Ten of us meet, hungry, on a Sunday on Alberni St outside Kirin, one of Vancouver's best Chinese restaurants.
Our group's Lazy Susan is quickly piled with steamed prawn and pork dumplings and sticky rice with pork and dried scallops wrapped in lotus leaves.
As we wiped XO Sauce from our lips, Manuela led us down the same road toward Urban Fare, a specialty grocery store where you can buy just about any fancy food product.
At the store, which is packed with oodles of British Columbia items, as well as imported fare, we try handmade local chocolates, organic local sturgeon caviar and mini creme fraiche tarts.
As we wander over to West Cordova St on our way to our next destination Bella Gelateria, our guide shares tidbits about the city's history. We pause outside the Marine Building, "considered Canada's finest example of art deco architecture," Manuela says. The building, with a view of the harbour, features a superabundance of sea-themed decorative art, including depictions of crabs, turtles, sea horses and snails.
In the gelato store we peruse the desserts, which are made the old-fashioned way using traditional techniques.
The shop's flavours are revealed each day on Twitter. Today it's organic coconut milk, chocolate sorbetto and salted caramel.
"Anybody hungry?" asks Manuela, as we all waddle out of the gelateria.
More sweets are on the menu at Thierry - handcrafted chocolates, macarons, pastries and desserts to be precise.
We also visit Hubbub, creator of Vancouver's Top 10 Sandwiches for their pulled pork sandwich and beer pairing, before trekking back to Alberni St for our last stop: Market, helmed by three-star Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
At this chic establishment, which spreads over the third floor of the Shangri-La Hotel, we sample the mini Market burger, salmon sashimi on crispy rice and a ginger lime margarita.
To signal the tour is officially over, Manuela, who besides being a tour guide is an actress, bursts into a delightful goodbye song.
We all laugh and agree that hanging out with a group of food enthusiasts - while eating and learning a smidgen of the city's history - is a delightful way to spend your first day in a new place.
CHECKLIST
Getting there: Air New Zealand flies direct from Auckland to Vancouver.
Details: The Guilty Pleasures Gourmet tour takes three hours from 2pm-5pm and runs Fridays to Mondays from October to April and daily from May to September.
For more information: Visit tourismvancouver.com
The writer was a guest of Tourism Vancouver.
- AAP
