Category

lunch

Category

Chad Thai

Chad Thai Restaurant is located in North Burnaby on Hastings street. M and I were looking for some place to eat on Hastings and when we passed by, we began craving Thai food. Since we don’t have Thai food that often, we thought we would give it a try.

The interior isn’t large, so there is limited seating. We came at around 2pm, so there was plenty of seats available. The service was nice and friendly.

Chad Thai

They are the winners of the best Thai restaurant according to the readers of the Burnaby Now.

Chad Thai

Their lunch menu comes with complementary appetizers. There were fried wontons and a salad. We weren’t expecting this but it was definitely a nice start to the meal. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was delicious.

Chad Thai

Khao Soi Gai ($10.99) has egg noodles with sliced chicken breast in curry sauce, topped with crispy egg noodles, green beans and coriander. It is served with red onions, lime and chili oil on the side.

The portion wasn’t too large, but it was a decent size for lunch. It had a lot of intricate flavours and we were not disappointed at all.

Chad Thai

Khao Moo Kratiem Kai dao ($9.99) has stir fried of pork, ground garlic on rice with a fried egg. It was simple, but it was really good.

Overall, the food was pretty good and worth the price. M and I loved it and would come back again. I am not an expert at Thai food, but all I know is that the flavours tasted great.

We Rate Chad Thai

Address:
4010 E Hastings St
Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://www.chadthai.ca/
Chad Thai on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=4010+E+Hastings+St+Burnaby,+BC&hnear=4010+E+Hastings+St,+Burnaby,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5K+2A9&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

Patron Tacos & Cantina

Patron Tacos & Cantina is located on Robson street at Cambie Street. The interior is like a Mexican restaurant with a sports bar. There are tons of TVs everywhere, so no matter which seat you have, you can be in the vicinity of a TV. It seems like it would be great to view games.

My coworkers and I came to have some lunch as we saw their lunch specials looked good.

Patron Tacos & Cantina

They have a pretty cool chandelier too.

Patron Tacos & Cantina

Complimentary Chips and Salsa arrived at the table. The chips were awesome and you could tell they were made in house. The salsa was a bit watery and lacked any spicy taste or heartiness. I like my salsa chunky.

Patron Tacos & Cantina

Tortilla Soup came with the lunch combos. It’s deliciously cheesey with chunks of avocado and crunchy tortilla bits inside. You should probably get this soup if you’re here for lunch!

Patron Tacos & Cantina

Tacos ($12) comes with 2 Tacos of your choice. My coworker chose the battered fish and the carnitas. It also comes with soup or salad. She felt a bit underwhelmed by this dish.

Patron Tacos & Cantina

Tostadas was also part of one of the lunch items. It came with a side of rice and refried beans. I also chose the side of tortilla soup. The tortilla on the bottom of the tostadas was nice and crispy and all the items that layed on top were just delicious. The rice and the refried beans were ok.

Patron Tacos & Cantina

Torta is like a sandwich made with a Mexican bun. It is served with a side of criss-cross fries. This will definitely bring you back to your childhood. On the inside, there is chipotle mayo, refried beans, cheese, tomato, lettuce, jalapeños, avocado, and onion. I’m not sure which torta he chose, but he said he enjoyed it and there was a lot of meat inside.

As we only have a hour lunch, the service here is quite slow and inefficient. A few simple things did take a long time like beer, soup and the bill.

We Rate Patron Tacos & Cantina

Address:
265 Robson St.
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.patrontc.com/

Patron Tacos & Cantina on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=265+Robson+St.+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=265+Robson+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6B+2A8&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

Nuba on Main

Whats awesome about my new job is that I’m so close to some pretty yummy food. When I discovered Nuba is close by on 3rd and Main…I just had to have a taste of their food. I come here at least once a month since the closest places – Starbucks, McDonalds and Tim Hortons are not the best options for lunch.

Nuba offers up authentic Lebanese cuisine that is fresh and healthy. Trust me, its good stuff! I usually go for lunch for their plates.

Nuba on Main

Since it was anti-bullying day, they had a special beet juice on special. I’ve never had beets before and wow, did it ever taste like dirt. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the taste profile of beets is very earthly like dirt. If you had beets, you will know what I’m talking about. It’s also quite healthy for you too.

