The Wallflower Modern Diner
2420 Main Street
Vancouver, BC
V5T 3E2

Tel: 604.568.7554
Fax: 604.568.7574

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Very Tasty.

Here's what we had:
Poutine $8
Salmon with Pasta Special $11
Spaghetti Squash Augratin Special $9

Service Good or Service Bad?
Good Service! Super Friendly

Interior:
Super comfy.

Price:
Not Bad at All. Average entree price $12

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! My little secret!

Deacon's Corner Gastown Diner

Deacon's Corner Gastown Diner
101 Main Street
Vancouver BC
(corner of Alexander St.)
604.684.1555
email: info@deaconscorner.ca

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Tasty.

Casual diner with good food.

Here's what I had:
Two Eggs Any Style ...................................... 5.75
Hashbrowns, toast and choice of bacon, ham or house
made sausage patty

Service Good or Service Bad?
Good Service!

Interior:
Clean and comfy

Price:
Not Bad at All. I got breakfast for $5.75

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! I will be moving into the neighbourhood soon and will make it my Sunday brunch hangout

Benkei Ramen

Benkei Ramen
1741 Robson St
Vancouver, BC
Tel: 604-688-6980

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Super-Duper Tasty.

Better than Kintaro and Motomatchi Shokudo, hands down.
Comfortable seating.
Good hallway to wait for a seat. You literally line up.

Favourite Ramen - Spicy Miso and Chasu Onigiri

Service Good or Service Bad?
Excellent Service!

Interior:
Woody and Comfy

Price:
Not Bad at All :) for a damn good bowl of ramen. $10

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! I've filled up a stamp card and am going back for more

Trattoria Italian Kitchen

Trattoria Italian Kitchen
1850 West 4th Ave
Vancouver, BC V6J 1M3
T: 604.732.1441 F: 604.732.1417

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Very Tasty.

My friend/real estate agent decided to celebrate my be-lated birthday at Trattoria Italian Kitchen. We went on a week-night at 6pm and the restaurant was half-full. We were able to get a table out on the patio.

Here's what we ordered:

$30 Set Meal x 2

• Heir Loom Tomatoes with Boccocini with Basil and Balsamic & Olive Oil (Appy)
• Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Shavings and Oil
  

• Spaghetti with 3 Giant Kobe Beef Meatballs
• Tiger Prawns with Linguine
  

• Tiramisu x 2
• 2 Canadianos (not included in set meal)

• Alcoholic Ice Tea $25
  

Service Good or Service Bad?
Excellent Service!

Interior:
Trendy, Modern and Dim

Price:
Not Bad at All :)

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! Great Prices and Excellent Italian Food!

East is East - Chai (Main Street Location)

East is East - Chai
4413 Main Street ( Main & 28th Avenue)
Vancouver, BC
(604)255-0470
email: info@eastiseast.ca

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Very very Tasty.

My good friend and I were pondering about where to eat on a Saturday evening, and I had suggested East is East since she had never been there before. We were greeted by a friendly waitress and a flamenco performance! What a surprise! I won't go into detail about the food, b/c I want everyone to try it for themselves. If you are not afraid of different spices and flavours, this is a must try!

Here's what we ordered:

• Eastern Plate with Masala Chicken & Mango, Squash & Eggplant - comes with salad, lentil soup and rice~$17
  
• Ghenghis Khan Double Roti Plate ~$14
  

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is great. The waitress brought us free little expresso cups of Chai Tea and water without us asking. The food came out in 5 minutes!

Interior:
Exotic and Cozy. Dim lighting...very kool place to be.

Price:
Be prepared to spend at least $40 for two people.

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! Yummy food and great service!

Le Marrakech Morrocan Bistro

Le Marrakech Morrocan Bistro
52 Alexander Street in Gastown
Vancouver, BC V6A 1B4

Tel: 604 688 3714
Fax: 604 688 3716

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Very Very Tasty.

