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Khatsahlano! Music + Arts Festival 2012

Raul — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:42:42 +0000

I love Kitsilano, despite the Lululemon pants and granola-munching folks that I see there all the time (whom I love too, I just think they’re a bit too yuppie). And one of the things I am loving the most is that summer festivals are coming back to this sometimes sleepy neighbourhood. Considering that it was the Greek enclave, and that now it’s so multicultural and filled with students, and sports jocks, and so on (yes, stereotypes, I know), it’s nice to see the community festivals reborn. Including, of course, the Khatsalahno! Music + Arts Festival 2012.

The coolest street party on the planet, Khatsahlano! Music + Arts Festival is back for its second consecutive year on July 21 and is ready to rock 4th Avenue from Burrard to MacDonald.
This year’s festival will feature five main stages showcasing over 30 of Vancouver’s top musical performers, a veritable who’s who of hot indie acts, some of which include: The Zolas, Kathryn Calder, Ladyhawk, Blackout Beach, The Dead Ghosts, Shearing Pinx, Weed, The High Drops, The Ballantynes and Capitol 6.

In addition to the great display of music, eclectic pods of distinctive local artisans, street performers, as well as patio parties, sidewalk sales and a host of other festivities will round out Khatsahlano! to true festival form. The 2011 event was deemed a massive success in its inaugural year by the local media and community alike. In its initial year the Khatsahlano! Music + Arts Festival hosted over 30,000 people who crowded the lively West 4th Avenue to enjoy entertainment, music, food and endless shopping on every corner.

Khatsahlano! Festival:
Where: West 4th Ave. between Burrard and MacDonald
When: July 21st, from 12PM – 8PM
Who: The Zolas, Kathryn Calder, Ladyhawk, Blackout Beach, The Dead Ghosts, Shearing Pinx, Weed, The High Drops, The Ballantynes, Capitol 6 and more

Khatsahlano! Music + Art Festival is the biggest, free, outdoor music event in Vancouver. Organized and funded by the West 4th Avenue Business Improvement Association, Khatsahlano was established with a mandate to promote local music and provide dynamic and authentic entertainment for those visiting West 4th Avenue. The name ‘Khatsahlano’ was chosen by the BIA picked the name after Squamish Chief August Jack Khatsahlano, Kitsilano’s namesake. Khatsahlano! is celebrating its second successful year.

I think this will be one of the most exciting festivals this summer, for all of Vancouver to enjoy!

Temaki Sushi (Kitsilano, Arbutus and Broadway)

Raul — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:22:52 +0000

There are few people in this town whom I trust blindly when it comes to their food choices. One of them is my very good friend Cassandra Anderton who writes Good Life Vancouver. Cassandra suggested that whenever I am tired and coming back from the university towards my house (on the 99 B Line) I should stop on Arbutus and Broadway (now that the 99 B Line stops right there) I should eat sushi from Temaki Sushi. Her recommendation was spot-on.

Our definition of Temaki Sushi is “Japanese food hand-made with passion and creativity”. We are simple people with a strong passion for good food. We believe good food means enjoying every bite. It is important to us that you taste the freshness and quality of each ingredient, the combination within each roll, the sauce and little details that goes with each dish. Opened since 2003, we consistently strive to create high-quality food at reasonable prices, within a casual and friendly atmosphere.

I found the prices of other items (not the rolls and the nigiri) a bit more expensive than other sushi places I know, but as far as rolls and nigiri, I am definitely delighted. The rice is well made, fresh, not cold, just the right temperature, the right amount of vinegar, and the spicy salmon roll was really interesting (my favourite is still MoMo Sushi)

Disclosure: I paid for my dinner on my own dime.

Apollonia Greek Restaurant (Kitsilano/Fairview Slopes)

Raul — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:51:39 +0000

This is a really weird area of town, the north-of-4th-Avenue area between Granville and Burrard. It’s not Kitsilano per se, but it’s also not really what most people would recognize as Fairview Slopes. But the number of hidden gems I found within this area in the course of attending the recent Standing Armed presentation of their Spring/Summer 2012 collection is unbelievably high. Apollonia Greek Restaurant is a little gem that produces some of the best Greek food this side of Takis Taverna, Stepho’s and Bouzyos.

It wasn’t really my discovery, it was really Anabelle’s. She had dinner there and I just landed for a quick appetizer (although Anabelle gave me her salad, I ordered an appetizer of Keftedes (Greek meatballs) that was really, really tasty and filling. The price point at Apollonia is pretty decent and it’s not going to break your wallet.

I’m sure I will get flack because the meat balls look a bit overcooked on the top. Personally, I like them like that. I’m glad Anabelle invited me here for dinner as I am sure I could have not come here had she not discovered this little gem. I’ll definitely come back, most likely bringing JT for dinner.

Scoop! (Kitsilano)

Raul — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:00:18 +0000

Why do I love yogurt even though I’m lactose-intolerant? I have no clue. But I do. And when I have a craving, I usually have pretty much only one place to go to – Qoola. But one time I was walking down Fourth Avenue in Kitsilano and came across Scoop! and I decided to try it out. Fantastic yogurt, I have to say. Moreover, they provide you (if you are lactose intolerant) with Lactaid pills. The process is quite different to Qoola, though. At Scoop! you weigh the yogurt and then add the toppings which are also paid for by weight. I usually order natural frozen yogurt, and then add mango and kiwi on the toppings.

Overall, while it’s not technically organic, it’s still very good yogurt. And the location itself is pretty cute, the decor and ambiance are nice and it provides a nice dessert place for an evening out.

If you are looking for a fresh dessert and a great location, Scoop! provides one of the best options, in my opinion.

