Critic’s Picks
Mia Stainsby
Sun
A list of restaurants recommended and anonymously visited by Sun restaurant critic Mia Stainsby.
Prices are per couple for three courses, with a glass of wine each, before tip and taxes.
$ means $50 or less
$$ means $50 to $100
$$$ means more than $100
– – –
WEST COAST
Aurora Bistro The first fine dining room on Main St. Inventive food, hip spot. 2420 Main St., 604-873-9944. $$
Bishop’s Consistently one of the city’s best. Almost 100 per cent organic foods. 2183 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-2025. $$$
Diner Great comfort food in contemporary setting. 1269 Hamilton St., 604-444-4855. $/$$
Feenie’s Comfort food with a modern tweak and quality ingredients. 2563 West Broadway, 604-739-7115. $/$$
Fiction Young crowd, great tapas dishes. 3162 West Broadway, 604-736-7576. $$
Nu A sophisticated version of casual dining. Beautiful flavours, great atmosphere. 1661 Granville St., 604-646-4668. $$
Parkside Handsome room in residential West End, richly flavoured food. Great spot. 1906 Haro, 604-683-6912. $$/$$$
Rare An impressive, unique menu. There’s passion here. 1355 Hornby St., 604-669-1256. $$$
ITALIAN
Amarcord Food from the Bologna and Emilia Romagna area of Italy, elegantly presented. Clear, natural flavours. 1168 Hamilton St., 604-681-6500. $$
Borgo Antico Tuscan looks. Fine Italian food. 321 Water St., 604-683-8376. $$/$$$
Don Francesco Ristorante Romantic, classic Italian restaurant with heart. 860 Burrard St., 604-685-7770. $$$
La Terrazza Knock-out looks, intelligent and friendly staff, traditional Italian food. 1088 Cambie St., 604-899-4449. $$$
Lombardo’s Pizzeria and Restaurant Serving pizza lovers for years. 1641 Commercial Dr., 604-251-2240. $
CHINESE
Hon’s Wun-Tun House Slurp noodles and chomp on delicious potstickers. Huge menu. 1339 Robson St., 604-685-0871. $
Sun Sui Wah Cantonese cuisine with light, finely tuned flavours. 3888 Main St., 604-872-8822. $$
Szechuan Chongqing An institution for those who love the incendiary fare. 2808 Commercial Dr., 604-254-7434. $$
Wild Rice Modern Chinese food in a sophisticated, hip setting. 117 West Pender St., 604-642-2882. $$
JAPANESE
1215 Japanese tapas. Experimentation rules in the kitchen. 1215 Davie St., 604-633-1215. $/$$
Ajisai Sushi Bar Small neighbourhood spot with sushi that sings. 2081West 42nd Ave., 604-266-1428. $
Chopstick Cafe/Shiru-Bay Great atmosphere, intriguing izakaya food, budget prices. 1193 Hamilton St., 604-408-9315. $$
En Japanese Restaurant Bucks the usual conformity of Japanese restaurants. Splendid food. 2686 Granville St., 604-730-0330. $$
Sushi Wabi Sabi Exciting contemporary Japanese food. 4422 West 10th Ave., 604-222-8188. $$
Tojo’s Restaurant The topper in this category. Japanese food at its best. 202 — 777 West Broadway, 604-872-8050. $$$
FRENCH/BELGIAN
Bacchus Restaurant Some classics, some nouveau. Expect the best. Wedgewood Hotel, 845 Hornby St., 604-689-7777. $$$
Cafe de Paris Traditional French bistro. Lots of character. 751 Denman St., 604-687-1418. $$
Cassis Bistro Low budget but mod interior. Delicious traditional French bistro fare. Good value. 420 West Pender St., 604-605-0420. $$
The Hermitage Beautifully controlled classic French cooking. Quiet atmosphere. 1025 Robson St., 604-689-3237. $$$
Lumiere Chef Rob Feenie redefines restaurants in Vancouver. Tasting menus. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$$
GREEK
Apollonia Well-prepared Greek food and very good pizzas. 1830 Fir St., 604-736-9559. $/$$
The Main Friendly, funky spot. Wonderful roast lamb. 4210 Main St., 604-709-8555. $$
Simpatico Thirty-plus years old; traditional Greek restaurant with the addition of good pizzas. 2222 West Fourth Ave., 604733-6824. $/$$
INDIAN
Akbar’s Own Mogul-style Indian cuisine. 1905 West Broadway, 604-736-8180. $$
Chutney Villa South Indian cuisine, with dosas, idli and vadas. 147 East Broadway, 604-872-2228. $/$$
