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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 29 ,2 01 9 | 4 2 uniq ue sho pping experi encesk-w surpl us 16 GB FLASHDRIVE $599 $149 blue or pink $499 PENCIL CRAYONS 24 PACK BACKPACKS! brand name stationary binders/backpacks all at super surplus prices! $4499 $479 500 sheets 500 sheets (Box of 10) MULTIPURPOSE PREMIUM PAPER ea ea 2 PLY FACIAL TISSUE $1299 666 Victoria St. N., Kitchener Mon.-Fri. 9-9; Sat. 9-6; Sun. 10-5 We reserve the right to limit quantities. Some items may not be exactly as shown. Some items may be limited in quantity. www.kwsurplus.com or 4 FOR or69¢/pack $699/12packs a uniqu e shopp ing exp eriencek-w surpl us starting at @ huge selection $ 180 tissues Local foodies are hoping to introduce people to the growing variety of dining op- tions in downtown Kitchener and uptown Waterloo with a new series of guided restau- rant tours this fall. World of Flavour co-founders, Andrew Coppolino and Michael Lutzmann, have teamed up to conduct several tours so far, which they say have been met with positive reviews. "The feedback has been really good so far," said Coppolino, who writes a weekly column for the Post. "We're just starting out, but I think it's been very productive for the restaurants, be- cause they can share what they can do." He said an informal poll taken at each lo- cation has revealed that the vast majority of participants are unfamiliar with the fare featured. "We have a critical volume of restaurants in the core now and I'm surprised about how little people know about downtown Kitche- ner." While the test runs have primarily fo- cused on restaurants located in Kitchener's central block, separate tours are being es- tablished for various districts, including one travelling to uptown on the Ion - work- ing with Grand River Transit to provide day passes - and another to coincide with Okto- berfest, Coppolino said. Each tour is about three hours long and will feature between eight and 12 restau- rants. Initial tours in the central area cost $95, all taxes, tips and gratuities included. While the tours are designed to allow res- taurants an opportunity to promote them- selves, Coppolino said organizers intend to fully compensate them for the cost of food and drinks provided to participants. Depending on the tour, price points may differ, and people can find out more informa- tion and dates at www.andrewcoppolino- .com or by calling Lutzmann at 519-500-8247. At each location, Coppolino introduces the business and its people. The chef and/or owner then leads the group in a tasting of food and drink that best represents his or her culinary philosophy and tells the story behind the food. Whether it's pupusas from Central Amer- ica or injera from Ethiopia, Coppolino said most people are unaware of the variety of food options and independent, privately run establishments located in the region's cores. For example, the East African Café fea- tured in a recent Kitchener Post article offers a wide variety of unique vegetables and vegan options, Coppolino said. Yet it's been here for a dozen years and the vast majority of residents don't know it even exists, he said. In fact, Coppolino said there are now three Ethiopian restaurants within a rela- tively short distance of one another in Kitchener. The food tours allow people to go places they may be reluctant to venture and sample the tastes and flavours in a short period of time, he said. Participants have also been surprised to see what's offered at King Street West estab- lishments such as the Rich Uncle Tavern or B@THEMUSEUM, which offer unique, pub- style options and source their food from lo- cal producers. Coppolino also aims to provide history and context behind buildings and names, such as the Walper Hotel, and Stark & Perri in Waterloo. "It's just part of the lore of the region," he said. "I like food that exists in a culture like this and when it's part of a larger context, and that's what the food tours are designed to do. It's not just coming out for a drink." Participants come from all backgrounds and some have a very limited knowledge of the local scene, he noted. Coppolino sees the growing number of specialty restaurants as the building blocks to the next evolution of Kitchener's social economy. "I think first what happens is the restau- rants land ... then other stores can pop up and have a base." FOOD AND DRINK 'FLAVOURS OF KITCHENER' TOURS ALLOW PEOPLE TO SAMPLE DIVERSE DINING OPTIONS BILL JACKSON bjackson@kitchenerpost.ca Andrew Coppolino stands on the sidewalk along King Street West with the barbecue pulled pork nachos from B@THEMUSEUM, as he prepares for a series of restaurant tours in the downtown, and uptown, this fall. Bill Jackson/Torstar