Soy Bean Rolls, Mixed Vegetables, Vietnamese Salad Rolls, Long Beans Sautéed with Minced Black Olive, fried rice, Chinese Marinated Sliced Tofu Bean and dessert.

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Nuba Restaurant : 207-B West Hastings Street (at Cambie)
Inclusive Price: $21 for members; $24 for non-members

Have a light lunch to prepare yourself for an evening feast at Nuba! We’re trying Nuba's new location on Hastings to enjoy the following buffet: traditional hummus, baba ghanooj (a creamy spread made from roasted eggplant), najib's special (crispy cauliflower tossed with organic lemon and sea salt), taboulleh (and chopped parsley, tomato, green onion and bulgar in a lemon-mint dressing), mjadra (organic green lentils with rice, served with avocado and crispy onions); fattoush salad (organic mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and roasted pita chips with a garlic-lemon-herb dressing); falafel (delicious crispy patties made with organic chickpeas, fava beans, and veggies); and eggplant stew. All this with organic brown rice and whole wheat pita. Then save room for dessert: strawberries with red wine and cointreau reduction! Nuba dine-outs have always been favourites with our diners.

Date: Saturday, July 25th at 12pm
Location: Dharma Kitchen
3667 W. Broadway Ave. Vancouver, BC
Inclusive Price: $13 for members: $16 for non-members

Dharma Kitchen is an all Buddhist run restaurant that aims to create a harmonious atmosphere in which to enjoy the freshest vegan meals, prepared with concern for your health and spiritual well-being. We are the going to sample Dharma Kitchen’s new brunch menu, focus group style. We’ll start with Shambhala Pond, a creamy spinach chowder made with coconut milk. That will be followed by Nirvana Salad: steamed Tofu cubes, avocado and mango chunks, bean sprouts and sunflower sprouts, shredded carrots and beets on bed of romaine lettuce and baby spinach leaves, served with ginger sesame dressing. The salad will be followed by Enlighten Mushroom & Tomato: white mushrooms sautéed with fresh garlic and lemongrass, topped with a fried tomato slice, served with a baguette. We’ll finish with Dharma Dude Roasted Potato bowl with Miso gravy. Come and be the first to sample this new brunch menu.

Date: Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 7: 00 PM
Location: 3G Vegetarian Restaurant
3424 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC
Inclusive Price: $17 for members; $20 for non-members

3G is the new Vancouver location of the former Richmond Veggie Favour. Their regular menu ranges from dim sum to a traditional oriental full course meal. No MSG is ever used and fresh juices are made on the premises. Breaking a few stereotypes, they even guarantee that their washroom will be clean. For this our first visit, our menu will include pan fried home made Gyoza, 3G Deluxe salad, Thai -Tom Yam Soup, Chili Tofu with Sesame Sauce, Stewed taro and Pumpkin in Coconut Milk, Sweet & Sour Veggie Pork, Fried Rice Fukien Style, Vermicelli stew with Veggie Fish & Eggplant, Fresh bean curd sheet with broccoli & mushroom, and a special house dessert.

Date: Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 7 pm
Location: Curry King Café
3250 Cambie Street Vancouver (between 17 & 18 Ave.)
Inclusive Price: $17 for members; $20 for non-members

This restaurant has 2 locations. This is the 2nd location, newly opened in Vancouver; the other old one is at Metrotown in Burnaby. The owner, who is the head chef, will specially cook our dinner. Our menu will include their specialty Curry potatoes mixed with vegetables, Fried Tofu with salt & pepper sauce, 3 kinds of mushroom with rice noodles, Mixed Vegetable fried rice, Shitake mushroom fried with the season’s freshest veggies. Hot & Sour Soup & very well-known Mo-Mo Tsa-Tsa Tapioca, Taro & Coconut dessert.

Date: Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at 7 pm
Location: Spicy Vegetarian Cuisine
132-4200 No. 3 Road, Richmond
(between Abedeen Shopping Center & Honda Acura shop)
Inclusive Price: $17 for members; $20 for non-members

This two year-old vegan restaurant combines Malaysian, Singaporean & Hong Kong cuisine. This is our first visit to Spicy Vegetarian Cuisine and so we will sample their specialties: Avocado Salad, Spicy Kong- Pao Gluten, Stew with different kinds of Gluten, their excellent Hot & Sour soup, Deep Fried Bean Curd Skin with black pepper sauce, Stewed Tofu with veggies in season, Veggie Fish with lemon sauce, Malaysia special fried rice and Coconut dessert. Come and taste what South East Asian vegan cuisine is all about.

Date: Friday, May 22, 2009 at 7 pm
Location: The Tipper Restaurant (aka The Bottle Tipper)
2066 Kingsway, Vancouver BC (Kingsway at Victoria)
Inclusive Price: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

The Tipper is a new licensed restaurant in East Vancouver, focusing on fresh food with a homemade feel and friendly service. Most items on the menu can be made vegetarian or vegan upon request and the restaurant is community-oriented, supporting local artists for décor and entertainment. The Tipper is putting on a show for Earthsave diners, literally! We will eat in the intimate back room and there will be live musical entertainment following the meal. Our meal for the night includes two appetizers, a homemade black bean dip with vegan sour cream and yam fries. We will sample two wraps, the special veggie and an item created just for us, a wrap of rice with avocado and candy cola tofu. We will also enjoy the candy cola tofu as an entrée with side vegetables and roasted potatoes. Following that, we will have the vegetarian hot plate with house made jerk sauce. This feast will be accompanied by Tipper’s signature Big Salad à la vegan. You cannot beat this price for Friday night specialty food and entertainment!

