This week, Vancouver’s Wildebeest revealed that due to the overwhelming success of last fall’s seasonal wild game menu and the subsequent high demand from patrons, it will be launching a brand-new fall game and mushroom menu from October 17 to 30. 

The latest creation by chef Ian McHale is an homage of sorts to the unique assortment of incredible ingredients available in the region, and features a taste of the best that B.C. forests, farms, and fields have to offer. 

The journey through chef McHale’s menu begins with a one-of-a-kind mushroom tea, composed with accents of lavender, sage, rosemary, pine, and kombu picked from the clean, cold waters surrounding Vancouver Island.

The following five tasting dishes include some remarkable combinations of wild game and foraged foods; The Alberni Valley venison tartare is complemented by a fresh offering of locally-forged B.C. pine mushrooms, cucumber, and hazelnut, while the game pithivier pastry combines wild game meats with red cabbage purée, pickled morels, and huckleberry jus. 

“We’ve cultivated relationships with some amazing partners throughout B.C.,” says McHale. “We’re excited to have another opportunity to capture the flavours of fall and highlight the full array of fresh, local ingredients that they provide to our kitchen on a daily basis.”

The fall game and mushroom menu is the latest among a series of seasonally-inspired menus that have included recent highlights such as the Spring Field and Forest and the Summer Farmers’ Harvest Menus. 

Wildebeest’s fall tasting menu is priced at $60 per person with optional beverage pairings available for $32. Reservations can be made by phone or OpenTable.