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NatureWurks
Where To Eat Tips
NatureWurk's staff is always
being asked about our favorite places to dine, we are happy to share with you
some of our experiences.
If you have any comments,
please
contact us
Below we hope you will find some
helpful advice for dining & traveling
in
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
Il
Giardino di Umberto
1382 Hornby St.
(Pacific St.), Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1W5 (604) 669-2422
Sublime food with pasta and game bias served to a trendy and
casually smart thirty-something clientele. Weekend
reservations are essential, especially for the superlative
vine-trailed outside terrace. Here you will see drivers and
team owners "... This restaurant with its sharply angled
entrance hall begins the process of moving you closer to
Tuscany. Beautifully tiled floors, walls the color of burnt
sienna, artwork galore and an outdoors garden patio that
makes dining outdoors so magical. All green and lush,
perfect for romance. Food is high-end but comfortable...."
Critic's Choice. While it might be nice to "move in and
marry the chef" of this Italian set in a Downtown heritage
house with a "gorgeous, rustic Tuscan interior", a
"seductive summertime afternoon on the patio" reveling in
"exceptional" food is a nice consolation; moreover, now that
service is "back on top", some "feel guilty leaving only a
20 percent gratuity" Reindeer, game birds, ostrich.. In one
of the city's most extensive wine lists, by no means limited
to Italian, you can nevertheless find good bottles within a
reasonable budget.
PRIVATE ROOMS (25-27).
Bishop's
2183 W. 4th Ave. Vancouver, Phone: 604/738-2025
"Bishop's is John Bishop personified: everything about the
restaurant has the man's stamp on it but in the most
un-egotistical way. Thoughtful, sincere, and unassuming yet
an unswerving perfectionist, John Bishop is a consummate
host who, in ten years of business, has placed his brand of
understated West Coast cuisine firmly on the map...." NW
Palate John Bishop established this restaurant as a favorite
in 1985 by serving West Coast Continental cuisine with an
emphasis on organic produce and British Columbia seafood.
Medallions of venison, smoked Alaskan black cod, or roasted
duck breast with dried fruit and ginger may be on the
seasonal menu. The small white rooms--there only ornament
some splashy expressionist paintings--are favored by Robert
De Niro, Glenn Close, Richard Gere, and other stars when
they're on location in Vancouver. Definitely suits and a
place to be seen, perhaps next to a movie star or two... The
desserts were out of this world, smooth, tasty, succulent,
great stuff. So, what do we say? First, the prices are equal
to the highest in town, and given both that and the
reputation of the restaurant one must expect perfection. A
good range of wines by the glass, an outstanding range of
wines by the half-bottle and quite a few modestly priced.
Dinner only. . AE, DC, MC, V.
Reservations essential.
" C "
2-1600 Howe St. Vancouver, Phone: 604/681-1164
Its marina-side location overlooking False Creek
makes a perfect setting for this seafood restaurant. Opened
in 1997 to high expectations, C appears to have met,
or exceeded, most of them in a "refreshingly cool,
minimalist", glassed-in space looking out over a
"spectacular" vista, "stretch your taste buds" and revel in
Robert Clark's "simply fabulous", "sumptuous", "truly
innovative" creations; the service is equally "fantastic",
so get in on this "wonderful adventure.". Danish chef Soren
Fakstorp trained in Europe and worked in Asia before coming
to Canada, and his experience shows in his innovative
approach to seafood, from the salmon grilled in wasabi to
the monkfish tournedos with seared foie gras.. The dinner
menu is adventurous, if more formal, although there is a
well displayed raw bar including oysters, marinated
scallops, gravlax, sashimi, and Russian, Iranian and B.C.
caviar. You might think that the wealth of delectable and
unusual ingredients might make for hasty and unpleasant
marriages - as so often happens when chefs try too hard. Not
here. Mind you, you must enter a conversation with your
knowledgeable waiter, because not all is clear -- sushi rice
tofu; gazpacho with ceviche, for example. Try the fresh
water striped bass, soya bean, and candied conch and kumquat
ragout. Crisp scallop and ahi tuna spring roll. Grilled
eggplant with tamarind and fig vinaigrette. How about
something with nauc cham? Poached Nova Scotia lobster with
lemongrass, lime, coconut cream, bamboo shoots, roasted
eggplant, lotus roots,and crisp sweet rice cake. Lobster
tail sashimi, Quebec foie gras, Russian caviar tasting
.There is a matchless wine list, well presented on the menu,
with careful suggestions for each course and now a full
range of premium sakes -- AND TEAS. .
