Cuisine has been redesigned for modern urban living

Mark Laba
Province

In this scientific age where most questions are answered with just a flutter of our high-speed fingertips tapping into all the nooks and crannies of the Internet, there are so few mysteries that remain. Who built the heads on Easter Island, why did the dinosaurs die out, what exactly is one-hour Martinizing, and what did that kid in that Paul Simon song “Me and Julio” do to make Mama Pajama roll out of bed and run to the police station?

Well, some things are meant to forever remain enigmatic brain teasers for old geezers like me to set my synapses wheezing and I realized that, although this new restaurant shares the same name as the song, there would be no answers waiting for me there. But there would be snazzy cocktails and Mexican cuisine redesigned for modern urban living. Which makes any mystery more palatable?

Peaches and I stepped into this veritable palapa of the Pacific Northwest with cantina-style wooden chairs, tiled tables, a bit of decorative thatch-work and a high, black painted ceiling that glimmers with star-shaped lights like a night sky over a slumbering Yucatan village. Brought to you by the same folks who created Lolita’s on Davie, the menu continues executive chef Shelome Bouvette’s inventive riffs on traditional Mexican cuisine.

Started with a plate of chili-dusted homemade tortilla chips and excellent guacamole beneath which lurked refried beans. Went well with Peaches’ Coco Cabana cocktail complete with mini paper umbrella and multi-coloured layers, like someone stuffed a parrot into a glass.

The bocaditos (appetizers) here are large enough to be meals unto themselves or make great sharing plates for a small but ravenous group. There’s a fantastic turkey tostada gussied up with an apricot-and-pine-nut mole, an equally trailblazing ceviche with Qualicum Bay scallops, wild sockeye and Pacific halibut lazing in a pomelo-citrus marinade (both $11.75), and a smoked-chicken empanada spiked with poblano pepper plus cheddar and roasted yam to soothe the savage poultry.

For Platas Especiales, check out the Costillas de Cochinito ($19.75), the most expensive item on the menu and worth every freshly minted loonie. Sasparilla-glazed baby back ribs is the translation and this meat falls from the bone just by looking at it. Stacked like a Fred Flintstone fantasy atop a hefty slab of smoked gouda and cascabel mac ‘n’ cheese with a jicama and pineapple slaw for cooling, this is a rib-a-rama of flavourful interplays.

The tacos are also a good bet ($15.75) with your choice of two fillings from a six-shooter of a list. I particularly enjoyed the crispy pan-seared halibut with mango salsa and the pulled achiote chicken with salsa verde. Four tortillas for wrapping and the only problem was everything piled atop the corn discs so the bottom taco gets a little soggy.

Altogether it’s an eclectic mix of ingredients, the new wave and the ancient hanging out like Aztecs, let loose in a gourmet warehouse so expect dishes with descriptions that read like a codex. Guajilla and star-anise rubbed duck confit with bitter greens, pine nuts, currants, manchego cheese, quinoa risotto and blood-orange glaze, or plantain and ancho-crusted wild sockeye with baby shrimp and young coconut ceviche, mint chimichurri and smoked-paprika nopale fries are just a couple of the tongue and tastebud twisters. As for that kid, I heard he and Julio opened a cut-rate tequila factory on the dusty outskirts of Guadalajara.

REVIEW

Me & Julio

Where: 2095 Commercial Dr.

Payment/reservations: Major credit cards, no reservations. 604-696-9997

Drinks: Fully licensed

Hours: 4 p.m.–midnight every day; weekend brunch 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

© The Vancouver Province 2008

 

The Yaletown steakhouse and cocktail lounge joins two newcomers — the steaks are great but sides need more attention

Mia Stainsby
Sun

My husband made a surprising comment at The Shore Club, the upscale steakhouse on Granville Street earlier this year. “If I won the lottery,” he said, “I’d bring all my guy friends here.”

He’s a sophisticated diner, capable of explaining, or at least guessing at, the meanings of duxelles, demi-glace or dacquoise. With money to burn, he’d bee-line to a steak house? I guess there’s no denying steak houses are a guy thing because I wouldn’t dream of taking my gal friends for steak with his winnings.

Pinkys is the latest steakhouse to open, joining two other newcomers, The Shore Club and Players; Pinkys has the lowest price point of the three. A girly name like Pinkys is perhaps best suited to sell cupcakes or bras but it’s like a welcome mat to the tree fort. The press material says the name was inspired by a 1960s steakhouse in Scottsdale, Ariz. called Pink Pony.

