I'm back home in Vancouver after a school term, and I miss the food in Vancouver! Every time I come home I try to visit all my favorite places, fit in some new ones, and still eat my mother's home cooking... Not an easy task So far I've gone to Kintaro twice for ramen, which is the best ramen I've had in North America. I ordered miso ramen both times, with extra bean sprouts and wakame. I wasn't brave enough to try to cheese ramen... Had a lunch of Hainanese chicken rice and rice noodles with fish balls a few days ago at the Mui Garden in Richmond. It seems like in the few years I was gone they became health-conscious and the rice that came with the Hainanese chicken no longer glistens with chicken fat Still good, though. They claim that they fly in the fish balls from Hong Kong, and while they have excellent texture they're pretty tasteless. Had dinner some other night at Norboo. The seafood hotpot is amazing, but the bibimbap is not so good. Went to Vij's tonight after hearing about it for years including from a picky professor at the university. We ordered the quail cake, the mutton kebabs, the kale/chickpea curry, and the venison. The food is really delicious and if I ever live in Vancouver for a good length of time again I'll definitely make a repeat visit. Delizioso on Granville and 65th is still my favorite gelato place. I love the Asian flavors like black sesame and durian (which is exactly like eating a piece of durian... mmm). This time I had lychee (really fragrant and tastes like lychees), durian, and whiskey gelato. I've been on a caffeine binge---can't resist all the coffee shops in everywhere! Interestingly many of my Ontario friends know about two intersections in Vancouver even though they've never been: Hastings & Main, or the drug capital of Canada, and Robson & Thurlow, or "Starbucks & Starbucks" I've made it to Caffe Artigiano (Kerrisdale, across from Vancouver Art Gallery), the Elysian Room, and JJ Bean (Commercial Dr) so far. I was shocked to discover that there are now 5+ coffee shops on 41st Ave. in Kerrisdale (2 of which are Starbucks) and more on W. Blvd.. I'm going to gain at least 5lbs in Vancouver...