Kentan

Japadog will have a new stand operating in front of Waterfront Station at the beginning of May. Lessee...that's now four stands? And they STILL haven't opened their storefront location yet.

Has anyone tried Juno Sushi Bistro? I've been hearing good things about it... Juno Sushi Bistro

Another restaurant that's been around for a long while - the Deutches House restaurant in the Vancouver Alpen Club celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

Another restaurant that's been around for a long while - the Deutches House restaurant in the Vancouver Alpen Club celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

Hey Kentan -- I stumbled across that place in mid-March -- you can check out the ramblings here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/695550?tag=search_results;results_list Gracias grayelf! As always you are a few forks ahead of me. Sounds like great food. Looks like I'll have to start perusing the CH boards a bit more often...

Just when I was complaining about a dearth of South American places in Vancouver... Mochikas Peruvian Cafe has recently opened at 1696 W. 5th, sharing the same building as an auto spa! I haven't tried it yet, but Sherman of Sherman's Food Adventures did - post here.

I'm bumping this thread up a bit. I wonder if there are some Chinatown restaurants that go back a ways. Even Hon's has been around for over 35 years now.

So does anywhere in Vancouver top Medina Cafe for waffles these days? I tried the new-ish Michi Waffle & Espresso Bar on Robson the other day but wasn't impressed.

Nook is a great hangout - we drop by for a quick pizza or two, enjoy a bottle of wine, and a short walk home. Long's on Main Street - the waitress (and owner?) always remembers us, knows our favs, and somehow manages to find us a spot in that tiny room that's inevitably packed. Kei's bakery - I don't go often enough, but whenever I see Hiroshi and Kaori it's "Hisashiburi da ne~" = long time no see! I like that.

Ramen Santouka reopens this Wednesday (28th). They seem to have had some mechanical problems - ventilation perhaps?

It must be Plaisir Sucré - it opened around the beginning of the year. I have yet to go but it sounds great. I can't believe we might have two excellent French bakeries opening within months of each other! There's an article about it from the Vancouver Observer here: Plaisir Sucré Serves Poetry in a Pan on Arbutus What's sad for me is that I think they've replaced Hälsö Konditori, the Swedish bakery. I hope they just decided to move, but for some reason bakeries never seem to move. When they close, that's it.

Neil the article says - "Bylaws prohibit vendors from monopolizing too much space on a busy sidewalk and being too close to an existing restaurant that deals in similar food." But is that enforced? E.g. If you start serving hot dogs, does the hot dog cart have to scram? Not likely I bet. I wonder how Portland handles this. My sense is that they have more surface parking lots that can accommodate those vans. And maybe they make most of their $$ on the business lunch crowd? The Richmond bakudanyaki place seems to be in a parking lot in the middle of nowhere so it's not competing with anyone. I'd be happy to see food carts in places that are lacking in options at the moment. Like in front of Science World.

Thanks for sharing that awesome list Grayelf! Have you been to all of them or is that your to-do list? Mooshmouse I didn't know that Choppers had gone organic - or maybe they always were? When did they move? - and good to have you posting again!

Dylan I'm impressed that you didn't just complain about the state of blogging in Vancouver. You went out and created your own blog that very same day! And a very enjoyable read it is! Your writing style is very engaging - you definitely tell a bit of a story which makes it more than just a food review. The historical context is really valuable as well. And I like that you've got both the Chinese characters as well as the pronunciation and the English translation. That's helpful. Those braised pork buns (肉夹馍 Ròujiāmó) look insanely good. I've got to hit Xi'an Xiaochi the next time I'm in Richmond. Looking forward to more of your recommendations....

Neil do you mean people have stayed out because it's taking place later than last year and so they don't need the boost in business? That's great that you offer the DOV menu a bit early. In fact, if a restaurant doesn't do that, the first few days might be a bit chaotic unless they're offering regular menu items.

