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'Taste White Rock' cooked up in rebranding effort

WHITE ROCK — There's a pleasant new scent rising from the peninsula, and it's not just that salty ocean air.

Fifteen local restaurants are now cooking up new, three-course menus to satiate the palate of diners who take part in Taste White Rock, a 25-day food festival in the city.

"What we're trying to do is really help drive additional visitations to the community through this, locally and regionally, by having this festival," said Douglas Smith, executive director of White Rock Business Improvement Association.

"We think that it's going to provide a real spike in business activity for (the restaurants) during a time when it's traditionally pretty quiet."

The fixed menus - priced at either $25 or $35 for a three-course meal - aren't the only aspect that's new about the festival. Formerly known as Bite of the Rock, White Rock's "dine-out" festival has been going on for the past nine years.

Having had the same branding, logos and ethosfor nearly a decade, Smith said it was time for a switch-up with the help of creative team, Invision.

"One of the things (Invision) said was they wanted to hit the refresh button," Smith told the Now.

He agreed with the creative company that "Bite of the Rock" didn't have a great ring to it.

"I, myself, was not enamoured with it, because personally I don't 'bite' my food, and I don't bite rocks," Smith admitted with a laugh.

"It just wasn't as classy as I wanted it to be. I want this to portray classiness and good food and good experience, and culinary adventure."

Charlie Don't Surf Taste
A preview of what's on offer at Charlie Don't Surf, which is participating in Taste White Rock until Feb. 13. (Photo: KEVIN HILL)

With $100,000 budgeted to advertise the re-branded festival, including logo redesign, Smith and the rest of the White Rock BIA hope to see a big response from resident and travelling foodies in the City by the Sea.

"We think we've really got something here. We're getting an amazing response through social media. We've got food bloggers from California following us and talking about this event," Smith said.

"It's pretty cool the way it's taken off."The dine-out experience has been going for nine years strong, so naturally there are repeat participants, like Uli's, Cielo's and Charlie Don't Surf. New to the festival are Wooden Spoon and Five, previously known as Five Doors Down under former ownership.

Smith hopes that with the projected success of this year's Taste White Rock, more restaurateurs will be keen to get involved in upcoming years.

Charlie Cake
Each meal on Taste White Rock's menus includes dessert. Cake by Charlie Don't Surf. (Photo: KEVIN HILL)

"We've got the best of our restaurants all involved and I hope that anyone who'snot involved will be paying attention and realizing this is something they want to participate in going forward," he said.

In the meantime, Smith wants to see White Rock become a "world-class seaside destination," but first, the city has to give prospective foodies a taste of what it has to offer.

Taste White Rock started Tuesday, Jan. 20 and runs until Feb. 13. To see a list of participating restaurants and their fixed menus, visit Whiterockbia.com.

kalexandra@thenownewspaper.com