Our group of incredibly intelligent, geeky, and immensely wealthy software developers from a nearby office were probably some of the most casually dressed patrons at Glowbal today. I’m not sure where all these fancy people come from, but walking through Glowbal at noon on a weekday is like stepping into a movie set from perhaps the opening scene of a Bond spy thriller. The place exudes class and style, and they’ve got everything down from the subtle electro-jazz that pulsates, to the affable and dynamic serving staff who are up to date on the latest social nuances.

The food is some of the best I have tasted in this price range (which can be perused on their menu) and is incredibly flavorful, making use of the full palate and leaves me smacking my lips for every last morsel. Well, maybe this time I toned down the smacking, but beware upon the future occasion!

Today I ordered the Linguini off their lunch menu (pictured below), which came with jumbo tiger prawns, tomato, oregano, capers, stewed tomatoes, and of course olives. I’m sure that if you don’t like olives, or only want to eat olives and nothing more, executive chef Erik Heck and his staff will be able to accommodate your special dietary needs.

Vegetarians will note that this restaurant doesn’t advertise many vegetarian or vegan-friendly items on their menu. However if you end up at Glowbal I think you’ll do fine if you explain your needs to your server and they will be most amenable to providing tasty substitutions and a dish that you’ll likely enjoy.

Delicious Prawn Linguine from Glowbal restaurant in Yaletown, Vancouver BC Canada.

Yummy Seafood Linguine pasta from Glowbal Grill in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.

Tasty Prawn Linguine from glowbal grill steaks and satay restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

I think that every successful restaurant needs a “concept”, a unique identity, something that differentiates itself in such an incredibly fierce competitive market that supports the dining industry in Vancouver.

It’s an industry which demands continuous hard work from employees and owners with little respite, where margins are typically low and consumer opinion (or a lack thereof) can make or break a business.

But the rewards from running a restaurant are high: an idea, creative vision, a passion for food and culture – all these can be transformed into a physical space that is temporarily occupied by visitors who seek to experience new tastes, sensations, socialize, be merry, and above all, satisfy their appetites with delicious, healthy food.

I tend to think about restaurants as “experience engines”. As a software developer I like to look at things in terms of the input, output, and transformations that occur during a process. For a restaurant, there are the physical ingredients and energy needed to prepare food – these are the obvious inputs. But there are also the less tangible things, like the moods and attitudes of the serving staff, the restaurant decor, the background music, and then of course the restaurant guests themselves.

But I digress, I really should be talking about the food at Posh.

Posh is an example of an expanding, successful home-grown restaurant chain with an excellent concept: Japanese Sukiyaki (wikipedia).

So what is Sukiyaki you may ask? Well, it’s a form of Hot Pot, where you have a gas burner at your table with a large cast-iron pot filled with a bubbling broth. The broth is made with a combination of Sukiyaki Sauce (soya sauce, sugar, and mirin) and cabbage. You add thinly sliced raw beef into the pot along with assorted vegetables, tofu, noodles and seafood, and everything cooks right in front of you.

The nice thing is that you decide exactly what you want to eat, and if you particularly like a certain item, such as the fish cakes (yum!), just order more of it! Or if you’re vegetarian, there are plenty of options such as tofu, spinach, and several types of mushrooms to make a soup that fits your diet.

Amazingly, Posh provides an “all you can eat” experience for $11.88 per person for lunch, or $15.88 per person for dinner. The restaurant always seems packed at peak times, so it’s a good idea to try making a reservation and coming early to put your name in the queue just in case.

Posh’s other locations include Richmond (map, 1123 – 3779 Sexsmith Road, Richmond, BC, Canada, phone: 604-303-7674), Burnaby (map, 105 – 6462 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC, Canada, phone: 604-434-7674), and Victoria (map, 102 – 1063 Fort Street, Victoria, BC, Canada, phone: 250-382-7674).

Below are some photos from our dinner at Posh on West Broadway. Hope you enjoy!

Everything cooking away at Posh Japanese Hot Pot restaurant in Vancouver.

Guava yogurt mixed drink - nice and refreshing! From Posh restaurant in Vancouver.

More hotpot cooking at Posh in Vancouver.

Vegetarian hot pot ingredients from Posh in Vancouver. Mushrooms, spinach, tofu.

Posh on Broadway Photo Gallery by Geoff Peters.

