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Pre-theatre dining on South Granville


pissaladiere

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Hi,

We are going to a play at the Stanley on Saturday night. We would like to have an early dinner. I would love to return to either Vij's or West (for their early bird pre-fixe) but our dining companions are not particularly adventurous and have a limited budget. I thought of trying "Salade de fruits" in the French Cultural Centre on 7th. I ate there several years ago and remember enjoying it. Any other suggestions in the area. We are looking for something tasy, but with main courses under $20. We don't want the Cactus Club or Joey Tomato's.

Thanks a lot,

Andrea

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If you're willing to go the small plates route or think that $38 for a three-course prix fixe is a good deal, how about Cru? They open for dinner at 5:00 p.m. and are quite good at expediting if you let them know that you're on a tight pre-theatre time frame. It's tough to say no to their syrah-braised beef short rib with mac and cheese for $15!

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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Thanks for the suggestions so far. I really wanted to try Cru, but the other couple we are dining with think that $38 is a bit pricey. Last time we went to the theatre we tried Ouisi Bistro. I really like the atmosphere, and used to go there often when I lived in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately, none of us had a good meal last time we went. It was their gumbo festival, and, I like a nice dark roux, but it tasted as though theirs had been burned. Anyway, it is the same foursome dining out, so they have already nixed Ouisi. Has anyone been to the Red Door? We used to love En but it has moved to west 10th.

Any other suggestions?

Andrea

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Is Memphis Blues too casual for your companions? They are right beside Cru and I'm sure an Elvis platter wouldn't break your communal budget. Also Star Anise has a prix fixe menu, but I haven't dined there in years and have no idea what the quality is like these days. Oh, and there is Primo's on 12th as well - again, haven't been in ages, but perhaps worth checking out?

Laura Fauman

Vancouver Magazine

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Well, there's Portobello Ristorante which serves classic Italian fare; now at 1429 West Broadway, it used to be a Kitsilano restaurant in the current Mistral Bistro space. Also Bin 942 at 1521 West Broadway.

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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...I would love to return to either Vij's or West (for their early bird pre-fixe) but our dining companions are not particularly adventurous...

According to Andrea, Indian food is a no-go.

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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May I suggest Star Anise as a great pre-theatre choice? They have a $35 three course menu specifically for people rushing to get to a show.

Here's the review I published in Metro on October 6, 2006. Hope it helps!

As per usual, I had overbooked myself. It left me with raging hunger and only about an hour before curtain at the opening of a new musical at the Stanley Theatre, Cookin’ at the Cookery.

To make it even better, it was pouring rain, so tromping around for a few blocks to find somewhere to eat was out of the question even if I had had the time to do it. Then, in a stroke of restaurant serendipity, we rounded the corner and found Star Anise.

I sheepishly asked if a meal were at all feasible, and was charmingly ushered in with gracious assurances that everything would be just fine. I later found out Ross was the owner, which explains why he could make such a promise on the kitchen’s behalf.

We nestled into elegant chairs in a dining area that felt like the salon in a French home, with dusty rose walls, and even a piece of furniture or two tucked in against the walls. The hunger had morphed into a bit of menu indecisiveness, so I simply snagged four of the five appetizers listed.

Watching Ross work the room by himself was like watching a ballet—never hurried, never harried, and never a moment out of step. Maybe his gift for being in the right place all the time stemmed from his Bulgarian acting training, but it certainly seemed like a natural talent too.

The fresh bocconcini and tomato salad arrived first, followed quickly by a Dungeness crab cake packed with meat without feeling dense. Then it was on to mesquite smoked venison carpaccio, which melted on the tongue. The prawn and scallop skewer took a little longer to grill, but Ross kept providing us updates so we could gage the time. I just wish there had been another on the plate because it was so good!

They must be used to theatregoers rushing through dinner, but the charm and grace added to the process at Star Anise is their own special touch. It left me in the perfect mood to thoroughly enjoy the musical, but that’s another story indeed.

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the food at Portobello Ristorante is fabulous. all of their pastas dishes are priced at $12.50 and other entrees (osso buco, halibut, veal) range from the mid-teens to mid-twenties. my only gripe with Portobello is that their service is clumsy and slow most of the time.

here's the dinehere.ca profile of portobello: click me!

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