AE, DC, MC, V.
Reservations essential
Chartwell
791 W. Georgia St. in Four Seasons Hotel above Pacific
Centre Vancouver, Phone: 604/689-9333(604) 844-6715
Named after Sir Winston Churchill's country home (a painting
of which hangs over the green marble fireplace), the
flagship dining room at the Four Seasons hotel has
floor-to-ceiling rich wood paneling and deep leather chairs
that help create a perfect setting for the city's top spot
for a power lunch. What's the "definition of fine dining?"
-- this "exceptional" Downtown Continental--Pacific
Northwest gem is a stellar example; rated No. 1 overall in
this Survey, a meal here is "luxury personified"; indulge in
"sublime", "imaginative" cuisine (courtesy of recently
arrived chef Douglas Anderson), perfectly paired with "fine
vintages" and "impeccably" served by a "personable" staff in
a "lush and plush" room; though "you'll spend plenty", this
"formal" "celebration" is "worth every penny." Chartwell is
quietly, assuredly and classically inventive with Asian
international influences. Selected for praise in the Paris
gourmet magazine Saveur Mai 95 and by Gourmet magazine
readers 97. …. The room, as indicated by the Churchillian
name, is comfy masculine elegance, club style, a little
stuffy for some, the service superb and assured, which some
guests are not. High roller business groups can spoil what
is naturally a quiet refined ambience.
Lumière
2551 West Broadway Phone (bet. Balsam & Trafalgar
Sts.), Vancouver, BC, V6K 2E9 (604) 739-8185 . Dinner
Nightly except closed Mondays.
Chef: Rob Feenie
"Nobody
makes more exciting meals" than Rob Feenie according to fans
of this "minimalist", "cutting-edge" West Side French; while
a few quibble over "unbelievable prices", devotees delight
in "excellent" and "imaginative" cuisine that achieves
"perfection" "without attitude" -- "this place rules!"
Modern. Right there up front with its truly delightful
presentation of all dishes, and its contemporary blending of
tastes.. The room is plain, smart, with excellent service,
and fully patronized. Yet, the style and cooking deserve
much better. The serried ranks of tables in a square room
are cold; the acoustics not good; in fact despite the
excellence of the service, the atmosphere is stuffy. -
Salmon in potato feuilleté and a mild curry sauce, vegetable
and sausage-stuffed rabbit loin in a succulent jus,
scallops, salmon sashimi, a fascinatingly arranged special
salad with the light materials available for your fingers,
held in a crust of bread like a Japanese flower arrangement.
More recently, the chef's tasting menu included lobster
bisque with prawns, rare seared yellow-fin tuna with
scallops, bean sprouts, coriander; glazed Fraser Valley
rabbit with gemelli, four vegetables, thyme and garlic jus
and foie gras; roasted venison medallions compote of
pineapple chutney and Madeira black pepper jus; chaource
with champagne grapes and dried fruit and pecan bread;
organic apple sorbet with baked jus; dark balruna with rum
and butter chestnuts; espresso cake; baked banana and coffee
ice cream -- your choice for $70. . The execution is superb,
mouth-watering, a joy to behold. Wines of excellent quality,
including some attention-getting B.C. vintages.
Caffè de Medici
109-1025 Robson St. Vancouver, Phone: 604/669-9322
"Five Vancouver restaurants and one on Vancouver Island have
joined some "distinguished" company. The California based
non profit Distinguished Restaurants of North America, named
the Five Sails (in the Pan Pacific Hotel),
Bishops, Caffe de Medici, Imperial Seafood Restaurant,
Chartwell (in the Four Seasons Hotel), and The Harbor
House (in Sooke) as "exemplifying the highest quality
standards in all aspects of the dining experience"...."
