After going back to work from my maternity leave, a lot has changed as we now have a pandemic and majority of my colleagues are working from home. What once was happy hour right after work has becoming Virtual Happy Hours once a month to bring everyone together. It’s definitely a strange time, but we make it work.
I put together a charcuterie board of my favourite items from my local grocery stores to put together the perfect Virtual Happy Hour for one.
Choose your favourite drink
I love light beers, so I went with Coors Organic as it just launched. We were gifted this a while ago, but I decided to crack it open for a taste test. Very refreshing and has a clean taste so it balances well with the charcuterie board. Simple and not overly complicated.
Some times I do wine, but beer is more of my go to beverage.
Visit you local market
I love going to our local butcher in the neighbourhood as there is always good selection of meats and cheeses for your board. I went with a salami, habanero cheddar, and a regular cheddar.
While I was there I also picked up some crackers grapes, pistachios, artichoke hearts and olives to round out the board.
Spice it up
Condiments are a must, but I went with mustard this time as Smak Dab’s Canadian Maple mustard goes well with meats and cheeses. It has a smokiness and sweetness that pairs nicely.
Other condiments we usually enjoy are raspberry jams, hummus, and tzatziki.
Enjoy
I hope everyone has doing well as much as they can during the pandemic. There has been a lot of negative news in the last year, but we have to count our blessings as there has been some positive aspects.
There’s more and more delivery and pick up options available for groceries and take out. A lot of technology issues that we’re possible and now possible! Families have been spending more time together where possible and we are lucky to have our health.
Joe Fortes is launching their new Happy Hour Menu starting March 2nd. It’s a great happy hour featuring a plethora of seafood dishes to snack on. Plus, drink specials too. We’ve been to happy hour a few times, so we’re excited to see the new menu.
We were invited to check out all the items on the menu so you can make an informed decision.
When is Happy Hour at Joe Fortes Available?
Here are the hours of the Happy Hour at Joe Fortes.
Monday to Friday: 3pm to 6pm
Saturday and Sunday: – 4pm to 6pm
7 Days a week: 9pm to 11pm
Menu
Bubbly
A glass of bubbly is the perfect way to start off happy hour after work especially if you’re celebrating something special.
Classic Margarita
They also have their classic margarita on special for $7. It’s a solid drink that you also can’t go wrong with.
Joe’s Chilled Seafood Platter
For $36.95 per tier, you get this platter with local oysters, marinated mussels and clams, prawns, albacore tuna crudo, scallop ceviche, and ahi tuna poke.
All the items on this platter was delicious and fresh. It’s a good platter to share with friends. It would be good for 2-4 people and then add some more happy hour items to round it out.
I really liked the local oysters, marinated mussels and clams, prawns, and albacore tuna crudo in this platter.
Oyster’s Rockefeller
Each order comes with 2 pieces to an order. Each shell has 2 cooked oysters in a decadent creamy sauce made of spinach, pernod, and hollandaise. Very delicious.
Mini Shrimp & Lobster Rolls
There are also 2 pieces per order. This has a mixture of shrimp, Atlantic lobster meat, and classic remoulade. There is a good amount of seafood in this which is nice. The roll is nicely toasted too. A must have item.
Crab & Corn Fritters
There are 4 crab and corn fritters per order and served with a dip and wedge of lemon. It was very crisp on the outside with the mixture of corn and crab.
Albacore Tuna Sliders
This item is new to the menu and comes with 2 pieces per order. It doesn’t look like much but it was good. The albacore tuna is very delicate and full of flavour.
Ahi Poke Tacos
This is a new item on the happy hour menu and there are 2 pieces per order. The ahi poke sits inside a deep fried wrapper and served with guacamole. Nice bite size pieces.
Jumbo Tempura Prawns
The tiger prawn tempura are huge and it is served with a togarashi mayo. Very crisp on the outside and just a delight to devour. Definitely worth getting an order. There are 3 pieces per order.
Crispy Calamari
The calamari was really tender and it is served with a sun-dried tomato aioli dip and a slice of lemon. We really enjoyed this dish.
Truffle Fries
The truffle fries are topped with grana padano, herbs, and sea salt. There is also ketchup on the side. A good item to munch on and share among the table.
Final Thoughts
Overall, a good selection of items for their happy hour menu and they continue to give their guests a good experience. Once the patio bar opens later this year once the weather warms up, you can have happy hour up at the bar on the patio.
