Hummingbird604.com » Downtown

Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante (Burrard and Smithe, Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:30:31 +0000

You know, despite the vicinity with some of the biggest players in the food industry, and in the movie industry, somehow I’m not all completely thrilled with Pacifico Pizza (otherwise known as Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante), located on Smithe between Burrard and Hornby. Don’t get me wrong: their food is very good. But I don’t know why, with their beautiful decor and ambiance, with their wonderful staff and their excellent service, and with the lovely oven that you can see from afar, I found the food good, but not AMAZING.

You know what I mean? Their food is very good, don’t be mistaken. But it’s a special kind of “very good”. As in, very good of the type “sure, let’s go for dinner there” instead of “let’s make a special trip for this“. But given its proximity with Scotiabank Theatres, I can totally and safely recommend having dinner at Pacifico Pizza. In particular, I loved their meat balls. Very well prepared, and spicy.

I took my Mom there this past month when she was visiting, and we ordered our usual standard order when we visit Italian restaurants in Vancouver. I went on the safe side of a Puttanesca, and my Mom ordered spaghetti with meat balls. At $13 price point for a VERY large portion, Pacifico Pizza is inexpensive and definitely a “must try at least once“. If you’re going to go watch a movie, you definitely can (and probably should) come have a pizza or some pasta.

Disclosure: I paid for both my Mom and my dinner on my own dime. All views are mine. I retain full editorial control on anything published on my site.

Save On Meats (Downtown East Side, Vancouver)

Raul — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:05:12 +0000

I’ve written before about how the Downtown East Side is such a derelict, impoverished area, one that (if I had the time and the emotional resources) I would research (anthropology of poverty has been always a topic that raises my intellectual curiosity). When I first heard that Save On Meats had closed a couple of years ago, I was devastated. Save On Meats was such a great institution in the Downtown East Side. Well, someone decided to renovate it, take over the lease and take the risk to reopen again. And I’m SO GLAD they did. The burgers are just as amazing, the service is incredibly good and the staff is definitely very human.

Extremely well trained to do what they’re doing. And the nice renovations to the place (both to the meat market/butcher’s market and the actual coffee shop/diner) are a big part of what’s again giving Save On Meats traction.

I ordered a very basic burger with a side of mashed potatoes and a milkshake. Nothing really fancy, and that’s perhaps the one thing that keeps attracting me from Save On Meats. It’s such a no-frills diner. That’s how it was before (well, before it was MUCH smaller and the coffee shop was within the actual butcher’s market). But even now it retains a feeling of a diner.

Somewhere where you can bring your friends for a basic, inexpensive, “fuel-for-the-body” burger. I had the pleasure of sitting with my friends Karen Quinn Fung and April Smith, as well as shuttle from my table to Erin Mussolum’s for a quick chat. And the burger itself was really tasty, the patty was well cooked (cooked the way I prefer, let me just say that) and as I mentioned, it’s pretty basic sustenance but definitely worth visiting, particularly if you’re in a rush to continue working as I was. Glad to have Save On Meats in the DTES neighbourhood.

Disclosure: I paid for my dinner on my own dime. As always, I retain editorial control on anything review-like that I publish on my site.

Feastro Taco Truck (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:50:55 +0000

Along with a number of TBEX (Travel Blogger Exchange) 2011 conference attendees, I roamed the streets of downtown Vancouver trying to find a place to have lunch yesterday (the first day of the conference). We settled (thanks to a lucky chance encounter with the girls from Tourism Whistler and Tourism Victoria and BC Ferries) on Feastro Taco Truck (located at Thurlow and Cordova).

I ordered a chicken taco ($7) and an organic soda ($3). The tacos are well-served, and obviously they’re a variation on a taco theme, as admitted by the owner and co-founder. Chef Steve has created a nice taco-style concoction that will please your taste buds and leave you full (although I’ll admit I went for a second one). Feastro’s specialty seems to be seafood and maybe next time I’ll have to do the fish-and-chips. Good choice of food truck, to be quite honest.

Good times with the Tourism Victoria, Tourism Whistler, BC Ferries and many more, including my friends Emme Rogers, Deirdre Rowland, Michelle Leroux, Bob Kronbauer, etc. I’ll definitely come back. You can find Feastro on Twitter and Facebook.

The Vancouver Lookout

Raul — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:00:09 +0000

I have always loved the Vancouver Lookout. It’s the place where I take out-of-town visitors whenever I want to give them a quick snapshot of how beautiful Vancouver and it’s surrounding area is. People associate Harbour Centre (the tower that houses the Vancouver Lookout and its revolving restaurant) with Vancouver almost in every single snapshot you can get from the city, and it’s literally kitty-corner from my office at The Network Hub, so it’s kind of surprising I don’t visit more often. Wait, I know why. Because in Vancouver, it rains almost 300 days out of 365. Which is bad. But when it’s sunny, bright and beautiful, you can’t get enough of it.

And seriously, there’s almost no way you can take a bad photo with a day full of sunshine, from the Vancouver Lookout. Exhibit A, see below.

Breathtaking, isn’t it?

I’m really glad we have an elevated lookout point at Harbour Centre, because it’s such a great place to take photos from and appreciate our beautiful city. A bit of history on the Vancouver Lookout:

The Vancouver Lookout opened on August 13, 1977. Astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, cut the ribbon and welcomed a crowd of dignitaries, Vancouverites, and visitors. The Lookout tops Harbour Centre which, at 168.8 meters (553.16 feet) high, is one of the tallest buildings in Vancouver and British Columbia. It’s only slightly shorter than nearby Seattle’s Space Needle that rises to 184.4 meters (605 feet).

The cost for an adult trip up is $15 dollars (Canadian) and you can save your ticket and go up any time throughout the day (something I find extremely nice, as many other attractions don’t have in-and-out privileges). You can also find the Vancouver Lookout on Twitter (@VanLookout) and on Facebook.

Disclosure: I paid for my own trip up, out of my own pocket. I just thought it’d be nice to highlight a Vancouver landmark.

Finch’s Tea & Coffee House

Raul — Wed, 18 May 2011 17:45:36 +0000

You know when you hear about a place and you find it somewhat overrated for what it is? I think that’s the case with Finch’s Tea and Coffee House. It’s a beautiful place and the “old home” feeling and decor is nice. It’s almost always packed, and very near to my office. Those are the pluses.

I went there with my friend Rachel Thexton to catch up and grab a quick lunch. Normally I wouldn’t complain about pricing in downtown Vancouver as I know it oscillates. But for the same price, I’ve had tastier (albeit smaller) sandwiches at Meat and Bread. I ordered a salami baguette (which reminded me of Paris) and while it was filling, it had way too much lettuce and little flavour. Thankfully it was salami!

For $7.75 for the sandwich plus $3.00 I paid for a non-descript cream soda, I think next time I’ll definitely go to Meat and Bread. Going to Finch’s is an experience everyone should try at least once. I may not come back often, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. And its staff is so nice it’s hard to be upset at them (they work really hard). The sandwiches did lack some ooomph though, in my opinion.

Disclosure: I paid in full for my lunch on my own dime.

