Will have 3 full days in Vancouver proper. Staying at the Delta Hotel in Downtown w/o a car. Also have kids in tow (5 and 2 year olds).
I see that L’Abattoir is a popular mainstay in Vancouver. Is this place still good and is it kid friendly? How about their sister seafood restaurant Coquille? Definitely want some good seafood while we’re in the PNW.
What else should I be trying that’s not widespread in LA? Is Richmond nightmarket worth a trek?
RICHMOND! Cantonese is the play here: Kirin, Chef Tony, Golden Paramount Seafood, Parklane, HK BBQ Master. (Night market might be result in too late of a bedtime for the 5yo & 2yo)
Aside from Cantonese, I still have a soft spot for Vij’s. But with 2 kids in tow, and likely lengthy wait, probably not a family-friendly situation.
L’Abbatoir is still good, AFAIK, but let’s just say that I saw no kids there at all.
In Vancouver proper, try Bao Bei (dumplings), Hawksworth, Chambar, and Burdock & Co…
Blue Water Cafe has slid downhill of late. Sad.
Last but not least by far, YVR is the home of JapaDog.
We had a wonderful dinner here but I guess I didn’t write it up.
Thanks!
Is L’Abbatoir a stuffy fancy place?
I’ll take a look at the places you mentioned in Vancouver proper.
Any experience with Coquille? Or can you rec another seafood restaurant in the breath of Walrus and Carpenter?
You’re welcome.
Chambar looks great. Do you remember what you had?
Also, really dumb question, but what’s the tipping situation in Canada? Do they add tax on top of the prices displayed on menus like in the States or is tax already included like in Europe?
Our friends went recently with their 2 year old toddler. They were staying at the Fairmont and got early reservations at the restaurant inside the Fairmont. It worked out well for them.
Granville island was great. Very short ferry ride and lots of good places for lunch. Fun and easy with the kids.
Keep in mind, Richmond by public transportation is kind of a trek. This area reminded me a lot of SGV—spread out strip malls galore. Not really walkable with kids (at least mine). Kirin was good but really expensive, especially the live seafood. The night market was a serious trek for my crew and it was fine but similar in my opinion to the OC night market, maybe I hit it on an off day.
Gastown area was nice to walk around with the family although I don’t remember any notable restaurants there except if you like the japadog stands as @J_L mentioned above.
Yeah we’ll definitely hit up Granville Island as it seems like something fun to do with the kids.
I was thinking about hitting up Chef Tony for dim sum but maybe we won’t if it’s hard to get there? We’re going to skip the night market. We’ll be in Taipei after Vancouver so plenty of opportunities to do proper night markets.
Blue Water Cafe (great seafood)
Gotham Grill
Farmer’s Apprentice
Wildbeast
Chambar
I don’t; sorry.
Finally remembered this place. French and very, very good.
following this very closely… need to book things for end of july
oh wow… i remember Chambar from 8 years ago… great tajine
Just drove into Seattle, I was in Vancouver for a few days.
Wildebeest was ok, the rockfish I had was cooked perfectly tho!
Blue Water Cafe was just ok, first time there and I had the Char which was slightly overcooked, the rest of the dish didn’t really sing to me. I mean the food was ok but I wouldn’t go again. Don’t get the sushi, I know this was a given but my wife didn’t listen and was very disappointed.
Kirin was excellent dim sum, better than LA by a lot!
HK BBQ master was really good, they were sold out of the duck tho, soy sauce chicken was very good, moist and the soy flavor permeated through the chicken. Bbq pork was great, a tad hard but still really good! Great flavors. The roast pork had a great crunch, a little overcooked but was still great. I could eat this all day.
Chef Tony for dim sum! I liked Kirin more because I didn’t care for the shumai with truffles. They also had asparagus with truffles which was not for me. The other dishes like hargow and the spare ribs were good. It’s all still better than anything in LA imho. The egg white custard is magnificent!
Anyways, I say go to Richmond and eat Cantonese food
Staying a block way from Kirin downtown :). We went there some 8 years ago as well
Sweet. Check out Mackenzie Room and Savio Volpe as well
Next time for sure. Re-evaluating the Cantonese scene in YVR was the primary mission objective on this last trip. I even had to skip my usual foray to Vij’s!
Savio Volpe is the truth. But if you get the chefs menu you might not get any of the dank looking pasta dishes everyone is eating
There was a salad as well but nobody needs to look at that
Oh my god.The Mackenzie Room is stupid delicious. Always trust a fat chef.
While across the street from a “camp site” it’s well well worth a visit. and there was hilarity at the door where I told the hostess that we are leaving within 3 minutes because she wanted to make us wait for a table in a half empty room on a reservation we booked a month ago and showed up on time. I stood up for myself for once!
All the wine is from BC and the cab franc we had was superb
Uni pate with charcoal looking squid ink brioche
A chunky Beef heart tartare
Sausage and cured squid with dark polenta cake and a sweet relish was amazing
A duck thing
The wine and really good desserts
