2741 W 4th Street, Vancouver (Kitsilano)
If you ever wondered what Canadian cuisine was, The Oakwood Canadian Bistro may just be the place where you figure out exactly what it was. Located on bustling West 4th Avenue in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood, The Oakwood is like going to a friend’s house for dinner. Step past the outdoor patio and you are instantly greeted by a warm, candlelit room that brings together family dinners, catching up with best friends or romantic date nights. With leather booths, long communal tables and cozy fireplaces, it truly is like someone opened up their home to the neighbourhood - complete with a very fancy bar and kitchen, of course. The Oakwood offers an extensive wine list that features Canadian wines but also those from the United States and the rest of the world. With my dinner I had a Kettle Valley Pinot Gris, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Since I’m not a wine connoisseur by any means, I’ll leave it at that. If you are not a wine person, don’t worry: The Oakwood also has an extensive cocktail list that features some very unique cocktails, as well as a selection of craft beers. In terms of the food, The Oakwood serves each of their dishes in a share plate format, with dishes being served as they are ready. This means that patrons could potentially get their dishes all at once, one right after the other, or have long gaps of time between each dish, depending on what you order. Luckily for my friend Elaine and I, we fell in the category of getting one dish while we still were working on our first one. The dishes we tried were the fresh spaghetti and the ling cod. The spaghetti was absolutely delicious: fresh spaghetti with a roasted mushroom and brown butter cream, garlic pangrattato, pickled shemiji and topped with a poached egg. Let’s be real: I have no idea what some of these ingredients are. But what I do know was this spaghetti was unlike anything that I had ever tried. I’m so used to your stereotypical red sauce/white sauce pasta dishes that this was something completely different and out of my league. The butter smell was overwhelming, but in a good way. All of the savoury flavours blended so well together and were balanced out by the sourness of the pickled shemiji. Following the chef’s instructions, we cut open the poached egg and mixed it in, and it just brought the whole dish home. Despite it being served in a small bowl, the portion was perfect and definitely could be one person’s entree. Along with the fresh spaghetti, we had the pan roasted ling cod that had zucchini and cauliflower fritters, roasted garlic cream sauce, green beans, and topped with herb oil, pickled shallots, and puffed rice. This was another harmonious dish that, despite what I thought to be random ingredients, fit so well with each other. The ling cod was perfect and the fritters my favourite part of the dish. Aside from dinner, The Oakwood is a popular place for brunch, which I hope to one day return for. But regardless what course you are stopping in for, The Oakwood serves nothing but the freshest ingredients and showcases the great foods that Canada is known for. It is a bit of a stretch on your wallet, particularly if you are on a student budget; however, if you are looking to treat yourself to some good food, consider The Oakwood for a home away from home meal. You’ll feel right at home.
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55 Dunlevy Avenue, Vancouver (Railtown)
Tonight was a special occasion - I was taking my mom out for dinner to give us an opportunity to catch up and reconnect, just the two of us, and eat some delicious food! It was a no brainer to take my mom to Belgard Kitchen in Railtown, in the historic Settlement Building. Upon entry into the restaurant, I was instantly taken by the beautiful, rustic interior - comfy couches, an ornate fireplace, wine barrels and trendy bar tables. It was like walking into a cozy family home, and who better to enjoy it with than my mom! We were torn on what to drink, and mh mom wanted to try some craft beer, so we decided on getting a tasting paddle. Belgard serves up beer from Postmark Brewing, who brews in house right on the other side of the restaurant behind the wine barrels. Our tasting paddle included a Hefeweizen (wheat beer), and Postmark's Raspberry, Blonde, and West Coast Pale Ale. Our shared favourite was the Blonde, though my mom thoroughly enjoyed the West Coast Pale Ale! The food was incredible! Belgard encourages sharing plates, and what a great idea that is - the food is made for sharing, and it gives you an opportunity to try out different things! We ordered the Roasted Mushrom + Country Bacon Pizzette and the Shrimp Spaghetti Nero, both of which I highy recommend! There are a lot of great options on the menu, and there is something for every tasting palette. All in all it was a wonderful evening with fantastic service and great food. I will definitely be coming back to try more! One tip I would recommend is to get your reservations in early, either online or by phone; however, they do keep half of their restaurant in for walk ins. Depending on how busy the night is, they will put a cap on how long you can stay. Finally, I would also strongly recommend going in a group and going when it is daylight out, because Railtown is a little on the sketchier side, and you definitely want to be safe rather than sorry. 2272 W 4th Avenue, Vancouver (Kitsilano)
