Vancouver Good

I had dinner at L’abbattoir a few weeks ago and it was lovely – a beautiful room with playful and refined Westcoast/French food. They restaurant did a great job with the room, turning it from its former life as a dark casual Irish pub to a light, airy, and natural setting. Really beautiful wood light [...]

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I was never a huge fan of sandwiches growing up. As I began to discover cooking and food as an adult, I understood why – the sandwich is the epitome of a food that is only as good as its ingredients. Wonder bread + deli ham + squirt of mustard = blah sandwich. Crusty ciabatta [...]

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Guilt & Co. is now my go-to place for drinks in the downtown area. It’s a relaxed, unpretentious, and fun atmosphere, which can sometimes be hard to find. Located downstairs from Chill Winston, Guilt & Co. feels like you’re in a underground cave or tavern with a well-stocked bar. There’s a stage with live entertainment [...]

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Summer 2010 in Vancouver isn’t exactly warm so far. But, one thing I love about this city is how it loves patios. Even if the sun comes out for just 20 minutes, people are on the patio. And when Vancouver gets (and it will come) our beautiful sunny summer weather, the patios will be packed. [...]

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Jules Bistro is an elegant, laid back bistro preparing simple and tasty French fare. A great restaurant to stop into for lunch, dinner, or an afternoon snack. For me it’s one of those reliable restaurants where you know you’ll have good service and food at a reasonable price. The menu offers traditional French bistro fare: [...]

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There’s a new cafe in town that everyone’s talking about. Part modern diner, part coffee stop, Acme Cafe is in the slightly dodgy part of Gastown, east of the Woodwards building. It’s well worth the extra steps, especially as a breakfast or lunch spot. Details: Open the door to the cafe and you’re greeted with [...]

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Next time you’re in Gastown go to the Pourhouse, a restaurant and bar serving comforting, delicious food with a killer bar. I’ve been to the Pourhouse a few times now, each experience memorable: The first time at the Pourhouse was Saturday brunch last fall. I remember the Americano I ordered was great – the first [...]

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Holly Boutique opened a few months ago to lots of raves. Here’s one more. I recently collaborated with Holly Wong, owner of the boutique, on a shopping event for the Downtown Networking Association. Along with local luxe brands Sienna Ray Bags and Lisbeth Jewelry, we put on a great evening of shopping while networking – [...]

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While Gastown is full of great restaurants now, a few years ago this wasn’t the case. Boneta opened in the summer of 2007 and quickly became a must-try restaurant. During my visits to Boneta over the past few years, my most memorable impressions include: There’s always a great scallop dish on the menu Boneta attracts [...]

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I went to Guu with Otokomae the other day and was reminded of how much I love all the Guu locations. I’m going to highlight my two favourites in the local chain, which is expanding to Toronto – it won’t be a Vancouver secret for long! For lunch, one of the best deals in town [...]

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