Stock & Supply is located on the lobby level of Delta Hotels by Marriott Vancouver Downtown Suites on Hastings Street across from SFU Harbour Centre. They are focusing on providing a multi-sensory dining experience with a focus on shared plates, grazing options, and an extensive cocktail and beverage menu.
We were invited for a sneak peek to check out the space as well as the drink and eats.
Interior
The space holds up to 71 guests and is on a first come first serve basis, so no reservations are available. The space is quaint and they have a partnership with the Vancouver Art Gallery to rotate art pieces in this space.
It’s a great space for after work and into the evenings. They also welcome people to do some work here as there are plugs for laptops and to charge phones.
Menu
Build You Own Boards
The main feature of Stock & Supply is their BYOB – Build Your Own Boards. You could bring your own booze, but they have a very good selection at the bar.
All boards will offer a base, including fresh herb hummus, citrus spiced olives, baked garlic, warm baguette and beer-infused mustard, along with 3 items of your choice for $25, which feeds 2. You can also add on any additional items for $8 each to expand your board.
These additions can include a pickled carrot trio, house-smoked pork belly, bone marrow and a house-made beet tasting, along with many more options. They pride themselves of working with top producers in BC.
If you are indecisive, they also offer three pre-designed boards for weekend brunch, including The Garden’s Board which will showcase cauliflower fritters, toasted quinoa tabbouleh and fresh hummus.
Smoked Pork Scotch Egg
This is served with pickled onions and beer infused mustard to compliment. It is essentially a beautifully boiled egg wrapped in ground smoked pork. It’s delicious and you can’t go wrong with this.
Crab Fritters
On the side, there is a mint and cilantro yogurt to balance out the fried fritters. It was alright but the crab could have stood out a bit more. The mint was a tad overpowering.
Poutine
There is a base of double cooked fries, St. Albert Cheese Curds, Smoked Brisket, Ale Gravy, and a sunny egg. Very indulgent, but the gravy was a bit salty.
Tomato Flatbread
The flatbread has confit heirloom tomatoes and garlic, balsamic onion, goat cheese, and kale pesto. One of the more filling snacks and easy to share with a group.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
The wings are paired with a Roasted Garlic Aioli dip. The chicken wings were pretty salty, so if you get this, request that they go easy on the salt.
Charro Beans
This has house smoked bacon, fresh avocado, lime creme fraiche, and fried tortilla. Interesting dish on the menu, but it wasn’t really exciting.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s a great addition to Downtown Vancouver as people are looking for the next place for small bites and drinks after work. There are options for more filling dishes if you’re wanted to get more full.
Blossom Dim Sum & Grill is Robson Street’s newest social hub and a gathering spot for a sit-down meal or some small bites and drinks on the patio.
They just launched their happy hour menu, which happens everyday at 3-5pm and 10pm to midnight.
We were invited to give their happy hour menu a try.
Interior
This space is huge and they have done wonders decorating this place from head to toe. You can have small to really large groups at Blossom.
The decor is very fun and Asian inspired.
They have more casual dining by the sushi bar, patio, dining room & a private room as well.
White Sangria
On the happy hour menu is also their sangria. It’s perfect for the Summer weather.
Vegetable Spring Roll
There are 6 pieces per order (3 cut into halves). Crisp on the outside and savoury on the inside. For $3.50, it’s a pretty good price.
Pork Dumping , Napa Cabbage
There are 3 pieces per order. These are very big dumplings using fresh ingredients. When you bite into them, there is some juice inside but doesn’t leak.
Olives
An ingredient you don’t normally find in Chinese cooking. It comes in a variety of Italian and Spanish Olives. It’s served warm in olive oil.
Edamame
These are steamed soy beans tossed in smoked salt. It’s good to nibble on throughout the meal.
Potato Chips
The potato chops are house fried with spicy Asian ketchup. These were like rotato you would find at the night market but in chip format. Pretty good deal for $3.50 on the happy hour menu.
Crispy Prawn Dumplings
There are 3 pieces to an order and it came with a dip too. A good texture of the deep-fried dumpling skin and the delicious salty prawn meat inside.
Crispy California Roll
The California roll has crab meat and avocado inside the deep fried rice roll. Delicious and great to share with a group.
