Openings and closings (2004–2005)

[the g-man]

If they are ever going to become a destination spot instead of a good looking blur in the corner of a joggers eye, they must breathe new life into their menu and hammer down on service standards until they both trump a room that will otherwise stay lost in the mirror like a doomed Narcissus.

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nicely said.

[kontemporary]

After a very short business duration, Green Olive Café has closed and a Vietnamese restaurant, Pho BC, has taken its place..

On Davie Street, Indian Bistro has taken over.. Vu Le Vu I believe?

[makanmakan]

On Davie Street, Indian Bistro has taken over.. Vu Le Vu I believe?

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another cursed location, it seems. good to see indian in the neighborhood though, definitely a lack of representation in it. good to also see that it's not another greek restaurant!

[transfattyacid]

Just saw tonight on my way home that Cafe de Marseille, on Cornwall ( @ Yew ) appears to be closed.

There was a sign on the side of the premises announcing the arrival of a thai "restaurant " * in it`s wake . sorry to be vague i was speeding .

i kinda feel bad about it , dont get me wrong i like thai food , but Cafe de Marseille seemed too be doing ok. I never went , i see to much of that sort of thing at work, but thats a tough spot. so maybe i`m to blame :[

This thai eatery will be the 4th business to occupy that shop since i`ve lived here ( 3 years )

* i use this term in its broadest sense

Stop Press : i just nipped down to have another look and the sign read`s " Ken thai food to go "

Mrs Fattyacid and i will have to try them when they open .

Edited August 10, 2005 by transfattyacid (log)

[kontemporary]

That's a sad loss, I do my occasional stops at Café de Marseille sometimes on Kits beach.. they had good desserts. A bit pricey, but yummy. I wonder how the Thai place will compete with Urban Well and Mahoney's (or was it Malone's?) nearby. Or just further up the block with Tangerine and Adesso.

[DarkDante]

After waiting for several months, Solly's on Yukon and 7th has finally opened its doors to the public. Going to get a chocolate Babka bun right now.

[butter]

Just saw tonight on my way home that Cafe de Marseille, on Cornwall ( @ Yew ) appears to be closed.

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I only went there for chocolate almond croissants or their chocolate almond pie, but on my last three visits they didn't have any so I stopped going there. Thai takeout will be popular with the beach crowd.

Solly's on Yukon and 7th has finally opened its doors to the public What does everyone think of their bagel sign?

[hopkin]

Akbar's Own is open again after some heavy renovations on the building.

[mzungu]

Anyone know what the deal is with the "Red Thai something" on Broadway, just west of the intersection with Heather? I moved to the area in July 2004 when it was being built. It seemed to have been open for, like a month, and this morning I saw plywood covering the doors.

Had to be the darkest shade of red I've ever seen on a frontage for a restaurant... <insert your financial joke here>

[Chocoholic]

"Red Pepper" has been under construction for many months now. I live around the corner from it and pass by often. It was interested in the beginning (this was early this year or even late last year), now it is a bit of a joke. I wonder who's bank account is being drained by the rent they must be paying while construction starts and stops. Maybe they are out of money and whenever they get some, some activity happens.

Anyway, if they ever do open I will pop in and check it out.

[eatrustic]

Don't jump to conclusions on the plywood covering the doors of Red Pepper. It may be a coincidence but I was walking by yesterday afternoon about 5:00 and a car had jumped the curb and smacked into the audio video store right next to them. (Is it me or are there way more of these kinds of accidents lately?)

I remember remarking that Red Pepper was finally open and there was nothing covering the doors then.

[vandan]

lolita's, formerly random ,now open on davie

[Shellback]

went by library today and saw them clearing chairs out of fox and fiddle asked oneof the guys if he knew what was going in there next, he said another bar, i don't get it, terrible location so far death count at one restaurant and one pub

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Went by the library yesterday, there is a new pub in the old Fox and Fiddle location. It's called "Library Square Public House". Very modern and sleek looking with billiard tables in the back. A couple of customers inside, but I didn't have time to check out their menu. They were advertising $3.00 sleeves daily.

[mzungu]

"Red Pepper" has been under construction for many months now. I live around the corner from it and pass by often. It was interested in the beginning (this was early this year or even late last year), now it is a bit of a joke. I wonder who's bank account is being drained by the rent they must be paying while construction starts and stops. Maybe they are out of money and whenever they get some, some activity happens.

Anyway, if they ever do open I will pop in and check it out.