The BiBo Italian Restaurant (Kitsilano) opening night

Raul — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:00:26 +0000

This past week, I was invited to the grand opening of The BiBo, an Italian restaurant with a home-style, exclusive ingredients concept. I was really sick this past week, as you may remember, but I received this invitation months ago and I felt that it would be really bad of me to miss it after having accepted the invite so far in advance. So I showed my (rather overdosed on Tylenol Cold) face. I’m glad I did, as it was a really neat experience.

The BiBo owners, Carlo Lorenzo Bottazzi and Andrea Bini traveled to Vancouver from Italy to create an affordable dining experience that stays true to their heritage and Italian values. Join them at The BiBo for an experience of Italian food, wine, culture and traditions and appreciate the true taste of Italy.

The BiBo offers a true Italian experience to please all ages….enjoy watching the master pizza maker, Salvatore create the pizzas in the wood burning oven. He insists the pizzas be served as they are in Italy – he will NOT cut your pizza to keep the flavours intact right to your table.

The BiBo Restaurant is owned by two passionate Italians, Lorenzo Bottazzi and Andrea Bini. I talked to both of them in Italian, which was kind of neat (as my Italian is rather rusty, and I sometimes combine it with French and Portuguese). I had an opportunity to experience just about every single dish on the menu. I found the flatbread exquisite, and the gnocchi with pesto absolutely delicious.

My only problem with the thin-crust pizza was that it was so rich in juices and ingredients that it almost melted in my mouth. From my experience, this is perhaps one of the best pizzas I’ve had, rivaling Pizzeria Prima Strada and some of the Commercial Drive hangouts.

The pastas were really good, especially the gnocchi al pesto and the bucattini amatriciana. And the appetizers were to-die-for. In particular, one of the flavors I love the most: anchovies.

The oven and open space concept made me like BiBo even more.

And as I mentioned, the appetizers were simply delectable. And don’t even tell me about the desserts.

I wouldn’t count this post as a review since I went to a media opening, and my policy is not to write about a restaurant until I have actually eaten there on my own. But I’m glad I got a sneak peek into The BiBo Restaurant. I’ll definitely be coming by soon enough.

Disclosure: As stated on my post, I participated in a media opening. I will be reviewing the restaurant on my own dime soon enough.

Café Vergnano 1882 (Kitsilano, Broadway and Macdonald)

Raul — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:28:07 +0000

It’s rare that I trek down to Kitsilano these days (even though I teach at UBC, I mostly commute directly from either home or my office, and back). So when my good friend Erica Hargreave told me whether I’d like to join her to check out something in the neighbourhood after a lovely walk, I said “but, of course!” We found ourselves around 3:45pm not having had a proper lunch and we thought “we might need a snack or something before we head down to our respective social engagements” so we ended up stopping at Café Vergnano 1882 (on West Broadway and a couple of blocks east of Macdonald). We were impressed by the cute decor.

We also found that Café Vergnano 1882 had a very relaxing atmosphere. A bit too relaxing, perhaps.

We were greeted by a friendly attendant who mentioned we could share a sandwich and each have a bowl of soup, which we did and it was rather inexpensive ($18 for the combo). We ordered a turkey with pesto sandwich and a curry ginger and carrot butternut squash soup. Delicious, to be quite honest. I’ll definitely come here more often for lunch. Apparently it’s a great place for coffee too!

Disclosure: Both Erica and I paid for our lunch out of our own pocket.

Romer’s Burger (Kitsilano, on 4th Avenue)

Raul — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 01:30:33 +0000

I try hard to make it to my good friends’ birthdays, but sometimes for one reason or another, that doesn’t work. So I always make at least a serious attempt at spending quality time with them on a one-on-one basis. This is the case with my friend Chris Walts, whom as you know, celebrated his birthday recently.

I was away on Vancouver Island on a writing retreat so I didn’t celebrate him on the actual day of his birthday. But we did end up going to Romer’s Burger this week because I had heard a lot about it and I wanted to try it. While I arrived a bit late and thus have no idea how good the service was before I got there, once I was there, we did get our food fairly promptly.

I ordered a SoCal Turkey Burger (Fraser Valley turkey, fresh-sliced avocado, Soleggiati tomatoes, organic watercress, red onion, orange mayo, $10) and Chris ordered a Green Chili Chicken Cheddar Burger (Lemon griddled free-run chicken breast, house-made green chili sauce, fresh avocado, minced red onion, plenty of cheddar, Habanero Pepper Verdelait, $12). To share, we ordered a basket of fries with 2 dips (aioli mayo and chipotle mayo).

I loved the fact that our fries seemed to have been dipped in garlic oil and freshly cut garlic. Chris is a bit more of a fries snob so he wasn’t all that impressed.

Overall, the food at Romer’s Burger is definitely delicious. I would totally come back for a burger any time (in fact, I am SO taking JT there for dinner next time we are supposed to be going out).

Disclosure: I paid for Chris and my dinner at Romer’s Burger on my own dime.

Piato Estiatorio (Kitsilano)

Raul — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:00:45 +0000

I love Greek food, and coincidentally, every time I’ve gone to a play or a movie in Kitsilano with my good friend Jason Sanders we have ended up eating Greek food (we went this past spring to see The Wedding Singer at the Jericho Arts Centre and then for dinner to Kerkis Taverna, both in Kitsilano. Jason took me for dinner to Piato Estiatorio as I had wanted to try it for a while, and it was very near by Fifth Avenue Cinemas, where we went to see the Waiting For Superman’s premiere.

We ordered a $25 fixed price menu. I started with an Avgolemono (a chicken soup finished with egg, lemon and dill garnish – not my favorite, but good) as a first course. My main course was a ling cod (pan fried, served with steamed greens and roasted seasonal veggies – this one was my favorite dish). The dessert was Greek yogurt Sundae with candied pecans and grape spoon sweets, which was amazing, I have to admit. I could NOT finish it, sadly.

The service was excellent, and for the prix fixe, we really got good value. Both Jason and I really enjoyed (and thanks Jason for taking me out for dinner!). I’ll probably come back to Piato Estiatorio at some point in the next few months. Good Greek food at reasonable prices, not exorbitant.