Inside, seating includes four pink chairs amid the dark-hued tufted leather banquettes and dark chairs; bauble-like light fixtures and gigantic red faux flowers add sparkle and country music intersperses with Madeleine Peyroux and Billy Joel. Across the back wall, “rock star” is writ in lights.

Owner Scott Morison was one of the original partners of Cactus Club before he sold his shares and started up several Brown’s restaurants, devising a business model where managers could buy in. Pinkys will go the same route.

Getting right to the heart of the menu, the Sterling Silver steaks are very good. But like every steakhouse I know, that’s where the “very good” stops. The non-steak dishes and side dishes were middling to mediocre. A chef or sous chef stands at the pass from the kitchen, doing a quality control check, but it seems it should begin at a much earlier stage.

The first meal started off badly, with my husband biting into bread that grew a long piece of hair. So much for the bread.

Coconut-crusted prawns were overcooked and I had a hard time tasting coconut; bacon-wrapped

halibut with lemongrass dip arrived smelling fishy, and the thick piece was raw in the centre; the lemongrass dip was far too tart and tasted of vinegar; the dish was served with tomato linguine, a starch option that comes with all of the steaks. And that is plain lazy.

Grilled pork chop with apricot chutney and scalloped potatoes featured a nice chop, thick and juicy, but the plate was a composition in brown and beige, the scalloped potatoes limp and unappetizing. A crab cake appy had a mushy texture; but a warm spinach salad was fine and nicely flavoured with apple cider vinaigrette and an appy-sized baby back rib with barbecue sauce was tasty.

The finely marbled steaks were the stars in an otherwise bleak landscape. We tried the 12-ounce organic rib-eye ($36) and a 10-ounce New York ($29) and they’re juicy and very tasty. But the kitchen screwed up their best asset — I asked for medium-rare and got rare.

“Straight-up” steaks come with a choice of tomato linguini, fettuccini alfredo or mashed, scalloped, baked potatoes or fries. The “Ultimate Dinner Specials” come with a Caesar salad, choice of tomato linguini or fettuccini Alfredo and chocolate ice cream.

Sauces for the steak are sold separately, as are side vegetables. (Szechuan beans were good; seasonal vegetables were pedestrian.)

On the dessert front, I liked the deconstructed black forest cake and a tall, airy cheesecake looked luscious but needed some tang to distinguish it from whipped cream.

Wines include some high-end selections as well as a reserve list. By the glass, you can order six- or nine-ounce pours, which is a great option. Servers on both occasions were very good; one whose nametag said “Greg” was particularly good-natured and right on task.

And if the meat is all that matters, Pinkys won’t disappoint.

– – –

PINKYS STEAKHOUSE AND COCKTAIL LOUNGE

Overall: 2 1/2

Food: 2 1/2

Ambience: 3 1/2

Service: 3 1/2

Price: $$$

1265 Hamilton St.

604-637-3135

www.pinkysteakhouse.com

Open daily for dinner.

Lunch, Friday only.

Restaurant visits are conducted anonymously and interviews are done by phone. Restaurants are rated out of five stars.

 

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

Bada E-Yagi uses family recipes for everything from its homemade, barrel-cured spiced crab to the sauces for its robata main dishes

Stephanie Yuen
Sun

Most Korean restaurants in Metro Vancouver serve cook-your-own tabletop barbeque meals. So, when I found out that Bada E-Yagi Korean Restaurant in Burnaby focuses on home-style Korean dishes, I had to check it out.

On a cold and wet Sunday evening it took us some effort to locate the place because it doesn’t have any eye-catching lighting or dominant signs. Normally, exterior conditions like this would have turned me off but since we were meeting two other friends there, we went in, and were glad we did.

Everything in the restaurant indicated a family operation: simple design and setting; untrained floor service. Under the supervision of owner Sang Yeol Sohn, the daughter waited tables while his wife cooked in the kitchen. At this point, those Korean customers occupying most of the tables were inevitably a reassuring sight.

Any doubt about the quality of the cooking slipped away when we tasted the side plates of kelp, bean sprouts, daikon cubes, julienne seaweed and, of course, kimchi. Unlike the generic cold appetizers found in other Korean restaurants, Bada uses their own family recipes with special attention to detail.

We had became quite comfortable by the time our first order arrived: pork chop soup with assorted vegetables and special spicy sauce, served hot-pot style on a butane stove.

I had no idea that Koreans were so big on soups: beef bone soup; pollack soup; goat meat soup; pork chop soup and noodle soups — they were all available at Bada.

“These are all homemade with hearty ingredients,” said Sang. “They are very good for cold days. Koreans eat them all the time; they keep you warm and make you strong.”

