Lavidas

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This cozy little place offers a wide-ranging menu and a short but well-curated wine list.

It’s reasonably priced, like a small plate concept, but everything we tried was a generous serving, more of an entree size.

We particularly liked the vegetarian chili, mussels in curry sauce, and the dumplings. The ceviche was also interesting, more about the corn than the fish, and nicely spiced.

Caesar salad was the only miss; please stop messing with this classic dish and stick with romaine and croutons!

Service seemed a bit overwhelmed on a busy Saturday night, but the kitchen had no trouble keeping up.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/lavidas-vancouver

Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar

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Like its sister restaurant, Gotham Steakhouse, Hy’s offers a terrific afternoon happy hour in its bar. You can get a multi-course feast of snacks, cocktails, and wine for well under $200 per couple, which is much less than lunch or dinner here.

We started with the prawn cocktail, four large and very fresh prawns served with an excellent cocktail sauce. The we had the “famous” cheese toast, which is butter-grilled with a layer of cheese on top, and served in aluminum foil to keep it warm.

Our mains were the mini lobster rolls, which came on grilled feather-light brioche, and the prime rib sliders, the most substantial dish. Each slider included a wonderful onion ring, encouraging us to make a note to order onion rings as a side next time.

In addition to the great drink prices such as 40% off sparkling wines during happy hour, the dessert menu prices are also very reasonable. We had tableside Bananas Foster and Irish Coffee. Both were prepared in true classic fashion.

The bar area is cozy, with only a few tables, but I think I like the ambiance at Gotham’s larger bar better. But both are excellent choices for an afternoon meal.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/hys-steakhouse-and-cocktail-bar-vancouver-3

Guu with Garlic

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This is a traditional Japanese Izakaya with an extensive menu of both cooked and raw items.

I had the 5 Kinds of Sashimi, which consisted of 15 generous slices. Fish quality was very good.

Be sure to check out all the chalkboards around the room, as there are a lot of items that are not on the menu,

They have a nice selection of sake and beer, including my favorite Sapporo Black.

Service was friendly.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/guu-with-garlic-vancouver-2

Gotham Steakhouse & Bar

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The Social Hour at Gotham from 3-6 pm has to be one of the best deals in Vancouver. The regular lounge menu is 30% off, and you can also order from the dinner menu.

We love the lounge ambiance; it’s dark and cozy, very old school, but with a modern yet not too loud soundtrack. 

The featured cocktail of the day was a great concoction of rye that blended caramel and citrus flavors beautifully.

We started with the shrimp and scallop ceviche, a balanced combination of flavors served on some of the best guacamole in town. 

Next up was the portobello fries, a unique preparation of sliced, breaded and fried portobello mushrooms served with a flavored mayo. Delicious crust on these.

Most of the plates are for sharing, but one entree-sized plate is the steak sandwich, a way to try their prime meat for less than the dinner cost. I thought the meat was fine, but the highlight was the garlic toast it was served on.

We finished with the sticky toffee pudding, a deliciously gooey dessert lightened by some vanilla ice cream.

Service by Luke was impeccable. We’ll definitely add this to our list of favorite places.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/gotham-steakhouse-and-bar-vancouver

The Sequel

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I guess this place is still in “soft opening” so I’ll withhold final judgment, but I was expecting more. The preview menus online looked great, but we went for lunch/brunch, and there wasn’t anything terribly exciting.

I ended up ordering the “Duck Confit Hash and Chilli-Fried Egg:
duck leg confit, red onion, green chilli, flat-leaf parsley, broccolini, blackberry sauce, hashbrown, a sunny side up egg. “. With the word “hash” in the description–twice–I was expecting… well, hash. The dish consisted of a confit leg and thigh of duck, and about ten smashed but definitely not hashed potatoes. The “green chili” was several thin slices of jalapeno resting on the egg. It was okay, but certainly not as described. It was certainly the most inaccurately described dish I’ve ever had.

On the plus side, the build-out is lovely, and the service was good. A bar dominates the surprisingly small room, and the cocktails are creative and well-prepared.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sequel-vancouver

Yaletown Brewing Company

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This giant space has a traditional brewpub menu that features all of the standard gotos like chicken wings and burgers, but also some interesting twists. I enjoyed the Indonesian stirfry lettuce cups from the appetizer menu. As you would expect, they have a selection of in-housebrews. My go to is the Porter. Service is very friendly, and the pricing is reasonable.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/yaletown-brewing-company-vancouver

Chung Chun

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If you like corndogs you’ll love this Korean twist on them, which uses rice instead of corn. The result is a lighter batter and a crispy exterior crust.

I tried the basic beef hot dog, and it was excellent. There are also varieties that incorporate chicken, mozzarella, and even chocolate (!) There are also many sauce options.

It takes a while because each dog is prepared to order. Unfortunately there is no seating, so it’s best to go on a nice summer day and walk around with your dog-on-a-stick.

Stanley Park Brewing

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This brewery and pub is located at the edge of Stanley Park, overlooking English Bay. The menu offers pub favorites and their own line of beers.

Most of their beers are not to my taste, but the coffee stout I had on a recent visit was very good.

The highlight of the menu is the potstickers, which are consistently perfectly seared, and served in a delicious umami/vinegary sauce.

Pretzel bites are less interesting, and need more of a crust and more salt.

The pizza is also pretty good, with flavorful pepperoni, although I prefer it without the hot honey.

Sitting at the bar in the room on the left affords a view of the park and English Bay, and it’s a quieter room.

Service by Michelle was super cheerful and attentive.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/stanley-park-brewing-vancouver

The Sandbar

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The Sandbar is a cool restaurant nestled underneath the Granville Bridge on Granville Island. It boasts an impressive view of the peninsula on the other side of False Creek.

Food at the Sandbar is very similar to its sister restaurant, Cardero’s, on the opposite side of the peninsula.

We started with the Har Gow, shrimp & pork dumplings, which were served with hot mustard and chili sauce. 

My companion had the Clam chowder, and I had the fire-grilled sablefish (black cod). Both were very good. As at Cardero’s the accompanying vegetables are nothing to write home about.

Service was pleasant, and you can’t beat the view.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sandbar-seafood-restaurant-vancouver-2