Laura Payton and Ian Austin
Province

Rats. Bugs. Unclean water. Things you might expect to find in a developing country slum. But they’re also things you can find at some local restaurants.

Vancouver Coastal Health keeps a list of sanitation offenders, highlighting restaurants with problems and the date they were inspected.

Restaurants make the list for reasons ranging from unsanitary conditions and improper food handling to rat and pest infestations.

The objective is consumer awareness, available around the clock with a click of a mouse.

“If you want to eat at Joe Blow’s restaurant, you can go on the web and get up-to-date information,” said Brigitte Baumann, manager of health protection with VCH. “You can access our website 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” (For Restaurant information go to: Vancouver restaurants – beware where you eat at http://www.lestwarog.com/useful_links.html#6) While connoisseurs point to restaurant trends such as organic menus and lite cuisine, the most prevalent VCH restaurant trend seems to be rats.

“Rats are indigenous here, and we’re a harbour city with a lot of grain shipments,” explains Baumann.

“We’re doing a lot of construction in the city, and when old buildings are destroyed the rodents look for a new place to go.” Baumann says the VCH also encourages rodent removal that’s less hazardous than before.

“In the past, they used a lot of chemical pesticides,” she said. “Now we know that these chemicals have side-effects.

“We try to get restaurants to close up entry holes, get rid of water and food, and use traps.

“It takes longer, but it doesn’t have the long-term problems of chemicals.” To access the website, type in vch.ca, then select, in order, public health, environmental health, food safety, and VCH food inspection web.

© The Vancouver Province 2007

Mia Stainsby
Sun

Gwen Stefani went nuts for the Harajuku Girls and their Japanese take on hip. On Burrard Sreet, Noriki Tamura’s doing a Japanese take on hot dogs.

They’re as strange as a Harajuku school girl, but hey, we’re a country that got addicted to the once-foreign sushi.

And the lineups at lunch and dinner to the little cart are mostly for the hot dogs loaded with Japanese condiments, although standard North American hot dogs — turkey, bratwurst, bavarian, jalapeno and cheese and veggie — are sold here, too.

Those straying into new hot dog territory have a choice of Misomayo, a turkey dog with Japanese mayo, kaiware (sprouted daikon seeds) and miso sesame; or Oroshi, with bratwurst, onion, daikon radish and soy; or Terimayo (beef sausage) with Japanese mayo, teriyaki sauce, fried onions and nori sprinkles. I sampled the Terimayo and Oroshi and strangely, I liked the departure from same-old, same-old.

The Oroshi is loaded with grated daikon and it’s a messy feed, especially as it’s hard to find a spot to eat with dignity — it’s adjacent to a construction zone. You might want to turn the corner onto Smithe, find the one bench at the end of the street, sit, and eat in full view of Le Crocodile. Big difference between you and the Le Croc patron is, you’ll be paying $5 tops for the dog.

Hot dogging owner Tamura has plans to expand into a cart-el and his previous experience in the franchise consulting business should help with his expansion plans. He sells about 200 hot dogs a day. “Sometimes 300,” he says in broken English.

Asked if there’s more men or women at his stand, he responds: “Hmmmm,” thinking deeply. “Both,” he says. “Men and women.”

I assume the photo of rapper Ice Cube eating a Japadog means he was one of his male customers.

For those who don’t want to stand on Burrard, being a sight for Burrard traffic, he’s got takeout containers so you can take your hot dog, Japanese style or not, and scurry away.

– – –

JAPADOG

Burrard Street at Smithe. Open noon to 7:30 p.m. but might be MIA on extremely rainy days.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

New location is more laid-back than downtown, serving the same delicious menu items at reasonable prices

Mia Stainsby
Sun

When I reach Justin Ault on his cellphone, he’s plane-hopping in Hawaii. While there, he was reminded –as many travellers are — of Vancouver’s restaurant prowess.

He and wife, Lea, who run Vancouver’s Hapa Izakaya, had checked out Hawaii’s best restaurants only to be reminded of how good they have it back home.

“When you pay $42 for an entree, you expect something pretty good but we find it’s over-priced. We’ve yet to be wowed. We’ve paid $150 for a meal that we’d pay $75 for in Vancouver and enjoyed it more back home. The fact that it’s a tourist destination is no excuse,” he says.

The Aults recently opened their second Hapa Izakaya. The first, an all-out success story, opened on Robson Street four years ago, one of the first hip izakayas where there’s no sushi or tempura to be seen; instead, there’s a lot of creative, small plate dishes, styled after the casual after-work beer with some food spots in Japan. Their new one is in Kits, joining a chic boomlet of new restaurants like Fuel, Gastropod and Bistrot Bistro. It’s in a step-down space done up in dark browns and blacks. Energetic vibes and music rescue it from gloom.

The izakaya idea bided its time before its recent burst on to the restaurant scene. In the early ’90s, Raku Kushiyaki on West 10th introduced us to the idea and Sushi Wabi Sabi took over with a similar feel of zen calm and refinement. But izakayas are not temples — they’re traditionally deafeningly noisy places, a place to blow off steam, an escape valve for an extremely polite society.

Here in Vancouver, the Guu group got things hopping, spreading its izakaya tentacles, mostly appealing to Japanese language students who needed homes away from home. Hapa was the first to strike the hip, happening chord, thanks to Ault, a third-generation Japanese Canadian who worked in Tokyo for 10 years as a stockbroker. His izakaya, along with Kingyo on Denman, are the standouts in today’s crowded izakaya scene.

Hapa’s Kits location is more laid-back than downtown and they’re seeing a lot of people who once hoofed it to Robson Street for the small-plate Japanese food. As you enter, you note that staff might be chosen for good looks and for lung power as they blast out a deafening “Irashaii!!!” from all corners of the room with every arrival.

