The Templeton (web site, map, 1087 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-685-4612) is one of Vancouver’s oldest classic diners (with original furnishings and jukeboxes at tables dating from the 50’s). However, don’t let the classic decor fool you into thinking the food will be, well, typical 50’s greasy diner fare. The Templeton’s food has been modernized to fit the healthy lifestyle of many Vancouverites.

You’ll find good selections for vegetarians such as the Portobello Mushroom Burger (Marinated Portobello, grilled asiago cheese on multigrain bun, $8.50) and the Pesto Grilled Veggie Lasagna (with organic noodles, pesto, zucchini, red peppers, fresh tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella, tangy tomato sauce, and side mixed organic greens, $11). Non-vegetarians will also find plenty of choices here too, such as the organic, free range chicken burger, or the free range New York Striploin steak.

I enjoyed The Med Quesadilla (pictured below, made with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, green olives, aged white cheddar, fresh tomato salsa and sour cream, $11). The gigantic portion and creative ingredients made the dish really satisfying, and I didn’t miss the meat. My friend ordered the Ahi Tuna Steak, $14, which I’ve had before too and liked.

The Templeton restaurant also serves great breakfasts (view Part 1 for a picture of their eggs).

Med Quesadilla ($11) from the Templeton restaurant in Vancouver

A friend dropped by last night with some shrimp that was just caught off of Vancouver Island. I looked for a recipe that would showcase the shrimp and found “Pasta with Shrimp Scampi” at Cooks.com (click here to view recipe). I first heated some olive oil in a pan and sauteed some chopped Jalapeno peppers and garlic. I then added the shrimp which I had peeled and deveined. After cooking the shrimp for a few minutes, I removed the shrimp from the pan and added white wine, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and heated for a few minutes. Then I put the shrimp back in the pan with butter, salt, and lemon juice. I tossed some cooked spaghettini with the shrimp mixture and some fresh parsley, and voila, it was ready to eat (see picture below). The shrimp was bursting with flavor and I gobbled everything up, even though the recipe is supposed to feed 4 people!

Pasta with Shrimp Scampi

East Garden Restaurant (map, 2888 Belmont Avenue, Victoria, BC, Canada, phone: 250-598-1232) is a Chinese restaurant hidden away in a residential neighborhood in Victoria, near the Hillside shopping centre.

The restaurant is very popular for take out and is a local favorite. The restaurant has a large, bright and well-kept dining area that would be suitable for large groups, families, or friends looking for casual dining. We ordered the Dinner Combination for Two, which was around $15 each and also included rice and soup (items pictured below).

The waitress kindly allowed us to substitute some dishes in the combination at a small extra price. I thought the food was really tasty, as well as generously portioned. Our total bill before tip (but including tax) was $33.99, which is quite reasonable considering how many dishes were included. We had lots of food left over, almost enough for another whole meal!

(For a photo of the exterior of the restaurant please visit Tourism Mall.)

(above) Won ton soup at East Garden restaurant

(above) Chinese Beef and Broccoli from East Garden restaurant in Victoria.

(above) Chow Mein noodles from East Garden restaurant

(above) Deep fried prawns and pork from East Garden Chinese restaurant

(above) Breaded chicken with peanuts