You know it’s coming. The holidays mean your calendar will be squished with office functions, kids’ events, cocktail parties, and family commitments. Now’s the time for some civilized food and drink before it all gets nutty.

A Hundred Years of Modern Art at Bauhaus Restaurant

This year mark’s the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Staatliches Bauhaus, the German school of design and architecture that gave rise to an entire arts movement. To celebrate, Gastown’s Bauhaus Restaurant (1 West Cordova Street) is showcasing works by Berlin-based photographer Jean Molitor, who travelled the world for a decade documenting modernist structures for his Art Project Bau1haus.

The current photographic display coincides with executive chef Christian Kuehnel’s new winter menu (consisting of three, four, five, or six courses, with or without wine pairings).

Look for starters such as beetroot carpaccio with blueberry, hazelnut, and mushroom; and pickled mussels with salmon mousse, radish, and apple. Mains run the gamut from pumpkin risotto with walnut, fig, and feta to chateaubriand for two with root vegetables and parsnip puree. For the table are classic options to share such as cheese spätzle, wiener schnitzel, and red cabbage, as well as black truffle.

Partnering with local suppliers such as Zaklan Heritage Farm, Sky Harvest (Canada’s first certified-organic urban farm), North Arm Farm, and Two Rivers Specialty Meats, the restaurant also serves Northern Divine Caviar (with or without a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut).

More info is at Bauhaus Restaurant.

The Bounties of BC: Wild Game and Foraged Dinner

Vancouver’s own Kai Leitner recently took on the role of executive chef at Bishop’s (2183 West Fourth Avenue), and, in a collaborative dinner along with iconic restaurateur John Bishop, he’s featuring fall flavours in the Kits restaurant’s upcoming Cascadian dining experience.

The November 28 dinner features a six-course meal, starting with a wild forage salad (mushrooms, roasted chestnuts, field greens, and essence of pine). To follow are venison tartare (with winter squash, preserved huckleberries, and rolled oat cracker), wild boar terrine with charred-onion broth), and whole rabbit served two ways with wild mushrooms, turnip, bacon, and mustard. Winter squab comes with parsnip, sesame, and quahaug beurre blanc, while wild better and elderflower foam from Forest Floor Granola bring the evening to a close.

Tickets, $125 or $175 with wine pairings from Blue Mountain Winery, are available by contacting the restaurant directly.

Chef’s Catch Dinner at Coquille Fine Seafood

These intimate communal dinners are proving to be a hot ticket, with each installment in the series focusing on a different type of seasonal, sustainable seafood.

The inaugural event, which was held earlier this fall, featured halibut; October’s edition showcased sablefish.

While the November 21 shellfish dinner (highlighting Ocean Wise oysters, Salish mussels, and clams) is full, another follows soon after. Dungeness crab will be the star of the December 5 show, where guests get a glimpse of executive chef Lee Cooper and his team in action. Wine director Samantha Ross selects beverage pairings, which are included in the ticket price.

Tickets, $85, plus tax and gratuity, are here.