The menu is the same at both locations but each has its own daily features section; the tapas-size dishes are reasonably priced in the $7 to $8 range.

My favourites from the regular menu are Ebi Mayo: big bruiser prawns with a spicy mayo, and Kinoko Meshi, a rice dish served in a blazing hot stone bowl which makes me skittish as it’s not idiot-proof — I’ve been branded by a hot pot handle, grabbing it from the oven. Anyway, the rice, mixed with pine mushrooms and other goodies, turned crisp on the outer edges upon sizzling against the hot stone bowl.

Tora Aburi (seared albacore tuna belly with sesame dressing) and Gyu Kushi (beef skewers marinated in yuzu miso) both featured quality products.

Yubu Salad with its large helping of spinach provides a nice hit of fresh greens; Hapa Chicken, too, comes with a side of greens. Kabocha Salad really could do triple duty — it’s called a salad, is light, sweet and moussey like dessert but is served as a dip.

I tried the homemade pickles and, well, they’re different. Cheese tofu was unusual. They’re cubes of cream cheese and tofu, once again, sweet, with a maple syrup sauce. Some items are not for the uninitiated — like the Tako Wasabi (octopus). Too slippery. And for that matter, the Yaki Udon also had a slippery, chewy texture.

The Asian servers are friendly and English isn’t their second language but they’re not a fount of information, especially when it comes to wines.

Try the cold sake in bamboo, a popular call; otherwise, I found the Wild Goose Autumn Gold (a blend) worked well with the multiple flavours of izakaya. There’s also a nice roster of cocktails, martinis and mojitos which would be nice sipping once the patio is completed with a view to a slice of Kits Beach.

– – –

HAPA IZAKAYA

Overall: 3 1/2

Food: 3 1/2

Ambience: 3 1/2

Service: 3 1/2

Price $/$$

1516 Yew St., 604-738-4272. www.hapaizakaya.com. Open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

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

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

So good, ‘My mouth felt like the roof of the Sistine Chapel’

Mark Laba
Province

LA BUCA

Where: 4025 Macdonald St., Vancouver

Payment/reservations: Major credit cards, 604-730-6988

Drinks: Fully licensed

Hours: Sun.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

– – –

When I was eight years old, I once had a noodle come out my nose. I was eating spaghetti when my friend made me laugh and, due to the forces of snorting followed by sinus-cavity circumnavigation and then gravitational pull, this thing found its way back into the light of day through my nasal passage. The noodle and sauce unfortunately were of a commercial quality that left my nostril feeling like it had passed a kidney stone. I vowed that if I ever were to have a noodle come out my nose again it would be only the best, like a breath of fresh Tuscan air, only reversed.

Now, if I had to pick one candidate, this great restaurant opened by Chef Andrey Durbach, already famed for his other venue, Parkside, would be the place.

La Buca captures the best of an Italian trattoria with a bit of a New York cosmopolitan feel and some classic dishes constructed with an exquisite simplicity putting the fresh ingredients centre-stage. The same can be said for the decor of this small space: sparse, tasteful but comforting with a bit of a bustle that got the old molecules buzzing and the tastebuds yearning for the dishes that were passing by us.

Peaches and I happily found ourselves mooning over a fine buffalo mozzarella and arugula salad with tomato fondata ($11.50), which I thought was a kind of dance you did while crushing tomatoes but turned out to be this rich herbal mixture that resembled an Italian salsa.

The sweet flavour of the soft buffalo mozzarella countered with the bitter shrubbery and tinge of tomato zing created a small piece of heaven out of simple ingredients.

As well, we encountered a special of the day: Slow-roasted veal sliced carpaccio-style and spread with a tuna mayo ($11). It sounded odd to me at first but somehow the barnyard and the ocean embraced each other delicately and the four salty capers were great.

For my entree I scarfed back the amazing Tuscan-style grilled steak bunked down on arugula with mushrooms and balsamic vinaigrette topped with a pile of fresh parmesan shavings ($23). This can only be described as umami goes to Italy, as some other slumbering taste sensation was awakened and my mouth felt like the roof of the Sistine Chapel. The smooth glass of Chianti didn’t hurt either.

Peaches hit the classic tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce ($16), very tasty though certainly not as exciting as some of the other menu fare. The folks at the table next to us gave two thumbs up to the veal with lemon, capers and white wine, the spaghetti puttanesca and the Osso buco Milanese. But also check out the pan-fried calf’s liver with onions, Italian bacon, balsamic and grilled radicchio for an appetizer or the handmade chicken ravioli with chanterelle mushrooms.

This is the taste of Italy in a nutshell, an all encompassing feel for the veal, the poultry, the fish and even the bunny if your tastes hop in that direction. From Tuscany to Sicily via Vancouver, this food is like air miles for the palate.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A touch of Italy finessing the taste bud tidal pools of Pacific Northwest palates.

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

© The Vancouver Province 2007

 

Mia Stainsby
Sun

Aaron Ash

Chef/Owner: Gorilla Food

I mainly became interested in organic and vegetarian food when I was 19 — I’m 30 now. At that point I started to think about animal rights and about the benefits of vegetarian food. I started cooking vegetarian for myself.

My jobs in a record store and health food store in Regina connected me to Mike D, the drummer with Beastie Boys [a seminal hip-hop group]. His wife, a film director, was shooting there.

I went to L.A. to visit and stayed friends with Mike. He drew me into the music scene. I feel like he’s a mentor insofar as learning how to be a hard working, focused and a determined person. I became their personal chef and cooked vegan food for them four times a week. I’d make the food and we’d eat together. They had a baby.

