412864 Tue Jun 19 06:52:20 -0700 2007 13 57 Western Canada 0 2673156 My husband and I will be in Vancouver in mid-September. I adore Indian food and wanted to visit Vij's, but with their no-reservations policy the chances of me getting my rather impatient beloved to stand in line for 1.5 hours is along the lines of me getting elected Pope. So what are the alternatives? We'll be staying at the Hilton Metrotown and will have a car, and we'd rather have really good than trendy/fusion. Thanks in advance! Tue Jun 19 06:52:20 -0700 2007 23970 MandalayVA 1 2673609 i really enjoy bombay bhel on hastings in burnaby http://www.bombaybhelrestaurant.com/ worth the drive!! actually, you aren't that far from metrotown Tue Jun 19 09:01:27 -0700 2007 2673156 74241 pants 2 2673782 http://www.akbarsown.com/ on Broadway @ Cypress Always good often outstanding. Tue Jun 19 09:44:48 -0700 2007 2673609 10785 Sam Salmon 3 2678852 I love the Tandoori King on Fraser.. and they deliver all the way to Kits (just be prepared to wait for an hour) Katerina http://dailyunadventures.com Wed Jun 20 15:45:08 -0700 2007 2673782 76054 daily_unadventures 1 2679850 Somewhat OT, but be sure to check out the Crystal Mall which is attached to the Hilton Metrotown. Interesting Asian market and food court as well as some decent restos. We had dim sum at Top Gun recently and it was quite good. Wed Jun 20 22:40:04 -0700 2007 2673156 25793 Wonder 1 2680991 If you arrive at Vij's before it opens, you have a pretty good chance of getting in. That said, compromise. Go to Vij's Rangoli next door! It's a cafe that's open during the day and, into the evening. The food is more traditional but excellent. I'm from out of town but have been there (Rangoli's) a couple of times and never had to wait, perhaps because I didn't go at the height of the lunch hour. http://www.vijsrangoli.ca/ Thu Jun 21 09:54:13 -0700 2007 2673156 19003 PAO 2 2705555 I was in Vancouver on my own in April and managed to get a table for one without too much trouble on a weeknight. I recall the wait being no longer than half an hour. Plus, you're not lining up out the door. They have a lounge area in the back where you can have a drink while they pass around baskets of Indian snacks, fresh from the kitchen. The fried ones, in particular, were fabulous. I'm not actually a huge Indian food fan, but after my meal there, I immediately walked up the street to Chapters bookstore and bought the Vij's cookbook. Fri Jun 29 01:03:06 -0700 2007 2680991 10806 Lillian Hsu 3 2708878 That's good to know. We're only going to be in Vancouver for a couple of days, all during the week, so I think Vij's might be doable if that's the case. Thanks for your imput! Sat Jun 30 07:33:40 -0700 2007 2705555 23970 MandalayVA 4 2711597 I have been to all of these restaurants~all very good. They local fav's don't really have a lot of atmosphere so I usually would recommend holding out for the trendier pic of Vij's. Sun Jul 01 16:49:12 -0700 2007 2708878 69941 jewels_vancouver 4 2712241 keep in mind however...if you want to be there when they open to avoid waiting in line, you might actually want to get there about 15 minutes BEFORE they open. We walked up to Vij's right as they opened to find that we would have the distinction of being the first group on the waiting list (there had been a line waiting to get in before opening). That was on a Saturday night, however. We didn't mind the wait: the snacks they passed out were good, as was the beer and the company. Sun Jul 01 23:41:10 -0700 2007 2708878 10290 janetofreno 1 2712237 I'm a huge fan of Vij's, but this weekend we tried Akbar's on West Broadway and it is really great. Different, of course. Vij's is more contemporary or fusion and Akbar's is much more traditional, but it is really very good--so good, in fact, that we didn't even really need the chutneys. Butter chicken, Lamb masala, and eggplant were all first class. Sun Jul 01 23:37:13 -0700 2007 2673156 13992 FAT Traveler 1 2759945 Green Lettuce and Red Fort both near Kingsway/Victoria Tue Jul 17 23:52:23 -0700 2007 2673156 97506 knight 1 2904761 Raga on west broadway............silky smooth butter chicken, and great vindaloos, ive heard good things about tandoori king as well Sun Sep 02 11:34:55 -0700 2007 2673156 123911 busterbrown 1 2904793 You will kick yourself forever, if you do not go to Vij's..mid September, getting there right when it opens is the key..at least try.. It is that spectacular! Sun Sep 02 11:51:52 -0700 2007 2673156 97452 Beach Chick