Archive for February, 2006

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Bosa vows to enhance Lions Gate film studio

Saturday, February 4th, 2006

Bruce Constantineau
Sun

Lions Gate officials Nat Bosa (left), Paul Clausen and Richard Weir plan to expand studio business. Photograph by : Bill Keay, Vancouver Sun

Condo developer Nat Bosa already knew the fears that would arise as soon as he announced his $41.6-million purchase last week of Lions Gate Studios in North Vancouver.

Skeptics might see a savvy builder buying a 14-acre site to become the future home for a series of highrise condo towers.

But Bosa insists those fears are off base. He said he bought the film production facility to complement his existing Mammoth Studios operation in Burnaby, and he wants to become a major player in the $1-billion-plus B.C. film industry.

“We bought a business and we plan to enhance it,” he said in an interview. “We intend to get bigger at it and better at it.”

Bosa has already met with City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto to assure him Bosa Development Corp. wants to expand the film business on the North Shore and the mayor was relieved by Bosa’s visit, admitting he was concerned about the film studio’s future under an owner best known for building upscale residential units.

“I’m much more reassured now that they’re looking out for the best interests of the studio,” Mussatto said. “I think it will be a real win for the city because he may well want to expand the studios at some point.”

The chance to buy Lions Gate Studios first arose last October when a real estate broker approached Bosa with a proposal, as studio owner Lionsgate Entertainment Corp. was looking to shed what it considered a non-core asset. The North Vancouver studio has eight sound stages with a total of 121,000 square feet of space, and has operated near full capacity since it opened in 1989.

Recent feature films shot at the facility include Man About Town starring Harrison Ford, and R.V. starring Robin Williams, while 2006 projects include Scary Movie 4 and Chaos Theory.

Bosa said the synergies of combining Lions Gate with Mammoth Studios and its four huge sound stages (totalling 307,000 square feet) were obvious, so he essentially told his senior executives to buy it because the deal made sense.

The 61-year-old builder first entered the film business about four years ago when he bought a Burnaby warehouse that would eventually become Mammoth Studios. Despite being a non-expert in film production — “I know absolutely zip!” — he recognized that the building had tremendous film-production potential as soon as he walked in.

“It had these 40-foot-high ceilings and huge amounts of space,” Bosa recalled. “I had been to Universal Studios enough times with my kids to know that this was a perfect place to produce films.”

So Bosa Development paid $16.65 million for the property and invested millions more to turn Mammoth into a home for productions like The Santa Clause 2 and X-Men 3.

“To be honest, we invested a lot of money there without a helluva lot of knowledge,” Bosa said. “It was a gut-feel type of thing. I didn’t panic when we went through a few months where we didn’t have any revenue, and we were proven to be right because now it’s in full use and will be for the rest of the year.”

Bosa has retained the Lions Gate Studios management team to run his merged operation — including studio head Peter Leitch and director of operations Paul Clausen. It will be their job to attract film and television productions, he said, while Bosa focuses on being a great landlord that provides excellent production facilities.

“These guys are going to get all the backing they need to make this the best there is, I’m not kidding you,” Bosa said. “We’re here to make this a great business.”

Lionsgate Entertainment began in Vancouver but now does most of its business in California, so Bosa plans to get rid of the Lions Gate Studios name and rebrand its merged studio operations with a new name by the end of this year.

He said that if a growing B.C. film industry needs even more production space in the future, he wants to provide it. He said expansion of Mammoth is a possibility and he doesn’t rule out future acquisitions.

“We don’t rule anything out because we’re not here to maintain the status quo. If the industry needs more space, we won’t sit on the sidelines like some waterboy. We’ll be like a halfback that wants to get out there and carry the ball.”

Bosa, who is currently developing new condo projects in B.C. and California, said entering the film business hasn’t been the fulfillment of some life-long dream but he’s always up for a new challenge.

“It wasn’t a dream or anything but you never stop thinking about new avenues,” he said. “The mind has to travel.”

Bosa feels that despite a rising Canadian dollar, the B.C. film and television production sector still has a bright future and expects business to pick up as the popularity of reality television declines. He noted the B.C. Interior lumber industry has thrived, despite a rising Canadian currency, and feels the film industry can do the same by providing a great workforce and by being creative and competitive.