All I needed was yoga each day and I got to do that and explored my passion for music. I play everything from horns to percussion and keyboard. I grew up in a musical family. I got to do a vocal snippet with Mike on a Playstation game.

What kind of music do you play at Gorilla Food?

Mostly reggae and world. I guess reggae for me is all about positivity. Hip hop as well. Both have a materialistic side but a humanitarian side, too.

Where did you learn to cook?

I taught myself. When I was in Regina, a guy opened the first vegetarian restaurant and I worked there. He had travelled the world and studied all kinds of vegetarian cuisines. Then I met this raw food lady in L.A.; she was the first strictly raw foodist I’d met. She’d written a couple of cookbooks.

And you’ve also cooked for Woody Harrelson?

My friend had an art gallery on Commercial Drive and hired me to open a raw food cafe within it.

Woody was in town. I met him when he came to eat. It was called Living Source. It’s not there any more. He came back a couple weeks later to shoot a film and we connected. Then I ran into him at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert. He’d hopped on their bus heading to Vancouver when he was shooting in Seattle.

His assistant came down for juices because he was on a 30-day fast of just juices. Then the next couple of weeks, I took catered meals to his hotel.

You operate out of a hole-in-the-wall with a takeout window. What’s that like?

Well, since it’s been sunny, sales have tripled. But people still came out in the rain and through the winter. When it’s rainy and cold, I feel bad for people having to stand outside. I guess I feel like my goal is to have a sit-down restaurant and then also get into packaged foods.

I’ve already started selling unbaked cookies — cinnamon almond raisin cookies, orange walnut spice cookies, with dehydrated sprouted seeds and no flour. I bake them at 108 F.

What’s next?

I’m planning a sit-down raw-food restaurant.

Is Vancouver ready for that?

In the right location, it’s definitely ready. I don’t think it’s ready for a super high-end, expensive one, but definitely for a casual one.

– – –

GORILLA FOOD

422 Richards St., 604-722-2504.

Gorilla Food serves organic, vegan raw food cuisine. Dishes include Thai Fresh Wraps using collard greens; Kale Tossed Salad; Ital Pizza, healthy juices, smoothies and shakes.

Most popular dish: Veggie burger (right). Made from walnuts, hemp seeds, hemp protein, sunflower seeds, carrots, tomatoes, onions, dehydrated at low temperature.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Mia Stainsby
Sun

VICTORIA TRAN

Owner, Chef

Mekong Vietnamese and Thai Cuisine

– – –

In Vietnam, my father had a fabric business. The government took away our business and house. They left us a few savings but took the rest away. They thought we had more and they had guards at our house.

Our background is Chinese. Our name was originally Chan. We were discriminated [against] so we changed it. My Dad realized we couldn’t survive there. We were registered as Chinese immigrants so we could leave. We were lucky that way.

My mom and dad and 11 brothers and sisters left Vietnam in 1980. There were 750 other refugees in a boat built for 350. Lots of people bribed to get on the boat. We were very tight. We cannot lay down. We were stacked. We spent one week in the open sea and the people with the boat didn’t know what they were doing. We were floating along. It was terrifying.

People were sick. There was no food for a week. We boiled water that was so dirty we could see things swimming in it. A government fishing boat came up and robbed what we had brought. They demanded everything. But they gave us water and told us what direction to go.

We landed in Malaysia but they turned us away because the boat was still floating. We had to sink the boat and then they rescued us and took us as refugees for a year and one month. UNICEF was really nice and gave us food and clothing. Very nice people, sponsored by the Canadian government. I was 12.

We applied to come [to Canada. The government] put us down as farmers because we raised some animals and so they sent us to Regina.

My father opened a restaurant. I was there to 1988 and then moved to Vancouver. I came for a vacation and loved the weather, the sea, the mountains. I love everything here. Freedom. The country. The people. You have a chance to grow if you work hard. As long as you want to learn, you can learn.

How has your past influenced you?

I give back to the community. Before I cooked food to take to the church to help them give food to the homeless. Now they have a kitchen so I give them supplies of rice, potatoes, meat. Every week, I deliver to them.

To tell you the truth, I don’t know what religion the church is. It doesn’t matter, as long as I’m helping people. I buy food from grocery stores and drive around and give food to the homeless. When I see them without family, without food, without a home… I’m going to cry right now.

Where did such compassion come from?

I guess my dad. He touched my heart. He taught me how to love people, feed people. He always gave us food and told us about people who don’t have. When we were on the island [in Malaysia], I was starving myself. Even a little bread gave us so much joy. Just a little rice on coconut shell. It was so good.

Where is your family now?

My dad died not long ago. He did everything. My mom’s very lonely. My dad did everything. She cannot cook or anything else. She was the most lucky woman.

My brothers and sisters have restaurants in Regina, about seven of them. They are all giving back. Maybe not to the homeless but they give money to the [Buddhist] temple which gives money to the poor in Vietnam, the ones who are rejected because of illness. I do that as well. And I give money to help them with the flood. Vietnam always has floods.

What does your restaurant mean to you?

I love to cook. I love to try new things. I oversee everything. I prepare all the sauces because of consistency. I learned to cook from my father and from cookbooks.

My passion is from my Dad. My family would gather and laugh and talk and it makes things taste better. We had a very happy family and every time families come into my restaurant, my heart come up with joy.

– – –

MEKONG VIETNAMESE AND THAI CUISINE

1414 Commercial Dr., 604-253-7088.

Take out or eat in.

Tran’s father taught her how to cook Vietnamese dishes such as pho and curries, and her uncle taught her Thai specialties such as Tom Kah Coconut soup and Pad Thai.

