El Barrio Restaurante Latino -- Hit and Miss Mexican

2270 East Hastings Street, Vancouver

Food: 3
Service: 4
Price: Moderate

I thought I'd tasted most of the notables on the Mexican scene in the 604 until I found out about El Barrio not too long ago. I admit, I'm a Tex-Mex girl at heart, so I've never been on the look-out for an authentic Mexican spot. What brought me here was a little invitation from my friend G to watch her husband's band play the night away on a Saturday night. Though I was a little sick that night, I couldn't resist a night out,

Simply Delicious (SD) Galleria and Sushi Lounge– Grungy with Cheap Deals



The night was young....Yes, it was bright.

4316 Main Street, Vancouver 


Food: Small meal, so individual items are rated below.

Service: 3

Price: Cheap



Sometimes you just don’t know what’s around the corner until you stumble upon it, and that’s definitely the case I had with SD Galleria. I’ve passed it time and time again while making my way down the Main Street strip on the weekends, but never had an inkling to walk my way up to this 2^nd floor sushi eatery.

It just so happened that my girlfriends wanted to watch playoff hockey, and we needed a place to

Video: BUFFET -- by Wong Fu Productions, featuring Harry Shum Jr.

Everybody has had their own unique experiences in restaurants. This video short is a good example of this :D Have a laugh!



XOXO -- Val

Les Faux Bourgeois - French Food That's Worth It

663 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver

Food: 5
Service: 4
Price: Moderate to High (Quite reasonable for this cuisine.)
Reservations Required: Yes

Les Faux Bourgeois, an unassuming hotspot serving French meals on the East side. When my friend L. told me over facebook that there was a popular French bistro deep on Fraser & Kingsway, I first responded, “No way! It’s Vietnamese ‘town’.” I’ve travelled in that area

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

Flo Tea Room -- Free Toast!

7994 Granville Street, Vancouver

Food: Small meal, so individual items are rated below.
Service: 3
Price: Moderate

With a black storefront and a dimly lit interior sits an unassuming restaurant in the heart of the Marpole strip of Vancouver's South Granville district. It's called Flo Tea Room, and yes, it serves a lot of tea--51 variations if I counted right. But don't let the name fool you, it's not just a tea joint. It's actually a popular Taiwanese cafe with an extensive menu that attracts the young, the old, and