Spicy Albacore Tuna Tartare
There is wasabi soy, avocado, mixed greens, serreno, and Sichuan spicy mayo. It was delicious and it had a kick of wasabi that travels up the nose.
Lotus Korean Spicy Tuna
This dish may not look like much but the lotus chip wrap with the spicy Korean sauce was really delicious. Not too spicy and was one of our favourite dishes.
Fish Pate
The fish pate is served with rice crackers. It was very interesting to see it this way as it reminded us of a crab dip.
Smoked Salmon
This is house smoked and served with creme fraiche, capers, chilli oil and baguette. Together the items worked together to make a 2 bite treat.
The texture of the smoked salmon is a bit different and chunky.
Beef Tartare
This is made of hand cut tenderloin, mustard and herbs. It is then served with potato chips. This was decent.
Lobster Leg Fries
Now that’s something I haven’t heard of before but it makes sense! You get a good amount for only $6.50.
Final Thoughts
The happy hour menu is truly East meets West. You have a lot of fusion dishes that you would not normally see. We enjoyed the lobster fries, potato chips, crispy California roll, and lotus Korean spicy tuna.
If you want to get a taste of what Blossom has to offer, check out Happy Hour as its very affordable. They also don’t use MSG in all dishes. Items are between $3.5 and $6.5. The dishes are meant to be shared, which is great for groups.
With their beautiful interior, its good to grab a drink and some nibbles to catch up with friends.
Tojo’s Restaurant just launched their cocktail hour featuring new libations and a seasonal selection of small bites. This new menu is available Thursday to Saturday from 4 to 6 pm.
Parking here can be a bit tricky during rush hour but there are a few complimentary visitor parking spots in the back.
You can expect a delicious new cocktail list, as Tojo’s has teamed up with award-winning mixologist and Canada’s Top Bartender 2019, Jeff Savage. Tasty libations are arguably best enjoyed with good food, and Chef Hidekazu Tojo has created a new small bites menu, which are updated seasonally to pair with the new cocktail list.
Here is a sneak peak of their cocktail hour.
Tojo’s Pickles
This has a mix of seasonal vegetables. It is light, tart and crunchy. Best paired with the Nitobe Garden Fizz mocktail.
Edamame
This is a very healthy snack that is boiled and lightly tossed in sea salt. It comes in a regular size and a large size. It’s a good item to snack on as you have a drink like the Tokaido 53 cocktail.
Miso Mustard Lotus Root
The lotus root is crunchy and in the middle of the lotus room is the miso mustard, which gives it a slightly spicy taste. The texture and hint of spice works really well. This pairs well with the Japanese Highball.
Citrus and Sea Salt Wings
This dish uses organic chicken and its prepared Tojo-style, which means the the drumsticks are transformed into lollipops and the wings cut in half, so its mess-free. They suggest pairing this with the Japanese High Ball too.
Tojo Maki
This is the most popular item at Tojo’s. This is the pioneer of the modern California Roll using local Dungeness Crab, avocado, spinach and egg rolled inside-out with sesame seeds on top. Give this a try with the Tojo’s Milk Punch cocktail.
Dragon’s Sweet Potatoes
This is a hometown favourite from Kagoshima. These little sweet potato nuggets have a nice texture and is a touch sweet which is nice and enjoyable.
Dashimaki + Caviar
This has a few pieces of Japanese egg omelette and topped with Ikura and tobiko. Very delicious and I love the hints of saltiness as the ikura and tobiko as they pop in your mouth. Yet again, you can pair this with Tojo’s Milk Punch.
Tojo’s Tuna
This is Chef’s signature dish with wild albacore, and a wasabi sesame sauce. It comes in 2 sizes – regular or large depending on how much you’re craving Tojo’s Tuna. The tuna is very fresh and the sauces go well together. You can try this with the Tokaido 53 cocktail.
Seafood Salad
This uses their freshest seasonal seafood and it does change depending on what’s available. I enjoyed all the seafood as there was a good variety to it. The Salaryman cocktail pairs with it.
Cocktails
Tokaido 53
A vibrant martini riff inspired by journeys on the ancient road connecting Kyoto and Edo. Bison Grass Vodka, Kazuki Gin, Herb and Citrus Oil.
Salaryman
A stern cocktail best used to signal the end of the workday. Japanese Whisky Blend, Notes of Matcha and Black Sesame.
