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The queen of cuisine's birthday

Vancitygirl

By Vancitygirl
in Western Canada: Dining

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Vancitygirl

Vancitygirl

Posted
Posted (edited)

I can't believe it, but I am at a loss. My best and most special girlfriend is coming back to Vancouver (long-time resident) and I must take her for the best meal possible. It is also her birthday dinner!! Has to be either Downtown or West Side as we will be stationed at Broadway and Arbutus and won't want to travel mega miles. There are some problems. She has been everywhere!!! So, although we love these places, it has to be something different. Can't be our favourites so that eliminates -

Cru, Aurora Bistro, Quatro, C, Rancity Grill, Bis Moreno, any Umberto's, Cioppinos, Pastis, Vij's, West, Blue Water Cafe, Cin Cin, Parkside Room, Feenie's, Lumiere, Chambar, Cassis, le Gavroche and who knows what else! It will be this Friday, so PLEASE HELP ME!! Must be somewhere with bar none the best service and no pretense (ie Lift,, Coast, Glowbal = NO!!) What to do???

Edited by Vancitygirl (log)

Gastronomista

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chef koo

chef koo

Posted
Posted

west side eh? tony romas would be my choice. but it sounds like you want something a bit on the quiet side. well a few months ago a bunch of us went to adesso. it was great. it's a new italian restaurant that's near the kits area

bork bork bork

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jamiemaw

jamiemaw

Posted
Posted (edited)
I can't believe it, but I am at a loss.  My best and most special girlfriend is coming back to Vancouver (long-time resident) and I must take her for the best meal possible.  It is also her birthday dinner!!  Has to be either Downtown or West Side as we will be stationed at Broadway and Arbutus and won't want to travel mega miles.  There are some problems.  She has been everywhere!!!  So, although we love these places, it has to be something different.  Can't be our favourites so that eliminates -

Cru, Aurora Bistro, Quatro, C, Rancity Grill, Bis Moreno, any Umberto's, Cioppinos, Pastis, Vij's, West, Blue Water Cafe, Cin Cin, Parkside Room, Feenie's, Lumiere, Chambar, Cassis, le Gavroche and who knows what else!  It will be this Friday, so PLEASE HELP ME!!  Must be somewhere with bar none the best service and no pretense (ie Lift, Coast, Glowbal = NO!!)  What to do???

Chef Lee Parsons is going very well at Bacchus now--cooking from his own menu and very much in the season--he's been a pretty quick study. So I would go for drinks in the sunshine somewhere, with a pretty view perhaps, and then call a cab down to Hornby Street. Where I would call a Cab.

For something completely different I would venture to 244 East Georgia Street with a bottle of Clos Floridenes in tow. I would order the hot and sour soup, Chinese broccoli, a double order of garlic squid, a crab and some lotus roots. Then I would take a deep breath and say, "Same again, please."

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Mooshmouse

Mooshmouse

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Posted

Did I read wrong? Is Le Crocodile not on that list of already-dined-at places?

That'd be my pick.

Joie Alvaro Kent

"I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2,000 of something." ~ Mitch Hedberg

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kontemporary

kontemporary

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Posted (edited)

Brix/George? Lucy Mae Brown? Bistro Pastis?

If at complete loss.. Nu (does it have a bar? if her birthday is within 5 days)? :laugh:

Edited by rêvasser (log)

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

Virginia Woolf

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Memo

Memo

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Posted
Can't be our favourites so that eliminates -

Cru, Aurora Bistro, Quatro, C, Rancity Grill, Bis Moreno, any Umberto's, Cioppinos, Pastis, Vij's, West, Blue Water Cafe, Cin Cin, Parkside Room, Feenie's, Lumiere, Chambar, Cassis, le Gavroche and who knows what else!

Hi, Vancitygirl.

If you are still in a quandary, I suggest you return to one of your favorites. At least, from my experience, you'll have a better chance of having a great time. (A bad first-time-in-a-new-restaurant can ruin the evening.)

Good luck.

Memo

Ríate y el mundo ríe contigo. Ronques y duermes solito.

Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Snore, and you sleep alone.

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*Deborah*

*Deborah*

Posted
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To make it something completely different, why not try one of the Harbour Air fly-n-dine deals.  They leave from coal harbour:  http://www.harbour-air.com/home/index.php?id=37

Just a thought.  It would certainly be something different!

Oh, or hop the plane to Victoria and eat at one of the good restaurants over there...the Vancouver Island dining thread has some good recommendations. Of course that's completely at odds with your desire to stay close to home.

What about one of the hotel dining rooms? My dad has had some good business meals at the Pan Pacific restaurant. And Diva, as mentioned, is very good.

Agenda-free since 1966.

Foodblog: Power, Convection and Lies

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nondual1

nondual1

Posted
Posted

Why not give Saveur a try? It's:

1. Downtown;

2. Only been in existence since last year, so less of a chance of your friend's having been there;

3. Casual, cozy and warm, the server being the proprietress herself;

4. Very good food, it having received a couple of rave review from food critics

Enjoy!

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appreciator

appreciator

Posted
Posted (edited)
I second the Le Crocodile recommendation...

I third this recommendation.... practically the best service in the city and the food is classic goodness. (hah... just about typed classic godness :biggrin: )

Or.... for something a little different you could try either Pair Bistro on 10th and Alma or Baru on Alma between Broadway and 10th. Neither particularly “fine dining” but both present extremely interesting and well-executed food. One caveat.... Baru gets a little noisy at times, due to concrete floor I'm guessing. Though someone must have heard us old farts muttering about this as they did turn the volume down a bit after a while.