Date: Wednesday May 6, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Bandidas Taqueria
2781 Commercial Drive (at Grandview Highway), Vancouver BC
Inclusive Price: $13 for members; $16 for non-members

Bandidas Taqueria is a new restaurant on The Drive, specializing in fresh Mexican food made with vegans in mind. Almost any item on the menu that is not already vegan can be made so with delicious substitutions. Atmosphere is friendly and fun. Our meal begins with Fresh Cranberry Soda, sparkling fresh cranberry juice, served with lime. We will then sample a variety of dishes, beginning with Vegan Tortilla Soup; this traditional Mexican soup is nice and spicy, made of roasted tomatoes in a rich vegetable stock, blended smooth and topped with avocado, toasted tortillas, pascilla chili strips, cilantro, and lime. Then we try vegan nachos, Bandidas GLD: Vegan cheese over roasted pineapple, black beans, sweet peppers, red onions, corn, and jalapenos, on a bed of yellow corn tortilla chips. Served with house-made vegan sour cream and Bandidas own roasted tomato salsa. We will have two kinds of tacos: 1) Ronny Russell: Roasted yams and onions, avocado, black beans, green salsa, purple cabbage salad, and toasted pumpkin seeds, and 2) Camillo: Spicy breaded walnuts, pinto beans, vegan cheese, purple cabbage, fresh salsa & vegan sour cream. For dessert we will have bite sized, triple chocolate vegan brownies!

Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Café Caribana
108 E 3 Street (at Lonsdale), North Vancouver
Inclusive Price: $17 for members; $20 for non-members

It's been almost a year since our last dine-out at Café Caribana and we're on our way back to enjoy another, but different, Caribbean feast! After considerable discussion, owner Surindra was persuaded to offer his specialty for us: Filipino Snake Beans! These two foot long beans have a delicious nutty flavour and a crunchy texture which he assures us will make you forget their off-putting name. We’ll also enjoy a fresh cucumber and bell pepper salad, dhal (a thick yellow split pea soup) seasoned with cumin, tumeric and garlic and an extra-special dhal pumpling soup composed of split peas, green plantain, sweet potatoes, yam cassava and eddoes cooked in coconut milk with special herbs & spices and whole wheat dumplings. (Eddoes are a variety of taro, a small root vegetable.) We will also be served slow-cooked spinach with coconut milk, onion, garlic and special seasoning; diced Japanese eggplant sautéed with ginger, garlic, onion, cilantro and jalapenos; squash or pumpkin cooked in a special blend of herbs and spices; dhali puri, roti stuffed with ground, seasoned lentils; alu channa, a tasty chickpea curry with homemade curry sauce; and a garam masala soya curry. All this will be accompanied by steamed basmati rice, tomato chutney and paratha roti, a soft, textured flat bread. For dessert we will enjoy a mixed fruit salad and soy ice cream, as well as soy chai and coffee. Owner Surindra aims to please, so take note you should come hungry!

Date: Saturday, April 11th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Location: International Buddhist Temple
# 9160 Steveston Highway, Richmond, B.C. (between # 3 & # 4 Rd.)
Cost: $12 for members; $15 for non-members

Bring your family to join this vegetarian lunch at a well-known temple. You will also be able to learn about a different culture. This vegetarian cafeteria is set up for the convenience of worshippers and their friends only. Not a profit–making restaurant, most of their servers are volunteers. The temple chef’s special offering for us will include Pan Fried Veggie Dumplings, Mushrooms with Tri-Shredded Veggie Soup, Stewed Tofu, Crispy Chestnut roll, Sweet & Sour Veggie, Black Soybean fried Peppers & Veggie, Fried Chinese Turnip with Garden Veggie, Deep fried Tofu with Seaweed & Sticky Rice in bamboo leaf. Please see their website if you would like to know more about this Temple www.buddhisttemple.ca

Date: Monday, March 30, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Chili Pepper House
#1-3003 Kingsway (at Rupert), Vancouver, BC
Cost: $18/member and $21/non-member

Chili Pepper House serves delicious “Indian Style Chinese” food that blends the spicy flavours of the two cuisines into incredible dishes that will inspire your palate. Our meal this time begins with vegetarian dumplings with spicy garlic sauce and an appetizer created especially for us of mixed vegetables in a special sauce (this one does not appear on the regular menu). Next comes the main meal of sweet and sour tofu with spring onion, the much-praised manchurian vegetable balls and szechuan eggplant with black bean sauce, accompanied by steamed rice. Then we have two noodle dishes: hakka vegetables chow mein and vegetarian vermicelli. This meal will have a "one-chili pepper" (of a possible three) spice rating, so while it will not be entirely mild, it will certainly not be as spicy as the food there can get!

Date: Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at 12:00pm
Location: Fantan’s Kitchen
8900 Sidaway Road, Richmond, BC
Cost: $14 for members; $17 for non-members

At Fantan you are invited to experience a very unique cooking show and private dining in a farm kitchen specially reserved for this enjoyable meal. Tobias Macdonald, the captain of Culinary Team Canada, used to cook here to host 20 special guests. Many famous chefs and chef instructors conducted cooking classes here too. In addition to the cooking class, Fantan also provides a variety of cooking shows including Asian and European cuisine. The menu for this lunch includes fresh lemon & ginger drink, steamed cranberry & sesame bun, teriyaki tofu with asparagus, pumpkin soup, Thai curry Noodles with Rainbow vegetables, mushroom & veggie sticky rice and home made fresh fruit sorbet. All ingredients are natural with no additives.

