[Nutterbug]

How would you compare the restaurant scene in these two cities?

Based on my limited time and dining experience in both cities, I find that Seattle has a better selection of Mexican, whereas Vancouver is better for Asian (both East and South).

Price-wise, I'd say Vancouver has the edge, since food costs are about the same in face value as in Seattle, but in Can$ instead of US$.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Sounds about right to me.

[oilcan]

How would you compare the restaurant scene in these two cities?

Based on my limited time and dining experience in both cities, I find that Seattle has a better selection of Mexican, whereas Vancouver is better for Asian (both East and South).

Price-wise, I'd say Vancouver has the edge, since food costs are about the same in face value as in Seattle, but in Can$ instead of US$.


But I would hardley base fine Mexican food out of Seattle at all it may have its few compared to Vanvouver but overall not what Seattle is known for.....

[MarkDaMan]

I find that Seattle has a better selection of Mexican

:lmao: no, the Northwest isn't known for our Mexican food. They put beans and rice in burritos up here...the guacamole is runny at most places...and people think Cilantro and parsley are the same things...I've never ever heard of Seattle being a mecca for Mexican food, or Portland for that matter. Try Phoenix, San Diego, LA...Seattle???

Seattle has terrific seafood, great steak houses, and traditional northwest cuisine (ie organic, local, blending fruits and wines with meat)

[seapug]

he didn't say it was a mecca for mexican food, he said it was better then vancouver. i agree we're not known for mexican food, but we're probably better then vancouver

[Bear]

he didn't say it was a mecca for mexican food, he said it was better then vancouver. i agree we're not known for mexican food, but we're probably better then vancouver

Head down to the greyhound bus station on Stewart and 8th and get an awesome Vietnamese sandwich for $3.25. They are called Bahn Me and they have them in pork, chicken and veggie. These are becoming a hot commotdity on the east coast because they combine warm french bred (thanks to the colonialism) with asian ingredients - yum!

[PDXPaul]

Vancouver destroys us in the asian food department. It ain't the same ballpark, it ain't even the same fucking sport.

[Nutterbug]

:lmao: no, the Northwest isn't known for our Mexican food. They put beans and rice in burritos up here...

Funny you should mention that. Taco Del Mar does just that, and that's a chain that started in Seattle, no?

[seaJ]

Vancouver destroys us in the asian food department. It ain't the same ballpark, it ain't even the same fucking sport.

Actually it depends on what kind of Asian cuisine your talking about. For Chinese and Indian most definitely Vancouver is better, but I think Seattle has better Japanese/ Thai and Vietnamese.

[zilfondel]

Today $1 USD to $1.17 CA - not exactly the advantage we used to get. =(

[Nutterbug]

Actually it depends on what kind of Asian cuisine your talking about. For Chinese and Indian most definitely Vancouver is better, but I think Seattle has better Japanese/ Thai and Vietnamese.

I don't know about Japanese. Seattle probably has a greater local Japanese population, whereas Vancouver probably gets more tourists (we interned all our locals during WWII). Plus the local Chinese and Koreans here really dig their Japanese food also (not to mention the yuppies). The many Korean imitators generally bring down the quality though.

Edit: What's more, Vancouver has seen a remarkable increase in izakaya type restaurants, mostly along the Robson St. strip. Apparently, somebody found it even worth a mention on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izakaya#Izakaya_outside_Japan). Does Seattle have many of them too?

[PDXPaul]

I guess I was thinking primarily Chinese. There hasn't been any major immigration from Japan in a long time, so it's not something that comes up on my food radar although I do try to eat at that Takohachi place in Chinatown whenever I'm down there. You're right about Thai. The Ave outside campus alone has... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Thai restaurants I can think of off the top of my head. The only decent Chinese place I've heard of is Jade Garden in Chinatown but that's about it. I hear there's some place called Top Gun in Factoria that's supposed to the only good dim sum around here but still, one place.

[SEA-TOWN]

I don't know about Japanese. Seattle probably has a greater local Japanese population, whereas Vancouver probably gets more tourists (we interned all our locals during WWII). Plus the local Chinese and Koreans here really dig their Japanese food also (not to mention the yuppies). The many Korean imitators generally bring down the quality though.

Yup, we have a bigger Japanese and Korean population. The vast majority of Vancouver's asian population is Chinese and Indian. I wouldn't say you Vancouver gets more Japanese tourists either considering we have Ichiro :D However, I have heard Vancouver has some really good sushi bars though...

[zappa]

Seattle is getting better at Mexican all the time. What most of us think of as Mexican is usually actually 'Texmex', and doesn't reflect the depth of Mexican food. However, 'La Carta de Oaxaca' in Ballard tastes like you're eating right off a food cart in Mexico, and across the street is 'Matador' which does really respectable and at times down right great Mexican. (and I've been in Mexico probably 30 times in my life, and lived with a family there for awhile while on exchange)
'El Camino' in Fremont is quite good also...but with a kind of 'upscale' twist to the menu. It's actually reflective of the more innovative cuisine you're likely to find in Mexico City.
Seattle has great Japanese places, and two great (maybe more) Vietnamese.
'Monsoon' on Capitol Hill, and the 'Tamarind Tree' in the International District.
'Wild Ginger' is nationally recognized for great Asian fusion.
I'm sure theres plenty I don't know about, but all these are worth checking out.

[Nutterbug]

Yup, we have a bigger Japanese and Korean population. The vast majority of Vancouver's asian population is Chinese and Indian. I wouldn't say you Vancouver gets more Japanese tourists either considering we have Ichiro :D However, I have heard Vancouver has some really good sushi bars though...
I think Seattle lacks a winter attraction for them though, whereas Vancouver has Whistler. I was just at some gyoza restaurant on Robson just the other week, and some young Japanese looking fools walk in wearing their ski coats carrying their snowboards with them.