Anyhoo.... just a thought for a couple of places that are a bit more unique and somewhat off the radar.

Edited by appreciator (log)

sarah

Always take a good look at what you're about to eat. It's not so important to know what it is, but it's critical to know what it was. --Unknown

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nondual1

nondual1

Posted
Posted (edited)
Salade de Fruits at Granville & 7th!

Just checked their web-site: they are going on summer vacation (although rumour has it that they might be changing hands) starting July 29. So, may or may not be an option for now.

Edited by nondual1 (log)
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BCinBC

BCinBC

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Posted (edited)

NAME REMOVED will indeed do corkage, $12/bottle I believe. Otherwise they have two wine choices: house red or house white.

Edited to protect the innocent, or at least one of my favourite places that I do not want shut down.

Edited by BCinBC (log)

My trip report: South of France, September 2005

-----

I'm okay, you're okay!

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Vancitygirl

Vancitygirl

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Must be somewhere with bar none the best service and no pretense (ie Lift,, Coast, Glowbal = NO!!)  What to do???

Care to illuminate?

When I go out to eat I am sometimes in the mood to people watch and antics are fabulous for these occasions. I frequently enjoy wearing a plunging neckline and rather high shoes and hitting the town with all my best girls and checking out the scene. I've done my time at all 3 restaurants, not to mention the Opus Bar, and loved it. BUT - other times I would rather avoid the places that are sometimes more about showing off oneself and less about showing off the best food in a genuinely modest way. (Think of Mark Taylor at Cru - best service - great restaurant - not a drop of pretentiousness) In other words I want a down home and friendly feeling, not an uptown and snotty feeling. It's all about the mood.

Edited by Vancitygirl (log)

Gastronomista

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BCinBC

BCinBC

Posted
Posted
Salade de Fruits at Granville & 7th!

Just checked their web-site: they are going on summer vacation (although rumour has it that they might be changing hands) starting July 29. So, may or may not be an option for now.

Crap! I hope they are not selling. We need more places like SdF, not less. I hope this is a vicious but untrue rumour.

They do take a regular break 2 months/year, but it is usually Sep-Oct I think.

Oh, I just had a thought... STARTING POINT OF ANOTHER RUMOUR ALERT! Perhaps they will be taking the Coco Pazzo spot on W57th. Too perfect to even consider, duck confit whims fulfilled in 10 minutes...

My trip report: South of France, September 2005

-----

I'm okay, you're okay!

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Daddy-A

Daddy-A

Posted
Posted
Oh, I just had a thought... STARTING POINT OF ANOTHER RUMOUR ALERT! Perhaps they will be taking the Coco Pazzo spot on W57th. Too perfect to even consider, duck confit whims fulfilled in 10 minutes...

You poor, hungry, desparate man. I feel your pain. Try living in North Burnaby ... Pear Tree notwithstanding.

A.

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Vancitygirl

Vancitygirl

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
Oh, I just had a thought... STARTING POINT OF ANOTHER RUMOUR ALERT! Perhaps they will be taking the Coco Pazzo spot on W57th. Too perfect to even consider, duck confit whims fulfilled in 10 minutes...

You poor, hungry, desparate man. I feel your pain. Try living in North Burnaby ... Pear Tree notwithstanding.

A.

hey hey hey - This is supposed to be dedicated to posting about where to take my best girlfriend - get those posts on openings and closings!!!

:angry:

Actually - JUST REALLY JOKING.

:biggrin:

Back onto the topic - oh how I wish the world really did revolve around me...the agenda will now include:

1) Opus Hotel for their Brasilia bash from 6-8 pm Friday - then if we are feeling cool enough - Lift (for the view - inside and out):wacko:

2) Saturday - Nachos & Beer at the sailing club at Jericho - purely for the view (my membership at the Vancouver Yaught Club expired)

3) Sunday will be Dim Sum - probably Imperial (Sun Sui Wah will be too busy by the time we can get there)

4) DINNER ON SUNDAY!!!

Narrowed down to:

a. Bacchus

b. Bis Moreno

c. Cafe de Paris

d. Saveur

Still not 100% sure!

Edited by Vancitygirl (log)

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BCinBC

BCinBC

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Yikes, Daddy-A has found a lieutenant!

Just a secret on Sun Sui Wah: if you know what time you'll be up and ready to eat on Sunday, you can probably make a reservation. Or if you want to stay downtown, I'd personally recommend Shanghai Bistro over Imperial for the food (but Imperial over SB for the view and the more lively ambiance). Shanghai Bistro is located on Alberni over the Liquor Store and Tim Hortons, and has excellent spicy wontons.

My trip report: South of France, September 2005

-----

I'm okay, you're okay!

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canucklehead

canucklehead

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I would recommend Kirin downton as a better dim sum option over Imperial. The food is better and the service is less intrusive. Imperial is much more non-Chinese friendly - but it just kills me the way that they keeping interupting you even when your table is overladen with food. Ack!

I've been hitting Golden Sichuan pretty regularly and I think that they do a nice Sunday lunch.

I've noticed that you there does'nt seem to be a lot of mention of Japanese (or Izakaya) food - there are some very good places in town.

I hope that you are now more confused then ever.

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