2328 Cambie Street, Vancouver
I have to give props to Shishinori for bringing a fresh new twist on Japanese food. Sitting at the intersection of Cambie and West 7th, Shishinori is a quaint little restaurant that has minimalistic furniture and extra festive Christmas decorations. Shishinori boasts "healthy eating", and all their dishes are chock filled with vegetables and uses brown rice and whole wheat bread. I have to say that I did feel pretty clean after lunch! The other thing that Shishinori is known for is matcha, matcha everywhere: their matcha soft serve parfaits are super popular with patrons, and it is something that I will try the next time I go! The two kinds of entrees you can get are their subs, which are all under $5, or their bowls (which are actually served on plates), which range from $9-$12. You can add $2.50 to the bowls and make it a meal, and that gets you a drink and side soup or dessert of the day. Eleanor and I opted to go drink (midnight in Paris, aka lavender tea) and dessert (matcha pudding) with our real crab meat California bowl, and a cream cheese and beef teriyaki sub. The food was incredible, filled with veggies and actual real crab meat! Everything tasted really fresh and was seasoned great. Even the odd things that I thought wouldn't go (apples in rice? beets? grapes in the salad?!) all fit together in harmony (so cliche) and was really delicious. The matcha pudding was also a hit, not too sweet and not too strong. I will definitely go back to Shishinori to try out their other dishes, and also their brunch items that they serve until the late afternoon. Because it is a small place, you may have to wait for a table, especially during peak hours. In the end though, I think it's worth it!
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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! My family and I went to the Abbotsford location, the one that is situated in the fairly new High Street open air shopping center. At first I thought it was a unique place but as it turns out it is a bit of a chain of pizza places. Being a huge fan of pizza, I didn't say no to an opportunity to have it for dinner with my family.
The trendy wooden decor grabbed my attention first, and then the delicious smell of baking pizza dough, Italian spices and tomato sauce. We shared what they called "New World" Pizzas - Korean BBQ Pork and the Don Andreas (Creme Fraiche with avocado, chicken, corn, salsa and some Valentina hot sauce), along with some tomato bisque and salad. The Korean BBQ Pizza was my favourite, despite my initial apprehension at putting Asian delicacies on pizza dough. The huge surprise at the end of dinner was their bonus dessert as a thank you for waiting.. My parents decided to get a second dessert, so to end off an incredible meal, we had a Dolce & Banana dish as well as a Nutella and Banana pizza, which was kind of like a crepe but with the pizza dough. Sounds kind of strange, but it was actually quite delicious. It was a filling and delicious meal, and definitely something I will try out again with friends! #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! 1641 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Located in the Il Mercato mall, this Italian restaurant goes back to basics and creates traditional Italian dishes with a Commercial Drive-Little Italy flavor. The first thing I noticed walking into the restaurant was the stone oven that was behind the bar, where freshly tossed and topped pizzas are baked. The smells of spices and cheese fills the air and I know that I made a wise choice. After finding Lombardo's on a friend's Instagram page, I decided to give it a try. The awning over top of the "patio" of the restaurant and the simple decor made me feel like I was sitting in a pizzeria in the streets of Italy. The food was incredible - definitely any Italian foodie's dream! Elaine and I tried their hand tossed pizza Ai Due Formaggi (with two types of cheese, salami, ham and mushrooms) and the Shells Toscana specialty pasta (Pasta with pesto sauce, sun dried tomatoes and grilled artichokes), and everything was amazing. I don't think I have ever had "real" Italian food aside from frozen pizza from a supermarket, and maybe going to a fancy Italian restaurant here or there. But being a student, the price was not too bad and the food was definitely worth it - so worth it that Elaine and I returned with her family! The second time we tried their two pizzas The Drive and La Giulia, their lasagna and tiramisu. If you love Italian food like I do, then check out Lombardo's - you won't regret it!
If you're on a time limit but you still want to try out their awesome pizza, check out Lombardo's 2 Go, which is located at the front entrance of the Il Mercato mall to take out the same incredible pizza that you can eat while dining in. |
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