Nuba on Main

Lamb Hushwie ($9) has sauteed lamb, onions, peppers, pine nuts and spices on top of  hummus. There is avocado, pickled cabbage and a spicy sauce.

Nuba on Main

Sometimes they have specials and this one was a lamb of some sort. I should have written it down, but alas my memory does fail me.

Nuba on Main

Najib’s Special ($11.25) has crispy cauliflower tossed with lemon and sea salt, served with tahini. It also has hummus, olives, pickled cabbage, and salad. The crispy cauliflower is deep-fried and tastes sinfully delicious. It’s a very popular dish during the lunch hour. All the ingredients are fresh and it’s so addictive.

This was my first time going to this location and I have to say, the food was pretty consistent. It can get pretty busy during a weekday lunch.

We Rate Nuba on Main

Address:
146 3rd Ave E
Vancouver, BC

Website:
nuba.ca

Nuba on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=146+3rd+Ave+E+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=146+E+3rd+Ave,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5T+1C8&gl=ca&t=m&z=14″]

Kita No Donburi

Kita no Donburi is located near Seymour and Hastings street. Kimbob E Ramyun used to be in this location before Kita no Donburi took over. It’s very close to Waterfront Skytrain. We were having a meeting nearby and needed a quick spot for lunch.

Kita No Donburi

They sell Japanese food and have a huge menu. We arrived too late for their lunch menu, so we had to settle for other items on their menu.

You order up at the counter first and then take a seat as you wait for your food to arrive. It kinda reminded me of those fast food restaurants in Asia.

Kita No Donburi

Oyako Don ($6.95) contains egg, chicken, onions, and topped with seaweed and sauce. It comes with a side of miso soup too.

Kita No Donburi

Buta Kimchi ($9.50) has marinated pork chop, kimchi, and vegetables in a hot stone bowl.

Kita No Donburi

Shogayaki Don ($7.80) contains pork, egg, onion, green onion on top of lettuce and rice.

Overall, the prices are quite fair for the food you get. It’s not the most amazing food, but good for a lunch.

We Rate Kita No Donburi

Address:
423 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.kitanodonburi.com/

Kita No Donburi on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=423+Seymour+Street+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=423+Seymour+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6B+1L6&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

Go Go Thai Food

Go Go Thai Food is located on Seymour Street across from Granville Skytrain and the Bay. Is a small little restaurant, but its popular with the lunch crowd for either Take Out or their good lunch specials. I met up with TaiwaneseGirl during our lunch break and decided to have their lunch special which contained a soup, appetizer and a curry for about $10.

Go Go Thai Food

Tom Yum Soup was very basic and there were only mushrooms in it. The taste is spicy and sour, thus giving the soup its distinctive taste.

Go Go Thai Food

Chicken Skewer was dry and didn’t really resemble fresh chicken. It tasted OK, but not great.

Go Go Thai Food

Spicy Green Curry with lamb was very very spicy. The menu had 3 hot peppers on it, but I ignored it since I thought I could handle it. It also comes with rice. The portion was a good size for lunch and you definitely get full.

Overall, the food was ok and had a good price. They have a lot of different curries, so you don’t have to get anything super spicy like what I accidentally did. The service was quick and we were able to get back to our offices in under 1 hour.

We Rate Go Go Thai Food

Address:
682 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC

Go Go Curry House on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=682+Seymour+Street+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=682+Seymour+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6B+3K6&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

The Japadog Restaurant on Robson and Seymour is always coming up with new flavours of Japadogs. Japadogs are Japanese-inspired Hot Dogs with unique toppings. Since it’s Winter now, I didn’t want to go to their carts to grab a quick lunch, so I went to the restaurant to be able to sit down inside to enjoy my meal.

Ume Japadog Combo ($9.63) with a Can of Coke and Shichimi & Garlic Fries.

The Shichimi & Garlic Fries tasted like a blend of salty and spicy. They taste really good when they are fresh, but when they start to cool down, it doesn’t have that delicious taste anymore.

Ume Japadog has pork bratwurst, onions, and a special plum jelly in a toasted bun. The pork bratwurst is bursting with flavour and is quite addictive. The pairing of the tangy plum jelly was unique and probably isn’t suited for everyone.