Hidden Tasting Bar and Social Lounge (The Westin Grand)

Raul — Sat, 07 May 2011 23:37:46 +0000

If anybody asks you if Hidden Tasting Bar and Social Lounge (otherwise known as Hidden, the Westin Grand restaurant) is actually hidden, the answer is yes. Hidden is on the second floor of the Westin Grand Hotel (in downtown Vancouver, right around the corner from the Vancouver Public Library and my favorite, the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts.

You probably wouldn’t know that it’s a restaurant until you turn right and realize a beautiful, large, well illuminated and spacious room with large windows.

JT took me here for dinner as he knew we were going to Fiddler on the Roof and we needed to eat within reasonable close distance from the Centre. I like the tapas-style concept of Hidden. We ordered a platter of flatbread with 3 dips (spinach, smoked salmon and black bean hummus, one dip for $5 or 3 for $8) for starters.

We weren’t extremely hungry so we went for only a set of slider burgers (bacon, avocado mini burger trio on a poppyseed in brioche bun $13) which was more than enough for us (we each ordered one). We were so full (and yes, it’s tapas style but we weren’t extremely hungry) that we ended up not eating anything else.

I’d definitely recommend Hidden as a rare, hidden gem (pun totally intended). Glad I came unannounced (as they did talk to me on Twitter, but I made a point of not letting them know I was coming so that my review and the service would be unbiased). The service was excellent and it was not expensive at all. I’ll be coming back to Hidden soon.

Disclosure: JT paid for both of our dinners.

Yagger’s (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:00:24 +0000

I will fully confess that the name “Yagger’s” doesn’t bring memories that are all that pleasant. I think of “Jagermeister”, one of those drinks that I have no clue why people continue having. And usually I associate Jagermeisters with being totally and completely hammered drunk. So, I was a little afraid of going to Yagger’s for lunch. But I am a fan of giving all places a chance.

I recently took my colleague Jordan to Yagger’s for lunch (we are collaborating on a research paper) and I figured I’d try it out since my good friends Erica Hargreave and Minna Van have recommended it previously. I’ll admit a bit of wariness as I was walking in. But the ambiance really relaxed me.

Yagger’s is a pub, no question about it. Located right besides the Ramada Inn on West Pender and almost Richards Street, it’s less than 35 seconds away from my office at The Network Hub. We went there for lunch, and even though it filled really quickly (demonstrating that it’s popular and has good food, no question), we arrived right at noon on the dot.

I ordered one of their traditional burgers ($12) but had the cheese removed. The burger doesn’t come on your traditional burger bun, but on a kaiser. But the meat is organic, the ingredients fresh and they added a portion of delicious guacamole that absolutely made the burger better (although it was really good as it was).

Overall, I would say that Yagger’s is a delightful surprise. It is kind of a sports bar, of course, or a pub. So when you go there, you’re not there for a romantic date, you’re there to have fun with your friends and enjoy good food and a few drinks. But the fun thing is, it’s not really noisy or raucus.

And Yagger’s has a private room in the back, which is very much worth checking out for small events and parties. Overall, good surprise on the side of Yagger’s. And thanks to Erica, Jordan and Minna for recommending it. Despite its closeness to my office I would probably have not tried if it weren’t because it was recommended to me. And now I find myself recommending it.

Disclosure: I paid for our lunch on our own dime. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Spin Roll Sushi (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:00:55 +0000

Some people ask me where I go for lunch whenever I need a quick bite to eat. If I want to stay really on the inexpensive side of things, I go to Spin Roll. They have the tastiest, most filling and least expensive sushi I have ever tried. And they’re literally 1 minute away from my office downtown at The Network Hub.

My favorite combo ($6.50) is the Sushi Roll combo, pictured above. I definitely love the California roll and their various vegetarian rolls. As far as inexpensive and tasty sushi that is close to my office, hard to beat Spin Roll.

Dinner at @HelmVancouver (The Helm, Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:00:56 +0000

Last night I went for dinner with JT to The Helm in downtown Vancouver, at the previous location of UnWine’d. The Helm’s executive team has done a marvelous job of creating the ambiance of a dinner club much like Montreal, New York, etc. The music is excellent and the food, outstanding. I did not take photos of the food this time, though, but I did take a few photos of their launch, to which I was invited a couple of weeks ago.

Sorry my photo was a bit blurry, but it gives you a broad idea of what The Helm looks inside. It’s pretty beautiful and the lights are dimmed at night

There are a number of great things about The Helm’s menu, not the least of them the fact that they source organic, local, farm-to-table, Ocean Wise and that their menu is pretty imaginative. We were greeted with complimentary champagne beverages and vinegar-salted chips for hors d’oeuvres. When we were looking at the menu, both JT and I were relatively full so we didn’t want to over-eat. I ordered Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Wild Mushroom Sauce ($11) and Savoury Bread Pudding with Turkey Confit Gravy and Huckleberries ($12). The cabagge rolls were absolutely delicious (I’m a big fan of cabbage rolls and Chef Tobey Nemeth’s are well done, stuffed until there is no space to put more stuffing inside).

My bread pudding with turkey confit gravy was excellent too, a very tasty and welcome variation on a classic bread pudding (which most of the time I’ve consumed sweet). I was pretty impressed with how varied the menu was. The portions are sizable (although you probably want to do at least 2 main courses if you’re pretty hungry). We did go for dessert: Gingerbread Trifle with Pumpkin Custard and Candied Pumpkinseeds (so light it’s not even feeling like dessert) and Coconut Panna Cotta with Lime Foam and Meringue (also very light and extremely well done). The merengue was incredibly tasty and tasted so sweet it was melting.

I ordered a drink (which sadly I can’t recall what the name was, but had espresso vodka AND Kalhua – enough said). I’ve had their drinks before and they’ve been nothing short of awesome. Overall, as I said on Twitter, The Helm is comforting, great ambiance and music, affordable (our bill came down to about $60 after tax and tip, admittedly thanks to a couple of complimentary desserts – thanks for that!). But still, it’s not expensive and that’s the one thing I like about The Helm: that while the decor and music look and feel swanky, the food is very comforting and it’s not pretentious at all.

We had the pleasure of having Chef Tobey come to our table and talk to us about the menu she’s about to launch, so perhaps this would be a nice time for you to come and check The Helm out. I already did and can give it the stamp of approval.

Disclosure: While our desserts were complimentary and we were greeted with complimentary champagne drinks and hors d’oeuvres, I paid for our dinner on my own. The fact that The Helm has been kind enough to sponsor two of my recent contests, including a dinner for 2 and a show, and a 4 tickets’ pack for their New Years’ Boardwalk Empire party pack, does not affect in any way, shape or form my perception of their restaurant (which is very good). As always, I retain editorial control at all times, a fact that is well-known to anyone who sponsors my contests or whose restaurants/artistic performances/events I visit for review or reporting. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

Q4 al Centro (at L’Hermitage Hotel) Opening Night #Q4alC

Raul — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:00:50 +0000

As you may remember, a few months ago I was invited by Patrick Corsi (owner of Q4 Restaurants) to have dinner at Q4 in Kitsilano with my Mom (Q4 is a restaurant that I had loved and adored for years, and to which I am tied by fond memories). So when I received an invite to join a few media personalities and friends of the ownership team (Alex Tsakumis and Patrick Corsi) to the opening night of Q4 al Centro (located at L’Hermitage Hotel, near Richards and West Georgia), I jumped at the possibility.

