Vancouver Downtown

[overseastar]

Taking my family out to Vancouver for the September long weekend and we'll be staying at a hotel in the downtown area near Robson St. What would you recommend in the downtown area for breakfasts, lunches and dinners? and easily accessible by public transport. We plan to head over to the Science World, Grannville Island, and Aquarium as well. So any where near those places would also work.

We have a car for the last part of our trip, in which we will make it to Burnaby as well, what would you recommend in Burnaby?

Thanks in advance.

[luluwaffles]

Also want to post about my visit to Vancouver two weekends ago --

Go Fish -- Went there for lunch. Their halibut is very tasty and moist, and fries weren't as bad as some people claim. Definitely buy extra tartar sauce. Overall good place for fish and chips!

Lime -- I was blown away. We decided to let the chef prepare whatever they wanted for us. and everything served to use was delicious. The fish was exceptionally fresh, and the sushi rolls were amazing. I cannot begin the describe how good the miso-marinated sablefish was. I could've eaten 5 servings of that alone! I'm not big fan of sake, but they served us their house-made sake, and it was delicious -- even ordered two more glasses! When I go back to Vancouver, I'm DEFINITELY going here -- hands down one of the best Japanese restarants I've ever been to.

Golden Ocean -- Went there for dim sum. You can definitely taste the freshness of the pork. And overall, good dim sum experience and very inexpensive!

La Buca -- Excellent Italian. My boyfriend's dish was a pasta in a rich meat sauce, and I couldn't stop picking off his plate. He loved the veal osso buco I ordered, so we switched halfway through dinner. Their desserts were divine -- and we ordered two. Great experience!

Japadog -- Had to give in to try this place, even though I'm not a hot dog fan. It was very tasty and different, and I liked the flavor combinations. Miso-mayo is the way to go.

Thanks to grayelf for all the recommendations. You hit it on the head!

[grayelf]

You're welcome, and so glad you had a good time, lulu -- you kinda did do the Grayelf food tour didn't you? Happy to hear you liked the GF fries; I don't hate them, I've just had better. Lime seems to keep getting better -- thanks for the updated report. Your comments about Golden Ocean are spot on -- this isn't dimsum to change your world view, but it will make you happy. I heart carts! And of course I am a huge La Buca fan so that's a given :-). I swear half the fun in going to Japadog is the experience (even the wait, within reason) of ordering etc but they are tasty... I like the okonomiyaki one the best so far. I wonder if they will ever open the frequently rumoured bricks and mortar J-dog...

[luluwaffles]

Let me know if you're ever in Seattle or Honolulu and need rec's. I'd be happy to return the favor.

[fmed]

The chefs at Lime must have taken a liking to you - the house-made sake is only served to their special guests - it's not on the menu ;)

Thanks for the report luluwaffles. That's a pretty good survey of the Vancouver scene, grayelf style.

[grayelf]

Headline: Lime diner surprised to receive secret housemade sake served animal style :-).

[overseastar]

Photos:

Medina Cafe

[fmed]

Thanks for the report overseastar. It sounds like a successful trip, gastronomically speaking.

[grayelf]

Yeah, good stuff, oss! I was especially interested to hear about the Bennies at Scuie because we usually hear about the panini. I'm still waiting to find my "favourite" eggs benedict here....

[overseastar]

I'm a big egg benny fan and almost ordered it 95% of the time I see it on a brunch menu. Now this was the only egg benny i've had in YVR. My judgment was in comparison to those I have tried in Alberta :)

[felix the hound]

When in Vancouver we always make a point of having breakfast at Sciue. Never thought of ordering eggs benedict there, however, , must try the next time.

[overseastar]

LOL No more eggs for me for awhile......

[overseastar]

Photos:

Sun Siu Wah Restaurant (Main St)

[overseastar]

More photos:

1. Legendary Noodle House
2. Sciue

[overseastar]

Hi all, I'm back from YVR, and would like to share my food experience there.

Japadog (Pender & Burrard St): Tried the beef terimayo ($4.75), i love the sauce that they use, the flavour was just right...we waited for abt 5 min in the line-up, then another 7-8 min for them to put together 3 hot dogs for 3 people...it felt like quite a wait since there were 4 other ppl in front of us waiting for their orders as well..but we totally didn't mind eating out on the street by a hot dog stand, could probably have gone for seconds.