My friend worked at Le Marrakech and always boasted about the food. She finally took me here to enjoy their food and atmosphere.

Here's what we ordered:

• Bouzroug b'Chermoula
  Mussels in a spicy chermoula sauce ~ $16
  
• Duck Bastilla ~ $14
  
• Kefta Meshouiya ~ $15
  Grilled mutton kabab with mint, blue berry and dried fruit salad
• Homemade Butter & Bread ~ $2.50
  
• K'sksou Royale
  Braised short ribs, seasonal vegetables and caramelized onions with raisins. over saffron couscous ~ $22
  
• Lahm Mhamer ~ $24
  Marinated steak in rass al hanout, pan seared. Served with fries ~ $24
• La Casserole d'Essaouira
  Ling cod, mussels, prawns, scallops and mergez sausage, cooked together in a saffron tomato broth ~ $22
• Houte D'Lkasbah
  Pan seared Ling Cod with chermoula, seasonal vegetables ~ $20

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is great. Especially when they get you to wash your hands...keke.

Interior:
Very exotic! A must see!

Price:
$ $20 something dollars an entree...you do the math.

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! What a great place to take a date or impress someone!

Nu Restaurant & Lounge

Nu Restaurant & Lounge
1661 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC
(604)646-4668

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Tasty.

I took my good friend/real estate agent to Nu for his birthday. I would go back for the atmosphere and view, but not for the food in particular. I actually can't remember what our main courses consisted of...probably had too many drinks. But my point is that the food is okay, but the atmosphere and interior is the highlight of the restaurant.

Here's what we ordered:

• Fried Oyster Shooters - Granville Island Lager Shooter ~$3.90 Each shooter
  
• AAA Alberta Beef Tartare - capers, quail eggs, parsley, tomatoe toast, matchstick potatoe~$13.60
• Shucked Deep Bay Oysters ~ $2.90 Each
• Mains~ Can't remember, so it can't be that good. I remember risotto of some sort...
  

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is great.

Interior:
Classy, Modern-Lounge Type Look. I remember the white swivel lounge chairs.

Price:
3 Applies + 2 Entrees + coffee + dessert & 4 alcoholic beverages = $180 Tax & Tip Included for two people.

Ever Going Back?
No, I can't say that I would. But it's a nice place to impress a date. I will go back in the summer to try again...this time I'll remember what entrees we ate. Sorry!

Zawa Restaurant Bar

Zawa Restaurant Bar
920 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
(604)255-0470

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Ok Tasty.

We had breakfast at Zawa and it was good, but not great or fantastic. Did not have to wait in line. We got seated within the first 20 seconds of walking through the door.

Here's what we ordered:

• Chorizo Breakfast (Chorizo Sausages, 2 Eggs any style, Hashbrowns and Toast ) ~$7.99
  
• Lumberjack Breakfast (3 Eggs, 2 bacon, 2 sausage, 1 pancake, hashbrowns & toast ~$9.99
  

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is great. Coffee was refilled without asking. Hot Sauce & Bill was brought right after we asked for it.

Interior:
I remember red booths. I also remember it being comfortable and quiet.

Price:
Average. $27 for 2 people, two breakfast entrees, two coffees tax & tip.

Ever Going Back?
Yeah! This is a great place to go, if you feel like some casual breakfast minus the line ups. I live in East Vancouver nearby the Drive so I don't need to go far for a good breakfast.

Cafe Zen (Kits)

Cafe Zen
1631 Yew St
Vancouver, BC

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Very Tasty! I think Cafe Zen is better than Sophie's and just as good if not better than Cafe Barney's.

Good prices, lots of food and tastes great.

Everything is fresh and hot.

Here's what we ordered:

• Farmer's Breakfast (I chose French Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and it comes with "fries")
  
• California Eggs Benny (Tomatoe & Avocado)
  

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is good, considering how busy they get.

Interior:
Cozy.

Price:
Average. $27 for 2 people, two breakfast entrees, two coffees tax & tip.

