January « 2008 « Les Twarog Vancouver Real Estate and Condo Blog

Archive for January, 2008

A ‘wow’ in Whistler: $1.9 million townhouses

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

Fitzsimmons Walk broker says price a pre-Games bargain

Sun

The Cressey development company calls the Fitzsimmons Walk architectural style “ Westcoast Alpine Contemporary.”

At Fitzsimmons Walk, sales agent John Ryan reports, the Cressey development company is dressing up the townhouses with ‘ a lot of the elements of a single- family home.’ It is also ‘ accessorizing’ with luxury details like fireplaces in the ensuite bathrooms.

Project: 41 luxury attached townhomes (4 bedroom homes)

Presentation Centre: 7104 Nancy Greene Dr., Whistler

Hours: Daily 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.

Developer: Cressey Development Group

Architect: Howard Bingham Hill Architects

Interior Design: Insight Design Inc.

Size Range: 2,450 — 2,850 sq. ft.

Price Range: Starting at $1.9 million

Telephone: 1-888-932-4114

Web site: www.fitzsimmonswalk.com

Occupancy: Winter 2008-2009

– – –

Whistler’s real estate market, long considered by locals as outrageously expensive, is considered a deal to international buyers, according to one of Whistler’s top realtors.

“People from Europe and the United States are coming and saying ‘wow, there’s good value here’,” says Whistler realtor John Ryan, who has been selling properties in the ski resort community for more than 20 years.

Ryan is the sales director of one of Whistler’s luxury townhome projects, Fitzsimmons Walk, which consists of 41 attached townhomes on a six-acre site. The residences, which start at $1.9 million, will be within walking distance to the village.

“People laugh when you say it’s a bargain at $1.9 million, but there’s a shortage for this type of product. Nothing like it is available on the market. This is the only new pre-sale product in Whistler and nothing is under construction.”

Ryan says buying now means purchasers will be getting “today’s prices” and an “incredible” value when the Olympics happens in 2010.

The homes went on the market last May, and more than half have been sold. Half of those buyers have been international — coming from places like Tokyo, Korea, Singapore and Australia — and the remainder are Vancouver-based.

Ryan says the average per-square-foot price for The Ritz project in Vancouver is approximately $2,300, so the Fitzsimmons — at $850 per square foot — is reasonable by comparison.

He adds that Whistler prices are generally lower than other resort communities in B.C., like Ucluelet and Kelowna.

In many B.C. communities, of course, the assessed values of real estate are on the rise. Overall, values climbed by 16 per cent in 2007 to top $940 billion, according to numbers released earlier this month by the B.C. Assessment Authority.

The Fitzsimmons Walk project is the first multi-family residence project being constructed to the new Whistler Green guidelines, and has just received a Silver LEED standard.

Some of the green features include a high-efficiency irrigation system for landscaping, low- flush toilets and limited off-site lighting. Additionally, at least 15 per cent of all materials used will contain a 20-per-cent recycled content. While big on the green aspects, the project is also considered the ultimate in high-end style.

Features include a “gourmet kitchen” with a Sub Zero fridge, a Wolfe stove and an under-counter wine fridge.

The master ensuite has a see-through fireplace wall at the foot of a deep soaker tub and every home has an overheight double-car underground garage. There’s also a dramatic open-concept wood staircase.

Each home also has its own outdoor “living room” with a hot tub and fireplace, instead of a shared community amenity space.

“We really took a lot of the elements of a single-family home and brought it into the townhomes,” says Ryan.

According to the press brochure, the project reflects “Westcoast Alpine Contemporary.”

The exterior architecture has low, sloping — yet prominent — roof lines, complemented by local, natural materials. Basalt stone is on the base of the building, with wood shingles, board and batten and horizontal siding forming the wall cladding materials.

“The location is front and centre, being on the valley floor,” says Ryan, when asked to describe the best aspect of the project.

“It’s a flat, easy walk into the village and a large percentage of the homes face onto Fitzsimmons Creek. The valley trail — a 50-kilometre paved pathway — is right there,” he says.

“The higher-end market seems to prefer the valley floor as opposed to being on the mountain, and the views and sun exposure are excellent.”

Ryan said most homes have views of both Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

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Vancouver house prices can’t keep rising forever

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

Bob Ransford
Sun

I always try to avoid answering the obvious question: “So, how long is this current real estate boom going to continue?” Predicting when the bubble will burst can be dangerous, if for no other reason than I might live to regret being proved totally wrong.

