Help me eat in Vancouver and Victoria!

July 30, 2005 9:46 PM

We're going out to BC for a wedding next weekend and have added a night in Vancouver and a night in Victoria before heading to the site of the festivities. Where should we eat on a Tuesday night in Vancouver and a Wednesday night in Victoria?

We were thinking about trying Chambar in Vancouver, but does it live up to the hype? I have no idea in Victoria - it has been over 10 years since I've been there.

We'd prefer something relatively close to each city's downtown to minimize the driving, though we will have a car, so for the right place we could get there ourselves.

posted by mikel to Food & Drink (22 answers total)

I've eaten at Bin 941 several times and have always had an exceptional meal--very inventive food in a bustling atmosphere. It's open until 1:30am and is centrally located at Davie and Burrard. Our meal there last time was so tasty that I ran out the very next day and bought chef Gord Martin's cookbook. Note that it's bustling and there can be a wait (but it's worth it) so arrive early or put your name in and head down the street for a cocktail. There's a sister restaurant--Bin 942--which is also downtown; haven't been but I'd suspect it's a winner as well.
posted by donovan at 9:54 PM on July 30, 2005

Here's the Dine Here link for Bin 941.
posted by donovan at 9:56 PM on July 30, 2005

In Victoria, if you want to spend money (~$100+ for two), look no further than Il Terrazzo.

Go west on Johnson from Douglas. Just before Wharf Street (you'll see the big blue briedge) there's an alleyway, between what used to be Java, and I think is now a bakery, and the Salvation Army (nice alleyway, cobblestones). Go about 50 feet down, then turn left, and Terrazzo's at the end. Fabulous Italian cuisine.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:19 PM on July 30, 2005

Sometimes it's easier to ask where to not eat in Vancouver. There's just so much, and so much of it is so good.

So my vote is to pick what kind of food you want, then pick a well-reviewed restaurant. Georgia Straight and the like have good listings.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:25 PM on July 30, 2005

Can second the "bin" recommendation (there are two of them and I can't tell which one is which and I can't tell which one we ate at) - we did a family birthday there on a visit last year and it was wonderful.
posted by stevil at 10:31 PM on July 30, 2005

It depends on what you want.

That said, were I in Vancouver for one night only... I'm guessing that I'd opt for one of Rob Feenie's places.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 10:31 PM on July 30, 2005

Best answer: Chambar is excellent, you can't go wrong there.
posted by randomstriker at 10:55 PM on July 30, 2005

I like Pagliacci's in Victoria. It is cramped, but is right downtown and less expensive than Terrazzo (if that is the place I think it is). I think the pasta there is great, though I am not a foodie or anything. I just know what I like. :)
posted by synecdoche at 11:00 PM on July 30, 2005

I second Pagliacci's. Yum. Yum.
posted by Savannah at 11:11 PM on July 30, 2005

Where are you from? If it's a place that lacks good sushi, I always recommend Tojo's in Vancouver. It's not fancy, has the most amazing sushi you'll ever have, has a nice patio overlooking the city, and will be memorable. I usually take out-of-town guests there at least once, and they always rave about it.
posted by fionab at 11:45 PM on July 30, 2005

In Victoria:

I'd avoid Pagliacci's in Victoria. It's pretty mediocre. It's cheap and appeals to the college-age crowd that doesn't know better.

If you like Italian, Il Terrazzo is quite good as is Zambri's. Go to Pescatore's for seafood, to Brasserie L'Ecole for French, to Futaba for sushi and/or kara age, to Camille's for west coast fare. For Chinese, go to Ming's. For very casual Chinese, to Wah Lai Yuen, in Chinatown. Also recommended are Herald Street Cafe, the Bengal Room in the Empress Hotel for martinis and curry, Isabel's Ribs (for ribs), Baan Thai (for Thai, although all the Thai places in Victoria are good) and Da Tandoor.

If you go to Pagliacci's, you might as well have gone to Olive Garden, without the ambience.

(And I am a foodie and know what I like.)