Despite my ridiculously busy schedule, I always make a point to show up at events I have RSVP’d for, and in particular, Q4 holds a special place in my heart as they treated me and my Mom extremely kindly this past summer. So I showed up bright and early.

In Italian, al centro means “at the centre” and it’s a perfect tribute to Q4 al Centro’s location downtown on Richards at Robson, connected to the elegant L’Hermitage Hotel. Ideally situated merely blocks from Queen Elizabeth Theatre and The Centre for Performing Arts Rogers Area, and BC Place Q4 al Centro is a perfect pre and post event destination.

For me, Q4 al Centro is the perfect location and style of restaurant. My office at The Network Hub is literally 2 blocks away, it’s really well connected by transit (lots of bus and Canada Line/Skytrain options – the Skytrain is half a block away). And if at some point in the future I decide to do a giveaway package with The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts, or the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Q4 al Centro, this is the perfect pairing.

Thanks to Q4 for inviting me to be part of their celebration. It was great to see so many good friends of mine from the foodie blogging scene, including Mijune, Sarah, Cassandra, Ariane, Colleen, Catherine, Grace, to name a few. I did miss a few others including Raj and Richard, but I think that was because of the timing. Also, I couldn’t stay long. I have a pile THIS BIG of final research papers of my students to mark. Which reminds me… I should get back to it!

The Helm (downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 01:36:10 +0000

I was amongst a group of select bloggers and media personalities invited to the launch of The Helm in downtown Vancouver (fear not, the restaurant is open now and you can come down and enjoy whenever you want). It was nice to see many of my fellow bloggers and mainstream media friends as well as meet some other great people (amongst them, Jillian Harris, who you may remember from The Bachelorette).

The drinks were spectacularly good, the service was great, and more importantly, The Helm is a very nice and welcome addition to the downtown life. And it’s SO well located (near Davie on Howe). Separate from the busy night life of Granville Street but close enough to Davie and to crossing the bridge. And even more importantly, I am running a giveaway right now with them and Pacific Theatre (head over here to drop a comment and enter my contest).

Thanks to the ownership of The Helm for inviting me along. It was great fun! The rest of my photo set is on Flickr. Check it out!

More about The Helm:

In the Fall of 2010 four young friends came together with a shared vision and passion to offer a vivacious dining experience in the heart of downtown Vancouver, that is the Helm. Mere steps away from the infamous Granville strip, the Helm feels a world apart from the neon bustle with its treed patios and open, airy space. Inspired by the supper clubs of Montreal and New York, they sought to create something with a similar energy but with a local sincerity that is true to Vancouver as a city. Serving farm-to-fork plates in an elegant urban setting, the food sits at the heart of it all but the Helm is more than just a dining experience. It is a place to share cocktails infused with home made syrups and preserves, a carefully selected wine list in a warm, inviting atmosphere with friends, colleagues and family. Beginning with afterwork drinks, the Helm transitions into a dinner hour then shifts into a stylish nightclub featuring live music, DJs and dancing

Christmas on the Air (@PacificTheatre) and dinner at @HelmVancouver [prize pack giveaway] #hb604xmas

Raul — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:30:56 +0000

The holidays are coming, the Christmas decorations are going up and I’m beginning my winter season giveaway roundup. I have a few great prize packages for my readers to give away coming up. The first one is dinner for two at The Helm (located where UnWine’d used to be on Howe Street) and tickets to a theatre show at Pacific Theatre (on 12th Avenue and Helmecken). I’m very grateful to The Helm and Pacific Theatre as usual for partnering up with me to reward my readers with great contests and prizes.

Christmas on the Air (Pacific Theatre) promises to be a great holiday show. Playing December 10, 2010 – January 1, 2011 Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm with 2pm matinees on Saturdays at Pacific Theatre, 1440 W 12th Ave., there will be an Artist talkback Friday, November 12. For tickets call 604.731.5518 or buy tickets online. CHRISTMAS ON THE AIR, from the publicity I received, is a family-friendly, nostalgic romp set in a fictitious Vancouver radio studio on Christmas Eve of 1949 during a live radio broadcast. The audience is part of the broadcast, participate in the “live radio show” and witness the backstage antics.

I’ve attended shows at Pacific Theatre where there’s participation from the public (I remember sing-along), and they are awesome.

Percival Frank (DAMON CALDERWOOD) tries to keep his annual Christmas show on track and on time in spite of a huge snowstorm and in spite of a potentially awkward revelation on the part of Kitty McNally (DIANA KAARINA), the newest member of his radio family. It seems Kitty forgot to tell her boss or his Dutch wife Yolanda (LALAINIA LINDBJERG) and their enthusiastic son Danny (BENJAMIN ELLIOTT) that she has a child. By a man who abandoned her upon learning she was pregnant. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Danny is in love with Kitty and this is the first he’s heard about the baby! Sylvia White (SEANA-LEE WOOD), the radio show’s pianist, tries to hold everything together as music soars on show-laden winter winds and Christmas Eve ticks ever onward.

But the show is not all… I have paired this great show with dinner at a fantastic new restaurant: The Helm.

I had heard awesome things about The Helm from my friend Kimberley Bowie. At the beginning of November, celebrity chef David Adjey of the Food Network’s, “the Opener” got into the newest kid on Vancouver’s food block, The Helm. The executive team of The Helm is Angela Moore, 28, Cameron Wasnea, 26, Laura Francis, 23 and David Carlini, 33. The new restaurant is located at 1180 Howe Street and have turned the lofty space into a sleek yet unpretentious supper club, “akin to those in Montreal and Toronto, bringing the “social” back into socializing”, as Angela told me over coffee earlier this morning. Chef Tobey Nemeth has been hired to lead the kitchen and she brings with her a wealth of fine dining experience as well as sharing the team’s vision of local, luxurious meals bringing celebrating the joy of the dining experience.

I can’t wait to visit The Helm (their opening is December 3rd). For the purposes of this giveaway, the dinner for two will take place on Friday December 10th, 2010, before heading to the 8pm showing of Christmas on the Air at Pacific Theatre. I will make reservations for the winner of my prize package and his/her Plus One, both for The Helm and Pacific Theatre.

You can enter my giveaway by telling me what your resolution for New Year 2011 will be. Have you ever kept your resolutions throughout the year? I can honestly say I have. And since this package links both young entrepreneurs who are launching a new restaurant and the Christmas spirit, I would love to hear your stories about your resolutions for the new year. The Helm’s resolution seems to be become one of Vancouver’s most awesome restaurants and I look forward to witnessing them do that. And Pacific Theatre always puts together fantastic shows, something I predict will continue next year.

You have until Tuesday December 7th at 5:30pm to enter my giveaway. A first entry into the contest is a comment on this blog post, as indicated, mentioning your New Year’s Resolution. A second entry may be gained by tweeting the following:

Entered to win dinner at @HelmVancouver & a show at @PacificTheatre from @hummingbird604. You can too! http://is.gd/hMP7T #hb604xmas

Again – just to re-emphasize – the first entry is gained by commenting, the second one by tweeting about the contest. And remember, if you win the prize but can’t make it, you need to let me know at least 24 hours in advance as indicated in the rules of my Giveaways. Leave your Twitter ID on the comment if you have Twitter so I can contact you quickly, otherwise I’ll contact you by email. Good luck everyone, and thanks to The Helm and Pacific Theatre for sponsoring one of my Christmas giveaways.