Archibald Rollo - The Vancouver Sun. Caffe de Medici
Restaurant is a proud recipient of the DiRoNA Award 1993 -
1994 - 1995 - 1996. This elegant restaurant has ornate
molded ceilings, portraits of the Medici family, and a
courtly, peaceful atmosphere. Although an enticing antipasto
table sits in the center of the room, the risotto with
frutta di mare (seafood) is also a worthwhile appetizer. You
can try the rack of lamb in a mint, mustard, and vermouth
sauce, and any of the pastas is a safe bet.
AE, D, DC, MC, V.
Reservations essential. No lunch weekends.
Diva at the Met
645 Howe St. Vancouver, Phone: 604/602-7788
Executive Chef: Chris Mills
Restaurant Chef: Andrew Springett
This multithread restaurant at the
Metropolitan Hotel opened in 1996 and quickly scooped
up a fistful of awards. Presentation of the innovative
contemporary cuisine is as appealing as the art deco decor.
The menu changes seasonally, but top creations from the open
kitchen have included smoked Alaska black cod and
porcini-crusted veal loin steak. The after-theater crowd
heads here for late-evening snacks and desserts: prawn
tempura, vegetable chips, fresh sorbets, and Stilton
cheesecake are available until midnight. The creative
weekend brunches are also popular.
AE, DC, MC, V.
Raincity Grill
1193 Denman St. Vancouver, BC Tel: (604) 685-7337 Fax:
(604) 685-7362
Chef Scott Kidd
A stunning location by the beach, an acclaimed regional
kitchen; all that, and the city's best wine list. That was
the verdict of Vancouver Magazine's critics, whose votes
earned Raincity Grill a tie for the Best Wine List Gold
Medal, and a solo victory for Best Wine by the Glass. One
critic expressed appreciation for the extensive
wines-by-the-glass list, which includes a selection of over
100, in these colorful terms: "it's just so civilized to
match the food from course to course without having to front
for the full monty put a visit to the Raincity Grill on your
agenda! To do so is to experience the true Pacific
Northwest, and one of Vancouver's most popular culinary
venues. Located at scenic English Bay, neighboring Stanley
Park, this contemporary 'grill' boast not only the
imaginative ever-changing menu by Chef Scott Kidd, but also
a wine list that continues to win a variety of awards.. The
setting, with candlelit tables, balloon-back chairs,
cushioned banquettes, and enormous flower arrangements, is
very sophisticated. All the same, it plays second fiddle to
a creative, fresh weekly menu that highlights the best
regional seafood, meats, and produce.
Reservations essential.
The Beach House
150-25th Street - West Vancouver Just off Marine Drive
on Dundarave Beach: Phone: 604.922.1414 .
Chef Sonny Mendoza
The Beach House Restaurant, with its one-of-a-kind
West Vancouver beachfront location, offers unobstructed
water views from every table and an ever-changing menu
displaying the best in eclectic West Coast - Pacific Rim
cuisine. Chef Sonny Mendoza displays his creative, culinary
talent using only the freshest local, seasonal ingredients.
One of the nicest features at The Beach House is that you
get a good water view from nearly every table in the
restaurant regardless whether you eat inside or on the
outdoor patio. The menu offers a wide range of selections
from the elegant salmon tartar with lemon, dill and capers
with olive crostinis to the more hearty entree of Danish
back ribs with gingered mandarin glaze and potato mash.
Seafood is quite naturally given the emphasis and the
presence of wine expert Ken Brooks means plenty of good
selections on the wine list. ~ City Food"...At long last, a
beach, a pier, a view, and a restaurant that are well worth
a trip from just about anywhere." ~ Mia Stainsby, Vancouver
Sun.
Reservations Recommended
Five Sails
Pan Pacific Hotel, 300-999 Canada Pl. Vancouver, Phone:
604/891-2892
Chef Ernst Dorfler
A special-occasion restaurant at the Pan Pacific Hotel,
Five Sails has a stunning panoramic view of Canada
Place, Lions Gate Bridge, and the lights of the North Shore
across the inlet. Austrian chef Ernst Dorfler has a special
flair for presentation, from the swan-shape butter served
with breads early in the meal to the chocolate ice cream
bonbon served at the end. The broad-reaching, seasonally
changing Pacific Northwest menu displays fresh fish and
seafood and often lists caramelized swordfish, ahi in red
Thai curry vinaigrette, terrine of duck, and old favorites
like medallions of British Columbia salmon or lamb from Salt
Spring Island.