Date: Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Best Quality Sweets and Restaurant
7260 Main St, Vancouver, BC (between E 56th and E 57th Ave)
Cost: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

Best Quality Sweets and Restaurant is family-owned and very friendly. It’s a small, bright establishment in the South Main area of Vancouver and the food is delicious. Our meal will begin with a combination of appetizers: the all-time favourites vegetable pakoras and veggie samosas plus alu tikki (spiced potato patties with chick peas), and spring rolls to share. The main meal will be served buffet-style and we will enjoy alu palak (a smooth spinach and potato curry), baingan bhartha (roasted eggplant with ginger, diced tomatoes and garlic), and chana mushroom curry. With our trio of curries we will have a trio of breads: plain naan, onion naan and alu prantha (a multi-layered bread stuffed with spiced potatoes). Rice pulau (basmati rice cooked with peas) and achar (mixed Indian pickles) round out our meal. Coconut burfi will provide us with a sweet finish to a great meal.

Date: Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Wild Rice
117 W Pender St., Vancouver, BC
Cost: $20 for members; $23 for non-members

Wild Rice is a modern Chinese fusion restaurant known for its great variety of beautiful and creative dishes. Located in Chinatown, this stylish restaurant is celebrated for its innovative food and décor. Our menu will begin with a canape of house marinated tofu with truffled king oyster purée and pickles, followed by shared appetizer platters of local mushroom steam buns with pistachio purée, ma po doufu with tempura tofu and eggplant, and potato and taro spring rolls with cauliflower purée. The main course will include four shared dishes: taro and lotus root red curry on jasmine rice, grilled king oyster mushrooms with tempura asparagus, bean curd and fakoo mushrooms on rice noodles and 3 pea jasmine risotto with salt and pepper tofu. To finish off the meal, we will try two desserts: warmed banana bread with vanilla tofu ice cream and seasonal berry dumplings with star anise caramel. Don't miss this great opportunity to try these vegan dishes designed just for our Earthsave diners!

Date: Sunday, February 8th at 7 pm
Location: The Eatery
3431 West Broadway Ave., Vancouver, BC
Cost: $15 for members; $18 for non-members

If you attended the last dine-out at the Eatery, this event promises to outdo the last one both in service and food. So, Earthsave is going for sushi, again--Vancouver's most innovative sushi at the funkiest place for Japanese food. Famous for the decor, the music and the creative 16 page menu, if you haven't been before, it's time you had the experience that is the Eatery. A completely different menu from last visit, this event will include fat elvis (tempura avocados), agge dashi tofu (deep fried tofu marinated in a mirin soy sauce), tempura yams, [All tempura will be specially made vegan], roll du soleils, mango paradise roll, buddha rolls, vegetarian gyoza, vegetarian egg rolls, john lennon roll (veggie tofu crepe instead of seaweed), tofu yaki soba, and dessert mango rolls. Wow!

Date: Monday, January 12, 2009 at 7pm
Location: Bo Kong
3068 Main Street, Vancouver
Cost: $16 for members, $19 for non-members

Bo Kong is a staple vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver and there's room for plenty of guests to join us for an extensive menu of delights. We'll enjoy delicious, thick spinach soup and bean curd skin rolls with black bean sauce as well as the tooth-some sweet and sour pineapple delight. Then it's on to tasty tofu and eggplant, spicy green beans and the fantastic 3 kinds of mushroom with vegetables. If you've never tried deep fried soya milk, it's also on the menu and trust me, it's worth it! The meal will be rounded out by a japanese squash hot pot, colourful vegetarian chop suey and pan-fried spinach noodles with vegetables. All this, accompanied by steamed rice and no MSG.

Date: Monday, November 24, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Location: Green Lettuce
1949 Kingsway, Vancouver
Cost: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

We just can't stay away from this friendly restaurant and its irresistible Indian-style Chinese cuisine. For those who missed our last delicious dine-out there, be sure to register early for this one as it's certain to fill up fast! Our meal will begin with 2 tasty appetizers: pakora and hot, spicy tofu. For our main course, we will enjoy spicy eggplant and green beans, vegetable korma (a type of curry), manchurian gobi, vegetable vermicelli, spicy tofu with broccoli and baby corn, vegetable fried rice and steamed rice. Then for desert, we will be treated to a dish of fried banana and pineapple with sweet syrup. Be aware that Indian-style Chinese is on the spicy side, but the restaurant can also cater to those who prefer milder dishes.

Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 7 pm
Location: Red Sea Cafe
670 E Broadway, Vancouver
Cost: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

Whether you're familiar with Ethiopian and Eretrian cuisine or not, an evening at the Red Sea Cafe is always fun and delicious. As in the past, this dine-out will be a buffet-style event with a variety of dishes including: yellow split peas flavored with garlic & ginger; lentils seasoned with hot chili, ginger & garlic; kale cooked with red onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic and seasoned with spices; fresh cabbage, carrots, potatoes, jalapeno pepper; green beans, carrots, potatoes cooked with garlic & ginger; shuro (ground roasted peas flavored with exotic spices); fresh okra cooked with spiced chili, tomatoes jalapeno peppers; spinach, carrots, potatoes, red peppers cooked with onions, jalapeno peppers tomatoes and garlic. This will be accompanied by rice and the traditional flat bread called Injera, which is torn and used to scoop up morsels of food. Yum!

