The Georgia Straight, a local Vancouver newspaper, writes in their dining guide:

Traditional barbecue in a young, fun, attitude-free environment.

I enjoyed some beer with friends, and also ordered a delicious burger item, the Drunk and Dirty Chicken ($11.99, pictured below) which their menu describes as chicken “grilled with your choice of: teriyaki, cajun, bbq or pesto – topped with cheddar cheese and bacon”. It was reasonably priced, a good sized portion, and mighty delicious.

View Part 1 for another photo.

Drunk and dirty chicken ($11.99) from Dix BBQ and Brewery in Vancouver BC Canada.

The supermarket is well known for their exotic seafood and vegetable selections. Frommers writes that Tnt Market is “where strange and ungainly comestibles lurk: fire-dragon fruit, lily root, and enoki mushrooms”. But never fear, there are plenty of palatable items lurking here, which even those with Westernized tastes can enjoy.

I especially like the steamed dim-sum and buns, such as the BBQ Pork Bun (Cha Siu Bow), as well as the egg custard tarts. I also really like their Chinese BBQ Chicken which comes pre-cooked and sliced into bite sized pieces – a tray of chicken costs around $6 and makes a great takeout item to serve at home with some steamed rice and veggies.

T&T Supermarket also sells pre-prepared sushi trays such as the one pictured below (around $5.00). The sushi is tasty, and while a dedicated sushi restaurant might do better, T&T’s sushi is quite good value for the money. (The supermarket has some eat-in tables for hungry shoppers who can’t wait till getting home to start munching away.) After around 6:30pm the sushi items start being discounted by a few dollars every hour until they’re all gone.

I also tried their Vietnamese Salad Rolls served with peanut sauce (also pictured below, around $5.00) which I thought were a little bland. The Vietnamese restaurant in the food fair at Tinseltown Mall (just across the street) serves much tastier and fresher salad rolls, at about the same price.

Take out sushi tray from T&T Market in Vancouver, $5.00 (California roll, Salmon Nigiri Sushi, and Unagi sushi)

Vietnamese Salad Rolls ($5.00) from Tnt Super market in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

All the restaurant’s patrons were sitting cross-legged on the hardwood floor, at low tables (although there are some Western-style tables as well). I found sitting this way added to the experience, combined with the contemporary wallpaper of Korean lettering, bare light bulbs (which reminded my friend of home), and some strangely familiar Korean pop music. Not to be outdone by the fact that I was surrounded by many people speaking their native tongue and enjoying food of their country.

There are some English words on the menu, but I recommend ordering the house specialty, which is the first item listed: thick strips of pork fried at a gas grill at your table (pictured below). The fat from the pork drips away into a bowl, and once cooked, you cut the sizzling strips of pork into bite size pieces. Nestle each piece into a fresh leaf of lettuce, top with a tangy Korean salad (pictured below) and garnish with Jalepeno peppers and raw garlic (if you are so brave!).

According to my friend, it is a custom in Korea to take an entire piece of pork lettuce wrap and gleefully “stuff” the whole thing into one’s mouth before munching away. This contrasts with the so-called “polite” western way of eating, where everything is consumed in small morsels with a fork and knife. Perhaps this custom of “gleeful stuffing” developed out of tough economic times when the ability to stuff down any amount of food was considered a luxury. Or maybe it’s to be able to enjoy all the flavors at once. In any case, I thought it was great fun!

The meal of grilled pork slices (as described above) also included the typical Korean garnishes such as kim-chee, and a really wonderful poached egg served in a stone bowl (also pictured below). The meal finished off with some truly awesome fried rice, grilled on the same surface as the pork where it absorbed all the flavors left behind.

We were quite satisfied with the special pork meal (which is about $15.95 per person), but we wanted to really celebrate so we also ordered a large Korean Pancake ($15, also pictured below). This was really delicious, and was similar to the Japanese pancakes (okonomiyaki) which I have tried around town.

Korean pancake

Click here for a picture the name of the restaurant written in Korean, and click here for a map provided by the restaurant.

Korean fried pork (on the grill, before it is cooked)

Korean salad

Korean egg

Korean Garnish

Korean restaurant in Coquitlam

Map to Korean Restaurant in Coquitlam

Not only does the restaurant serve a great selection of tasty Japanese sushi, but also included in the price is all-you-can-eat Korean Barbecue that you cook at a grill at your table. Price per person at dinner time (for the all-you-can-eat sushi and BBQ) is $21.95 before tax and tip. Lunch prices are cheaper, around $13.50.

For more photos and info please view Part 1.

Salmon and Tuna sashimi from Shabusen Japanese restaurant in Vancouver (Burrard Street)

Meat for barbecuing (cook at your table), and sushi: Alaska roll, Avocado Roll, and Prawn Tempura roll from Shabusen Restaurant in Vancouver.

Assorted Nigiri Sushi (raw fish on rice) from Shabusen Japanese restaurant in Vancouver.

Gomae Japanese spinach (top left), Sunomono salad (bottom left), Mussels, from Shabusen all you can eat Japanese restaurant in Vancouver.

Wild Ginger has quite an extensive menu, with a range of Korean dishes (including Korean BBQ), Chinese food, and even some western-fusion dishes. The Beef Tenderloin (around $18, pictured below), was quite a treat – tender slices of beef were served atop potatoes and stir fried vegetables, with accompanying Chinese egg fried rice that was arranged quite artfully in the shape of a fish. The restaurant is quite large and could easily accommodate a large group (but please call ahead to make reservations so that they can be ready for you!). There is free parking in the mall (upon validation by the restaurant), and the restaurant is very close to the Stadium Skytrain station (Vancouver’s subway).

