Motomachi Shokudo -- Unique Gem in the Ramen Shop Rough



The Fresh Blossom was so Pretty!

740 Denman Street, Vancouver

Food: 4
Service: 3
Price: Cheap to Moderate

I like ramen A LOT. And if I were to pick between it and pho, I would swing my vote to ramen. There’s more of a variety of soups to choose from and the ingredients you can combine with these noodles are much more diverse than your average pho bowl—Sorry pho lovers! So to my delight, there’s been a proliferation of ramen shops around Vancouver of late, but with all the ramen shops around town that serve the same miso/shoyu/shio-chasu-noodle combinations, something has to make each one stand-out. Kintaro has the line-ups, Benkei has the stamp cards, and Motomachi, as I just found out, has the nicest presentation and the unique-est ingredients.

Chicco Japanese Dessert Cafe – Overpriced Parfaits

1504 Robson Street, Vancouver

Food: 3
Service: 3.5
Price: Cheap (overall)

Ice cream and cake are what I refer to as a "happy combination" :) Can you think of another food pairing that has that special ability to rush all your fond childhood memories back? If you can, okay...but I can't! And even as an adult I can't say, "No," to an opportunity for some 'happiness'.
A real treat that's been brought to my attention in the last few years has been an ice cream and cake plus combination called 'parfait'. It's a delightful mix of ice cream, cornflakes, cake, and other treats, which in my experience range from jelly squares to little mochi. Although I loved my first experience of it at a dessert parlour in my neighbourhood, I heard through the grapevine that the parfait

Wings (on Granville) -- Big Disappointment

1162 Granville Street, Vancouver

Food: 2
Service: 2
Price: Moderate

Unless you had a reservation or snagged a table early, dining out on a Saturday night in downtown Vancouver was almost impossible a few years ago. These days it's the complete opposite. On a free Saturday during prime dining hours, you can likely point to any