Truth be told: Where've you eaten lately? (Part 3)

[Anchoress]

I've been dining in my 'hood lately. I had sushi at Toby's Terryaki Bowl (nice place), another brekkie at Roundel (see my review a couple of months ago) and a hot dog at Frenchies, without a doubt the worst hot dog I have ever had. Fries were good tho.

[Kentan]

I had some friends in from Tokyo so I took them to some of the casual eateries in my hood:

Cactus Club: Seems to take some knocks because of their preference for looks over talent when choosing servers. Ours would definitely have failed Andrew Morrison's First Commandment: 10 Commandments

Having said that, both Tokyoites were impressed with the food - one had the Grilled Salmon and the other had the Kula Greens (greens with cajun chicken, peppers, feta, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries). I had the Bandara, which is a salad with yummies like cajun chicken, dates, and crispy noodles.

But how did edamame become some kind of luxury item in Vancouver? $6.75 for soybeans???

Noodle Box: Again, both were very impressed with the vibe of the place and the food itself. Great big portions for the price. My favourite is still the Cambodian Jungle Curry, but the Singapore Cashew curry also rocks.

Ouisi Bistro: I confess that I'd never been in here before. Cool place with a friendly vibe. The night we were there I think it was just the waitress/bartender and the cook. We shared a Vert et Bleu (vinaigrette tossed spinach with pumpkin seeds), the Cajun Style Crab Cakes, and the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Everything was awesome, but the Jerk Chicken was on another level. Tangy and sublime.

The other nice thing about the place is the great beer list:

1) They don't have any of that awful Canadian or American megabrand 'beer' (Canadian, Labatt's, Coors, etc). In fact, the waitress said that the owner made a point of NOT carrying them.

2) The Canadian brands they do carry are the good ones (Whistler Pale Ale, Unibroue La Maudite)

3) They have one of the best import beer selections I've seen in town, especially for a pretty small place: Bellevue Kriek, Czechvar, Kingfisher, McKewan's, Pilsner Urquel, Speckled Hen, Tuborg, Warsteiner)

So overall my friends were impressed with the quality of food here in Vancouver, especially for such a 'small' city.

[LordBalthazar]

Lunch at Chow -

There were some pansies, some flox, and what I thought may have been buttercups but I couldn’t be sure. The assortment would have made for a lovely bouquet, but as far as salads went, this one left a lot to be desired. We were at Chow for lunch. My pretty little salad accompanied a pulled pork sandwich that failed to impress. The bread was too hard, the cheese too sharp, the pork itself a little too lean and dry. However, my second dish, a gnocchi with morel mushroom and leek in a cream sauce, proved a welcome distraction. For her part, Fondy was hardly enthused by the portion size of her good arugula salad, and while she did find her chorizo plate tasty enough, the fact the sausage fell somewhere between lukewarm and room temperature led her to suggest we give this place a skip next time out. Chow’s brings it’s A game at dinner but, alas, it’s lunch efforts are more a solid C+.

For pics of the flora and my ongoing correspondence with my new Nigerian pen pal -

www.josephmallozzi.blogspot.com

[eatvancouver]

-Pina Colada smoothie at Body Energy Club (Howe & Davie)

-5 bacon and egg ($2.95) breakfast at Yummy Sushi (Pine & 4th)

-Squishee at the new Kwik-e-Mart in Coquitlam (more photos here)

[fud]

-Squishee at the new Kwik-e-Mart in Coquitlam

- Pulled pork (not smoked, but slow cooked) sandwich with some home made slaw

- Home made Samosa's (not made by me though)

- Humous with a generous sprinkling of "da bomb" hot sauce - we called this one "pain"

I intend to add to this a large Squishee mmm. I'm a sucker for iconic cartoons and nostalgia.

[lauramart]

Today I had Subway for lunch, a BLT, not bad, but I am finding that I definitely like Extreme Pita a thousand times better.

Yesterday, dinner at The Boot and Sombrero in Ladner. I had the chicken fajitas, very good, love the homemade salsa. The 4 other people I was with all enjoyed their meals as well. The beef taco salad looked really good, as did the enchilada. My only complaint was that my beer wasn't that cold, but we'll blame the hot weather, not the restaurant.