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Thanks Chocoholic for the info, I did manage to get a look at the menu before the accident and it was remarkably pared down in terms of choice. Quality over quantity? If that's the case, perhaps the owners feel the same way over the decor...

My bro used to work up the street and has been bugging me to eat at Wiman (sp?), another Thai restaurant. Came highly recommended in terms of price, any comments appreciated. (Located a block or two west of Oak on Broadway)

[Minko]

Well, this isn't a restaurant closing, but the liquor store on Granville and 10th is closing on the 20th. Not happy about that because it's only three blocks from where I live

[Sam Salmon]

Cycled by what was once the location of Typhoon on Main-sign still up but building gutted/tradesmen still @ work-no clue as to what's to come.

[kurtisk]

Cycled by what was once the location of Typhoon on Main-sign still up but building gutted/tradesmen still @ work-no clue as to what's to come.

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Don't know if it's for me to say, but it's an off-shoot of a successful established Kitsilano restaurant and we look forward to them joining the 'hood. It'll be a nice addition to Main Street and compliment the area quite well!

k.

Edited August 17, 2005 by kurtisk (log)

[maxmillan]

Anyone know about a new restaurant opening in the Paramount downtown that will be serving skewered meat tapas? I was told that it would operate like a floating bar in which you order various types of skewers ranging from North American barbecue to Thai to Indian....?

[jamiemaw]

Cycled by what was once the location of Typhoon on Main-sign still up but building gutted/tradesmen still @ work-no clue as to what's to come.

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Tangerine, I think Sam. Could be a great looking room too. David Nicolay designed Tangerine and Coast. I like them because they look like Vancouver and not, say, like TriBeCa-by-the-Sea. Besides, we need more bull kelp chandeliers in our lives.

Edited August 17, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[kurtisk]

Cycled by what was once the location of Typhoon on Main-sign still up but building gutted/tradesmen still @ work-no clue as to what's to come.

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Tangerine, I think Sam. Could be a great looking room too. David Nicolay designed Tangerine and Coast. I like them because they look like Vancouver and not, say, like TriBeCa-by-the-Sea. Besides, we need more bull kelp chandeliers in our lives.

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OK, I guess we're all free to discuss it then...

Heh!

k.

[Andrew Morrison]

Tangerine, I think Sam. Could be a great looking room too. David Nicolay designed Tangerine and Coast. I like them because they look like Vancouver and not, say, like TriBeCa-by-the-Sea. Besides, we need more bull kelp chandeliers in our lives.

Couldn't agree more, Jamie. This is exciting news. Evoke can make a pretty room!

Any clues as to name, concept, menu, and opening day?

[mzungu]

Well, this isn't a restaurant closing, but the liquor store on Granville and 10th is closing on the 20th. Not happy about that because it's only three blocks from where I live 

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yeah, heard that too - SOB! it was really handy when debarking from the B-line to walk home. When I spoke to one of the clerks there, they only got 2 weeks notice and didn't even know where they'll be working afterwards.

Now I gotta join the masses at the Arbutus location. Oh well, at least the selection is relatively much better.

[peppyre]

I'm surprised that location stayed open as long as it did. The Cambie and 18th location closed almost a year ago now, and it was a larger store with a pretty decent selection. The Granville one had very little in the way of selection and if there were more that 5 people in the store you couldn't move around.

[Andrew Morrison]

Fear and Loathing in Kitsilano:

Nigel & Co. are shutting the doors of Tangerine, selling the space to the Hell's Kitchen folks in September.

New Main Street location with same people and name? I always loved the service at Tangerine, so I hope the staff make the move, too.

Let's hope for the best.

[barolo]

Wow, I managed to be correct  Lolita sounds good.. I think they need to lighten up the place a bit though. I've always thought that the space/room Random was in was particularly dim. It didn't have that attraction that pulls you into restaurant.. like Chambar does with a warm "feel" you can just see from the outside.

Does anyone also know when Nu is gonna be opening? I walked by today, and construction seems.. off? It didn't look like it was ready for an opening for.. tomorrow. The papers were still on the window, and it looked like construction was still being done.

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Alexandra Gill gives a big thumbs-up to Lolita's in today's Globe, including the fish tacos. I planned to stop by to check it out earlier this week, but they were cash only and I didn't have enough with me. Sounds like a good addition to this dining-challenged neighbourhood.

She also has a response to some of the comments here (and perhaps elsewhere) about reviewing a restaurant when it first opens. And finally, she has a side bar on Stoney Paradise tomatoes.

According to CityFood, Nu will open next week with the official opening party on September 1.