The Victorian Hotel (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:21:49 +0000

A few weeks back, my good friend (and fellow academic) Christopher Parsons came to Vancouver to give a talk on digital privacy. I could have invited him over to stay with me but my apartment is too small. I approached The Victorian Hotel (where my good friend Jo VanEvery stayed about a year ago) and they were kind enough to sponsor Chris’ stay.

I went to visit Jo last year at The Victorian Hotel and noticed that the hotel is actually much bigger than you could possibly think from looking at it from the outside.

Breakfast is included in the price of your room, and can be taken in their first floor dining room.

In addition to the beautiful rooms they have, The Victorian Hotel offers two workstations with computers with internet access and a printer. All rooms have free wireless as well as the usual amenities.

There are two types of rooms: smaller ones with shared bathrooms (for $59 in low season, $99 in high season) and De Luxe with their in-suite bathroom (absolutely beautiful as well, $99 in low season, $169 in high season).

Overall, I would strongly recommend The Victorian Hotel for an affordable, inexpensive and beautiful option for lodging in the heart of the downtown core of Vancouver. Having had at least 2 friends stay there and tell me they really liked it, makes me think that it’s totally worth it.

The Victorian Hotel has a very long history, and it has great amenities and features.

Built in 1898, as one of the first guest houses in Downtown Vancouver, the Victorian Hotel has been revitalized with modern amenities yet maintains its historic authenticity with high ceilings, original hardwood floors, intricate woodwork, and majestically large windows.

Disclosure: Chris’ stay at The Victorian Hotel was sponsored very generously by the hotel in support of the Social Media Club Vancouver. I wasn’t paid to write this blog entry, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to highlight a beautiful hotel in Vancouver that has also supported my efforts. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Cookies Of Course (Downtown, Harbour Centre)

Raul — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:45:15 +0000

I have only sampled their coffee but it’s good, and they have a good selection of cupcakes. And more importantly, they are a local company, and you know I’m always a promoter of all things local business and entrepreneurs.

Vancouver Art Gallery – The Gallery Cafe (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:45:53 +0000

Recently, I had to chat with Jeff Meerman (from TD Canada Trust) about a couple of things associated with my social media work and he invited me for lunch to the Vancouver Art Gallery (The Gallery Cafe). I had tried to visit The Gallery Cafe previously with my friend J. Karen Parker, and I didn’t get a chance to do so, but this time, I finally got to visit. And I’m glad I did. I ordered a Greek orzo salad with chicken and an Indian curry soup, both of which were extremely tasty but also extremely filling. In particular, I found the Greek orzo salad a meal in and of itself. I probably could have done away without the Indian curry soup (tasty, spicy but it had celery and I hate celery).

I thought it was a well-kept secret (e.g. the existence of The Gallery Cafe) but seeing as we found an incredible amount of people lining up for lunch, I would say the secret is out. And I’m glad it is, because I will definitely come back to The Gallery Cafe for lunch. Particularly because they carry Cyoni orange juice!

Relish Gastropub & Bar (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:00:31 +0000

I celebrated my birthday at Relish Gastropub last year (after a failed attempt at La Bodega). I’m pretty sure it was here where I had a 3 oz martini, even though apparently that is not on their menu anymore. But at any rate, JT and I were looking for a restaurant to eat relatively fast and in the vicinity of downtown (as we were heading to the opera right after to the world premiere of Lillian Alling).

So, I recommended Relish Gastropub & Bar and I am glad we did as the service was great, and the food was very, very reasonable. I ordered a Pub Burger ($15) although instead of ordering a side of salad or fries, I ordered chicken soup. Which, while tasty, was probably a mistake. But the food was great, and we had a great time. The burger is outstanding. This is a solid place for a quick bite or a drink when downtown.

Sanafir Restaurant and Lounge (@Glowbal_Group)

Raul — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:45:51 +0000

I thought I had written about all of the Glowbal Group restaurants (after all, I have eaten at pretty much all of them), but as it turns out no, I hadn’t done a write up for Sanafir. Even though Glowbal Group partnered with me to give away dinner gift certificates as part of my Happy Father’s Day promotional campaign. So, I was thrilled to be at Sanafir the other night for a few drinks with a small group of great friends of mine Peter and Marilyn Andersen, John Biehler, John and Rebecca Bollwitt, Tanya and Barry Desrosiers, Keira Anne Mellis and Duane Storey (our friends Ianiv and Arieanna had already left as they had to get home to see their little one).

Drinks at Sanafir (and eats) are pretty good. I ordered 2 Nile’s (a pineapple and vodka drink that tasted glorious at $9.00) and a Dahab (at $7, not overpriced). All these cocktails were great. We shared a few appetizers, but the better part of the evening was just spending time with friends. I’ll definitely come back to Sanafir for dinner. I’m sold just by the drinks!

Twisted Fork Bistro (Granville Street)

Raul — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:15:04 +0000

My good friend Rebecca Bollwitt (Miss604) took me for brunch to Twisted Fork Bistro for my birthday a few days ago. I was the one who chose the restaurant, though completely forgetting about how complicated it would be to find parking in downtown Vancouver. I’m grateful Rebecca is such good friends with me, because I completely forgot about the parking situation (I travel by public transit or walk everywhere). Anyhow…

We started brunch with mimosas (one with raspberry puree, mine, and one traditional, Rebecca). We then proceeded to order brunch. I was totally surprised at the fact that Twisted Fork Bistro had such good selection of brunch dishes.

I ordered a bacon, caramelized onion and Brie Frittata filled with potato and fresh basil, served with fresh greens and sweet corn relish (but without the Brie, as I don’t eat cheese). Rebecca ordered asparagus scrambled eggs served with toasted sourdough and housemade jam, roasted roma tomatoes, rosti and sauteed spinach (both $11.00).

Overall, the service was amazing and the food was really good. I was definitely pleasantly surprised with Twisted Fork Bistro. The best part of brunch for my birthday, though, was having some time to spend with Rebecca on a one-on-one basis. As I have mentioned before on my blog, beyond the online popularity, I am keen to maintain my friendship, and Rebecca is a very good friend of mine, so I value our time together.

I will definitely come back to Twisted Fork Bistro for dinner. And thanks to Rebecca for taking me here to celebrate my birthday!

La Taqueria (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 02:09:25 +0000

It’s Mexican Independence Day (the celebration of a bicentennial liberation from Spanish ruling). As a result, I thought I should eat authentic Mexican food. I chose La Taqueria (P!nche Taco Shop) despite having already visited once and not been fully impressed. I brought Minna along with me as she had never been, and we ordered two taco combos.

I made a mistake in not reading the actual composition of the tacos. I ordered tacos of the following fillings: mushroom tinga (which I much prefer as tinga de pollo – e.g. with chicken), picadillo (which I mistakenly thought was ground meat and ended up being minced tofu), mole con pollo (chicken with mole sauce) and de pastor (which is pork). While the mole and de pastor ones were absolutely authentic, the other two I was totally shocked with.

I then ordered an additional taco (pollo en mole verde, chicken in green mole sauce). While tasty, I wasn’t all that impressed as it was too sweet (normally mole would make me at least feel a little sting from the chile). The vendors are Mexican, so I’m pretty sure they knew I was too. I would have probably appreciated a bit more of a customer service approach, but I can’t also blame them (I may have been a tad cranky).