Most popular dish: Mekong Special Sizzling Plate (above) which comes to the table on a sizzling hot cast-iron platter.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Mia Stainsby
Sun

In the early 1980s, while living in Vancouver, I looked at all the cooking schools in North America and even asked Gourmet magazine about which cooking school to go to. The one that sounded most interesting was La Varenne in Paris.

After a year at La Varenne, I took a job as a private chef for the Australian ambassador and I did some stages (work experience) in one and two-Michelin star restaurants. If anyone asks me whether to go to cooking school or travel and work in restaurants, I’d say work in restaurants. You get right in there and rub elbows.

I’ve had to do the same task three days in a row — deboning frogs legs, buckets of them. It’s very hands-on. Schools are good for theory.

When I was working in France, I was frequently the only female in the kitchen and I wasn’t taken seriously. I’d studied, worked 16 hours a day and they still treated me as if I didn’t count. At the same time, the structure and hierarchy of a French kitchen is fabulous. There’s a pecking order; everyone understands it, respects it and it runs smoothly.

How did you meet your husband?

My husband and I lived in the same neighbourhood, the 16th [arrondissement]. I was an au pair, supporting myself through school a few evenings a week. Didier [Facchin] and I bumped into each other in the street, literally. I said, “Excuse me” in English or bad French, I can’t remember. He said, “You’re not French.” We got chatting and it led to a hot romance. I was 26. He was 23 and working as an aeronautics engineer.

We spent some time in Paris then came back here. I was a food stylist and still do that. I started a cottage industry making vinegars and salad dressings and Didier took over the sales, and voila! He was in the distribution business, importing and adding on other products.

Didier didn’t want to go through engineering schooling again. He was happy to be here. We made it up as we went along. It was three, four years before we could sit down for a serious conversation. We didn’t know each other as profoundly as we would have if we spoke the same language.

We now have two daughters, 15 and 18. Here, Didier feels like he’s always on vacation, it’s so much simpler. He grew up in Paris and it’s an intense lifestyle. He loves it here, but he misses the French gab. They love to get together and talk about politics.

His French family values are different from mine. He’s a fantastic father but quite strict and expects to be the king of the castle. I’m a hard-working female, very liberated and, within that framework, he isn’t the head of the table. There are three females versus him in our family.

What led to Coco Et Olive?

We found this location to amalgamate the distribution business and it came with a storefront. We put in a little grocery store and cafe. The distribution business had been taking over our lives.

Didier was always in the car, travelling farther and farther and spending more time away from home. Now he manages the show. He’s the barista and takes care of the grocery end. I do the food. I love cooking and I can’t get it out of my system. It’s pleasurable.

What’s dinner like at home?

We sit down for a dinner every night, no matter what. We sit down for a full dinner and discuss.

Didier doesn’t do much cooking at home but one of my daughters cooks all the time. Both my daughters are realizing the food culture in their family now that they’re eating at other people’s homes and in restaurants. It’s like, “Ohhh, mom, thanks for doing all that cooking for all those years!”

– – –

COCO ET OLIVE

3476 West Broadway, 604-736-7080.

A charming, French country-style interior with old wood floors and French cafe-style food — savoury tarts and galettes, soups, salads, a delicious tapenade, cheese plates, several hummus dishes and sandwiches on flat, crusty Georgian baguette and a tempting array of baking. You can call ahead for takeout or eat at one of the tables.

Most popular dish: Rustic savoury roasted tomato and goat cheese galette (right). It feeds about eight people.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Mia Stainsby
Sun

DEEPAK AND ALKA SURI

Owners, Tandoori Delight

(Interview with Deepak)

– – –

I was a banker in New Delhi but my major role was as a broadcaster. I had a cable TV network, like Rogers here. I sold that when I came to Canada in 2002. I was part owner of Radio India broadcasting here and had a talk show, Bollywood Masala, mostly about the inner self and inner powers.

My wife was a stay-at-home mom, a simple person with vast knowledge and when she wanted to do something, I felt like supporting her totally. Relationships are the most important thing in the life of any person. I feel that if you can prove to the world or yourself of your success with the closest person to you, then you can win the whole world.

We have been married 22 years and she supported what I did for 19 years. I wanted to make the point that a housewife is worth millions. I call her Annapurna, the goddess of food.

What brought you to Canada?

We were very well settled in Delhi. I was doing very well with connections everywhere. But with two brothers and my parents here, I was the only one left there.

We heard from them that it was peaceful and the education system basically attracted us most. My older daughter is in criminology. My second daughter is in Grade 12 and wants to be a dentist. My son is in Grade 8 and is a computer genius.

My home is Canada. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen here. There are so many ethnic people here, so much exposure to meet, talk and be with so many cultures, religions and people with different experiences. It’s a very good thing for any business organization to keep in mind whenever, whatever product you are dealing with, to keep this in mind.

Who does what in the business?

Basically our menu was created by me and my wife. We created variations. For our wraps, instead of using naan, we found a tortilla which was the best match.

What’s next?

We want bigger facilities and open more retail and maybe franchise. At that stage, we hope to sell to places like Save On Foods, Costco and maybe start a frozen line. We have visitors from Seattle, Victoria, Las Vegas and Dallas wanting franchises. I have business cards from so many places.