Hi grayelf - great to see you posting again! I hadn't been posting when you were active before, but I've read some of your previous reviews.Wow - the prices at Baguette & Co seem really good. And if their goods are tasty too, that's amazing. You didn't try a croissant though?

Thanks Hestia - I did go to Le Gavroche because I'd been meaning to try it, as it's in my neighbourhood. I enjoyed the food and the experience. Service isn't chatty, but efficient and unobtrusive. I will have to try Market next - a good recommendation. I looove the food and the atmosphere at Les Faux Bourgeois. I've been there at least 4 or 5 times even though it's out of the way for me. It has that busy, intense, kind of noisy vibe that I like sometimes. Bin 941/2, Nook, Salade de Fruits, and a few others have that same feel.

Well it's good to know that food blogging can actually become a real job! I'd come across many of EGulleter Lorna Yee's previous posts in this forum and it was obvious that she had a real passion not only for eating food, but creating it. So it was nice to find that she now: 1) Writes a blog called 'The Cookbook Chronicles' 2) Has her own column called 'Key Ingredient' with Seattle Magazine (she also writes restaurant reviews for them) 3) AND she's co-authoring her first cookbook, entitled 'The Newlywed Kitchen', which will be published in a couple of weeks. "From the editor of Seattle Bride — and one of the Northwest's up-and-coming cooks and food writers — comes a cookbook for newlyweds that aims to help couples forge good cooking habits that will last a lifetime. Offering 83 recipes that gradually increase in complexity and ultimately serve as building blocks for beginner cooks, The Newlywed Kitchen is divided into categories such as "Carry Me Over the Threshold Starters and Snacks," "Who Gets the Remote Control — Comforting Pastas for Lazy Nights In," and "Happily Ever After Desserts and Sweets." By encouraging couples to think about the food they choose to consume and learn happily and peacefully to cook a meal together, The Newlywed Kitchen is an indispensable resource couples will keep and treasure their entire lives."

Topanga Cafe - I hadn't been here in about 20 years so I thought I'd see how it was doing these days. Had a tamale and a Corona and I was back in high school. Topanga does a good Tex-Mex and doesn't seem to have changed a thing since they opened back in 1976. The only difference between now and then is that the menus that customers used to colour are now framed on the walls, and the current menus aren't colourable. The only negative was that the wait staff seemed completely indifferent to the customers. Just drop off the food and get outta there... Le Gavroche - First time at this French resto that's been around since 1979. (maybe I'm on a 70s kick?) They're having a three course special featuring lobster at the moment. The consomme starter was nice, but the lobster thermador was exceptional. Rounded off with a creme brulee for dessert. A simple, quiet room with a mix of West Enders and tourists for some reason. Maybe Le Gavroche has been around so long that it's in all the guidebooks? Rhizome Cafe - What a great neighbourhood place. It's equal parts cafe and meeting room. I hadn't been before so I didn't realize they have a full kitchen making great vegetarian food. Had a very tasty tomato baked polenta with salad.

I decided to take another look at the most popular restaurants booked through opentable.com. Here's June 2008: And here's today: Chambar Coast Market Blue Water Cafe db Bistro Moderne Joe Fortes Italian Kitchen Araxi - Whistler Boathouse - Port Moody Rimrock Cafe - Whistler Quite a similar list - the Cannery is now closed, and some new restos like Market and db Bistro Moderne have muscled into the top 10. From this list anyway, it looks like Coast is now 'hot' while Goldfish Pacific Kitchen is 'not'. Chambar is still #1. But why is Port Moody's Boathouse so consistently popular???

There's an article in this week's Courier all about the potential for more street food in the city. Sidewalk buffet Amazing to me that there are only 61 spots in the whole city licensed for street food, and if you have one already you can keep it as long as you pay your yearly fee. The lottery tickets cost $50 and the spots cost another $1,000. Woff says as many as 300 people apply for the spots in the city's annual crapshoot, with the winners announced last Monday. This seems to be the latest news on expansion of street food: Two years ago, Deal submitted a motion to city council to look at broadening the range of food available on Vancouver's streets. Deal says the thin array of food available on the street isn't in keeping with the wide range of cultures that call Vancouver home, although she's hopeful council will re-examine the issue in June. Meanwhile, Portland has added 100 food carts in the last 2 years.

