In case you haven’t heard of the Vancouver Flea Market before, here’s a little description from their web site:

The Vancouver Flea Market is a thriving environment where all kinds of dealers and sellers propose their treasures. Here you will find all kinds of things from collectibles and memorabilia to everyday household items as well all the things you thought you didn’t need!

The market is a 5 – 10 minute walk from the Main Street Skytrain station. Admission to the market is only 75 cents, and that lets you into the main showroom where you can browse all the tables of endless cool stuff (I picked up a piece of fools gold crystal for $8), and into their busy cafeteria which serves filling, hot American-style food at very low prices.

Speaking of the food, we tried the Traditional Burger (an amazing deal at $3.85, shown in video below) and the T.O.C. Omelette ($4.50, also shown in video below), which was a 3-egg omelette with tomato, onions, cheese, toast, and a small coffee. I opted to get an apple juice instead of the coffee and it only added about 40 cents to the price. The food is quite similar to Denny’s restaurant but is cheaper, and the atmosphere is not as fancy as Denny’s.

I made a video of the dishes, which you can view by clicking here, or use the player below. I’ve also included a photo of the menu below.

Vancouver flea market cafeteria menu

morgan, a reviewer on Dinehere.ca writes (click here to read review):

I like the Keg. The food and service is consistantly good, but my problem is I always order too much steak. I have a soft spot in my heart for the baseball steak and it always beats me. Next time I visit the Keg I will explore the menu a little bit more.

The Keg is great for a quiet dinner with friends or even someone special. The many nooks and crannies of the restaurant are cozily furnished and have fireplaces throughout. There is also a bar area with upbeat music.

I ordered one of their Keg Classic Dinners, the 8 oz Teriyaki Classic Sirloin steak with a Caesar salad (both pictured below, $23.95), and it was served with a selection of stir fried vegetables and a big baked potato. I especially like all the toppings they have for the baked potato: green onions, sour cream, butter, and bacon bits. They also served some very nice sourdough bread (with big pieces!) while we were waiting for the meal to arrive. The steak looked small, but it was actually quite filling.

Caesar salad at the Keg Steakhouse restaurant.

8 oz Teriyaki Classic Sirloin Steak ($23.95 including Caesar salad) from the Keg Restaurant on Granville Island.

The HSG (as it is affectionately called, not to be mistaken with MSG which the chef most certainly avoids in his/her kitchen) is a favorite lunch place for me and my coworkers, as our office is nearby. Lunch prices are in the $11 to $15 range and dinner entrees are in the $25 to $35 range. The restaurant’s menus are available on their web site.

Pictured below is the Hamilton Street Burger ($12), which is made with house-ground Certified Angus Beef, bacon, cheddar cheese, sautéed onions, and chipotle mayo. I ordered my burger with a Caesar salad (included in the price) but I could have gotten a regular house salad, their popular Yam Fries, or regular fries instead. I thought the burger was especially delicious and gobbled up the whole thing in a flash (all the while making conversation and being pleasant of course!).

For more photos from my previous visits, please view Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 or Part 7.

Hamilton Street Burger ($12) with Beef, bacon, cheddar, sautéed onions, and chipotle mayo from the Hamilton Street Grill in Vancouver.

Epicurious, a reviewer on DineHere.ca writes (click here to read the full review):

I would not have recognized this Milestone’s if I were just walking by. It looked like a completely new eatery. Outside was modern silver and had some beach wood decor. Inside was also very nice – silvers, beach wood, dark wood etc.). There was a projection screen above the bar that rolled up and out of site when not in use and revealed a nice wood/mirror motif behind it.

I ordered the Seafood Mixed Grill ($21.99, pictured below) which their menu describes as:

Wild West Coast Coho salmon, Corvina sea bass and tiger shrimp, matched with a trio of house made sauces; Mango, Gogi Berry, Gaucho. Served with spinach, bok choy, grape tomatoes and lavender roasted mini potatoes.

This was a bit pricey for lunch (the restaurant uses the same menu at lunch time as dinner) but I am a big seafood fan and thought the salmon, sea bass and shrimp were an excellent combination.

For more photos please view Part 5, Part 4,  Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1.

Seafood Mixed Grill from Milestones Restaurant in Yaletown, Vancouver

Angela Murrills writes in the Georgia Straight (click here to read review):

Weekdays at noon it feels like small-town France, where everyone decamps from their office for a couple of hours during which the mark of a truly civilized country parking is free by law. A fresh-fish dish or two, grilled prawns, moules frites, quiche or a sandwich it’s all competently made, sans froufrou, and mostly under $10.