Overall, it’s a good option for lunch if you want something quick, easy, and under $10.

We Rate Japadog Restaurant:

Address:

530 Robson St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.japadog.com

Japadog (Robson Store) on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=530+Robson+St+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=530+Robson+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6B+2B7&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

Foodology Disclaimer: The manager invited myself and a guest to have a complementary meal to try their signature items.


Prospect Point Sign

Prospect Point in Stanley Park has the highest vantage point and attracts many tourists to the area to gaze their eyes upon the beautiful Lions Gate Bridge and the surrounding areas. You can even spot cruise ships passing by.

Prospect Point Cafe Exterior

Prospect Point Cafe is located just right outside the viewing area. They are best known for their OceanWise seafood and ice cream. This place attracts a lot of locals and tourists in the Summer months since the weather is undeniably amazing. In the winter months, the cafe is still open for lunch and you just walk inside and you will find it.

Before going in, you can glance at the menu to see if the menu suits your cravings. The restaurant is straight ahead and a gift shop is on your left hand side.

Prospect Point Cafe Picnic In the Park

If you don’t want to dine inside, you can go to the Picnic In The Park area to grab a quick bite.

Prospect Point Cafe Seating

There are lots of seats inside.

Prospect Point Cafe Patio

The best seats are near the windows where you get the view of the Lions Gate Bridge. Most of the people who were dining here sat in this area and stared out the window in awe of the beauty.

Prospect Point Cafe Wine

Calona Artist Series Pinot Grigio is a light wine that pairs nicely with the seafood.

Prospect Point Cafe Chowder

Serious Seafood Chowder ($9.99) is a traditional chowder filled with lots of seafood. I was surprised since it was pretty hearty and thick.

Wild Salmon Sampler ($24.99) has salmon spread, dill, grilled, smoked & candied salmon. All of the salmon is OceanWise certified and tasted amazing. It’s a great item to share with the table and try the different ways that salmon can be prepared.

Calamari Chop Salad ($17.99) has greens, chopped veggies, crumbled blue cheese, maple balsamic dressing, cranberries, walnuts and the calamari. This dish uses OceanWise squid! I found the calamari didn’t go too well as a salad, so it might be better to order the calamari appetizer instead.

Salmon Fish and Chips ($21.99) has 2 pieces of OceanWise Salmon, fries, house made tartar, signature slaw & fresh lemon. The salmon was golden brown on the outside and delicious and moist on the inside. They rocked the salmon, but the fries and slaw fell a bit short.

Pistachio Ice Cream and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream were both delicious and packed full of ingredients.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream and Black Cherry Ice Cream were both yummy too!

The view from the inside of the restaurant is as close as you can get to the bridge from any restaurant in Vancouver.

If you want a better view of the bridge, you can go outside and take some pictures at Prospect Point.

The view is just beautiful and you can see West Vancouver and the Lions Gate Bridge.

Overall, the food on the menu can be a hit or a miss. I do admire the restaurant for using OceanWise seafood. The salmon is great here, but everything else is quite average. Be sure to grab some ice cream too.

We Rate Prospect Point Cafe:

Address:
5601 Stanley Park Dr
Vancouver, BC V6G

Website:
http://www.prospectpoint.ca./Prospect_Point/Restaurant.html

Prospect Point Cafe in Stanley Park on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=5601+Stanley+Park+Dr+Vancouver,+BC+V6G&hnear=5601+Stanley+Park+Dr,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver+Regional+District,+British+Columbia+V6G&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

Brioche is located in the Gastown close to both SFU Vancouver and Woodwards. They are known for their yummy comfort foods like soups, sandwiches, and pasta. M and I came here since it half way between both our offices. My last visit was about 2 years ago, so I wanted to see if there were any improvements.

The space is great for chats with friends over coffee and food.

Latte was OK. Couldn’t have been a bit stronger.

Grilled NY Striploin w/ Wild Mushroom Sauce is also served with soup. There are so many different ways of eating this. You can eat it like a sandwich, or eat it like an open-faced sandwich. This item is on the special board usually and is quite pricey when you decide to order it. The menu doesn’t specify price, so it’s really going to hurt your wallet since it’s just lunch.