Yesterday lunch was Donair Spot (I think that's the name) at Granville and 70th beside the 7 11. I had the regular beef donair. Whenever I drive by this place at lunch time, the lure of the beef donair pulls me in.

[SushiCat]

In the last two weeks I have had more high end dining than one should be allowed ... first Vij's, then Parkside and to top it off an AMAZING meal at Rare on Saturday night.

We know Vij's doesn't need a plug as they are too busy as it is, but the food there is very very tasty. Guests always want to go there because they have heard of it - nice job Vij on marketing as well as consistent excellent food prep. They also have the wait for the table drinking mapped out pretty well - nice touch with the plates of finger food that roam around every so often. My favourite item from this trip, the tomato chutney, my love of tomatoes only deepens and this condiment is something I can eat up by the spoonful anytime.

Parkside, not only a winter favourite, but a summer one as well. Where else can you get the most professional service coupled with creative cooking and still feel as comfortable as if you were dining at home! We drank, we ate, we laughed - a special appy was stuffed zucchini flowers with crab and halibut - OH MY! The Cornish hen was a standout on mains for me and as usual pasta courses were to die for, this includes the risotto which I happily had in front of me.

Rare - what can one say after a meal like the one we had, well only that we should not leave dining are Rare to such rare occasions! I was smart and had the chef's tasting menu, six courses, each one showing off the chef's inventive use of food combinations and skill in creating a taste sensation! My favourites were (in random order)

Tuna tartare, the duck - we had two duck dishes at the table, one from my tasting menu and one from the main menu. They were both excellent and different. One comes with an almond risotto that had the four of us at the table discussing our own risotto skills and how lacking they are! Each duck had fruit sauce - dang my memory is failing me!

Polenta and mushroom terrine with chevre butter, each bite a burst of flavour intense with mushrooms, smooth with chevre and the polenta was both totally smooth and allowed individual grains to shine through.

Tuna crusted with cumin and served this an incredible raisin and caper sauce - how'd they do that?????

Crab two ways - bisque and cake - sounds so unassuming - tastes so great!

A fois gras terrine served with a slice of onion crusted french toast and fruit sauce ... sorry this is where the confusion is, was this the cherry sauce or was that with the duck ? ... notes, must take notes next time! Just amazing!

Ok, so my message is, go to Rare - don't make it a rare occasion, just go check it out!

[Kentan]

Crystal Mall Food Court in Bby

I think the place is called Huaxi. It's the homemade noodle place near the escalators. I had the #9 beef noodle dish along with some har gao. The couple who run it are very sweet and the food is amazing for a food court. Crystal has to be one of the best and cheapest food courts in the Lower Mainland, along with the Richmond Public Market food court and the one at Yaohan Centre. The contrast between Crystal and the bland chain store offerings at Metrotown's food court is rather striking.

Kura on Kingsway

Probably the best Japanese food in the Metrotown area. Had one of the set lunches, which is a good deal for $8: Udon noodles, sushi and sashimi, 4 or 5 tempura, and a small salad. I'm not crazy about the interior (feels a bit cold and dark with low lighting) and the wait staff always seem harried, but the fish is fresh and the service is friendly.

H Mart Food Court on Robson @ Seymour

There's a good little Japanese-run sushi place tucked away at the far end of the H Mart food court. I had the BC Combo, which is a BC Roll and a California roll. Very fresh fish, properly seasoned rice (always the mark of good sushi), and good-sized portions for the price. The Korean place next to it is also good for a quick meal.

[BCinBC]

I haven't been to Kura in many many years. I'd always thought it was in the strangest location, completely tucked away and towered over (and possibly kept in business solely by) the GVRD tower beside it. Despite all that, they pushed out some excellent sushi, fresh and generously portioned. Good to hear they are still doing well.

[kevfoodvan]

Last 3 meals:

Keg Whistler: nice steak

Provence Marinaside: great pasta

Silks at Hastings race course: waffles were good

[Paul B]

Dim Sum at the Floata last Sunday. Just fine. The sargeant-major woman at the door actually graces us with a smile now that we're regulars

Fish at the Fish Market in Dundarave last Tuesday. Had the great spicy squid then some very nice sea bass. I love that restaurant.

