12 Things... Vancouver, BC - Find. Eat. Drink.

Vancouver, BC, British Columbia, Canada, Where to eat, Where to drink, Where to shop, Restaurants, Shops, Stores, Bars, Cocktails, Best Restaurants in Vancouver, Chefs, Bartenders, Food Purveyors, Where Chefs Eat, Chefs Feed, Where Bartenders Drink, Chef’s Recs, Bartender’s Recs, Go Where The Pros Go

Aside from being a beautiful city with a temperate climate, a variety of sports and lax laws regarding the world’s oldest profession, Vancouver also has a respectable dining scene. One of the most international cities in Canada, it’s a multicultural melting pot with a thriving Asian community.

But where to eat and drink if you’re only in town for a few days? Here are a few key places to hit, all recommended by top Vancouver chefs and bartenders.

12 Things... Vancouver, BC

August 6, 2013

- Chef Q & A | Vikram Vij

- Bartender Q & A | David Wolowidnyk

- 9 Things | Portland, ME

- 6 Things | Paris

- 9 Things | Madrid

- 6 Things | NYC

- 6 Things | Philadelphia

- 6 Things | Charleston

- 6 Things | Summer

- 6 Things | Shopping

- 5 Things | Egypt

- 5 Things | Istanbul

- The Find. Eat. Drink. Guide

Cadeaux Bakery

Photograph courtesy of Cadeaux Bakery

Cadeaux Bakery

Their confections are seasonal and made with locally sourced ingredients. Owner Eleanor Chow Waterfall was the executive pastry chef in some of the area's top restaurants, including Lumiere, Blue Water Cafe and Chamba. Paul Grunberg of L’Abbatoir says, “They have the best croissants in the city.”

172 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1G1, Canada

T: +1.604.608.8889 | www.cadeauxbakery.com

Handmade Chocolates from East Van Roasters

Photograph courtesy of East Van Roasters

East Van Roasters

“They produce their own chocolate by first procuring the best beans and actually making the single origin chocolate from scratch onsite.” says chef Robert Belcham of Campagnolo of this non-profit initiative operated by the PHS Community Services Society, hand-making bean-to-bar chocolate and coffee. “They are one of the few companies in North America to accomplish this amazing feat. They are also a social enterprise that helps teach these skills to women from the Downtown Eastside. In addition to the chocolate, I also really enjoy their coffee. They roast their beans in-house and have perfected their own unique blend. It’s as fresh as you can get.”

319 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2J4, Canada

T: +1.604.629.7562 | eastvanroasters.com

Sausage from Oyama Sausage on Granville Island

Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Granville Island | Oyama Sausage & Edible Canada

Cross False Creek from Downtown Vancouver and you’ll find the food shopping mecca called Granville Island. It’s a shopping district peninsula with a full array of local food and drink purveyors. Chef Robert Belcham of Campagnolo and forager Tyler Gray of Mikuni Wild Harvest always visit Oyama Sausage for “some of the best charcuterie in Canada.” They are “geniuses when it comes to force meat, sausage and curing meats.” Edible Canada is another shop worth browsing for all things Canadian. They showcase unique artisanal products made in Canada, which entices Robert Belcham and chef Vikram Vij of Vij’s. From sea salt made in Cowichan to birch syrup made in the Yukon, the shelves are stocked with local products that are great for edible gifts.

Granville Island

granvilleisland.com

Oyama Sausage

1689 Johnston Street, #17, Vancouver | T: +1.604.327.7407 | www.oyamasausage.ca

Edible Canada

1596 Johnston Street, Vancouver | T: +1 604.682.6681 | www.ediblecanada.com

The Liquor Selection at Legacy Liquor Store

Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Legacy Liquor Store

When bartenders travel, visiting local liquors stores are a treat for discovering local spirits not readily available in their own markets. If you’re looking to “hand import” a few items for your own bar cart, bartenders Arthur Wynne of The Union Bar, David Wolowidnyk of West and Shaun Layton of L’Abattoir recommend picking up a bottle of Havana Club Rum, which you can’t buy in the United States. Shaun also suggests checking out the great line of Gifford products from France. For local Canadian products, he likes Taboo Absinthe, Schramm vodka and Victoria gin.

