When it comes to “concept dining”, my favourite way of eating food is definitely tapas style. Located in Blood Alley in Gastown, adjacent to Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat Taberna is a 28-seat tapas bar which serves small plates influenced by Spain, Italy and France. Despite the foreign food pairings, the environment of Judas Goat reminds of me a family grocery store. A viewable food preparation station and high countertops close enough to make small talk with the patrons sitting beside you. Square yellow stools huddle around small tables.

Similar to its sister restaurant, The Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat combines a variety of flavours and textures and teases the pallet with its small portions. I love the option of nibbling on a variety of food and sharing dishes. Between the two of us, we ordered 7 items, which included two “hot” dishes, two “pressed, potted, or cured” dishes and a salad. Agreeing with everyone I have spoken with, what you pay for the portions is not really worth the price; but then again, “concept dining” is about the experience of “trying something new”, right??

Hapa Izakaya Yaletown’s (1193 Hamilton)  patio is now open and the restaurant is serving lunch, Monday through Friday, from 12 pm straight through until dinner at 4pm. Plus Hapa Yaletown will open for dinner on Saturdays and Sundays at 4:00 pm all summer long. Hapa Izakaya Yaletown is the newest of the three Hapa Izakaya restaurants. For reservations, please contact Hapa Yaletown at 604.681.4272.

Local Canadian fashion and jewelry lines Allison Wonderland, Refine Jewelry, and Erin Templeton (handmade leather bags) will be having a Studio Sample and Overstock Sale in Gastown on Thursday, June 17, 2010. Drop by 210-309 West Cordova Street between 1pm – 7pm to find some good deals and support local designers. Cash only.

If you can’t get enough of the Shrek series, you can now “express your inner ogre” with six new limited edition nailpolish shades by OPI.  Bright colors are great for spring!  The cheeky color names are:

• Funky Donkey
• What’s With the Cattitude?
• Rumple’s Wiggin
• Who the Shrek Are You?
• Ogre-the-Top Blue
• Fiercely Fiona

The crispy pear freshened up the salad, while the generous portion of walnuts gave me something to crunch on.