Sushi last night at Zen in Dundarave. What a disappointment! Zen is West Van's fanciest Japanese restaurant. The food is fine, but over priced for what it is. And the service was terrible. The huge menus and the used hot towels were left on our table forever. Our orders came in no particular order. The server stalked off while I was conferring with my wife about what we should order to drink. To make matters worse, the tables have these sticky wooden edges that catch at your sleeves and the chairs are uncomfortable. We will not be going there again.

Edited August 28, 2007 by Paul B (log)

[run2eat]

Last 3:

La Cocina del Puerco -Bellevue (Wholesome and homey Mexican. The carnitas was mighty fine, bucket (er, shared) of cold cervezas mighty refreshing)

Mediterranean Kitchen - Bellevue (Oh, so yummy! Such huge portions though! )

Mi Mexico - Bellingham (Speedy and hit the spot after a long wait at the border).

[lauramart]

Last three places

I am working in Kerrisdale now, so I get to try new places out

Tuesday Aug 28 - White Spot Kerrisdale - yummy burger, yummy fries - the one thing I like about White Spot is that the meal is always good

Friday Aug 31 - The Red Onion - oh my god this is the best burger I have ever had!!!!

Tuesday Sept 4 - Vera's - burger - pretty good for my first Vera's - I won't get salsa on it again - too messy - I wish they had jalapenos, not banana peppers

Hmm, do I sense a theme here? I seriously have some ground beef addictions!

[grayelf]

Since I posted on Pho Thai Hoa already on this thread (thanks for the techno tips on linking threads, Pam R) we'll step into the Way Back Machine to start. Last Thursday hit Shiro on Cambie in Van based on numerous eGullet recommendations. Arrived early (6:30) to find one four-top open. Ordered and had the waitron come back twice to say items were unavailable Reordered and then had to move as a table for two opened up and there was now a lineup. Not a problem as the new table was better (in front of bar). Tempura was outstanding, light, crunchy and most importantly HOT -- and if you've never had it okra tempura is a very fine thing. Other items average (rolls, sashimi) with one disappointment (udon soup -- noodles way overcooked and unusually bland stock). Overall value for money was a bit wanting considering quality issues.

On Saturday my BIL was in town and we were at SIL's place in Yaletown who is a vegetarian so we decided to try Nuba, again based on eGulleteer's reccos. Sadly it was closed for the holiday weekend so we wandered Shiru-Bay-ward. Good call. Since it was a warmish night we sat on the patio (soon enough 'twill be fall) and ordered a goodly number of dishes. This was fortunate because two never came. There were a few issues because of communication problems with the server but she was so delightful they did not leave a permanent mark. The dishes we got were udon with pine mushrooms (excellent), albacore and salmon tuna (both tasty), a yaki-soba dish with a Thai-type twist (cilantro etc also well yummy), asparagus gyoza (for the ladies per the menu but enjoyed by all) and tofu cheese which was more like dessert but disappeared at speed. I think Zakkushi on 4th is still my top contender for izakaya at the moment, being in my 'hood and all, but

I would return and am happy to have finally tried this spot that has been on my resto list for yonks.

Third spot was last night when the Significant Engineer and I both worked late and couldn't face cooking. SE suggested picking up a pizza and after a quick google to find Zaccary's phone number, I decided to go for Firewood Cafe instead. As one poster on another list noted, the owner at Z's can be a bit owly, and they aren't too good at judging pickup times, so we figured we'd check out Firewood. Was very pleased with the result -- pie was ready within the specified 15 minutes and was delish. The large seemed a bit smaller than other larges but was fine for the two of us with a piece left over for my lunch. Had the Chicago/Asiago on the two halves and the Asiago won by a nose. Some access and parking issues per the SE (Firewood is on the Cambie corridor) but he's sussed them for the next pickup, which will definitely happen. Later checked out comments on various eGullet pizza threads and noted the FWood has several fans here.

