Sip Resto-Lounge: 1117 Granville St., Vancouver.So far as lounges were concerned, Vancouver was a barren wasteland for a long, long time. And now that we are starting to be blessed with a going-out culture that finally seems ready for them, it seems that in true Vancouver fashion we’ve managed to score a few that blend the lounge idea with other, more Vancouver-esque ideas. Namely, fusing the

Steve Plotnicki, the author of Opinionated About Dining, has embarked on a project to create a guidebook along the lines of 'opinionated fan' restaurant reviewing. He was kind enough to ask me to sign in for a review. I noticed that he was asking for reviews of some eastern establishments with which I am familiar. As I was typing out my little blurb in his online form, it occurred to me that

Cassis - 420 W. Pender, Vancouver.Cassis has been on my never-dying list of places to try for some time now, so you can imagine my pleasant surprise upon finding that one of the owners/founders is an old friend with whom I once worked on an Alaskan cruise ship. In fact, we rocked in with a small reunion group from that same crew, so the surprise on the face of co-owner Sam Wilcox was worth the

Lombardo's Ristorante - Il Mercato Mall, 1641 Commercial Dve (corner E 1st Ave).Who'd have thought that the best pizza in town could come from a restaurant stuck in the corner of a shopping mall?I walked past Il Mercato mall a number of times when I first went looking for Lombardo's (on the recommendation of a friend). Only on the third or fourth pass did it occur to me to look inside the mall.

Caffe Artigiano (Hornby location) - www.caffeartigiano.comAsk anyone in inner-city Vancouver who they think is at the top of Vancouver's coffee-brewing pyramid, and the answer you'll likely get is "Artigiano".Famous for their latte art, and a world-beating barista, Artigiano fills a growing need that many downtown Vancouverites have for a high-end, high-quality (and high-price) coffee location

Sophie's Cosmic Cafe - 2095 W. 4th Ave, VancouverSometimes, I'm sorry to say, I just don't get the hype. And in this instance, I can hear the Kits crowd (and a few of my friends) coming to lynch me as I type!"...I just don't get it!"Sophie's is arguably one of the most famous (if not THE most famous) Vancouver brunch locations. With big North American-sized servings, hash browns to spare, juicy

WaaZuBee - 1622 Commercial DriveSo, what doesn't happen at WaaZuBee?To me, WaaZuBee is the quintessential Commercial Drive eatery - or perhaps it just reminds me of the finer qualities of my late 90's Fitzroy (Melbourne, Australia - ie. Brunswick St and Smith St.)At any rate, this place can be whatever kind of eatery you want it to be... brunchery, afternoon-drinksery, dinner...ery, or even

Cafe Calabria - 1745 Commercial Drive.Writing a review about a place such as Cafe Calabria is something I actually find very hard to do. I love my coffee. I love it I love it I love it. Good coffee is heavenly. The hard part writing about a place that serves good coffee is, well... where do I start?!?For a city that prides itself so passionately on its coffee culture, it is depressingly hard

Watermark - Kits Beach - off Cornwall Ave, 1305 ArbutusFor a time, I lived on Cornwall Ave... right across the road from Kits Park and Kits Beach. I used to walk my dog along the beach on winter mornings, looking at the sad, old lifeguard station and toilet block that sat, haunched and glaring, over the beach. The beach front there has always reminded me of the promenade along St. Kilda beach

Pajo's - Steveston Wharf LocationEven though it is at odds with my foodie philosophies to say this, and as I wrote in a previous review, you should be very wary of Vancouverites who try and take you to places like Steveston Wharf or White Rock for "good fish and chips", because you'll often end up paying way too much money for really crappy fish and chips.While there are thankfully some fantastic

3460 Moncton Street, Richmond/Steveston.Sometimes, one of the safest and most reliable ways to find a good eatery, is to look for the 'mom+pop' establishment that's filled to the brim with local families. It worked for me in Chinatown; it worked for me in the alleys of Rome; and it certainly worked for me in Steveston!Dave's Fish and Chip shop is one of the glorious, bright beacons of light and

1590 Commercial Drive, East Vancouver.Once in a while you are blessed to have certain establishments within a handy walking distance from where you live... a friendly corner store, a good pizza joint, local pub, or a market with fresh produce. We are lucky to have all of these and, best of all, a top Gelateria as well!There are many gelati shops that pepper the landscape of a muti-cultural city

Website: http://www.steamworks.comNow, most people I know who go to Steamworks, seem to go there for the food. And every time someone tells me about the food there, the reports just get better and better.Which is all very good and well. I mean, I did eat there once a couple of years back. But to tell the truth, I can't for the life of me remember anything about the food. It certainly doesn't

I should kick this off with a disclaimer.I am a complete snob when it comes to fish and chips. And I demand quality.I guess I was spoiled, spending a good part of my childhood in beach-side Victoria, Australia, with the very best in fresh, old-fashioned style fish and chips readily available.Vancouver is famous for great seafood. There are few places in the world where things like salmon and

Website: http://www.feenies.com/ (There's also a link to book by same name on sidebar)Chef Rob Feenie typifies what Vancouver's culinary buzz is all about.Long a mainstay in elite Vancouver gastronomic circles with his French restaurant, Lumiere, in the more casual, newer restaurant, Rob Feenie found a way to bring his culinary philosophy to a wider audience. I like to think that he took a look

Thank you for visiting my homage to fine food in Vancouver, BC.This food blog is an ongoing project to which entries are added whenever I have time... as such, it is an organically growing, continuous process.Unfortunately,my time to blog about food is limited. Yet, I can't bare the thought of maintaining a food-review website without some of my favourite restaurants at least being mentioned.

Welcome to my own personal review of eating, drinking and dining out in Vancouver, BC.Vancouver is blessed with a rich array of restaurants and other eating establishments. There is something really exciting happening here in the culinary world. Immigration from many different places coupled with a desire to explore rather than stick to 'traditional' food styles has resulted in a dynamic

The reviews presented here are based entirely on personal opinion and experience as a patron.I love food. I love drink. I love dining out. But I also love to be plainly honest. Occasionally, I will give a plainly honest, bad review.As a restaurateur, I can see how this might upset you.Look at it this way - I am your target audience.I am smack bang in the middle of a demographic that dines out