As for Vancouver, I agree with FFF. Either Bin restuarant is good. If you want to drop a pile of money on an experience, there's always Lumiere, West or Cru. If you want to keep to a budget, it'd be easier to tell us what style of cuisine you'd be interested in.
posted by solid-one-love at 12:17 AM on July 31, 2005

And to follow up on what fionab said: Tojo, of Tojo's, invented the California roll as well as several other maki. I haven't been yet, but look forward to it.
posted by solid-one-love at 12:18 AM on July 31, 2005

For some more recommendations check out VanEats, "Barb and Roland's guide to dining and cooking in Vancouver". Their weblog has a restaurant category with lots of restaurant recommendations and reviews, often with photos, and a search box in case you're looking for something specific.
posted by amf at 3:28 AM on July 31, 2005

In Victoria I reccomend this hidden gem: A Taste of Eritrea (Broughton & Blanshard) is neither large, nor fancy (the menu has three items), but it was the best tasting food I ever had in that city.
posted by Popular Ethics at 7:22 AM on July 31, 2005

Make sure you eat well in Victoria and Vancouver in case the food at the wedding is awful.
posted by docgonzo at 8:38 AM on July 31, 2005

Victoria: Here's a second recommendation for Camille's. We had a transcendent meal there recently, and their wine selection is amazing, if not intimidating (discuss it with your wait person if you're not certain)

If you're around for lunch or another dinner, check out the ReBar, which is just across the alley from Camille's. It is vegetarian fare, but you never know it or really care. We picked up a copy of the ReBar cookbook, and have had several great meals from it.
posted by jimfl at 9:23 AM on July 31, 2005

In Victoria, my favourite restaurant is The Reef. Excellent caribbean food!

It's not so high-class as the other suggestions here, but if you want tasty food, a relaxing atmosphere, and to down a Red Stripe (or something), this is a very good choice.

If for nothing else, maybe a lunch choice.
posted by Kickstart70 at 10:06 AM on July 31, 2005

Chowhound.com has a variety of (geographical) discussion boards on (mostly) eating out, including one for Canada that has active discussions of eating places in Vancouver and Victoria. You can post a question anonymously (no registration required).

If you go that route, be specific in the title - like "Vancouver - downtown restaurant - seafood - is Chambar still good?", if you want good responses. Posting twice - once for Victoria, once for Vancouver, is probably best. And let people know, in the body of the question, where you'll be staying - if you want to walk - and what you're looking for or would prefer - seafood, nouvelle cuisine, Asian fusion, steakhouse, handles a large group, price range, etc.
posted by WestCoaster at 12:12 PM on July 31, 2005

The July issue of Vancouver magazine lists 25 "under the radar" restaurants. I've not eaten at Tapastree, but many people recommend it.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:49 PM on July 31, 2005

Last time we were in Victoria we had a great meal at Brasserie "l’école".

My favourite restaurant here in Vancouver is Parkside.
posted by timeistight at 6:30 PM on July 31, 2005

I've never heard anything good about Lumiere from people I actually know, so I've always been loathe to try it because the the price tag.

If you like Japanese food, Vancouver is one of the better cities in which to dine - Tojo's on Broadway is excellent.

Again, it really depends on what you want to eat. If you like Chinese food, another cuisine that Vancouver is good for, Sun Sui Wah on Main & ~22th Ave (or so) is good for both dim sum as well as dinner, although there are arguably better places in Richmond.

If you like Shakespeare, Bard on the Beach is an interesting venue; As You Like It and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is playing on the 9th and Love's Labour Lost and Hamlet are playing on the 16th (I'm not sure which weekend you're referring to). (BotB also has a BBQ salmon dinner after shows on night that the fireworks are going; the food isn't any good, but the location can't be beat - but there's no fireworks that night).

If you're really bored, Yuk Yuk's is a decent passtime.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 8:18 PM on July 31, 2005

My favorites during a vacation in Victoria were Rebar for vegetarian food, and Ferris' Oyster Bar and Grill. I liked Ferris' so much I went there three times! :)
posted by MsMolly at 7:28 AM on August 1, 2005