– – –

TANDOORI DELIGHT

6692 Main St., Unit 205, Vancouver, 604-324-1212; and 7630 Sixth St. (at 14th Avenue), Burnaby, 604-777-8004.

Predominantly takeout with lots of choices. Excellent value for tasty kebabs, tandoori dishes, curries, and wraps, all under $10.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

Here in the Lower Mainland, we love to eat out, but that doesn’t always mean linen tableclothes and fine flatware. This week’s listings pay special tribute to restaurants that offer food to be enjoyed on the go

Sun

CHINESE

B.B.Q. Master Tiny, jam-packed, eat-in or takeout. Immense portions barbecued duck, pork, soy chicken and other goodies. (Under the Superstore.) No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-272-6568.

Hawker’s Delight Humble Malaysian and Singaporean street food, dirt cheap. 4127 Main St., 604-709-8188.

Hon’s Venues vary in appearance (Robson location is the best). A huge menu on offer. 1339 Robson, 604-685-0871; 268 Keefer Street, 604-688-0871; 101 – 4600 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-0871; 3025 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam, 604-468-0871.

New Hong Kong Kitchen Nothing fancy, but the couple who run it offer very good value Cantonese and Northern Chinese food. Free delivery to West End and Kitsilano. 917 Davie St., 604-688-6868.

New Town Bakery & Restaurant Bustling Chinatown destination. Great array of filled steamed buns as well as other savouries and baked goods. Famous for the apple tart. 158 East Pender St., 604-681-1828.

Toko Noodles are the specialty but much, much more. Free delivery ($20 or more) within 3 km., 10 per cent of total beyond that. 223 West Seventh Ave., 604-879-0701.

VIP’s Kitchen Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, cooked in open kitchen. Free delivery in West Vancouver. 1487 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-925-1811.

Xian Cuisine So it’s a food court but you can’t beat watching a noodle maestro making your noodles right there. Richmond Public Market Food Court, 8260 Westminster Hwy.

YoPo Cafe A tome of a menu; nothing outstanding but it’s dependable fare. Free delivery downtown between 6 and 9 p.m. for orders of $20 or more. 1122 Homer Street, 604-609-9676.

INDIAN

Annapurna Longstanding vegetarian Indian restaurant. Free delivery in the neighbourhood. 1812 West Fourth Ave., 604-736-5959.

Handi Cuisine of India The only Indian restaurant with a fantastic rooftop ocean view. Specialties are tandoori dishes. Free delivery in West Vancouver. 1340 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-925-5262.

House of Dosa Stick to the expertly cooked dosas here. 1391 Kingsway, 604-875-1283.

Mumbai Masala Lovely food, including food from the tandoor. Delivery for orders of $20 and more. 138 West 16th St., North Vancouver, 604-984-8888.

Noor Mahal Dosas are the specialty. The new addition to the Indian menu are some Singaporean dishes. Free delivery within 15 km. 4354 Fraser, 604-873-9263.

Palki Delicious food, especially the butter chicken and naan. Free delivery within 2 km. 116 East 15th St., North Vancouver, 604-986-7555.

JAPANESE

Ajisai Sushi Bar Sushi and other dishes, cooked with flair. A hidden jewel. 2981 West 42nd Ave., 604-266-1428.

Bliss Asian Bistro Some izakaya, some sushi, and some detours to Korea. A sometimes over-inventive mind in the kitchen. 550 Denman St., 604-662-3044.

Fujiya All pre-made but you’ll find bento and deli goodies that you won’t see anywhere else. Pender Street is the smallest store. 912 Clark Drive, 604-251-3711; 1050 West Pender, 604-608-1050; 3086 St. Edwards Dr., Richmond, 604-270-3715.

Kadoya Japanese Restaurant Eat in or take out. Sushi, rice and noodle bowls, lots of special rolls. Can be a mad-house. 1063 Davie St., 604-608-1115.

Miko Even a sushi snob will find their bliss and it doesn’t stop at sushi. 1335 Robson St., 604-681-0339.

Shiro A standard Japanese restaurant, but one thing of note — they use fresh grated wasabi. 3096 Cambie Street, 604-874-002.

SushiBoy Nothing impressive, but the place is geared for fast turnover and takeout sushi. 409 West Broadway, 604-879-5236.

Nobu Japanese Sushi Some tables, lots of takeout and the sushi won’t disappoint. 3197 Edgemont Blvd., North Vancouver, 604-988-4553.

Opera Sushi Listen to opera, peruse the opera record sleeves on the wall while waiting for your sushi takeout. An oddity: black rice sushi. 1640 West Broadway, 604-737-1030.

Toshi A phone-ahead and takeout might save you the regular line-ups into this tiny tucked-away spot. Quality ingredients. 181 East 16th Ave., 604-874-5173.

Toyotomi Japanese Restaurant Big on special rolls but offers a complete roster of Japanese dishes. 4121 E. Hastings St., Burnaby, 604-676-1506.

Zipang Run by a young Japanese couple. Some inventive sushi as well as donburi and other dishes. Free delivery Broadway to 49th/Granville to Victoria Dr. for minimum $15 order. 3710 Main St., 604-708-1667.

VIETNAMESE/CAMBODIAN

Lan’s Restaurant Familiar Vietnamese fare — brochettes, spring rolls, pho. Free delivery within 5 km. for $20 or more orders. 1481 West Broadway, 604-738-2338.

Paradise Vietnamese Cuisine The owner is a meditation guru, the food is vegetarian, the place is tranquil. 8681-10th Ave., Burnaby, 604-527-8138.

Phnom Penh The Cambodian/Vietnamese food is the best in town. Try the butter beef, and “grandmother’s deep-fried calamari” with lemon pepper sauce. 244 East Georgia St., 604 682-5777.

THAI

Green Basil Standard The owner recommends coconut curry chicken. Free delivery within 5 km. 4623 Kingsway, Burnaby, 604-439-1919.

