Metro Vancouver Restaurant News thread - Page 5

SpongeG · #81 Posted **May 20, 2011, 9:47 PM**

walked past hawsworth yesterday it was quite busy inside around 5 pm lots of suits types

SpongeG · #82 Posted **May 21, 2011, 3:40 AM**

ENTREE: Richmond -- The best food outside of China

By Mia Stainsby, Vancouver Sun May 20, 2011

Brendon Mathews, his wife Anne-Marie, and daughters Madeleine and Chloe enjoy incredible value and delicious dishes in restaurants like the Dinesty in Richmond. Matthews says it is uncommon to see another table of Caucasia
Photograph by: Les Bazsov, PNG

In Richmond, we have the biggest motherlode of Chinese restaurants in North America. Some would argue it’s the best in the world.

And yet, regrettably, about 99.9 per cent of diners are from within the Chinese community, according to Chinese Restaurant Awards judges. What’s wrong with this picture? Isn’t it time we woke up and smelled the dim sum?

With the Richmond Summer Night Market going into high gear (it started last weekend and the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market opened Friday) and this being the Victoria Day weekend, it’s a good time to venture past the invisible force shield into the vibrant Chinese food scene in Richmond.

Brendon Mathews and his family (wife Anne-Marie and daughters Madeleine and Chloe) are among the .01 per cent of non-Chinese diners. They eat at Chinese restaurants several times a week for the same reason the Chinese community does: incredible value, delicious food and family time. “It’s uncommon to see another table of Caucasians,” Mathews says.

The better Chinese restaurant operators (not necessarily the most expensive) compete feverishly for fickle customers and chefs step up with passion, pride and new dishes.“If you’re a food person, you can recognize quality cooking in any idiom,” says Mathews. “Chinese chefs are proud of what they do and try the best they can. The quality is 10 times better [than the popular western chains].”

A Richmond resident for 20 years, he was restrained during his first forays. “For the first five years, we were a little reticent, then we kept going back and looking at what people were having. We’d have dishes we were comfortable with and mix in something new each time.”

He has now become such a passionate fan, he is one of the judges for the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

...

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/ENT...#ixzz1MxGMXBrM

Millennium2002 · #83 Posted **May 21, 2011, 4:08 AM**

I like the enthusiasm to promote Chinese cuisine to others, but frankly if everyone started eating it suddenly, they'd start to notice all the bad gaps in service that most of these restaurants tend to have, like poor English service, possible bias in customer service, possibly sub-par washrooms, lost translations in menus, etc. Wish there was a way to improve that as I don't speak a lot of Cantonese myself even with my Chinese ancestry... =O

Built Form · #84 Posted **May 21, 2011, 7:40 AM**

Bella Pizza moved their location on Homer street to 1725 Davie last week. Bigger eat in space with a license.

Built Form · #85 Posted **May 21, 2011, 8:08 AM**

pic by Built Form

Mid afternoon Hawksworth was quite busy.

SpongeG · #86 Posted **Jun 6, 2011, 10:13 PM**

the electric owl is now open - according to scout its packed to the gills at night

pic from scout.ca

lots more pics and infos here

SpongeG · #87 Posted **Jun 6, 2011, 10:17 PM**

from scout.ca

“La Taqueria” Opening Second Location This July On Cambie Street Off West Broadway

looks like its next to the starbucks - where that buddha express was/is

jlousa · #88 Posted **Jun 6, 2011, 11:47 PM**

I can confrim that Milano Cafe on Powell and Nelson the Seagull on Carrall are now both open as well.

wrenegade · #89 Posted **Jun 14, 2011, 11:39 PM**

Hawksworth rocks.

Was there Saturday night. The bar is pretty neat and it is packed, seemingly always. The decor is pretty neat, the walls look like tile but are a cast and carve plaster, really cool. The food is great and most items are reasonably priced for what they are. The foie gras starter is $20 but AMAZING. It includes foie gras cotton candy, yep, seriously.

Anyways, you could do do dinner for two there with starters and mains for around $100, no alcohol. Not bad. My friends (a couple) went to Ki the other night, had half a bottle of wine and probably ordered a touch too much sushi, but were quite shocked when the bill was $230. Haven't tried that one out myself yet though.

Oh, also, the main floor bar/lounge at Shangri-La now has a patio on Alberni.

SpongeG · #90 Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 12:02 AM**

browns social house is opening in Citi near brentwood centre - just around the corner from Joey Burnaby - they are putting a nice patio on the street thats not lougheed - is it rossier? anyway should bring some life to that little block

Prometheus · #91 Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 2:24 PM**

Some slick footage of the recently opened Hawksworth Restaurant at the Hotel Georgia:

WARNING: DO NOT WATCH WHILE HUNGRY

• Video Link

hollywoodnorth · #92 Posted **Jul 5, 2011, 5:29 AM**

https://twitter.com/#!/veracepizzeria

http://www.veracepizzeria.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rolexpv...n/photostream/

is now open on Keefer @ Abbot

Locked In · #93 Posted **Jul 24, 2011, 11:44 PM**

Noodle Box on Homer opened a couple of days ago. Doesn't look like it's quite finished though, as it's strangely empty - about half the floor space in the restaurant is unused. Has anyone eaten at the other locations? How is it?

Conrad Yablonski · #94 Posted **Jul 24, 2011, 11:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locked In

Noodle Box on Homer opened a couple of days ago...... Has anyone eaten at the other locations? How is it?

It's pale imitation of the real for double the price-so as you can imagine the Kitsilano location is thriving.

WarrenC12 · #95 Posted **Jul 25, 2011, 12:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

It's pale imitation of the real for double the price-so as you can imagine the Kitsilano location is thriving.

The real what? I've had noodle box in Victoria. It's ok but nothing special. Good amount of food for the $ I guess.

Spork · #96 Posted **Jul 25, 2011, 3:56 AM**

Noodle Box is awful. I'd much rather go to an authentic place any day.

nova9 · #97 Posted **Jul 25, 2011, 5:10 AM**

I feel the exact same way. For a city and a culinary scene with such large east asian and southeast asian influences, to pay a premium for the privilege of an authentic yet still western nonetheless product is ridiculous. While the noodles are okay, I liken it to ordering asian dishes at Earl's or Cactus Club - unnecessary in our city.

ryanmaccdn · #98 Posted **Jul 25, 2011, 8:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nova9

I feel the exact same way. For a city and a culinary scene with such large east asian and southeast asian influences, to pay a premium for the privilege of an authentic yet still western nonetheless product is ridiculous. While the noodles are okay, I liken it to ordering asian dishes at Earl's or Cactus Club - unnecessary in our city.

Not unnecessary.... I enjoy good asian food but unfortunately it also comes with sub-par service and questionable at best/worrying cooking environments.

Just today I had korean DT somewhere "authentic" and was paying 10-20 a dish and yet I had to squish as I was put next to the kitchen door... which I could look back and see a girl doing the dishes.... very unacceptable decorum.

Conrad Yablonski · #99 Posted **Jul 25, 2011, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

The real what? I've had noodle box in Victoria. It's ok but nothing special. Good amount of food for the $ I guess.

Real ethnic food from wherever.

The one in Kits is a clip joint-$14 for a stir fry with smoked Tofu.

Yume-sama · #**100** Posted **Jul 25, 2011, 7:03 PM**

Considering our quantity of authentic Asians it does always somewhat surprise me when the food is just so... unauthentically bad lol

I never understood why someone would open a restaurant and not go to great lengths to make sure the food is something *they* would enjoy.