1300 Robson Street, Vancouver (Robson Street District)
If you ever was looking for a place that was stereotypically Canadian to celebrate your Canadianess and sport your red and black flannel without being questioned, then Timber is your go to place to celebrate your patriotism. With the promise of always showing the hockey game, waitresses wearing plaid flannel and beaver hanging out by the entrance, there certainly is no other place in this city that screams "O Canada". Cleverly named for what must seem like an entire forest in their restaurant, Timber's long wooden bar tables and benches are lined with beautiful wood, or timber as they say in the industry. The space itself is very spacious, with long communal bar tables on the leftside when you walk in, a massive bar, a less rambunctions right side with tables for two or four, and a large area in the back for parties. The kitchen is completely open and you can look into it and watch the staff cook up the dishes. Timber takes no reservations, but on a Friday night (Black Friday night) at about 5:45 and a hockey game on, my friend Mateo and I were able to seat ourselves no problem. Timber has a lot of great looking cocktails and serving up a classy wine selection and a fantastic local beer selection. We decided to split a draft beer flight, which was $15 and so worth it. Probably my favourite part of the whole night. We had the Dageraad Blonde, Bridge Bourbon Blood Orange Wheat, Powell Street "Old jalopy" Pale Ale and a house Radler with fresh grapefruit juice. Radler was the first "beer" I ever had, so I had get that - and I loved it!. My other favourite was the Blonde. However, the food was a little less impressive. We ordered a bannock to share (which was half off, thanks to happy hour that runs from 3-6PM!), I had the perogies and Mateo had the elk (elk?!) tourtiere. The last time I had bannock was in grade 4, when my class did an overnight stay at one of the Coast Salish Big Houses in Squamish as part of Outdoor Education. We cooked bannock on a stick over an open fire. Nearly 10 years later, I was eating it again with a delicious plum chutney. This dish took me back to grade 4, and I was hooked. The bannock was nice and soft and perfectly cooked, and the plum chutney was incredible and paired so well with it. I was unfortunately not as fond of the main dishes that we ordered. I was debating between the mac and cheese and the perogies, and ultimately going with the perogies made me question my choice. The three perogies were served on a small plate over a blanket of sour cream and topped with roasted Ambrosia apple, cheddar, smoked onions and sauerkraut. I personally love perogies, but I did not like these at all. For starters, I thought that the center was a little bland, and the flavours of the sweeter apple and sour sauerkraut made for a confusing dish. As well, the wrap of the perogies were incredibly soggy - probably because they were swimming in sour cream - and were the consistency of Chinese dumplings that sit in soup. It was really weird for me, and I was expecting to bite into a pork center; instead, I was faced with a colourless, flavourless unknown. I had the option to add bacon (+$4) or brisket (+$6), and in the interest of saving money I politely declined. It might have been worth my while to do so. Oh well. Mateo offered me a few bites of his elk tourtiere that had a lard crust and was served with a green tomato ketchup. I couldn't really get past the lard crust, but it was good - like puff pastry but a little denser. But in all, it was just the crust and the minced elk, which made it kind of like a shepherd's pie without the mashed potatoes or the peas. In a word, really underwhelming for the price, but I guess it's made up for in size. From what I saw at other tables, the bison burger looked delicious and the mac and cheese looked like a fair size as well. But bone marrow? I'm not too sure if I can stomach that. While the food wasn't that great, the service was quick and friendly, something that I appreciate in a business. Timber is definitely a walk on the Canadian side, but I think that I can be a Canadian and afford to leave this out of my national identity. Timber also serves a weekend brunch, which I might check out one day. However, I would only suggest making your way out to Timber if you happen to be in the area or if you have a car. Walking from either Granville or Burrard station takes about 12 minutes, and if you aren't fond of the unknown parts of the animal or soggy wannabe perogies, then don't make a special trip. Perhaps cozy up at home in your own plaid flannel, get yourself a cup of tim Horton's coffee and enjoy some mac and cheese in front of a roaring fireplace.