Kitsune Gimlet
A bright, fresh cocktail that’s as cunning and playful as it’s mythical namesake Kazuki Gin, Yuzu, and Honey. A well balanced cocktail.
Tojo’s Milk Punch
Eastern flavours and Western techniques meet in this milk punch, named after the Iconoclast himself. This is made with Bank’s 5 Island Rum, Shiso, Sencha, Mint, Lime, and Clarified Milk.
This was my favourite cocktail that we tried. You get aromas of the milk yet the cocktail is clear. I was very very impressed with the different techniques that are used to create this beverage.
Japanese Highball
This is made with Suntory Toki, Bittered Sling Lem-Marrakech Bitters, and Soda. You can really taste the Suntory Toki and the bitters. Not my favourite, but it pairs well with fried food.
Nitobe Garden Fizz
Vibrancy and earthly bounty come together in this drink honouring the beautiful Nitobe Memorial Garden. Seedlip Garden 108, Matcha, Herb, Citrus Oil, and Soda.
This is a mocktail and does not contain any alcohol at all. I like their use of the Seedlip Garden 108 as it gives this drink a herbaceous aroma similar to gin.
Final Thoughts
The cocktail hour is a great way to enjoy the taste of Tojo’s and exceptional cocktails created by Jeff Savage. The prices are reasonable and you can have a good catch with friends or even make new friends here.
PiDGiN has launched their newest Happy Hour menu which happens every day from 5 – 6pm at their bar. A short window of time but there are some good deals especially if you love sake. How can you not if you’re a sake lover?
We were invited for a sneak peek of their happy hour offerings.
Bar
As the happy hour is only offered at the bar, you’ll get a front row seat of the bartending action. One of my favourite places to eat at is the bar because it’s more interactive.
Happy hour is best spent with a friend, drinks and some nibbles.
Menu
Beef Chicharrones
The beef chicharrones were my favourite item on the menu. Simple but the spices that they add on top has a tiny kick of spice, salty, but works well together. It is on the menu with beer and it’s a perfect pairing. The crunchy texture of the chicharrones and the malty effervescent beer.
Yakitori
The yakitori is ordered per piece. You can choose from heart, skin or thighs. They don’t have the deep charcoal flavour in these skewers, but it was well prepared. Surprisingly, the hearts were my favourite. It was tender and quite flavourful. The thighs were tender and very juicy. The skin was ok, but it would have been nice if the fat was rendered a bit more.
Hando Katsu Sando
The katsu and kewpie mayo is sandwiched between milk bread. The katsu reminded me of corned beef that is breaded and deep-fried. The milk bread was very toasty and hard that is was a bit rough on the mouth.
Tempura
The tempura that they had was Shiso Wrapped Rockfish and Prawn and served with ponzu sauce. It was surprisingly really good. I loved the combination and it worked.
Sake Flights
Sake is 50% during this happy hour and they boast a wide selection. Two of my favourites were the:
Niwa no Uguisu, Junmai Daiginko
Masumi Kippuku Kinju, Junmai Ginjo, Yamahai
I was never into sake but these two were smooth and enjoyed cold.
Final Thoughts
Overall, there are some good bites that go well with beer, wine, cocktails, and sake. The menu isn’t extensive, but there is just enough for happy hour.
Honey Salt is a restaurant inside Parq Vancouver and they have happy hour daily 3:30pm – 6:30pm and 10:00pm to close. Since I work close by, I came with a friend to check out their happy hour.
They have discounts on appetizers, mains and drinks. Good amount of selection too.
Interior
I always have this weird habit of making reservations, but unfortunately, happy hour is only in the bar section, not the dining area.
The dining area looks amazing and bright, but the bar area is more dim and has a relaxed atmosphere.
Honey Salt Margarita
This has sage infused cazadores reposado, blackberry syrup, agave nectar, and lemon. My friend did not enjoy this at all as it was very very sweet. She ended up opting for the Old Fashioned instead and it was a lot better.
Parmesan Fries
The ultimate snack for the table. It has chives, sea salt, and Parmesan covering the crisp fries. It also comes with a side of ketchup.
Mac N’ Cheese
This has 3 cheese cavitappi, roasted peppers and kale. It was a good and comforting dish and it’s funny how they put in peppers and kale to off set the cheesy comfort of the dish. hahaha.