One thing to note is that this restaurant doesn’t have very many choices for vegetarians. My friend wasn’t too impressed by his “vegetarian delight” ($11) which was more of a side dish. But for those who enjoy eating meat or seafood, Wild Ginger has plenty of enticing dinner selections. Check out their web site for the current menu. For another photo and more info please view Part 1.

Beef Tenderloin at Wild Ginger (with egg fried rice, potatoes, and stir fried vegetables, around $18)

Pictured below is the “BBQ Breakie bowl” ($11), which their menu describes as “Bourbon BBQ sauce brushed over ground-steak burger, 3 scrambled eggs, green onion, diced tomatoes, and grated cheese on seasoned chunky potatoes with red onion, topped with ranchero-hollandaise and your choice of toast.” I quite liked it, although it was a lot of food for lunch!

BBQ Breakie Bowl ($11)

Smoked Salmon Roll Sushi (Delicious!!) – $4.25

Unagi Don (Japanese BBQ Eel served on rice) – $11.25

A plate of raw meat that is marinated and topped with sesame seeds and green onion.

A plate of marinated meat before we cooked it on the BBQ at the table.

The BBQ in action!

Tuna Tataki and Beef Tataki

Ebi sunomono salad (with prawn)

Spicy seafood cone and soft-shell-crab roll

Assorted sushi

Assorted sushi

Assorted sashimi

Pictured below are the satays (meat skewer appetizers, $1.20 each), roti canai (Malay bread, $2.95), Hainanese chicken (half chicken, $12.95), pineapple fried rice with ham and chicken ($12.95), and a special drink: coconut juice served in a fresh coconut. We had a large group (9 people) and made reservations a few days in advance. The serving staff and kitchen handled our group flawlessly and we enjoyed the flavors of the dishes very much.

Two other locations of Tropika Restaurant in Vancouver are: Tropika at Cambie (2975 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-879-6002) and Tropika at Aberdeen (Unit 1830, Aberdeen Centre, 4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC, Canada, phone 604-233-7002)

Beef, chicken, lamb, and pork satay skewers ($1.20 each)

Roti Canai (Malay Bread, $2.95) – this was really puffy and tasted great with the accompanying sauce.

Hainanese Chicken (Half $12.95)

Pineapple Fried Rice with Ham and Chicken ($12.95)

Coconut Juice – served in a real coconut!

Cactus Club’s West Vancouver location features a live jazz band, the Geoff Peters Trio, playing on selected Tuesday nights. Please call the restaurant to confirm about the live music. (More info: view part 1)

“Tantalizing fusion cuisine mixes local flavours with those of the Far East. Fun dishes to try include Kung Pao Power, Sticky Ribs, Mayo Mayo, and Spring Blossom Rolls.”

The menu features a selection of Chinese and Korean fusion dishes, as well as cook-at-your table Korean barbecue. Visit at lunch time for the best deals: a large entree with soup and salad goes for approximately $6.99. At dinner time the average entree price is around $16.00. Pictured below is the “Happy Family” entree ($16.99), which is a tasty mix of choice seafood, meat, and vegetables stir-fried and served in a sweet ginger and garlic sauce.

The Ebi Sunomono salad (pictured below, $3.50) is cool and refreshing; thin noodles are served cold in a clear sweet-and-sour broth topped with fresh cooked shrimp and a garnish of lemon. The various maki rolls are delicious, such as the Futomaki (half order, $4.00), chopped scallop roll ($3.75, pictured below), and the “Awesome Roll”.

Regarding the Awesome roll (pictured below), frugalgourmet writes on Dinehere.ca:

“The roll is slightly baked and served warm, topped off with a delightful combination of green onions, bonito flakes, barbeque sauce and spicy mayonnaise. It provides some great flavor and texture contrasts (crunchy/soft; sweet/salty; piquant/creamy). A meal on it’s own – 8 generous pieces for $6.95.”

The Chicken Karage (deep fried chicken wings, $3.95) were also very tasty – what juicy and tender chicken!

As the restaurant is located in Burnaby, it is a bit of a trek from downtown Vancouver (about a 30 minute drive). However, Sushi Town doesn’t seem to have trouble attracting diners to its suburban location; it was fully packed on the Saturday evening with several large families and smaller groups too.

Ebi Sunomono salad (shrimp and cold noodles in a sweet and sour broth)

Futomaki and chopped scallop roll

The signature dish, of Sushi Town: “Awesome roll”

The main attraction here is the Korean Barbecue, where you are given raw meat and seafood to cook at the grill at your table. They also offer a buffet on Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 4pm that is reasonably priced (under $15). During the week there are many a-la-carte items to choose from.

We ordered a really fancy dish with jellyfish (pictured below, around $15), as well as some tofu soup with egg (also pictured below, around $10). There were several tasty condiments/side dishes that were also served with the meal, including the bean sprouts, some cooked potato with a brown sugar sauce, and the famous kim-chi spicy cabbage. A large meal for two was around $21 per person.

There is free underground parking accessible at the alley behind the restaurant, off of Alder street.

Korean Jellyfish dish

Korean tofu soup with egg

Korean bean sprouts

Korean brown sugar potatoes

Korean Kim-Chi (spicy cabbage)

The decor at this restaurant is worth noting too: above the sushi bar is some wild florescent lighting, and some of the larger tables are set inside wooden boats complete with sails. This restaurant is a definite must for visitors who want to experience something that truly speaks of Vancouver, where surprisingly good food quality and quantity combine at a meeting of western and Asian cultures. Reservations are recommended.

Chicken Teriyaki

Japanese Sunomono Salad (cold rice noodles in a sweet vinegar broth with a few vegetables)

Tamago sushi (egg) and Salmon Sushi