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Sun one day, snow another...Sure, it’s chilly outside, but some of Vancouver’s cherry trees are already in full bloom. As soon as it's lovely again, don’t miss the opportunity to picnic under the sakura in grand Japanese style. Keep watch till your chosen spot hits its glory (or find one on the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Web site). Then bundle up, bring something waterproof to sit on and a blanket or two, and pick up some takeout sushi from your favourite restaurant or a bento box from any Asian supermarket. By enjoying a meal under the blossoms, you can truly savour spring’s arrival.

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Straight Goods

New Ramen Alert
You know something is up when a pal swoons at the mention of Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (1690 Robson Street) and has eaten there several times a week since it opened on February 26. Located on “ramen alley”—there are five ramen shops nearby—Santouka is gaining a rep for its pork-broth-based, salt-seasoned shio ramen ($8.95) and its toro-niku shoyu ramen with simmered pork jowl ($12.95).

Ready For Passover
Passover starts at sundown on March 29, and if you’re looking for a place to celebrate, the Lubavitch Centre (5750 Oak Street) is holding community seders around Metro Vancouver that day and the next. The meals are open to everyone and include traditional dishes like matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, roast chicken, potato kugel, carrot tsimmes, and more. They’re prepared by the centre’s catering arm for a suggested donation of $36 per person. Call 604-266-1313 by March 28 to reserve; for dinner locations, see www.lubavitchbc.com.

Japanese On The Go
A fast-food offshoot of Zakkushi izakayas, Kushi Box is now open at 520 Robson Street. The tiny outlet specializes in skewered meats and veggies, and also offers oden (ingredients like hard-boiled eggs, daikon, and fish cakes simmered in dashi ), a classic Japanese winter warmer. Six pieces of oden cost $6.50; kushi items average about $1.30 per stick. It’s open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

Deli Dynasty
Sparkling Kits newbie Plöger Delikatessen (1900 West 1st Avenue) is a reincarnation of the original Plöger’s established in 1935 in Frankfurt, Germany. Owner-operators Frank and Corinna Plöger re-created the deli in Vancouver after his parents retired, closing the original. A tasty mix of café, organic greengrocer, and deli, the shop stocks house-made salads, quiches, sandwiches, and strudel to eat in or take out, and soon-to-come German deli meats.

Demo And Dish
Chef Ken Iaci’s popular Saturday lunchtime cooking classes ($75) are back at Papi’s Ristorante Italiano (12251 No. 1 Road, Richmond). Iaci demos five recipes in each course, serving them with paired wines. Reserve for March 27’s Northern Italian, Modern Italian on April 17, Southern Italian on April 24, Taste of Tuscany on May 8, Antipasti on May 22, and Coastal Cuisine on May 29, by calling 604-275-8355.

Good Excuse Not To Cook
Next Thursday (March 25) is a fine day to let somebody else do the cooking, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. That’s when over 200 local restaurants are participating in the annual Dining Out for Life fundraiser. Each will donate 25 percent of its food revenue to help those living with HIV/AIDS through the organizations A Loving Spoonful and Friends for Life. For a list of restaurants, see www.diningoutforlife.ca.