Any predictions would be based on gut instinct, since I don’t follow the market closely enough to have real data.

I was recently prompted to think about my view of the real estate market in B.C., and I realized that my gut feeling seemed at least justifiable, so here are my predictions.

An acquaintance who is quite informed about global economics, world politics, international immigration, business trends and such recently argued that Vancouver is immune from all of those negative forces that tend to cause economic recessions — things like Middle East wars, high oil prices, credit crunches in the U.S., etc.

In fact, he believes that B.C. is a haven for people fleeing such doom and gloom, and that our real estate market therefore benefits from the uncertainty, instability and economic downturns elsewhere. People like to park their money in a safe, stable, beautiful place like British Columbia.

Maybe so for Vancouver — at least the downtown — which is part of a world residential real estate marketplace.

While Vancouver‘s downtown real estate market may be immune from global economic forces, it has a market depth, especially for luxury real estate, probably deeper than most other B.C. markets.

Perhaps the Okanagan is also a market unto itself, somewhat immune from outside economic forces. Albertan oil money has had a huge impact on fuelling demand for properties in Kelowna, Penticton and Osoyoos. However, given the dependency Alberta has on the price of a barrel of oil, one could hardly argue that Alberta‘s economy is immune from global economic forces.

Real estate markets outside Vancouver‘s downtown aren’t driven by outside demand. Therefore, they simply can’t continue their upward climb forever. On the other hand, I am not predicting a market crash in the suburbs either.

The sustained market appreciation we have experienced in suburban real estate markets — places like Surrey, Langley, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, etc. — has been largely dependent on strong levels of employment. Job creation drives demand for housing.

The Lower Mainland has experienced record levels of employment in recent years. Significant job creation has come from the construction sector: from housing construction and large projects that include the airport expansion, the widening of the Sea to Sky Highway, the Vancouver Convention Centre, the RAV rapid transit project, the Olympic Oval, and port expansion.

I fear what could happen to housing demand when these large employment projects come to an end, as most of them will near the end of next year.

There has to be some adjustment as demand decreases. Price adjustments will likely be minimal because there hasn’t been a lot of extra housing inventory on the market over the past couple of years.

But I also believe the upward price curve will begin to flatten as we come to the end of this year and move into 2009. So that’s it for predictions. I would be happy to be reminded of the same if I am wrong.

Looking back over the past year, I can only continue to be amazed at how the level of public awareness about climate change and its connection to man’s impact on global ecosystems has impacted everything we think about and do.

Housing and urban development has not been immune from this shift.

Will the focus last? Is the concern deep enough to actually fundamentally change the way we plan and design communities and build houses and other buildings?

I believe it is not a matter of wanting to do the right thing. It’s a matter of having to do it because our way of life is at risk.

Vancouver, in particular, has an opportunity to lead the way when it comes to showing the world how to fully embrace sustainable development.

We are far ahead of any other North American city when it comes to making a commitment to build greener buildings, both public buildings and private development.

The development industry has resisted the imposition of mandatory standards for residential green buildings. Maybe they are not necessary — it is up to the industry to demonstrate this.

The fact is that a number of Vancouver developers pioneered innovations in more sustainable building technology long before others.

The City of Vancouver has committed to one of the highest North American standards for green building design for public buildings.

There’s little doubt that the level of public awareness and concern that arose over the last year around sustainable development will shape much of what unfolds on Vancouver‘s skyline and in Vancouver‘s neighbourhoods in the year ahead.

Bob Ransford is a public affairs consultant with CounterPoint Communications Inc.

He is a former real estate developer who specializes in urban land use issues.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

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Gadgets for the skier, homeowner, TV watcher

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

Sun

Flaik,

Wireless-G Internet Home Monitoring Camera with Audio

Flaik, $6 per day rental

Take to the snow like an Olympic athlete with this real-time GPS tracking device that lets you clock your snowboarding or skiing speed, distance and altitude. Activated by a cellphone, the flaik uses a custom-built “tag” that rents for $6 a day and is worn by skiers and boarders. It automatically uploads information over a wireless network to the rider’s profile on flaik.com. The flaik was launched recently by the Australian-based SnowSports Interactive at Sun Peaks Resort in B.C. where the tags are available for daily rental. Check out the snow at:

www.sunpeaksresort.com

You can and find a flaik demo at www.flaik.com

Archos TV+, from $250

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was the launching pad for this year’s new products, and among the many items being introduced is this WiFi digital video recorder (DVR) from Archos. It works as both a television recording device and a wireless receiver for your TV. With an 80-GB version at $250 and a 250-GB at $350 this WiFi enabled recorder turns your TV into a Web surfer, lets you stream music and photos from your computer, download online movies, and watch Internet videos. Also record up to 700 hours of TV programming. It comes with a QWERTY keyboard remote control. Expected on shelves at Best Buy Canada, through Amazon and the Archos website at www.archos.com

