Sandbar Seafood Restaurant – Mussels, Oysters, and Hash

I know that there are a lot of places to eat at Granville Island but one of our default go-to places is the Sandbar.  Run under the same banner that manages The Teahouse, Cardero’s, and Seasons in the Park, they know how to put together a good plate of food and all have beautiful locations… perfect for a date.

Seasons in the Park – Picturesque Views from QE Park

The highest spot in Vancouver is Queen Elizabeth Park located in an area appropriately called Little Mountain.  It’s actually named for Queen Eliabeth II’s mother, the Queen Mother (not to be confused with Queen Elizabeth I) and is a popular tourist spot due to the expansive views of the city and their famous sunken gardens.

Havana Restaurant & Gallery – Brunch

A lot has changed along The Drive over the last quarter century.  I recall back in the 80′s that there was still fairly noticeable remnants of “Little Italy” even despite the influx of Asian and other cultures.  We found ourselves in our old stomping grounds in early February after dropping off some donations to the nearby SPCA and noticed that many of the old shops have been replaced with an eclectic collection of restaurants.  While there were still a few old shops that we remembered, The Drive has seem to undergone a bit of gentrification… if you told me 25 years ago that there was going to be a fish and chips food truck parked in front of Grandview Park, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Fish House in Stanley Park

Back in November of last year, we stopped by the Fish House in Stanley Park for lunch.  It’s been years since we last visited this restaurant located next to the tennis courts.  Being a touristy spot, I was worried that it would be busy at lunchtime but I guess the rain kept everyone away because we were the first ones there (a few diners did eventually arrive a bit later).

Julian Serrano (Las Vegas – Aria)

It’s Vegas Baby!  It seems like ages since the last time we visited Las Vegas so we jumped at the chance to come here in early December (especially since the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world on Dec 21, 2012).  This is the first in a string of posts based in Sin City – mainly to help me remember where we ate and to plan for our next visit

Beachside Forno – Brunch

Beachside Forno is a spacious restaurant located in West Vancouver just steps away from Ambleside Beach.  Although it looked pretty sunny outside, we decided against the patio since it was October and a wee bit chilly in the air.

Boathouse (New West) – Deep Fried Oysters and Steamed Mussels

We went out to dinner recently at the Boathouse in New Westminster to celebrate a couple of birthdays.  I find that when we go to the Boathouse in New West, it’s usually pretty empty – I’m not sure if it’s because of the particular day that we go.  In either case, it’s fine by me because I prefer quieter restaurants.

Flying Beaver Bar and Grill

After a quick visit to the Ikea in Richmond, we were looking for some good lunch offerings but didn’t feel like Asian because we were just at Cattle Cafe the previous day.  I know, Richmond isn’t the best place to be if you’re looking for non-Asian restaurants but I had a place in mind.

Café Salade de Fruits – Les Moules et les Moules et les Moules

No ketchup, no refills, and no credit cards.  These signs adorn the large brick wall that covers the kitchen area.  It would be easy to pass by this little bistro, located inside the French Cultural Centre on West 7th, and completely miss it. 

The Teahouse – Summertime Lunch

We decided to have a day of feasting this summer.  I know, you’re probably thinking, “How is that different from any other day?”  Well, we decided to start off at The Teahouse.  We had very fond memories of our last visit to The Teahouse when we had some of the best mussels we’ve experienced in Vancouver so we always knew that we wanted to come back for a revisit.

The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant – Granville Island Staycation

We decided to make like the many tourists in Vancouver and visit Granville Island for our version of a staycation.  One of our favourite restaurants to visit in Granville Island is The Sandbar located only a short walk away from the Market.

Pied-à-Terre Bistro – Beef Cheek Bourguignon

After having some seriously great French food at Mistral French Bistro and Bistrot Bistro previously, I’ve been thinking of trying out Pied-à-Terre on Cambie for a while.  Literally translated to “foot on the ground”, the term pied-à-terre has come to mean a secondary home… to me, it just means a great place to pick up some tasty French food.