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2708 Main Street, Vancouver (Mount Pleasant)
Lately I seem to have a thing for diners on Main Street. While my experience at Fable Diner was a little lackluster, my experience at Lucy's Eastside Diner made up for that - and went above and beyond my expectations. Open 24 hours and serving delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner every single hour of the day. you are sure to find something delicious and homey at Lucy's. Walking into Lucy's is like stepping into the 1950s. We're talking retro prints, leather booths, linoleum tables and stools, fluorescent light signs and retro posters everywhere. The diner is a quaint little place, stretching a little bit into the back with two seater booths, a long bar, and a larger booth in the front for bigger parties. The cool thing about this diner is that it is a very neighbourhood oriented place. As patrons walk in, they are free to seat themselves - something that my sister Eleanor and I were not aware of at the time. But all the servers were able to call various patrons by name and pick up easy conversation. For non-locals like us, the wait-staff was incredibly friendly and warm and efficient, despite the ongoing rush that one waitress said, quote, "never ends". It's understandable why their rush never ends - their food not only sounds and looks delicious, but tastes delicious. And as an added bonus, the prices are really cheap. It was a meal that is perfect for the student budget yet fit for a king. Eleanor and I shared a junior Oreo milkshake (just one of the many flavours that you can choose from), and I had went the breakfast route with the Smoked Salmon Scramble while Eleanor went for lunch with a Guacamole Grilled Cheese sandwich. All of these items were incredible and mindblowing! The Smoked Salmon Scramble came with a side of hashbrowns and toast, though you can substitute toast for an additional egg at no extra cost. The eggs were perfect, and though I had never had smoked salmon in my scrambled eggs before, this dish definitely had my questioning why I hadn't thought of it. It was delicious and perfect in every way, and of course hashbrowns are an added bonus. The Guacamole Grilled Cheese is a piece of innovative genius that, again, had me questioning why I didn't think of this sooner. The sandwich came with a choice of fries or salad, or half and half (which is what my sister went for). The classic grilled cheese sandwich was kicked up a notch with the smooth guacamole, and it was really realy good. I'm going to have to make this on my own sometime. At peak hours, Lucy's can become incredibly crowded and you have to wait a long time before you can get a seat. But if you wait it out, trust me - it's worth the wait. 151 E Broadway Street, Vancouver (Mount Pleasant)
A new edition to the Main Street strip, Fable Diner brings the diner experience to a whole other level. Ever since opening their doors in early July 2016, the spinoff of Fable Restaurant in Kitsilano aims to bring a classy twist to classic diner foods - think burgers and milkshakes rubbing shoulders with Ancho Salmon and gnocchi. Located in the historic Lee Building, the restaurant interior blew my mind away. Fable Diner tried to maintain the integrity of classic diner furniture. Faux leather booths, chrome frames around mirrors and very 50s-inspired wallpaper prints all with a classy, Vancouver touch: forest green and woody caramel faux leather, birch-coloured wood and clean white tiles. The decor made my heart stop. However, this was as far as it went when it came to being mindblown. Classic diner food aside, many of the dishes that are on Fable Diner's menu are just classic, comfort foods to begin with. I went with my fellow food columnist Gemma to go scope out the place for The Peak and we were slightly underwhelmed at the food. We decided to order one share plate and have one breakfast item (for her) and one lunch item (for me) - all of which can be found on their all day menu. To start, we shared their Baked Macaroni & Cheese, a new item on their menu that was recommended to us. Mac & Cheese is my jam, so I was looking forward to trying this one. This particular version was not totally flawed - the cheese sauce, which was made up of cheddar, parmesan and swiss cheeses, was super creamy and flavourful. In all honesty, they should have stopped it right there, and if they wanted to bake it, top it with some breadcrumbs and maybe some more parmesan, throw it in the oven and voila, there's your baked Mac. However, the chefs went to great lengths for this one - the dish was baked and topped with breadcrumbs, feta cheese, and corn nuts. The feta cheese was a little off, and this is coming from someone who likes