Sashimiya: High-End Take-Out

One of the things that we seem to be seeing a lot more of (perhaps due to Covid) is many restaurants and food shops pivoting to take-out only. Sashimiya is one of the places that doesn’t offer dine-in seating. Instead, they act as a combination of Japanese grocery store and take-out shop where you can get freshly made sushi and sashimi that rivals any high-end Japanese restaurant.

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Browns Socialhouse (QE Theatre): Patio Dining

It’s been about 7 years since our first visit to Browns Socialhouse. Since that time, they’ve opened up a number of new locations and have taken a spot in the very popular “premium casual dining” market that’s been primarily occupied by the likes of Earls, and Cactus Club. Now, if these places all seem a bit “same”, it’s probably because there’s good reason… the person in charge of Browns used to work at Earls and then went on to open up Cactus Club.

Le Petit Belge: Amazing Salmon Benny on Waffles

I don’t make it downtown very often so, when I had the chance in mid-February, I popped by Le Petit Belge for an early morning breakfast. True to their name, this location is kind of small and I was glad that I went early as it quickly filled up in the morning. As you enter, you’ll come to the counter where you place and pay for your order before sitting down.

Soirette: Holiday Cookie Giftbox and Lunar New Year Gold Cookie Tin

Christmas time has long since passed (exactly 2 months ago!) but memories of the Holiday Cookies that we picked up at Soirette this past year still remains with me… as do the extra pounds they created around my waist.

Botanist: Beautifully Crafted Dining Experience

Every now and again, a new restaurant opens up in Vancouver that seems to nail it. When I first saw pics of Botanist (located on the 2nd floor of the Fairmont Pacific Rim), I knew this was going to be one of those restaurants. Unfortunately, it’s taken us this long to actually visit.

Hy’s Steakhouse: Old School Steak House

While The Keg has opened up steakhouses to the mass public in Canada with almost a Earls/Cactus Club-like feel, when you think of old school steakhouses… you’re probably thinking about Hy’s. Filled with old world charm, dark mahogany wood, waiters in monogrammed uniforms, etc… this is the quintessential steakhouse that has over 60 years of history in Canada.

Sansei Seafood (Seattle): Happy Hour

Sansei Seafood (and their sister restaurant DK Steakhouse) have been two of our favourite restaurants whenever we head over to Waikiki. As a matter of fact, we had just posted about our happy hour adventure at Sansei Seafood in Waikiki just recently. So when we heard that there was a Sansei in Seattle (just a hop, skip and a jump away from Vancouver), we knew that we wanted to try them out the next time we were in the area.

Miku Restaurant: Coal Harbour Platter

It was over two years ago that I first visited Miku Restaurant in downtown Vancouver. From that moment, I knew that I’d eventually be back but I had no idea it would take so long for a revisit.

The Poke Guy: Best Poke in Vancouver

2016 seemed to be the year that poke took a real foothold in Vancouver with countless poke shops popping up all over the place. The problem, however, is that most of the places calling themselves “poke” shops really weren’t staying true to the original poke from Hawaii.

Notch 8 Restaurant: Afternoon Tea

In the heart of downtown lies one of the most iconic hotels in Vancouver, Hotel Vancouver – or as it’s currently branded, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. We came by for Afternoon Tea in early December only to find out that all of the roads were closed due to the annual Santa Claus Parade and we were on the wrong side of West Georgia Street.

Vancouver Christmas Market 2016: German-Inspired Food

The Vancouver Christmas Market is becoming a bit of tradition in the city. But, as with most traditions, change is always inevitable. In this case, the big change for 2016 was the change in location from the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza to the Jack Poole Plaza (site of the 2010 Olympic Cauldron).

Jam Café: Brunch

Brunch in Vancouver can be a religious event for some people… popular restaurants often draw lineups that stretch down the block. While I’ve never been one to put up with excessively long lineups, I do enjoy me some brunch.