Legendary Noodle House (Denman St): Got there at about 530pm, grabbed the last table available there, right next to the kitchen, we got to watch the chefs making the noodles from scratch! I had the Legendary House noodle consisted of Sour Soup, Tofu, Carrots, Mushroom, Pork Dices, Chives. When I go for noodles, I tend to avoid greasy soup noodle place. Here, the noodles were cooked just right with no greasy soup. The sourness of the soup at the bottom of the soup does add quite an interesting mix of flavour to the bowl of noodles. For drinks, we ordered House Mixed Chrysanthemum Green Tea...don't think it's the kind of drink for everybody since they added some random dried flowers/fruits (those asian kinds) into it.

Sciue: Wasn't going to try this out, but after reading the menu, i decided to switch our schedule a bit to accomodate its sunday closure. We went on a Saturday, got there around 915am. We ordered the egg benedict brunch ($10.95). Mine was called Sciue Benedict ai Spinaci - 2 poached eggs, sautéed spinach, tomato zabaglione,fresh fruit. And I can totally see why they only offered it for lunch. The amount of food on that plate was huge for breakfast. They usually don't serve it till 10am, but were kind enough to make an exception for us. The egg benny is prob the best ive ever had by far. A small latte is like a medium/even large size!

Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant: We wanted some chinese food and I've been to this place before. So didn't mind going for a 2nd time. We had the roasted squab, freshly cooked scallops with garlic, and stir-fry noodles. The squab wasn't as good as I had anticipated, a bit too salty. But the scallops were huge (still in its shell) and juicy along with the rich garlic flavour! Delicious!

Medina Cafe: We got there around 930am and by 10am, there were 2 other group of people waiting outside for a table. I had the La Santé - Soft Boiled egg, vine ripened tomato, avocado, prosciutto, extra virgin olive oil, grilled ciabatta. It's unique, and may be a bit too much for me personally. It looked nice, but just felt a little odd to ahve so many different flavours all on one plate. Aside from that, the mocha was fantastic!

Wanted to try Go Fish, but I couldn't find it in the end, and it was raining while we were in the area. So we went for Tonys Fish Granville Island and had their seafood platter ($32). It says for 2, but we shared it among 3 of us since we weren't that hungry to begin with. The fish and chip was good, and scallops. But I'm sure there's probably better cooked seafood around there. The fries were way too greasy to eat in the end. They kept the door opened, so there were a lot of flies flying around the entire time which made the food looked less appetizing.

Tropika: Went to the Tropika in Aberdeen Centre for our last meal before heading back to the airport. Compared to the ones in Edmonton and Calgary (closed down already), this one was definitely 10xxxxxxxx times tastier. For those that have tried the ones in Alberta and got disappointed, I'd recommend the one in Richmond :)

[selena03]

Glad you liked Scuie-one of my breakfast favourites with my daughter. My husband is aways looking for a good eggs benny so he will def have to try it: on a weekend:).

[luluwaffles]

I, too, am going to Vancouver for the long weekend. I really wanted to find a good Portuguese restaurant, and heard that a lot have closed. Senova was recommended by one person, but I read some reviews that question its Portuguese authenticity. Indeed, the menu looks more French inspirsed. Any other suggestions for good Portuguese restaurants in Vancouver? I've got a car and am willing to travel. Thank you!

[ck1234]

Cinco Estrelas is still open I believe. However, I can't find their website anymore. I know they used to have one. I haven't been in a few years, but I did enjoy it back then. I'll actually be driving by soon on an errand so I'll have a look to be sure.
http://www.lusitania.ca/pbs/portugues...

[ck1234]

Cinco Estrelas is indeed open, but it is looking severely run down from the outside!