Wireless-G Internet Home Monitoring Camera with Audio, Linksys, $120

I spy with my little eye — everything that’s going on at home with the latest wireless device from Linksys that streams live video over the Internet. This camera differs from standard webcams in that it’s designed to contain its own web server and can connect to a network wirelessly or via an Ethernet cable. At home, keep an eye on your vast estate from any PC in the house; when you’re away, stay in touch via the security mode. The camera sends a message with a short video attached to up to three e-mail addresses whenever it detects motion. The recipient can log on to the live video stream and also record the audio/video. Keep an eye on the kids, the cat or the cat burglar (www.linksys.com)

Professional Series, inkjet All-in-One line, starting at $100

Lexmark Canada is aiming to address two printing headaches — emptied ink cartridges, and a lack of tech support when things go awry — with its new Professional Series lineup for SOHO users. The banner printer in this series is the Lexmark X9575 wireless AIO at $250, and the budget entry version is the X5075 AIO at $100. All come with high-yield ink cartridges with twice the ink of the company’s regular cartridges, and lifetime priority phone support (www.lexmark.com)

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

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Homeowner grant limit up to $1.05 million

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

Rise in property assessments prompts $100,000 hike in grant eligibility

Michael Kane
Sun

Live in a $1-million home? You can still get government help to pay your property taxes.

The province is raising the homeowner grant threshold for the fifth consecutive year, Finance Minister Carole Taylor announced Friday.

Homeowners will now be eligible to receive the full grant at $1,050,000 in assessed property value, up from $950,000.

The move comes just 10 days after homeowners received assessment notices showing residential property values have increased by an average of 16 per cent over the past year.

No matter what the value of their homes, homeowners aged 55-plus, as well as surviving spouses and disabled persons of any age, can also opt to defer paying their property taxes at a simple interest rate currently set at 4.0 per cent. Payment is not due until the home is sold.

Taylor said the higher grant threshold will ensure that 95 per cent of B.C. homeowners continue to get help with their property taxes, despite higher assessments.

“I think it is shocking to all of us that we’re talking about $1-million homes being the 95 per cent level,” she said in an interview

The move will allow more than 18,000 British Columbians, who would otherwise face a reduced benefit, to receive the full grant.

“The people I hear from are the seniors for the most part who bought their homes maybe after the war and they were small little bungalows,” Taylor said.

“They’re still on fixed incomes and they were worried they were going to lose that help because without that they can’t stay independent in their homes.”

The grant was introduced by the Social Credit government of W.A.C. Bennett in 1957 as a payment of $28 towards property taxes on owner-occupied homes. It was widely denounced as a political bribe but expanded over the years by both Socred and New Democratic Party governments.

Today’s basic grant entitles a homeowner to a maximum reduction in residential property taxes of $570.

An additional grant of $275 — for a total of $845 — is available if the owner is over 65, or permanently disabled, or eligible to receive certain war-veteran allowances.

Last year the additional grant was extended to low-income homeowners regardless of the assessed value of their home.

For others the grants are reduced by $5 for every $1,000 in assessed value above the threshold and will be phased out at a value of $1,164,000, up from $1,064,000 in 2007.

Last year the province also lowered the age of eligibility for property tax deferment from 60 to 55, prompting a record 6,100 deferment applications in 2007, up from the previous record of 4,700 in 2006.

Under the program, the province uses its superior borrowing power to pay the property taxes each year while charging a low rate of simple interest to the homeowner.

Simple interest means the debt grows slowly because instead of paying interest on interest, the annual interest is simply tallied and then added to the final bill which is only due when the home is sold or the last surviving homeowner passes away.

The province is administering more than 19,000 active accounts with an average tax deferment of $12,000.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

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Value of metro building permits drops by one third

Friday, January 11th, 2008

November decline driven by slowdown in multi-family housing

Derrick Penner
Sun

The value of Metro Vancouver building permits dropped by a third in November, driven mostly by a big drop in applications for multi-family housing projects, Statistics Canada reported Thursday.

Builders were issued permits for $446 million worth of work in Metro Vancouver, compared with $669 million the month before.