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yeah!
I really enjoy their food.

Legendary Noodle House (Denman)

Legendary Noodle House
1074 Denman Street,
Vancouver, BC

Tasty or Not Tasty?
NOT Tasty at all!
AWFUL! NEVER GOING BACK and here is why:

• too salty
• too oily (food drenched in oil)
  
• too much MSG
• trying to cater to non-Chinese, by cooking with lots of oil and adding things like broccoli and making things way too salty! Non-Chinese people do not appreciate that!!!
• staff were screaming at each other in front of clients, which gave everyone an uneasy feeling. You didn't need to understand Mandarin to understand that they were yelling at each other...their body movements and facial expressions said it all.
• waitress asked if we wanted tea or water...we said tea...she gave us a special tea (which was the best thing there btw) and charged us $2 without letting us know. Chinese restaurants usually provide complimentary tea (unless you are having Dim-Sum) so they cheated us a total of $4
  

Here's what we ordered:

• Beef Noodle in Soup
• Minced Pork with Sauce On Noodle
  

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service Okay...other than the screaming and bickering amongst the staff

Interior:
The Denman Location tried very hard to "Exoticize" their restaurant.
I believe they did this to lure in the Non-Chinese people and not for authenticity reasons.
The restaurant uses predominantly dark brown and dark red colours, which is not usually used by Chinese people. They also hung some beaded curtains at the entrance of the door....I don't know any Chinese people who use such devices. If you check out their Main street location, it's nothing like the Denman location. This place was just trying too hard to succeed on Denman in all the wrong ways....Just cook good food and provide a comfortable warm place to eat and people will come.

Price:
Expensive for what they offer. I believe my noodle in soup cost $7.25. You can get noodles in soup usually for less than $6 anywhere else. The other dish was about $9 and it was really small...not worth the price

Ever Going Back?
Hell NO!
I don't recommend it at all.

New Town Bakery & Restaurant

New Town Bakery Restaurant
158 East Pender Street
Vancouver, BC.
Chinatown

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Tasty!
I quite enjoyed my food here at New Town. New Town is best known for their fresh steamed buns and their quick, hot and tasty food. If you are coming to this restaurant for the atmosphere or for high class seating...this is not your restaurant.

Here's what we ordered:

• BBQ Duck with Vermicelli Noodles in Soup~ $6.75
  This noodle in soup also came with a choice of coffee or tea (hk style)
  
• Beef & Tomatoe on Rice ~ $7
  Just like how I remembered it when my dad used to order it
  

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is not the best. But like I said, you don't come here for service or for atmosphere...you come here for quick, hot and tasty food.

Interior:
yucky...but this is how it was like back then...i think of this place as having heritage.

Price:
Cheap!

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah!
This restaurant brings back memories for me as a child. My father used to bring me to Chinatown and now that he's gone, it's places like New Town that brings me feelings of nostalgia.
I'm saddened to say that once the DTES becomes more gentrified and as older chinese canadians die off, that places like New Town will no longer exist, as this type of restaurant caters to those who lived life in the old fashioned way. Who will take over New Town? I hope that owners Susan & David Ng have children that will pass on their legacy. The old chinatown as I remember it will be missed.

Chambar Belgian Restaurant

Chambar Belgian Restaurant
562 Beatty Street Crosstown
Vancouver, BC. V6B 2L3
Tel: (604) 879-7119

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Soooo TASTY! WOW! I've been to Chambar twice and both times I was very impressed.
Below are the items that I've had:

• Le confit de canard ~ $13
  Phyllo wrapped duck leg cofit, cardamom apple amulsion. Baked crab apples.
• Coquette ~ $20
  Mussels cooked in a white wine cream. Smoked bacon lardons, spring onions.
• Carpaccio de Boeuf ~ $14
  Beef carpaccio, roasted garlic horseradish puree. Sundried tomato & olive tapenade. Fried golden Yukon crisps.
• Le canard de casablanca ~ $26
  Ginger & sumac rubbed duck breast. Moroccan rice pilaf. Apple tea & pistachio gastrique.
• Tajine d’aziz a l’agneau ~ $25
  Braised lamb shank with honey, figs, cinnamon & cilantro, served with cous cous and zalouk.