Room Eighteen (Kitsilano)

Raul — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:35:16 +0000

After Susanne Conrad’s excellent workshop (imagine1day), a group of friends (and friends of friends) and I went for a much-deserved drink. I got a chance to meet Jocelyn Ling, organizer of the workshop, and hang out with a good friend of mine, André Malan, and a few of his friends too. Good times all around. As for the place, Room Eighteen, I had already been here before with my group of non-online friends, but I never wrote about it.

The food is good, I ordered a burger with a Caesar salad ($11). Not impressed with the salad, particularly because they wouldn’t give me a 50/50 split on salad and fries (which normally EVERY restaurant does), and also, the balsamic vinegar on a Caesar salad doesn’t really jive. There weren’t any capers either. But the one thing that made my night was the excellent service. Our waitress was really speedy, and attentive. We ordered 2 pitchers of sangria ($26 each), which while feeling slightly watery, was good enough.

While my friends ordered wings (some covered with mole, which was pretty authentic if I say so myself), and they were really good, wings aren’t really my thing (I know, I’m weird in what I eat). But they loved them, and the one I tried was good too. That’s also traditional pub fare, I might add. The rest of my Flickr photo set is here.

Would I come back to Room Eighteen? Yeah, I would. It’s not super expensive, and it’s a decent enough alternative to many pretentious bars. This is pretty much a sports bar, where you come, eat your burger and fries and watch the hockey game and have a beer. Simple works.

Dinner at Q4 Restaurant (Quattro on Fourth)

Raul — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:50:00 +0000

I have incredibly fond memories of Q4 Restaurant (formerly Quattro on Fourth). A few years ago, when I defended my doctoral dissertation, Dr. Thomas W. Ross (one of the best scholars in industrial organizations in Canada and my boss for many, many years as I was his research assistant during my MBA and my PhD) took me to Quattro on Fourth for dinner.

As he indicated, he wanted to take me out to a really nice restaurant to celebrate my accomplishments. And I think the general perception of Quattro on Fourth (now Q4 Restaurant) has always been (at least in my circles) as an elegant, classy and tasty Italian restaurant.

So when I got an invite to dine here while my Mom was still in town, I jumped at the opportunity. My Mom’s birthday (as you may have read) was on July 26th, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to celebrate her as she would be back in Mexico. So I decided to accept Q4′s invitation and take her as my guest. It was one of the best decisions I have made, seriously. I already knew that Q4′s food would be great, but I hadn’t had a chance recently to see the innovations in the menu, nor the different approaches that they had been implementing.

I had several opportunities throughout our dinner to chat with Patrick Forsi, who has been the owner ever since Q4 was Quattro (and he now has a new partner in the business). Michelle, our server (who is absolutely amazing, I might add), got us started with a “small” version of their antipasto. I specifically requested it to be small as I wanted to sample more of the food during my visit. You can see the “small” antipasto below (honestly, I thought we weren’t going to finish and this was just a primo).

I was particularly taken with the sample of Arancini di Riso (Dungeness crab and Arborio rice croquetta with a caper and lemon aioli served with a shaved fennel salad), the salmon carpaccio and the Polpette di Nonno (housemade meatballs in a marsala caramelized onion pomodoro served with a pesto and parmigiano crostini).

As I usually do, I kept looking around to see what the other tables were ordering – a family sitting behind my Mom and I ordered a pasta sampler, so I had to request the same (unfortunately, in small version, because if I ordered what the normal order size was, what the family was eating, I would have probably walked out bouncing and unable to move). This combination, the Pasta Pazza e Pezzi ($20.95 per person, for a minimum of two) is a combination of four classic pastas: Fettucine Ghiottone, Garganelli Arrabiatta, Fusilli Tartufate and Linguini Pest.

As I am an Italian food addict, I ordered on behalf of Mom and I. We were offered as indicated above Garganelli Arrabiatta (garganelli with pancetta, mushrooms, fresh tomato and peperoncino), Fettucine Ghiottone, Fusilli Tartufate (fusilli with wild mushrooms, porcini cream and shaved reggiano parmigiano) and Linguini Pesto. All of these favorites of mine, specially the Ghiottone.

When we came to dessert, I was pretty much the only one who was going to eat it. Not because my Mom didn’t like the desserts themselves, but just because she knew that I was going to eat it all. Which I proceeded to do, with much delight.

The truth be told, for the longest time I thought of Q4 as a restaurant to go when it was special occasions. But Patrick told me that they instituted Pasta Tuesdays (with a variety of pastas for only $10) precisely to dispel that notion, and just to tell people that you could just come for dinner on Tuesday and enjoy a good, solid Italian dinner without breaking the bank (which is important!).

Overall, I will definitely come back for dinner many times, and in particular, with people I care for. Thanks to Q4 Ristorante for inviting me along with my Mom, she absolutely loved it!

Disclosure: Our dinner and drinks (my Mom and mine) at Q4 Ristorante were complimentary (and a very kind gesture as my Mom was leaving town and this was a great way to send her off). 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.

Trattoria Italian Kitchen (@Glowbal_Group)

Raul — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:00:04 +0000

I had wanted my Mom to spend some more time with JT than just a brief “hi, how are you” so I took him and my Mom for dinner to what was the last of the Glowbal Group restaurant chain in my list of “I have to eat here“. While I have been to the original Italian Kitchen (in downtown Vancouver, Alberni and Burrard), I hadn’t been yet to Trattoria Italian Kitchen.

I did not pay attention to be quite honest to what dishes we had, as my Mom had the feature pasta (with jalapeño peppers and prawns, as a matter of fact) and I had a new dish (the PDF version of their previous menu is here – the dish I had hasn’t been posted yet). The service was great, and our food was brought to us promptly and courteously. All of our entrées were priced in the range of $12-$16.