[vandan]

senova is owned by a portuguese born , raised in france chef hence the menu

[grayelf]

That was me, lulu and I should have warned you about the fusiony thing (my SO has dined there). I had a quick peek online and came up with the following Portuguese restos in Vancouver proper, none of which I can vouch for in terms of quality or whether they are still there (you're right about a lot of closures) but may assist you in your quest:

Casa Verde
3532 Commercial
[phone] Commercial

Cinco Estrelas Restaurant
2268 Kingsway
[phone] Kingsway

Joe's Cafe
1150 Commercial Drive
[phone]

Portuguese Cafe
3038 Commercial Drive
604.708.4474 East Vancouver

Portuguese Club of Vancouver
1144 Commercial
[phone] Commercial

Senhor Rooster
850 Renfrew St.
[phone] East Vancouver

Cafe Algarve
1693 E. 12th Ave
[phone]

[fmed]

Upscale Portugese food is non-existent here. Cinco Estrellas and Casa Verde are your best bets....but the ambiance at both leave a lot to be desired. The food at both are OK....but nothing special and hit-or-miss (which is why I have stopped going to both). I would rather steer you to Senova (even though it is Pan-Mediterranean rather than pure Portugese.)

The POV on Commercial Dr is more like a Legion Hall. The food is decent enough, but people go there to drink for the most part.

[luluwaffles]

Thanks for all the responses! I really appreciate the input, and I'll definitely be visiting one of these this weekend. I'll respond after my holiday. Thanx.

[hrhsheba]

For breakfast, the Beyond Restaurant inside the Century 21 Hotel on Burrard Street (2.5 Blocks from Robson) does a totally acceptable breakfast, it's open on Sundays and would be suitable for children too. There's a buffet and a breakfast menu. The classic two sausage or bacon, eggs, very nice potatoes, and toast is only $7!

[chellspecker]

The Pear Tree is a fantastic restaurant in Burnaby Heights at the top of the hill at 4120 East Hastings. Truly memorable Continental fine dining for a very special night out. Reservations definitely recommended, especially weekend nights. Not exactly kid-friendly though, I'm not sure the age range of your party. Have a great trip!

[overseastar]

So I've picked out Medina, Go Fish, Japadog, Guu w/Garlic for my trip. We are going to be in Richmond for our final night before flying out of Vancouver later that night. What would you suggest for a must-go place for supper? Preferably not Jap food. Thanks :)

[hrhsheba]

My apologies if I missed this in the posts, but it doesn't seem readily apparent that you've been told that Japadog is, in fact, a hot dog stand. Seating in the immediate vicinity is limited to some nearby steps and planter edges. The hotdogs are great but, depending on how old your youngest is, navigating hot dogs and tots may not be an entirely enjoyable experience Just thought you should know in advance.

[grayelf]

Good point, hrsheba -- I think the setup is a bit more family friendly at the Japadog in Coal Harbour though I haven't been myself. Might be an option?

[KGill]

If you do a search on "Richmond", you'll find several threads that talk about the abundance of eateries in the area. It's Chinese all the way, and there are choices to fit any audience, preference, and budget. Personally, my family enjoys "Northern Delicacy" at Aberdeen Center as an affordable yet pleasant place to dine.

[overseastar]

Yes, I know about Japadog being a hot dog stand, but thanks for the headsup. It's on my list since we plan to make a quick lunch stop one day near our hotel. I got the Japadog info from other threads that I've seen around here and elsewhere. I've tried searching on the board about Richmond eateries, and ya, came across a lot of chinese and jap eateries. And for the past couple times that I've been there, we've always been eating Jap and chinese food. So I was just curious to see if there's anything different or unique in the area.

KGill: Is Northern Delicacy in Aberdeen Center a restaurant or is it something in the food court?

[twinkienic]

Northern Delicacy is a sit-down restaurant.

[felix the hound]

I suggest you stroll down Denman Street or take the Sky Train to Commercial street, another great place to stroll and have some good food at any time o the day. Same for Main Street. True chowhound sampling territory.

[overseastar]

Thank you all for the list, I'd definitely go through them and see which ones suit my family the most.

[fmed]

Feel free to ask more questions here.

[grayelf]

I'm one of the Deacon's fans so I'll just reiterate what I like about it: fair prices, proper diner style food (greasy but not too greasy), correctly cooked eggs, a great biscuit you can sub in for toast, a comfortable room (try to nab a booth), easygoing service, decent coffee (they even have lattes which is verging on non-diner!) and the opportunity to indulge in a hair of the dog tonic if you have overdone it the night before. What's not to like? I still haven't tried any of their lunch specials apart from the BLT which I consider breakfast food (it is ridiculously good) but I can recommend breaky for sure. Now that they open at 9 on the weekends we haven't encountered much in the way of lines prior to 10 either. One word of caution: this resto is in a sketchy nabe so do keep your wits about you if you go and be prepared to meet/see some interesting characters on the way to/from. I've never felt remotely threatened here but it is only two blocks from the epicentre of the downtown eastside at Main and Hastings. On the flip side, if you want a nice walk and glorious view of the harbour/mountains after breakfast, walk over the bridge you will see outside Deacon's door and head to Crab Park. It's just over a five-minute stroll and is right on the water. There's a great playground there too if that's useful -- not sure how old the kids are in your family group :-).

