Joey Bentall One

I love this upscale restaurant without the upscale prices. If there isn’t something on this menu that you want, you’re not hungry! It was really hard to choose between all the interesting appetizers, salads, and mains. 

We settled on the spicy crab dip, which was perfect–probably the best I’ve ever had, and served with wonderful grilled sour dough toast.

For my entree I had the yellowfin tuna salad, a wonderful, almost deconstructed combination of rare tuna, perfectly ripe avocado, mango peanuts, and greens served with a perfect champagne dressing.

It’s hard to believe this is a small chain, as the food and service have all the marks of a very passionately managed restaurant. Highly recommended.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/joey-bentall-one-vancouver-4

515 Bar

Excellent cocktail lounge with a small menu of appropriate noshes. Cool ambiance, and a pleasant, not overwhelming soundtrack.

We had several rounds of cocktails, all good, the standout being the Exit Strategy, a sort of coffee-infused Negroni made with tequila, if that makes any sense at all.

The charcuterie plate was particularly nice.

Pleasant and prompt service.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-515-bar-vancouver

The Red Accordion

I love the cozy ambiance of this charming restaurant. Divided into two dining rooms, two lounges, a bar, and two patios, there’s an ideal spot for everyone. Reservations are available on Tock for each separate area.

The cocktail list and wine menu are both extensive. I loved all the cocktails we tried; my favorites were the espresso-based ones. There’s something magical about a tiki drink with espresso, but the one with Licor 43 is even better.

We started with the Aint No Thang spicy chicken wings, which had a delicious sweet heat, especially if you got one of the red chili slices. The cheese plate was also delicious, and the accompanying sourdough toast was delightfully charred.

Entree standouts were the curry mussels and the Caesar salad (ask them to chop it up in the kitchen if you don’t want a whole head of iceberg).

Service was friendly and attentive. Note that it does take a while for cocktails to be prepared, as they are done individually by a single bartender, so plan ahead.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-red-accordion-vancouver