Burgoo has always been a high priority on my foodie bucket list, and I finally was able to try it out after a day at Kitsilano Beach. Burgoo's catchphrase is "food for comfort" which is exactly what they serve - comfort foods from around the world, from the cheesiest French fondue to the cheesiest American mac and cheese. Once Elaine and I walked in, the dim interior and tea lights sitting on the wooden tables were reminiscent of a cozy lodge, even on the warmest of summer days. We started off with an emmental and gruyere cheese fondue with foccacia bread, grapes and apples for dipping. The fondue was delicious! Through Vancity Buzz, I heard that Burgoo served one of the best macaroni and cheese dishes in the city, so I had to try it out! And the mac and cheese definitely a hit - super cheesy and delicious. If you are a fan of all things comfort food, go give any one of Burgoo's four locations a try - you won't be disappointed! 1 Athletes Way (Vancouver - False Creek) -OR- 1055 Canada Place (Vancouver - Coal Harbour)
Known for it's craft beer on tap (hence it's name), Tap and Barrel boasts great food, fabulous drinks and is probably one of the best patios that I have ever been on. Having been twice, I've enjoyed the food and the wonderful view that comes with my meal from the patio. The restaurant is very lively, and despite it's expansive size, the waitresses definitely go above and beyond to make sure that everyone is served and is having a good time. I highly recommend trying their craft beer mac and cheese - a comfort food favourite with an added twist! The menu changes every few months, but somethings, like the Tap Burger and the mac and cheese, remain as top favourites! 780 Richards Street, Vancouver Cafe Medina has been on my radar for a very, very long time, and the other day I finally made it with Elaine! The iconic pale blue sign stood in front of us as we patiently waited patiently for our turn past the glass doors. As I had been reading the menu for hours on end before we went, I quickly learned that Cafe Medina's stamp of identity came from their Mediterranean style cuisine and homemade Belgian waffles. Placed at the bar with the waffle heater in full view, we were greeted by very cheerful baristas and waitresses, who told us that the waffles were a must - an enlarged amuse-bouche, if you will - and was definitely the best way to start off our brunch service. The Liege-style waffles were incredible, with a nice sugary crunch on the outside and a warm and soft center. The treat was the dipping sauces that came with it: milk chocolate lavender for myself, and peach and bourbon butterscotch for Elaine. Shortly after came our brunch entrees, both of which were delicious, timely, and fresh with a Mediterranean twist. The portions were manageable and beautifully presented, and it kept me wanting more! The pictures below don't do it justice, but I recommend that you go and give it a try! Despite the fact that Cafe Medina is open from 9-3, the growing popularity of it creates long line ups and waits of upwards of two hours. My suggestion is to get there as early as possible, and if you can't get there earlier, then wait it out - it definitely is worth it! #344 - 800 Carnavron Street, New Westminster
With three locations and an ambient and unique atmosphere, Hub Restaurant elevates classic comfort and pub food. My friend Abby and I went to the New Westminster location, which overlooks the Fraser River. The dining area is very expansive with iconic graffiti walls, wooden decor and a massive bar in the middle of the room. The menu boasts comfort food like macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers of all kinds and fany pastas with mussels and various steak cuts. There is a lot of fresh energy from the barely two year old restaurant, which has climbed onto the back of its other locations' success. Abby and I both had burgers - I had the Crack(ed peppercorn) burger which had an onion ring covered in cracked peppercorns, offering a crunch with a heat. Of course, dinner with a friend would not be complete without dessert - Hub offers desserts of various kinds, but it's signature dessert is the Pazookie. If you have ever been to Boston Pizza, you will instantly connect with the BP Panookie, a chocolate chip cookie baked in a cast-iron pan, topped with ice cream and chocolate and caramel drizzle. Similarly, Hub has the Pazookie in four flavours: Classic Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Chocolate, Triple Chocolate Brownie and White Chocolate Macadamia nut. Of course, we had to go for the one with the most chocolate, and our decision was well worth it. I would definitely recommend checking out Hub at it's convenient New West location, or at it's other locations at Yaletown and Denman for a fresh take on your favorite foods! |
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