Overall, I find 4 tacos for $9.50 somewhat expensive. But since La Taqueria is working hard at using organic meat, free range chicken, etc., they are to be commended. Would I come back here? Possibly, if I am having a craving for authentic Mexican food and I’m pressed for time (their establishment is less than 2 blocks away from my office downtown). But if I have more time, I have other Mexican restaurants I like better.

You should, at a very minimum, try the food from La Taqueria, just so that you can taste authentic Mexican food, regardless of whether I like it or not (which, I have to say, for the most part I do like their food).

Tsunami Sushi (Downtown Vancouver, Robson Street)

Raul — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:44:59 +0000

I had wanted to come to Tsunami Sushi for a while now, but truth be told, I had been way too busy to ever make it for dinner. But since it’s located close to where Minna goes to do yoga, one night we just decided to swing by and have some sushi. I didn’t know that the main tenet of tsunami is that you sit around the bar and you choose the food you want to eat (in conveniently priced small plates).

I am a fan of nigiri sushi, so I had a field day. I’m also a big fan of “just eat what your stomach wants you to eat” – I definitely would want to come back again, though I probably wouldn’t eat as much as I did last time. The sushi is good, the portions are generous and the prices aren’t all that bad.

Frenchie’s (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:15:30 +0000

My good friend Chet Woodside and I had been trying to go to Frenchie’s for a long time. After all, what can be wrong with poutine? Oh, right, yeah. I hate cheese and I’m lactose-intolerant. That would do it. But he does like poutine, and I wanted to try the Montreal smoked meat sandwich, so we went there for lunch. I ordered a sandwich ($8.00 for 8 oz sandwich) and a pop.

Chet seems to have enjoyed his poutine (which was massive).

I’m still not 100% sold on Frenchie’s, although the decor is very cute and kind of 1950s. I had higher hopes, perhaps. The food is good, don’t get me wrong. But I’m not in love with the place. So strange!

Miyako Sushi (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:52:08 +0000

I had been looking for a sushi spot in the downtown core (the financial district, more than anything) for a long while. I do know more or less where to get sushi around The Network Hub (where I have my office). The other day I had to meet up with JT for lunch downtown within the financial district, and we only had 45 minutes so I risked it and suggested Miyako Sushi.

Honestly, I had never even tried the sushi here. But since I walk around downtown Vancouver quite a lot, I often pass by places that look interesting (there goes my economic geography lecture on location theory – foot traffic is quite important for restaurants!). So, JT and I went here for lunch. The bento boxes were priced in the range of $10, which is normal for a bento box these days.

Miyako Sushi has free wifi and it’s actually quite cozy and nicely decorated. I would totally come back if I ever had to have meetings around that side of town, close to Burrard and Pender. The sushi was good, the miso soup was good, it was definitely authentic, and of all the sushi places I’ve reviewed, it’s one of the nicest.

Rogue Kitchen and Wet Bar (Waterfront Vancouver)

Raul — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:41:36 +0000

I had heard good things about Rogue Kitchen and Wet Bar (@RogueWetBar on Twitter) from my friend Trevor Boudreau, who had recently had lunch there. Despite the fact that I do love Steamworks Pub, I have been skeptical of the other incarnation of Steamworks that was where Rogue Kitchen and Wet Bar sits right now (the TransContinental). But my friend J. Karen Parker and I wanted to try a new restaurant so we dropped by Rogue.

Our lunch was served promptly (Karen ordered a nicoise Salad and I ordered a chicken capellini with arugula, $14.99). The portions were good size (I hadn’t had breakfast so this was about enough food, but probably for someone who ate a healthy breakfast it would be a bit big). Flavors were good, but not something that I would call my Mom for. That is, it’s very good lunch, but not something that totally blew my senses. All in all, I would definitely come back for a lunch meeting. They had martinis on special today ($4.99) but I am still not feeling 100% well so I declined.

One great advantage of Rogue is that the food is good and it’s close to just about everything near the Waterfront. And it’s not pretentious.

The Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden (Chinatown)

Raul — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:23:17 +0000

Of the beautiful museums and areas that one can visit in Vancouver, one of the most under-rated and the one that I had been trying to visit for the longest time is the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden. Last year, Donna Chen (who collaborates with the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden) contacted me about some suggestions in the social media realm (the Garden is now on Twitter, @vangarden).

But I had never visited. Until a couple of weeks ago, on the same day when I did Roedde House Museum and Cardero Bottega.

According to the brochure:

Ming Dynasty scholars were the elite of their time and highly educated officials in the Imperial Chinese government. Secluded behind high white halls, their living spaces were shared with their extended family and friends.

The Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden is the first of its kind built outside of China. Fifty-three master craftsmen came from China with 950 crates of material and constructed the Garden using traditional methods – no glue, screws or power tools were used! The result is this enchanting space imbued with the perfect balance of yin and yang.

The Garden has two areas, one that is free and one that is paid (complete with guided tours and tea). Admission per person is $14 and if you become a member ($25) you can have up to 2 complimentary passes. I chose to become a member as I know my Mom would love to come visit so I’m planning to bring her along.

I plan to attend one of their Friday evening concert series (for the summer, hours of operation are 9:30am to 7:00pm). Located at 578 Carrall Street in Chinatown, I would strongly recommend this beautiful museum/garden. I had a wonderful time visiting (and yes, it is incredibly peaceful).

My good friend Rebecca Bollwitt (Miss604) recently visited too, and here is a link to her post about her experience. I would strongly recommend people to come visit, as it is totally worth it!

The @Acme_Cafe (West Hastings, Downtown East Side)

Raul — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:30:49 +0000

I have begun to make it my goal to try and at least eat twice at the same restaurant before I review it. Often, this isn’t the case (primarily because it’s not like I have a tonne of money to spend). And because of that latter element (e.g. my budgeted life) I try to eat where I don’t have to break the bank. I had already had raspberry pie from Acme Cafe the other day when I swung by with Minna. But this week I decided to make a return trip with my friend Chris Walts (we hadn’t had any time together in a long while so we went restaurant-and-bar hopping). I wanted to try the actual dinner experience at Acme Cafe, and I found it a very pleasant experience.

I ordered a pop ($2.50) and a meat loaf ($11.50) which was a great choice. The portions were big, the flavors were really nice and although I wasn’t convinced by the potatoes, I think next time I will order mashed potatoes. But the meat loaf itself was really good. When I had breakfast there with Minna, we loved the home-made pie, . Impossible to finish with that amount of carbs but absolutely delicious.

Acme Cafe does provide home-made goodness at non-breaking-the-bank prices.

Gorilla Food (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:20:59 +0000

Gorilla Food is located exactly 45 steps away from my office at The Network Hub. I’ve had a desk there for over 2 years. You would think I would have visited Gorilla Food MUCH earlier than I did. Well, no, I hadn’t. Worse off? I am a specialist in environmental affairs. I, of anyone, should be aware of where I can find raw, vegan, low-carbon-and-ecological footprint food. And I was fully aware, but hadn’t tried it yet.

So, when my good friend Chris Walts and I finally had a chance to try it, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I had heard great things. I ordered a GO Veggie Burger (a stack of two veggie burger patties thickly topped with guacamole, fresh tomato slices, cucumber slices, shredded seasonal veggies and a ginger-tomato ketchup, served in a lettuce leaf bun). I forgot that it didn’t have an actual bun!