[Daddy-A]

Wasn't sure where to put this, as it pertains to a recent meal, Cambie Street and Brunch.

I had one of my regular Saturday-bofore-work breakfast/brunches at Figmint this week. That wasn't the plan heading in mind you. I usually like to bulk up on breakfast on Saturdays so I don't have to leave the showroom. White Spot seemed the best candidate for the "bulk" side of things, but with all the chaos on CAmbie due to the Canada Line, I decided to support Figmint. White Spot after all has more locations to help weather the storm.

There were about 1/2 a dozen other patrons in the room at 9am. Not bad, but considering the size of the room it felt kinda sad. My server however soon broke the gloom with a cheerful smile and a copy of the G&M (they panned Mulroney's new book).

My de rigeur cup of coffee came in a personal size Bodum with instructions to "wait 30 seconds" before I plunged and poured. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my morning coffee a-la-drip. The Bodum served up a lilght-hearted roast that left me longing for something more robust.

Breakfast choices are limited (10 "mains" with the standard pastries and fruit salad) but well chosen. I am a hash-n-eggs guys, so I chose "Hash". I like one word ordering especially at breakfast. It eliminates the need for chatter beyond the occaisional grunt.

The Hash is done with corned beef and chorizo sausage, taters, peppers, etc. A piece of toasted brioche sits on top and acts as both a platform and barrier (i.e. the eggs don't drizzle into the hash until you say so) for two poached eggs. The eggs are topped with Hollandaise.

Without a doubt, this was the best hash I've ever had. Spices were nicely balanced, the fat content controlled (i.e. greasy but not too greasy) and the brioche was there at the end to help mop up the yolk. And dammit, it's nice to find a place that can poach an egg properly!

I'll be back in 4 weeks.

As for the other 2 places I've eaten:

Kingston Tap House (before John Pinette): Nice deep frying guys! Good bears too. I still miss the RAT tho'

HSG (after John Pinette): GBP and some stout from a 2 litre jug.

A.

[PaoPao]

We went to Kintaro on Denman for Lunch this weekend and really enjoyed it as usual. I had the Miso Ramen (Medium Rich with Fatty Pork), the wife had the Forrest Fire Ramen. I didn't care too much for hers but loved mine. We were told that the Kintaro owners have opened a new place a few doors down that specializes in Ramen Noodles in Chicken Broth. It's so new that while there was a usual long line up at Kintaro, this place was only 1/4 full. We plan to go back and try it as the menu looks great.

Dinner was Beard Papa Cream Puffs, oh man I'm in love.

Lunch today was the counter at Save-on Meats on Hastings. I had an excellent Bacon and Cheddar burger, definetly recommend it. My buddy had the Buffalo burger which he equally enjoyed. Couldn't leave the place without getting a box of BBQ'd spare ribs and Meatballs at the Deli.

[C Simril]

Sushi last night at Zen in Dundarave. What a disappointment! Zen is West Van's fanciest Japanese restaurant. The food is fine, but over priced for what it is. And the service was terrible. The huge menus and the used hot towels were left on our table forever. Our orders came in no particular order. The server stalked off while I was conferring with my wife about what we should order to drink. To make matters worse, the tables have these sticky wooden edges that catch at your sleeves and the chairs are uncomfortable. We will not be going there again.

←

[Idaho]

This is my first posting, so I hope that you will bear with me.

First, thank you all for your wonderful suggestions of restaurants to both visit and avoid. I appreciate all the comments.

That being said, I joined e-gullet primarily to talk about restaurants in Vancouver, BC, because we spend our holiday season there (from rural Idaho) sampling all the delights of the city and are always looking for new places to visit.

So, our favorite restaurants are, let's see: Guu for the lunch counter, Shao Lin for the egg and chive dumplings in sour soup and the spicy lamb skewers, Pink Pearl for dim sum, Vij's for a treat, Kalvins for the three-flavor chicken and lamb, The little Japanese ramen place at the end of Davie (???), Green Lettuce for the eggplant, but not the often long wait, the little Polish butcher in the heart of the Commercial district where the smoked beef shaved thinly is wonderful, a picnic from the Santa Cruz market etc taken to the Vancouver Aquarium on Christmas day, Banana Leaf was pretty good as well.