Mom and I ordered mojitos ($8, the special feature for last night) but surprisingly, the server brought my Mom the one she didn’t want (watermelon), identical to the one I did want (she had ordered peach). Other than that minor glitch, our dinner was super smooth and tasty. Dinner for 3 came to less than $65 before taxes and gratuity, which isn’t all that bad quite honestly. I would come back to Trattoria Italian Kitchen, although I will admit that next time I’m sticking to my trusty Kobe Meat Balls and/or Puttanesca.

Refuel Neighbourhood Bar and Restaurant (Kitsilano)

Raul — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:30:21 +0000

I am really fond of Campagnolo and Refuel, both restaurants I have had dinner at and appreciate. Recently, Refuel partnered with me for one of my three Father’s Day giveaway (dinner and a theatre show, in this case, the combo was at Bard on the Beach with dinner at Refuel – side note, these giveaways were wildly successful). So, I was delighted to come by for dinner with Lisa, Greg, Lisa’s sister, Jenny and Thad, and Colleen. We were there to celebrate Jenny and Thad visiting Vancouver, and we all had a great time. I had sworn off alcohol for a while and thus wasn’t able to taste the delightful concoction that Rob created in honor of Jenny.

That said, I was totally looking forward to the burger-and-a-drink special advertised on Refuel’s menu. I didn’t order beer, but I had pop with it.

As noted on their menu, the burger & a beer special ($15.50 daily from 3pm – 6pm & 9pm – close), is a dry-aged beef burger topped with bacon & cheddar (I ordered mine without the cheese), served with fries & a R&B Brewing Co. beer. It’s a pretty damn good deal and while my photo does not make justice (I hadn’t had a chance to have a photo with my new camera), it was SO big and SO tasty it was impossible to finish it all.

At $15.50, it’s in the range of prices of most places I’ve been to for Burger-and-a-Beer combos. Thanks so much to Lisa for taking us all out for dinner, and to everyone who were there because it was a heck of a lot of fun. I will have to come back to Refuel to get a taste of many of their other dishes, and I will for sure be back.

Kerkis Greek Taverna [Kitsilano]

Raul — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:15:37 +0000

Kerkis Greek Taverna
3605 W 4th Ave
Vancouver, BC V6R

As we made our way towards Jericho Arts Centre for an evening of The Wedding Singer (produced by Fighting Chance Productions), Jason and I thought about the fact that we might need some food before the play. Frankly, given my crazy schedule (which has consisted of marking, marking and more marking, peppered with some social events), I wasn’t even all that hungry.

But I’m glad we settled for Kerkis Greek Taverna (we needed to eat close by, within walking distance from the Jericho Arts Centre). I hadn’t been to any of the Kitsilano restaurants in the area of 4th and Alma in a few months, so it was a good refresher. Moreover, I had a chance to try a new restaurant, hang out with a friend (Jason) and also eat Greek food, something that I really need to do more often. Kerkis Greek Taverna’s Dine Out Vancouver menu was a mere $ 18 for three courses. My appetizer was dolmathes, a dish I really enjoy as it’s light and tasty, with a main course of chicken souvlaki with rice and vegetables.

I’ve eaten Greek food all over this city. From Bouzyos on Commercial Drive to Stepho’s on Davie to Alexis (now relocated to Cambie and almost 18th Avenue), I can safely say that I have tried good Greek food (though I’m still curious about the strip of Greek restaurants near Broadway and Cambie)

And I’d have to say that I’d rank Kerkis Greek Taverna high up with some of the best Greek food I’ve tried. The souvlaki was excellent, the dolmathes were to-die-for and while I couldn’t finish my dessert (I chose ekmek, because had I had the baclava, that would have been about 4,240 calories I can’t afford right now). Overall, a very nice meal, and not expensive considering how much food prices have risen in our fair city.

Greek Day Vancouver 2009

Raul — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:57:30 +0000

A few years ago, while I was finishing my Masters degree, I was living on campus at UBC, near Kitsilano. Many of my close friends still live in the area, and I always strived to know more about the history of this beautiful neighbourhood. I learned that there used to be a very strong enclave of Greek migrants in the Kitsilano area, and while the demographic composition of the neighbourhood is much more diverse now, there’s still a strong sense of a Greek community. And that’s why Kitsilano is the host of the 2009 Greek Day festival. I was lucky last year in that I attended Greek Day with my good friend HZ.

From their event overview:

The Canadian Hellenic Congress of BC, with support from the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce and West Broadway Business Association are pleased to announce that June 2009 is officially named the Greek Heritage Month in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The event, which has enjoyed tremendous success since 2005, will include a number of exciting cultural activities scheduled at various venues in Vancouver. The grand finale to this event: Greek Day 2009 will take place on Sunday June 21st, 2009 along the West Broadway corridor in the heart of Kitsilano. [Greek Day 2009]

For a PDF version of the program you can click here – Greek Day is the culmination of Greek Heritage Month and it takes place on Sunday June 21st, 2009. Since it’s my usual JT day I might swing by for a bit, but not sure if that’ll be the case since I have my heart set on Buntzen Lake and a hike.

Restaurant review – The Wolf and Hound (Kitsilano)

Raul — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:30:40 +0000

I had the pleasure of going for dinner with my friend DA, who had just defended his PhD thesis, and his parents. We started with beer and dinner at The Wolf and Hound and continued with dessert at True Confections. I had been to the Wolf and Hound before, but definitely this was the best time I’ve ever had. The company was really what made it all worth it. The food was good, although not all that to write home for. Again, it was mostly my friend and his parents that made it all better.

The food is typical Irish pub fare. I ordered a burger with fries, and nothing really to write home about. I had had brunch here before, and wasn’t all that impressed either. However, one of the highlights of The Wolf and Hound is that you can listen to live Irish music with regularity, and the beer is good. I often come back with my friends, but only when I need to come to Kitsilano.