I tend to order this item when I go to Brioche because it’s filling and the mushroom sauce and the tender striploin is super delicious.

Seafood Bisque was very watery and had more of a lemony tang to the flavour profile. The seafood taste wasn’t as prominent.

Bolognese Lasagna w/ 8 Layer Sauce and contains Bechamel, Salsiccia, Mushroom, and Bolognese. M did enjoy the dish, but for $18 was not worth it. He wouldn’t have ordered this if he knew the price before hand.

Overall, the food is great, but the price is way too much for a lunch. You can end up paying $20 for a dish and a drink.

Words of Wisdom:

  • Food is a pricey and no visible pricing on dishes
  • Best in small groups
  • Panini’s are really good
  • Parking garage across the street. Discounted parking for SFU students after 6pm.

We rate Broioche: 

Website:
http://www.brioche.ca/

Address:
401 West Cordova Street
Vancouver BC

Brioche on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=401+West+Cordova+Street+Vancouver+BC&hnear=401+W+Cordova+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver+Regional+District,+British+Columbia+V6B+1E5&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

 

Jimmys Place Restaurant is super hidden near North Road and they serve of breakfasts and lunch. WIth my last experience here, I wasn’t eager to come back, but M kept on insisting we have their eggs benedict and hash browns.

The interior seems a bit dated and has a diner feel to it. It’s cash only, but the food is quite cheap and affordable. It’s known as a neighbourhood favorite for their breakfast.

Pop ($1.95). It’s the classic bottles! In my opinion, it tastes the best from the bottles compared to the plastic bottles or fountain drinks.

Jimmy’s special burger ($8.95) comes with bacon and cheese as well as a side of fries.The bun was nicely toasted on the outside, but the patty wasn’t good at all. The fries were alright too. I probably wouldn’t get the burger again.

Black Stone Benedict ($8.95) is M’s Favorite items from Jimmy’s Place. This is all he will ever order. The eggs are nicely poached with lots of hollandaise sauce on top with bacon, green onions and tomatoes. The hash browns are also super crispy on the outside. After I tried a bit of this, I totally wanted to steal his whole dish away from him.

Overall, the food is ok, but the only item that is super good are the eggs benedict! The hash browns are super amazing too. Whatever you decided to get, you must have the side of hash browns!

Words of Wisdom:

  • Cash only
  • Some items are hit and miss
  • Eggs benny with hashbrowns are the best items
  • Lots of parking
  • Lots to choose from in their menu
  • Cheap and affordable

We Rate Jimmys Place Restaurant:

Address:
435 North Road
Coquitlam, BC

Jimmy's Place on Urbanspoon


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Rasoee Indian Kitchen serves up modern Indian cuisine. In a way, you can say this is Indian fast food. This location is on Robson, but they do have a few other locations in Vancouver.

The interior has a few tables, but the turnover rate is quite high during lunch since its quick.

Butter Chicken Combo ($8.49 + $2.49) has tender tandoori-baked boneless chicken in a mildly spiced creamy tomato curry sauce with basmati rice.  With the combo I got a coke and naan bread.

The naan bread wasn’t good, I chose the original naan as recommended by the cashier. It didn’t feel very fresh and not very authentic. I wish there was a little cup of curry sauce to dunk the bread into since there isn’t enough sauce on top of the rice. The combo isn’t really worth it.

The butter chicken curry was alright, the sauce was a bit on the thin side and not a lot of chicken.

Lamb Curry ($8.49) is on basmati rice as well. MeatGirl thought it was also alright, but good for a quick lunch.

Overall, I feel this is what Indian Fast Food taste like. The curries were light, but nothing too special. It seems like the taste of the curry was just adapted towards Western culture and lost it’s authentic taste. I guess they are trying to target the general population.

However, they are always continually trying to improve their store, so perhaps it will get better. Their service is really good though! The food came really fast!

Words of Wisdom:

  • Gluten-Free Options
  • Very Fast Service
  • Under $10
  • Take Out and Delivery Options

We Rate Rasoee Indian Kitchen: 

Address:
320 Robson St
Vancouver, BC V6B
Website:
http://www.rasoee.ca/
Rasoee Indian Kitchen on Urbanspoon


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By now, almost everyone in Vancouver has probably heard of Japadog. They are famous for having Japanese inspired hotdogs.

