Looking to cause a stir with your risotto? At Cookworks new Western Living Test Kitchen, small class sizes, a central location, chefs you know (think Vikram Vij) and amazing wine pairings mean this might just be better than a night on the town.

Debuting March 22 with The Food Network’s Cook Like A Chef star Ned Bell, you’ll learn to prepare Okanagan wine-fed beef (apparently some of the tasting rooms up there are not that exclusive) and sample the latest from Road 13. Grab your gal pals (or treat your mom); it’s like your own intimate catered soiree—without the recycling duties the morning after.

$89 at Cookworks, 1548 W. Broadway, Vancouver, 604-731-1148. For complete class schedule, click here.

One too many pints at a few too many Olympic venues has us pining for a proper sit down meal.

To cleanse our palate of overpriced beers, we pulled up a bentwood café chair to a white tableclothed table at Cork & Fin. The name of the new brick-and-beam Gastown restaurant spells out its best offerings—good glasses of wine and well-priced seafood. Anticipating small portions we ordered a feast of scallop ceviche ($12), mussels in a bath of cream, bacon and white wine ($14), Dungeness crab mashed potatoes ($9) and snapper ($13) to share, and shamefully, were too stuffed to finish the generous, delectable spread.

Plenty of fish in the sea, indeed.

Cork & Fin, 221 Carrall St., Vancouver, 604-569-2215, www.corkandfin.ca

The Fairmont Pacific Rim is only days old and already it's getting major buzz for celebrity guests,  seriously spacious rooms, and stunning views.

But the secret gem for us locals is the 41-seat Italian cafe Giovane. We recommend the Berkshire ham sandwhich on sourdough ($10) for takeout, or dine-in on nine choices of pizzas ($11 each) and charcuterie plates (three selections, $14).

Lunch anyone?

Giovane (open 6 a.m.-8 p.m.), 1038 Canada Place, Vancouver, 604-695-5501, www.giovanecafe.com

Between their beautiful people and bustling bistros, we’ve long dreamt of living in Paris. But with the opening of The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe, we have both just by pulling up a barstool in our own borough.

The luxe interior boasts bright blue Louis XV chairs, Victorian tiles, tufted black leather and the same extravagant espresso machine the Pope uses. And their service extends to having your favourite bottle of wine on hand when you come in—just send them an email.

Like bistros across the Atlantic, there’s a simple wine list and standbys like steak frites and French onion soup, but The Corner Suite does them one better—make that three—with serious cocktails, slick décor and superior service. Dubbed “The Genuine Article,” their cocktail menu is a 30-page tome of classic and contemporary cocktails worth clinking.

As for the beautiful people, even if there isn’t a crowd, the proprietor triumvirate of chef Anthony Sedlak, bartender Steve Da Cruz and manager Andre McGillivray ought to keep you sufficiently distracted.

The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe, 850 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-569-3415, www.thecornersuite.com

We like our wood like we like our cheese: well-aged.

In serving trays by Union Wood, a vintage furniture and lighting company in Vancouver, the two come together. Using reclaimed wood from a downtown RCMP horse stable that stood over 100 years ago, each sturdy tray is treated and given distressed steel handles, making them one-of-a-kind and very old world.

And like a good wine, these too get better with age.

$80 at The Cross, 1198 Homer St., Vancouver, 604-689-2900, www.thecrossdesign.com

Let the athletes have their protein shakes, and we’ll have their performance-enhancing cocktails and chow.

Just for the games, Yew has debuted a host of new drinks and dishes. Our pick of plates is the Olympic Burger ($40), which lives up to its name by holding one pound of Kobe and Alberta beef, chanterelle mushrooms, double smoked bacon and Agassiz Farm House cheddar between its buns.

Meant for sharing among six friends, just a sliver left us stuffed. But if you manage to finish it on your own, you deserve gold.

Yew restaurant and bar, 791 West Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-692-4939, www.fourseasons.com/vancouver

Chinatown is changing. First, there was the Fortune Sound Club and now, a cool new brasserie called Bao Bei.

The name means “precious” in Chinese, and it’s indeed a special spot. Warm and eclectically designed with cool vintage accents, like a wall of silver platters, it serves up well-balanced cocktails and top-notch traditional bites. We took a seat at the bar, and knew at once a woman was in charge (that would be former Chambar barkeep Tannis Ling) as soon as we saw the handy purse hooks. Double happiness was had with an order of pork potstickers ($6.50) and mantou ($9), a steamed bun stuffed with braised short rib, scallions, pickled cucumber, roasted peanuts and hoisin sauce.

As for what to drink, “The Best F@#*&$# Pina Colada You’ve Ever Had” ($12) is as fun to ask for as it is to sip.

Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, 163 Keefer St., Vancouver, 604-688-0876, www.bao-bei.ca

Should Madonna and Jesus (as in the pop icon and her male model companion) come into town and want a plush private room to dine in with their disciples, we’ve got just the place.

The Moda Hotel now has a secluded spot for dinner parties and important meetings. With gold high-back chairs, marble flooring and a grand, hand set chandelier from Italy, the sexy round-shaped room is fit for a star, but reservable by you. It seats 12 and serves food and wine from the Cibo Trattoria menu.

Book it soon and you’ll have beat the Material Girl to the table.

Moda Hotel private room books through Cibo, 900 Seymour St., 
Vancouver, 604-602-9570, www.modahotel.ca

Vancouver’s hottest temple of Thai food, Maenam, just refreshed its menu (and our cocktails) as we pulled up our chairs for a sneak peek.

Still on are the crispy, battered B.C. Golden Mantle oysters ($8), lest there be riots in the mean street of Kitsilano. We recommend the hot and sour Sloping Hills pork soup ($16 for two), the Jungle Curry of sable fish ($14) and the perfectly balanced Burmese Curry ($13).

With refreshing cocktails like the lamyai with gin, cilantro and kaffir lime, and modern bamboo walls, we predict this temple will draw the faithful.

Maenam, 1938 W. Fourth Ave., Vancouver, 604-730-5579, www.maenam.ca

Third time's the charm? If you love Hapa Izakaya, then yes, yes and yes.

The newly unveiled Japanese restaurant buzzes with energy,  the service is seamless and the offerings include favourites like the Ebi Mayo (tempura prawns tossed in spicy mayo, $7.75) and the hot stone Ishi-Yaki rice bowl mixed right at your table ($8.80), plus an extensive fresh sheet  (pictured) with dishes like Tai Herb Salad (cured Japanese snapper on a mikuni salad with citrus dressing). For a dressed-up sake cocktail, we recommend the not-too-sweet Pear Sake Tini ($9).

Finish off dinner with a  scoop of Black Sesame Ice Cream ($4), and you've got yourself a Hapa ending.

Hapa Izakaya, 1193 Hamilton St., Vancouver, 604-681-4272, www.hapaizakaya.com