CITY CENTRE — From pupusas to butter chicken to spanikopita to southern barbecue, Downtown Surrey restaurants offer up a diverse range of food options.
That’s what the Picnic en Rouge event, set for Aug. 11 at Holland Park, aims to show off.
“For the past little while we’ve been putting out the free restaurant guide,” said Olivia Hui, a summer intern at the Downtown Surrey BIA, organizing the event. “We wanted to have an event that celebrates that…. There’s just a huge variety, we want to feature the diversity in the area.
“So come out with friends, with coworkers, because it’s on a Thursday, so maybe after work come down with friends or family, come out to Holland Park, and try the different cuisines in the area,” said Hui.
Four restaurants will set up at Holland Park for the event and will be selling full size meals at a discounted price, from $10 to $20.
Hui recommends the sampler plate from Bros BBQ, which will be at the park for the event.
“It’s very good” she said. “The plate has a rib, a win, a drumstick and potato salad for $10.50, so it’s a really good bargain.”
Bros BBQ opened there doors just a few months ago at 13652 Grosvenor Rd., run by brothers Mike and Viraj Dass.
They’re Surrey’s first and only real outdoor barbecue take-out joint, boasts Mike.
“I wanted to bring a little piece of home back with me,” explained Mike. “Originally I’m from Miami. That’s where this whole idea came from. This was something we did every Sunday back home. It was a tradition.”
He came up to Surrey to visit his father after he fell ill, and ended up moving here for good about two years back.
“So the whole idea is bringing comfort food up here because there really isn’t real southern barbecue places up in Vancouver that I’ve been to. The closest thing was Montana’s, but it’s not really a barbecue restaurant. I wanted more southern. Real barbecue like I get at home.”
Mike’s been playing around with sauces for years and just patented his own Hennessy barbecue sauce.
“Everything is homemade here,” he continued. “All the barbecue sauces, everything. We mostly do barbecue chicken and beef ribs, that’s the main on the menu. But we also have sandwiches and smoothies. It’s more of a takeout place but if you want to eat here we have a few tables.”
In addition to BBQ Bros, La Conquistadora, Taste of Punjab and Tomato Shack Pizza will also be set up at Holland Park for the Picnic en Rouge event.
Other restaurants taking part off-site are Bozzini’s, Central City Brewpub, Manis Pan-Asian Eatery, Taqueria Jalisco and Vlassis Greek Taverna, all offering deals the evening of the event.
But the Holland Park event won’t be all about the food, there will be music and other activities as well.
Board games and more will be set up to create a “cozy family atmosphere,” said Hui, adding there will be chances to win gift cards to local restaurants.
“Also, Pokemon Go is obviously a trend right now. There are several Poke-stops at Holland Park,” she remarked. “So we are actually putting out non-stop Pokemon lures.”
The event is set to run from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at Holland Park (13428 Old Yale Rd.) and at participating restaurants.
For a full menu visit Downtownsurreybia.com.