Restaurant review of Posh by Angela Murrills from the Georgia Straight.

Blog from owner of the Posh restaurant chain.

Posh restaurant on Twitter.

Their location in Burnaby (map, #201-4361 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC, phone: 604-439-8882) is about a 5 minute walk from the Patterson Skytrain station.

Fish on Rice’s Vancouver restaurant (map, 1414 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC, phone: 604-732-0112) is located at Broadway and Hemlock (one block from Granville), and has a patio.

“All you can eat” sushi is a very popular phenomenon in Vancouver, and Fish on Rice does it well. The Japanese buffet at Fish and Rice costs $11.95 for lunch (served from 11am to 2:30pm) or $20.95 for dinner (served between 4:30pm and 10:30pm). Their happy hour ($13.95) is between 4:30pm and 6pm.

At Fish on Rice, similar to other All You Can Eat places in town, you make your order by writing desired quantities next to items on a little piece of paper. Pass the paper to your server, and the food will start arriving as it’s ready. Take care: if you write an order that’s too large, the food will just keep coming! Or if you didn’t order enough, you can request more forms when you need them.

At the Burnaby location, there are many large private tatami booths with inset tables (where you take your shoes off to dine while sitting on cushions) – these are great for large groups or families. There are also a bunch of regular booths and tables for couples or smaller parties.

Below are some pictures of the delicious sushi and other Japanese items we ordered. Note that the restaurant serves all the popular kinds of sushi such as California Roll and BC Roll, but being sushi aficionados we ordered a bunch of less common items to explore the large and varied menu.

Nigiri Sushi pieces from Fish On Rice Japanese Cuisine Restaurant

Assorted Tuna and Salmon Sashimi from Fish on Rice Japanese Cuisine (all you can eat) in Burnaby BC Canada.

Teriyaki Vegetables from Fish on Rice Japanese Cuisine (AYCE sushi) in Burnaby BC Canada

Vegetarian Udon Noodles from Fish on Rice Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby BC Canada (All You Can Eat).

Inari (sweet bean curd wrapper) nigiri sushi (from Fish on Rice All You Can Japanese Cuisine in Burnaby)

Vegetable Tempura (pictured in front) plus other assorted Japanese dishes (from Fish on Rice Japanese All you can eat buffet restaurant).

Toyama has been getting good reviews from visitors on the website DineHere.ca (click here to read), including galvinkuo2 who writes:

We really like this place and are considered regulars. Food is always fresh and very tasty. This is the best place for the price you can find in Downtown, too bad they don’t have all you can eat sashimi during lunch time, But Our suggestion is to go for a lunch all you can eat menu option. We always go for a lot of salmon sushi since this is the best place to get it. And of course the Oyster Motoyaki are “the must try” and the New stuff “BBQ Korean Pork” spicy and tasty!!

Pictured below are some of the items we ordered. I’m definitely going to go back to Toyama Sushi, maybe even on a regular basis!

Nigiri sushi from Toyama Japanese Restaurant

Sushi cones from Toyama Sushi - All You Can Eat Japanese restaurant downtown

Alaska roll and chopped scallop roll sushi

Assorted sushi from Toyama All You Can Eat Chinese/Japanese food

Assorted Nigiri Sushi from Toyama All You Can Eat Sushi restaurant downtown.

Rasputin45, a reviewer on Dinehere.ca writes (click here to read review):

Best rolls in town! We stop by here often when we are in the Main Street area. The seekh kebab (lamb sausage) roll is excellent and unlike anything else I have had in this city.

Mia Stainsby of the Vancouver Sun writes (click here to read article):

Predominantly takeout with lots of choices. Excellent value for tasty kebabs, tandoori dishes, curries, and wraps, all under $10.

You can view their menu and order online by clicking here. I tried some of their rolls, and I must say they are really delicious!!

Wraps from Tandoori Delight foods in Vancouver

More wraps from Tandoori Delight foods

Kababs from Tandoori Delight Foods

Indian food take out in Vancouver from Tandoori Delight Foods

I ordered one of their sushi combinations ($6.65, shown in video below) which included 4 pieces of Nigiri sushi, a California roll, and miso soup. It was presented nicely and tasted good.

For a direct link to the video I made, please click here. For some more photos please view Part 1.

Sushi combo ($6.65 including Miso Soup) from Yamato Sushi in Vancouver.