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is awesome. No complaints only compliments to their staff!

Interior:
Exposed brick...well it is a loft.
Very nice and classy. Lots of deep red and other dark but warm colours. Gives the place a very unique feeling. Restaurant is quite long.

Price:
I've only gone twice cuz I can't afford to eat here...enough said

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! I always recommend this restaurant when someone asks me "where's a nice place to take my date".

Brioche Urban Baking & Catering

Brioche Urban Baking & Catering
401 W. Cordova
Vancouver, BC.
Tel: (604) 682-4037

Tasty or Not Tasty?
This cafe is off the hook. Very Very Tasty! None like it in Vancouver that I've been to. Authentic Italian cooking fused with West Coast style! Best panini I've ever had.
Here are a few of my favourites:

• Ham, Portobello and Brie Panini ~ $6.75
• Tomatoe, Boccincini, Prisciutto Panini ~ $6.75
• Omelette with Brie, Portobello & Ham ~8.95

I hear the french toast is awesome! I didn't have it myself, but my friend said it was the best french toast he'd ever had.

I've always been too full to have dessert, but it looks really good!
Coffee is good. Chai latte needs some work.


Service Good or Service Bad?
Service is awesome. You have to go up to the counter to order, but the staff will bring you your food. Always friendly and kind.

Interior:
Exposed brick. Small and cozy. There's actually two sides to Brioche...but most people only know about the W.Cordova side. They have seating on Water Street as well...shhhhhh.

Price:
Coffee and a Panini costs me $10.

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! My favourite cafe! I've only been for lunch and breakfast. I must make my way down for dinner. They also cater too! I'll be seen at Brioche all the time once my place is done, half a block away!

Jules Casual French Bistro

Jules Casual French Bistro
216 Abbott Street (Near Cordova)
Vancouver, BC.
Tel: (604) 669-0633

Tasty or Not Tasty?
This restaurant only rates a simple "Tasty" compared to some of my other delightful picks, which are "Very Very Very Tasty". All meals come with complimentary bread and butter (good stuff)

Here is what we ordered:
Moules Frites - $12
Steamed Mussels in White Wine with Garlic and Parsley Served with French Fries * Best French Fries I have ever had...not over salted or greasy! Great for dipping in the white whine mussel sauce. Mussels were average in size and tasted typical, nothing special.

Fletan Roti, Salad de Lentilles Vertes Dupuy et Echalottes Safranees - $19
Roasted Halibut with Dupuy Lentils Salad and Saffron Shallots
Meh....the halibut was good, but I didn't particularly fancy the lentil Salad and couldn't taste the saffron shallots at all :( This dish was disappointing. I was hoping for more flavour. Although the dish tasted alright, it did not taste that good. Sorry...I really wanted it to taste good, but it didn't.

Poitrine de Poulet Fermier Rotie, Jus au Porto et Pommes Puree - $17
Roasted Free Range Chicken Breast, Port Jus and Potato Puree. In other words Chicken n' mashed potatoes.

Coffee....hmmmm....good strong coffee! Just like Europe!
Kronenberg Beer 1664 - $4.50

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service...was good. The waitress didn't bother us too much and pretty much left us alone and checked up on us every once in a while. She kept our water glasses filled up as needed. No complaints! Good Job!

Interior:
We had dinner in the evening, so the lighting was dim. There wasn't anything particular that stood out in this restaurant in terms of the interior.

