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Location: 2975 Cambie St, Vancouver, Canada, V5Z 2V7.
Telephone number: +(1) 604 879 6002
Website: none
Date of visit: 30 November 2009
Approximate cost per head: from C$ 10
Comments on wine list/beer: Stick to the beer or cocktail
Summary:
This is a long established chain of SE Asian Restaurants. The other one is on Robson (1128). However, according to my relative, the one on Cambie offers bigger portions at the same price.
This is the place to come if you want sate, chilli crab, nasi goreng etc.
The menu is classified by chilli strengths and if they say that it’s hot (3 chillies), they mean it. Laksa has 2 versions or strengths – Singapore or curried.
On the day we went, we had chicken curry & rice and Singapore laksa with a side order of roti. The bill came to C$16 (£1=C$1.66). I rate this place as pretty good value for money.
If you can’t make it out here, try Melati (Great Windmill St, Soho, London) or Singapore Garden (Swiss Cottage, London). Both have been around for over 20 years.
Location: 1661 Granville St, Vancouver, Canada, V6Z 1N3. (Just under the bridge, north shore of False Creek)
Telephone number: +(1) 604 637 0388
Website: www.stonegrillvancouver.com
Date of visit: 30 October 2009
Approximate cost per head (2 courses): C$ 45
Comments on wine list/beer: Ok list, mainly American (North and South) and Canadian wines. Interesting list of bottle beers.
Summary:
This is a “new” restaurant with a fantastic view over False Crook.
The idea is that you have your main course cooked in front of you (by you) on a piece of super heated granite whilst you eat.
The granite came on a dish separated into 3 compartments. The stone was in the middle with the fish or meat on it and the side compartments had the potato and veg.
I had the Scallops and Prawns and with it came 2 super size chips, a single cauliflower, broccoli floret and a piece of pepper.
The meal came sizzling (yes, think Chinese or Indian sizzling dishes but with a stone in stead of a cast iron dish). However, the materials were raw and the stone retained its heat for over 30 minutes. I had to wait about 2 minutes for the food to cook but then here was the rub, the food will continue to cook so by the end of the meal, I had rubbery (over cooked) scallops and prawns. My companion had the steak which was a slab of 2 inch thick fillet. Again, the meat was raw to start with and was well done by the end of the meal.
I really don’t see the point of this style of cooking – it’s just a gimmick! The portions were over generous re the protein part and the “meats” came au nature – unmarinated or seasoned. On the night we went (Friday), the place was less than 20% full. I doubt very much as to whether it will still be here when I next visit Vancouver.
Location: 1133 West Broadway, Vancouver, Canada, V6H 1G1
Telephone number: + (1) 604 872 8050
Date of visit: 29 October 2009
Approximate cost per head (2 courses): C$ 60
Comments on wine list/beer: Interesting wine list with Wine Spectator Ratings. Sake list is phenomenal. Usual Japanese beers – Asahi, Sapporo and Kirin
Web site: www.Tojos.com
Summary:
Tojo’s is in my view one of the great “creative” Japanese restaurant in the world. It is up there with Nobu (ok, I’ve only eaten in the New York and London ones) and Tetsuya (Sydney). Apparently, Nobu-san eats here when he is in town.
Tojo-san arrived in Vancouver in the early 70s and is now acknowledged as one of the chef in Vancouver. He used to be down the road but moved here 3 years ago and has more or less triple the “covers” he can do. There is now a trendy bar that serves all sorts of cocktails and sake.
Besides the traditional Sushi and Sashimi, you get a twist on a lot of dishes which can only be described as “fusion” cooking.
On the night we went, we had the Omakase (chef’s choice for the day). This comes in several versions and start at $60 for 4 courses. To start with, we had a raw fish terrin which was a combination of minced raw tuna with cucumber for texture (mixed in) in some form of ponzu dressing.. Next, came a fish stew with mushrooms followed by a sashimi dish and finally 7 different types of sushi and a fruit cocktail desert. They were all excellent – they had everything: taste, visual appearance and texture.