(please read to the end for the free coupon info)

Their menu is almost the same – a selection of pastas, sandwiches, burgers, and fancier items such as seafood, steak, and appies, priced quite reasonably for the downtown neighborhood. (The restaurant is part of the Hampton Inn and Suites hotel and is immediately across the street from BC Place Stadium.)

I had ordered several different cream-based pastas from Zachary’s on my previous visits, but for some reason the flavors of the sauce seemed a bit off, maybe a strange aftertaste -it’s hard to describe, but I can tell when a restaurant does its pasta sauce right. This time I was extremely happy to take the first few bites of my gorgonzola penne ($12.95, pictured below) and finally encounter a pasta sauce that frankly delighted my tastebuds with honestly good and sophisticated creamy sensations. The aftertaste was clean and faded away quickly, preparing my palate for the next bite. I made it through the entire, generous dish without getting tired of the ingredients, which is a problem I run into when eating huge amounts of pasta at places like Antons in Burnaby. (Well, thinking again, it was good except to maybe the third or second to last bite, but this was pretty much the best as I could expect for a pasta costing $12.95).

For more info, check out my reviews from previous visits Part 5, Part 4, Part 3, Part 2, Part 1

Gorgonzola Penne Pasta from Zachary's on Robson ($12.95)

Free Coupon! I was given two coupons by the restaurant in my bill, and I would like to give them away to some readers of this site who are interested in trying the food. The first coupon has $3 Off Lunch (“Join us for lunch and receive $3 off per couple or $1.50 for a single lunch, Valid until June 30th, 2009″), and the second coupon has $5 off dinner for a couple on one side, and on the other side, a pre-game event prime rib dinner special for $13.95.

Please note that in order to get these discounts you’ll need to get the actual coupon from me, since they won’t accept printouts. If you’d like a coupon, please email me (geoff@gpeters.com) and first person who emails me will get one coupon. Second person will get the other coupon. You can pick the coupon up from me in Yaletown.

I’ll post a message here when the coupons are gone.

My family always goes there for big get-togethers and it is always a marvellous feast that satisfies everyone. This time, I brought my video camera along and took a video of the dishes as they arrived (see player below, or click here to view on Youtube). Because of the low light the video is kind of grainy, but you can get the idea!

Prices are affordable, within the $15 to $25 per person for a large banquet (or slighly more depending on how many crabs and seafood items you order).

Below I’ve also included photos of the crab and chicken hot pot that I took in my previous visit (see Part 1 of my review).

Chinese style hot and spicy crab from Ridge Garden Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Chicken and black fungus hot pot from Ridge Garden Chinese restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada

The restaurant has some great lunch specials which are $8.00 plus tax and tip, and include a salad, spring roll (with sweet plum dipping sauce), and a main course (such as a Thai curry dish) served with rice. Pictured below is the dish I ate, the pork with red curry paste, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, basil and coconut milk. It was really delicious!

The restaurant offers vegetarian versions of some of their curries, with Tofu instead of the meat, and they were also able to accomodate the special dietary needs of a person in our group requiring gluten-free foods. (For more information about Special Dietary Needs and restaurants in Vancouver be sure to check out Food Vancouver).

For more info please view Part 4, Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1. Their menu is also available on their website.

Also check out this video made by the restaurant that describes how to make Thai Curry at home.

Pork with red curry paste, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, basil and coconut milk from Urban Thai Bistro in Vancouver.

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

In a previous dinner time visit, I enjoyed their ling cod ($22). Since then I’ve been back three times for lunch. Goldfish offers daily lunch specials which are $10 plus tax and tip. These specials really showcase the talents of executive chef William Tse.

Flat Iron Steak (on Thursdays) is served with mushrooms, snow pear, and mustard green salad. On Fridays, their special is the seafood fricassée (pictured below), with mussels, fresh fish, thai basil, coconut, and fresh chiles.

The flavors in the fricassée were fantastic, expertly crafted into bringing out the freshness of the seafood, with a rich broth that went with the rice perfectly. The fresh chiles were extremely spicy but our helpful server warned us about them, and thankfully they were served on the side. Another popular lunch choice from our table was the Shanghai Noodles, which can be ordered with beef short rib or chicken.