Clausen said the B.C. industry dipped in 2004 when the province lost business to Ontario, which extended tax credits that were not offered in B.C. But he said business returned when the B.C. government matched Ontario’s move and expects 2006 to be a strong year for film and television production in the province.

Bosa said the film industry is extremely mobile and doesn’t have to be based in any particular location.

“I’m not saying you have to give the shop away to keep them here but you have to pay attention to what’s going on in other places,” he said. “If somebody is giving something away and you want to compete, you have to be up to it.”

But despite his best intentions, Bosa said he’s not going to sit around and lose piles of money if the film industry retrenches in the future and he’s left with vacant studios on his hands.

“I’m not going to lie,” he said. “If that happens, then I might have to visit the mayor and talk about rezoning the site. But our intention is to play a major role in this industry and we think we have a great future.”

Mussatto said he believes Bosa is in the film industry for the long term.

“I take him at his word — Nat Bosa is a very straight shooter,” he said. “He’s going to give it a great go.”

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

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Mortgage rates climb this week

Friday, February 3rd, 2006

Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press
USA Today

WASHINGTON — Mortgage rates around the country went up this week, with rates on 30-year mortgages climbing to their highest point since late December.

Mortgage company Freddie Mac, in its weekly nationwide survey released Thursday, reported that rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages rose to 6.23% for the week ending Feb. 2. That was up from 6.12% last week and was the highest rate since the week ending Dec. 22.

Rates are rising amid investors’ concerns about inflation flaring up.

“Declines in worker productivity coupled with accelerating labor costs increase the threat of inflation down the road,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Inflationary pressure generated by these two factors pushes long-term mortgage rates upward, which is why we have seen rates rise these last two weeks.”

Before that, rates on 30-year mortgages had been drifting downward.

Meanwhile, rates on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, a popular choice for refinancing a home mortgage, averaged 5.81% this week, up from 5.70% last week.

One-year adjustable rate mortgages increased to 5.33% this week, compared with 5.20% last week. Rates on five-year hybrid adjustable rate mortgages rose to 5.87% this week, from 5.75% last week.

Rising mortgage rates also come in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s decision Tuesday to boost a key short-term interest rate to its highest point in nearly five years, an action aimed at fending off inflation.

The mortgages rates do not include add-on fees known as points. The 30-year and 15-year mortgages, along with the five-year hybrid adjustable rate mortgage, each carried a nationwide average fee of 0.5 point. One-year adjustable rate mortgages had an average fee of 0.7 point.

A year ago, 30-year mortgages averaged 5.63%, 15-year mortgages stood at 5.14%, one-year adjustable-rate mortgages were at 4.23% and five-year hybrid adjustable rate mortgages averaged 5.00%.

“Mortgage rates will surely fluctuate in the weeks and months ahead, but the trend now is for higher rates over the long run,” Nothaft said.

The Mortgage Bankers Association predicts 30-year mortgage rates will rise to about 6.4% by the end of this year. Some analysts, however, believe this rate could end the year closer to 7% if inflation picks up. Either way, rising rates are expected to slow home sales this year.

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Fraser Valley real estate sales reverse trend

Friday, February 3rd, 2006

Beating January 2005’s Multiple Listings Service numbers ‘a great start’

Derrick Penner
Sun

Fraser Valley realtors recorded their third-best January sales month, racking up 1,165 Multiple Listing Service recorded transactions, 38-per-cent higher than the same month last year, the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board reported Thursday.

January’s sales were lower than December’s 1,218 MLS sales, however Jake Siemens, president of the Fraser Valley Real Estate board, said that January’s drop is the “typical market trend,” and he considers beating the January 2005 sales results to be “a great start.”

“In December, experts forecasted more moderation for the year ahead,” Siemens said in a news release. “So far, that’s not the case for the Fraser Valley.”

Siemens was surprised, but not concerned, to see a dramatic increase in new listings in January. Some 2,127 homeowners put their properties on the market in January, up 84.5 per cent from December, giving the Valley an inventory of 4,722 homes.

“That absolutely helped the supply-and-demand issues,” Siemens said.

Fraser Valley housing values also continued to rise. The average price for a single-family home hit $444,471, up 26.5 per cent from January a year ago and higher than the $410,246 average recorded in December.

The average Fraser Valley townhouse sold for $260,445 in January, up 11.8 per cent from January a year ago and still marginally higher than the $259,348 average recorded in December.