In its report, Statistics Canada attributed the decline to a decrease in multi-family permit applications, which were down across the province almost 50 per cent from the previous month.

However, Statistics Canada analyst Nicole Charron said there is not much that can be inferred from the month-to-month drop.

“October [building permits were] particularly high,” Charron said. “There was a jump from September. [Permits] went down in November, but they were still above the September mark.”

She added that there was an increase in the number of single-family housing permits issued in November compared with October.

Peter Simpson, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association, said the November decline was likely more of a “timing issue” than indication of a trend.

Building-permit values can vary widely, especially if permits for large multi-family projects are issued in a particular month, and Simpson said there are factors that can influence the timing of permits.

Simpson added that it is taking longer for builders to obtain building permits across the Lower Mainland as short-staffed municipal building departments try to keep up with the torrid pace of building, so there may have been delays in issuing permits in November.

Builders also might be delaying permit applications until they know they have enough skilled tradespeople to proceed with a project.

November, was also a record month for new-home starts in Metro Vancouver, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. Builders started work on 2,704 new units during the month on permits already issued.

Statistics Canada also reported that the value of new Metro Vancouver homes crept up 0.2 per cent in November from October on its new-housing-price index, thanks largely to strong market conditions in the Lower Mainland.

To the end of November, Vancouver‘s new-housing-price index had increased 6.4 per cent.

To the end of November, Metro Vancouver builders had taken out $6.45 billion worth of building permits, a 4.7 per cent increase from the first 11 months of 2006.

Provincewide, builders took out a total of $901 million worth of building permits in November, a 20 per cent decline from October, with a 6.5-per-cent increase in non-residential permits to $290.5 million, offsetting some of the residential decline.

To the end of November, municipalities had issued $11.5 billion worth of building permits, a 7.1-per-cent increase from the first 11 months of 2006.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

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Restaurant Listings For January 2008

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

Mia Stainsby
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. $$/$$$

Boneta An ambitious chef behind a constantly changing menu, some dishes reaching the sublime. 1 West Cordova St., 604-684-1844. $$

Chow. Delicate textures marries bold flavours. A successful union. 3121 Granville St., 604-608-2469. $$$

Fuel The food sings. A joy! 1944 West Fourth Ave., 604-288-7905. $$$

Gastropod Beautifully controlled flavours, great value for fine food. 1938 West Fourth Ave., 604-730-5579. $$

Lumiere Tasting Bar The casual sidekick to famous sibling, Lumiere, next door. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$/$$$

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

Ocean 6 Seventeen Regional bistro food at its finest, in a cozy neighbourhood spot in the crook of False Creek. 617 Stamp’s Landing. 604-879-6178. $$

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. $$$

Salt Tasting Room Inspired charcuterie style food with wine pairings. Edgey surrounding. 45 Blood Alley, 604-633-1912. $$

So.cial at Le Magasin Supple, flavourful food by Sean Cousins, a food pro. 332 Water St., 604-669-4488. $$$

Soma A hip, inexpensive little boite off Main St. with a perky menu, great beers. 151 East Eighth Ave., 604-630-7502. $/$$

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

ITALIAN

Amarcord Food from the Bologna and Emilia Romagna area of Italy, elegantly presented. Clear, natural flavours. 1168 Hamilton St., 604-681-6500. $$

CinCin Restaurant and Bar Seasonal menu with wood-fired dishes. Notable desserts. 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. $$$

Italian Kitchen The spaghetti with truffle cream and Kobe meatballs here is luscious. A modern Italian restaurant. 1037 Alberni St., 604-687-2859. $$

La Buca A neighbourhood restaurant serving quality food, backed up by great service. 4025 MacDonald St., 604-730-6988. $$

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. $

Imperial Seafood Fine Cantonese food, (expensive) in the lovely Marine Building. 355 Burrard St., 604-688-8191. $$$

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

Legendary Noodle. Handmade noodles, made to order. Funky spot. 1074 Denman St., 604-669-8551. $

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. $$

Szechuan Chongqing An institution for those who love the incendiary fare. 2808 Commercial Dr., 604-254-7434. $$

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

JAPANESE

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

Hapa Izakaya Young and stylish; great izakaya-style Japanese food. 1479 Robson St., 604-689-4272; 1516 Yew St., 604-738-4272. $/$$

Kingyo Wonderfully crafted interior, interesting izakaya dishes. A slice of Tokyo. 871 Denman St., 604-608-1677. $$

Tojo’s Restaurant The topper in this category. Japanese food at its best. 1133 West Broadway, 604-872-8050. $$$