Krua Thai Restaurant Colourful and lively joint, decked out in blue, yellow and red. Swimming rama (chicken with spinach and spicy peanut sauce) and chicken cashew are oft-requested. 1445 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, 604-990-9349.

Montri One of the best Thai places and they do takeout. 3629 West Broadway, 604-738-9888.

O Thai Cuisine Restaurant Thai food with a modern twist — duck with tamarind sauce (ped lad prig) and steamed Thai dumplings are popular. 1626 West Broadway, 604-731-4888.

Simply Thai They don’t like to advertise it, but yes, they’ll do take out. High-end fare. 1171 Hamilton St., 604-642-0123.

Thai Away Home These outlets are designed more for takeout than eating in. Predominantly curries. The Cambie location does deliveries thanks to the Canada Line construction. 3315 Cambie St., 604-873-8424; 1206 Davie St., 604-253-8424; 43 East Fifth Ave., 604-781-8424.

Thai House Straight-ahead Thai food, no surprises. Delivery within 5 km. 1116 Robson Street, 604-683-3383; 1766 West Seventh Ave, 604-737-0088; 180 W. Esplanade, North Vancouver, 604-987-9911; 4940 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-278-7373; 4600 Kingsway, Burnaby, 604-438-2288.

Urban Thai An offshoot of Thai House. It’s their upscale Yaletown spot. Shrimp cakes and coconut red curry are frequent requests. Free delivery within 5 km. 1119 Hamilton St., 604-408-7788.

NEPALESE

Cafe Kathmandu What’s Nepalese cuisine? A little bit Chinese, Indian and Tibetan. Try the goat curry or bhaatmas (toasted soybeans with ginger, garlic, chili). 2779 Commercial Dr., 604-879-9909.

KOREAN

Jang Mo Jib Ever-popular and ever-expanding into the suburbs, this is a favourite for spicy, casual Korean food. 1719 Robson, 604-642-0712; 395 Kingsway, 604-874-0712; 8320 Alexandra Street, Richmond, 604-233-0712.

Kimbo and Ramyun Popular with Asian language students; fast, casual fare. 423 Seymour St., 604-685-2877.

INDONESIAN

Sate Satu A modern take on Indonesian cuisine, particularly satays. And since they’re on torn-asunder Cambie, they deliver. 3488 Cambie St., 604-709-8150.

Spice Islands Family-run. A good handle on blending spices. 3592 West 41st Ave., 604-266-7355.

MALAYSIAN

Banana Leaf The three locations attest to its popularity. Rich flavours, fresh ingredients. 820 West Broadway, 604-731-6333; 1096 Denman St., 604-683-3333; 3005 Broadway West, 604-734-3005.

Orchid Delight Casual, friendly spot; tasty dishes. 2445 Burrard Street, 604-731-0221.

Cafe D’Lite Street hawker style food from Malaysia and Singapore. 3144 West Broadway, 604-733-8882.

Penang Szechuan Heavy demand on the crispy orange beef, Kung pao calamari and sambal string beans. Free delivery within 5 km. 33370 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, 604-557-9857; 15338 Russell Ave., White Rock, 604-538-1700.

Tamarind Hill Malaysian Cuisine Delicious food. Known for the papaya mango salad, spring roll calamari and roti canai with curry dip. Free delivery in neighbourhood. 628 6th Ave., New Westminster, 604-526-3000.

FILIPINO

Goldilocks A bustling enterprise of a huge array of Filipino food and baking. The big caramel-slathered rice balls for under $2 are yummy! 1606 West Broadway, 604-736-7744.

MEXICAN

Burrito Brothers Fast track to burritos, tacos, quesadillas and… Mexican poutine! 2209 West First Ave., 604-736-8222.

Budgies Burritos Quintessential hole-in-the-wall. Log-sized burritos for about $6. 44 Kingsway, 604 874-5408.

Dona Cato Lots of press, lots of people wanting tacos, quesadillas, burritos and combination plates. Cheap and cheerful. 5438 Victoria Dr., 604-436-2232.

Cilantro & Jalapeno Gourmet Mexican Foods Burritos, quesadillas, tamales, enchiladas and other dishes, nicely handled. 736 West Broadway, 604-872-7161.

La Mexicana Gourmet Foods Fresh ingredients — burritos, enchiladas, tacos, tamales. 1083 Marine Drive, North Vancouver, 604-986-1327.

Taco Shack Tacos , burritos and quesadillas. Daved Benefield and Noah Cantor, both former football players, are the reason for the football thematics. 3143 West Broadway, 604-737-8227; 1937 Cornwall St., 604-736-8226.

La Salsa Mexican Deli A store and a Mexican deli. The burritos are delish as is the guacamole. 4140 Hastings St., Burnaby, 604-299-6485.

El Taco Love the jackpot of veggies in the dishes here. Massive burritos. Fresh. 738 Davie St., 604-806-0300.

Ponchos Old-style Mexican restaurant with red-checked tablecloths. Pork with chipotle, steak with enchilada, burritos. Free delivery within downtown area. 827 Denman St, 604-683-7236.

SOUTHWEST

Delicado’s Enchiladas, roll-ups and an array of salads. 510 West Hastings, 604-682-7071.

GREEK

Apollonia Solid Greek fare. Free delivery within neighbourhood. 1830 Fir St., 604-736-9559.

Parthenon Store with a large hot deli section — lamb, chicken, casseroles, side dishes. The works. Cheap. 3080 West Broadway, 604-733-4191.

Minerva Another store with hot deli section. The pastitsio is wonderful. 3207 West Broadway, 604-733-3956.

FRENCH

Provence Marinaside Order takeout off the gourmet Provencal/Italian menu or order at the antipasto bar. 1177 Marinaside Crescent, 604-681-4144.