feta cheese. The flavour was too strong and frankly distracted me from the cheese sauce. But when I wasn't being distracted by the feta, the corn nuts got me: crunchy chip like chunks that were completely out of place and just ruined the overall texture. I feared that I would chip a tooth with this one. Gemma ordered the Veggie BLT (which is found on their breakfast menu, oddly enough) and I ordered the FD Burger. We both got an order of housemade creamy tomato soup as a side. I tried a few bites of the Veggie BLT, which obviously doesn't have any bacon in it since it's veggie. But the bacon was replaced with something out of the blue - smoked shiitake mushrooms. If you've ever had any dishes with shiitake mushrooms in them, you'll know that they are slimy and slippery and just unpleasant. Biting into that in a sandwich was not a good day. The FD Burger was a standard burger that allowed you the option of a variety of add-ons ranging from $1-2 in price. We're talking basic stuff like a cheddar slice or bacon and really wacky stuff like cola onions and kimchi. I just went classic with a cheese slice in my housemade, double pattied burger that had lettuce, tomato, pickles and a special housemade sauce. There is nothing special about this burger; but then again, I'm not sure what I was expecting. However, the biggest problem that arose with this burger was the fact that the patties are cooked at medium-well. Ground beef in any kind of manifestation should always be cooked well done to avoid food poisoning. Apparently, medium-well burger patties were at one point taboo (because hello, salmonella?), but are now making a comeback as the new hip thing. I didn't notice this on the menu until afterwards. Needless to say, I had a stomach ache afterwards and felt overall very squeamish. We could potentially point fingers in a couple different places, but I think we can all agree on the undercooked ground beef. The one saving grace was the creamy tomato soup. Step aside, Campbell's, Fable has this down. A delicious little soup that is not too sour and just creamy enough to the point where it is so light. There are no words, which might be a good thing after all of the disappointment that I felt already. All the desserts and the milkshakes looked and sounded delicious, but unfortunately (or maybe not?) we were too full to try any of them, nor did we try any of their cute little cocktails. I say cute because each of the cocktails are named after a fable. I will give their service the credit that it is due - their service is phenomenal. Our server was incredibly friendly and helped us answer all the questions that we had about the food. Despite how busy it was that day, all the servers were professional, friendly, and the food came out quite promptly, and frankly much quicker than other places that were much less busy, so kudos to them! I had been waiting to go to Fable Diner for a long time, and the moral of the story (as with many other things in life) is to not put anything on a pedestal. I had high expectations for what was described in the media as a upscale diner experience that brought unique and innovative tastes to the table. Maybe it was the high expectations or maybe we chose the wrong combination of dishes. Don't judge a book by its cover, and of course, take this review with a grain of salt. But maybe steer clear of these dishes and find something else that tickles your fancy. I plan on returning sometime in the future - after my stomach forgives me first. 420 Richards Street, Vancouver (Gastown)
I went to check out The Poke Guy ahead of a review for The Peak. It was my very first time trying poke, and it was incredible! Poke is a fish salad found in Hawaiian cuisine, and one bite of this transported me instantly to Hawaii! The aestehtic of the restaurant which is very close to SFU's Harbour Center campus, has a very beachy vibe: clean white walls, wooden furniture and vibrant green plants. The greatest thing about The Poke Guy is the amount of choice that you have when it comes to what you want to eat. First off, you get to choose the size: the Little Guy, which consists of two scoops of protein and up to 5 sides, or the Big Guy, which consists of three scoops of protein and unlimited sides. There are daily proteins that rotate though, like Tako (octopus) and shrimp, as well as mainstays such as Ahi tuna and Lomi Lomi salmon. There is also the choice between white and brown rice or a salad base, and a number of sides such as imitation crab, avocado, corn, fresh mango, and others. You also get a choice of dressings as well as "crunch" toppings like nori (seaweed), crispy onions and pork rinds. I had the Little Guy with half white rice and half salad, Lomi Lomi salmon (which is fresh salmon