Get out your knives, forks, chopsticks, and spoons - the Dine Out Vancouver 2010 list has been announced. DOV runs from Monday, April 26 to Thursday, May 6. I've copied the list of 207 restaurants below. Although most places take reservations, I've noted the few that don't. A nice feature they've added this year is a map that you can browse for different types of cuisine. You can check out menus and also search by neighbourhood, menu price, and cuisine type here Dine Out Vancouver 2010 A Kettle of Fish Restaurant Abigail's Party Al Porto Ristorante Amarcord Ristorante Italiano American Grille Aqua Riva Arms Reach Bistro Ashiana Tandoori Restaurant Au Petit Chavignol Azia Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge Banana Leaf in Kitsilano Banana Leaf Malaysian Cuisine Banana Leaf on Denman (Reservations not accepted, first come first served) Baru Latino Beyond Restaurant and Lounge Bistro 101 at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts Bistro Pastis Bistro Sakana Blarney Stone Boathouse Restaurant - English Bay Boathouse Restaurant - Horseshoe Bay Boathouse Restaurant - New Westminster Boathouse Restaurant - Port Moody Boathouse Restaurant - Richmond Boathouse Restaurant - White Rock Boneta Bridges Restaurant Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar Burgoo Bistro Lonsdale (Reservations not accepted, first come first served) Burgoo Bistro Main Street (Reservations not accepted, first come first served) Burgoo Bistro west 10th (Reservations not accepted, first come first served) C Restaurant Cafe Carthage Cafe Il Nido Cardero's Restaurant Carmichael's Restaurant Carver's Steakhouse and Lounge cassis bistro Ceili's Irish Pub & Restaurant Central Bistro Chambar Belgian Restauant Charm Modern Thai Chilli House Thai Bistro Chutney Villa Ciao Bella Ristorante Italiano CinCin Ristorante + Bar Cloud 9 Revolving Restaurant & Lounge Coast Restaurant Cobre Nuevo Latino Cuisine Copper Chimney Coza! Tuscan Grill Cru Darby's Pub db bistro moderne Dinner Cruises.com Diva at the Met DiVino Dockside Restaurant and Brewing Company Don Francesco Ristorante Doolin's Irish Pub EBO Restaurant Elixir Bistro Federico's Supper Club Figmint Restaurant and Lounge Five Sails Restaurant Fleuri Fogg n' Suds Robson Fortune House Seafood Restaurant Fresh Restaurant & Lounge Globe@YVR glowbal grill steaks and satay Goldfish Pacific Kitchen Gramercy Grill Granville Room Griffins - The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Gusto di Quattro Gyu Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant Hamilton Street Grill Harold's Bistro & Bar Hart House Restaurant Hell's Kitchen Hermitage Restaurant Herons Restaurant & Lounge hidden Highlander Resaurtant IL Giardino Restaurant Imperial Chinese Seafood Restaurant Inlets Bistro & Lounge Irish Heather Gastropub Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House Kerkis Greek Taverna Kingston Taphouse & Grille Kirin Mandarin Restaurant Kirin Seafood Restaurant Kirin Seafood Restaurant (Richmond) La Terrazza Restaurant La Vallee Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant Le Bistro Chez Michel Le Gavroche Restaurant Lift Bar Grill View Lux Restaurant and Bar L'Altro Buca Manhattan Restaurant at Delta Vancouver Suites Marias Taverna 4th Ave Marias Taverna Denman Market by Jean-Georges Marmalade Kitchen & Bar Maurya Indian Cuisine Medley's Restaurant Mi Bistro & Bar Migz BBQ on Broadway Miku Restaurant Milestones Grill + Bar English Bay Milestones Grill + Bar Kitsilano Milestones Grill + Bar Park Royal Milestones Grill + Bar Robson Milestones Grill + Bar Yaletown Mistral French Bistro Monk McQueens Waterfront Restaurant Mosaic Bar & Grille Moustache Cafe Northlands Bar and Grill nu restaurant + lounge Nyala African Couisine Octopus' Garden (Reservations not accepted, first come first served) Oru Osteria Napoli Ouisi Bistro O'Doul's Restaurant & Bar p2b bistro & bar Piato Estiatorio Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier Players Chophouse Prestons Provence Marinaside Provence Mediterranean Grill Q4 Raincity Grill Red Door Pan Asian Grill - Granville Red Door Pan Asian Grill - Park Royal Reflect social dining + lounge regional tasting lounge (r.tl) Rocky Mountain Flatbread - Kitsilano Rocky Mountain Flatbread - Lynn Valley Salam Bombay Salathai Thai Restaurant on Burrard Salt Tasting Room Samba Brazilian Steakhouse Sanafir Restaurant and Lounge Scoozis Mediterranean Bar & Grill Seasons in the Park Restaurant Seawall bar & grill Section (3) Restaurant Shaughnessy Restaurant Show Case Restaurant Sip resto-lounge Smileys Public House Social Gastown Society Dining Lounge Steamworks Brewing Company Stonegrill Restaurant Szechuan Chongqing Seafood Restaurant Thai House Restaurant Thai Spice Restaurant the apron The Beach House Restaurant The Brasserie Bistro The Calling The Fish House in Stanley Park The Flying Tiger The Italian Kitchen The Keg - Caesar's The Keg Steakhouse & Bar The Keg Steakhouse & Bar The Keg Steakhouse & Bar The Keg Steakhouse & Bar The New Bohemian The Observatory The Ocean Club Restaurant & Lounge The Old Spaghetti Factory - Gastown The Point Restaurant & Tapas The Reef Restaurant Commercial Drive The Reef Restaurant Main Street The Refinery market.style.eatery The Salmon House The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant The Smoking Dog Bistro The Teahouse The Westward Ho! at the University Golf Club The William Tell restaurant Tomato Fresh Food Cafe Trafalgars Bistro Tramonto Trattoria Italian Kitchen Urban Thai Bistro Water St. Cafe Watermark on Kits Beack West Restaurant + Bar Wild Rice Yagger's Downtown Restaurant & Sports Bar Yaletown Brewing Co. Yew restaurant + bar Yokohama Teppanyaki Japanese Restaurant Zakkushi Dining on Main Zen Japanese Restaurant

Will chef Brian Fowke reverse the curse that has plagued 1809 W 1st? He's going to give it his best shot with Kitsilano Kitchen, opening in May. More deets from kitsilano.ca here and menu info here.

I've been meaning to try Giovane but haven't had the chance yet. Vancouverslop liked their desserts - link here. Another spot that's just opened is called Baguette & Co, at 3273 W Broadway, a few blocks west of MacDonald. Here's the Georgia Straight's blurb: "Owners Laurence Gatinel and Bernard Ho—she’s Parisian, he’s Lyonnaise—laboured nine long months before popping open the doors to pretty bakery Baguette & Co (3273 West Broadway) on April 1. French through and through (the baker is from Montpellier, the pastry chef, Ardèche), Baguette & Co delivers perfectly crusted baguettes ($2.50), irresistible mini pastries and financiers ($1), buttery palmiers ($2), and a showcase stocked with tempting berry tarts and cream-filled cakes ($1.75 to $5.75)." Timetochow.com provides some dessert porn photos gives it a thumbs-up. And none other than author William Gibson likes their croissants!

Agreed barolo - the Vancouver forum seems to have lots of viewers but few commenters. Maybe we need more controversy? I'll have to think up a new controversial topic...