Restaurant review – Moderne Burger (Kitsilano)

Raul — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:30:41 +0000

Everybody has been asking me when my Moderne Burger review is coming out, ever since I announced that it was re-opening at the end of June 2008. So, I must say that …. Yes, it looks like a 50′s diner. Yes, it is beautiful inside, super clean, and not a single detail has been spared. Yes, it looks gorgeous. Yes, the staff are super friendly and absolutely deserve a praise. Yes, the waitress was EXTREMELY sweet and really good with our order. Yes, the owner came to apologize for the delay in serving our order (no worries, we were just chatting, so neither of us really did mind). Yes, I had a wonderful time catching up with Andy while having lunch at Moderne Burger. But… did Moderne Burger live to the hype?

I am sorry to say that um… no. It IS still a REALLY GOOD burger. But for all the hype, I seriously expected like, THE BEST BURGER ON THE PLANET. I consider myself a burger fanatic. I worship good burger joints. Since the demise of Sodas Diner and its transformation into The Dunbar, and given that some of my friends aren’t all that crazy about the Red Onion, I have been on a hunt for THE BEST BURGER IN VANCOUVER.

Sadly, I wouldn’t say that it was Moderne Burger’s. That being said, I have to admit. I really liked the burger, and the fries, but I would say that it wasn’t something to write my Mom (who lives 6,000 miles away) home about. One thing that is slightly annoying is to have to pay cash only, but that’s just a minor detail. However, I still prefer Splitz (on Main and 26th) to Moderne Burger. I’M SORRY! (I know I’m going to be excommunicated!)

I am fully aware that Moderne Burger is an institution in Kitsilano, that they really did a fantastic job of renovating, that everyone was really nice and kind to us while we were there, and that the food is good. It’s just that, again, as I mentioned in my review of the Sunshine Diner, I wouldn’t travel here for a good burger. I have Splitz literally eight blocks away from my house, why would I want to come all the way here (except, as I did this time, to meet a friend for lunch, enroute to my office, and to do a restaurant review of a burger joint that has long been praised as an institution in Vancouver). But again, if you are a Kitsilano (or nearby locations) resident, by all means, come down to Moderne Burger! Even if just to say you’ve eaten there. And again, the food is definitely not bad

Restaurant review – Sunshine Diner (Kitsilano)

Raul — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:00:40 +0000

Knowing myself and how structured a life I have, it’s kind of funny to see myself responding positively to last-minute, “hey Raul are you doing anything right now? Let’s do breakfast/do lunch/have coffee/have drinks/go for a drive/shopping RIGHT NOW” kind of phrases Structure, people, structure! My best friend is chocolate, but my second-best is my Google Calendar. However, I never let the opportunity to spend time with a good friend slip away, and everyone who knows me, knows that I’ll pretty much always say yes if I have the time and the opportunity arises to hang out.

Thus, earlier this past week, when my good friend LiB (I now have three LBs in my life, so this is a way to identify her without revealing any personal information) said on MSN “hey Raul, let’s do breakfast, I got an appointment later“, I just simply had to say yes. Ever since I moved from Kitsilano, I haven’t been back for food in a long while, despite the fact that MANY of my good friends live in Kits.

Anyways, when LiB suggested breakfast, I said “ok, let’s do Sunshine Diner. I haven’t been there in a long while, and it’s due for a restaurant review“. Got ready really quickly and headed down to meet her. Good times. We really enjoy our time together and we hadn’t caught up in AGES, so it was just nice to just hang out, eat good food and catch up.

The brunch, you ask? Hmmm… It was good. Nothing unexpected. The Sunshine Diner is good for comfort food, although the service is sometimes slightly suspect. I am not one to complain, though. The waitresses seemed to recognize me, because at the beginning they were slightly stand-offish and then they were really friendly.

While the breakfast food itself was good, it wasn’t something to write home about either (I don’t know if it is that I simply have tried way too many brunch restaurants already and I am definitely sold on The Nice Cafe and Crave). I have been disappointed with brunch food lately, with the exception of the spots I mention above. Not sure why that is.

I often ask my friends to tell me what they think of the food when we go out. I asked LiB what she thought and she mentioned it was good, but it wasn’t something, super special. I had a similar reaction later in the week with Andy at Moderne Burger. Good food, yeah – but nothing really to write home about. *sigh* Again, I am not saying Sunshine Diner is bad. It’s not, it’s good food. I just don’t think I’m going to travel all the way from Main to Kits in order for me to have breakfast here. But if you are a Kitsilano regular, and come down often, the Sunshine Diner is definitely one of the spots to check out.

Moderne Burger is opening on Friday June 27th, 2008

Raul — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:35:17 +0000

I wish I could say “You read it first on Random Thoughts of a Student of the Environment“, but unfortunately that is NOT the case SIGH. I read about Moderne Burger opening actually on Kitsilano.ca, a group blog spearheaded by Rob from TechVibes, and then I checked both Roland and Barb’s Van Eats and Andrew Morrison’s Urban Diner.

Just in case you were wondering if the buzz is warranted, you can read the photo above: “The two Moderne Burger addicts are back in rehab due to the diner being closed for renos. We miss you already and we’ll be back with a vengeance as soon as the gates re-open!!! Your loving clients, Mel + E“. If you ARE or you know Mel + E, drop me a comment on this post or send me an e-mail.

While some people debate whether Moderne Burger is *the* burger joint of choice in Vancouver, I am keen to try it out. Anyone want to join? – contact me via e-mail, drop a comment, or send me a tweet. And, if you are the owner of Moderne Burger, I’d love to be on your guest list for Friday! Yeah! Avoid the line-ups! YOWZA!!!

Restaurant review – Las Margaritas (Kitsilano)

Raul — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 00:32:00 +0000

I regret having recommended Las Margaritas to John and Rebecca. Honestly, it used to be much better. But the place has gone downhill. I went there with L, W, K and R for brunch a few weeks back, and the first thing I noticed is that their brunch menu is totally non-existent.

