TimeOut Magazine 2006

Vancouver Restaurant Reviews

Alphabetical

WEST SIDE

Aurora Bistro

This modern room, cleverly designed on a shoe-string budget, firmly established Main Street as a dining destination. Food and flavours from BC to Quebec are showcased, from hazelnut-coated Salt Spring goat’s cheese to poutine with truffle oil. Chef/owner Jeff Van Geest strongly supports local artisans: The local brewery shows up in Raven Cream Ale onion soup, a wide selection of local artisan cheeses are featured, and most notably, a commendable all- BC wine list, including many boutique varieties.

The Cannery

Recent Port security measures haven't made it easy to access this icon, but McGill Street or Clark Drive overpass are open and there is a detailed map on the website. Or board "Ports Alive", a pleasurable 10 minute ride from downtown. Or cruise on your own steam and tie up at its private dock (compliments from the Port for any inconvenience). Impeccable service— most of the staff has been here over 20 years — is reason alone to overcome any obstacles. Dip into house-made lobster infused olive oil while perusing a global seafood menu, sipping from a sophisticated wine list, and enjoying one of the best views —and sunsets—of the inner harbour.

Ch'i

This cool drink of a room is an oasis for eastenders, especially on Nanaimo Street where expectations aren't high. Begin with a teatini - a refreshing martini infused with flavoured teas and from there, tapas your way through the night with Indo-Thai small dishes. The deep-fried tempura oysters are light and crispy and eggplant ragout with salt and pepper tofu- not your usual obedient boring kind— is best mopped up with hand made roti that is spun each morning.

Foundation

Locals have made this a popular spot to tank up on tasty and healthy plates, and at bargain basement prices. Many innovative vegan choices are offered and the best nachos in town are layered and baked with cheddar, black beans, corn, jalapenos and all the fixin's. “A Catered Affair” comprises spreads, breads, and salads that can be an appy for four, a lunch for two or monster dinner for one. With beer on tap, it's a fun hangout at night for the hip and young.

Rinconcito Salvadoreno

The incredibly friendly Herrera family runs this colourful and cheery room with open windows and open hearts. At $2.50 a pop, the best papusas (handmade corn flour tortillas) in town are filled with beans, cheese and pork and a meal in itself. But make room for the deep-fried, batterless and whole fresh fish at a ridiculously low price -- who is their wholesaler? Fresh tropical juices are served on tap and on weekends ask for a glass of Horchata, made from seeds only found in El Salvador. There’s no way to describe this taste except love it or leave it... Beer and wine are available.

Stella's

The Belgian connection to the Drive features light wood flooring, low lighting and a sunken stone-walled dining area off to one side, but most of the action is on the 60-seat patio and long, buffed bar. The menu has a great selection of moules; try the L'orange, fresh squeezed with coconut milk and especially good with a bucket of fries on the side, washed down with one of several Belgian beers on tap. The beer list also features bottled choices from Unibroue, the award winning Belgian-style brewery in Quebec. Beer spills into dessert in a delectable chocolate cake made with Bellevue Kriek.

Zanzibar Café Bar

This pretty little room dressed in vermillion and mustard yellow serves up authentic Moroccan food by knowledgeable and friendly staff. The mint tea is even better than the real thing (less sugar) and comes to your table in a silver teapot with gold-rimmed glasses. The lamb tangine, fall-off-the-bone tender with prunes and apricots, is outstanding and running a close second is chicken almond bastela: a perfect balance of sweet cinnamon with savory caramelized onion in flaky filo pastry. A busy breakfast starts at 9.30a.m with everything under $5.

NORTH SHORE

Beach House at Dundarave Pier

Just a few steps from the beach, this waterfront locale also features the perfectly manicured West Van crowd, seldom a hairdo out of place as they carefully dig into a tower of Dungeness crab and hand-peeled shrimp or spicy wok-fried calamari with just the right amount of heat. Moving on to mains, two types of "trios" are a great opportunity to experience many innovative tastes. It's a toss-up over the seafood that includes a jumbo prawn with lemon oil, seared ahi tuna with passionfruit and vanilla and smoked black cod with crab butter, or the grilled beef tenderloin with truffle jus, lamb chop with rosemary oil and venison loin with a port and fig demi. And everyone is thin.

Beach Side Café

Not to be confused with the above (as is often the case, even by Vancouverites), start with succulent prawns or panko crusted Fanny Bay oysters while chef Raymond Fung expertly braises Canada AAA beef short ribs with aged balsamic and molasses. The to-die-for chocolate caramel tart is like eating one luscious Turtle.

Nice selections of wine with several by the glass, makes for great summer sipping on the patio over Ambleside Beach while taking in the best cruise ship watching in town.

Moustache Café

Two small and cosy rooms snuggled into this heritage home is a cross between Mediterranean charm and the front room you weren't allowed to sit in. It's here where Chef/owner Geoff Lundholm's pride and passion shows in all his masterful creations. But the show stopper is the venison confit ravioli: marinated, braised, chopped and stuffed, it's a two day procedure, and a labour of love. Eyes can't help but roll heavenward with warm tarte tatin.

La Régalade

Even though Brigitte and Alain Rayé just renovated and doubled the seating, their French bistro is still the toughest place on the North Shore to get reservations. Rich and deep flavours surface in veal cheeks and beef bourgignone served from cocotte, and the portions are hefty. The roasted half duck with sautéed fruits also keeps the regulars coming back, as does a stellar wine list showcasing French and BC varieties.

Salmon House on the Hill

This north shore landmark (since 1976) high above West Vancouver boasts a view that stretches from Vancouver Island to Mount Baker on a clear day. Chef Dan Atkinson's house smoked Fanny Bay oysters, melt-in-your-mouth smoked sockeye and alder grilled Skeena River salmon, have Vancouverites regularly making a pilgrimage up the hill. The cedar-walled dining room features a fine collection of First Nations art, and lunch can spill into dinner while lounging on the patio and sipping from one of many BC wines.

Zen

Presentations are neat and artful as oragami, from the warm mushroom salad to the palate cleanser of flounder presented in a chilled martini glass. Most seafood is sourced locally but some items are ordered by request from loyal patrons and flown in directly from Japan. The menu has several Zen twists on traditional themes such as julienne beet wrapped around prawns stuffed with crab, and deep-fried zucchini flower stuffed with mascarpone. Those in the know order Loren's comfy and innovative desserts (try green tea cheesecake or French crepe with Japanese red beans) when making reservations.