Only ONE meal in Vancouver...

ozonemania · #1 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 2:50 AM**

I thought of this question today when I was talking to a couple who were visiting from Wales, UK... they asked me where they should go for dinner, just for that one night only as they were leaving the next day.

If you had to chose one (or a few) places to recommend a tourist to go to experience Vancouver through its food in one day, where would it be?

I'm not necessarily asking for the best restaurant... it could be merely an above-average eating place but has something that will make it memorable as a Vancouver experience after they go home to wherever they were visiting from.

I see there's a thread about skyline-viewing restaurants, that's an example. Maybe a list like this might be a good resource for our forumers. Please feel free to humour me in this exercise if you deem it worthy of your time.

raggedy13 · #2 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 3:41 AM**

I think a great restaurant is Vij's in South Granville - unique, amazing food, great vibe, and has been called one of the best modern Indian restaurants in the world by such publications as the New York Times.

Aside from that, almost any sushi place does the trick for me. I've recently tried Aoki Sushi on Broadway around Burrardish a few times and its great - a quintessential Vancouver experience for sure. It's pretty much a hole in the wall but it has a huge menu, is reasonably priced, and the fish is as good or better than any other sushi place I've been to. It also has a cool electronic sensor that shouts Japanese greetings at you when you walk in the door.

I think I'm going to go get some sushi now...

SpongeG · #3 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 5:27 AM**

i don't go to many places - so i might say white spot for a burger

Canadian Mind · #4 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 5:32 AM**

they come to Vancouver and the place to hit up is white spot? XD

for lunch or on a ferry - definitely... but not for dinner... so many other great things in Vancouver I've hear of that should easily trump white spot.

mr.x · #5 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 5:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadian Mind

they come to Vancouver and the place to hit up is white spot? XD

for lunch or on a ferry - definitely... but not for dinner... so many other great things in Vancouver I've hear of that should easily trump white spot.

well, the burgers are good and cheap.......plus you've got endless fries!

i'd say the Spaghetti Factory in Gastown.

Canadian Mind · #6 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 5:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x2

well, the burgers are good and cheap.......plus you've got endless fries!

i'd say the Spaghetti Factory in Gastown.

That'll hit the spot... I hope the couple from Wales hit it up.

SpongeG · #7 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 6:31 AM**

when we eat out we only hit white spot it seems anyway

lately i am on a beef dip kick no matter where we go thats what i order

cornholio · #8 Posted: **Sep 25, 2007, 8:20 AM**

Depends where the people are from. In many/most parts of the world all you can eat restaurants are non existant. So I say a good all you can eat sushi place, last month I took my cousin who was visiting to this one on kingsway in Burnaby next to that shoping center on Wilingdon. He loved it, and at the end of it all the manager came up to us and and told as we are strong men, he thought there was no way in hell that we could ever finish everything we ordered on our last batch.

Vancouver has good restaurants from almost all the different cultures around the world so depending on where you come from you can be sure to find something new, unique, good and most importatnly memorabel. That is unless you from say Toronto or LA or any of these other cities that have a similiar slection of restaurants.

giallo · #9 Posted: **Sep 28, 2007, 7:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raggedy13

I think a great restaurant is Vij's in South Granville - unique, amazing food, great vibe, and has been called one of the best modern Indian restaurants in the world by such publications as the New York Times.

Aside from that, almost any sushi place does the trick for me. I've recently tried Aoki Sushi on Broadway around Burrardish a few times and its great - a quintessential Vancouver experience for sure. It's pretty much a hole in the wall but it has a huge menu, is reasonably priced, and the fish is as good or better than any other sushi place I've been to. It also has a cool electronic sensor that shouts Japanese greetings at you when you walk in the door.

I think I'm going to go get some sushi now...

My sister lived right across from Aoki Sushi and when I'd stay with her I'd eat there daily.

MistyMountainHop · #10 Posted: **Sep 29, 2007, 1:31 AM**

Seasons in the Park at Queen Elizabeth Park has good food and a great view.

raggedy13 · #11 Posted: **Sep 29, 2007, 10:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by giallo

My sister lived right across from Aoki Sushi and when I'd stay with her I'd eat there daily.

I was just at Aoki last night and Eric McCormack (Will in 'Will and Grace') walked in to pick up his take-out order. It was pretty cool.

radacal · #12 Posted: **Sep 30, 2007, 7:54 PM**

seasons is a good suggestion. a nice view of downtown from there.

watermark at kits is good - good menu and a nice view out over the bay.

other suggestions: sequoia grill in stanley park. diva at the met. chambar is usually very good.

deasine · #13 Posted: **Sep 30, 2007, 10:20 PM**

diva at the met is good =)

And i like the Cannery...

npinguy · #14 Posted: **Oct 2, 2007, 5:23 AM**

Chai above east is east on broadway.

live sitar/belly dancing/middle eastern music with all you can eat buffet of the best indian food ever.

westvan1 · #15 Posted: **Oct 2, 2007, 4:42 PM**

Another nod to the Cannery. Good seafood restaurant in a great harbour setting and not a BS overpriced joint like Lift.

For a great classic meal without a lot of the current fluff - Bishops on 4th.

Robynobotica · #16 Posted: **Oct 3, 2007, 7:58 AM**

Yeeeesh!

One night in Vancouver, and out of the hundreds of excellent restaurants, people would tell a tourist couple to head to the White Spot or the Old Spaghetti Factory? You might as well have included McDonald's!

I mean, I love the White Spot for their burgers, but half of that is nostalgic, and I wouldn't recommend it for a touristy couple's last night in Vancouver!

Where did you end up recommending?

I'd probably suggest somewhere like Cardero's, or Parkside, or Season's Hilltop Bistro, depending on how far/how much they wanted to travel, whether they were foodies, or whether they wanted a view.

murman · #17 Posted: **Oct 3, 2007, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deasine

diva at the met is good =)

Notwithstanding the typical "hotel restaurant" look/feel, Diva's food and service are excellent.

CanadianCentaur · #18 Posted: **Oct 3, 2007, 6:31 PM**

Anybody ever try the Sandbar Restaurant on Granville Island? I went there with my family last summer. The seafood there was great, though my brother ordered some pizza since he wasn't sure at the time how well my 2 year old niece would take to anything that came from the sea (turns out she liked both, hehe). Service was great and the staff was good with the kids.