marinated with vinegar, tomato, parsley and onions) and a bit of Ahi tuna, added imitation crab meat and mango and topped with nori. It was, in a word, delicious! One bite and I could feel the Hawaiian sunshine! The other cool thing about The Poke Guy is that all of their utensils and packaging are compostable. The staff are also incredibly helpful, and you can sample the different proteins to see which one you like! With poke becoming so popular in the city, the lunch rush at The Poke Guy means that the popular proteins and sides get sold out quickly and aren't replaced for the rest of the day. The Poke Guy is on the rise and looking to add more food options and potentially be open for dinner as well, and definitely is the one to watch. 101 W Cordova Street, Vancouver (Gastown)
I went to La Casita with my friend Douglas to celebrate National Taco Day (October 4), which coincidentally was on a Tueday! There are a lot of taco restaurants in Gastown, and La Casita is a brilliant example of this. We were at La Casita around 6:30, which I thought would have been a busy time but surprisingly was not. After being seated relatively quickly, we got our drinks and complimentary chips with two different kinds of salsa. Tacos were on special that day for 4 for $10 with choices such as fish, carnitas, chicken, mixed veggies, and others - the exact ones that I chose! The tacos were delicious, with my favourite one being the mixed veggie taco, which had potatoes, cauliflower, and a really great crema fresca. On the flip side, I didn't really like the fish taco - fish tacos that I have had in the past were usually fried but this one had fish that looks like it came from a can, which was interesting. In all, the tacos were delicious and the decor of La Casita is super quirky with pinatas hanging from the ceiling. The one thing that brought me down was the service - the restaurant wasn't super busy during the time and it took a long time for our order to be taken. However, the food was delicious and further proves that our taco scene is unique and amazing. 151 E 8th Avenue, Vancouver (Mount Pleasant)
The neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant is known for its quirks and gems, and Eight 1/2 Restaurant Lounge is no different. Located inside a 100 year old heritage house, the exterior is absolutely stunning, and gives off the feel that you are going to visit someone at their home to have a family dinner. The interior is very cozy, with the restaurant and lounge area blurring together to create a very friendly and intimate ambience. Everyone is very friendly and the service was relatively quick, yet easygoing. Kim and I decided to share a craft beer flight (which featured beers from Coal Harbou Brewing, 33 Acres Brewery, Four Winds Brewery and Driftwood Brewery), the steak bites and a pesto prawn pizza. This was the perfect amount of food for the two of us. While I like craft beer, I personally was not a fan of the ones that were on the flight that night. They were all amber to dark beers, whereas my personal preference is more pale and light. I guess I have to work up to that tolerance! However, I will say that the beers went really nicely with the steak bites. The steak bites came with a salad on the side for us to share, and the bites themselves were very tender and marinated beautifully! The chili rub provided a lot of heat and that was cooled down by the creamy parmesan dip. The pesto prawn pizza was definitely my favouite though, and the highlight of the night! All of Eight 1/2's pizzas are 10", which makes it a good size for sharing but also a fair size for one person to enjoy on their own. The combination of pesto and prawn is not new to either Kim or I, but this pizza in particular had a nice balance of pesto and sauce, and everything meshed really well together. I just wished that there were more prawns on the pizza iself - it seemed a little lopsided that way. All in all, a really worthwhile place to check out and for me to go back to! Their large dishes look delicious and it just seems like a really fun place to be. Fun fact: Eight 1/2 is located halfway between E 8th Street and E 7th. Not sure how that happened. 350 Robson Street, Vancouver (Downtown)
