Good Chinese and Japanese in Vancouver

[hillvalley]

My parents are going to be in Vancouver next week for their anniversary. My sister and I would like to treat them to an excellent Chinese or Japanese meal. Where should I send them? I wish price is no object, but I need to keep it under $100 for two. Thanks!

[Sam Salmon]

For authentic Japanese try Dan 2511 W. Broadway.

Priced right in a quiet neighbourhood.

[jayhay]

I need to keep it under $100 for two.

U.S. or Canadian $ ?

[hillvalley]

Sorry, US$.

[Peter Rodgers]

You will not have a problem keeping within $100 US at any of the superb Chinese restaurants in Vancouver. First choice for a dinner meal downtown (dim sum as well) would be the Kirin Mandarin on Alberni Street. Somewhat more removed from the downtown area but accessible with a car is the San Sui Wah on Main Street. Other fabulous choices can be found in the bustling Richmond area near the airport, including the Richmond branches of both restaurants above and a very good newcomer called the Oriental Delight.

Japanese food will be more expensive. The name place in town is Tojo. You can still escape for less than $100, but other choices (for example the Octopus Garden) are somewhat less expensive for very good sushi.

[jamiemaw]

En on South Granville (near 10th) provides a casually elegant (there's a sense of occasion about it) Japanese dining experience with a particularly smart wine and sake list.

[jamiemaw]

PS--

Here's alittle mini-review and the contact points:

En

Moved up the block into larger premises. Fresh menus roll out weekly; find superb cut fish and innovation in the prepared meals. But wait, there are also snowy white tablecloths, candles and classical music. Chef Yami Yamagishi serves up blowtorch-seared salmon carpaccio, oysters in an ethereal mascarpone and even duck breast. One of the best wine and sake cards of any Japanese restaurant in the city. 2686 Granville St., 604-730-0330. $$-$$$

Your $100 US budget should fit just about right.

[hillvalley]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. My parents had an amazing meal at Kirin Mandarin. The did the multi course banquet meal and loved every dish. My parents are huge Peking duck freaks (they used to make their own) and declared Kirin's in their top five. My dad kept going on about how they actually give you enough pancakes and did not serve any of the meat. They were in Peking Duck heaven.

They also had a fantastic meal at C. Before they left my father set the goal of having salmon at least once a day on their trip. If I remember correctly he had three courses worth at C.

Thanks again

[Ling]

I know you're not looking for recommendations anymore, but I had a fabulous dinner at a Japanese restaurant called Manzo on Alexandra Rd. in Richmond today that's priced at about $100 for 2. (I think dinner was about $500 for 6, but that included a huge bottle of sake). They offer sashimi, cooked dishes (Japanese style fried rice, stir-fried seafood udon with fish roe, etc. and lots of grilled skewered items. I especially liked the grilled pork jowl skewers and the hamachi. The hamachi was incredibly fresh and tasty--such a revelation for me! Another dish that I really enjoyed was described as the grilled liver of the blowfish. It was seasoned, grilled, and served with a mayo sauce. (I'm not sure if it really is blowfish liver since I've never had it before, and no one knew what it was called in English. Anyway, it was definitely one of the best Japanese meals I've ever had. The restaurant was really busy with a steady stream of customers coming in through the door. It was still pretty busy when we left at 11pm.

The decor is pretty casual; I guess the food is the main attraction.

BTW: there is apparently a restaurant on Alexandra with a very similar name--Manso or something--that isn't nearly as good. So be sure you have the right place--Manzo has a red sign.

Edited August 13, 2004 by Ling (log)

[tooearly]

Well, if it was fugu liver you would not be posting.....<:

[Ling]

Is the liver poisonous? I thought it was part of the flesh...

Anyway, I had the same dish (fried liver and mayo...or so it was described) a few days ago at another really good sushi place under "Oriental Delight" in the Garden City Plaza. I forget the name of the place...Tsujhiki or something? The fish is flown in from Japan every Tuesday (so the place was packed on Tuesday). I had snapper sashimi for the first time, and 2 kinds of hamachi, several kinds of mackeral (one was Spanish mackeral--called aji?) and a ton of other dishes. And I liked how the server told me which fish to eat first, second, and third, etc. (milder fishes first). The one thing that I didn't enjoy very much was the raw sea cucumber...it was very tough and chewy. I liked this restaurant even more than Manzo, since the quality of the fish seemed to be even better.

Oh, and the mackeral and the tuna was very fresh and had not been previously frozen.

edit: just did a search on fugu and you're right--the organs are poisonous. I wonder what it is I ate then? The meat is chewy and seasoned, like fish jerky.

edit again: oops, you can eat blowfish liver. http://iafrica.com/highlife/goodlife/features/323237.htm

Edited August 22, 2004 by Ling (log)

[Ling]

The name of the restaurant is Tsukiji.

[tooearly]

please DO NOT post that you can eat liver of fugu....lest someone mistakenly take your advice. yes, researchers are working on it. A licensed chef in Japan would lose his license to serve liver if it were public knowledge.