ITALIAN

Epicurean Deli Modern, for-real Italian caffe. Deli case holds regional pastas, as well as other famiglia specials. 898 West First Ave., 604-731-5370.

La Grotta del Formaggio Open wide for the mouthy panini constructed at the deli counter. 1791 Commercial Dr., 604-255-3911.

La Cucina del Diavolo Italian panini, soups, and don’t miss the delicious signature tarts. 1701 Powell St., 604-677-1119.

Incendio This, the first Incendio, still has the most character. Wood-burning oven, thin-crust pizza. 103 Columbia St, 604-688-8694.

Nat’s New York Pizza Order the Fifth Avenue with spinach, tomato, feta is the best seller. Free delivery in neighbourhood. 2684 West Broadway, 604-737-0707; 1080 Denman St., 604-642-0777.

Simpatico Italian and Greek food. Pizza, pasta, roast lamb, souvlaki, and the rest. Free delivery for orders $50 and up. 2222 West Fourth Ave., 604-733-6824.

Raviolini Gourmet Pasta And Foods The pasta is ready for a 10-minute cook, once you’re home. Pastas, sauces, empanadas, and the ricois, a frying pasta, is worth a try. 2822 West Fourth Ave., 604-736-0772.

Sciue Great panini, pizzas, pasta, fish dishes. Chic and busy downtown spot. 800 West Pender St., 604-602-7263.

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Mostly organic pizzas made in wood-burning oven. Deliveries through Gowaiters (604-438-4000) at $4.95 per delivery. 1876 West First Ave., 604-730-0321.

Marcello’s Thin-crust pizzas emerge from the Sungod wood-burning oven. Pick up or eat in. 1404 Commercial Dr., 604-215-7760.

IRANIAN

Arian Plates will be heaped with food — lamb shanks with lima beans, eggplant tomato beef stew, kebabs, stews and other home-style dishes. 1412 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-922-9599.

Yaas Bakery Store, deli and bakery. 1860 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, 604-990-9006.

MIDDLE EAST

Nuba Felafel and other Middle Eastern dishes to go. 322 West Hastings St., 604-688-1655; 1206 Seymour St., 778-371-3266.

Victoria Park Cafe Delicious, inexpensive Palestinian food (like mjuardarak which is roasted eggplant with olive oil and garlic). Entree dishes, for $12, offer excellent value. 1904 Grant St., 604-875-8515.

EASTERN EUROPEAN

Acacia Filo Bar The specialty is banitzil, a Bulgarian filo pie with various fillings. Tripe soup, if you wish, too! 1103 Denman St., 604-633-3884.

Bernie’s Balkan Kitchen Robust homestyle cooing — homemade bread, cabbage rolls, beef stroganoff, pork and lamb roasts on weekends. 7340 Kingsway, Burnaby, 604-526-6580.

Budapest Hungarian food, from cabbage rolls and schnitzels to duck and tremes, one of their fancy pastries. 3250 Main St., 604-877-1949.

European Breads and Bakery Panini made with their lovely Georgian baguette, Georgian cheese pie, pyrogies, borscht, Napolean cake. 4324 Fraser St., 604-879-5177.

Red Square All manner of Russian and Eastern European foods with health bent. 8626 Joffre Ave., Burnaby, 604-451-0606.

Transylvania Flavour Restaurant Transylvanian (Romanian to you) cabbage rolls, potato salad, schnitzels, sausages, and for the adventurous — tripe soup. 2120 West Broadway, 604-730-0880.

NORTH AMERICAN

Cardero’s Seafood and meat dishes. Known for the wok fried squid. 1583 Coal Harbor Quay, 604-669-7666.

The Butler Did It Catering Comfort foods, salads, soups, panini. 340 West Second Ave., 604-739-3663.

Emelle’s Catering Burgers, entrees and daily specials, like kamut soba noodles with Szechuan dressing and sweet and sour chicken. 177 West Seventh Ave., 604-875-6551.

Memphis Blues BBQ House All of the juicy meats, slow-cooked in the pit barbecue are takeoutable. The Memphis Feast with ‘the works’ feeds three to four. 1342 Commercial Drive, 604-215-2599; 1465 West Broadway, 604-738-6806; 1629 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, 604-929-3699.

Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts A changing roster of light meals like salmon and chicken entrees, salads and a visual feast of French pastries. 1505 West Second Ave., 604-734-4488.

Tomahawk All the big-bruiser breakfast dishes and burgers can be ordered to go. 1550 Philip Ave., North Vancouver, 604-988-2612.

The Windjammer The fish and chips fly out the door. Pastas, seafood, entrees also available. 3079 Main St., 604-876-6646.

VEGETARIAN

East is East “Eastern Plates” with flavours of the Silk Road. Healthy, following ayurvedic principles. 4413 Main St., 604-879-2020.

SEAFOOD

Finest at Sea A deli case with ready-to-heat foods as well as cafe counter with entrees and fish and chips. Excellent quality. 4675 Arbutus St., 604-266-1904.

Go Fish A fish shack, yes. Mediocre food? No! Great fresh grilled fish, tacos, po’ boys, fish and chips. 1504 West First Ave., 604-730-5040.

Screaming Mimi’s Seafood And Steamer Steamer crab, lobster, oyster or mussels to take home as well as other seafood entrees. Lonsdale Quay, 123 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver, 604-987-3466.

BITS ‘N’ BITES

Brioche Vibrant Italian food with a West Coast assist and lots of temptations in the dessert case. 401 West Cordova St., 604-682-4037.

Burgoo Stews and soups from around the world; salad additions in summer. 4434 West 10th Ave., 604 221-7839; 3 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, 604-904-0933.