Koreans also enjoy cold, marinated, raw seafood, like the blue crab soaked in Korean chili and spicy sauce we had as our second appetizer. Sang told us, “We use wooden barrels to marinate these and store them in a cold corner, same way we make kimchi.”

I enjoyed the whole saba (mackerel) grilled to a golden brown and skin-crisp on a robata (hot-plate). This boned fish was marinated before landing on the cast-iron hotplate and came sizzling with distinct flavour.

From the robata section of the menu, we also ordered the stir-fried squid and vegetables, and the BBQ Combo B, which consisted of beef, pork and short ribs. Two robata plates, two different tastes and condiments: the squid and vegetables were tangy-spiced while the combo meats were teriyaki-seasoned. Both were equally satisfying.

The next course, the stir-fried seasoned potato noodles with beef and vegetables, silenced the group for a moment with its unique texture and mega flavour. The noodles were so fine and delicate that it was hard to relate them to potatoes.

“It takes a long time to make the noodles,” said Sang, who was obviously proud of his wife’s culinary skill. “You can use different sauces or put it in soup.”

My favourite of the evening was an omelet-like pancake made with seafood and served on a hotplate. This unassuming dish was partly tender, partly chewy and had that enticing sensation that kept me going for more. And because of the hotplate, the temperature and aroma lasted until it was all gone.

– – –

BADA E-YAGI KOREAN RESTAURANT

6408 Kingsway, Burnaby

604-432-9342

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Price: $

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

 

It’s a great opportunity to try new trendy places, less expensive places and rediscover forgotten favourites

Joanne Sasvari
Sun

The best deal in town right now isn’t just the good — and cheap! — eats being offered through Dine Out Vancouver. It’s the fabulous wines that are paired with them.

“The great value of Dine Out Vancouver’s menus means that you can spend the money that you save on trying new wines that you might not usually try,” says Wendy Underwood, manager of travel media relations for Tourism Vancouver.

In case you somehow missed the news, the sixth annual Dine Out restaurant promotion organized by Tourism Vancouver kicked off Wednesday. This year, a phenomenal 182 restaurants are participating in the event, which continues until the last weary chef hangs up his toque on Feb. 3.

Thanks to Dine Out, what used to be the year’s slowest season has become its busiest.

It’s a great opportunity not only to try trendy new restaurants, but to discover smaller, less expensive places as well as forgotten faves.

There are three levels of prix fixe, three-course meals — $15 at casual joints like Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.; $25 at mid-range trendsetters like So.Cial at Le Magasin; and $35 at high end eateries like Blue Water Café, Gastropod, Fuel and so on. Some restaurants — C is one of them — also offer even fancier $45 or $55 menus.

Dine Out is all about new discoveries, but that doesn’t always mean discovering new restaurants. La Terrazza and Raincity Grill, for instance, find that their regular customers show up for Dine Out just to splash out on the kinds of wines they might not usually be able to justify.

“Dine Out offers participants the opportunity to taste new wines that they not have been able to (a) find or (b) taste because they only wanted to try a glass,” says Lisa Cameron, communications manager for the British Columbia Wine Institute.

“It is a very good value in all the restaurants. It does offer you the opportunity to go, ‘The whole meal only cost $25 or $35,’ so it’s an opportunity to try a couple of great wines with the meal.”

While guests can use the savings to dig deep into the cellar for a pricy Bordeaux or extravagant Barolo, they can also explore some of the interesting wines B.C. has to offer. That’s because each restaurant also offers BC VQA wine pairings with each cours.

“If the restaurant has done its job and the sommelier has paired it really well, it makes both taste better,” Cameron says.

For instance, Yew Restaurant + Lounge at the Four Seasons has paired the light and lovely Le Vieux Pin Vaila rose with a delicate crab soup, while Metro is offering the beautifully bold Osoyoos Larose Gand Vin with its entrée of Nicola Valley Deer, Fraser Valley duck breast and certified Angus striploin.

You can order a single glass for, say, $15, or you can order an entire pairing list of three wines for only $35, which may be the best Dine Out deal of all. That way, you can sample a variety of B.C.’s best for less than you’d pay for a bottle of the cheapest plonk on any list anywhere.

“It shows you the kind of culture we have on the West Coast,” Cameron says. “It shows you how much we appreciate local food and that means local wine, too.”

– – –

DINE OUT VANCOUVER

To view the entire list of participating restaurants, visit the Tourism Vancouver website at www.tourismvancouver.com. Reservations are essential throughout Dine Out, and most restaurants will take reservations online through Open Table, also accessible through the Tourism Vancouver website.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

 

Motomachi Shokudo is a magnet for those seeking to buck up their spirits with ram

Mia Stainsby
Sun

It’s the time of year when the sky turns grey, gets deeply depressed and cries its eyes out, drenching us with tears.

