Moxie’s Classic Grill (web site, address: 180 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, phone 604-684-8434) is a contemporary chain restaurant that serves Canadian style food. Moxie’s has a large and varied menu, ranging from affordable entrees such as burgers, sandwiches, and rice bowls, to more upscale and expensive choices such as the “Land Sea Grill” – a plate that includes a 4 oz steak, a skewer of prawns, and a fillet of salmon, as well as your choice of mashed potatoes, stuffed baked potato, or fries, and a seasonal vegetable, all for $22.99 (pictured below). In my experience, Moxie’s has served our large office groups quite well in the past, but during the busy lunch rush, it is best to make a reservation if you have a large group.

Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant (web site, 255 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, phone 604-879-8998) has an eclectic set of menus with everything from the familiar sushi rolls, sashimi, and teriyaki, to more exotic rolls with ingredients such as cream cheese, and names like “Appetizer for Sumo Wrestler” and “Happy Unagi Roll”. Don’t miss the house specialty, which is okonomiyaki (pictured below) – also known as Japanese pizza – a crepe-like creation made with seafood or your choice of other tasty ingredients ($7.95). Their drinks are excellent too: on a hot day try one of their daiquiris made with fruit slush and rum ($5.25), or one of their non-alcoholic fruit slushies ($3.65).

Sushi California (501A North Rd, at corner of Austin and North Road, Coquitlam, phone 604-931-8284) is a great place for reasonably priced, tasty sushi combinations. It’s located within walking distance of Lougheed Mall and the Lougheed skytrain station. The spicy tuna combination is my favorite item: it’s priced around $8.00 and includes spicy tuna sashimi, spicy tuna roll, and kappa (cucumber roll) maki. Pictured below is the Alaska roll which is around $3.00 and tasted really fresh.