Kentan
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Posts posted by Kentan
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Has anyone tried Juno Sushi Bistro? I've been hearing good things about it...
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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.
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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.
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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.
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...
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Ramen Santouka reopens this Wednesday (28th). They seem to have had some mechanical problems - ventilation perhaps?
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There is another newish French bakery I was reading about elsewhere, Sucre something, on Arbutus that also sounds promising. It is sooo nice to have choices for good French patisserie in Kits.
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.
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In a business where profit is made in nickels and dimes, we do not need the City putting extra competition right on my doorstep, literally.
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.
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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!
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Haha, well... if you can stand food blogs with no pictures and lots of rambling personal anecdotes: http://jiaoqu.blogspot.com/
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....
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Because of the timing of DOV, I think some of the people have stayed out.
We started our menu this week. I like to start early just to get things sorted out in the kitchen....placement, amount needed etc. Every year I think I know how much of each item I will need and people surprise me and order the other.
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.
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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.Baguette & Co (though I don't love the generic name) is worth a look after two tries. I particularly like the mini-pastries which are now $1.50 each or $4 for 3 (chocolate royale has gotten serious thumbs up twice from four tasters), and their tiny meringues are crunchy sweet goodness ($1.88 for 50 gram bag). I tried their whole wheat bread ($3.50) and milk bread ($1.50, more like a long bun) yesterday, both worthy, also.
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?
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Kentan,
I have not been to Gavroche for a while, but I think Le Regalade continues to chug along nicely. For informal French, have you thought about Faux Bourgoise (sic)? It might be a little busy to be considered 'romantic'. I think Market at the Shangrila is a very nice space, with great value for well executed hotel style french style cuisine.
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.
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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."
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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.
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I decided to take another look at the most popular restaurants booked through opentable.com. Here's June 2008:
Chambar
The Cannery Seafood House
Watermark on Kits Beach
The Boathouse - Port Moody
Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House
Blue Water Cafe
Goldfish Pacific Kitchen
Italian Kitchen
Boathouse English Bay
Quails' Gate Estate Winery (Kelowna)
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???
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I keep hearing that changes to the bylaw are upcoming. But no news lately.
There's an article in this week's Courier all about the potential for more street food in the city.
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.
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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
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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.
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I've read postive comments about Giovane in the new Fairmont: Giovane. Anyone here been there?
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!
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Going off topic is usually the only way I can get anyone to say anything around here.
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...
Street food in the region
in Western Canada: Dining
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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.