No better time, I say, than to buck up our own spirits with bowls of steaming noodles. In the West End, Kintaro Ramen has been a magnet for noodle-seeking souls. But of late, they’re discovering that a block away on Denman, there’s a place called Motomachi Shokudo and people are vacuuming up big bowls of ramen there, too. (And as if that’s not enough, on nearby Robson, I noticed there’s another noodle shop about to open.)

Surprisingly, Motomachi is run by the same guy that runs Kintaro. It’s small like Kintaro but a little more than the plain box of a place. A large communal table sports a line of dried wheat cutting a swath down the middle length, kind of like a Mohawk cut. That way, strangers aren’t face-to-face as they slurp hot noodles and noses ceremoniously start to run — an inevitability. As a nice touch, you can slurp to the beat of jazz.

At Motomachi, the ramen has an organic chicken stock broth while Kintaro’s is pork-based, accounting for slightly higher prices at the latter. The ramen — which is further enhanced with vegetables, egg, meats — costs an average of $8 to $10.

Other differences — Motomachi has three kinds of ramen noodles. Kintaro has one. And Motomatchi serves one ramen dish where the broth is an unexpected grey and that’s due to the inclusion of a few pinches of charcoal powder, known to be good for digestion and toxic cleansing. (Hospitals, I believe, use charcoal powder to treat some forms of poisoning.)

Apparently, the charcoal-in-ramen concept is owner Daiji Matsubara’s own. He doesn’t speak English well so he’s not able to chat with reporters or customers unless they speak Japanese. Manager Tak Kawashima says the Japanese are aware of the cleansing effects of charcoal and customers are interested and want to give it a try.

“It’s pretty subtle and you won’t see quick results,” he says. “But if you keep eating, the body will change.” For the better, that is.

The next time you’re chilly and moist, try ramen therapy.

– – –

MOTOMACHI SHOKUDO

740 Denman St., 604-609-0310

Open for lunch and dinner

© The Vancouver Sun 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

 

Foodies will flock to this simple Cambie Street venue

Mark Laba
Province

PIED-A-TERRE

Where: 3369 Cambie St., Vancouver

Payment/reservations: Major credit cards, 604-873-3131

Drinks: Wine and aperitifs

Hours: Mon.-Thurs., noon-10:30 p.m.; Fri., noon-midnight; Sat., 5 p.m.–midnight; Sun., 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

– – —

The French have always given me the willies. Any country that canonizes both Jerry Lewis and Jean Paul Sartre in the same breath provides a paradox in thought processes that leaves me scratching my existential noggin. They know something I don’t, is my underlying fear, plus their president wears Prada suits. I don’t know what that has to do with anything but it’s as intimidating as a French wine list.

Well, it’s the same with French cuisine. The simplest ingredients are elevated into cultural spheres that your average North American turnip or chicken liver can only hope for.

That was my lingering anxiety as Peaches and I hoofed it to this new venture.

It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to open a new business on the RAV line route where the earth is literally being ripped out from under your feet. But, when your reputation follows you like a bloodhound on the scent, as is the case with chef and restaurateur Andrey Durbach and business partner Chris Stewart, then success is imminent.

This new venture is classic small French bistro, only 30 seats total, simply done in black and white with a huge chandelier stripped down to its skeletal framework. Kind of a metaphor for the food here — simple by design, ornate in execution.

Peaches wet her whistle with a Kir Royale aperitif, a champagne and crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) concoction while I scanned the all-French wine selection and tried to appear like I knew what I was doing, going through a series of facial contortions that would’ve made Jerry Lewis proud.

Finally I asked for help and ended up with a fragrant red called Gres St. Paul Romanis ($11.25 glass, $32 half-litre, $45 bottle), smooth and with all the earthy depth of a Jacques Cousteau expedition in a Languedoc duck pond.

For starters we had the Alsatian onion pie ($8.50) and a Paysanne salad ($9.50), a wondrous construction of warm weenie potatoes, chorizo, endive and a twice-cooked egg with a crispy carapace. The onion pie was the highlight, a creamy coagulation of herbs, cheese and onion cooked until melting point and this alone is worth a return visit.

My main shindig was a real Gallic romp for the tastebuds. Beef short-rib bourguignon ($22.50) was a beautiful mire with a sauce richer than one of Brigitte Bardot’s many divorce settlements and meat that melted from the bone.