They have even attracted may celebrities visiting Vancouver.

They have even expanded into New York!

Everything is prepared at the cart and you can see them hard at work!

Yakisoba Japadog ($7) has a pork sausage topped with yakisoba noodles and pickled ginger on a toasted bun. It tasted really good, but it was kinda messy to eat.

They also have super unique types of japadogs such as the edamame one where the sausage has beans. They do have regular hotdogs too, but why have that when you can have a Japadog!

Words of Wisdom:

  • Better than the usual hotdog stands
  • Under $10
  • Can be a bit expensive
  • Good place to take tourists since it’s world-famous
  • Terimayo, Oroshi and Okonomi is most popular

We rate Japadog: 

Location:

Burrard and Smith

Website:

http://www.japadog.com/
Japadog (Burrard & Smithe) on Urbanspoon

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Finch’s Tea & Coffee House is an amazing place for baguettes. The place is a bit small and super crowded for lunch. Sometimes its hard to find a seat, so lots of people do take out. I’ve been fortunate to find a seat every time..since I stalk people for seats.

Nonetheless, I always go here when I know I want something that won’t disappoint me.

Latte was alright, but it didn’t look good. It was more like a cappuccino due to the foam.

Avocado Baguette ($8.75) has avocado, roasted walnuts, Edam cheese, cucumber, lettuce, Dijon, mayo, oil and vinegar. The avocado and walnuts went beautifully together. Its really hard to eat, but this sandwich tasted so good!

Prosciutto Salad ($8.75) has lettuce, vine tomatoes, black pepper, oil and vinegar with a side of buttered baguette. If you aren’t into getting so messy, they have salads too. They give you plenty of prosciutto and I also liked it.

Overall, I haven’t been disappointed by their food yet….maybe their latte, but not their food. I come here quite often since it’s close to the office and it’s not too expensive.

Also, did you know the 50/50 movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen was filmed here!

Words of Wisdom:

  • Pay Parking on streets
  • Amazing baguettes!
  • Under $10
  • Very busy during lunch, so hard to find seats
  • Best Baguettes: Pear Baguette and the Avocado Baguette

We Rate Finch’s Tea & Coffee House: 

Address:

353 W Pender St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.finchteahouse.com
Finch's Tea & Coffee House on Urbanspoon


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Cham Mani is a Korean restaurant on Pender. The interior seemed very simple and would work for a quick lunch. The lunch are cheap and under $10. My coworker wanted some good cheap food, so I took her here.

KimchiJjiGae ($7.50) is kimchi stew with pork, tofu and onion. Comes with a side of rice. I like it! It was a tad spicy, so if you fear spicy, this isn’t for you. There’s a good amount of stew and rice, so you will be full.

I ate it by mixing the rice into the stew, but you could also put some stew onto the rice. Doesn’t really matter how you do it as long as it gets into your belly.

You also get some side dishes to share. We got Kimchi and tofu curds, which are complementary.

JeYukDupBap ($8.25) is spicy pork and vegetables over rice. It is also spicy, so do watch out. If you like spice, you’ll be alright.

Overall, pretty good. The place is family owned, so you do get a sense of “home” in the food when you eat here. I was looking at other tables and their other dishes looked pretty awesome too. The dishes aren’t too fancy, but its perfect lunch food.

Words of Wisdom:

  • Closest Skytrain – Granville or Waterfront
  • Under $10
  • Best deal is with the combos
  • Quick fast lunch
  • Small restaurant, not good for large groups.

We Rate Cham Mani: 

Address:

529 West Pender St
Vancouver, BC
Cham Mani on Urbanspoon


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Guu Garden is probably my favorite place to have lunch downtown. It’s cheap and you are guaranteed a fabulous lunch. Plus, I love Japanese food to death. For AvocadoGirl’s last day of work, I took her here since she really needed to see their amazing lunch.

You get super full for about $10.

   

 

The lunch menu is above, but they do change once in a while.