The prices have gone up, and for a simple mango salad, I wouldn’t pay $8 bucks (anywhere). The service was absolutely terrible. I was going to order the Huevos Rancheros (which in the standard format are over-easy). But I don’t like over-easy eggs, so I told the waitress that I’d like to see if they could do my eggs scrambled and without cheese. She bluntly and rudely said “we won’t change our menu for you”. I was totally stunned.

Then she basically dumped my glass of Coca-Cola on the table, and continued showing a really rude attitude. Of course, when I paid my part, I gave her a very minimal tip (I would have not left any tip but I was with my friends, who did tip, so I felt somewhat obligated).

With Las Margaritas, it won’t be “debut y despedida” but absolute farewell. I am NOT coming back here, and I will not recommend it ever again. At least not until the restaurant owners have fired this woman, revamped their brunch menu and instilled some sense of customer service on their staff.

UPDATE – I still think Las Margaritas is horrible, but somehow my Spoonback code hadn’t been inserted. So here it is. And I totally disagree with the >70% “like it”. As you can see from the comments below, this restaurant sucks.

Restaurant review – Browns Social House

Raul — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 21:39:00 +0000

A large majority of my friends live in the South Granville/Kitsilano area. I lived there myself for almost 6 years before moving further east, and therefore I know where to eat in Kits if need be. K and L had wanted to try Browns Social House for brunch and I agreed, so off we went.

I want to imagine that this place is much better at night, but I can’t help but agree with the first comment I found on DineHere.ca on Browns Social House. The music was super loud, so I had to ask them to lower the volume. And, at best, their brunch food is mediocre. I ordered a basic brunch with eggs with sausage and toast which was overpriced at $ 9.00. I had to customize my order to have it with scrambled eggs (which are in no way close to Burgoo’s or Crave on Main’s scrambled eggs). My friends K and L requested a chicken salad that was totally drenched in dressing. Overall, not a nice experience.

Now, the staff is totally sweet and nice, but they really need to update their brunch-serving skills. There’s an art in how to serve brunch food. You need to offer sauces (hot sauce, HP sauce), refills on coffee and water, jam for your toast and ketchup. I had to request, well, pretty much everything. And the servers (again, totally sweet) looked almost puzzled that we were asking for “can you bring me some HP sauce, hot sauce, jam“?

I eat out a lot, and I am a loyal customer of a lot of different restaurants, from very fancy, high-end to holes-in-the-wall. But I can tell you this much: I am not coming back to Browns Social House. As we say in my family “debut y despedida” (debut and farewell). If I want awesome brunch, I can go to any of Crave on Main, The Nice Cafe, Sunset Grill, and the list goes on. Browns does not qualify in my books as the place to go for brunch. Maybe I’ll try it for dinner or drinks. But not any time soon.

UPDATE – I had to edit this entry because my very good friend L reminded me that it was incredible that we had to basically ask for scrambled eggs and that Browns’ scrambled eggs do not compare in any way, shape or form to Crave on Main or Burgoo’s. So if you want unbelievable scrambled eggs (and brunch, in general) – two of my favorite restaurants, Crave or Burgoo. I recently had brunch at The Nice Cafe and Rhizome, two of my other favorites.

Restaurant review – Incendio Pizzeria

Raul — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:22:00 +0000

Finding good Italian food in Vancouver is a challenge. Not for lack of restaurants, but sometimes for lack of consistency. Nevertheless, I’ve been very lucky in that I always end up finding good Italian restaurants. Incendio is one of the best, and it has two locations that I know of: Incendio West on Burrard and 6th and Incendio in Gastown (on Columbia near Water).

Truth be told I have only had pasta here. The name Pizzeria means that it sells pizza, but I’ve never had it here. Shame on me, yeah. But hey if I am going Italian, I might as well have pasta! Anyhow, I have read some mixed reviews, but I’m going to have to say that this is a solid place. Every time I’ve had dinner at Incendio (both locations), the food has been great.

Pasta is hard to do well because sometimes it may be overcooked or undercooked. I find that Incendio’s pasta is consistently good. Their portions are generous. Furthermore, they seem to be willing to experiment with flavours. More recently I’ve sampled some non-traditional pasta, like penne with curry. And I’ve got to say I like it a lot. Incendio likes to experiment with these non-traditional flavors too, which I appreciate. The Dragon’s Breath pasta is unbelievably good. And their Puttanesca is very good, a worthy rival to that of Water Street Cafe. Their Pancetta pasta is excellent too.

Again, I admit I have nothing to say about their pizza because I have never had pizza there. But the service (bread and water refills) is top-notch. Many people like this place for dinner and a movie at 5th Avenue Cinemas.

Coffee shop review – Higher Grounds

Raul — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:40:00 +0000

If you love hanging out and drinking coffee in Kitsilano, and eavesdropping on loud customers’ conversations does not bother you, you’ll love Higher Grounds.

The coffee is really good and I always have a fun time watching customers. Drawbacks – wireless is not officially theirs (you might catch some signals here and there) and not enough electrical energy plugs. So this is perhaps a good place for a nice read, work on something that doesn’t require much internet and/or just relax sipping a nice coffee. It still remains one of my favourite coffee shops.

Location I have been to: Broadway at Vine.

Restaurant review – The Sunset Grill

Raul — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:49:00 +0000

This is one of the best places for brunch. Consistently reliable, great service, friendly, not overpowering. I love the Sunset Grill‘s Huevos Rancheros and the standard brunch fare they offer. The best thing about this place? Location. It is so close to Kitsilano Beach and to other amenities/restaurants that it’s almost impossible to miss it. Located at York and Yew (if I am not mistaken, which I think I am not), the Sunset Grill offers comfort brunch food.