Date: Thursday, October 30th, 2008 at 7 pm
Location: Bodhi Choi Heung
3932 Fraser Street, Vancouver
Cost: $15 for members; $18 for non-members

If you have attended a dineout at Bodhi Choi before, you know what a feast it is with dish after dish of unusual, exciting creations. We'll have some favourites from last time and some new additions. We'll start with something we haven't had on the menu before: a cold plate of assorted appetizer gluten. The main courses will be soya pepper steak with mixed vegetables, veggie lemon duck, the ever popular veggie crispy duck, non-dairy portugese hot pot with mixed vegetables, stuffed beancurd with mixed veg, green bean with soybean paste, vegetable-stuffed flat rice noodles, deep fried taro roll, and everybody's favourite, the sinful but delicious sweet and sour gluten with mixed veg. There will be no MSG and stir-fried dishes will be low oil.

Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 7pm
Location: Saravanaa Bhavan
955 West Broadway (at Oak Street), Vancouver
Cost: $14 for members; $17 for non-members

The Saravanaa Bhavan chain of 48 vegetarian restaurants is renowned all over the world. Our last dine-out at Saravanaa Bhavan has become legendary at Earthsave, with its beautiful tapas style presentation of so many delicious treats. Our meal this time will begin with Rasam, a South Indian special mild spicy lentil soup. The soup will be followed by Idly, a steamed rice and lentil patty served with chutney, sambar and chilli powder. Then we will sample Vada, a lentil flour doughnut; a potato bonda, fried potato ball fritters. The main course will include sample sizes of the following dosas: Masala Dosa, a thin rice and lentil crepe stuffed with spicy potatoes & onions; Rava dosa, a cream of wheat and rice crepe; Kara dosa, a spicy rice crepe filled with a spicy stuffing of onions & potatoes, chilli powder & special Masalas. We'll also try Parotta, a multi layered bread diced & tossed with a cauliflower gravy; lemon rice, tamarind rice, and BisIbelabath, rice cooked with lentils and mixed vegetables and eggplant; porial and pickles. Our dessert will be Rava Kesari, roasted Sooji sweetened with sugar & mixed with raisins & nuts.

Date: Monday, August 25, 2008 at 7pm
Location: Cafe Caribana
108 E 3 Street, North Vancouver
Cost: $18 for members; $21 for non-members

It's already been a year since our last dine-out at this fantastic restaurant and we're on our way back to enjoy another tantalising Caribbean feast! Diners will enjoy a fresh cucumber and bell pepper salad, dhal (a thick yellow split pea soup) seasoned with cumin, tumeric and garlic and an extra-special dhal pumpling soup comprised of split peas, green plantain, sweet potatoes, yam cassava and eddoes cooked in coconut milk with special herbs & spices and whole wheat dumplings. Eddoes are a variety of taro, a small root vegetable. We will also be served slow-cooked spinach with coconut milk, onion, garlic and special seasoning, diced Japanese eggplant sautéed with ginger, garlic, onion, cilantro and jalapenos, butternut squash cooked in a special blend of herbs and spices, dhali puri, roti stuffed with ground, seasoned lentils and alu channa curry, a tasty chickpea curry with homemade curry sauce. All this will be accompanied by steamed basmati rice, chutney and paratha roti, a soft, textured flat bread. For dessert we will enjoy a mixed fruit salad and soy ice cream, as well as soy chai and coffee. If you haven't made it to one of our dine-outs at Cafe Caribana yet, this is the one to sign up for!

Date:Thursday, August 14th, 2008 at 7 pm
Location: Dharma Kitchen
3667 W Broadway in Vancouver
Cost: $18 for members; $21 for non-members

The deep red walls and Buddhist adornments of Dharma Kitchen give this vegan restaurant a meditative atmosphere. The fabulous music is one of the highlights of Dharma Kitchen as diners discover artists that are very popular in third world countries and little known in the West. We’ll begin with an appetizer of tomatoes sautéed in garlic and fresh lemongrass. Next we'll share a Protein Salad (Grilled marinated tempeh steak, red onion, grated beets and carrots, and sunflower sprouts on bed of romaine lettuce, served with a choice of dressing). The entrées will be a Dharma Bowl (Grilled artichoke hearts, eggplant, mushroom, red onion, green and sweet peppers and zucchini, and sundried tomato on brown rice, served with miso gravy) and Red Curry Tofu (Tofu with red and yellow pepper and mushrooms, red onions sauteed in red curry and coconut milk. One refilled Chai tea will accompany the meal.

Date: Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 at 7 pm
Location: Greens and Gourmet Restaurant
2582 West Broadway at Traflagar in Vancouver
Cost: 15% off the buffet for Earthsave members; 10% off for non-members

It’s been a long time since we visited one of our old time Earthsave favourites, Greens and Gourmet. Greens and Gourmet is a peaceful restaurant where diners are surrounded by wood and greenery. The pay-by-weight buffet offers both raw and cooked options, both vegetarian and vegan. Foods are marked to indicate whether they contain wheat and/or dairy, so diners can choose entrées that suit their dietary preferences. Diners can opt for as small or as large a meal as they prefer and those not too familiar with veg*n options can see the entrees first before deciding what to eat. One of the advantages to dine-outs at Greens and Gourmet is that diners can interact with many people or have group conversations since it’s not so loud that you can only hear the people directly beside or across from you. While the buffet will be the same as usual, this one time special discount price will not be beaten. (However, you must register to qualify for the discount.)

