20 things you must eat in Vancouver

I like food.

Honourable mention to Milestone's california salad that I always eat at YVR. But there's no way I'm putting a chain restaurant on my list.

Other than some ethical concerns with veal, I’ll pretty much try everything. I don’t like sea urchin, I don’t drink coffee and can’t handle diet pop.

In February, a friend is coming to town and I happen to be out of town! But I wanted to leave him a list of must-try foods in Vancouver.

Something absent on this list: Pho. Frankly, I have no idea what makes good Pho. I’ll pretty much eat it at any sketchy hole-in-the-wall. And I seem to like it all.

Also, the best breakfast under $3: Yummy Sushi. Wait, what?! I’ve never had sushi there. In fact, I don’t think they even do raw fish. But the hole-in-the wall has all day breakfast and is across the street from my home.

I’m not a big fan of breakfast, thus its relative absence on this list.  Same with sweets.  I’m a savory girl for the most part.

So far I haven’t been truly wowed by any Thai, Malaysian, Cambodian, etc. restaurants in Vancouver. That’s not to say there aren’t any really good ones. There are. I eat at Pad Thai regularly, though it is more cheap eats than authentic meal.

If there’s one thing you’ll notice about the list is that nothing is over $16. I’m not one to go for those $30 per plate meals.  So, this isn’t fine dining. I’m sure there is lots of very fine dining in Vancouver, but that’s not me.

Anyways, enough rambling, if you’re like me, you just want the list. These are restaurants I really like… not just the menu items below.

Top 20 things you must eat in Vancouver:

(in alphabetical order)

Banh Mi at Big Lou’s

Buttermilk fried chicken cobb salad at Crave

Carnitas Taco at La Taqueria

Cheese at Au Petit Chavignol

Chicken Wings at Phnom Penh

Chili-Garlic Eggplant and blade sheared noodles at Peaceful Restaurant

Choriqueso Sandwich at Las Tortas

Fish and Chips at Go Fish

Garlic stubs with pork at Zakkushi

Grilled Cheese at Burgoo

Korean Sushi at Kimbob E Ramyun – ACK! Just found out it closed! NOOO! Your backup plan will be to go to Kim’s Mart, a grocery store at Broadway between Carolina and St. George.

Le Grand Feast at Nuba

Maple chipotle tamarind glazed wild boar belly at Cobre

Peruvian Seafood Chowder at Mochikas

Pizza at Zaccary’s

Polenta Fries and mixed drinks at Cascade Room

Rib ends at Memphis Blues

Steak Frites at Les Faux Bourgeois

Sushi and Okonomiyaki at Zipang (Also found on my top sushi in Vancouver list)

Waffles at Patisserie Lebeau

 

Lastly, this is not the be-all-end-all list of dining out in Vancouver.  These are just some suggestions. I’d love yours as well!

Next food post? The places I want to try in 2012.  I’m looking at you Red Wagon.

244: Peaceful Restaurant

Best dumplings ever.

Gave this restaurant by my work another try recently after the accolades it got from friends hearing Guy Fieri had visited it during his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives segment. My first visit had been fine, likable even. This second go-around was awesome. I loved loved loved these fresh dumplings. it is so nice when you can actually see distinct items in the filling.

I’ll be going back again for lunch. Prices and service were commendable.

Another day, another photo. Andrea Woo too.

201: La Taqueria moves into the neighbourhood

La Taqueria is giving local sushi a run for my money (iPhone 4 - July 20, 2011)

 

The photo throwdown doesn’t stop here, it’s over at AndreaWoo.com too.

My top ten sushi restaurants in Vancouver

A couple things to note:

1. I don’t like going downtown, thus the absence of much down there.

2. This is just Vancouver proper, there are many great sushi places in Burnaby, Richmond, Coquitlam and beyond.

3. While I’m always up for trying something new, I tend to base my impressions on a select group of items, some of which aren’t sushi at all: Tuna & salmon nigiri, dynamite roll, spicy agedashi tofu, tako sunomono, anything with eggplant or octopus, spicy tuna roll, and likely whatever the special is. Despite my enjoyment of the dynamite roll, I never order tempura. I enjoy a good motoyaki but rarely shell out for it and tend to avoid teriyaki dishes, though I like all sorts of Japanese soups.

4. I’m not rich. Most of these places are your low-medium price point spots.

I guess you want the top ten?

All the small things: Food edition

I rag on Vancouver a lot.  But in the four plus years I’ve spent here, it hasn’t been all that bad.  I mean, we’re a week into November and there has been no snow. None.  Take that, Edmonton. 

I need to spend more time in my kitchen

Things haven’t exactly been coming up Loxy lately.  From the below mentioned concussion, to an unfortunate Blackberry incident, to online dating failures, to arriving home and finding my door open and spare key missing, to losing $100 in the mall yesterday, to going back to work today… I’m surprised I’m in such a good mood! (Strange, right? I know.)