We grabbed some tea and waited for our order to arrive. Unfortunately, it was busy at lunch so it did take quite a while for our meal to arrive. I think it took about 30 minutes for our order to arrive. This was quite a bit long since lunch is supposed to be a fast meal. Eventually it did arrive, which is good.

Kobe Beef Hamburg Steak Rice Burger Bento ($10) it comes with green bean fries, prawn & avocado wasabi salad, side dish and miso soup.  You can also double the patty for an extra $2.50.

Kobe Beef Hamburg Steak Rice Burger look really good and flavourful. It’s a bit hard to eat with your hands, so I used a knife and fork.

The Kobachi served when I went here was bean sprouts with a little bit of chili sauce. Overall pretty good, but it was small.

Prawn & Avocado Wasabi Salad is another one of my favorite dishes. It doesn’t have a strong overwhelming wasabi taste, so its good for people with varying spicy tolerance.

Green bean fries complimented all the other items nicely since it had a nice crunch. Not oily at all.

Grapes came as the finishing dessert. It was just normal grapes, so can’t really say much about that. They use to have this almond pudding instead and that was so much better than grapes.

Okara & Veggies Korokke Rice Burger Bento ($10) it comes with  green bean fries, prawn& avocado wasabi salad, side dish and miso soup. Everything is the same except for the burger.

AvocadoGirl had this and I don’t think she had any complaints.

Pasta of the Day ($10) has their daily pasta, side of avocado shrimp salad and a miso soup.

They warned me that the pasta would be spicy, but it really wasn’t. It had a light tomato sauce with peppers, tomatoes, herbs and bacon. It was alright, but nothing too spectacular.

The miso soup was pretty good! It even has bean curd in it.

It’s the same avocado and shrimp salad that comes with the other combos. YUM!

Avocado Cheesecake surprised me at first! How can you put those two together? It tasted really good, the avocado is subtle but you can still taste it!

Overall, really good lunch deals especially in the downtown area. Highly recommended!

Words of Wisdom:

  • Amazing $10 bento lunch
  • Hard to locate the restaurant
  • Slow service

We Rate Guu Garden: 

Address:

M101-888 Nelson Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.guu-izakaya.com
Guu Garden on Urbanspoon


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I met up with fellow SFU Food Blogger – The Food Queen! We were chatting on Twitter and decided to just meet up since it’s fun to eat with others. Since she was on her hunt to try out all the food places at SFU, I thought Club Ilia would be a great place to meet up. It’s not the best place for a quick lunch for one since it’s best with 2 since they have tables. It’s a good place for meetings or more formal-ish lunches.

Club Ilia is an eatery/ lounge that opened up at SFU a few years ago to add to the dining scene. They have a good selection of items.

Sesame crusted tuna sandwich ($13) was something I had to get when I saw it on their daily special menu! I have a weird obsession to find the best ahi tuna burger since Havana’s no longer has their ahi tuna burger. 🙁

It took them a while to get the sandwich ready since they had to defrost the tuna before serving. It’s a funny thing because it was on their daily special, they probably should have been more prepared ahead of time.

It’s got mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, onions and the sesame encrusted seared tuna. I thought it was alright, I thought the cut of tuna could have been a bit thicker since the bun was quite thick compared to the ingredients.

You can also choose your side of salad! I got the salad and it wasn’t bad at all! The greens were fresh and had HUGE cuts of tomatoes. Since they didn’t have balsamic vinegar, I got a raspberry vinaigrette.

Or you can get fries! Food Queen totally had to go with the fries. They do look good.  Check out FoodQueen’s review on Club Ilia here!

Overall, it’s not a bad place to dine on campus. SO much better than the other quick stops at Cornerstone or the cafeteria.

Words of Wisdom:

  • Variety of Beer on tap
  • Decent prices for lunch but dinner can get a bit pricey

We Rate Club Ilia: 

Address:

8902 University High St
Burnaby, BC V5A

Website:
clubilia.com
Club Ilia on Urbanspoon

CanuckGirl gets off early sometimes, so I take advantage of it and eat delicious lunches without feeling lonely! I have to admit, I do quite often eat lunch alone and it can be mighty depressing. CanuckGirl loves Cafe Medina and they have a reputation of delicious eats…especially brunch!

