I suspect it was a favourite because it’s  cheap to reasonably priced, the portions are good, the fish is fresh, and there’s a few quirky rolls to make the menu fun (ie. The Salifornia roll, a california roll with salmon and then tempura fried).

Is it gourmand? No. Is it my favourite place? No.

BUT, for the price, you’re getting pretty tasty food, HUGE, fresh pieces of sashimi (most restaurants would cut 3 pieces from the chunks you get at Sushiyama), all delivered in an efficient and friendly manner.

For those days you want some no-frills, basic, yummy Japanese with no Toshi lineup – this is a great choice.

Sushiyama
371 East Broadway (not West Broadway, like Google says!)
(604) 872-0053‎

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 points ($12-26) AND varying dietary choices – you can order the lamb, or the vegetarian entree, or the vegan dessert. This is not an easy feat.
• The basic menu is simple, featuring a few antipasti platters, pizzas, and salads. It’s the fresh sheet that elevates Grub, with yummy soup, meat, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan options written daily on the chalkboard. The fresh sheet lets the restaurant create dishes based on what’s available and fresh
• Grub’s house bread plate is generous, with warm bread, olive tapenade, hummus, and chipotle butter to smear on.
• Some entrees we tried off the fresh sheet: Medium-rare lamb sirloin with fresh veggies and a smooth butternut squash and goat cheese pudding. Seared scallops atop a salty and tart puttanesca made with fresh pasta. Veggie pot pie filled with root vegetables and a heaping salad of fresh greens, roasted asparagus, and a maple balsamic vinaigrette.

Portions are good, prices reasonable, and the room fun and vibrant. It’s a restaurant that fits perfectly in its Main street ‘hood and I plan to return any evening I’m in the mood for a casual bite.

And I just love the restaurant’s name. Let’s go get some Grub.

Grub Restaurant
4328 Main St (b/w 27th & 28th ave)
604-876-8671

Located in the former Tomato Cafe location, Stella’s looks nothing like its predecessor. It’s a sleek room with warm colours and soft lighting.  The menu is also different from the Commercial Drive location, featuring a few dishes local to the ‘hood plus a prix fixe dinner menu option.

But what you always do at Stella’s is order a beer. With an extensive Belgian beer list and lots on tap, there’s something for everyone. It was a smooth and sweet Leffe for myself tonight.

We opted to share a bunch of tapas, where I feel the kitchen is strongest:

• Cauliflower “popcorn” – mini florets roasted in butter and herbs, topped with cheese
• Tender chipotle lime dusted calamari
• Korean BBQ beef ribs with a pickled ginger and nori salad
• Belgian Poutine with a Blanche de Chambly & miso Gravy and topped with green onions – both ingredients give the poutine a nice zing
• Mussels – freshly steamed mussels with your choice of 8 flavorings. Make sure you order a side of bread too.

The tapas were tasty, fresh, and well executed. The food at the Cambie location is a little better than Commercial Drive, and a step above usual bar fare.

Cold beer, fresh mussels, frites, good prices…yeah, I’d go back.

Stella’s Tap and Tapas Bar on Cambie
3305 Cambie St (@ 17th Ave)
Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Terra Breads is a well known source for great artisan breads and available at many grocery stores. There are three retail locations, with two locations also serving up espresso, soup, and sandwiches.

My favourites:

• I went through a serious phase with Terra’s blueberry bread with white chocolate. I think I ate it every day for a month. Crusty bread, sweet & tart blueberries, and smooth white chocolate speckled throughout. So yum.
• Terra Breads makes some of the best granola ever. Mix that with some honey vanilla yogurt and your choice of blueberry or cherry compote and you’ve got a breakfast that keeps you moving.
• There are sandwiches, and there are sandwiches. Terra Breads sandwiches are a great reminder of how important bread is for a sandwich. Good bread makes anything better. My sandwich today is vegetarian focaccia – fresh vegetables and ripe avocado on light and crispy parmesean focaccia. The sandwich menu offers lots of variety, from roasted salmon, to lamb, to turkey, to hummus and cucumber.
• Each day of the week, they make up a fresh soup, which pairs perfectly with any sandwich
• And of course…it’s a bakery. Top off your lunch with one of Terra Bread’s excellent cookies. I have chocolate macaroons today.

The location on 5th & Manitoba is by far the biggest and most relaxed. The Kitsilano location on 4th is small, but the food is still good.

Terra Breads Bakery & Cafe

2380 W. 4th Ave (@ Balsalm) in Kitsilano
Open 7 days a week until 7:30pm

and

53 W. 5th Ave (@ Manitoba) in Mount Pleasant / False Creek
Closed on Sunday. Open until 6pm on weekdays, 5pm on Saturday

Most restaurants are not worth that wait. Some are. Here’s what I think:

WORTH THE LINE UP

Vij’s Restaurant, 1480 W. 11th @ Granville), South Granville ‘hood – I have friends who have never been to Vij’s because they hate the fact they can’t make a reservation and they hate the idea of waiting.