Many food fanatics (or “foodies” as they are affectionately known) love Vancouver because of the remarkable East-meets-West fusion that happens in the kitchens of our many talented, daring, and masterful chefs. As a port city we are fortunate to have some of the freshest ingredients arriving in our markets from Asia and the Pacific Northwest. Chefs like William Tse and restaurants like Goldfish are setting the stage for Vancouver as a world-class food city.

Please visit the Gold fish restaurant’s web site if you’d like to browse their menu or see some photos of the room’s cool decor.

Seafood Fricasse from Goldfish Pacific Kitchen restaurant in Yaletown, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Amuse bouche, a little complimentary appetizer created by their chef.

The Westcoast Pocket (shown in video below) is made with wild smoked salmon, avocado, seasoned rice, pea shoots, tofu and tobiko, and is one of my favorite appetizers that Cactus Club serves. For another photo of the Westcoast pocket please view my review of their Yaletown location.

The prawn and scallop spaghettini is a specialty of Cactus Club’s celebrity chef and Iron Chef USA winner, Rob Feenie, and is made with pan seared prawns and scallops, roasted tomato sauce, garlic and parmesan crostini. I was really impressed by the size and taste of the scallops, which were generous in number and hidden throughout the pasta.

I made a little video of the dishes, which you can view by clicking here, or use the player below.

Westcoast Pocket from Cactus Club

I went for lunch at their location at Georgia and Seymour in downtown Vancouver, and enjoyed the Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla with Caesar Salad (pictured below, $10.99 before tax). The restaurant gets quite busy at lunch, and I think the chef didn’t have very much time for presenting the dish, because it wasn’t impeccably styled like you might find at a high-end restaurant. But the quesadillas tasted great, really satisfying, and I liked the home-made black bean salsa that they used (which had some corn niblets).

The chicken, chipotle mayo, black bean salsa and cheese were accompanied by an amazing sour cream cilantro sauce and some ordinary salsa. It was good value to get a half Caesar salad included in the price. I’ll definitely go back and order this again!

The restaurant is conveniently located within walking distance of Vancouver’s sports stadiums (GM Place Stadium and BC Place Stadium), as well as the Vancouver main library downtown and the Queen Elizabeth theatre. It is accessible by either the Stadium skytrain station or the Granville skytrain station.

White Spot is open for breakfast starting at 6:30am, and is popular for brunch and dinner as well.

For more info, check out my previous reviews: Part 4 – Kitsilano Location, Part 3 – BC Ferries, Part 2 – Salmon Burger, Part 1 – Chicken Gai Yang.

Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla & Caesar ($10.99) from White Spot restaurant in Vancouver.

The restaurant has several locations around the Vancouver area, including the Kitsilano location (which I visited), Surrey and Delta, Richmond, Burnaby, Langley, Aldergrove, Coquitlam, and more (even Victoria and Naniamo too). View their web site for a list of their other locations.

White Spot is a great place to go for a relaxing breakfast or brunch, or a casual dinner or lunch too. I had a gift certificate coupon that I had won in a 5k race, so was able to get one of their Legendary Burger Platters for free, which normally costs $8.99 (and comes with fries and coleslaw). My friend ate the burger platter with fries and I ordered another Legendary Burger platter with a Caesar Salad, which was $9.98 (pictured below). Yum! Be sure to ask for lettuce and tomato on your burger if you like it, as the toppings are no extra charge.

For more photos from White Spot please view my previous reviews: Part 3 – BC Ferries, Part 2 – Salmon Burger, Part 1 – Chicken Gai Yang.

Legendary Burger Platter (with Caesar salad, $9.98) from White Spot restaurant in Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

producer4000 writes on Dinehere.ca (click here to read review):

You don’t go to a plumber to fix your car, so don’t go to a brewery to eat. Yeah, I know what you’re gonna say. Anyhow, we went at noon on Saturday to sample the important stuff. Of the seven brewed on property, none were bad and three were superb and to my liking. The hefeweisen, Red Truck Ale and India Brown Ale were worth the trip. My beer maid was practically like family and the brewmaster was friendly yet very serious about his brews.

Even though I don’t drink beer at work lunches, the Yaletown Brew Pub is a favorite place for me and my coworkers to visit at lunch. I have been skeptical about the food at YBC having had a very, very greasy pizza there once, and the Macaroni and Cheese at $13.99 seems a bit pricy (but who knows, maybe it’s really good! I wonder how it compares to the Mac and Cheese at the Templeton…)

But the YBC has recently added some affordable Asian-influenced dishes to their menu, such as the Classic Kung Pao Chicken ($9.99, pictured below) which was served with toasted chilies, roasted peanuts, garlic, peppers, and jasmine rice. It was nicely presented and tasted surprisingly good.