AE, DC, MC, V.
Reservations essential. No lunch.
Imperial Chinese
Seafood
355 Burrard St. Vancouver, Phone: 604/688-8191
This elegant Cantonese restaurant in the Art Deco Marine
Building has two-story floor-to-ceiling windows with
stupendous views of Stanley Park and the North Shore
Mountains across Coal Harbor. Any dish with lobster, crab,
or shrimp from the live tanks is recommended, as is the dim
sum, served from 11 to 2:30. Portions tend to be small and
pricey (especially the abalone, shark's fin, and bird's-nest
delicacies) but never fail to please.
AE, DC, MC, V.
Reservations essential
Le Crocodile
100-909 Burrard St. Vancouver, British Columbia Phone:
604/669-4298
Chef Michael Jacob serves well cooked, simple food in a
roomy location on Smithe Street off Burrard. His Alsatian
background shines with the caramel-sweet onion tart.
Anything that involves innards is superb, and even such old
standards as duck à l'orange are worth ordering. AE, DC, MC,
V. Reservations essential. Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
"Chef Michel Jacob deserves knighthood" for the "impeccable"
styling of his "superior" cuisine at this "top-notch"
Classic French, where the "rich and indulgent food" is
"always a great experience"; such "perfection" includes
"wines to match" and "superb" service, and if some sense a
"lack of humility" that's "dangerously close to
pretentious", the majority just swoons "magnifique!"
Joe Fortes Seafood and
Chop House
777 Thurlow St. Vancouver, Phone: 604/669-1940
"... Fame of downtown oyster bar and meeting place now
exceeds that of the pioneer lifeguard it was named after. In
the past couple of years has evolved into home of some very
decent cooking, particularly strong on seafood. ..."
Vancouver Village. Reserve a table on the second-floor
balcony at this seafood hot spot to take in the view of the
broad wall murals, the mounted blue marlins, and, most
especially, the ever-entertaining boy-meets-girl scene at
the bar downstairs. The complex takes in a piano bar,
bistro, oyster bar, and rooftop patio, but the menus and the
extensive wine list largely overlap. The signature tiger
shrimp and diver scallops, or cedar-plank-roasted salmon
smoked with vanilla tea are tasty and filling but often
overlooked in favor of the reasonably priced blue-plate
special.
AE, D, DC, MC, V.
Reservations essential for restaurant.
Tojo's
202-777 W. Broadway Vancouver, British Columbia Phone:
604/872-8050
Chef: Hidekazu Tojo
Hidekazu Tojo is a sushi-making legend here, with more than
2,000 special preparations stored in his creative mind. His
handsome blond-wood tatami rooms, on the second floor of a
modern green-glass tower on West Broadway, provide the
proper ambience for intimate dining, but Tojo's 10-seat
sushi bar stands as the centerpiece. With Tojo presiding, it
offers a convivial ringside seat for watching the creation
of edible art. Although tempura and teriyaki dinners will
satisfy, the seasonal menu is more exciting. In fall, ask
for dobin mushi, a soup made from pine mushrooms. In spring,
try salad made from scallops and pink cherry blossoms.
AE, DC, MC, V.
Reservations essential.
Closed Sun. No lunch.
Ouest
2881 Granville Street -604.738.8938
Chef David Hawksworth
www.ouestrestaurant.com
A room of sublimely understated elegance and a supremely
talented kitchen are what makes foodies in the know flock to
Ouest, Returning to his Vancouver roots after working
alongside many of London's leading chefs, Chef David
Hawksworth is winning converts with his sophisticated
contemporary French menu. His Foie Gras & Chicken Liver
Parfait on Apple Gelee is so perfect you don't want to ruin
it with a fork. The wine list offers an impressive selection
of French wines and champagnes, together with a variety of
new world and BC wines.
Grouse Mountain
8 miles N at 6400 Nancy Greene Way (Top of Capilano Rd)
in N Vancouver. Phone 986-6378.
An adventure just 20 minutes from downtown, the skyride
takes you to the 3700-foot apex for a fantastic view. The
Skyride is complimentary with advance dinner reservation. 2
Restaurants - The Grouse Nest or the Mountain
Bistro.
