One night in Vancouver

[grandgourmand]

I've got one night, a Monday, to eat somewhere nice in Vancouver. I'll be alone, so somehwere I can eat at a bar, have a nice selection of beers and casual, but well executed food would be great.

But really, any good suggestions are welcome. I'm not fussy. You guys have better seafood and Japanese options than what's available in Toronto, so that might be the angle.

Thanks in advance.

[felix the hound]

Blue Water is the optimal choice to "hit two birds with one stone" if you don't mind the mixed metaphor... Exceptional sushi and seafood, and you can eat at the bar.

[mrsloquacious]

Blue Water Cafe is one of our favourite places in the entire city for solid service and fresh seafood. Ambience is business-casual to cocktail formal, and wine list is extensive.

Another good restaurant is Fuel, although they aren't as seafood-oriented as BWC.

O'Douls is also good from a beer/bar perspective, and they have a good range of foods as well; they aren't as upscale as the first two I've listed.

[linc0635]

Just to chime in on Fuel, went there on Friday and saw the chef recently won an award. It was very good, excellent service, stylish but not too formal. In some places the food was a little too experimental, for example the salted caramel encasing the ice-cream was so chewy it was hard to eat, but generally the food was stunning, and there were some really nice touches like the bread-salt-butter presentation and the amuse bouche.

The next day we went to Chow for their fixed price menu run from 5-6pm. The food there was marginally better and the pricing was 50% less given the fixed price deal, so I'd recommend that if you have the chance to eat early. Their smoked salmon is great, but the focus isn't really on seafood there. Really liked the veal cheeks.

Also, had 'unplanned' lunches at Chill Winston in Gastown and Tsunami sushi, both were fine, but wouldn't recommend.

[fmed]

Both Seafood and Japanese (sushi, etc.) can be had at Blue Water in Yaletown. Sit at the Raw Bar. After dining there, walk over to the Hamilton Street Grill for beer.

If you are feeling more beer-centric, Chambar has a long list of Belgian Beers...the food is quite good there too.

[grandgourmand]

Just looked at the Blue Water website, man that one looks GREAT! Thanks fmed.

Isn't there a salumeria or something like that in Vancouver? We've got a dedicated charcuterie place in Toronto now, for less than a year. I recall reading about one in Vancouver that's been doing it for quite a while longer.

Too bad I'm spending the weekend in Calgary (family), Vancouver has so much to offer.

[fmed]

Salt Tasting Room..yes it's the trendsetter for cured meats here. Very good spot.

[Sui_Mai]

I second Salt (if you like charcuterie). Then go to one of the cool bars in Gastown for local beers or fun new spins on trad cocktails. Drink the local wines too – high: Burrowing Owl, Low: Quail's Gate or Blasted Church – thankfully Vancouver restaurants really support them.

I miss the 'couv. sniff sniff.

[grayelf]

Salt is great but the OP will likley need more than that for a dinner, unless they have significantly increased portion sizes. Maybe Boneta afterward, though I don't know if they are set up well for single diners.

Sui_Mai: The 'couv??? That's a new one for me...

[fmed]

That's what happens when you live in T-dot for a while :-)

[Sui_Mai]

Sounds like you may already know your way around a bit.
Chambar? Vij's?
Also what's the name of the new place *right under* the Granville Bridge? Pictures I saw (of the locale - which might even be enough reason for going) looked amazing. Also there's a fish taco shack near there too that people freak over. (Sorry I'm bad with names today).

[Cancuk]

If you want to go to Salt, and you should want to, go to dinner first at Boneta around the corner. Great food and very comfortable bar to eat at..

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Salt Tasting Room Ltd
45 Blood Alley, Vancouver, BC V6B 0C4, CA

Boneta Restaurant
1 West Cordova, Vancouver, BC V6B 1C8, CA