I’m not the only one who was surprised! cocoeater writes on Dinehere.ca (click here to read):

Was a bit hesitant on ordering an Asian dish from this brew pub but they do have a lot of Asian noodle dishes on the menu. The Singapore noodles were very good with lots of meat and shrimp. Very surprised.

For more info and another photo please view Part 1. To view their Lunch and Dinner menus, please visit their web site.

Kung Pao Chicken ($9.99) from Yaletown Brewing Company in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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.

Sushi combinations (such as those pictured below) go for around $6.00, or for a quick bite, try one of their sushi “burritos” ($2 to $3, assorted varieties) which are a sushi rollup that is not cut into pieces, making it easy to eat on the way to the next nightclub! The restaurant also caters well to vegetarians, with a great veggie sushi combo.

Late at night, Kuroshio takes on a party-like atmosphere with a good subwoofer/sound system, and a steady stream of nightclub goers passing through. It’s next door to the Megabite pizza on the corner of Granville and Nelson streets.

The restaurant also can prepare large sushi party trays for $30 (please call the restaurant a day in advance to order). I live near by, and my party guests have really enjoyed these trays. For more photos and info please view Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1.

Sushi in downtown Vancouver, open late.

Late night sushi in downtown Vancouver on Granville Street.

At lunch time, there are some great specials which include a salad, spring roll, a main entree and rice for $8.00 before tax and tip. Service is fast and attentive, and the restaurant’s decor is pleasant and inviting. Urban Thai Bistro also serves a good selection of vegetarian and tofu dishes which make it a regular place to visit for some of my vegetarian friends. Dinner time prices are also reasonable, in the $12 to $18 per person range.

Pictured below is Lunch Special 76S ($8.00), which their menu describes as beef with green curry paste, eggplants, bell peppers, peas, basil leaves and coconut milk. It is also served with a spring roll and a green salad (not pictured).

For more photos and info, please view Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1. Their menu is also available on their website.

Beef with green curry paste, eggplants, bell peppers, peas, basil leaves & coconut milk

The Beatty Street Grill is located in the Georgian Court Hotel which is near BC Place Stadium and GM Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver.

For more photos and info about this restaurant / sports bar please visit Part 2 or Part 1.

Chicken and Brie Cheese Panini (The Parisian Panini) from Beatty Street Bar and Grill in Vancouver. ($11.99 before tax and tip.)

The restaurant appears to be under new ownership, and from what I can tell, the food has improved, but the place seems to be a bit messier than before. This is definitely not a place to take someone to impress them! However if you want to get full on tasty vegetarian food for $6.00, order their “Chef’s special” (pictured below) and if it’s a nice day, take your plate out to the small patio.

Chef's special from Deserts Restaurant on Commercial Drive.

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.

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

The Beatty Street food menu is fairly basic, but quite well executed, with daily specials such as Fish and Chips on Fridays, a soup and sandwich special, burgers, pastas, and the usual appies. Prices for lunch are in the $10 to $15 range, which are quite reasonable considering the downtown location. I especially enjoy their pastas, such as the Chicken Pesto Pasta ($13.99, click here for photo), and the Prawn Linguini ($14.99, pictured below). The Prawn and Mussel Linguini was prepared in a simple way, with a basic tomato sauce, lots of yummy cheese, several prawns that were hidden throughout the pasta, and some mussels which I quickly devoured. My only suggestion for this dish would be to add even more prawns, but I was quite satisfied regardless.

This restaurant is located in the Georgian Court Hotel, a popular downtown Vancouver hotel for tourists and business travelers alike. For some more photos of the Beatty Street Bar and Grill please view Part 1.

(above) Prawn Linguini pasta at Beatty Street Bar and Grill ($14.99)

Pictured below is a delicious chicken dish (of which I forgot the name, priced around $11 and  included soup and rice). Also shown below is the Laksa Prawns dish ($9.50). The Laksa Prawns featured some succulent cooked prawns served with inari bean curd, fish cakes, and noodles in a rich broth made with coconut milk(?) and some hot spices. This was a real treat and I finished every last drop!