1633 Manitoba Street, Vancouver, BC V5Y 0B8, Canada

T: +1.604.331.7900 | www.legacyliquorstore.com

Sticky Rice Cake with a Sunny Side Up Egg

Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Bao Bei

Chef Joël Watanabe blends French and Japanese technique to create modern Chinese flavors at this inventive brasserie with Sichuan and Taiwanese influences. He recommends ordering the Beef Tartare, “It’s really unique and there is no tartare like it anywhere. It's been on the menu since day one and it isn’t going anywhere, so it’s become a signature dish. Also our Sticky Rice Cake, which is influenced by a classic dish from owner Tannis Ling's mother.” You might find yourself sitting next to a few local chefs eating here. Chef Vikram Vij says chef Watanabe is taking his food to a different level with his understanding of spices and flavor. He always orders the Kick Ass House Fried Rice with a Toban Jian Egg. Chef Lucais Syme of La Quercia digs the fun, modern atmosphere and suggests getting the beef tartare and the smoked veal tendon dish.

163 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1X3, Canada

T: +1.604.688.0876 | bao-bei.ca

Burdock & Co.

Photograph courtesy of Burdock & Co.

Burdock & Co.

Chef Andrea Carlson sources ingredients from local farms and a downtown urban garden for her refined Northwestern cuisine. The dishes are intended for sharing with a heavy emphasis on vegetables. For pairing with your food, you’ll find a French / Italian naturally-focused wine list, craft beers, and cocktails. Chef Robert Belcham suggests Burdock & Co. for a true local experience. “It’s one of my new favorite restaurants in Vancouver. It is sophisticated without being intimidating; truly welcoming with very complex flavors coming from humble ingredients and served in a very simple way.”

2702 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5T 3E8, Canada
T: +1.604.879.0077 | burdockandco.com

House-made Charcuterie by chef Robert Belcham of Campagnolo

Photograph courtesy of Campagnolo

Campagnolo

Chef Robert Belcham creates rustic Northern Italian cuisine inspired by Piedmont and Emiglia-Romagna. It’s a little off the beaten track in a up and coming neighborhood, but that adds to the cool vibe. Forager Tyler Gray calls it, “simple, tasty Italian food in a really shady neighborhood.” Chef Vikram Vij stops in late at night for pizza and a local beer that is brewed by chef Belcham, who is also making his own charcuterie.

1020 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 2W1, Canada

T: +1.604.484.6018 | www.campagnolorestaurant.ca

Fish & Chips at Go Fish

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Go Fish

After spending some time at Granville Island, head to Go Fish, located right on the waterfront. It’s a “fish shack” overlooking the docks where chef Gord Martin serves local, sustainable seafood. A great local’s tip is to order the fish and chips from Go Fish and then head down to the fishing boats to buy a pound of fresh live spot prawns (when in season) directly from the fishermen. You may need to be a little brave, since it’s a kill and eat situation. But it doesn’t get much fresher than eating raw spot prawns while overlooking the fishing boats. Side note, soy sauce is not included. Chef Joël Watanabe calls it a quintessential Vancouver summer spot and it’s the simplicity that chef Vikram Vij loves about the whole experience.

1505 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 1E8, Canada

T:+1.604.730.5040

Fresh from the boat Spot Prawns

Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

This is a city that respects the art of the cocktail. In addition to stand alone spots, many of the city’s best bars are located within restaurants giving the bartenders access to market-fresh ingredients for their craft cocktails.

Cocktails at The Diamond

Photograph courtesy of The Diamond

The Diamond

A second floor Gastown cocktail lounge co-owned by mixmaster Josh Pape. They serve craft cocktails and tapas-style nibbles. Legendary Seattle barman Murray Stenson recommends Josh Pape’s cocktail creating abilities and L’Abattoir bartender Shaun Layton includes it on his own drinking tour of Vancouver’s Gastown neighborhood.