Capers Community Markets Appetizers, salads, soups, main dishes; all healthy and organic where possible. 2496 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, 604-925-3316; 2285 West Fourth Ave., 604-739-6676; 1675 Robson Street, 604-687-5288; 3277 Cambie Street, 604-909-2988.

Chef Claire Swish meals — osso bucco, pulled pork, Thai chicken curry, Moroccan braised chicken, beef bourguignon. 3610 Main St., 604-875-6400.

Gallery Cafe and Catering Great value — quiches, entrees, salads, panini. The gorgeous patio might change your mind about takeout. Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby St., 604-688-2233.

Hot Cuisine Gourmet take-away as well as sandwiches and wraps. Watch for the killer brownies. 2083 Alma St., 604-267-1132.

Les Amis du Fromage It’s frozen and you’ll need a microwave for an ASAP meal. Meals from mac and cheese to beef bourguignon. 518-2002 Park Royal South, West Vancouver, 604-925-4218; 752 Second Ave., West Vancouver, 604-732-4218.

Noodle Box Noodle and rice dishes from Asian countries in old-style Chinese takeout cartons. 1867 West Fourth Ave., 604-734-1310.

Pan-O-Pan High-end take-away. Duck confit, braised lamb shanks, beautiful choice of gnocchi, hors d’oeuvres. 235 East Broadway, 604-879-9146.

Meinhardt’s Along with gourmet grocery products, the deli counter offers a wide range of lunch and dinner possibilities. 3002 Granville Street, 604-732-4405.

Quince A fine food takeout. Includes cinnamon roasted duck breast, seared Sooke trout, Dungeness crab samosas. 1780 West Third Ave., 604-731-4645.

Red Door Pan Asian Grill Pan-Asian menu. Phone ahead and staff will deliver to takeout stalls in parking area. 2996 Granville St., 604-733-5699.

Upstarts Deli And Greengrocer Deli counter features salads, comfort foods, panini. Selections change. 1990- 152nd St., White Rock, 604-535-0023.

Urban Fare A long hot and cold food deli section includes carvery, seafood, salads, international dishes. 177 Davie St., 604-974-7550.

Whole Foods Market Incredible selection of prepared foods from from soup to nuts. Mostly organic. Village at Park Royal, 925 Main Street, West Vancouver, 604-678-0500.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

The room is saturated in modern Latin sound and the dark wood blinds lend a ‘plantation look’

Mia Stainsby
Sun

It’s nearing the end of the week. I’m tired and grumpy and fixating on things that annoy me.

For one thing, why don’t servers give prices for the daily specials? And for another, why do large parties of women shriek with laugher, oblivious to neighbouring tables? Okay, I confess. I’m guilty of that, too.

And three, where exactly are the next generation of Latin and Vietnamese restaurants? The ones with a little more refinement and creativity. I’ve been waiting for them to be the next big thing.

We have Baru (on Alma) which is cool and unique. And what do you know — I just discovered LK Dining Lounge in Yaletown has made a U-turn to Latin-influenced food without much fanfare or clues to the nature of cuisine in their name.

(No, I wasn’t told how much the specials cost at LK and no, the tables of women around us didn’t turn into hyenas.)

As far as I knew, LK stood for Lily Kate, which was its birth name two years ago, after owner Britta Joyce’s two grandmothers. Once you walk through the doors, the clues hit. The room is saturated in modern Latin sound and the dark wood blinds lend a “plantation” look. One wall is a giant screen for projected images, which might be of a Mexican beach scene or tropical rainforest. The original modern open space has been divided into two dining areas by means of a flimsy wooden blind which unfortunately narrows the entrance to an uncomfortable runway.

Travis Williams, the chef, comes straight from Adessa, a lovely Italian bistro in Kitsilano which didn’t survive. At LK, Williams’s food has a similar quality as it did at Adessa — a nice balance of flavours and a light touch, even with the spicy, assertive nature of Latin food. Williams has also worked at Bluewater Grill (seafood) and Cincin Ristorante (Italian) and generally, his food is sophisticated, nicely balanced and light.

His seafood prowess showed in the cilantro-lime sablefish with citrus coconut milk reduction but was hit and miss in the paella Marisco with achiote risotto and lemon aioli. Prawns were overcooked and mussels were undercooked but scallops were perfectly done. Crab and plaintain fritters weren’t memorable but came with a tasty red pepper emulsion.

His meat-centred dishes were uniformly delicious — from the mini jerk-spiced sirloin burgers to the cumin cinnamon braised lamb shank (although I hoped to taste the cinnamon, but didn’t); adobo chicken tinga, a pizza-like dish with corn, ham chicharrones (crispy pork rind), tomato salsa was delicious but at $14 for a smallish portion, was over-priced. Dishes come in three sizes — bite-sized tapas ($5 to $7), sharing “tabla ($10 to $14) and entrees ($24 to $29).

The menu warns of an 18-per-cent gratuity for parties of six or more but I think the customer should decide on anything more than 15 per cent. What if service is incompetent? Although that’s not likely to be the case — I found the service exceptionally friendly and accommodating.

Weekly events include wine at retail cost plus $5 and a $55 tasting menu on Wednesday (call ahead); 4 tapas and two cocktails for $20 on Thursdays. Cocktails are Latin-leaning and wines include a good representation from Latin countries.

– – –

LK DINING LOUNGE.

Overall: 3 1/2

Food: 3 1/2

Ambience: 3 1/2

Service: 4

Price $$

1265 Hamilton St., 604-687-5885. lkdininglounge.com. Open for dinner, Tuesday to Saturday, from 5 p.m.

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

© The Vancouver Sun 2007