Well, it can suck but at least everyone waits equally. I have mentioned my love for Rangoli before (Vij’s cheaper casual/take-out sister restaurant) and I do go to Rangoli more because it’s an “everyday” place with less waiting. But when I want a night out, Vij’s is perfect. Last time I was at Vij’s, we took a seat outside in the sun, ordered a bottle of wine, and my friends and I chatted while the Vij’s staff passed around lots of yummy appetizers like pakoras or the addictive cassava fries. Our wait was long, like 2 hours (it was Friday night), but it was lovely. And the excellent dinner we ate made me forget about the wait.

That said, if you really want to limit your wait, go on a weekday evening, late. I arrived at 9:30 on a weekday once and waited 15 minutes.

Anton’s Pasta Bar, 4260 Hastings St in Burnaby -Anton’s is totally NOT my place. I find the pasta overcooked, seasoning bland, and it’s pretty much a “whatever” to me. BUT, Anton’s isn’t for me. Anton’s is for people that want big portions and a carb overload, and they deliver. I was expecting big the first them I went, but the portion was double/triple my expectation. It’s big. So if you want big, wait in line with the others. I’ll be at La Buca, Campagnolo, or La Quercia. To each their own!

SOMETIMES WORTH THE LINE UP

The Naam, 2724 W. 4th (@ Stephens), Kitsilano ‘hood -  A 24 hour vegetarian restaurant with a huge menu including burgers, soups, noodle dishes, and salads. The Naam’s miso gravy is so famous they’ve bottled it and is available in many local grocery stores. I can’t say it is worth the line-up most times, but when it’s late at night and your options are fast food, Denny’s, and the Naam…I’m going to the Naam no matter how long the line up is.

NOT WORTH THE LINE UP

Toshi Sushi, 181 E. 16th (@ Main), Mount Pleasant /Main St. ‘hood – I’ve been to Toshi several times and it’s good. Good menu and fresh sushi for a very good price.  But 1 hour lineups? Come on! There are so many good sushi places at a similar price range that I have much better things to do with an hour wait. I have friends that live a block away from Toshi and they don’t go because it’s not worth the line-up. They cannot even order take-out some evenings because the restaurant is too busy (they order from Zipang up the street at Main & 23rd, fyi).  Bottom line: Good sushi, good prices, long wait. Not worth it if you have a long wait.

Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe, 2095 W. 4th Ave (@ Arbutus), Kitsilano ‘hood – Sophie’s is a diner style restaurant, with lots of crazy decor and memorabilia on the wall everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I would not want to dust that place. Food is pretty good. They do lots of diner classics, have a big breakfast menu, and do have very good milkshakes. I can’t pick out a standout item though. Yet there is something about this place that draws the crowds and Sophie’s is famous for its weekend brunch line-ups out the door. I never wait. If you do want to check out Sophie’s, weekdays are line-up free, as are evenings.

Stepho’s Greek Taverna, 1124 Davie St (@ Thurlow), West End ‘hood – I lived in the West End for a few years and I will never, never, never, NEVER understand why people flock to Stepho’s. Let’s think about this. Most people order souvlaki when they go for Greek, right? Ok. At all restaurants you get 2 skewers of meat when you order souvlaki, right? Ok. Stepho’s is known for their big portions for small prices. You STILL only get 2 skewers of meat. So you get a little extra rice and potatos? Big freak’in deal. AT $10.95 a meal, it’s not that much cheaper. Still, I can walk by Stepho’s any day of the week as early at 4:30pm to find a line up of people waiting. I will never get it.

The tagline for JC Studio is to “shop like a celebrity” and they treat you like a VIP the entire way.  First, we enjoyed some canapes and drinks while we watched a small fashion show wtih the stylists’s favourite spring/summer selections. Next, it was shopping time!

JC Studio focusses on power suits and dresses for professional women. Think beautifully cut fabrics, trench coats, different styles of power suits, wrap dresses, and gorgeous silk dresses.

My purchases for the evening:

• An fitted, high-waisted, dark denim skirt
• A basic white blouse with subtle details and a nice v-neck cut
• A big thick brown belt to help accentuate my waist

A couple other shoppers bought some gorgeous dresses (The “hippy swirl chiffon” dress was a fave). They looked so beautiful – traffic stopping!

JC studio will do custom tailoring and fitting for all clothes and are happy to book private shopping appointments as well. I’m planning to return in the fall to pick up a power suit.

If you are curious about JC Studio, they have one last fashionista lunch this season, happening on Saturday, May 30.  They’ll provide the brunch, a fashion show and style tips, while giving you a chance to see what JC Studio is all about. Details here.