And an average apartment in the Fraser Valley sold for $169,473 in January, 24.5-per-cent more than it did a year ago, and slightly more than the $168,465 average price in December.

White Rock had the most expensive real estate in the region, where the average single family home sold for $777,702, which was 49.3-per-cent higher than January, 2005, and even 25.2-per-cent higher than December.

In Surrey, the average single family home hit a price of $436,749, up 23.8 per cent from a year ago and 5.3 per cent from December.

“January has been great, but it’s not necessarily an indication of what’s going to happen for the rest of the year,” Siemens said.

For the rest of the year, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. analyst Cameron Muir said Fraser Valley markets should see price gains slow as listing activity continues to rise.

Muir said it is not surprising to see higher sales in the Fraser Valley because affordability “is becoming increasingly important in the marketplace,” and the Fraser Valley “is increasing being seen as an affordable option.”

Muir added that some of the January buyers may have been drawn into the market to beat mortgage interest-rate increases that are expected to take hold later in the year.

Muir was also not surprised to see more new listings hit the Fraser Valley market in January. He said CMHC is forecasting increased listing activity both in the valley and in Greater Vancouver, which is one of the factors that will slow down price gains. “It’s probably good news to see such strong listing activity as early as January,” Muir said. “I think most homebuyers would appreciate having greater selection to choose from.”

UP IN THE VALLEY:

The Fraser Valley real estate market got off to a brisk start in 2006.

+38%: Increase in unit sales in January 2006 compared to January 2005.

1,165: January unit sales processed on the Multiple Listing Service.

+71%: Increase in dollar value of January 2006 sales compared to January 2005.

$428,455,291: Dollar value of January 2006 sales, up from $250,131,033 in January 2005.

+26.5%: percentage increase in average price of a single-family-detached house in one year.

+$93,000: average price increase of a single-family-detached house in one year, from $351,500 to $444,771.

+11.8%: percentage increase in average price of townhouses, up just over $27,500 to $260,445.

Source: Fraser Valley Real Estate Board

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

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Sales of apartment buildings soar in ’05

Friday, February 3rd, 2006

Overall value of buildings sold jumps 95 per cent

Derrick Penner
Sun

Greater Vancouver apartment buildings were hot properties in 2005, with 162 apartment blocks trading hands, a jump of 21 per cent from 2004, and 21-per-cent spike in the prices paid per suite, up to an average of $146,177, realtor David Goodman reports.

And the overall value of the buildings sold in 2005 was almost $648.5 million, 95 per cent higher than the value of apartment real estate that was sold a year earlier.

Goodman said that although rent increases have not kept pace with rising real estate values, “[the demand] is just a question of many investors around the world being very desirous of real estate [in Greater Vancouver].”

The statistics Goodman has compiled show that the Vancouver market recorded a slightly higher number of transactions, at 83, than suburban markets, where 79 buildings changed hands.

However, the total number of suites that changed hands in the suburbs was dramatically higher. Overall, the 162 building sales in 2005 involved 5,539 apartment suites, which was a 67-per-cent increase from 2004. Some 3,572 suites were in suburban buildings and 1,967 apartments were contained in buildings in Vancouver.

While the number of buildings traded in 2005 doesn’t match the late 1980s, when Goodman recalls the market experiencing some 300 transactions per year, he said the 2005 results reflect strong demand.

Goodman also said that buyers will expect to increase rents beyond the 1.5 per cent to 2.7 per cent rises in 2005 that Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. recorded in its latest rental market report.

Goodman added that a number of his own clients have told him they “are not satisfied with the status quo” on rents.

According to Goodman’s research, apartment real estate values have gone up 30 per cent to 60 per cent in five years in Burnaby, the North Shore and Vancouver’s west side. Rents, however have only gone up 15 per cent.

“Something’s out of whack there,” Goodman said, adding that those select locations are areas that can bear higher rent increases.

Goodman said that vacancy rates in some parts of Burnaby, the North Shore and Vancouver’s west side are below one per cent. He added that high migration to Greater Vancouver will help support the rental market, and keep rents up because many new arrivals will have good incomes, but “but don’t have $100,000 to put down on a condominium.”

Others, however, believe it will still be hard to sell Vancouver renters on higher increases, because they have rental choices in basement suites and condominiums that are not reflected in CMHC vacancy-rate statistics.

“My understanding of what’s going on in the rental market is that [it] is not so tight that landlords have the power to easily pass on rent increases,” said Tsur Somerville, director of the Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate at the University of B.C.’s Sauder School of Business.

