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not really craft beers, but on the topic of choices/selection ... Stella's on Commercial has a great list of Belgian beers (at least 8-10) that changes every month. Great atmosphere!

It seems the Kintaro in Richmond is no more. Last day was apparently May 13th from the notice on their door. Anyone have info on why that might be? A new restaurant (with a Japanese name) is to open in that same space soon.

It's ridiculously low to attract customers. But where the restaurants "trick" you and get back their loss is in one or more of the following: 1) extra water in the weighing pan, so your crab is reportedly heavier than it actually is 2) the quality of the crab you get. I went to one of these ridiculously cheap places once (I think it was Empire ... Ling reviewed this place a few pages up) at the start of the season. The crabs were almost black in colour (very dark red). It didn't look healthy. Plus they wanted to put us at the table just inside the front door where everyone was standing and waiting. We decided to leave since they couldn't care less about a family of 4 coming in to feast on the most exotic & expensive of crabs. We ended up going to Mandarin on #3, and had a great tasting crab that was a vibrant red in colour. 3) the upcharge for cooking in 2 or 3 course (usually 3 I think). I know Empire charged a ridiculous $25 cooking charge, while Mandarin charged $15. The cost per pound was ~$13 vs ~$9, so the difference in charge by pound is made up for by the cooking charge 4) service ... the cheaper the crab, the more likely the service is rushed, as well as the cooking. They're obviously not making much from you for the crab, but it boggles me why they don't serve more friendlier when they know they're getting a killing off of you for other hidden charges. This season was a good one ... Since the mid-Jan, I've had king crab about 5-6 times already. Once at Imperial, twice at Mandarin, once at Jade, and once at Sun Sui Wah. My vote this year goes to Mandarin. (It probably helps that my parents knows one of the captains there, and have eaten king crab more than twice there this year alone with other friends)

Having grown up eating dim sum virtually every weekend, I'd have to say the better places I've been to in the last while are: - Spicy Court , Cambie & 41st - Gingeri, at Lansdowne Shopping Centre - Kirin, Richmond ... I don't like the Cambie (slow service) or Alberni (not a fan of Northern Chinese dim sum) locations - Jade (Restaurant?) on Alexandra Rd. - Fortune House at Metrotown I've also heard very good things about Fisherman's Terrace at Aberdeen, but I haven't been to that restaurant since its old location at the London Drugs on No.3 & Westminster. Mind you, most of the above places serve dim sum a la carte. No carts, so it is challenging to order for those who are linguistically challenged. I do agree w/ above posts though that for places that still have the rolling carts, Sun Sui Wah on Main St. is by far a better choice than most. Floata I find is ... very average. They charge above-average prices for run of the mill dim sum. Not a lot of creativity and the portion sizes fairly average. What I wish for is a high-end dim sum restaurant of the likes of Lai Wah Heen in Toronto's Metropolitan Hotel. (http://www.metropolitan.com/lwh/) A friend and I went there a few months ago when I was there on business, and while you might balk at the prices (on average of $4.50 per piece of dim sum ... so $18 for 4 pieces), the sheer amount of creativity placed into making the dishes unique is well worth the expense.

Chocoatl, House of Chocolate. 1127 Mainland. Opening real soon. Serving a very creative menu of hot chocolate ← They're open now. Just popped in to pick up a few chocolates. Will be back next week to sample the hot chocolate! Met the staff ... all very friendly.

Has anyone gone since the renovations? How's the improvement? I'll be going there (thanks to the wonderful reviews here on eGullet) this Thursday w/ the wife to celebrate a belated Valentine's.

The one on Main is Wing Nuts. It's different from Wings. I believe the Wings in downtown is the same as the Wings in Surrey. They might even have their Wings of Fire on the menu...

Fogg n Sudds in Richmond had it on their menu ... don't know about the other locations.

I'm not sure if this is quite true anymore, as I was there several weeks ago, and was told Chef Toshi doesn't have the time to prepare an omakase dinner given the fact that business is so busy. Perhaps if you call well in advance, he may consider it.

Joe Fortes on their rooftop patio will allow you to smoke a cigar.

Honjin out by Roundhouse Community Centre has Okonomiyaki on their menu. It's not bad, but I prefer the one they have at Sake on Thurlow.

I can't remember the name, but there's a place on Fraser St. by 41st Ave (a few doors from the Church's Chicken) that has pretty good bubble tea. I used to go Oasis for my chocolate ice-cream bbt, but have switched over to this location since it is closer to home. Another bbt place opened up a few stores down back in Sept, and it's closer to the McDonald's, but I have yet to try that location. Prices are standard, and they have a stamp card system for the free bubbletea.

I'm a fan of the martinis at Rugby Beach Grill ... all very tasty