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

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. $$/$$$

Jules Paris, anyone? Authentic food, authentic feel. Charming! 216 Abbott St., 604-669-0033. $$

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

Lumiere Refined contemporary French dishes on three tasting menus. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$$

Mistral Authentic Provencal food; chef worked in Michelin starred French kitchens. 2585 West Broadway, 604-733-0046. $$

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

GREEK

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

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

Simpatico Thirty-plus years old; traditional Greek restaurant with the addition of good pizzas. 2222 West Fourth Ave., 604733-6824. $/$$

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. $$

Chutney Villa South Indian cuisine, with dosas, idli and vadas. 147 East Broadway, 604-872-2228. $/$$

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. $

Samosa Garden Smooth sauces, lovely food, good service. 3502 Kingsway, 604-437-3502. $$

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

Azia Designy interior; deftly handled pan-Asian food. 990 Smithe St., 604-682-8622. $$

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

Flying Tiger A menu reminiscent of Asian street food, only stylishly presented. 2958 West Fourth, 604-737-7529. $$

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

Phnom Penh Largely Cambodian but includes Chinese and Vietnamese flavours. 244 East Georgia St., 682-5777. $

Pondok Authentic Indonesian dishes, freshly cooked. 2781 Commercial Dr., 604-872-8718. $$

Rekados Filipino Cuisine Finely cooked and presented Filipino food. Gracious service. 604-873-3133. $/$$

Sanafir Pan-Asian and Mediterranean flavours in a trio of dishes. Innovative. 1026 Granville St., 604-678-1049. $$/$$$

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. $$$

Finest At Sea A fish shop on one side, a fish cafe on the other, serving the ‘finest at sea’. 4675 Arbutus St., 604-266-1904. $

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 outdoor fish shack, made with fish from the adjacent Fisherman’s Wharf. 1505 West First Ave., 604-730-5040. $

AMERICAN

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

LATIN AMERICA

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

Cobre “Nuevo Latino” cuisine with creative spins on traditional dishes. 52 Powell St., 604-669-2396. $$

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

Me and Julio: Modern Mexican Kitchen and Cantina. A sibling to Lolita’s. Same buzz, same food with sparkle. 2095 Commercial Dr., 604-696-9997

Mexico Rico A slice of Mexico. Very inexpensive, authentic Mexican cafe. 309 West Pender St., 604-688-7426. $

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

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

MEDITERRANEAN

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. $$

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. $/$$

Deuce A dash of cool on Lonsdale. Tapas-style menu at better than downtown prices. 1617 Lonsdale Ave., North Van., 604-988-8180. $/$$

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

Casual Gourmet A mall restaurant offering gourmet bistro food in a homey atmosphere. Park and Tilford Mall, 333 Brooksbank, North Van., 604-987-4300. $$

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. $$/$$$

Ocean Club Chic Yaletown-style lounge and restaurant. Food is imaginative and yummy. 100 Park Royal South, West Van, 604-926-2326. $$

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

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

BURNABY/NEW WEST

Anton’s Gargantuan portions of pasta. No reservations. 4260 Hastings St., Burnaby, 604-299-6636. $$

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. $$$

Tamarind Hill. Malaysian cuisine, redolent with well-balanced spices. 628 Sixth Ave., New Westminster. 604-526-3000. $$

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. $$

Big River Brewing Co. Pub, serving casual food. 14200 Entertainment Blvd., Richmond, 604-271-2739. $/$$

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. $

Shanghai River Shanghai style cuisine. Dumplings and noodles made in open kitchen. 7831 Westminster Highway, 604-233-8885. $$

Shiang Garden Part of a successful Taiwanese restaurant chain. Impressive seafood. 2200 — 4540 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-8858. $$

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

Big Ridge Brewing Co. A Mark James restaurant and brew-pub. Families welcome. 15133 Hwy. 10, Surrey, 604-574-2739. $$

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. $$$

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. $$

SQUAMISH AND WHISTLER

Apres Quiet and intimate. Refined regional cuisine. 4338 Main St., Whistler, 604-935-0220. $$$

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

Brew House Rustic with cedar and timbers. Casual food for the family and house brews. 4355 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, 604-905-2739. $$

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. $/$$$

Il Caminetto di Umberto Umberto Menghi’s high-end Whistler restaurant. Features include game. 4242 Village Stroll, Whistler, 604-932-4442. $$/$$$

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

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

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

Posted in Restaurants | Comments Off on Restaurant Listings For January 2008