Somerville added that Vancouver’s official vacancy rate has always been very low and doesn’t show much variation because “very little of our rental stock” is in apartment buildings.

Somerville also cautioned that rising prices for apartment real estate could have the opposite effect to supporting rent increases.

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

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Apple about to open Windows

Friday, February 3rd, 2006

Intel inside new Macs will offer consumers comfort of the familiar

Jim Jamieson
Province

Atimi Software’s Kevin Desjardine is looking forward to using Windows-on-the-Mac software on Apple computers. Photograph by : Ric Ernst, The Province

Though he believes most people don’t really need it, Vancouver software-development company president Steven Gully expects there will soon be a solution to allow users to load Microsoft’s Windows operating system on Apple Computer’s newest machines now that the latter features processors by Intel Corp.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs stunned the computer hardware and software community last June when he announced the fundamental switch from the PowerPC processor supplied by IBM and Motorola to the Intel chip.

Then he introduced retail products — a desktop and a laptop — six months ahead of schedule at last month’s Macworld trade show. There’s been heated debate online and elsewhere about whether “Windows on the Mac” is currently possible.

In fact, Texan Colin Nederkoorn has already raised nearly $10,000 US on his website as prize money for any developer who can devise a scheme to make Windows XP boot on an Intel Mac.

But Gully, president of Vancouver’s Atimi Software, says he thinks such a capability may be overrated for consumers, although a company like his, which does contract programming and development mainly in the Macintosh environment, could certainly use it.

“There’s going to be a big market for this,” said Gully, whose company also works in the Windows world.

“In the commercial space, there are a lot of times where we need to run a Windows machine, and something like this would really come in handy.”

Microsoft offers a software emulator for Windows on the Macintosh platform called Virtual PC, but it runs slower than a hardware-based version.

Gully says there are advantages for consumers being able to run Windows programs on a Mac, such as being able to have more access to video-game content.

“I would expect that a lot of users want that comfort before they switch from a Windows machine to a Mac,” he said.

“Although talking to friends who have switched, they don’t end up using the Windows applications they thought they would need,” Gully added.

“But there are some holes in the Macintosh [software] space.”

Some Macintosh aficionados have been pondering whether to postpone an upgrade to wait until the major software companies finish upgrading to “universal binaries” within their products so they will function with either PowerPC or Intel-based Macs — work in which Atimi is involved.

In the meantime, Apple is supplying software it calls “Rosetta” that will allow PowerPC-based Mac programs to run on Intel-based Macs.

Gully said he sees no reason to wait, except for those using processor-hungry programs such as Adobe Photoshop.

“For using everyday applications there will be a decrease in performance through Rosetta, but most users won’t notice it.”

© The Vancouver Province 2006

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Restaurants Update For February 2, 2006

Thursday, February 2nd, 2006

Sun

A list of restaurants recommended and anonymously visited by Sun restaurant critic Mia Stainsby.

Prices are per couple for three courses, with a glass of wine each, before tip and taxes.

$ means $50 or less

$$ means $50 to $100

$$$ means more than $100

– – –

– WEST COAST

Aurora Bistro The first fine dining room on Main St. Inventive food, hip spot. 2420 Main St., 604-873-9944. $$

Bishop’s Consistently one of the city’s best. Almost 100 per cent organic foods. 2183 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-2025. $$$

Bin 941 Tapas bar in tiny eclectic space. 941 Davie St., 604-683-1246. $$/$$$

Bin 942 Creative, delectable tapas dishes. 1521 West Broadway, 604-734-9421. $$/$$$

Bridges For fine dining, head upstairs, and for casual, try the downstairs bistro. 1696 Duranleau, 604-687-4400. $$/$$$

Brix Large tapas selection, 60 wines by the glass. 1138 Homer St., 604-915-9463. $$/$$$

Cru Blurs the lines of fine dining, lounge and bistro. Lovely “small plates” or a four-course prix fixe. 1459 West Broadway, 604-677-4111. $$

Diva at the Met High-end food, gorgeously presented. Metropolitan Hotel, 645 Howe St., 604-602-7788. $$$

Feenie’s Comfort food with a modern tweak and quality ingredients. 2563 West Broadway, 604-739-7115. $/$$

