Celebrate Vaughan 2016 | Page 115

If there is one thing that the City of Vaughan certainly doesn’t lack, it’s a plethora of fantastic, multicultural restaurants that people of all nationalities and cultural backgrounds can enjoy. Vaughan loves to eat and it’s never been so easy or so convenient to dine out! Walk along any main street in the city and you’re immediately greeted by vast assortments of restaurants, bars and pubs dedicated to catering specifically to Vaughan’s melting pot of a population; Italians, Greeks, Portuguese, Hispanics, Asians and Middle Easterners have never had it so good (literally)! Vaughan has one of the most varied and culturally diverse populations in the province of Ontario. While the majority of the population consists mostly of Southern Europeans (predominantly Italians) and Eastern Europeans (Russians), a whopping 31% of the city’s population is made up of visible minorities: Indian, Pakistani, Hispanic, Jamaican, Vietnamese and Chinese. Vaughan residents speak 99 different languages, so it’s no wonder that our collection of eateries is as diverse and inclusive as it currently is! The people who live and work in Vaughan are a curious and insatiable bunch when it comes to the food they eat – nothing is off-limits and they certainly don’t discriminate. Their taste Tasty Trends Just like the heady world of fashion, the food industry also has its own set of trends too. Aside from the homecooked comfort food we seem to favour so much, we also crave newness and change, wanting to expand our horizons and test our taste buds with new flavours, new designs, and new menus. Food trends tend to take off in summer and winter – summer, when patio weather sets in and people choose to dine out more often and winter, when blizzards are the norm and people opt to order in more frequently, trying out new dishes from the comfort (and warmth) of their own homes. The biggest trends in food right now are quite varied, running the gamut from homestyle Canadian favourites to exotic dishes you were once only able to find in sunny European coastal ports. First on the list are gourmet poutines and virtually anything containing a splash of authentic Canadian maple syrup. Combine the two (poutine + maple syrup) and you’ll have lineups forming around the block! Artisan sandwiches, burgers and delicately grilled paninis are also very trendy right now with pop-up shops and food trucks turning up on every street corner, serving up delicious lunchtime treats. Cultural favourites like Japanese cuisine, rich, tasty Indian curries, authentic British pub food and hearty buds are eclectic and crave different flavours, exotic spices and fresh, delectable ingredients. And when the mood suits, residents also crave dishes that offer comfort, a hearty disposition and nostalgic memories from their childhoods that flood their psyche each time they take a bite. Food is funny that way; a dish that outwardly looks insignificant or even plain can evoke the most vivid childhood memories of you sitting in your grandparents’ kitchen, devouring bowls of homemade pasta or perfectly seasoned curries. These simple yet hearty dishes can make us feel at home when we may be on vacation, thousands of miles away. That’s the power of food! Italian seafood and pasta dishes are also incredibly popular right now, with many restaurants, event centres and bars experimenting and changing up their menus to include all of these ontrend dishes. And finally, for those of you with a sweet tooth, sugary baked delights like French and Italian pastries and gourmet donuts are taking the food industry by storm! Next time you’re on Instagram, check your feed for artfullycomposed and filtered photos of fresh, colourful, doughy donuts covered in layers of icing, jellies and crushed peanuts and you’ll see what we mean about the sweet trend taking off. Visitors &Tourists Crave Vaughans ' Diverse Menus Visitors from all over the world come to Vaughan to experience firsthand its eclectic and diverse mix of foods and drinks and hardly ever leave hungry or thirsty! Whether you’re in the mood for chicken vindaloo, a heaping platter of spaghetti alle vongole, freshly-made sashimi, caldo verde, or a refreshingly satisfying bowl of gazpacho you will find everything (and anything!) on one of the city’s main streets. Vaughan’s eateries don’t discriminate, that much is true. Hungry patrons can walk into virtually any restaurant, bar or pub and immediately be greeted with a warm hello and the most delicious aromas emanating out from the kitchens. The city’s diverse community absolutely loves to dine out and enjoys catching up with family, friends and even strangers over heaping plates of succulent, hearty treats. Our social lives revolve around food and it’s no wonder that Vaughan’s restaurants are some of the finest in the Greater Toronto Area, let alone the province! Banquet Halls & Event Venues Within the past decade or so, Vaughan banquet halls and event centres have worked incredibly hard to expand and diversify their menus and catering options to satisfy different nationalities, cultural backgrounds, and dietary requirements. In a way, it’s become trendy to accommodate as many people and diets as possible, and that’s definitely an improvement that we can get behind and support. The more options, the better! Vaughan has one of the largest collections of banquet halls and event centres in Ontario, with literally hundreds of these venues occupying space in the city. Depending on what you’re into and what preferences you have based on atmosphere and menu, you’ll find traditional spaces (Le Jardin), modern spaces (Bellvue Manor) and heritage 2016 \ Celebrate Vaughan 115