Elizabeth’s Caesar
This was huge and you can definitely share if you wanted. It has kale, romaine, Parmesan, croutons, and a black garlic dressing. A good solid salad that you can’t go wrong with.
Grandma Rosie’s Turkey Meatballs
This has the turkey meatballs smothered in tomato sauce, caramelized onion, herb ricotta and a side of garlic toast.There are 5 meatballs and good size too. Very filling and sharable too.
Final Thoughts
Overall, they have a pretty solid happy hour menu with lots of food options if you have dietary restrictions. Also lots of different beer, wine and cocktail options too. It’s a good place for happy hour if you’re looking for something after work near the area.
Earls has finally opened their Ambleside Beach location in West Vancouver. The new waterfront dining destination is in the Grosvenor Ambleside development a few feet from the water, which has a view of Lions Gate Bridge and Stanley Park. This is actually the first Earls to open in BC since 2010 and Earls Ambleside Beach was created specifically for this West Vancouver location and people in the area.
Interior
The interior is designed in a ‘West Coast meets California Beach’ style. They can seat up to 189 guests inside, while their patio will allow more than 80 guests to sit outside. You will also notice several commissioned artworks for their corporate art collection from Vancouver artists including Andy Dixon, Fiona Ackerman, Ben Skinner and all-female artist collective, Thrive Art Studio, for its art program. These custom works are featured prominently throughout the restaurant as part of the Earls commitment to supporting local artists.
Brunch Menu
There are 9 brunch items on the menu along with a few drinks. What I like about the menu is how there is brunch happy hour from opening till 11am where all the food is $8. What a steal.
Brunch Drinks
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are on the menu. Very fancy to go well with brunch. I opted for my usual coffee in the morning, but if you’re in need of something a little bit more fancy, the option is there.
Smoothie Bowl
This hearty brunch bowl comes in 2 sizes and has fresh blueberries, strawberries, mint, toasted almonds, banana, flax seed granola, and spirulina. This dish is exclusive to this location.
Grilled Avocado Brunch Bowl
A very healthy option for breakfast as it has grilled zucchini, roasted sweet potato, tomato, avocado, romesco yogurt, and fried egg. That grilled avocado looks really good.
Avocado Brunch Toast
This has poached eggs, smashed avocado, furikake, chili and radish. They make the eggs perfectly soft and it’s another good option if you don’t want anything too meaty or rich.
Eggs Benedict
This classic breakfast has two poached eggs, classic hollandaise, virginia ham, toasted baguette, and it is served with crispy potatoes. I added a side of bacon onto it. The baguette was toasted so it was crisp on the outside and went with the bennies well.
Golden Waffles + Cream
A fun sweet item for those with a little sweet tooth in the morning. It has Chantily cream, maple syrup, and their seasonal compote over golden waffles.
Country Breakfast
There are 2 eggs sunny side up, bacon, sausage, grilled avocado, baked beans, crispy potatoes, and toast. A very big breakfast that is super filling.
Dim Sum Dumplings
There are 3 pieces of Shrimp Har Gau, 3 pieces of pork + shrimp Siu Mai, with tobiko, soy vinegar, and sriracha. Something a little bit different. They tasted ok, but not the best.
Final Thoughts
Overall, its great value for brunch happy hour for $8 per dish. The atmosphere is great and you can very close to the water. There is also lots of free parking spots too. If I’m in the area again, I’ll definitely be back.
Jinya Ramen Bar on Robson celebrates its 1 year anniversary with a gift to themselves, and their customers by proxy, the first Suntory Toki Highball Machine in Canada! What in the world is a highball machine? You can think of it as Japanese whisky cocktails on tap. While we were at the birthday bash, we also got a peek at their appetizer menu.
Dropping in around the time of their 3 to 5 pm happy hour of $5 Sapporos, $4 craft beer and now the $5 Suntory Toki highball, the place was already humming. By the time we left around 7:00 pm the wait was already around 20 minutes for a seat. As expected from one of the most popular ramen joints in town.
I would liken the Suntory Toki highball to the gin and tonic version of whisky. Bubbly and light kind of a cool breeze freshness; while still having a bit of that warmth of a whisky that lingers inside even after you’ve taken a sip. The soda that is mixed with it is said to be extra carbonated so that it breaks up the fragrance of the drink better.