For some more info and photos, please view Part 1.

(above) Singaporean Chicken dish, also served with rice and soup.

(above) a Singaporean dish, the Laksa Prawns ($9.50)

Pictured below are the Ebi Sunomono Salad, Tuna and Salmon Sashimi, Pan Fried Gyoza, Sunshine Roll, and Yam Tempura.

Our total bill came out to $20 per person including tax and tip (including some items not pictured). View Part 3 for more photos and more info.

(above) Ebi sunomono salad (shrimp and cold noodles in a sweet tangy broth)

(above) Tuna and Salmon sashimi

(above) Pan fried Gyoza

(above) Sunshine Roll sushi

(above) Japanese Yam Tempura from Honjin Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver

White Spot (web site) is a chain of restaurants that serves Canadian/American style food. This downtown location (80 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, phone 604-662-3066) is really close to downtown theatres, the Granville St. Entertainment district, and BC Place Stadium (home of the BC Lions Football Team) as well as GM Place Stadium (home of the Vancouver Canucks). View Part 1 for more info and another photo from White Spot.

Salmon burger from White Spot in downtown Vancouver ($11.99)

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)

Ebi Sunomono Salad – with shrimp, $3.50

Sunshine roll with mango (other pieces not pictured, $11.95)

Dynamite Roll (shrimp tempura) – $4.25

Tuna and salmon sashimi (9 pieces, $11.50)

Tuna and Salmon Nigiri Sushi (Tuna: $1.50 per piece, Sockeye Salmon: $2.00 per piece)

Click here for the printable menu.

Nu Restaurant is located right out on the water on the north/downtown side of False Creek, underneath the Granville Bridge. There is ample free parking available in a lot shared with the Stonegrill restaurant (another restaurant worth visiting which is located in the same building, one floor above Nu).

To start, I enjoyed the Pan Seared Bayne Sound Scallops, with pickled mushrooms, cauliflower puree, and red wine jus ($16.10, pictured below). The scallops were really tender and tasted great! As a main course, I tried the Roasted Cornish Game Hen with smoked local gouda, braised swiss chard, wild BC mushrooms, and rich chicken jus ($26.10, also pictured below). The serving of Game Hen was fabulous, with a really prime cut of meat and a great combination of the cheese, mushrooms, rich jus and vegetables. I finished off this fantastic meal with a Passion Fruit Sponge Cake ($7.90, pictured below) which was light and refreshing.

The restaurant also features live jazz for Sunday brunch with Juno nominee Melody Diachun. Please call the restaurant (604-646-4668) for more info about the live music, or check out their web site for their menu.

Pan Seared Bayne Sound Scallops ($16.10) at Nu Restaurant in Vancouver

Cornish Game Hen at Nu Restaurant in Vancouver ($26.10)

Passion Fruit Sponge Cake at Nu Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada ($7.90)

Mexican scrambled eggs (Huevos a la Mexicana)

Fresh Mexican salsa and guacamole from the Mexican restaurant Tequila Kitchen in Vancouver.

Marmalade is a great place to go for cocktails or dinner, and the restaurant is also open for lunch, weekday breakfast, and weekend brunch. Visit their web site for their current menu and specials.

Enjoy dishes that bring out the best of London-style cuisine, such as the Chelsea Flair (sauteed wild sockeye salmon with red onion marmalade, served on a bed of sauteed potatoes, $17.95) or the Knightsbridge Chic (half garlic herb-roasted game hen served with tomato ragout and saffron rice, $16.95). Or if you’re looking for something a little more traditional, there’s always the comforting and satisfying Shepherd’s Pie ($12.50, served with mixed greens) which is a rich stew served with mashed potatoes, vegetables and a tasty gravy. Pictured below are some of the chef’s creations.

Mushroom at Marmalade Kitchen and Bar

Tuna at Marmalade Kitchen and Bar (photos courtesy of the restaurant)

The minimalistic decor evokes some great restaurants and hotels I experienced while visiting the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, which catered mainly to Mexicans on vacation rather than American tourists.

Susan Hollis writes, “Tequila Kitchen encourages diners to taste the soul food of Mexico”, and I agree – the fresh guocamole, home-made salsa, and corn tortillas stuffed with scrumptious goodness brought me back to the streets of the towns I visited in Mexico. CityFood Magazine has some photos and reveals that owner Laura Enriquez spent over twenty years running successful restaurants in Playa Del Carmen.

