OUTDOOR dining WORDS NATALIE FINDLAY 18 FLAVOURS FOOD & DRINK MAGAZINE
Make the most of the warm weather we have left by enjoying your meals and entertaining outside. Whether you are part of a group, a couple, or on your own, beautiful late summer days are about doing as much as possible outside before the cool rains set in. Food just seems to taste better in the great outdoors, be it on your deck, in a park, on the beach, or near a lake; in essence, just about anywhere you can find a spot to enjoy the fresh air. From vacations or long weekends to road trips and picnics, we all want to spend more time outside. Pack your lunch to eat at a park or waterfront. Double up on dinner the night before in order to have the next day's meal prepared for an evening picnic. Or head down with friends to one of the many restaurant patios that dot the Sunshine Coast for a relaxing evening where someone else does the cooking and the dishes! (See sidebar for six of the many patios along the Sunshine Coast.) The thing to remember: make it easy. Outdoor eating and entertaining does not have to be complicated. Simplicity is best, and using fresh, in-season foods and quick preparation methods allow more time outdoors. Fresh and abundant vegetables at this time of year make it easy to throw together salads that satisfy. Barbecueing allows you to take whatever you are cooking outside. Ripe, in-season fruits are delicious and make for easy desserts, especially with some fresh mint and a dollop of yogurt or ice cream. Add fresh herbs to everything, and all of a sudden it tastes like summer no matter what time of year. EAT OUT! THE SUNSHINE COAST IS DOTTED WITH MANY RESTAURANTS THAT OFFER OUTDOOR SEATING DURING WARMER WEATHER. NATALIE FINDLAY HAS COME UP WITH A LIST OF PLACES TO CHECK OUT. BACK EDDY RESORT & MARINA The pub offers fantastic modern pub fare and 180-degree views of the Sechelt Inlet from the patio deck, showcasing an array of boats, seals, and eagles. Even a whale has been known to pass through this active waterway once or twice. 16660 Backeddy Road, Egmont LIGHTHOUSE PUB & RESTAURANT With panoramic views across Sechelt Inlet, you can watch float planes and boats come and go all summer long. Lots of seating, great food, and enjoyable service will bring you back. 5764 Wharf Road, Porpoise Bay, Sechelt LUNITAS MEXICAN EATERY Enjoy authentic Mexican food and specialty drinks on the patio as you overlook Gibson’s Marina, where you can see the boats, kayakers, and maybe a mischievous otter trying to get into boats. 645 School Road, Gibsons THE GRASSHOPPER PUB The Grasshopper Pub, perched over Madeira Park and Grasshopper Marina, looking toward Texada, offers a beautiful vantage point for summer sunsets while enjoying dinner and drinks with friends. 12671 Sunshine Coast Highway, Madeira Park GUMBOOT RESTAURANT Entertaining is casual on the Coast. Allow the beauty of the outdoors to lead your décor with the fresh air stimulating your senses, add some string lights for ambiance in the evenings, grab an outdoor speaker, and put on your favourite music. As the days shorten and we get caught up in work and school, we can still access the feeling of summer by moving our meals outside. There remains abundant daylight and warm weather to enjoy. So grab your picnic basket, last night's leftovers and head out to the lake, the ocean, or your deck and catch the sun’s waning rays and delight in the late summer warmth adding more hours of outdoor enjoyment. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the patio while the kids play in the grass. This Roberts Creek favourite offers an innovative menu, vegan & gluten-free options, and local organic ingredients. 1041 Roberts Creek Road, Roberts Creek LAGOON RESTAURANT Lagoon Restaurant offers a spectacular vantage point to get lost in the views overlooking Madeira Park Marina. The restaurant carries an extensive wine list, specialty cocktails, and delicious West Coast eats with a European twist. 12849 Lagoon Road, Madeira Park FLAVOURS FOOD & DRINK MAGAZINE 19
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