235 replies to this topic

[pixelchef]

West is my favourite restaurant in Vancouver, by far. So needless to say, I enthusiastically second that recommendation.

Bis Moreno is a great new Italian restaurant serving kickass food. I would equate it to NYC's Babbo. Upscale Italian done extremely well.

Diva at the Met is also a top table to consider in Vancouver.

[cabrales]

Of course West is a very well-regarded restaurant.

On Diva, here's what Jamie Maw, restaurant critic of Vancouver Magazine, advised:

http://www.chowhound...sages/8184.html

I've not eaten at Diva under any chef.

Yes, L'Emotion might be the venue with the former Michelin-starred chef.

Obviously Chef Hawksworth was also the head of a Michelin-starred restaurant (L'Escargot, London), and was sous-chef at other starred facilities (e.g., Manoir aux Quat' Saisons).

[tighe]

One of my favorite dining memories is the dessert tasting menu I did at Diva with their pastry chef Thomas Haas. Even if you don't make it to the restaurant, be sure to stop by his pastry shop, Sen5es, next to the Metropolitan Hotel.

As far as places to go in Vancover, my favorites are:

- the Stanley Park Aquarium
- the anthropology museum at UBC (excellent Native American art collection)
- Granville Island market
- Yaletown

[Redhead]

An obvious thing to do in the city, if you're there for a spell, is to go up Bear Mountain for the views.

Hmmm, never heard of that one! I think you mean Grouse Mountain? That's the one with the gondola ride, and you do get a magnificent view of the city and surroundings from up there on a clear day/night. There are impressive views from the look-out on Cypress Bowl, too, but you'll need a car to drive up there.

[Vanessa]

An obvious thing to do in the city, if you're there for a spell, is to go up Bear Mountain for the views.

Hmmm, never heard of that one! I think you mean Grouse Mountain? That's the one with the gondola ride, and you do get a magnificent view of the city and surroundings from up there on a clear day/night. There are impressive views from the look-out on Cypress Bowl, too, but you'll need a car to drive up there.

Bear, grouse, it's all game to Wilfrid you know :lol:

Is it customary in North America that gondolas go up mountains rather than along canals :blink:

v

[beachfan]

Good news, Marty, I have the definitive recommendation for the countryside outside Victoria, on Vancouver island.

Sooke Harbour House

This is a place unlike no other. Rooms all face the sound, and are junior suites with fireplace, sitting areas, and private hot tub. They are themed and each is different. Could be kitschy if it was done more broadly, but it wasn't, it was great.About 11 miles outside Victoria, it's like a world away. They have bicycles and kayaks.

And they have food. Boy do they have food. The produce up there is just tops, and they make the best of it. Check out the menus at the site and you see they mean business.

It's the type of place you get there, and you don't really leave for a couple of days. You just groove, dine, tub, nap, do a little activity, and groove some more.

Make a reservation NOW, they are very, very hard to get. You could then continue on to Torino (I haven't been, but I heard it's great).

Wilf is right, the ferry from Vancouver Island to Vancouver is amazing. I took ferries from Seattle to the Olympic penisula, across to Victoria, and was thinking, ok, one more ferry. Boy was I wrong. So many islands, the boat has to make a hard right at one point to go through them.

PS They have nice touches like port, cookies and fruit in each room. OK the port is something like Warre's ruby, but hey, in front of the fire when you first arrive, why not.

[cabrales]

Actually, Sooke does have a fairly well known restaurant, although I didn't know the facility also has rooms. I've never been.

In terms of non-food aspects, I'd recommend a drive around Stanley Park. There's only one route, and it takes less than 1 hour. That's where the acquarium is too, by the way, although I have mixed assessments of the acquarium.

[Wilfrid1]

An obvious thing to do in the city, if you're there for a spell, is to go up Bear Mountain for the views.

Hmmm, never heard of that one! I think you mean Grouse Mountain? That's the one with the gondola ride, and you do get a magnificent view of the city and surroundings from up there on a clear day/night. There are impressive views from the look-out on Cypress Bowl, too, but you'll need a car to drive up there.

Bear, grouse, it's all game to Wilfrid you know :lol:

Is it customary in North America that gondolas go up mountains rather than along canals :blink:

v

Told you I was a bit vague about all this.

[Rail Paul]

It's been a decade since my last visit to BC, but here are some favored recollections:

1) The Butchart Gardens just north of Victoria on Vancouver Island
2) The illumination of the government buildings around the harbor in Victoria during the early evening. It seems like Disney staged the setting.
3) The train ride from Victoria north to Nanaimo, through rugged wilderness. There was a bus which met the train and tooks you back to Vancouver City via the ferry.
4) The "islands ferry" which makes multiple stops among the small islands on its way to Swartz Bay / Victoria
5) Walking the peripheral at Stanley Park. Something is always in bloom.
6) The Granville Market, which was well on its way from a farmers market to a destination (T shirt sellers, etc). Don't know if it's still worth a visit


BC Ferry System

Edited by Rail Paul, 29 June 2004 - 07:17 PM.

[Redhead]

Told you I was a bit vague about all this.

Never mind. We'll sort you out when you get here.

Let's see, you leave the airport and take a left at "Bear" Mountain, then look for the canal with the gondola on your right, beside the stork-and-elephant preserve.... :lol:

[tighe]

In terms of non-food aspects, I'd recommend a drive around Stanley Park. There's only one route, and it takes less than 1 hour. That's where the acquarium is too, by the way, although I have mixed assessments of the acquarium.

Uhhh, I think driving around Stanley Park takes about 10 minutes...walking around it (which is indeed nice) may take an hour.

[cabrales]

There's a tourist stop point (with a cafeteria, etc., which has bad food) with decent views. By the time you stop there, that's another 15-20 minutes. It takes more than 10 minutes by car to drive around Stanley Park -- at least 15-20 minutes.

[g.johnson]

Hiring a bike and cycling round Stanley Park is fun.

[cabrales]

If one doesn't want to drive to Whistler, there is some sort of bus that leaves periodically from the airport.

An interesting area nobody has yet discussed is Richmond, replete with various Asian restaurants. It's very close to the airport, and therefore may offer a meal opportunity right before a departing flight.

[Wilfrid1]

Cabby, I'll be staying in Richmond. Any particular restaurants or districts to look out for?