Date: Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Location: Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House
8681-10th Avenue, Burnaby (in Crest Plaza)
Cost: $14 for members; $17 for non-members

Vegan Vietnamese food can be hard to come by, so we will be venturing to Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House to get our fix of fresh and tasty Southeast Asian vegan creations. The meal will begin with crispy Fried Eggless Rolls and the restaurant's popular Wonton Soup. Next we will try: Spicy Lemongrass Tofu, Mixed Vegetables in Curry Sauce, and Pan Fried Stuffed Eggplant, filled with tofu and vegetables. We will also be served a "do-it-yourself dinner" entrée of Tofu Deluxe Rolls. Each guest will have fun creating their own fresh rice paper rolls filled with: steamed vermicelli noodles, lettuce, cucumber, crushed peanuts, fresh herbs, and tofu served with a delicious dipping sauce. Steamed rice and hot tea will also accompany our meal and fresh fruit will be served as dessert. Be sure to register early as this restaurant can only accommodate 30 diners.

Date: Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Location: The Eatery
3431 West Broadway Ave., Vancouver
Cost: $19 for members; $22 for non-members

Earthsave is goin' for sushi! But not just any sushi, Vancouver's most innovative sushi at the funkiest place for Japanese food: The Eatery. Famous for the decor, the music and the creative 16 page menu, if you haven't been before, it's time you had the experience that is the Eatery. We'll start with the usual suspects: Veggie Gyoza, Agedashi Tofu (deep fried tofu in tentsuyu broth, topped with chopped green onions) and Veggie Tempura. We'll follow that with some Veggie Croquettes (crunchy bite size potato cakes served with tonkatsu dipping sauce). An order of Yaki Udon and/or Tofu Yaki Soba will follow that and then lots of sushi (including spicy vegetable roll, Passionfruit roll, Mango Paradise, Yummy Yam roll, avocado roll and more amazing creations)! The Eatery is famous for the large number of vegetarian items on the menu. Come summer, there will be even more! As a result, there will be some last minute surprises to the menu, guaranteed to leave all diners happy they came.

Date: Sunday, June 1st, 2008 at 11:30am
Location: Radha Yoga and Eatery
728 Main Street, Vancouver
Cost: $22 for members; $25 for non-members

"At Radha you are invited to taste nourishment on all levels." If you have never been to Radha Yoga and Eatery, this brunch dine-out is a must; if you've already been then you already know why you'll be signing up! Located in an inviting 100 year-old building in Chinatown, this fully vegan restaurant really does leave you feeling nourished body and soul. For our Earthsave dine-out, we will be served a mouth-watering brunch buffet consisting of cardamom spiced granola with soy milk, a seasonal fruit salad and a greens salad with fresh beets, carrots and sprouts, as well as several tasty hot entrees: blueberry spelt pancakes accompanied by apple compote, a tofu scramble with red pepper, tomato, zucchini and fresh herbs, wholegrain sourdough toast with homemade jam, grilled tempeh strips with barbeque miso sauce and masala crepes (rice flour crepes) filled with masala potatoes and spinach, then topped with coconut curry sauce. To finish things off we will also be enjoying a delicious strawberry and rhubarb spelt cobbler. Do not miss this special treat prepared especially for us!

Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Location: Green Lettuce
1949 Kingsway, Vancouver
Cost: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

The Indian-style Chinese cuisine at Green Lettuce is an irresistible, spicy fusion that is sure to make you a repeat customer. This is our first ever dine-out at Green Lettuce, following many enthusiastic member recommendations, and we've been given a great deal so sign up early to avoid disappointment! Our meal will begin with 2 tasty appetizers: vegetable tofu lettuce wraps and hot chili vegetable dumplings with garlic. For our main course, we will enjoy spicy eggplant and green beans, vegetable korma (a type of curry), manchurian style vegetable (toothsome balls of chopped vegetables), tofu with black bean sauce, vegetarian hakka chow mein, vegetable cashew fried rice and steamed rice. Then for desert, we will be treated to a dish of fried banana and apple with sweet syrup. Be aware that Indian-style Chinese is on the spicy side, but the restaurant can also cater to those who prefer milder dishes.

Date: Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 7pm
Location: Pasparos Taverna
132 West 3rd Street, North Vancouver
Price: $25 for members; $28 for non-members

We are venturing once again to Pasparos Taverna, the ever-popular Greek restaurant for an evening of delicious vegan creations. Our group will enjoy our meal in the beautiful atrium, where it is easy to imagine that you have stepped through a door into an enchanting Greek village. Dinner will begin with Chef Katia’s famous Homous, served with warm pita bread, fresh out of the oven. Next we will try Fakkes, a velvety, lentil soup and out-of-this-world vegan Spanikopitas, savoury spinach and onion pies baked in filo pastry. We will also sample Greek Salad and Marouli Salad, a refreshing salad with finely chopped romaine lettuce, green onions, fresh dill, and olive oil vinaigrette. The main course will include their incredible Moussaka, a layered casserole with eggplant, zucchini, textured vegetable protein, and vegan béchamel sauce, as well as Briam, grilled vegetables, stewed in a tomato, herb gravy and served over Saffron Rice. Lemon Roasted Potatoes will also accompany our main course. Dinner will end with a sweet taste of Halva, a traditional dessert made with semolina and syrup.