Peaches had a daily special veal chop ($30). Europeans have no qualms about eating baby animals, which may be why Euro-Disney never took off. This chop was perfectly grilled and slathered in a pungent sauté of two types of mushroom species. A baby cow frolicking in a field of fungus. What a beautiful painting that would make. It deserves a spot in the Louvre.

Not a big menu but the classics are done expertly, from foie-gras parfait to steak and frites, duck à l’orange to pork tenderloin with apples and Calvados. For dessert the lemon tart brulée is simple yet luxurious. And after a few more glasses of wine, Jerry Lewis and Jean Paul Sartre don’t seem that far apart.

THE BOTTOM LINE: No-frills French with a touch of finesse.

RATINGS: Food: A; Service: A; Atmosphere: A

© The Vancouver Province 2008

 

Goodbye Chartwell and Garden Terrace; Hello Yew, which can now be anointed as officially cool and swanky

Mia Stainsby
Sun

So, there he was: Elvis Costello in the flesh in his trademark black rim glasses. His radius of interest stayed fixed on the gorgeous Diana Krall, immune to heart poundings and worshipping glances from passerbys such as myself.

The dining room at Vancouver‘s Four Seasons Hotel can now been anointed as officially cool. And that is a first. The swanky new digs replaces two-outdated restaurants, Chartwell and Garden Terrace, which had been paralyzed in the blue-rinse era.

Walking into this $4-million beauty was like the “reveal” in Extreme Makeover. It’s modern but warm, expansive yet intimate. Neutral earth tones, an oversized communal maple slab table, warm woods and sandstone fireplace help. The private dining room is something of a conceit. It’s smack in the middle of the room and the glass walls offer little visual privacy.

Staff seem to have taken a youth serum, shedding a couple of decades from former days; and are their orange and brown uniform a riff on A&W?

The name, Yew, is a conversational minefield. (Hostess answers the phone and it sounds like “Good evening, you!” or “Have you checked out you?” )

Not to be forgotten, the food has had an extreme makeover, too. Rafael Gonzalez, who was hired about a year ago, has overhauled the previously conservative, lacklustre menu in step with the sophisticated, contemporary room, and he’s finally strutting his stuff.

Before coming to Four Season Vancouver, he was executive sous at Four Seasons New York and a sous at Jean Georges, one of the top restaurants in New York. He’s doing The Four Season proud, attracting a new breed of CEOs and expense accounts.

But one can actually dine modestly by choosing the right dishes. Three pasta dishes (including an incredible black truffle mac and cheese) are $18 to $27. Or one might snack from the Raw Bar or appy menu in the gorgeous lounge. Meat and fish dishes are $29 to $35 and there’s a variety of sharing plates for two.

Wine lovers will be happy to learn that staff will open any bottle as long as a minimum of two glasses are ordered and that includes champagne. There’s also a half-bottle list for lone diners.

Gonzalez describes the food as “urban West Coast,” noting that West Coast diners are much more committed to local food and like to eat lighter meals than New Yorkers. The menu, however, gives only a nod to local suppliers and there’s no indication where the salmon, pork, chicken, etc. are from for concerned West Coast diners.

But my partner and I both enjoyed our meals there. Tuna tartar with tiny cubes of bosc pear was a safe but tasty starter, as were the lobster/mango roll and parsnip/coconut soup; two flat filets of cedar-smoked mackerel arrived on cedar “paper” with maple roasted onion.

Entrée highlights were a gorgeous roasted pork chop with crisp pork belly; an expensive seared Japanese red snapper (tai, $35), which is denser than local snapper, came with a smoked clam chowder; the black truffle mac-and-cheese was intoxicating but I would have appreciated a little salad or contrast on the side as relief from the creamy richness. Slow-braised lamb was fork-tender and served with a very light jus and potato/onion terrine.

For dessert, I’d highly recommend the whipped Morello cherry cheesecake, a deconstructed dessert. The Morello-soaked cherries are, I think, delivered from heaven. Warm apple doughnuts with apple sauce and hot apple cider and “cinnamon bun” ice cream was whimsical and fun.

Whether you go for a drink and a light snack in the lounge (like Costello and Krall) or a full-out meal, Yew’ll be pleasantly surprised.

– – –

YEW

Overall: 4

Food: 4 1/2

Service: 4 1/2

Ambience: 5

Price $$$

Four Seasons Hotel, 791 West Georgia St., 604-692-4939, www.fourseasons.com/vancouver. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner; brunch on Sunday.

Restaurant visits are conducted anonymously and interviews are done by phone. Restaurants are rated out of five stars.

© The Vancouver Sun 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. $$

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. $$/$$$

© The Vancouver Sun 2008