Ridiculously named Vancouver restaurants

[Jeffy Boy]

Stupidest name ever for a restaurant: "Sushi Boy."

You talkin' 'bout my brother?

[riboflavinjoe]

I know it's on the other side of the island, but in Sydney Cape Breton, when you get off the ferry from Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland, you come across a joint that goes by the name of "Lick-a-Chick." It was only when I saw the tacky cartoon chicken on the restaurant's neon sign that I realised it wasn't a strip joint.

Edited August 2, 2005 by riboflavinjoe (log)

[barrett]

Or what about "The Pit" at UBC...

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In the mass of paper that UBC gives you when you're a student there, I once read that "The Pit" and "The Pendulum" - another eatery in the SUB were derived from the writings of one Edgar Allen Poe... not exactly fine dining... but clever enough for university chow.

[chef koo]

In Portland, we're just blocks away from "Miso Happi".

that's a clever one. made me smile

[fpang]

If memory serves me right, there was a Chinese restaurant down Renfrew & Venables named "Fook Yue". No, really, I'll prove it! Ah, there, I found it:

http://foodpages.ca/45113

and here:

http://www.squizzle.com/picview.asp?id=2909

[Ling]

Or what about "The Pit" at UBC...

←

In the mass of paper that UBC gives you when you're a student there, I once read that "The Pit" and "The Pendulum" - another eatery in the SUB were derived from the writings of one Edgar Allen Poe... not exactly fine dining... but clever enough for university chow.

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Yup, I've eaten at both "The Pit" and "The Pendulum".

The new-ish sushi place down in the SUB is called "Honour Roll". I like that.

[Badiane]

[in the mass of paper that UBC gives you when you're a student there, I once read that "The Pit" and "The Pendulum" - another eatery in the SUB were derived from the writings of one Edgar Allen Poe... not exactly fine dining... but clever enough for university chow.

←

The Pit was there on it's own for years...and then when they decided to open the second place, they held a contest to name it and someone came up with 'the Pendulum'...ergo the Poe reference...quite clever. I was working there at the time and got to help read all the entries...that was a long time ago and now I feel old.

My personal favorite was a place in a small town in Northern BC somewhere...Kispiox or close to it...it was called Ho Lee Chow.

[BCinBC]

Before we took over the space that is now Aurora, it used to be a chinese reataurant called Gou Bouli.  Not sure if that spelling is correct, but I was told it meant something like "the dog doesn't care"

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Goubouli is actually a really old restaurant in Tianjin, China. I don't speak Mandarin, but the translation is something along the lines of "even the dog wouldn't eat there", so named because the original chef was reputedly very very ugly. I'll grant you the name is crazy, but the dog is crazy too; the dumplings are excellent.

Here's my question: why is there a chain of restaurants, with head offices in Vancouver, named "Cactus Club"? They don't even have a southwestern theme.

[~cayenne~]

If memory serves me right, there was a Chinese restaurant down Renfrew & Venables named "Fook Yue".  No, really, I'll prove it!  Ah, there, I found it:

http://foodpages.ca/45113

and here:

http://www.squizzle.com/picview.asp?id=2909

←

Yes, you're absolutely correct, there was! It's something different now, although I haven't had the courage to check out any of the venues in that location. I really think if one had the money and energy to clean that little location up, they could establish a nice little restaurant of some sort there, the location is actually quite good for possibilities. Something along the lines of a Sebs or a Stellas ...... the neighbourhood, especially the newer folks, possibly families etc. would be interested, I'd think.

[kontemporary]

Before we took over the space that is now Aurora, it used to be a chinese reataurant called Gou Bouli.  Not sure if that spelling is correct, but I was told it meant something like "the dog doesn't care"

←

Goubouli is actually a really old restaurant in Tianjin, China. I don't speak Mandarin, but the translation is something along the lines of "even the dog wouldn't eat there", so named because the original chef was reputedly very very ugly. I'll grant you the name is crazy, but the dog is crazy too; the dumplings are excellent.

Here's my question: why is there a chain of restaurants, with head offices in Vancouver, named "Cactus Club"? They don't even have a southwestern theme.

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What about Blue Water Café? It's not a café! And unless you're talking about after-dinner coffees, then there isn't coffee for sale!

[kurtisk]

There's a place in Kits off of MacDonald called In God We Trust Sushi. I can't find a listing on-line but can scan in a take-out menu if evidence is required...

[nwyles]

Before we took over the space that is now Aurora, it used to be a chinese restaurant called Gou Bouli.  Not sure if that spelling is correct, but I was told it meant something like "the dog doesn't care"

←

Goubouli is actually a really old restaurant in Tianjin, China. I don't speak Mandarin, but the translation is something along the lines of "even the dog wouldn't eat there", so named because the original chef was reputedly very very ugly. I'll grant you the name is crazy, but the dog is crazy too; the dumplings are excellent.

Here's my question: why is there a chain of restaurants, with head offices in Vancouver, named "Cactus Club"? They don't even have a southwestern theme.

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What about Blue Water Café? It's not a café! And unless you're talking about after-dinner coffees, then there isn't coffee for sale!