Price:
Appetizers $6 - $14
Main courses start at $12 - $22

Ever Going Back?
Nah...I really wanted this restaurant to be a big hit, but I was disappointed and I don't actually have the urge to want to go back. We went on a Thursday evening and it was very busy...quite packed actually. We didn't have reservations and almost got turned away, so the restaurant must be good? Right? We must have just ordered the wrong items on the menu :(
Please leave me a comment, if you found that this restaurant met your expectations. I'd love to get a second opinion.

Alibi Room

Alibi Room
157 Alexander Street (Near Main)
Vancouver, BC.
Tel: (604) 623-3383

Tasty or Not Tasty?
VERY VERY TASTY.
This is my favourite restaurant. It's in an awesome area, the food is great and priced reasonably and the drinks are off the hook. You'll find drinks in this restaurant that you won't find anywhere else. I love to come here on the weekdays when it's nice and quiet. The week-end nights is packed! I've been here close to 50 times this past year. I suggest you order anything and everything you can.
My favourite is the organic beef burger.
My favourite drink is the Gewürztraminer spritzer.

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service...is always superb! Drinks come about one minute after you've ordered it.
Food comes within 10-12 minutes.
Staff always kind and pleasant.

Interior:
The interior is soooo cool!
This restaurant actually has two floors. The basement is a great place to have a small party, equipped with it's own bar and DJ table. The building is brick, so the walls are exposed brick! Very Loft like! Also there is a long but small intimate patio. LOVE IT!

Price:
The price is great for the quality.
You could get burgers/sandwiches for about $13 a plate...and there are more expensive and cheaper plates as well. All taste great!
It's hard not to keep ordering drinks! Their drinks are soo good and so unique!

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! I probably go to Alibi Room at least 3-4 times a month...and I'm going to keep going back. And once our condo is completed you best believe i'll be there almost every night, sipping on my Gewürztraminer spritzer!

Bao Chau

Bao Chau
2717 E Hastings
Vancouver, BC. V6B 2T9
Tel: (604) 251-6956

Tasty or Not Tasty?
TASTY.

Here's what we ordered:

Spring Rolls - 2 rolls for $3
Bao Chau is known for their spring rolls and for good reason. It is a must try. Totally crispy and full of meat...mouth watering!

Pho Tai Sach Bo Vien (Small) $5.50
Noodles in broth with rare beef slices, tripe and Vietnamese style meatballs, garnished with green onion and onion

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service...was good! The owner always made sure our tea/water was filled and the food came out very quickly.
We had to ask for the bill twice though...but that's ok :)

Interior:
Typical Vietnamese restaurant with round tables for larger groups and small square tables for smaller parties. Nothing special...but that's okay, cuz the food was damn good.

Price:
$10-$15 per person if you have appies, an entree and drink.

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yah! But it's a little far for me, unless I am going that way.

Foundation

Foundation
2301 Main, Vancouver
Vancouver, BC.
Tel: 604.708.0881

Tasty or Not Tasty?
TASTY.
Here's what we ordered:

"First Option"
An assortment of vegetables (zucchini, carrots, broccoli, etc) in a chili-coconut sauce over a bed of basmati rice - $9

"Last Resort"
An assortment of vegetables (zucchini, carrots, broccoli, etc) in a green curry sauce over a bed of basmati rice - $9


Service Good or Service Bad?
Service...was good! Waitress/Waiter always made sure that our coffee was topped off and made sure our food tasted good.

Interior:
Lots of famous and politically/socially conscience quotes and phrases written on the walls of the restaurant. Dim lighting. Old antique mis-matched tables and chairs (love it). Very spacious. You can actually see the kitchen and the employees cooking away. The stoves they use are electric! Reminds me of my house :)

Price:
$25.50 tips inclusive for two rice dishes and two coffees.

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yes! Good place for a hearty meal in the chilly fall/winter season.

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen
1118 Mainland Street (at Helmcken)
Vancouver, BC. V6B 2T9
T 604.689.8318
F 604.687.5109
E info@goldfishkitchen.com
view map

Tasty or Not Tasty?
VERY VERY VERY TASTY. Very flavourful and stimulating. The flavours of all ingredients stood out well and worked well together. If you don't like food from Asia, you probably won't like this restaurant.

