Madangcoul Korean Restaurant (map, 847 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC, 604-688-3585) is a family run Korean restaurant in the West End of downtown Vancouver that serves comforting, home style food.

Visitors on yelp.ca write glowing reviews about Ma Dang Coul’s “truly homestyle cooking”, the “best kimchee in all of Vancouver”, and describe the restaurant and food as “inexpensive, tasty, warm and welcoming”. My friend who lives two blocks away goes there regularly, and I was really happy when he introduced me to Madangcoul.

I ordered a combination meal of a Korean tofu soup (pictured below) and Bulgogi pork (also pictured below). It was served with all the usual side dishes – my favorite being the caramelised sweet potato (pictured below), the seaweed, and the kim-chee. The combo came to around $15 which was quite reasonable for the amount of food. I’ll definitely go back to enjoy a comforting meal at Ma Dang Coul when I’m in the area!

Korean tofu soup from Madangcoul Korean Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Bulgogi Pork from Madangcoul Korean Restaurant on Denman Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Korean condiments (caramelized sweet potatoes) and chopsticks from Madangcoul Korean Restaurant.

Tsui Hang Village Chinese Restaurant (map, 1193 Granville St, Vancouver, BC, phone: 604-683-6868) is a large, well kept Chinese restaurant near the Granville Street night-club entertainment district at the corner of Davie and Granville.

Popular with the after-bar crowd, Tsui Hang is open very late at night (even until 3 or 4 in the morning – but be sure to call them to confirm) and gets busy with talkative night-clubbers recovering from an evening dancing and imbibing.

The airy dining room is well lit and nicely maintained with some beautiful oriental vases displayed high above the dining room floor. Upon overhearing me remarking to my friend on the vases, the waiter interjected that they are “not real”. But although the decorative vases may be imitations, the food at Tsui Hang is definitely the real thing. If you’re a fan of Chinese seafood dishes, you’ll appreciate the menu (which is quite extensive and has a variety of vegetarian items too).

We ordered the Sauteed Rock Cod Fillets ($14.50, pictured below) and the Mixed Seafood Chow Mein ($13.50, also pictured below). The food was really tasty, the fish tender and enveloped in a delectable and nuanced sauce – even receiving positive comments from my dining companion who is of Asian descent. We also ordered a bowl of steamed rice ($2.00) which was quite large and nicely accompanied the two dishes.

Looking for something quick and on-the-go? Tsui Hang also has a take out window facing Davie Street which offers specials like sweet and sour pork on rice and chow mein for around $5.00.

Sauteed Rock Cod Fillets ($14.50) from Tsui Hang Village Chinese Restaurant on Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Mixed Seafood Chow Mein ($13.50) from Tsui Hang Village Restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC Canada (Granville Entertainment district).

Another shot of the same Mixed Seafood Chow Mein dish from Tsui Hang Chienese Restaurant on Granville Street in Vancouver.

Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante (map, website, menu, 970 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-408-0808) offers Italian pizzas and pastas in a sophisticated and airy modern atmosphere. The candle-lit dining room with double-height ceiling and balcony is a popular spot for a gourmet pizza before or after a movie. It’s located right next to the Scotiabank Movie Theatre in downtown Vancouver (near Burrard and Smithe).

Formerly a pizza place called Lombardo’s (which still has a location on Commercial Drive near 1st ave), Pacifico continues Lombardo’s practice of serving pizzas with inventive and complementary ingredients. We tried the “Salmone” ($25 for large, pictured below), made with smoked salmon, capers, and red onion. A delightfully chewy crust was brushed with extra virgin olive oil, and topped with lots of cheese.

We also tried their desserts. The Mud Pie ($6.00, pictured below) was fairly run-of-the-mill (still frozen solid) but the restaurant’s house specialty Tiramisu ($7.00, also pictured below) was heavenly.

Some higher-end restaurants have picked up a trend of serving “deconstructed” Tiramisu – a mix of mascarpone cheese, custard, coffee, and some liquor in a cocktail glass, with maybe a few biscuits hidden at the bottom. This mode of presentation may be satisfying in a different way from a slice of cake on a plate – consuming the cocktail glass version is sans fuss and trendy too.

Irashai Grill, an Asian fusion restaurant in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour, serves their Tiramisu in a sleek porcelain tray, dusted with a dangerously thick layer of powdered chocolate. Both Irashai’s and Pacifico’s realizations of Tiramisu are worthy of a sweet discovery!

Large smoked salmon pizza ($25) from Pacifico Pizzeria Restorante, a great pizza restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.

Mud Pie dessert ($6.00) from Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.

Tiramisu dessert ($7.00) from Pacifico Pizza Restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.