6 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1E7, Canada

T:+1.604.568.8272 | www.di6mond.com

Keefer Bar

Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.

Keefer Bar

Chinatown lounge that is perfect for drinking cocktails all night long, but also for a pre-dinner drink before going next door to eat modern Chinese food at Bao Bei. They also have outdoor seating during the warm months. Bartender David Wolowidnyk is fascinated with their experimentation of mixing drinks using sound waves. Chef Lucais Syme grabs a cocktail with his industry friends who hang out here.

135 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1X3, Canada

T:+1.604.688-.961 | thekeeferbar.com

Cocktails by bartender Shaun Layton at L’Abattoir

Photograph courtesy of L’Abattoir

L’Abattoir

Located on the site of Vancouver’s first jail , but nowadays orange is the new cocktail and nothing to do with a jumpsuit. The restaurant’s menu pays homage to the fact that it was originally part of the city’s main butchery and meatpacking district. Bartenders Shaun Layton and David Greig create classically-driven cocktails that are an ideal match for chef Lee Cooper’s Northwestern-inspired food. Both Murray Stenson and David Wolowidnyk are fans of the cocktails and the quality of service the bartenders provide.

217 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2J2, Canada

T: +1.604.568.1701 | www.labattoir.ca

The Tom Yum Collins at Union Bar

Photograph courtesy of Union Bar

Union Bar

Arthur Wynne is both bartender and barista and was one of the world’s most sought-after coffee judges who flew around the world to barista competitions. He swapped out one type of bar for another and has earned the respect of fellow bartenders, like David Wolowidnyk. “He is a fantastic bartender. He has a wonderful view of ingredient use, the way he balances different flavor profiles. He also incorporates very different fruits and spices that remind him of his childhood growing up in the Southern Hemisphere.” The cocktail list has a lot of muddled drinks and Arthur’s favorite is the Banga #2 which has tequila, lime, mandarin, kaffir lime leaf and galangal. A Banga is a large clay jar in which the drinks are made and served.

219 Union Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 0B4, Canada

T: +1.604.568.3230 | theunionvancouver.ca

Dumplings at Kirin

Photograph courtesy of Kirin

Richmond | Authentic Chinese Food

Vancouver is known for its bounty of Chinese food and if you head out to the Richmond area you’ll discover a booming Asian community. If you are in the mood for dim sum, seek out Kirin, an upscale Cantonese restaurant or Sun Sui Wah for their shumai. If you like to browse and eat a variety of dishes, then the Richmond Public Market is an ideal choice. Think Asian food court filled with tiny food stalls. Imperial Court is the choice for Shanghai-style cuisine and is quite famous within the Chinese community. Other options include HK BBQ Master for duck, pork, chicken or ribs by the pound and Jade Seafood, which has three chefs, each with their own specific specialities in dim sum, the wok, and abalone, respectively. Chefs Angus An of Maenam, Keith Allison of Sea Monstr Sushi, Adam Pegg of La Quercia, and Joël Watanabe of Bao Bei all recommend taking a the trip to Richmond.

Twice Cooked Berkshire Pork Belly at The Pear Tree Restaurant

Photograph courtesy of The Pear Tree

Burnaby

Located immediately east of Vancouver, Burnaby is actually the third largest city in British Columbia by population. If you head out of Vancouver on Route 7A / Hastings Street, you’ll run across Glenburn Soda Fountain & Confectionary, The Pear Tree, Cioffi’s Meat Market and Deli all within a block of each other. Glenburn Soda Fountain & Confectionary taps into nostalgia with classic soda fountain treats, but has an emphasis on local and organic ingredients. Campagnolo chef Robert Belcham loves the Grape Phosphate Soda which is made in-house on an old-school Walrus Soda Fountain with syrups sourced from Whistler, BC. Chef Scott Jaeger cooks contemporary dishes at The Pear Tree and represented Canada at the 2007 Bocuse D’Or in Lyon, France. Cioffi’s Meat Market and Deli is both a butcher and an Italian food supplier with lots of imported specialty foods, pastas and cheeses.

Hastings Street at Gilmore Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5C 2J4, Canada

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