Author Archives: steve

Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen

Posted on by

If you’re not sure what Himalayan food is, just think about Northern India. While there are definitely some Tibetan items on the menu, if you’re familiar with Indian restaurants you will feel right at home here, with items like papads, naan bread, and raita.

We purposely tried to order items we wouldn’t find at most Indian restaurants, and we were very impressed.

I had the Nepali Bhojan (Traditional Plate) with chicken at spice level 4 of 6, and it was perfect. The chicken was interestingly spiced and sauced, and the plate came with a delicious potato and spinach dish, rice, soup, raita, yogurt, naan, and papad.

The star, though was my companion’s Creamy Chicken Curry, a rich, tomato-based generous helping at spice level 3. It came with rice and soup. This will be my go-to next time.

Service was friendly, and the atmosphere of the intimate space is nice.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/gurkha-himalayan-kitchen-vancouver

Nook

Posted on by

This charming and intimate trattoria offers authentic rustic pizza and pastas in a cozy, welcoming environment.

The pizza is just like in Naples, with a thin center and poofy crust, perfectly sauced and cooked.

A small but well-thought-out wine list focuses on Italian wines.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Budino is a fabulous chocolate mousse-like dessert that goes great with an espresso.

The servers are friendly and enthusiastic, and obviously enjoy what they are doing, which creates wonderful hospitality.

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

Miko Sushi

Posted on by

This is the best sushi in the area. The place is charming and very authentic. The menu is extensive, to say the least. There’s the main menu, a lunch menu, and then the walls are covered in specials.

We went at a busy lunchtime and sat at the bar. The two sushi chefs were hustling. I had the 18-piece deluxe sashimi combo because that’s the way to judge a place’s fish. Everything was top-notch.

Service was friendly, and pricing is reasonable.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/miko-sushi-japanese-restaurant-vancouver

Lavidas

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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