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I think you might be stretching a bit here. The original name was the Blue Water Café and Raw Bar, which, although the Raw Bar still exists and is excellent, has been removed from the name. There needs to be a bit of artistic license in the name : Bistro, Café, Grill, etc.

[kurtisk]

There needs to be a bit of artistic license in the name : Bistro, Café, Grill, etc.

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Quite true there, Neil. Even though 'bistro' is defined as:

bistro

bis·tro

n. pl. bis·tros

1. A small bar, tavern, or nightclub.

2. A small, informal restaurant serving wine.

...and we think of ourselves as the latter, I've still heard people say that we are NOT a bistro because we don't have:

1. a chalkboard of specials

2. traditional French cuisine

3. a "House Red" or "House White"

4. a friggin' wreath of garlic around our necks

Ok, I got carried away with that last one.

You get the picture...

k.

Edited August 3, 2005 by kurtisk (log)

[nwyles]

And for a true bistro, we have a #5.

#5 : We have two types of service. Surly or indifferent ! Which would you prefer you bloody Englishman !

( This is from my experiences in Paris, not the Aurora BISTRO )

[eatbc]

OK, it's not Vancouver but I had to share.

I was just in Penticton and ate at a new million dollar restaurant on the lake called

"The Hooded Merganser"

I kid you not. I mean, this is even a bad name for a bird!

We spent a few minutes with drinks joking about the name.

"..then she tells me she had a piercing in her hooded merganser"

"..you can tell by those tight pants he's got a hooded merganzer.."

".. my wife calls it her wahoo but her doctor says its her hooded merganzer.."

You get the idea.

[*Deborah*]

How was the food, Mark? my parents are birdwatchers and they'll be in the neighbourhood in the next few days, they'd probably get a kick out of that.

[shelora]

What I enjoy are the restaurants that incorporate everything into their name.

So and so's restaurant, cafe, bistro.

[nwyles]

What I enjoy are the restaurants that incorporate everything into their name.

So and so's restaurant, cafe, bistro.

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Then you are going to love the name of one of my Yaletown neighbours.

Shiru-Bay Chopstick Café Izakaya-ism Japanese Fusion Gourmet Bistro Tapas Bar Flavour of Tokyo.

I prefer the short version of just " Shiru Bay"

[maxmillan]

OK, it's not Vancouver but I had to share.

I was just in Penticton and ate at a new million dollar restaurant on the lake called

"The Hooded Merganser"

I kid you not.  I mean, this is even a bad name for a bird!

We spent a few minutes with drinks joking about the name.

"..then she tells me she had a piercing in her hooded merganser"

"..you can tell by those tight pants he's got a hooded merganzer.."

".. my wife calls it her wahoo but her doctor says its her hooded merganzer.."

You get the idea.

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[easternsun]

ok not in vancouver, but still worthy of a mention:

in osaka, japan

cafe boobs

bar vulva

i WISH i was joking

[sanrensho]

ok not in vancouver, but still worthy of a mention:

in osaka, japan

cafe boobs

bar vulva

i WISH i was joking

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The first one is obviously inspired by Hooters. Perhaps this is a sign that Hooters should diversify into a line of cafes featuring Hooter-like barristas.

The second name, IMO, is awesome. Short/sweet, sounds good, looks good on paper, hard to forget. I'd go there and proudly tell all my friends about it.

[wesza]

One thing you must always consider when opening a restaurant in Vancouver is not to make a mistake that some Mandarin speaking Chinese made when opening a new restaurant in Hong Kong over 30 years ago that got them publicity right on the front page of all the Chinese newspapers on opening day, that caused large crowds to be stopping outside, pointing to the sign and laughing.

Being Mandarin they didn't have adequate knowledge of the Hong Kong Cantonese dialects to understand that the Chinese name in written characters meant something completely different in Hong Kong.

The Restaurant was a "Grill" featuring European and American Food.

The Chinese characters used in the translation on their very large neon sign advertised:

"EMPTY POCKETS on FIRE"

Using the Grill Characters in Chinese adapted by the Grill in a large Hotel open several years with extremely high prices that were so exorbitant that it was known as the "EMPTY POCKETS" nickname to the general population with the thought added that if you dared to eat at the new place not only will you have "EMPTY POCKETS" but you will "BURN in HELL" after eating.

The sign was taken down very quickly, the restaurant name was changed and it's still in business.

Irwin

[Daddy-A]

Just a reminder that the discussion needs to focus on restaurants in Vancouver & Western Canada.

A more General discussion on odd restaurant names can be found HERE and HERE

Thanks

A.

[butter]

Someone said that the Urban Buffet's (on Nelson and Homer?) Chinese characters read "Self Help" buffet. Can anyone confirm this?

Worse than Sushi Boy is one in Seattle called "I Love Sushi".

[Shellback]

Someone said that the Urban Buffet's (on Nelson and Homer?) Chinese characters read "Self Help" buffet. Can anyone confirm this?

Worse than Sushi Boy is one in Seattle called "I Love Sushi".

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Yes, that's true. In Chinese, there is no one specific word for the term "buffet", so the translated term is "self help meal" (zi zhu cang).

Speaking of "I Love Sushi", I heard that Miki Nakashima who used to own "Bon Japanese Restaurant" is working there now.