I am drawing a blank now on others.

If any of you have suggestions on little, flavorful, interesting, reasonably priced restaurants, we would appreciate some help.

Thanks

[PaoPao]

Pinky's Steakhouse (Hamilton St.) - What a great change from the LK dining room. It looks totally different and has a great updated Steakhouse look and vibe. Service, drinks, and food were very good and a decent value. We are very happy with this addition to the hood.

Transylvania Flavor Company (West Broadway) - Great winter food when only something hearty will do. I had the Pork Schnitzel and really enjoyed it.

Flite (Hamilton St.) - We really were impressed by the renovations from the old Diner. Beautiful interior and a great place to relax, share some small plates and a few drinks. A few wow items on the menu we liked alot, but for the most part the food was nothing special.

Motomachi Noodle house (Denman just north of Robson) - This is the same ownership we learned as Kintaro just a few doors up the street. Excellent noodles and soup. Just delicious, one of our favourite places for a rainy, cold weather dinner to warm us up.

Taco Con Chile (Davie and Burrard) – I still miss Chilo … anyway I had the lunch special with 2 Tacos, rice and beans for $5. Pretty good deal and I had the Carne Asada and Lengua tacos. If I was passing by and wanted a taco at that very moment I would probably go in, other than that I wouldn't go out of my way again.

Cookies by George (Denman St.) - As the wife is a chocoholic I loaded up on the Chocolate chunk cookies, a brownie, and a few Oatmeal Cookies for me. She really did not like any of them but I thought the Oatmeal Cookies were great.

Nuba ( Seymour and Davie) - Been to this place a few time now and it is really hit and miss. Decent fare for a decent price.

So.Cial (Water St.) - We had lunch there and I tried the Burger with Foie Gras Bacon which was fantastic. My wife had the Salmon which she really enjoyed as well. I love the Sandwiches in the Butcher Shop and the lunch in the main dining room was every bit as good.

Duffin's Donuts (Knight St. & ?) - Their Chicken Vietnamese Sub is amazing, just delicious.

Firewood Cafe (Cambie St.) - I've become addicted to their Quattro Fromaggio pizza with the peppers. Nice crispy thin crust and great flavor.

[AMRprogress]

I just went to Urban Thai the other night in Yaletown...it was pretty good, I have always passed that place but it is worth checking out.

Also had dinner on Habit on Main...very relaxed...their lasagna is huge and very tasty. And all time favourite...Rangoli...they just changed their menu...

There are so many restaurants in Vancouver that I still want to discover...so I thought why not work on a new dinner excursion idea that combines food and people. Check it out!

[newbie]

I was down in Vancouver for the Bon Jovi concert and a little shopping this past weekend. Went for dinner on Friday night at Chil Club Thai Restaurant on Beach Avenue. There were 10 of us in our party and I called around a few places to make a reservation and go figure, most places were booked up with other parties. This restaurant was right next door to the condos we rented so it worked out. Food was pretty good, we ordered a bunch of dishes to share; Tom Kah Soup with Chicken, Yum Neah, Buddhist Vegetables, Gwoi Teaw Pad Kee Mao, Pad Kee Mao Gong, Goong Pad Katiem, Traditional Green Curry Chicken, Gai Pad Ma Mung Kim Ma-Pan and a few other dishes I can't recall. There was lots of food and the price sticker worked out to $17 per person. Three of us split two bottles of wine, the first being the Cono Sur Riesling, which was quite tasty with a great price sticker to match, $23. It was their last bottle so we had to switch to a different bottle which was another riesling, this one from Germany, whose name I can't recall. It wasn't bad but was much drier than the previous bottle and was priced at $24. I can't recall the prices of the other wines but they had a good sized list and the prices seemed reasonable to me.