I remember reading that they offered burgers, beers, and specials. So if you are a Kitsilano resident and want to just go rent a movie (there’s a Rogers Video right beside) and then have some lunch at the Sunset Grill, that sounds like a nice lazy afternoon for me!

Restaurant review – Coppertank Grill (Kitsilano)

Raul — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:43:00 +0000

Ok, so since we’re on the topic of watering holes, it would also be unfair not to review Coppertank. I recently went to Coppertank with M and A, but I had also been there a few times with other friends. In reading some reviews of Coppertank, it appears as though people love the fact that it’s an unpretentious, boisterous place where you can have a beer and a burger.

I would compare it to The Five Point on Main Street and almost 15th Avenue, but I have to say that Coppertank feels a bit more cozy. It’s perhaps the fact that they have live bands sometimes. And I really enjoy the burgers there. I just wish they had the $10 burger-and-a-beer combo. Speaking of which, I know Stamps Landing Pub and the Five Point DO have said combo.

Coppertank is great to meet your Kitsilano friends or take an out-of-towner who enjoys good beer and food. Just about everyone fits here! Of course you can come here just for the beer, but I would never do that. I need my burgers

Restaurant review – The Fringe Cafe

Raul — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:23:00 +0000

Best place for a jug of beer and hang out with good friends? The Fringe Cafe, hands down. I love this place. I have been here numerous times (quite obviously since many of my friends live in Kitsilano). The Broadway strip from Alma to Macdonald has lots of interesting places worth visiting. Since I went to the recent Greek Festival for a very brief period of time, I thought it was just timely that I write a review of The Fringe Cafe (or The Fringe as we call it).

I raved about Cactus Club’s jambalaya recently. Well, honestly, The Fringe Cafe has a jambalaya that rivals that of Cactus. My brother is quite a picky eater and he loves it. My friends love the beer (I am not a heavy drinker, but I can appreciate a good draught).

The Fringe is a really cool place to hang out and just have a good time. I know for a fact that I’ll be coming back. My closest friends used to toy with the idea of coming down here for drinks as they knew I had some negative associations (heartbreaks). But I never stopped loving the Fringe. I never will And apparently, neither will these reviewers [I love Martiniboys' reviews ]

Restaurant review – Bistrot Bistro

Raul — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:26:00 +0000

Located near 4th Avenue and Arbutus, Bistrot Bistro is a French food place in the heart of Kitsilano. Now, for those of you who think I have betrayed my East Vancouver roots, well… I hadn’t been to a place in Kitsilano in a while and I thought it was worth it. Besides, it was the very intimate celebration of one of my very best friends so I simply couldn’t refuse to go down to Kits (plus I don’t get any say in the decision!). Nevertheless, her choice was excellent. Besides, we DID indeed want to try a new restaurant.

While we were cautiously optimistic (the restaurant website is rather pretty and sophisticated but needs some work I think), once we got there we were treated to a phenomenal dinner. For le premiere assiette we ordered several appetizers (including salmon mousse and a charcuterie platter). We then followed with a few French classics: boeuf bourguignon, rabbit in tomato black olive sauce and a fisherman’s stew pot.

If only we knew beforehand that the portions were humongous, we probably would have starved to death for four days before heading to Bistrot Bistro. At the end we ended up taking home a large portion of our dinners. But the dessert… OMG the dessert! Their desserts are also served in huge portions. Their chocolate mousse is to-die-for, their crepes are amazing, and of course the profiteroles. It almost reminded me of the last time I was in Paris.

The full staff (and I believe the owner) are French speakers (and if I am not mistaken, pretty much from France as well). So I got to practise my French with them. It also helped having a native French speaker with us for dinner.

All in all, it was an out-of-the-world experience. We would definitely return for dinner and/or just dessert. Actually, I’d be happy to just come for dessert. It is SO worth it. But I think that the experience was also heightened because we were celebrating a dear friend’s birthday. It does really have something to do with it.

So, in a nutshell – would I recommend Bistrot Bistro for dinner? Absolutely. Their menu is amazing. Just one word of warning: the place is small and crammed. The space is so tight that you will literally have conversations with your neighbours over their food (… ooops). Strategic recommendations on how to enjoy this place the best? Probably come late because if you show up at 7.30pm you’re going to find the place completely packed. That’s why I said that perhaps next time we’ll end up just doing dessert. Totally worth it.

PS – While surfing the website, I noticed that the owners posted ALL the review (good AND bad) of Bistrot Bistro, as a reminder (more or less in their own words) of the fact that “each night is a new show”. They certainly pulled it off with us, as we tend to be picky diners. I should commend Bistrot Bistro’s management team for doing that. I hope their level of service stays the same. Our waiter was really good and attentive.

Coffee shop review – The Elysian Room

Raul — Sat, 26 May 2007 00:05:00 +0000

Since most of my friends are Kits-centric, I have had to re-adjust and come back to some old haunts. The Burrard stretch between Broadway and 4th Avenue has always been an area where me and my friends hang out. I couldn’t tell you how many times I have taken in a movie at 5th Avenue Cinemas.

The advantage of The Elysian Room is that it’s so close to 5th Avenue Cinemas. A few months ago, I met up at the here with L and M as they were going to watch a movie, and we had a very nice coffee. In my opinion, the coffee is very good, although the food is expensive for what it is.

Since I have been so strapped for time, it was nice to sit at a great coffee shop for an hour in between tasks. I have read some rave reviews and some nasty ones, but I’d really reccommend it. The baristas are nice people.

Eatery review – The Papaya Hut

Raul — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:44:00 +0000

Strategically located on Burrard near Broadway, the Papaya Hut is a true gem of good Thai food. The place is small. Very small, although I am sure it is certainly bigger than some establishments in the downtown Vancouver area. The food is amazing and the service is quick and corteous.