As far as flavors go, I really loved the burger. But come to think about it, next time I’ll order what Chris ordered – a Falafel Wrap ($7.50), which is made of romaine lettuce wrap filled with spicy seed and veggie falafel balls on a bed of zucchini hummus and topped with a seasoned tahini sauce and grainless tabouli. Overall, I really liked the food at Gorilla, and I would totally will come back at some point.

Grand Opening of Prestons Restaurant at Coast Coal Harbour Hotel

Raul — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 20:00:45 +0000

Whenever I am invited to restaurant openings, I am almost always betting I’m going to bump into a bunch of my food blogger friends. It is a nice departure from other social media events I attend and one that I really enjoy. As the organizer of the Vancouver Blogger Meetup, I feel kind of responsible to know just about every blogger in Vancouver, even if they don’t know each other prior.

Given that my blog has a very strong food review component, although it’s not its main focus, I always feel privileged when I get to be as a guest to these types of events. Plus, I get to eat really good food AND write about it. I was invited this week to take part in the grand opening of Prestons Restaurant at Coast Coal Harbour Hotel. I had walked by the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel earlier this year.

Joined by popular foodie bloggers Minju (FollowMeFoodie), Sherman (Sherman’s Food Adventures), Victor (Ho Yummy) and Jason Sanders as my Plus One, I had an opportunity to explore the various types of dishes that Prestons offers. While for some people restaurants at hotels may just be seen as the places where travellers eat while on business trips (at least, that was MY view when I was doing a lot more work-related travel), I have had a chance to sample a few of the restaurants hosted at hotels in Vancouver, and I have no complaints. But in the case of Prestons, I would go beyond “no complaints”.

Prestons is the kind of restaurant where I would bring a friend for dinner. We were offered a sampler of their menu (all of it, not only the Mixers, but we went through the main courses and a beautiful sampler of dessert sushi – yeah, dessert sushi! I had never eaten it, though I had seen it in photos). When we arrived, I made a point of chatting with Chef Alessandro Vianello to find out more about their menu.

I loved the seared diver scallop & sweet prawn gyozas, presented in cute bamboo baskets. I also sampled a small bowl of traditional Pad Thai with chicken, prawns & tofu. Bear in mind I do not usually eat Thai food, so for me, it was great. I found the slider burger very tasty but the bun was a little too big. The flavors were fantastic, though. And the martinis. Prestons’ martinis are incredible.

Keeping in line with what I have done at other restaurants in my recent reviews and/or coverage of new restaurant openings, I looked at the price lists, and I found main courses priced between $13-$26, in the general range of what I have seen in restaurants in downtown Vancouver (and I would say not badly priced for a Coal Harbour-based restaurant).

The food was very good, I found the ambiance of Prestons very nice, and the service was really superb. And the dessert sushi was nice too (although I wasn’t totally sold on the fruit ‘nigiri’). Prestons is located at 1177 West Pender Street in Coal Harbour, Vancouver, BC. You can make reservations by calling 604-673-2173.

Disclosure: My and my Plus One’s samplers and drinks at Prestons were complimentary. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this media dinner was to introduce several foodie bloggers (myself included) to Prestons. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

The sweet goodies of @Bonchaz Bakery Cafe

Raul — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:45:15 +0000

There are a number of fringe benefits to coworking at The Network Hub. One of them is having a number of coffee shops and bakeries, lunch spots, pizza joints and sushi places. One of such is Bonchaz Bakery Cafe, a place where Minna and Meriko and a number of our colleagues have been able to feast our sweet tooth with delicious baking goodies.

Their location (dangerously close to The Network Hub, seriously it’s about a 45 second trip downstairs) makes them the perfect place to pick up a pastry, a coffee and head back to the office. You can also follow Bonchaz on Twitter.

I am particularly fond of the pastry you can see in this photo, which is kind of similar to Mexican “conchas” but not exactly a ‘concha’. I also just like the service you get from the super nice staff. I thoroughly recommend Bonchaz!

Olympia Pizza and Pasta Restaurant (Denman Street)

Raul — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:40:58 +0000

I am glad that lately I’m eating a little bit more varied than my usual Ethiopian, Japanese or Mexican food. I had an opportunity to have lunch with Spencer Herbert a few weeks ago (whose office is really near by Olympia) and we decided on Olympia Pizza and Pasta Restaurant. It had been a long time since I had set foot at Olympia (since my Mom and my best friend’s Mom came to visit).

I was very glad to make a trip back. For lunch, I ordered a grilled chicken breast special with rice and potatoes, which took me a long time to finish as the portions were so abundant. The flavors were excellent (I’ve always had a soft spot for Greek food but rarely have a chance to eat it), and I was so full I had to walk back to my office at The Network Hub. Overall, considering that lunch was around $12.00 with drink included, I would say it’s reasonable. I’m more prone to go to Olympia for dinner than for lunch, to be quite honest.

Manhattan (Delta Suites Hotel)

Raul — Sat, 22 May 2010 23:00:27 +0000

I’m very lucky to have amazing friends. One of the closest friends I have (CB) came to Vancouver a few weeks ago for work, and on the last day of his stay, we went for breakfast downtown. Hard to find a reasonably good restaurant at the ungodly hour of 7:00am in the downtown core, so CB and I ventured into uncharted territory. After all, most of the places I know DT are mostly lunch/dinner oriented.

I am glad I decided on Manhattan at the Delta Suites Hotel in downtown Vancouver. Not only because the breakfast is, indeed, really good, but also because the Delta Suites Hotel is exactly 15 seconds away from my office downtown at The Network Hub. So, after breakfast, I could have quickly walked half a block and start working (I didn’t because I went to the airport with CB, but I could have).

Prices for breakfast at Manhattan are, surprisingly, quite reasonable and in line with most of the hotels I’ve had breakfast at and most of the middle-to-high-end brunch places I’ve visited. For my breakfast (scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, toast and ham with a little fruit salad on the side), the item was marked at $12 plus tax. Quite obviously

I would recommend Manhattan for breakfast even if the prices are substantially higher than the ‘greasy spoons’ – it will definitely be cheaper than Provence Marinaside and (in my opinion) better!

Momo Sushi (Gastown)

Raul — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:51:01 +0000

I have had an office at The Network Hub for over 2 years. During that time I have hosted several blogger outreach events, including a couple for The Community Against Preventable Injuries (@Preventable). For those of you who have attended those events (and several that The Network Hub itself has organized), here’s the answer to the delicious sushi you’ve enjoyed: Momo Sushi in Gastown

The fact that Momo Sushi is located less than 2 blocks away from our offices at West Hastings and Richards makes our lives oh-so-much-easier because we can just call and order a couple of platters and we will have enough food to feed a little army. Today my good friend Minna Van (one of the cofounders of The Network Hub) invited me out for lunch and I wanted sushi, so we went to Momo Sushi.

I do not think people realize just how big those rolls are and how filling they are, but let me tell you, the roll combos at Momo Sushi are big enough that after lunch, you may fall into a sushi coma. Really tasty, the fish is very fresh (if you eat fish, or you can also do all vegetarian rolls). For me, it was much more than I could handle, and right now I am fighting to stay awake.