On Saturday, we hit Tsunami Sushi for lunch. It wasn't my first choice but I was quite hungry at this point and was just happy to get off my feet and eat something. I had the miso soup and a couple of rolls. Nothing too exciting but it hit the spot and re-energized me for my afternoon of shopping. We ate dinner that night in the condo with food that was purchased at the Granville Market. The guys did the food shopping and I believe alot of the stuff was purchased at Duso's. My favourite was the Seafood Ravioli that they had prepared in some sun dried tomato concoction. I was too busy drinking from a bottle of Summerhill Ehrenfelser to take much notice of what was happening in the kitchen. After the concert that night, as we were wandering around Yaletown for a place to have some post concert bevvies and some food, we somehow ended up at Rodney's Oyster House. My recollection is a tad foggy but I somehow ended up inside and got a taste of a lone oyster that was being served up at the bar. I do remember it being mighty tasty but am unsure how I got dragged in there for this tasty morsel while my fellow comrades waited out in the pouring rain....Alas, we didn't find anywheres to get in and just headed back to the condo.

Sunday, we hit the Milestones on Robson for brunch. We had just finished up with some last minute shopping and needed to find some place for a quick bite before heading out to the airport. I had the Frittata with Sausage and Veggies and quite enjoyed it. The other gals at the table had the Mediterranean Omelets and were quite happy with their selections also.

[maxmillan]

Checked out Yew York on Yew and York last Thursday night. They have live music on Thursday nights and by the looks of it, a pick-up joint on the weekends.

I ordered the potato nachos which was basically nachos replaced with potato wedges and accompanied with salsa and sour cream. There were chicken pieces as well with this dish. It thought it was delicious. My friend had the chicken pannini with salad and fries.

I will have to go back to check out the tapas which consist of fusion fare. It's a great place for intimate casual eating. The place is small with couches and only a few tables and seats at the bar.

The music was a mix of jazz and Norah Jones-type songs. The singer, Tea (pronounces Tay Ah) has a beautiful voice worth hearing.

[maxmillan]

La Regalade, a French bistro in West Vancouver. I researched eGullet and other sites to find a guarantee winner for my fussy friend and this restaurant bowled him over.

I had the La Regalade salad with prawns, bacon and squid and beef bourguinone with scallop potatoes. My friends had the pate, mussels, lamb stew and duck. Every dish was delicious, although the pate I could easily pass on. Service was attentive and the atmosphere was a bit chaotic as we sat near the kitchen. I wanted to try the dessert but was too full from the ample portion of the meal.

Although I don't drink, I approve of the wine menu, especially because it didn't have that crappy Yellow Tail.

This is must try again restaurant as it was difficult to make a decision on what to eat.

[waylman]

Afghan Horsemen - Cool atmosphere sitting on the floor with lots of cushions. Nothing too memorable, won't rush back.

Budapest - great Hungarian place on Main...you must try the fried bread appetizer...sinful!

Le Crocodile - Awesome as always. Had the crab cake to start, venison main, and pear tart to finish. Unreal chow!

Edited January 20, 2008 by waylman (log)

[grayelf]

La Buca last Sunday night -- going away dinner for parental units; tasty beet and endive salad followed by glorious short ribs in red wine reduction with fennel risotto and brocolli rabe; capped off with sharing one of each of the four desserts, of which the standout was the pannacotta for me

Taste of Vietnam on Friday after a particularly viscous Board meeting that ran 1.5 hours late -- great comfort food, quick and yummy, not to mention cheap cheap cheap -- this is what fast food should be. Meatball brochettes here rule!

Phnom Penh Saturday night after another egregious all day Board meeting -- last minute decision to walk over from bro's place, just beat the rush at 6:45. Do not wait, go tonight and order the pumpkin flowers. They are not on the menu, just scrawled on a piece of paper randomly. They are pan fried with whole garlic cloves and are no end of good. Get some deep fried chicken wings and/or squid and maybe something salady (I'd go for the beef over the chicken, or maybe cut to the papaya) and follow it up with a jackfruit or lychee "moo moo" shake* for dessert and I guarantee you will be a happy individual if you like Cambodian fare. Service was also super friendly and helpful which was a bonus, especially considering how slammed they were. The only thing that is a bit offputting is walking up to the resto, as it is next to chicken and fish purveyors which when closed are both aromatic and bleak.

*ironically, no sign of dairy products that I could detect, just smooth fruity icy goodness.