Fiction Young crowd, great tapas dishes. 3162 West Broadway, 604-736-7576. $$

Glowbal Grill and Satay Bar Hip, happening destination. Creative chef. 1079 Mainland St., 604-602-0835. $$

Lift Bar and Grill Gorgeously perched over Coal Harbour. Sibling to Monk McQueen’s. 333 Menchions Mews, 604-689-5438. $$$

Lucy Mae Brown Intimate space, assertive dishes. 862 Richards St., 604-899-9199. $$

Nu A sophisticated version of casual dining. Beautiful flavours, great atmosphere. 1661 Granville St., 604-646-4668. $$

Parkside Handsome room in residential West End, richly flavoured food. Great spot. 1906 Haro, 604-683-6912. $$/$$$

Raincity Grill A Vancouver moment by English Bay. Regional food. 1193 Denman St., 604-685-7337. $$$

Watermark Stunning Kits Beach view, sexy architecture, casual food. 1305 Arbutus St., 604-738-5487. $$

West Vies for best restaurant in the city. 2881 Granville St., 604-738-8938. $$$

– ITALIAN

Adesso Neighbourhood Italian spot with light, elegant food. 2201 West First Ave., 604-738-6515. $$

Borgo Antico Tuscan looks. Fine Italian food. 321 Water St., 604-683-8376. $$/$$$

Cin Cin Restaurant and Bar A well-coiffed crowd. Entrees, pasta and pizzas. Nice summer patio. 1154 Robson St., 604-688-7338. $$/$$$

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill Fine Italian cuisine with a light touch. 1133 Hamilton St., 604-688-7466. $$$

Don Francesco Ristorante Romantic, classic Italian restaurant with heart. 860 Burrard St., 604-685-7770. $$$

Incendio West Same as above, but in modern digs. 2118 Burrard St., 604-736-2220. $/$$

La Terrazza Knock-out looks, intelligent and friendly staff, traditional Italian food. 1088 Cambie St., 604-899-4449. $$$

Quattro on Fourth An Italian restaurant with flair. 2611 West Fourth Ave., 604-734-4444. $$/$$$

– CHINESE

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Slurp noodles and chomp on delicious potstickers. Huge menu. 1339 Robson St., 604-685-0871. $

Kirin Seafood Exquisite Cantonese food. City Square, 555 West 12th Ave., 604-879-8038. $$$

Pink Pearl It’s been around forever and is still a going concern. 1132 East Hastings St., 604-253-4316. $

Sun Sui Wah Cantonese cuisine with light, finely tuned flavours. 3888 Main St., 604-872-8822. $$

Wild Rice Modern Chinese food in a sophisticated, hip setting. 117 West Pender St., 604-642-2882. $$

– JAPANESE

Ajisai Sushi Bar Small neighbourhood spot with sushi that sings. 2081West42nd Ave., 604-266-1428. $

Chopstick Cafe/Shiru-Bay Great atmosphere, intriguing izakaya food, budget prices. 1193 Hamilton St., 604-408-9315. $$

En Japanese Restaurant Bucks the usual conformity of Japanese restaurants. Splendid food. 2686 Granville St., 604-730-0330. $$

Gyoza King Gyozas reign supreme. Open late. 1508 Robson St., 604-669-8278. $

Hapa Izakaya Young and stylish; great izakaya-style Japanese food. 1479 Robson St., 604-689-4272. $/$$

Tojo’s Restaurant The topper in this category. Japanese food at its best. 202 — 777 West Broadway, 604-872-8050. $$$

Toshi Sushi Tiny place always packed for the fresh, tasty sushi. 181 East 16th Ave., 604-847-5173. $/$$

Umami A hybrid of Japanese and Mediterranean, the food is ambitious and creative. Good value wines. 572 Davie St., 604-696-9563. $$

Yuji’s Expect the unexpected. Food takes some creative turns. 2059 West Fourth Ave., 604-734-4990. $$

Zest Japanese Cuisine Grazing style modern Japanese menu in cool modern room. 2775 West 16th Ave., 604-731-9378. $$

– FRENCH/BELGIAN

Bacchus Restaurant Some classics, some nouveau. Expect the best. Wedgewood Hotel, 845 Hornby St., 604-689-7777. $$$

Chambar Modern Belgian food. Hot hipster scene. Chef has cooked in a three-star Michelin restaurant. 562 Beatty St., 604-879-7119. $$