I just hope I can make it through the Social Media Club Vancouver executive board meeting still awake! And Momo Sushi isn’t expensive, I think you can have a decent lunch for less than $9.00. Overall, my kudos to Momo Sushi for consistently good sushi.

The Vancouver Pen Shop

Raul — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:31:42 +0000

My name is Raul and I’m a stationery addict.

So, this is going to sound totally self-absorbed, but frankly, I do have very neat and pretty handwriting. I spent thousands of hours writing hundreds of letters, using different colour pens, finding the right pen that would highlight how pretty my handwriting was.

In my traditionally chauvinistic undergraduate school (chemical engineering), my colleagues would say that I had “girl’s handwriting” (because it was so neat and clear). I think in English you would call it “printing” rather than “handwriting” (I write mostly without the flowy, interconnected letters).

So, because of the fact that I love my handwriting and I love writing with actual pens and in actual notepads and notebooks, I am the kind of guy who will, very happily, browse through complete, entire isles of stationery. I love felt pens (extra fine point, though – otherwise my printing doesn’t look as good). I love notebooks. I love Post-Its. I can live happy in a stationery shop.

Which is the reason why I love the Vancouver Pen Shop, and why I’m surprised I hadn’t stopped by and seen this wonderful shop. The owners are really knowledgeable and they let me browse through their isles and shelves. I love this place, and I would strongly recommend it. They also get the Olympic and Paralympic spirit. They have an actual welcoming sign for the Paralympics. That totally melted my heart.

The Vancouver Pen Shop is located on West Hastings, near Richards Street.

The Perfume Shoppe (Sinclair Centre)

Raul — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:41:09 +0000

I think that, for all the hype about the business that the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games are supposed to bring to Vancouver, not many new customers have been dropping by Sinclair Centre, located literally half a block away from the IBC. It always amazes me that Vancouver has so many gems and people keep not knowing about them.

Sinclair Centre in downtown Vancouver (at 757 West Hastings) is the home to a gazillion fantastic little shops. The Perfume Shoppe is one of those gems. Located at the top of the second floor of Sinclair Centre, The Perfume Shoppe is owned by Nazrin, a lovely lady who took the time to show me a variety of very non-standard, rare fragrances. Her shop reminded me of Paris, and its parfumeries. I tried a couple of scents and we discussed the notes of what I like wearing, and I was positively impressed with Nazrin’s vast knowledge of the perfume world.

You won’t find your run-of-the-mill Carolina Herrera or Gucci fragrances here, but you may not want to, anyway. The Perfume Shoppe is a place where I would come to do what it took me 4 years of my undergraduate chemical engineering career to do – to find my perfect cologne. Right now, after having tested a variety of Kenzo, Calvin Klein and Issey Miyake’s, I have decided to go back to my Carolina Herrera for Men. But once I have the kind of cash you’d need to buy these rare, exotic and fantastic perfumes, I will go back to The Perfume Shoppe and ask Nazrin to find me the right scent for my skin.

I would recommend a visit, most of her customers are international and she has a website, but the parfumerie is absolutely exquisite.

Mink Chocolates Cafe (Downtown)

Raul — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:25:50 +0000

Given the geographical proximity to both my downtown office and the college where I teach, it was kind of surprising that I hadn’t visited Mink Chocolates Cafe, in downtown Vancouver. Located at 863 West Hastings Street, (cross street Hornby), Mink Chocolates Cafe is tucked in the little park that you need to walk through to get to Canada Place. I really love this tiny park and I fell in love with Mink.

My friend Chet Woodside (CosmicBlend) invited me to to have a hot chocolate there, and I have to say that it was absolutely delectable. As a Mexican, I’m a bit of a chocolate snob. Chocolate, in case you didn’t know, doesn’t come from Belgium nor is Belgian chocolate the best (I should know, but I probably would get into a debate with my good friend Eagranie Yuh who writes The Well Tempered Chocolatier). The cafe is very cozy and well decorated, looks rather stylish. I will definitely have to come back again, although to be quite 100% honest and frank, I find the portions for the chocolate fondue a bit on the short/skimpy side.

I haven’t ordered the fondue just yet, but just from the looks of it, I think I’d end up hungry. I kind of like the chocolate fondue sets where you eat lots of different fruits and dip them in the chocolate sauce. At any rate, I do think I’ll have to come back sometime soon. I do know they have a Valentine’s Day thing planned, so I’ll have to ponder if I come back for the event.

Take 5

Raul — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:30:06 +0000

photo credit: avlxyz

When I first took a course with my former PhD supervisor (who loves economics just about as much as I do), he reminded us that people buy their caffeinated drinks (lattes, capuccinos) because it’s a small luxury. Today, I had the opportunity to enjoy that in the form of a quick coffee break with my good friend Gus at Take 5.

The experience was so positive that it inspired me to even search for data on the psychology and economics of coffee (did you know that there’s an entry on Wikipedia on the economics of coffee?). At Take 5 (the location we went to was the West Hastings and Granville one, right outside the Canada Line exit for Waterfront Station) I felt that I was in a coffee lounge. The music isn’t overwhelming, the service is prompt, courteous and friendly, and the coffee isn’t bitter.

We ordered 2 lattes with muffin combos ($ 4.00 per combo). I chose an apple sauce with cranberry muffin, and added cinnamon and chocolate to my latte. I really enjoyed the taste and I didn’t feel it was heavy (I am lactose-intolerant so anything with milk added becomes a bit too heavy and rough on my stomach).

I learned that Take 5 not only offers free wireless to their customers, but they are also using social media platforms to spread the word. You can find them on Twitter @Take5cafeBC (hat tips to Mike Yurechko for finding the handle).

Restaurant review – Kishu Japanese House – (Downtown)

Raul — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:17:04 +0000

Dr. Mark Latham from VoterMedia.org and I had been trying to schedule a meeting sometime to talk about politics, the web, the VoterMedia project and scholarly stuff for a long time, but it didn’t happen until recently when we went for lunch to Kishu Japanese House on Seymour Street, in the downtown core.

I’ve previously reviewed other Kishu restaurants, and I think this particular one is the “Mother Ship”. We both ordered boxes (since we were going there for a quick lunch), mostly in the range of $6.95 – $8.95. I’m always a fan of California rolls and miso soup, and to me, these tasted pretty generic. While I have to admit that I sincerely prefer Kishu Mountain to this one, I can’t complain. The sushi that we got at Kishu (Japanese) is pretty much like a vast majority of sushi joints – sustenance. Not gourmet sushi, but not bad sushi either. It’s good for the value.

Since it is so close to my downtown office, I suspect that I will be visiting Kishu (Japanese) in the future. It’s also very strategically located near the Granville Skytrain station. Overall, good food, within the confines of a downtown, quick lunch joint.

The company was, by far, the best part of this lunch. I had been looking forward to having lunch with Mark and talking academic shop. A large part of my PhD training was in political science, and having taught public policy, I am always interested in talking municipal politics. I also think that the project that Mark has undertaken is very worthy and I look forward to the next phase.

My new home is at The Network Hub!

Raul — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:39:28 +0000

Remember how a few months ago I raved about The Network Hub and praised their open office concept, their strong support of young entrepreneurs and the awesome series of events that they’ve been host to? And remember how I called it “my home away from home“?

The Network Hub open office concept

Well, as of this week, my home IS at The Network Hub. I now have a working space in the third floor.

