It’s Irish for party
Over the past 11 years, Sean Heather’s Irish empire has shamrock ’n’ rolled the city on St. Patrick’s Day. Go on-line now to www.irishheather.com/ (and we stress now ) to reserve the various lunch and dinner packages offered March 17 at The Irish Heather (217 Carrall Street). Why? Because this will be the last such St. Pat’s party, as the whole shebang moves to new digs (210-212 Carrall Street) sometime soon. Go weep in your Guinness.

Now that’s good karma
Food geeks like to dine Tuesdays, because that’s often a chef’s first shift after his or her day off. Another reason at Bistrot Bistro (1961 West 4th Avenue) is Karma Tuesdays, when five percent of sales go to a local charity or nonprofit organization. The March beneficiary is Seva Canada, an organization with the goal of eliminating preventable and treatable blindness around the world.

Pucker up for celtic sips and kisses
Part of riproaring CelticFest Vancouver, next Thursday (March 13) marks the fourth annual Brewmaster’s Dinner ($35) with Verne Lambourne of Granville Island Brewing at Ceili’s Irish Pub (670 Smithe Street). If that’s sold out, try the “Whisky Kiss—A Journey of Taste”. Twenty bucks gets you five scotch whisky samplers, plus appetizers and music at The Irish Cellar (1006 Granville Street). Tickets on-line at www.celticfestvancouver.com/.

Follow the cheese trail
Les Amis du Fromage’s wildly popular Vive la France cheese tastings slated for April are already sold out. Instead, we recommend you sign up for their newsletter (www.buycheese.com/index.htm) to be notified of future tastings and sales, as well as discovering cool things, such as the fact that they lend out raclette machines and fondue pots.

Win swag for Crannóg stump stories
Sorrento’s Crannóg Ales, Canada’s only certified organic farmhouse brewery, is holding a contest in the truest Celtic storytelling tradition and inviting creative types to submit plausible stories (1,000-2,000 words) by March 31 to crannog@crannogales.com about the origin of the name of its pub, the Bloody Stump. The winner gets loads of Crannog Ale swag. Check out www.crannogales.com/ales.html#where for watering holes pouring inspiring pints of Crannóg’s.

More fish in the sea
Step lively and check out the Fish Café’s spiffy new digs at 1629 Yew Street, previously home to short-lived Sea Shanty Fish & Chips. On the menu are the same fresh-fish dishes that proprietor Marcus Stiller serves at the mothership at 2053 West 41st Avenue.

Chocolate-covered tots
Although Schokolade Café is adult enough for anyone, it’s fast gaining fame as a kid-friendly hangout. The café (2263 East Hastings Street) is all about fresh-made chocolate everything, like cakes, pastries, truffles, and much more. In addition to Tuesday’s Moms and Tots mornings, there are kids-only cookie and chocolate-making classes for four- to 12-year-olds. See www.schokoladecafe.com/ for details.

Budget catch
Know what the final food bill will be at The Fish House in Stanley Park (8901 Stanley Park Drive), now through April 7. Its “hook”—three courses brings you soup or spinach-and-romaine salad with tamarind dressing, peanuts, and shrimp-chip crisps, followed by horseradish-crusted basa fillet, and milk chocolate mousse for dessert, all for $29.95 (plus tax).