Vancouver Good

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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The past two weekends have been all about Vietnamese Saturday lunch – both on Main St. While a bowl of steaming Pho is always good, I’m often partial to the vermicelli noodle bowls – strings of thin vermicelli, thinly sliced veggies (typically lettuce, cucumber, carrot, bean sprout), a grilled meat, & fried spring rolls all [...]

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I have been trying to eat at Grub for way too long, and I finally made it there last week for a Friday night dinner. Grub delivers on many fronts, while maintaining a funky, casual atmosphere with awesomely eccentric wallpaper. What I like: The menu and restaurant are small, yet have something for varying price [...]

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Eight 1/2 took over the former SOMA location a while back, but it wasn’t high on my list to try. It came back on my radar after reading a favourable review in the Globe & Mail so I suggested it to my friends last week and off we went.  Overall, it’s a nice place. A [...]

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Since December, every time I drive down Main St, I see if Habit is back in business post kitchen fire. Well, nine months later Habit is back with a new menu and new look. I stopped in for a late dinner this evening and am happy to report that Habit is still Main St. cool, [...]

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I was riding down Main St and noticed that a third Zakkushi location has opened on Main at King Edward. Nice! I used to live three blocks from the Zakkushi on 4th ave and I still return again and again. The focus of Zakkushi is on their grill, which uses a high quality Japanese charcoal. [...]

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I love Main Street. Love it! It’s hard to explain why, but when you go to Main St, you feel it. It’s a locals neighbourhood with excellent eating and shopping. It used to be the non-mainstream alternative, and it still is, but it’s definitely trendy. I’ll focus primarily on the “SoMa” (South Main) district here. [...]

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I dropped by Latitude Restaurant a few weeks ago after some friends who live in the Main St. ‘hood recommended it as a good, reasonably priced, neighbourhood restaurant. Well, my friends were right! Some basic goods on Latitude: The background on  Latitude is it’s from the former owners of RainCoast Cafe in Tofino, which was [...]

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Everyone needs a good, casual neighbourhood bar to hang out in. The Cascade Room is part restaurant, part bar, always packed and brimming with 20-something and 30-something people drinking and eating. When you walk in you’re greeted with a big glass wall telling you to “Keep Calm and Carry On” (a poster phrase becoming more [...]

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Certain restaurants in Vancouver are known for their line-ups. And when people see the line-ups, they figure it must be great so they get in line, then others do the same, and before you  know it? A line up down the block! Most restaurants are not worth that wait. Some are. Here’s what I think: [...]

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