Cactus Club (web site) is a chain of trendy, popular restaurants with great food, fun atmosphere, and awesome service.

Their downtown Yaletown location (357 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-685-8070) is conveniently located in one of Vancouver’s most upscale and chic neighborhoods, a short taxi ride from any hotel in the downtown core. They also provide valet parking.

As an appetizer I enjoyed the Westcoast Pocket ($4.00, pictured below), which is an inventive creation that is made from sushi rice, salmon, Japanese Inari (bean curd wrapper), and is garnished with pickled ginger and Japanese masago. The Westcoast Pocket is one of my favorite menu items at Cactus Club and I seem to order one every time I’m there.

As a main course, I selected the 9oz Sirloin Steak (with four mushroom demi-glace: shitake, portabello, button, and crimini mushrooms, $27, also pictured below). The steak was juicy and tender – truly satisfying!

To finish this fabulous meal I enjoyed the fresh baked apple pie ($7.50, also pictured below). If by any chance you have some room left over for dessert, I highly recommend the apple pie! It was made with sweet and slightly tart ripe apples, and the flaky crust was heavenly.

If you’re interested in Live Jazz, be sure to check out their West Vancouver location (855 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC, phone, 604-922-1707) which features the Geoff Peters Trio on select Tuesday nights.

Westcoast pocket at Cactus club- like sushi but better! ($4.00)

Sirloin steak at Cactus Club (with four- mushroom demi glace) – $27

Fresh baked apple pie at Cactus Club ($7.50)

Cardero’s Restaurant (web site, 1583 Coal Harbour Quay, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-669-7666) is an upscale destination for seafood, steaks, wok dishes, and pizza. It’s a generously sized restaurant that sits out on a pier in the Coal Harbour marina, with great waterfront and dock-side views. This is an impressive place to entertain visitors to Vancouver, have a fancy business lunch, or even enjoy a romantic dinner with live music later in the evening.

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)

Ricky’s All Day Grill (web site, 104-111 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-602-9233) serves all day breakfasts, pizza, steak, sandwiches, rice bowls, and more. This location is just steps away from GM Place Stadium and BC Place Stadium, as well as the Stadium skytrain station and Chinatown.

Pictured below is the “BBQ Breakie bowl” ($11), which their menu describes as “Bourbon BBQ sauce brushed over ground-steak burger, 3 scrambled eggs, green onion, diced tomatoes, and grated cheese on seasoned chunky potatoes with red onion, topped with ranchero-hollandaise and your choice of toast.” I quite liked it, although it was a lot of food for lunch!

BBQ Breakie Bowl ($11)