Clove An alternative Indian restaurant, funky, cheap beyond belief. 2054 Commercial Dr., 604-255-5550. $
Clove Upscale sibling to Clove on Commercial. Modern Indian cuisine. 735 Denman St., 604-669-2421. $/$$
Indica Indian dishes with western tweaks. Charming. 1795 Pendrell St., 604-609-3530. $
Rangoli Vij’s casual and take-out next-door sidekick. Impressive. 1488 West 11th Ave., 604-736-5711. $
Vij’s Dishes are a symphony of wondrous flavours. 1480 West 11th Ave., 604-736-6664. $$
Yogi’s Hip, contemporary Indian food, perfect for The Drive. 1408 Commercial Dr., 604-251-9644. $
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Montri Thai Restaurant Some of the best Thai food in the city. 3629 West Broadway, 604-738-9888. $$
Phnom Penh Largely Cambodian but includes Chinese and Vietnamese flavours. 244 East Georgia St., 682-5777. $
Pondok Authentic Indonesian dishes, freshly cooked. 2781 Commercial Dr., 604-872-8718. $$
Salathai Thai Dishes are freshly prepared and consistent. 3364 Cambie St., 604-875-6999. $$
Simply Thai On the A-list for Thai food. 1211 Hamilton St., 604-642-0123. $$
SEAFOOD
Bluewater Cafe and Raw Bar Handsome spot. Impressive seafood, impressive wine list. 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078. $$$
C Chef Robert Clark takes seafood to a new level. 1600 Howe St., 604-681-1164. $$$
Go Fish Fab fish and chips and much more, dished out of a catering truck, made with fish from the adjacent Fisherman’s Wharf. 1505 West First Ave., 604-730-5040. $
AMERICAN
Memphis Blues Barbecue House Slow-cooked, southern style BBQ. Delish. 1465 West Broadway, 604-738-6806; 1342 Commercial Dr., 604-215-2599. $
VEGETARIAN
Greens and Gourmet Meals priced by weight. Flavours from around the world. 2582 West Broadway, 604-737-7373. $
Habibi’s Lebanese food. Not the same old, same old. 1128 West Broadway, 604-732-7487. $
The Naam Wide variety of vegetarian fare. Quiet patio in summer. 2724 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-7151. $
Raw Raw veggie and fruit dishes (preserves enzymes) as well as cooked. Food is 80 to 90 per cent organic. 1849 West First Ave., 604-737-0420. $
LATIN AMERICA
Banano’s No-frills Venezuelan/Colombian cafe. Delicious arepas. 1223 Pacific Boulevard, 604-408-4228. $
Baru Casually chic South American food for discerning diners. 2535 Alma St., 604-222-9171. $$
Mexico Rico A slice of Mexico. Very inexpensive, authentic Mexican cafe. 309 West Pender St., 604-688-7426. $
Rinconcito Salvadorean Restaurant Fresh Salvadorean cuisine. Lovely pupusas. 2062 Commercial Dr., 604-879-2600. $
MEDITERRANEAN
Circolo Italian, French, and a little bit of New York. Awesome wine list. 1116 Mainland, 604-687-1116. $$$
Provence Mediterranean Grill The menu is a marriage of French and Italian. Lovely flavours. 4473 West 10th Ave., 604-222-1980 and 1177 Marinaside Cres., 604-681-4144. $$
NORTH SHORE
Beach House at Dundarave Pier Spectacular setting for brunch by Dundarave Beach. West Coast cuisine. 150 25th St., West Van, 604-922-1414. $$$
Mythos Whitewashed walls, azure blue trim say “sun-drenched Greece.” 1811 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-984-7411. $$
BURNABY/NEW WEST
The Hart House In Tudor mansion. Exacting West Coast fare. 6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, 604-298-4278. $$$
Orange Room Casual tapas. International flavours. 620 Sixth Ave., New Westminster, 604-520-6464. $$
RICHMOND
Bo Kong Restaurant Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. No alcohol. 8100 Ackroyd Rd., Richmond, 604-278-1992. $
Zen Fine Chinese Cuisine Multi-coursed tasting menus and personalized dinners. Excellent. 2015 — 8580 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, 604-233-0077. $$$
SURREY, WHITE ROCK, DELTA, TSAWWASSEN
Crescent Beach Bistro Rustic country spot. Straight ahead food. 12251 Beecher St., 604-531-1882. $$
La Belle Auberge In a heritage house in Ladner. Sublime French food. 4856 48th Ave., Ladner, 604-946-7717. $$$
© The Vancouver Sun 2006