Christine G. Louie describes the food at Salade de Fruits (writing in the Peak, SFU’s student newspaper, click here to read review):

The moules et frites ($11.99) arrived with puffs of steam wafting up, the P.E.I. mussels fat, perfectly steamed little morsels sitting in the most fragrant of broths. Accompanying the pot of shiny black shells lay a stack of fresh-cooked pomme frites, still glistening from their bath of hot oil. Crispy, golden-brown, and thinly sliced, the pomme frites were perfect for dipping into the pool of broth or the little container of their homemade mayonnaise. The calamari dish came in thick ringlets, fried to a glorious golden-brown, and looking ravishingly hot. The smoked-salmon baguette was clean tasting, jazzed up with capers and sweet onions, and sandwiched in the same lovely bread. The steak dish was pounded into a thin large slab, arrived on top of a layer of gravy-smothered frites.

Wow, I love those descriptions, thanks Christine!

Pictured below is some of the food we enjoyed: the Saumon Sauvage (Wild salmon entree, around $16), the Calmars à la Nage (Calamari dish, $9.99), and the Escargots à l’Ail (snail in garlic, $5.99, a French delicacy!). My friend also ordered the T-Bone Steak served with fresh crab (not pictured), which he described as juicy and of really high quality (he’s a regular of steak places around town).

Saumon Sauvage (Wild Salmon entree, $16.99) from Salade De Fruits French restaurant in Vancouver

Calamari dish (Calmars à la Nage, $9.99) from Salade De Fruits French restaurant in Vancouver

Escargots à l'Ail ($5.99) - Snail in garlic, a French delicacy! Food from Salade De Fruits French restaurant in Vancouver.

Fresh baguette (French bread) included with the meal at Salade de Fruits French restaurant in Vancouver

Roasted Chicken Penne Asiago pasta from Milestone’s Restaurant in downtown Vancouver. (around $17)

Hamburger and fries (around $13)

Chicken Pesto Pasta ($13.99)

Cardero’s restaurant is about a 10-15 minute walk along the Coal Harbor waterfront from the Vancouver Convention Center downtown (Canada Place) as well as the downtown business district. It’s also really close to the Westin Bayshore Hotel.

Pictured below are the Fishermen’s Platter (2 fresh oysters, 2 jumbo prawns, 2 slices albacore tuna, 2 slices seared rare ahi tuna, and seaweed salad for $18.95), and the 10oz New York Steak (grilled, seasoned, with pink peppercorn sauce $28.95) to which I added a 1/2 dozen bistro prawns for $5.95.

Fishermen’s Platter (prawns, albacore tuna, ahi tuna, seaweed salad, and oyster), $18.95

Another view of the same Fishermen’s Platter (Raw Oysters, and various sauces and garnishes such as dijon mustard, wasabi, and pickled ginger)

10oz New York Steak with Bistro Prawns ($28.95 plus $5.95 extra for the prawns)

A reviewer on Dinehere.ca writes (click here for review link):

The ambiance is great[...] Cactus Club is consistent across town with the edamame, curly fries and salads being my favourite. It is a great place to meet a buddy for a quick bite or catch up over a drink and appies. The prices are reasonable and the food quality satisfactory.

Pictured below is the Cedar Roasted Salmon entree (priced around $23), fresh steelhead salmon with a pine nut parmesan crust, served on a cedar plank with roasted vegetables and herb and feta fingerling potatoes. Delicious!

Also check out their West Vancouver location with live music.

Cedar Roasted Salmon Entree at Cactus Club ($23)

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!

This time I enjoyed the Mexican Corvina Sea Bass (pictured below, $18.99) which their menu describes as, “lightly fried, seasoned with red chile salts and fresh lime. Southwest rice, tiger prawns, fresh spinach, bell peppers, cilantro-lime broth”. The dish was nicely presented and very tasty!

Mexican Corvina Sea Bass

Half Caesar Salad ($4.00)

Penne pasta with chicken and mushrooms (around $12)

Zachary’s is located a stone’s throw away from BC Place Stadium in the Hampton Inn and Suites Hotel. It’s also very close to Queen Elizabeth Theatre and GM Place Stadium.

Beef stroganoff

Calamari

Their location in West Vancouver (at Park Royal Village, 855 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC, phone, 604-922-1707) also features live jazz by the Geoff Peters Trio on selected Tuesday nights. Please call the restaurant to confirm about the live music.

Prices for dinner entrees are in the $15-$25 range. I really enjoyed the Steelhead Salmon Entree (pictured below) as well as my favorite snacking items, the Westcoast pockets (also pictured below). The Chicken Jambalaya rice bowl (also pictured below) was tasty as well.

Cactus Club’s Steelhead salmon Entree – grilled to perfection!

Westcoast pockets – like sushi, but bigger and better.

Chicken Jambalaya rice bowl. A colorful melange of ingredients combine for a yummy taste experience.