Elixir French brasserie in Yaletown; bistro food, haute quality. 322 Davie St., 604-642-0557. $$/$$$

Le Crocodile Refined French with incredible wines to boot. 909 Burrard St., 604-669-4298. $$$

Le Gavroche French food in a charming old house. 1616 Alberni St., 604-685-3924. $$$

Lumiere Chef Rob Feenie redefines restaurants in Vancouver. Tasting menus. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$$

Mistral Authentic Provencal food cooked by former Michelin chef. 2585 West Broadway, 604-733-0046. $$

Pastis French bistro with a lightness of being. 2153 West Fourth Ave., 604-731-5020. $$/$$$

Salade de Fruits Very good value French country bistro. 1551 West Seventh, 604-714-5987. $$

– GREEK

Apollonia Well-prepared Greek food and very good pizzas. 1830 Fir St., 604-736-9559. $/$$

The Main Friendly, funky spot. Wonderful roast lamb. 4210 Main St., 604-709-8555. $$

Maria’s Taverna Friendly service. 2324 West Fourth Ave., 604-731-4722. $$

Stepho’s Nightly lineups because of low prices. 1124 Davie St., 604-683-2555. $

– INDIAN

Akbar’s Own Mogul-style Indian cuisine. 1905 West Broadway, 604-736-8180. $$

Clove Upscale sibling to Clove on Commercial. Modern Indian cuisine. 735 Denman St., 604-669-2421. $/$$

Indica Indian dishes with western tweaks. Charming. 1795 Pendrell St., 604-609-3530. $

Maurya Fine Indian food in glam surroundings. 1643 West Broadway, 604-742-0622. $$$

Rangoli Vij’s casual and take-out next-door sidekick. Impressive. 1488 West 11th Ave., 604-736-5711. $

Tamarind A hip spin-off from the traditional Rubina Tandoori restaurant with modern elements. 1626 West Broadway, 604-733-5335. $$

Vij’s Dishes are a symphony of wondrous flavours. 1480 West 11th Ave., 604-736-6664. $$

Yogi’s Hip, contemporary Indian food, perfect for The Drive. 1408 Commercial Dr., 604-251-9644. $

– SOUTHEAST ASIAN

Banana Leaf Homestyle Malaysian food. 820 West Broadway, 604-731-6333 and 1096 Denman St., 604-683-3333. $$

Chi Modern take on Malaysian and Thai cuisines. 1796 Nanaimo St., 604-215-0078. $$

Kedah House Halal Restaurant Malaysian food with a light, nimble touch. 5750 Fraser St., 604-325-9771. $

Monsoon An “East-West” brasserie with tropical Asian dishes, loads of atmosphere. 2526 Main St., 604-879-4001. $$

Montri Thai Restaurant Some of the best Thai food in the city. 3629 West Broadway, 604-738-9888. $$

Simply Thai On the A-list for Thai food. 1211 Hamilton St., 604-642-0123. $$

– SEAFOOD

Bluewater Cafe and Raw Bar Handsome spot. Impressive seafood, impressive wine list. 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078. $$$

C Chef Robert Clark takes seafood to a new level. 1600 Howe St., 604-681-1164. $$$

Cannery Seafood Fine dining in rustic nautical decor on working waterfront. 2205 Commissioner St., 604-254-9606 $$$

Coast Restaurant Yaletown chic, shares kinship with Glowbal Grill and Satay. Seafood emphasis. 1157 Hamilton St., 604-685-5010. $$$

Fish Cafe Unpretentious, straight-ahead seafood at bargain prices. 2053 West 41st Ave., 604-267-3474. $

Fish House in Stanley Park Bold and imaginative seafood dishes by the creative Karen Barnaby. 8901 Stanley Park Dr., 604-681-7275. $$$

Go Fish Fab fish and chips and much more, dished out of a catering truck, made with fish from the adjacent Fisherman’s Wharf. 1505 West First Ave., 604-730-5040. $

Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House Fresh shucked oysters, cedar plank salmon, grilled chops. High energy. 777 Thurlow St., 604-669-1940. $$$

Rodney’s Oyster House Specializes in very fresh shellfish and oysters. 1228 Hamilton St., 604-609-0080. $$

– AMERICAN

Memphis Blues Barbecue House Slow-cooked, southern style BBQ. Delish. 1465 West Broadway, 604-738-6806; 1342 Commercial Dr., 604-215-2599. $