I’ve been doing quite a few revisits lately, but every visit is special to me and it’s a good way to see how consistant restaurants are with their quality. Also, it’s good to note if something changes.

Whenever I see Matcha Latte (12oz – $4.25) on a menu, I must have it. I honestly did not like their matcha latte. I found it very gritty and made me want to grab some water. I have pretty high standard for matcha lattes ever since I’ve been to Sajin’s Green Tea House. Once you go to Sajin’s nothing else can really compare.

Best to stick with the Lavender latte instead when you are here.

They ran out of  a few things on the menu, so CanuckGirl ordered the Saumon Fume ($12).  It is served on a toasted open faced ciabatta bread with a fried egg, smoked salmon, caper cream cheese, avocados, and arugula. You don’t need to put these together like a sandwich, it’s best eaten separately with a knife and fork.

The best part is really the runny yolk. It’s always fun to pop it and smother it all over everything!

I felt very very meaty today, so I got the Les Boulettes ($14). The meatballs are made out of spicy moroccan lamb and beef. It’s actually not that spicy. In the sauce, there is roasted vegetables! to complement the meaty side of the dish, they also serve you with hummus and grilled foccacia. The taste of the meatballs were very nice, but I felt like I needed some rice to go with this. Perhaps that just my asian self craving rice. It was still a filling dish with exotic flavours.

Overall, the food at Cafe Medina is quite consistant. Even the line ups are consistant. I wouldn’t be embarrassed to bring anyone here. Great food and great atmosphere!

Words of Wisdom:

  • 2 hours free parking at Tinsel Town (I know its for patrons…but FREE parking! I break rules)
  • Waffles and lavender lattes are popular
  • Best to go in 2s for quick seating

We rated Cafe Media:

Check out their website: http://www.medinacafe.com/

Address:

556 Beatty St
Vancouver, BC

Cafe Medina on Urbanspoon

 

Blowfish Japanese Restaurant is located a few blocks away from PNE/Playland on Hastings. This small little Japanese restaurant is a favourite amongst the residents in the area. They have amazing priced Japanese food that won’t break your wallet.

Seating is quite limited they have about 6 tables that seat either 4 or 2 people. Most people who come in do take out especially during the peak hours.

I started with the House Salad ($4). It is a very simple salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, crispy wonton-like topping with ponzu sauce. It was good a refreshing like how a salad should be.

I’ve been to other japanese restaurants with horrible salads, but this one is good!

Crazy Buster Roll ($11) has crunchy tuna stick wrapped with tuna sashimi and avocado, drizzled with spicy mayo and tobiko. It’s a bit expensive for just a roll.

The roll was pretty good, but I really could not feel the “crunchy” texture of the roll from the tuna. It was probably masked by the rice. The tuna felt a bit dry and it might have been better if it they lightly seared the tuna instead. The spicy mango sauce was nice and it was very subtle and it won’t hurt you. Good roll, but expensive!

Dragon Roll ($12) has 2 prawn tempura & daikon sprouts wrapped with slices of grilled eel & avocado. Yet again, the specialty rolls are expensive!

The taste was also very good! Delicious combination of the eel and tempura. I really like the little tobiko on top since it reminds me of mini dragon balls. They also make crunchy noises when you bite down on them.

Deluxe Bento Box ($12.95) comes with your choice of Chicken, Beef, Salmon or Tofu Teriyaki. Also Ebi, Tako or Vegetable Sunomono Soup with Tempura, Chicken Karaage, California Roll, Green Salad.

This box is super cheap and it worth every penny! It’s equivalent to the specialty rolls, which I found very funny.

The Miso Soup is nothing special. It’s the same stuff you would get anywhere else.

The sunomono we chose was the tako sunomono. It has 2 thick slices of tako, which is octopus. Very good like the ones you would find else where. I like how they give you many choices so you are not just stuck with the ebi sunomono like most restaurants.

The california roll was nicely put together and it did not fall apart. It has imitation crab and avocado inside.

The chicken karrage  was good as well. Moist inside and not over cooked. I love this fatty addition to any bento box!

The green salad is different than the house salad. It is mostly lettuce with a citrus sauce.