Pictured below are items from Tequila Kitchen’s signature Lunch Platter ($13) which is an affordable way to try a variety of tasty temptations, including: guacamole, salsa, 1 Tostada de Pollo (shredded chicken on an oven baked tortilla topped with lettuce, avocado, green salsa, onion cream and cheese), 2 Tacos de Cochinita (pulled pork slowly cooked in juicy annatto sauce in soft corn tortillas with marinated red onions), 2 Tacos de Rajas (Poblano rajas, sauted chicken and onions with cheese in a creamy sauce served in soft corn tortillas), rice, beans & salad. Visit the restaurant’s web site for their current dinner menu.

Mexican Tacos at Tequila Kitchen in Vancouver (included with the Lunch Platter)

Salsa and guocamole.

Tostada de Pollo (included in the Lunch Platter)

This downtown Vancouver restaurant focuses on seafood, with selections such as the ling cod (served with ginger, baby bok-choy vegetable, and a black bean reduction, $22, pictured below), and the wild BC salmon (with Asian BBQ sauce and a snow pea salad, $22, also pictured below). We also tried and enjoyed the miso sake asparagus roll ($8, with mushrooms, marinated tofu, spicy hoisin glaze, pictured below), the wok tossed squid (not pictured, $8), and the creme brulee for dessert (pictured below, $8, served with yummy shortbread cookies).

The restaurant has hip, tasteful decor that is reminiscent of the modern restaurants in recent James Bond movies, and can easily accommodate large groups or provide a more intimate atmosphere for a romantic dinner. Goldfish Pacific Kitchen also has an extensive wine list and a lively bar area that is popular with the upwardly mobile urban socialites of Vancouver’s “yuppie” Yaletown neighborhood.

Unfortunately the restaurant does not cater very well to vegetarians, with only two vegetarian main courses (although the kitchen would most likely accommodate special dietary needs if required). Valet parking is available, and the restaurant is quite near to the Canada Line train station which will be operational in 2009. Visit their web site for the Goldfish menu and more info.

Ling Cod seafood at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen ($22)

Wild BC Salmon at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen ($22)

Miso sake asparagus roll at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen ($8) – the sake is quite strong in this dish!!

Creme Brulee for dessert ($8). The shortbread cookies were so tasty!

My family always chooses to dine at Ridge Garden for big get-togethers, where we order off the banquet menu and share many dishes.

Prices are reasonable: for a huge meal including soup, crab, and at least one dish per person, the total cost came out to around $20 each including tax. There were enough leftovers for a couple more meals at home too! The Ridge Garden restaurant also offers Chinese food delivery to the nearby Vancouver vicinity, as well as take-out.

Pictured below are the Hot and Spicy Crab (market price), the hot pot with chicken and black fungus (very tasty, believe me!), and the house soup (flavorful and savory). Ample free parking is available in the lot just north of the restaurant on Arbutus street, and the restaurant is also accessible by bus (view easy transit directions to the restaurant).

Hot and spicy crab, prepared Chinese style

Chicken and black fungus Chinese hot pot

Chinese soup (very flavorful)

See Part 1 for more photos and info.

Combo A (around $9.95) – Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Salad Roll, Vermicelli noodles, and Vietnamese BBQ meat balls.

More photos and info: view Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

Pasta with breaded chicken breast and cheese ($14)

Hamburger and fries (around $13)

Chicken Pesto Pasta ($13.99)

The mall is really close to GM Place Stadium and BC Place Stadium, as well as the Stadium skytrain station, and it’s a convenient place to stop for a bite to eat before the Canucks hockey game or BC Lions Football.

The food court at Tinseltown mall is on the level below the movie theatres. Taste of India Restaurant provides a healthy and delicious alternative to the other fast food outlets such as Taco Time and Vana Vietnamese.

At Taste of India they make their Naan bread fresh to order – I was really surprised: it only takes about a minute for them to roll the dough and bake it, and it tasted awesome! Pictured below are two different orders of Combo 2, which includes two items of your choice from their menu with rice and Naan bread for $6.25. Some vegetarian items are available.

Indian food with freshly made naan bread ($6.25)

Indian mixed vegetables, Curry Chicken, and Naan bread ($6.25)

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)