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.

Wild Ginger (web page, map, reviews, 2015 – 88 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-893-8608) is a Korean – Chinese fusion restaurant in the International Village Mall, hidden away behind the Tinseltown Mall food court. To find this restaurant, go up to the food court level in Tinseltown / International Village mall and look across from the center escalators for the entrance to the restaurant in the middle of the food court. (The food court is one level below the popular Cinemark Tinseltown movie theatres.)

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)

The Scotiabank Theatre in Vancouver (map, 900 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-630-1407) is a large movie theatre located in downtown Vancouver at the corner of Burrard and Smithe. Formerly named the Paramount, this movie theater has 9 screens and shows all the latest new releases. Inside the Scotia Theatre you’ll find stylish, modern decor, big screens with comfortable reclining seats, and several fast food restaurants including Taco Bell, Burger King, and KFC.

View the theatre’s website for the latest showtimes. Below are some photos of the Scotia Theater taken from Vancouver’s Burrard Street (which is accessible by the Burrard Skytrain station (subway).

If you’re actually looking for a Scotiabank Banking Branch with ATM, there is a full service branch just up the street at the corner of Burrard and Nelson (map).

Another movie theatre in the downtown area is Tinseltown Theatres, which is in the International Village Mall at 88 W Pender, across from the Stadium Skytrain station.

(above) Scotiabank Theater in Vancouver

(above) Scotia Bank Theatre in downtown Vancouver

Centro Mediterranean Grill (web site, phone 604-694-0202, address: 901 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada) is located on the corner of Smithe and Granville in downtown Vancouver (pictured below). Their website describes that Centro is a popular lunch spot for lawyers and judges from the nearby courthouse, and it’s also a popular place for night-time concert-goers being really close to the Orpheum Theatre and Granville Street night clubs. From their web site:

Concert and nightclub-goers are turning on to Centro’s convenient proximity to most of Vancouver’s late night venues. Whether you are attending a Diana Krall concert at The Orpheum or going to shake your bon bon at The Caprice or The Commodore Ballroom, Centro will get you there in style and with time to spare. We’re located within easy walking distance of movie theatres, dance floors and the entire Entertainment District. Centro specializes in late night, Mediterranean style dining. On weekends, you can even stop in for a bite after the show since our kitchen stays open until 1 a.m.

Photo by Geoff Peters

Taste of India Restaurant is a fast food restaurant located in the Tinseltown Food Court at International Village mall (view map, address: 88 W Pender, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-806-0799) on the edge of downtown Vancouver.

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)

Vana Vietnamese Cuisine is a fast food vendor at the Tinseltown mall (view map, address: 88 W Pender, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-806-0799), on the level below the movie theatres (which, incidentally have discounted movies on Tuesdays, for $8.75 a ticket). 

The food court is cash only, but some great deals can be had here, including the Vietnamese crepes with salad (pictured below, around $5.50). There is also an excellent Korean/Chinese fusion full-service sit-down restaurant in the mall called Wild Ginger (click here for review).

For more info on the mall’s location and food court, please visit my previous review (click here). It’s located really close to GM Place Stadium, the Stadium skytrain station, and BC Place Stadium downtown, on the border between the main downtown area and Chinatown / downtown east side.

Vietnamese crepes with hot sauce and salad ($5.50)

Wild Ginger Restaurant (web site, 604.893.8608, 2015 – 88 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC) is a spacious, 120 seat restaurant hidden away behind the Tinseltown Mall food court, on the second level of the mall below the movie theatres. The Asian Pacific post writes:

“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.

Tinseltown is a relatively new (and still sparsely occupied) shopping mall with a large movie theatre complex located on the border between downtown Vancouver and the downtown East Side / Chinatown area. This is an area of town that is in transition, with many fancy new condos being constructed, but still is one of Vancouver’s more graphic parts of town (88 W Pender, Vancouver 604-806-0799). Tinseltown and its food court are easily accessible by Skytrain, just steps away from the Stadium station and GM Place Stadium. The food court is cash only and some really good deals can be found here, such as a heaping plate of Thai fast food for only $5.00 (pictured below). Also check out the salad rolls made fresh to order from the Vina Vietnamese restaurant (served with peanut sauce – yum!).