Maruchu Japanese BBQ Dining (2065 – 4580 #3 Road, Richmond, BC, Canada, phone 604-214-3770) offers an authentic Japanese version of the popular Korean BBQ style dinner, where you are given marinated meats and cook them yourself at a grill at your table. If you’ve tried Korean BBQ before you’ll find the Japanese style quite similar, but perhaps a bit less spicy. Reservations are recommended, as the restaurant is quite small and gets full on weekends. Price per person is in the $20-30 range, depending on how hungry you are!

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!

Tomokazu Japanese Restaurant (20-1128 West Broadway, Vancouver, phone 604-677-0426) is my favorite place for all you can eat sushi in Vancouver. The deluxe menu ($22.95 per person) includes many delicious items (some of which are pictured below) that one can usually find only at a-la-carte Japanese restaurants. For more photos please visit Part 2 and Part 1.

Tuna Tataki and Beef Tataki

Ebi sunomono salad (with prawn)

Spicy seafood cone and soft-shell-crab roll

Assorted sushi

Assorted sushi

Assorted sashimi

Tropika (web site, 1128 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-737-6002) is one of Vancouver’s most popular Malaysian and Thai restaurants. Located in the heart of the trendy downtown Robson Street shopping district, Tropika is a good sized restaurant with modern, upscale decor, but more importantly, really outstanding food.

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!