Date: Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 7pm
Location: Orchid Delight
2445 Burrard Ave. Vancouver (near W. Broadway)
Cost: $16 for members; $19 for non-members

A perfect record with the health inspector and an authentic menu of Singapore-Malaysian cuisine are enough to make us want to give this new restaurant a try, but the pleasant ambiance created by the palm trees, calm lighting and friendly service seal the deal. We’ll be starting with Roti Prata, (a pan-fried roti served with curry sauce), followed by Gado-Gado (a mixed vegetable dish with a traditional peanut sauce). For the main course, we’ll try Sayur Lodeh (mixed curried vegetables with toasted coconut flakes), followed by a spicy tofu dish containing bite size deep-fried tofu, onions, bell peppers, peanuts and chilli, and Nasi Kunnin, a yellow rice dish cooked with raisins and selected spices.

Date: Monday, April 7th, 2008 at 7:00
Location: The District Social House
13 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver
Cost: $25 for members; $28 for non-members

Frustrated by the lack of “cool & stylish” eateries on the North Shore, a team of local restaurateurs created The District Social House, an inviting, intimate lounge that specializes in international tapas. The District, situated at the base of Lonsdale Avenue, just ½ block from the Seabus, serves delicious creations made mainly from seasonal, local, organic products. Although the regular menu offers a number of vegetarian and vegan options, the chef has created a special menu for us to sample. Dinner will begin with a duo of Gazpacho Soups and Pan Fried South Asian Rolls filled with rice noodles, cilantro, and mint and served with a mirin dipping sauce. Next we will try Vegetable Fritters with a chickpea flour batter and topped with a mint and basil drizzle, and Baked Ratatouille (a traditional French Provincial vegetable stew) served with Soft Polenta. A Trio of Dips will also accompany our meal: Eggplant, Spinach & Tofu, and Hummus, served with baked pita bread and corn chips. The final offering will be Fresh Coconut Pudding with soymilk and vanilla, served with Raspberry Sorbet. Don’t forget to check out the impressive beer and wine list!

Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 7pm
Location: Saravanaa Bhavan
955 West Broadway (at Oak Street), Vancouver
Cost: $14 for members; $17 for non-members

The Saravanaa Bhavan chain of 48 vegetarian restaurants is renowned not only in India in the USA, UK, UAE, Oman, Singapore, Malaysia and Canada. The new Vancouver Saravanaa promises each guest a genuine South Indian dining experience with personal, attentive service combined with exceptionally tasty, always fresh food and classical South Indian music humming in the background. Our meal will begin with Rasam, a South Indian special mild spicy lentil soup. The soup will be followed by Idly, a steamed rice and lentil patty served with chutney, sambar and chilli powder. Then we will sample Vada, a lentil flour doughnut; Rava Kichadi, roasted sooji cooked with onion, tomato, carrot, green chilly and green peas, sautéed with flavoured herbs served with chutney and sambar; a potato bonda, fried potato ball fritters; and Kaima Idly, mini fried idlies flavoured with spicy sliced onions and tomatoes. The main course will include sample sizes of the following dosas: Masala Dosa, a thin rice and lentil crepe stuffed with spicy potatoes & onions; Rava dosa, a cream of wheat and rice crepe; Kara dosa, a spicy rice crepe filled with a spicy stuffing of onions & potatoes, chilli powder & special Masalas. We'll also try Parotta, a multi layered bread diced & tossed with a cauliflower gravy; lemon rice, tamarind rice, and BisIbelabath, rice cooked with lentils and mixed vegetables and eggplant; porial and pickles. Our dessert will be Rava Kesari, roasted Sooji sweetened with sugar & mixed with raisins & nuts.

Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 7 pm
Locations: Red Sea Cafe
670 E Broadway, Vancouver
Cost: $15 for members; $18 for non-members

Whether you're familiar with Ethiopian and Eretrian cuisine or not, an evening at the Red Sea Cafe is always fun and delicious. As in the past, this dine-out will be a buffet-style event comprising a variety of dishes including: yellow split peas flavored with garlic & ginger; lentils seasoned with hot chili, ginger & garlic; kale cooked with red onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic and seasoned with spices; fresh cabbage, carrots, potatoes, jalapeno pepper; green beans, carrots, potatoes cooked with garlic & ginger; shuro (ground roasted peas flavored with exotic spices); fresh okra cooked with spiced chili, tomatoes jalapeno peppers; fresh zucchini, carrots, potatoes, red peppers cooked with onions, jalapeno peppers tomatoes and garlic; rice. This will be accompanied by the traditional flat bread called Injera, which is torn and used to scoop up morsels of food.

Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 7:30pm
Nuba Restaurant - 1206 Seymour Street
Cost: $22 for members; $25 for non-members

We will be sampling a wide variety of dishes at the ever popular Nuba Restaurant: traditional hummus, baba ghanooj (a creamy spread made from roasted eggplant), Najib's special (crispy cauliflower tossed with organic lemon and sea salt), taboulleh (hand chopped parsley, tomato, green onion and bulgar in a lemon-mint dressing), mjadra (organic green lentils and rice in a jalepeno reduction with avocado and a crispy onion garnish). veggie hushwi (mushroom saute with red peppers, pine nuts and onions), falafel (delicious crispy patties made with organic chickpeas, fava beans and veggies), potato kibbeh (boiled mashed potatoes mixed with onion and bulgar) and ful medames (slow cooked fava beans) accompanied by roast potatoes, hot sauce, tahini, organic brown rice, and whole wheat pita.

Date: Sunday, February 10th, 2008 at 7 pm
Location: Veggie Bunch
Richmond Public Market building,
1670-8260 Westminster Highway, Richmond
Cost: $11 for members; $12 for non-members

This will be our second visit to Veggie Bunch and we’re rounding off the tax and tip and offering it at an even better price than last time! How can you cook at home and get a better deal than this for an all-you-can eat buffet? There are no meat dishes to avoid at Veggie Bunch--almost all items are vegan. The restaurant does, however, carry regular dairy ice cream, so take note. Even if you don’t eat vegetarian on a regular basis, you’ll enjoy the variety and flavour of this Chinese buffet, not to mention the scintillating conversation of the other Earthsave diners! So, venture outside your comfort zone, Vancouverites, and discover something unlike anything in Vancouver.

Date: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 7pm
Location: TJ's Vegetarian Plus
630 Kingsway St, Vancouver
Cost: $13 for members; $16 for non-members

Have a hankering for Vietnamese food? Why not try vegan Vietnamese? TJ's Vegetarian Plus is a hidden gem in East Van. Half the items on the menu are vegan in this cozy, family run restaurant. Come sample delicious dishes starting with rice-paper wrapped salad rolls stuffed with mock prawns, rice rolls and crispy spring rolls accompanied by veggie "fish" sauce, Hoisin sauce and tangy peanut sauce. We will try an Oriental Salad and Vietnamese Green Papaya Salad, as well as a Tofu-Chicken Congee. Congee is a type of rice porridge, cooked with broth, which has variants in many Asian countries. There will also be delicious skewered "beef" flavoured with a lemongrass marinade, steamed rolls with "ham" and plenty of tea.

Date: Thursday, December 6th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Location: Cafe Kathmandu
2779 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Cost: $20 for members; $23 for non-members

Cafe Kathmandu is the only Nepalese restaurant west of Toronto. It’s also a favourite for many Earthsave diners. If you haven’t been yet, make sure not to miss this visit where we will sample the majority of the vegan items on the menu.
The menu will start with numerous appetizers: Aaloo achaar (chilled sesame-lemon potato salad flavored with timmur), Bhatmaas (toasted soybeans, quick-fried with fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and chili and garnished with fresh coriander), lhasa mom (steamed dumplings with a savory tofu filling, served with a slow-simmered tomato chutney), and kothay (golden fried dumplings stuffed with vegetables and served with chutney), chiura -- a crunch, beaten rice lightly toasted. The main course will consist of Abiko daal (yellow lentil with caramelized onions and ginger), aaloo raio (mustard greens slow-cooked with gently spiced potatoes), aaloo kauli (turmeric infused calulflower with fenugreek potatoes), organic green salad and achaar (the soul of a nepali meal)-- a selection of piquant, sour, sweet, and fiery homemade chutney style condiments. Soy Chai is also included. Wine and beer are available at additional cost.

Following the meal, for those who wish to stay, owner Abi Sharma will give an brief talk about Nepal: the people, the geography and the political situation.

Date: Saturday, November 24th, 2007 at 12:00 noon
Location: Mahek Chaat House
#106, Chaana Plaza, 8556 120th St. (Scott Rd), Surrey
Cost: $10 for members; $13 for non-members

“Chaat“ is a type of fast food common all over India, a variety of snacks that are meant to deliver a rave of tastes and sensations to the tongue, from crunchy to soft, tart to hot and sweet. Mahek Chaat House is a cozy little vegetarian hideout specialising in Dosas, Uttapams and Puri from South India. Dosa is crepe made with lentil and rice batter, stuffed with masala potato or a number of different mixings, accompanied by Sambar vegetable broth. Uttapam uses the same lentil and rice batter with the filling mixed right into the batter, cooked on the stovetop, the result is something like a pancake or a pizza. Your taste buds will be challenged and amazed by these delicacies, together with Bhel Puri (crunchy rice crisps in dark, sweet, tamarind chutney, garnished with diced onions, potatoes, chick peas, coriander leaves and chopped green chillies); Pani Puri or Gol Gappe (hollow thin crust balls with potato filling and a hole punched in the top, where you add, according to your taste, spiced green mint sauce and sweet tamarind sauce); Idlis (steamed rice & lentil cake served with Sambar); super-fresh Vegetable Pakoras; bottomless soy milk Chai tea; and of course, dessert.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore some of the finest delicacies Southern India has to offer, at an unrepeatable low price!

Mahek Chaat is in the Health Partnership Program, giving 10% discount to ES members.