[selena03]

I second Go Fish, Japadog, and Guu.
I love the Yew Restaurant and Bar (in the four seasons close to you) for breakfast and dinner because the food quality and service is excellent and kids are very welcome (kids menu too).
Scuie is a nice lunch spot for Roman style pizza and sandwiches and is close to Pacific Centre.
I love love Market in the Shangri La hotel for dinner and they have lunch specials as well-very good food and service. If you are going there with kids maybe lunch would be better but I would just call and ask.
I have heard that the food at the aquarium is really good but have never tried it myself.

[CheapAppetite]

If you are on a budget, you should try the followings:
Near Aquarium:
- Japadog at Coal Harbor location. Good novelty hotdog. Very Vancouver. I recommend Teri-mayo. $4.75
- Khunnai Chang close to denman and robson (affordable lunch specials) I love their Pad Thai. http://legendarynoodle.ca/
- Kentaro. Great Japanese Ramen. Denman and Robson
- Legendary Noodle. Handmade noodle. Very authentic northern chinese cuisine.

Downtown:
- Goldies Rustic Pizza. The best pizza downtown Vancouver. $2.50 a slice (maybe pricey compare to the nearby competitors, but worth the extra) http://tinyurl.com/ljq258
- Ebiten. In front of the Main Library on Robson. Inexpensive Japanese food. I love their Tempura Don with extra sauce:
)-East Fusion Food. They have a special now on shrimp wonton noodle soup for $2.99. Good portion. Taste good too. http://tinyurl.com/m7boyx
- Thai Basil. Best Pad Krapow and Pad Keemao in Vancouver. http://tinyurl.com/la8t72
- Most Chinatown restaurants.
- Babylon Cafe: Great Shawarma wraps. Great portion. About $6 or so.
- Vera Burger. Davie St. or a new location in Gastown. Next to Gassy Jack. Good Bison burger.

Granville Island:
Granville Island Taproom. Great local beer.

East Van:
Bon's off Broadway Breakfast. $2.95 all day breakfast special. Huge portion.
This maybe a bit off your path. But not too far out.

Burnaby:
Saffron indian Cuisine. (not cheap, but affordable

)

Well this should be enough:)
Hope you have a great time in Vancouver
Cheers,
Tana

[fmed]

Here are some quickies:

Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch: Medina, Deacon's Corner (I haven't been, but a couple of board regulars recommend this)

Lunch: Granville Island, Go Fish, Benkei (Ramen), Motomachi Shokodu (Ramen)...
Dinner: Guu with Garlic, Chambar, Fuel (in Kits, but close to downtown), Maenam (Thai - right next to Fuel)...

Burnaby: Alvin Garden (Hunan), the food courts at Crystal Mall (especially Wang's for xiao long bao)

Scroll back a few weeks on this board for more recommendations. eg: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/640292

[overseastar]

Medina is on my list for breakfast. Deacon's Corner is sort of out of the way of our plans. Is there any good breakfast locations conveniently located near Hyatt Regency Vancouver (Burrard Street), within walking distance?

[fmed]

Scuie is pretty good.http://www.sciue.ca/home.php

[overseastar]

Would love to try it! However, it's closed on Sundays :(
Thank you though. I'll make a note for my future visit.

[fmed]

Perhaps Cafe Artigiano on Hastings or Granville. (I'm a bit useless at breakfast options here since I usually only have coffee for "breakfast".)

[grayelf]

I go out for breakfast a fair bit and can't come up with anything good within walking distance. One of the Artigianos used to have good breakies (Hastings?) but that was ages ago...

[Cancuk]

I've heard good things about the breakfast at Yew at the Four Season's.

-----
Yew Restaurant & Bar
791 Georgia St W, Vancouver, BC V6C2T4, CA

[selena03]

I eat breakfast there a lot and it's really good and they are very good to kids which a plus.