Eikmeer Singh, a VIU Culinary Arts student, prepares a dramatic dish at the Nanaimo campus. The VIU Discovery Room will be participating in Dine Out Nanaimo. (Submitted/VIU)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

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Dine Out Nanaimo encourages islanders to try new dishes and enjoy their old favourites

Jan 16, 2023 | 5:26 AM

NANAIMO — It’s an opportunity to try some delicious food while also supporting local businesses.

The Dine-Out Nanaimo ‘Festival for Foodies’ takes place from Jan. 20 to Feb. 5 and has over 30 restaurants from Cedar to Nanoose Bay offering a meal of single or several courses for one fixed price.

Festival founder Sarah Wallbank said not only does this event help create excitement about local places to eat, but it also fills tables during a typically slow part of the season.

“It also attracts customers to try something new and re-affirm customer support for favourite spots. It’s important to me because Nanaimo is such an urban sprawl, and because of the years with COVID, a lot of the establishments are operating in silos, so I was really hoping that having this kind of like collaborative style festival it could also gel the operators as a community.”

Wallbank is also the chef and owner/operator of Camas restaurant in Lantzville, with her years of experience in the industry helping her organize this inaugural event.

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She said it’s as easy as calling or going into one of the participating establishments and asking to see their Dine Out Nanaimo menu.

“Participating restaurants offer six menus or combos for a really nice price. Some of the establishments are offering lunch, or dinner, or all day, they include restaurants, cafes, bakeries, as well as breweries and distilleries, so the offerings are really diverse.”

While the prices per dish vary with recommended guidelines of $20-$65 per dish, Wallbank said she has yet to see any item priced above $65.

“For me it’s really exciting that all of these very different establishments are participating collectively. From the inside, it’s a festival for restaurants, but ultimately it’s for all of us foodies who like to go out and dine and have a nice time.”

Vancouver Island University (VIU) is also participating using its full-service learning restaurant The Discovery Room, which is staffed by hospital management and culinary arts students.

They say they will offer lunch and dinner offerings for the entire duration of the event.

Advanced tickets are not needed to eat at any of the establishments, but reservations are strongly encouraged.

For more information on Dine Out Nanaimo including a list and map of participating restaurants, you can go to their website dineoutnananimo.com.

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