– VEGETARIAN

Bo Kong Buddhist-based menu using very fresh ingredients. Mild flavours. 3068 Main St., 604-876-3088. $

Greens and Gourmet Meals priced by weight. Flavours from around the world. 2582 West Broadway, 604-737-7373. $

Habibi’s Lebanese food. Not the same old, same old. 1128 West Broadway, 604-732-7487. $

The Naam Wide variety of vegetarian fare. Quiet patio in summer. 2724 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-7151. $

Om Vegetarian Flavourful, fresh Buddhist-based vegetarian food. 3466 Cambie St., 604-873-6878. $

Raw Raw veggie and fruit dishes (preserves enzymes) as well as cooked. Food is 80 to 90 per cent organic. 1849 West First Ave., 604-737-0420. $

– LATIN AMERICA

Banano’s No-frills Venezuelan/Colombian cafe. Delicious arepas. 1223 Pacific Boulevard, 604-408-4228. $

Baru Casually chic South American food for discerning diners. 2535 Alma St., 604-222-9171. $$

Havana Cuban food, tweaked for Commercial Drive. 1212 Commercial Dr., 604-253-9119. $

Latin Quarter Mexican and Mediterranean tapas dishes as well as music in the evenings. 1305 Commercial Dr., 604-251-1144. $$

Lolita’s South of the Border Cantina Casual Mexican food with sparkle. Lots of buzz in the room. 1326 Davie St., 604-696-9996. $$

Mexico Sabroso A slice of Mexico. Very inexpensive, authentic Mexican cafe. 440 West Hastings St., 604-688-7426. $

Mouse and Bean Fresh, homey Mexican food, in a funky space. 207 West Hastings, 604-633-1781. $

Rinconcito Salvadoran Restaurant Fresh cuisine. Lovely pupusas. 2062 Commercial Dr., 604-879-2600. $

Tio Pepe’s Yucatan food, nicely prepared. 1134 Commercial Dr., 604-254-8999. $

– MEDITERRANEAN

Circolo Italian, French, and a little bit of New York. Awesome wine list. 1116 Mainland, 604-687-1116. $$$

Provence Mediterranean Grill The menu is a marriage of French and Italian. Lovely flavours. 4473 West 10th Ave., 604-222-1980 and 1177 Marinaside Cres., 604-681-4144. $$

– EASTERN EUROPEAN, CENTRAL ASIAN

The Budapest Big servings of Hungarian comfort. Smouldering goulash soup. 3250 Main St. 604-877-1949. $

Rasputin Large selection of vodkas, wonderful live music and dishes such as grilled Georgian cornish game hen. 457 West Broadway, 604-879-6675.$$

– NORTH SHORE

Beach House at Dundarave Pier Spectacular setting for brunch by Dundarave Beach. West Coast cuisine. 150 25th St., West Van, 604-922-1414. $$$

Brown’s Restaurant and Bar Casually chic and bustling bistro with burgers, rice bowls, entrees. 1764 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-929-5401. $/$$

Dundarave Fish Market Charming spot; fabulous seafood from the adjoining fish market. 2419 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-922-1155. $

Gusto Di Quattro Cosy, warm. Italian food. 1 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-924-4444 . $$/$$$

La Regalade A truly, deeply French bistro. Wonderful atmosphere. 2232 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-921-2228. $$/$$$

Palki An Indian restaurant with a good grip on the spices. Fresh ingredients. 116 East 15th St., North Van, 604-986-7555. $$

Saltaire Gorgeous roof patio. Good value West Coast food. 2nd floor – 235 15th St., West Van, 604-913-8439. $$

Zen Japanese Restaurant Creative kitchen, quality ingredients. Good sake list. 2232 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-925-0667. $$/$$$

– BURNABY/NEW WEST

The Hart House In Tudor mansion. Exacting West Coast fare. 6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, 604-298-4278. $$$

Orange Room Casual tapas. International flavours. 620 Sixth Ave., New Westminster, 604-520-6464. $$

Pear Tree Small menu, sublime continental food. 4120 Hastings St., Burnaby, 604-299-2772. $$$

Stefanos Restaurant Live music and dancing, Friday and Saturday nights. Mediterranean food with Greek dishes. 315 Columbia St., New Westminster, 604-520-9911. $$

Vassili Souvlaki Greek Taverna Traditional Greek foods with no reticence when it comes to portions. 6558 Kingsway, Burnaby, 604-434-0626. $$

