Cheapish Near Pender and Granville?

[1newyorkguy]

Any recommendations? I'm going to school there and could use some good lunch options. I really love the blueberry muffin at Trees. Oh, I'm a pescatarian.

[kinnickinnik]

I like the Joyeaux cafe for a cheap and cheerful lunch downtown. Menu is mostly Vietnamese (they have all day breakfast as well). It's a block over on Howe, between Dunsmuir and Pender. They're quick too. When you go in - head straight for the lineup to order then find a seat after ordering. They'll give you a number and bring the food to you. It gets very busy but they make a great effort at fitting everyone in.
http://www.joyeaux-cafe-restaurant.com/

[LotusRapper]

Ah come to think of it, there's also The Smile Restaurant on Pender just east of Richards:

http://g.co/maps/88m8q

Cheap, filling diner food with lots of regular joe to wash 'em down.

[Sam Salmon]

Last I was catching the bus outside Smile someone with a dog just marched right in-and wasn't thrown out-he took a seat @ the counter and the dog slumped down on the floor.

FWIW I've never had a bad meal @ Zero One-a few ordinary ones to be sure but that's it.

[1newyorkguy]

Nice..maybe I can bring my dog..just have to get her on the bus first.

**on second thought, after seeing the food pics on yelp..PASS :)

[1newyorkguy]

thanks. any great, quick breakfast options would be appreciated too.

[Sam Salmon]

http://www.sushizeroone.com/ doesn't look like much but it's 100% Japanese and quite good.

[1newyorkguy]

had mixed experience at Zero One. Chopped scallop roll was falling apart and the scallop wasn't great. Roll with salmon and yellow tail had a really off tasting fish in a bite that put me off for the rest of it. Other time, though I had a good salmon roll. The cooked salmon was pretty good but it had way too much mayo. And a pet peeve of mine: the cashier handling money used her hands to put seaweed in the miso soup.

So far, the only great place around is Anatolia Express. I had a good experience at the Kaboom food truck...quality salmon sandwich (hot smoked, topped with coleslaw), and a tasty vegetarian poutine (felt plenty crappy after eating it though)...will try their fried oyster sandwich next.

I really like the muffins at Trees. I walked into caffe artigiano today looking for a bite...saw a 9 dollar breakfast buritto and walked out.

[grayelf]

Maybe too far for lunch break walking but since you're a pescatarian, check out the fish taco at Tacofino on Burrard near the Skytrain station.

[grayelf]

4.5 blocks away is La Taqueria. It's pretty fast and cheapish (4 for $7 for the four veg options and there is a fish one as well that I thought was reasonable; they have quesadillas too). The rajas are decent but I wouldn't bother with the bean taco, just a blob of okay refrieds on a couple tortillas. Haven't tried the hongos or the tofu picadillo http://lataqueria.ca/menu/

[grayelf]

Had the picadillo last night. Way too sweet and gloopy. Fish was better but so wet, drained at least 1/4 cup of liquid off it before eating. Daily special of Mexican potatoes was bland and the spuds had that weird thing going on where they were cooked through but somehow tasted raw. Rajas still decent. Tortillas appear to be from Dona Elsita.

[Sam Salmon]

¡Qué lástima!

[majordomo]

Ditto, I had such a poor experience on my first visit to Zeroone I had to throw my food out- stale fish, rolls falling apart, sloppy and inedible. Surprised that this place reviews as well as it does!

You could always check out the VCC bakery and restaurant, not too far away and they have lots of inexpensive options.

[LotusRapper]

+1 on VCC ......

[1newyorkguy]

sweet, thanks for the recc.