The Nest is a fine dinner experience for lunch or
dinner - seafood specialties. Open daily for lunch 11am-2pm
and dinner 5pm-9:30pm. For the last 3 years, every time you
ask for an expresso coffee - the machine just broke!!! Also,
was kind of cool up in the mountain, bring a jacket.
Death by Chocolate
1001 Denman Street 604-899-2462
You will be invited to watch your dessert being designed in
front of your amazed eyes. With names like French Affair,
Hot and Sticky, Skinny Dip, Between the Sheets, and, of
course, Death by Chocolate, you will be sure to find
something to seduce your sweetheart. If I still have room
for dessert, I will try this place. Open until midnight!
BC Rail's Pacific Starlight
BC Rail Station, 1311 W. First St., North Vancouver
For information or
reservations, call BC Rail Passenger Services (tel.
800/363-3733 or 604/984-5246).
BC Rail's Pacific Starlight Dinner Train departs from the
North Vancouver train terminal, transporting passengers past
West Vancouver's waterfront mansions, along Howe Sound's
scenic shoreline, past Porteau Cove, and back. The elegant
restored coaches recall a time when rail travel was as much
about going as it was about getting somewhere. The cars are
appointed with inlaid wood, brass, and all the other touches
you'd expect in a first-class dining car from rail travel's
golden age. Seating in the salon (C$84/US$56 per person,
excluding taxes, tips, and alcohol) is slightly less
expensive than seating in the glass-domed observation car
(C$100/US$67 per person), but the spectacular 360° view of
the sun setting over Howe Sound and the surrounding
mountains is worth every cent. Bring your camera. Even more
than the views, the fine service and excellent West Coast
cuisine make either choice worthwhile. Recent entree
selections have included roasted British Columbia salmon,
stuffed breast of guinea fowl, fillet of beef tenderloin,
and beef Wellington. For dessert, the white-chocolate soup
is fast becoming the signature dish.
CinCin
1154 Robson St
(688-7338)
A celebrity aunt downtown, with food that merits the high
prices and includes top-grade homemade pastas and desserts.
It has a pleasant ambience with wood-burning oven and view
over the open kitchen. Step inside this Mediterranean
"hangout" on Robson Street and get "energized" by the
"electric" ambiance fueled by the "in crowd" having "fun" in
the "inviting" "Tuscan-style" setting; savour "innovative"
fare from the "aromatic" wood-fired grill, accompanied by an
"amazing" wine selection; all in all, it's an "enjoyable
package."
Seasons in the Park
Queen Elizabeth Park, 33rd Ave. and Cambie St.
Vancouver, Phone: 604/874-8008
TOP TEN Gourmet Magazine.
"... folks can dine here and see the city, the mountains and
the gentle greenery of Queen Elizabeth Park all around; one
of my favorite places to be when its drizzling; me inside,
mind you. Pierre Delacôte continues to create comfort food
with an uptown flair; desserts are legendary, starter-soups
and fresh grills are always outstanding." by Jurgen
GotheLifestyles Rated "...One of Vancouver's 10 best
restaurants..." by John Hinterberger, Vancouver Times
Seasons, in Queen Elizabeth Park, has a commanding view over
the park gardens to the city lights and the mountains
beyond. A comfortable room with lots of light wood and white
tablecloths is matched with a conservative Continental menu,
including such standards as herb-crusted sea bass and comfit
of muscovy duck. This is a very popular choice with the
weekend brunch crowd.
AE, MC, V.
Reservations essential
Piccolo Mondo Ristorante
850 Thurlow St.
Vancouver, Phone: 604/688-1633
Chef: Stephane
Meyer
Excellent food and an award-winning selection of Italian
wines. The award-winning wine cellar stocks more than 3,000
bottles (450 varieties) .Soft candlelight, elegantly set
tables, bountiful flower arrangements, and fine European
antiques create a fairly formal atmosphere at this intimate
northern Italian restaurant on a quiet street a block off
Robson. Start with a goat cheese tart with tomato,
prosciutto, and basil, and follow up with the classic osso
buco or the linguine tossed with smoked Alaskan cod, capers,
and red onions.
AE, DC, MC, V.
Closed Sun. No lunch weekends.
Reservations
Reservations recommended
Enjoy
Your Dining
& Safe Travels
 
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