A combination # 1 will be hovering around $ 11.00 (plus tax and tip) and you get to enjoy satay, salad, good quality rice and one menu item. I ordered the yellow curry, and quickly discovered that Thai food can be extremely hot even for my palate! My complaint is not with the actual quality of the food, but with the spice in it. Salads are not supposed to be hot. This salad was. So was the dip for my chicken Satay and I don’t even want to mention the yellow curry.

I got to the point where it was clearly inedible. I had to take my food to go and come home and mix it with coconut milk. So, if you happen to order at the Papaya Hut (they have delivery within reasonable distances) or eat in, I would recommend to make sure that your food can be eaten (mine was too hot).

Still, lots of people have praised it and I enjoyed the food (while I could eat it). I have seen that they have lunch for $ 5.95. Now, that’s what I call good food at a reasonable price!

Note to my readers: Please be informed that the next few restaurant reviews will discuss fast-food, cheap-eats. Not fast food in the way of McD or BK, or KFC, but local haunts with small places that provide sustenance in order to go on with our daily activities. I’ve decided to name these posts “Eatery review”, and the label for this type of post will be “cheap eats”.

Restaurant review – The Gramercy Grill

Raul — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:55:00 +0000

Located almost at the corner of 10th Avenue and Arbutus, The Gramercy Grill was one of the restaurants that kept me puzzled and intrigued for a long time. You’ll see, I am fascinated by spatial location and geography. So, for a few years now I had always wondered … “where do residents of the 12th and Arbutus area go for brunch/coffee/dinner?”… it didn’t seem as though they had much choice other than going north towards 4th Avenue (where you can of course find– well, just about anything you want!).

Apparently, the Gramercy Grill is the answer to my question. Catering to the local community, and quite strategically located (you can’t really beat this location – even if you take the bus, you can reach it quickly through the 16 Arbutus or 9 Broadway), this place is also considered a “posh”, high end restaurant (though apparently, other reviewers think of this place as a casual bistro or even a sports bar?!). I kid you not, the decor and the ambiance was definitely sophisticated.

My friend L took two of her closest friends (one of them, me of course!) for brunch at the Gramercy Grill. This happened a few weeks back, so yes, this review is delayed! At any rate, I digress… I happened to order a chorizo-based scrambled eggs plate, and some coffee. I have to say that, despite the fact that the eggs were nice, and the chorizo was good, I was not overly impressed. The place is relatively pricey for what they offer for brunch. BUT (and here is the big but) I don’t believe they cater to “brunchers”.

I came across their “Dine-Out-Vancouver” menu and for a measly $ 25.00 you could have had a really amazing dinner. So, it would be unfair to qualify the Gramercy Grill as an overrated place. I believe that their specialty is dinner, so I’ll have to come back for that. The service is absolutely friendly and adorable, and the decor is fabulous. Besides, on that specific occasion we were celebrating my friend, so the company made this brunch date totally worth it.

Restaurant review: Moderne Burger (Not yet!)

Raul — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 05:34:00 +0000

My friend J asked me if I had ever had Moderne Burger’s food ever – she claims that it’s better than Vera’s Burger Shack (I am not about to engage in a dispute with a true Kitsilano resident, so I’ll just say — “ok, if you say so”). But this is the reason why I haven’t been to Moderne Burger: They are closed for renovations!

If you read below, I reviewed Alexis Restaurant a few weeks back. Well, on our way to the bus stop, H and I walked past Moderne Burger, and they were closed! I couldn’t help but laugh incontrollably when I read the sign posted outside. You will understand when you see it!

Restaurant review: Vera’s Burger Shack

Raul — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:10:00 +0000

Finally, somebody had mercy on me and decided to bring Vera’s Burger to the Main Street area (SoMa or Mount Pleasant, depending on what you want to call it). Located between 14th and 15th Avenues (2922 Main Street), Vera’s Burger is a true Vancouver gem. I don’t care what people say about other burger places, Vera’s Burger is by and large, the best burger in town. And apparently, everybody in Vancouver thinks the same way! I was just reading the West Ender and I found that Vera’s Burger was voted AGAIN Best Burger in Town (Gold Award).

I had stopped at Vera’s Burger with many of my friends (different locations: on Davie Street, at UBC, on Cornwall Street) [note: this was usually because they were drunk or hung over and needed FOOD pronto!] but I had never actually eaten there until last Sunday. Wow, do they ever make a wonderful burger! I had the Drunk Chicken and loved it. My brother also loves Vera’s Burger (and he is a true connoisseur). So, I can’t be wrong. Vancouver can’t be wrong. Thank you Vera’s Burger for bringing amazing burgers closer to our neighbourhood.

Restaurant review – Alexis Restaurant

Raul — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 05:56:00 +0000

I should’ve probably posted this two weeks ago, but I’ve been so insanely busy I haven’t had a chance (plus I had to catch up with work – now on a regular schedule, 8am to 8pm). At any rate, two Sundays ago I was still feeling depressed, so my good friend H invited me out for dinner (in his own words, “because I had had a rough week”, which was totally true). I got to pick up the restaurant, and I chose Alexis Restaurant. Now, with this very good friend of mine I really think twice about the restaurant choices I make, since I want him to get to know the good things Vancouver has. I think that I’m doing good so far.

Alexis is the best Greek restaurant in town hands down. I am sorry for those who love Stephos, Characters, etc. I love their food too. But Alexis just has that je ne sais quoi. It doesn’t hurt that the food is amazing and quite inexpensive. You can’t go wrong with their choices of full-meal deals. Their dolmathes are unbelievable, the chicken breast with rice and potatoes is amazing. I mean, I can’t stop saying nice things about Alexis. The owners are the sweetest (thanks for all that ouzo, Theo!) and the waitresses are adorable (I particularly love Vicki).

H and I had a really great time, and it was a great evening before he headed off to Wikiland (no, not Wikipedia you dorks! Wikiland = New Zealand, the land where kiwis are from ) … I hope he’s having a wonderful time there (and yeah, well, some degree of academic enjoyment).