It’s almost worth the flight over just to eat here as it’s less than half the price of Nobu London but then Nobu in New York (mid town) is also half the price of Nobu London.
By the way, Tojo’s only serve evening meals.
Date: End of October 2009
I am back from a quick visit to Vancouver. I have been going regularly to Vancouver since 1990. My last visit was 2 years ago.
I have always stayed at various hotels in the West End between Stanley Park and English Bay. My favourite hotels are Coast Plaza and Sylvia. The former is a 4* hotel complete with swimming pool in the basement whilst the latter is more like a 3*hotel.
The restaurant scenes have not changed greatly (see reviews over the next few days) but I have noticed that there is a gradual take over of small restaurants along Damen and Robson by Oriental Restaurants. The most intriguing aspect is the new wave of Japanese and Korean restaurants differentiated by their style of cooking. For example, there are different styles of sushi e.g. maki is a regional style. The new wave is a “tapas” style of small dishes as well as “yoshoku”. “Yoshoku” is western cooking adapted to Japanese taste! For example, you schnitzel will be pork covered in penko bread crumbs and served with a sweet brown sauce based on soya.
The Old timers (20 years +/- that I have ‘eaten in’) are still there on Damen. Honourable mentions go to:
Café de Paris – still serving old fashioned “French” cooking.
True Confections – desert and cake only café.
Vina – a Vietnamese restaurant.
Raincity Grill – Canadian? Frenchified American is the best way to describe it. Probably the best restaurant on Damen
Ukrainian Village Restaurant – one that I wanted to try but never got round to it.
Montreal Roast – roast chicken and potato but no piri piri.
Olympus Taverna – Greek but not as we know it. It’s basically, pizza and grills with spanakopita thrown in.
The most interesting ones are the new wave of Japanese restaurants on Damen – North side of Robson.
Another one worth mentioning is the Dover Inn where it’s a European and Japanese Café and is open from dawn till dusk. You can get a cooked breakfast for under C$5.oo (exchange rate at the moment is $1.68= £1). Its always busy at meal times.
MARKETS
In terms of markets, I visited three – Robson, Longsdale Quay (N Vancouver) and Granville Island.
The worst is Robson, its now down to a single butcher, bread shop, fish monger and greengrocer. The products still look good but the range is infinitely smaller than when I first went there 20 years ago. Maybe it’s because there is now a new Safeway’s and a very good organic shop (Capers) across the road.
Longsdale Quay is still about the same – full of interesting shops and eateries. You can get all sorts of fresh fish etc there and there are wine shops and a Mexican takeaway. If you are in Vancouver, go. You can get there by driving over the bridge or take the Seabus – it’s next to the ferry terminal. The other thing to note is that the multi-story car park is free on a Sunday but you are still charged in the open air opposite the market. There is also an “English” restaurant – The Cheshire Cheese that I have to try.
Granville Island is about the same – a mixture of shops, restaurants, market, businesses and university. Beware, parking is not easy but if you drive around, you will eventually find a space. I was glad that the Granville Island Brewery is still there – well they have a few pieces of kit, a shop and a bar – the main brewery has moved. I tried the “Fall special” – pumpkin ale. It’s all right but it’s very difficult to describe the taste. It was not fruity, ale like with a good after taste. Granville Island beers are now generally available in Vancouver and at the airport. You must try it if you are there but be aware, its not ales or larger as we know it. It’s more like Anchor Steam beer from San Francisco.
Inside the market, you can get all the usual stuff – oil, deli, veg, meat, fish but I was disappointed with the spice market, it was very basic – you get a better range at the Grand Central Station Market on 42 St in New York. However, it’s still a good market to go to and try the locally cured meat and cheese.
On the whole, Vancouver is still an interesting place to vist – you will still find restaurants that serves food that you cannot find in the UK – it’s also cheap. C$20 per head – less than £15 will get you a decent meal. The Asian (minus curries) are all very interesting and good. The typical “Canadian” up market restaurant serves a big piece of grilled meat or fish – very fresh!
Other than icewine (sweet), I would stay off Canadian wine although some of the cabernet sauvignon are ok.