I am a big pizza fanatic, and having passed Straight Outta Brooklyn Pizzeria numerous times, I decided to give it a try. And I am so glad that I did! My friend Emma and I went to hit up SOBP during our downtown date and we walked into their cozy and homey storefront on Robson Street, right across from the Vancouver Public Library. Upon entry you are greeted with so many delicious scents: cheese, tomatoes, meats and spices - all of which culminate the beautiful pizzas that are on display and ready for you to try! We went for two classics - Margarita and Spice (which had spicy salami, and according to Emma, a lot of heat!) The pizza was really good - you could taste the freshness of the ingredients. It was perfectly made and not too salty. The only downside to Emma's Spice was the pooling oil at the top, potentially from sitting in the display. Otherwise, it was delicious pizza, and it definitely satisfied my pizza craving! Individual slices start at $3.50 where as whole pizzas start at $13. Go get a slice of Brooklyn and give this pizza joint a try! Guu with Otokomae - 375 Water Street, Vancouver (Gastown)
With so many locations to choose from, Guu Izakaya introduces patrons to Japanese tapas with a unique twist in a cool environment. It was my first time at Guu, and my friend Eivan and I went to the one in Gastown, or Guu with Otokomae (which translates to 'handsome man', apparently). We were seated fairly quickly at a cozy table. The interior is super cool at the Gastown location, with rustic wooden furniture and a haunting bar area. After being told by Eivan that I was to take the wheel on ordering (despite having never been to Guu), I had ordered for us takoyaki, karaage, and my favourite, cheese and mushroom bibimbap. The food came out really quick, and just like it was described online, each dish was presented in a very unique and beautiful way and it was so, so delicious! Each of the locations offer unique twists and menus - I'm eager to try out the other ones real soon! 1741 Robson Street, Vancouver (West End)
During a recent outing with both of my sisters (a very first time for my youngest sister Therese!), we had a bit of a throwback when we went to the Japanese spaghetti restaurant Spaghetei on Robson Street. It serves up "authentic Japanese style spaghetti", something that I found out was indeed a thing during a trip to Japan a while ago. Eleanor had gone to Spaghetei before and had great things to say about it all, so having this feedback and the fact that I wanted to check out for the longest time, we went the other night. We got there earlier than normal dinner time, about 5:45ish and we were seated very quickly. The decor is very simple, and the front entrance was conveniently open to the street to let the small space air out. During the winter time, the wall is closed off and there is a single door to get into the restaurant. With each of the spaghetti dishes, you can get the regular size for the price that is listed on the menu, or alternatively, a small (- $1) or a large size (+ $1). We ended up sharing 2 large size spaghetti plates, and we also got two pieces of their garlic bread (which Eleanor describes as honey garlic, due to its sweetness. It is also green in colour). The dishes that we ordered, the Clam Soup Spaghetti and the Tomato Cream Spaghetti, came reallyy quick and tasted delicious. The portions that we shared was definitely enough, if not just enough. Depending on how hungry you are, you could probably finish an entire large. However, I was told by Eleanor that the regular is really small and definitely your best bet if you are planning to have your own dish. The servers at Spaghetei were really great about sharing dishes, so if you can't decide which one to try, go with a few friends and share a few large plates! Spaghetei was a delicious meal that didn't leave us too full - just enough to make it by. The only downside is that this restaurant, and many others on the West Side, are really far away from the Skytrain station. We walked from Granville, though in retrospect we should have walked from Burrard. There is the possibility to catch a bus down, which may end up being a lot quicker. However, there are a lot of great shops to check out along Robson, which makes the walk worthwhile! 10320 152A Street, Surrey (Guildford)
A third storefront in the chain, the Guildford area has now been graced with yet another joint to add to its arsenal of sushi restaurants. Sushi California, which can also be found in Coquitlam and the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood of Vancouver, recently opened its doors in a plaza across from Guildford Town Center. Though its exterior is quite unassuming, the inside is quite spacious and busy, with a really quick turnover. My friend Kim and I went to go check it out. We had the Salmon Mountain roll, the Sweet Mango Paradise roll, as well as Ebi (cooked shrimp) and Salmon nigiri. The food came super quick and was super delicious. After Kim and I got in, the place really started to fill up and for sushi-goers, the wait was up to 25 minutes, so at peak hours for lunch and dinner it could potentially be a long wait. However the food was great and definitely will be a great place to go back to! |
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