Here's what we ordered:

Small Plate:
Duck Spring Rolls with Fish Sauce Dip, Mint and Butter Lettuce - $14
(China meets Vietnam and get's colonized by America type of flavour) Very Tasty.

Entrees:
Pan seared arctic char with kaffir lime coconut sauce, snow pear salad – $20
(Tastes from Thailand)

Sablefish bamboo steamed with ginger, lemongrass – $23
(China meets Thailand sort of flavour. Came in a dim-sum steamer! Kool!)

Side Plates:
Bacon fried rice scallions, garlic, fried quail eggs – $8 (Excellent: East meets West Flavours)

Asparagus warm sake, shallot vinagrette – $11 (Crispy, perfectly done)

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service...was great! Except for some moments where our waiter disappeared, but that's ok because the restaurant was busy.

Interior:
Very high end interior. Must see...very posh. They have their own private rooms that you can have functions in.
They have a patio in the back of the restaurant, we ate inside so I can't tell you more.
Very nice washrooms, clean and classy.

Price:
We spent $160, tips inclusive on appies, dinner and drinks.

Ever Going Back?
Hell Yes, for special occasions. It is a little over my price range...but worth it.

Soma Restaurant (Formerly known as Soma Cafe)

Soma
151 8th Avenue East
Vancouver, BC
Mount Pleasant Area

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Very Very Very NOT Tasty. Food was bland and the flavours were dull, if any.
We ordered a cheese and meat plate, which was good, but the value was not there.
We ordered prosciutto, wild boar cured meat and brie, which cost $15. It was good, but anybody could have gone to a European deli and picked up the same items. We got two slices of Brie that were the size of those pink erasers from elementary school.
We ordered shrimp ceviche, which cost $10. This was the most disappointing dish of the three we ordered. The four pieces of shrimp had shriveled up into so small a piece, that you could not even taste it in your mouth. It came with a light salad in a wonton crisp, which also tasted like nothing. Lastly we ordered a $18 ahi tuna dish, which lacked in taste and freshness. At least the presentation was nice. It came with a crostini (toasted french bread?) drizzled with balsamic and olive oil and some greens and 3 olives. There were four thinly sliced pieces of ahi tuna....not impressed.

Ceaser was watered down and again not impressive.
I ordered two glasses of BC Gewurztraminer, which was the best thing I had there.
At the least they had an impressive wine collection.

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service Not So Good, but not that bad.

* food came very slowly ( I could see the agitation of all the customers in the restaurant, while they wait for their food)
* waiter & waitress not the most friendliest bunch, for a restaurant that no one knows about

Price:
Rip OFF.
Meat/Cheese Plate $15 (could have gone to a deli myself and spent $15 and got much more)
Shrimp Ceviche $10 (four shriveled up shrimp on a bed of crap)
Ahi Tuna Entree $18 and taste like bullocks!!

Interior:
Small but nice. Cozy. Nicely done.

Ever Going Back?
Hell NOOOOOOOOO. Need I say more?

Rangoli

Rangoli
1488 West 11th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6H 1L1
phone (604) 736-5711
fax (604) 736-3701
Rangoli website

Tasty or Not Tasty?
Very Very Very Tasty. Wow...that's all I could say the whole time I was eating. I ordered a "portobello mushroom and red bell pepper curry on paneer with a beet salad and naan". My partner in crime ordered the "coconut curry chicken with naan and rice". We were both very amazed at the bold flavours that surrounded our taste buds. The curry flavours in both dishes were as authentic as could be. No food or sauce was left on the plates.

Service Good or Service Bad?
Service Great.

* food came in 15 minutes
* waitress was very nice and our water was always refilled without asking

Price:
Very Reasonable....my dish was $12.50 and the other dish was $12.00

Ever Going Back?
Hell yah. Why? The food was amazing and flavourful. They even played east indian music.