We chose the salmon teriyaki since its different than the usual chicken or beef. M did not take a liking to this since it was very very salty. Perhaps it was just the way they cooked it..or they accidentally added too much salt.

The tempura was assorted, so you get a few vegetables and ebi.

Overall, pretty good items and large selection on their menu. The best deal from Blowfish are the bento boxes! All the ingredients seem pretty fresh and we were quite impressed by our visit.

Words of Wisdom:

  • Take Out + Delivery
  • Very affordable Bento boxes
  • Expensive specialty sushi rolls
  • Free parking in parking lot of adjacent roads

We Rate Blowfish: 

Address:

Suite 107-2828 E. Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.blowfish101.com
Blowfish Sushi & Japanese Food on Urbanspoon

Coma Food Truck finally makes their way to the Downtown core. They originally had their truck across the bridge on Broadway, but thats a bit hard to get to during my lunch break. They are now located outside the Vancouver Public Library. They sell delicious fusion food that combines Korean, Mexican and American cuisine.

They will probably put you in Food Coma afterwards, but Coma stands for Korean (Ko), Mexican (M), American (A).

I was just on Twitter and I saw that @DennisPang was getting a bunch of people together to grab lunch at here, so I decided to check it out. If you are wondering, yes, I paid for this meal from money from my pocket.

Their menu is located  on a white board and features items such as Bibimbap, seaweed rolls, burritos, burgers, and quesadilla. They are infused with korean flavours, so these are not your regular items. Since everything looked super delicious, @kathygko and I split the Burrito, Bibimbap and the quesadilla.

They also have a few pictures too. If you have no idea what to order, you can see what it looks like. While looking at the menu, you can also stare at them making your meal!

I started off with the Yuzu Iced tea ($2.49). It sounded a bit different and sure it did taste different. Yuzu is a citrus fruit in asia that is similar to an orange. In Korean culture, it is used more for drinks.

The yuzu iced tea is very similar to normal iced tea, but the tones of the yuzu do shine through and give you a slightly tart taste. It was still good nonetheless.

The Kimchi Quesadilla ($5.99) comes with a chipotle quesadilla with vegetables, kimchi, and salsa. It is not very spicy at all and its a good fusion between korean and mexican. The flavours blend nicely together and it’s the type of comfort food you want to sink your teeth into. The quesadilla is crunchy on the outside. On the inside you get some oogey gooey cheese with savory ingredients. Yum!

@kathygko didn’t take a liking to this due to the lack of spice.

Kibimbap  ($6.99) has rice with bean sprouts, mushrooms, daikon, zucchini, carrots and egg with Korean bbq beef, spicy sauce and hint of sesame oil.

To eat this, you just take your utensils and mix it up until it’s well so the sauce and vegetables are well combined. It’s a decent dish, but I felt like I needed more spicy sauce. If you have been to Korean Restaurants before, you have the option of having it in a stone bowl or just regular. I prefer my bibimbap in a stone bowl (I love the crunchy rice), but its really not possible from a food truck.

This also came with a Korean version of Miso soup, but M just calls it seaweed soup. I don’t have a picture of it because I took it home to drink. @kathygko and I were way too full to finish the other items that we ordered.  The miso soup was really good!! It was a tad spicy with lots of enoki mushrooms, seaweed, tofu, and green onion. So good!

We also got the Spicy Pork Korean BBQ Burrito ($5.99) kimchi, vegetables, cheddar jack cheese, and spicy pork all housed in a wrapped up 12in tortilla. I took it home to eat too, so I shared it with M. He thought it was a mexican burrito, the first thing that came out of his mouth was “tastes strangely Korean”. I forgot to tell him the part where it’s a Korean-Mexican fusion fish. This was so good and had that nice kick of the korean spicy sauce.

Overall, Coma Food Truck has some good offerings from their truck! I didn’t get a chance to check out their american fusion items, but I’ll be back!

Words of Wisdom:

  • Burrito and Quesadilla are recommended!
  • Good prices
  • It’s hard to figure out where they are, so best to stalk them on twitter
We Rate Coma Food Truck: 

Website:

www.comafoodtruck.com

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coma-Food-Truck/126803084055777

Twitter:

@ComaFoodTruck

Coma Food Truck on Urbanspoon