As indicated by their mission statements, they care more much about the idea than the entrepreneur’s age or resume.

The Network Hub was established 2006 after observations of first time entrepreneurs struggling to find fundings from angel investors and venture capital companies. The Network Hub is a special kind of venture capital firm and incubator that care more about your idea than your age, resume and your business plan. [The Network Hub]

The Network Hub has been incredibly kind and supportive with the social media/PR/tech community for a long while now. They’ve been our gracious hosts and location sponsors at numerous events: Third Tuesday with Joe Solomon, the RMD Studio/JenTekk Solutions/PeerGlobe Solutions/Tazzu-organized, first ever WordCamp Vancouver, and several other Third Tuesdays, as a matter of fact.

The Network Hub provides a variety of support services for entrepreneurs, including office space, meeting rooms, and a variety of packages that suit the various needs of different kinds of entrepreneurs.

Moreover, The Network Hub are the awesome hosts and location sponsors of the Vancouver Entrepreneur Meetup every third Thursday of the month, which Pete Quily (ADD Adult Coach) kindly made me realize earlier this month, collides with my proposed date for the Vancouver Bloggers Meetup. I’ll have to deal with that overlap sometime in the next few months! I am pretty sure that I can work something out, since I definitely don’t want to hinder the attendance of entrepreneurs to VBM and viceversa!

If you are an entrepreneur who needs to get your idea off the ground, you should seriously consider coming over and talking to Minna or John. Particularly now that they have expanded! The Network Hub now occupies both the first AND third floors of 422 Richards (between West Hastings and Pender). You can also contact them via email.

I can already tell that my productivity skyrocketed. Just as an example, in less than 2 hours that I was at the office yesterday, I did much more than I had done in the past two weeks! Furthermore, the tenants are great. It’s fantastic to be surrounded by that much brainpower and positive energy! And what can I tell you about Minna and John and the whole team at The Network Hub? They’re simply AMAZING.

So, if you’re in the neighbourhood (downtown Vancouver) maybe we can meet up for coffee or lunch sometime and I can also show you the new digs!

Restaurant review – Goldfish Pacific Kitchen

Raul — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:00:56 +0000

I had always been curious about Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, more and more recently since I have been spending more time in Yaletown (and I have noticed the increase in eye candy!). Also, I rarely consume seafood as I am more of a meat eater (and somewhat vegetarian, I’d say I’m like 40% meat eater and 60% vegetarian). I was recently invited as a guest to GoldFish Pacific Kitchen and couldn’t resist the temptation. An invitation to such a good restaurant is not something you can pass on, so I decided to take one of my closest friends with me.

JT is usually one of my most frequent dining companions and therefore, it was just appropriate that he shared this experience with me. I didn’t read any restaurant reviews nor listen to any commentary about Goldfish so that I could go and have a unique experience on my own. We both decided to go for the Prixe Fixe (what Goldfish calls ‘Le Sharp Deal’), a three-course meal that is served from 5:00pm to 5:55pm (and yes, you can order at 5:54pm for sure!). For $ 25.00, this is one great value for your meal, since the mains are usually about that price. My photos don’t really do justice to the meal, so you’ll have to forgive the quality. But the food is simply great.

We both ordered the mustard greens for starters, then I chose a salmon dish and JT ordered the ling cod. We complemented our meal with some bacon rice. The salmon was most definitely to die for, delicate and flavorful. The bacon fried rice blew me away, as it seems like such a simple dish yet I found it delicious. Finally, for dessert JT ordered the creme brule (of which I had to have the caramel crust) and I ordered the gelato.The dessert was extraordinary. I have to say that Goldfish’s creme brule is definitely my favorite, so far.

I had a chance to go back a second time as Steve Jagger invited Rebecca Bollwitt and myself to come join him for lunch. Same great experience, prompt service, great food (and awesome company, of course). This time, I ordered the maple soy chicken (really, really good) and also a side of fried bacon rice. Really good (although I think I ate a tad too much, hehe).

Without a doubt, these two have to be some of the best experiences I’ve had with customer service. Our server (in both cases, lunch and dinner) was simply outstanding, very knowledgeable, prompt, friendly and not pushy at all. Albert was also paying attention to every detail. Given my recent string of bad luck with restaurants’ customer service, I was quite happy to find Goldfish’s high level of service.

Another element that I really liked was finding out that Goldfish Pacific Kitchen is so interested in issues of sustainability. Goldfish is an associate of the OceanWise program AND the Green Table network. As I have mentioned before on my blog, I’m always interested in issues of greening restaurants.

Would I go back to Goldfish? Absolutely. While they are very different concepts, I would be willing to substitute my beloved Water Street Cafe for Goldfish for a celebration. This has to speak volumes to how much I liked Goldfish, because the Water Street Cafe is the location where I have celebrated Valentine’s Day and my birthday for the past few years (with JT, no less!). I am sure we’ll be celebrating either his birthday or mine at Goldfish in the near future. And to Goldfish, keep up the good work, you guys!

Homelessness in Vancouver: A very complex issue

Raul — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:28:08 +0000

Last week, I had a conversation with Nancy Zimmerman on her post regarding the ticketing of homeless people who were sleeping in Oppenheimer Park (at 4:30am on Thursday I think), in the Downtown East Side. As I have mentioned before, the realities of the Downtown East Side (DTES) are very complex, and homelessness is not an easy issue to tackle. If it were, Vancouver wouldn’t have any problems of homelessness.

One of the most debilitating and dis-empowering feelings I have ever had in my life is the feeling of not having where to sleep. The most recent time I moved to Canada, I simply didn’t have a place to stay nor had I secured housing at the university. Therefore, for like three weeks, I *had* to stay at a friends’ place. While her apartment was very nice, living out of a set of luggage bags is NOT really nice.

Now, I have adapted to Canada and to Vancouver, but those feelings of disempowerment are not easy to let go. I hope I never get to experience them, ever again.

I am also keenly aware of how much Nancy loves her neighbourhood and how committed she is to social change. I think that we ought to take a holistic view to the homelessness issue and more than anything, be compassionate. We never know when we can end up there. Fate has a way of turning out in unexpected ways.

Bar review – The Kingston (Downtown)

Raul — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:54:16 +0000

So, last Friday was quite the social, off-line gathering of online geeks. I started off meeting Rebecca for a beer at Delicados, where we were joined by Beth Snow. We then parted ways and Beth and I ran around downtown trying to find the free 7-11 Slurpees. No luck. At that point, we headed to the Kingston to meet up with Duane, a couple of his friends, John and Rebecca.

I had never done a review of the Kingston even though we had been there a few times already, but the real reason was that I had never actually eaten there. This time, we ordered nachos (are you surprised?) The nachos were really good but I had to remind the waitress to actually add meat. The service was pretty minor, I wouldn’t say it was good. But nothing compared to Jimmy’s, whose service is REALLY BAD. And Tanya was saying that Dix’s service was just equally bad (I got to witness how their waitress treated them – I would have just called the shots there, but…)

Anyway, the Kingston is reliable for having a nice patio and it’s a destination I would go to just for the fun of hanging out with my friends. As I mentioned, the nachos are good and the service can be sometimes great, sometimes kinda so-so. This past Friday it was just ok, nothing to write home about. As it often happens with these places, it’s all about the good friends who join you rather than the actual place itself.

Review of Jimmy’s forthcoming.