If you want a sushi restaurant where the rich and famous go and which has been getting a disproportionate amount of press coverage (probably through making friends with and paying off the media people), Tojo's it is.

Seattle is getting better at Mexican all the time. What most of us think of as Mexican is usually actually 'Texmex', and doesn't reflect the depth of Mexican food. However, 'La Carta de Oaxaca' in Ballard tastes like you're eating right off a food cart in Mexico, and across the street is 'Matador' which does really respectable and at times down right great Mexican. (and I've been in Mexico probably 30 times in my life, and lived with a family there for awhile while on exchange)
'El Camino' in Fremont is quite good also...but with a kind of 'upscale' twist to the menu. It's actually reflective of the more innovative cuisine you're likely to find in Mexico City.
I noticed the Greyhound station in Seattle has all its signs bilingually in both English and Spanish, so I figure the Mexicans must have quite a sizeable presence there.

[Urban Zombie®]

Actually it depends on what kind of Asian cuisine your talking about. For Chinese and Indian most definitely Vancouver is better, but I think Seattle has better Japanese/ Thai and Vietnamese.

I second that, I've been to a lot of asian restaurants in both cities and that has always been my general impression.

[oilcan]

If you want a sushi restaurant where the rich and famous go and which has been getting a disproportionate amount of press coverage (probably through making friends with and paying off the media people), Tojo's it is.

God I miss Tokyo and the rink a dink conver belt, drink a Yebisu, grab the plate and pay walk out the door style.. Rich and famous, upscale etc. have yet to find one in N. America remotley as good....

But it is entertaining to watch the culturally inclined dab into elegance.. lol

What the area needs in Okinomiaki place to eat... now that is rare...

[MarkDaMan]

I noticed the Greyhound station in Seattle has all its signs bilingually in both English and Spanish, so I figure the Mexicans must have quite a sizeable presence there.

The MAX has announced in bilingual since at least the early 90's, that I can remember, maybe always. I think this is more of a US trend than an actual representation of the Mexican people in the area. However, I do agree the US is becoming more heavily hispanic, especially in the Southwest.


I ate at a place in Seattle I absolutely loved, both for the food and the views...I think it was called Cascadia??? I ended up having a steak, but my partner had the Wild Salmon and it didn't make me gag when I tried more than one piece of it.

[Black Box]

The Latin presence in Seattle is getting better. We will never be a mecca for Mexican and other Latin American cuisine, but it has improved vastly over the years. There are more choices, including better Mercados. Vancouver, BC has great Chinese and East Indian food, Japanese is a toss up between the two and I'll second the Thai and Vietnamese for Seattle. I did have decent Indonesian food in Vancouver, but have not seen anything similar here. Also, I have not a clue about what Vancouver's contemporary European inspired scene is like. What's the contemporary Italian and French food like? I imagine that there's probably some great French spots considering the French heritage in Canada. Pizza? Bakeries? Please clue me in and I'll be sure to check it out if ever I'm up there again. Overall, both cities are blessed with good food.

[Nutterbug]

What the area needs in Okinomiaki place to eat... now that is rare...
I hear Guu in Vancouver serves up some good okonomiyaki.

Also, I have not a clue about what Vancouver's contemporary European inspired scene is like. What's the contemporary Italian and French food like? I imagine that there's probably some great French spots considering the French heritage in Canada. Pizza? Bakeries? Please clue me in and I'll be sure to check it out if ever I'm up there again. Overall, both cities are blessed with good food.
The French presence on the west coast of Canada is almost non-existant.

I don't really eat out much and live out in the burbs, so I'm obviously not the most knoweldeable on the area's cuisines. But if you don't mind paying about $100 for a full course dinner, Lumiere seems to be the most highly touted French influenced restaurant around here. (You could eat at the sampling bar for less.)

As for Italian restaurants, they're all over the place (as with anywhere else, I'm sure). You can probably find the best selection of the most traditional or "authentic" Italian dishes in what was historically Vancouver's Italian neighbourhood that is the Commercial Drive strip north from the Broadway Skytrain station.

[PDX City-State]

I think Seattle has better Japanese/ Thai and Vietnamese.

Thai maybe...Japanese, no way. They may be similar but Vancouver is amazing for Japanese. Guu and Garlic is amazing. Try Toshi sushi off 16th and Main. Kintaro Ramen on Denmen.

Vancouver is almost unbeatable for a North American food city in my humble yet extremely well travelled opinion.

[Nutterbug]

Vancouver is almost unbeatable for a North American food city in my humble yet extremely well travelled opinion.

I would guess that it falls short of Toronto or New York, though.

Toronto's probably got more Caribbean, Latin, African and various European.

[PDXPaul]

LA too...

[c@l]

:lmao: no, the Northwest isn't known for our Mexican food. They put beans and rice in burritos up here...the guacamole is runny at most places...and people think Cilantro and parsley are the same things...I've never ever heard of Seattle being a mecca for Mexican food, or Portland for that matter. Try Phoenix, San Diego, LA...Seattle???

Seattle has terrific seafood, great steak houses, and traditional northwest cuisine (ie organic, local, blending fruits and wines with meat)

Portland is not a mecca for Mexican food and Seattle is even worse, BUT, you don't have to go to Phoenix, San Diego or LA for terrific Mexican food--Luis's Taqueria, in Woodburn, OR is the best I've ever had, East, West or Mountain West.