– COQUITLAM, POCO, PORT MOODY

Joey Tomato’s Mediterranean Grill Casual family retaurant. 550 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam, 604-939-3077

John B Pub Above-average pub food. 1000 Austin Ave., Coquitlam, 604-931-5115. $$

Kirin Seafood Restaurant Chinese food for the discriminating palate. 2nd floor, Henderson Place, 1163 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, 604-944-8833. $$/$$$

Pasta Polo Organic wheat pastas, pizzas. Family restaurant. 2754 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam, 604-464-7656. $/$$

– RICHMOND

Also Lounge and Restaurant A blend of Italian/French with Asian accents and high-end presentation. 4200 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-303-9906. $$

The Flying Beaver Bar Funky bar overlooking the Fraser River. 4760 Inglis Dr., Richmond, 604-273-0278. $/$$

Globe at YVR Impressive food, sleek contemporary decor with view of U.S. arrivals terminal. Fairmont Hotel, Vancouver Airport, Richmond, 604-248-3281. $$$

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Noodles and delicious pot stickers, panfried or steamed. 4600 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-273-0871. $

Quilon Restaurant Southern Indian cuisine with notably delicious dosas. 6030 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-303-0011. $$

Sun Sui Wah Impressive way with seafood. 4940 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-8208. $$

Zen Fine Chinese Cuisine Multi-coursed tasting menus and personalized dinners. Excellent. 2015 — 8580 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, 604-233-0077. $$$

– SURREY, WHITE ROCK, DELTA, TSAWWASSEN

Crescent Beach Bistro Rustic country spot. Straight ahead food. 12251 Beecher St., 604-531-1882. $$

Giraffe Charming place, eclectic West Coast menu. 15053 Marine Dr., White Rock, 604-538-6878. $$/$$$

La Belle Auberge In a heritage house in Ladner. Sublime French food. 4856 48th Ave., Ladner, 604-946-7717. $$$

Pearl on the Rock Modern Pacific Northwest cuisine with emphasis on seafood. Delicious fare. 14955 Marine Dr., White rock. 604-542-1064. $$$

Southside Grill West Coast cuisine, tasteful ambience. 1201 — 56th St., Tsawwassen, 604-948-2662. $$/$$$

– FRASER VALLEY

Bacchus Bistro At Domain de Chaberton Estate Winery. Limited hours. Mediterranean food. 1064 — 216th St., Langley. 604-530-9694. $$

Bravo Bistro Swish little bistro, run by former Delilah’s restaurant veterans. 46224 Yale Rd., Chilliwack. 1-604-792-7721. $$

G.M. Restaurant Modest melodic with Indian food. 20726 Lougheed Highway, Maple Ridge, 604-463-7877. $

– SQUAMISH AND WHISTLER

Araxi Restaurant & Bar Handsome Tuscan looks, regional cuisine. Outstanding wine list. 4222 Village Square, Whistler, 604-932-4540. $$/$$$

Ciao Thyme Small and crowded but a budget-minded jewel. Great breakfasts. 4573 Chateau Boulevard, Whistler, 604-932-7051. $

Caramba! Mostly Italian but Spanish, Asian and regional flavours sneak in. 4314 Main St., Whistler, 604-938-1879. $/$$

Fifty Two 80 Bistro Every dish a ‘wow’. Gorgeous room. Four Seasons Hotel, 4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, 604-935-3400. $$$

Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co. The brew pub serves casual fare. The Red Heather dining room offers a finer menu. 37801 Cleveland Ave., Squamish, 604-892-2603. $/$$$

The Roadhouse Diner at Klahanie Pasta, light meals, entrees with West Coast flavours. Shannon Falls, Highway 99, 604-892-5312. $$

La Rua Refined tastes of the Mediterranean with B.C. backups. Romantic. Le Chamois Hotel, 4557 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, 604-932-5011. $$/$$$

Quattro at Whistler Contemporary Italian cuisine. 4319 Main St., Whistler, 604-905-4844. $$/$$$

Rim Rock Cafe Chalet style restaurant consistently offers exquisite food. 2117 Whistler Rd., Whistler, 604-932-5565. $$$

Trattoria di Umberto Tucked away from the throngs but always packed.Lovely affordable Italian food. 4417 Sundial Place, 604-932-5858. $$/$$$

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

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