Date: Monday, November 5th, 2007 at 7pm
Location: Okra Asian Bistro
1440 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver
Cost: $23 for members; $26 for non-members

Okra Asian Bistro, a new pan-Asian restaurant, recently opened its doors on Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver. A giant, stone Buddha greets guests from the window and beckons you into the relaxing and elegant dining room. Co-owner, experienced restaurateur Joe Kwan, and his staff will serve us an assortment of delicious dishes—some from the regular menu and others prepared specially for our group. We’ll begin with the restaurant’s signature dish, Asian Spiced, Grilled Okra, followed by Crispy Vegetarian Spring Rolls filled with shredded vegetables and accompanied by a tangy, sweet dipping sauce. We will also sample Golden Stuffed Tofu filled with shredded cucumber and bean sprouts, Gado-Gado Salad, a famous Malaysian salad of cooked and fresh vegetables in a thick peanut sauce, and Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup with tofu. Next, we will try three different entrees: Kung Pao Vegetarian Chicken prepared with soy-meat, Mixed Vegetable Curry, in a mildly spicy coconut curry, and Vegetarian Asian Pasta, spaghetti noodles and vegetables tossed in a rich coconut turmeric sauce. Dinner will conclude with Deep Fried Bananas with Soy Ice Cream. Hot tea and Steamed Rice will also be included with the meal.

Date: Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 7 pm
Location: Radha Yoga and Eatery
728 Main Street, Vancouver
Cost: $24 for members; $27 for non-members

Those who lament the lack of gourmet vegan restaurants in Vancouver: look no further! Earthsave is thrilled to offer another dine-out at the now gourmet Radha Yoga and Eatery. Radha has also recently qualified as a member of Green Table, for restaurants taking measurable steps to reduce their impact on the environment. Not only did they qualify, the Green Table reviewer stated that she thought Radha would be setting the standard by example of what is possible for restaurants in Vancouver! This meal will be comprised of mainly organic and local ingredients. We will start with Mediterranean Navy Bean "Butter" with rosemary buckwheat and sunflower crackers. Sunset Soup with roasted red peppers, chipotle and fresh basil will follow. The entrée will be Spelt-Phyllo Purses with Crimini Mushrooms and Butternut Squash, qunioa pilaf, steamed fall greens, and warm apple and walnut sauce. The dessert will be Ginger Poached Pear with chai spiced hot chocolate ganache and lavender crisps. The price is a special one-time offer for Earthsave diners.

Date: Saturday, October 13th, 2007 at 12pm
Location: The Foundation Eatery
2301 Main St, Vancouver
Cost: $12/ member; $15/non-member

The Foundation, Vancouver’s coolest vegetarian restaurant, is famous for its long line-ups at dinner, so we are heading over for lunch instead. We'' start with the Catered Affair as the starter, which includes House sampler w/ hummus, yam dip, salads, molten, etc. The lunch entrée will be a veggie BLT with house salad. Molten tofu on rice or quinoa will follow.

Date: Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at 7pm
Location: Chili Pepper House
#1-3003 Kingsway (at Rupert), Vancouver
Cost: $18 for members; $21 for non-members

Chili Pepper House serves delicious “Indian Style Chinese” food that blends the spicy flavours of the two cuisines into incredible dishes that will inspire your palate. Liberty had driven by this restaurant for years wondering what the menu might hold; after finally trying the food her only regret is that she didn’t discover it sooner! We will begin by sampling some of the most popular appetizers: Vegetable Spring Rolls, House Style Spicy Tofu with Garlic, and the Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup. Next we will try: Sautéed Vegetables in Manchurian Sauce, a homemade, medium-spicy sauce; Villager Style Vegetables Bean Curd, deep-fried tofu with vegetables in a mild soy-based sauce; Spicy Garlic Green Beans; Hakka Vegetable Chow Mein, eggless noodles wok-fried in a special soy sauce; and Masala Vegetarian Fried Rice, with Indian curry spices. Steamed Rice will also accompany the meal. NB – this food is quite spicy and not for the faint of heart.

Date: Monday, August 20th, 2007 at 7pm
Location: Café Caribana
108 East 3rd Street, North Vancouver
Cost: $19 for members; $22 for non-members If you missed the first Café Caribana dine-out, you won’t want to miss this one! This tiny cafe has a wonderful selection of international dishes served in the Caribbean style. Dinner will begin with Spicy Black Bean Soup, Asparagus and Green Bean Salad with a tangy Asian dressing, Vegan Caesar Salad, and Mixed Green Salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Next we will share several entrees: Eggplant and Pumpkin Curry, Braised Spinach with Coconut Milk, Stir-fried Veggies and Tofu with Garlic, Chickpea and Potato Curry, Pan-fried Cassava, Vegetable Jamaican Patties, 3 kinds of Rice, Roti flatbread, and Dhal Puri, roti bread filled with ground lentils. Coffee and assorted teas will also be included with soymilk available.

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About the Dine-outs

Twice a month, Earthsave Canada hosts a vegan lunch or dinner at a restaurant in the Lower Mainland. They are usually organized a month or two in advance, and a fee of between $12 and $25 is normally charged, which covers meal, dessert (if applicable), tax, and tip.

About half those in attendance come alone, but no one sits alone. Tables are usually organized in groups of 6 or larger. On average, a quarter of those in attendance are non-members; many are newcomers. Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians are welcome.

Dine-out coordinators always make every effort to communicate with the restaurants beforehand to ensure that menus are fully vegan. Unfortunately, mistakes do occasionally occur and some menu items may accidentally contain small amounts of egg or dairy, for which Earthsave cannot be held responsible.

A wonderful article on our dine-outs was printed in the Georgia Straight on January 2nd, 2003. It's reprinted here with permission.