The Hamilton Street Grill (web site, 1009 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, phone 604.331.1511) is a popular steakhouse in Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown neighborhood. For lunch, enjoy a burger, steak, sandwich, or pasta, or be adventurous and try one of the tapas such as the crab cake, mussels Diablo, or wrapped prawns. I’ve found the food quality to be consistently high at this restaurant, and my Fresh Grilled BC Salmon (pictured below) was no exception. The Hamilton Street Grill also hosts wine tasting events: be sure to ask your server if you are interested.

The Keg (restaurant web site, 1499 Anderson Street, phone 604-685-4735) brings their famed restaurant chain’s steaks to one of Vancouver’s cultural and tourist hotspots, Granville Island, located across False Creek from downtown Vancouver underneath the Granville bridge. Currently the Keg is featuring a special called “Lobster Summer“, where until August 19th you can go all out and order a whole 2 lb lobster, or enjoy a half lobster with a steak, or perhaps a dish such as the Grilled Chicken and Seafood (for $20.95, pictured below) which features lobster as an ingredient. Prices for entrees are in the $20 to $40 range, and the taste is well worth the cost. The grilled chicken and seafood entree was delicious: a grilled chicken breast was topped with garlic sauteed shrimp, lobster, asparagus, and a white wine and butter sauce. The Keg’s roasted garlic mashed potatoes can’t be beat!

Da Gino Ristorante Italia (475 West Georgia St, phone (778) 371-7355) is a welcoming Italian restaurant across the street from the Vancouver Main Library downtown. The pristine white tablecloths, wine glasses, and suit-attired servers gave me the impression that this is a “fine dining restaurant” but looking at the prices I was pleasantly surprised. For lunch, entrees were in the $10 – 14 range, and for dinner I think they aren’t much more. I really enjoyed my clam linguini (which had another, fancier Italian name which I can’t remember). Clams were served in their shells on a bed of perfectly al-dente pasta. Yum!