When you think of Japanese whisky you might think of Suntory’s Yamazaki single malt or Hibiki, a blended whisky, the latter of which I often seen behind the bars in Vancouver; and Lost in Translation. Toki is the newest edition to the line and crafted with the intention of being mixed. We were luckily seated next to some very experienced bartenders at the event and got to hear their insights. From an industry perspective, Suntory Toki is very acceptable price wise. Perhaps this factor combined with the rising popularity of Japanese whisky, we could see more Japanese whisky cocktails at our favourite lounges.
With the drinks, we were served a selection of small bites. Jinya’s appetizers are interesting as they have a bunch of options that aren’t typical izakaya options but still have a distinctly Japanese flair.
Soft shell crab bun
The most curious of the bunch is the soft shell crab bun. It’s a whole soft shell crab deep fried and dressed in a sweet and sour sauce. To round off the crunch, avocado, baby leaf spinach and spicy mayonnaise give it even more dimension. All in a steam bun wrapper.
Crispy chick peas
The crispy chick peas are fried and tossed in spicy curry salt. Extremely light and not at all greasy.
Brussel sprout tempura
Their brussel sprout tempura, similar to the chick peas, is not at all greasy but still comes with the satisfying crunch. Made with white truffle oil, and cut into small pieces to be covered in flavour and tempura batter. This is not a humble brussel sprout but a glamorous barely-vegetable.
Salmon Poké Tacos
Their salmon poke tacos use a fried gyoza wrapper as the shell. A nice way to round out the meal if you are craving something like sashimi.
Creamy Vegan Ramen
When the happy hour event ended, we got in line to be seated again. It’s hard to come to Jinya and leave without having ramen. As their restaurant signage says “no ramen no life”. This time around we opted for the creamy vegan with a side of Takoyaki.
Takoyaki
I was pleasantly surprised to find Jinya’s takoyaki is served on a bed of eggy tartar sauce. Usually a do-no-wrong kind of snack almost no matter where you order it, it’s rare to see something new done with it. Traditionally a street food, takoyaki is a piece of octopus wrapped in a hot ball of batter and brushed with a sweet and salty sauce.
The Union is an industrial-chic hub serving creative cocktails and Pan-Asian eats. They have happy hour and weekly features, so my coworkers and I like coming here for celebrations and farewells. Many good late nights have been had here. They have happy hour drink specials and their weekly features. On Wednesday, you get Wings and Beer for $15. Wings and normally $15, so it’s essentially getting a free beer.
Interior
There are long tables for large groups and smaller tables for a more intimate atmosphere.
Menu
Indian Masala Wings
These are dry wings using their house curry spices. The exterior is crunchy, but the amount of spices is a bit overwhelming. I tried some of there people’s wings like the Street Hawker Thai and it was delicious.
Beer
With the weekly Wednesday deal, you can choose to have the wings with any Main St Brewing beer. I went with the Main Street Saison No. 7. It has a blend of three Saison yeasts. Light in colour with a golden haze, this Saison shows through with fruity esters, pepper and citrus notes. One of my favourite beers.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s a decent place to go to in Chinatown to have some eats and drinks with friends. It is a bit pricey for some items, but it’s a good atmosphere and the service is pretty good.
Curve Lounge at River Rock Casino Resort has live music, drinks and tapas every Monday – Friday between 2pm and 5pm for their Happy Hour. All dishes are $6, which is pretty awesome. We were invited to give their happy hour menu a taste.
Patio
The patio is really nice to enjoy the rest of the Summer, have drinks, food and enjoy great times with friends. I didn’t realize they had such a great space behind the lounge. The open field and the view of the marina. Since it’s close to the path way of planes landing at the airport, you can spot all the different types of plan zooming by.
Happy Hour
Cheese fondue
The cheese fondue has bread sticks on one side and then root vegetables on the other. A rich dish to have in the Summer time, but if you have a craving for cheese, this will satisfy them.
Chicken wings
Crispy chicken wings with salt and pepper for taste. It’s no happy hour without wings. Of all the wing flavours, I really like salt and pepper as it keeps your fingers clean compared to saucy ones.
Avocado bruschetta
It’s a really good size for $6. It is topped with greens and tomatoes. You can squirt some lemon on top too to give it more acidity.
Inari pocket
A twist on a Japanese classic with lots of ingredients stuffed inside. I personally thought it was ok, but it didn’t really stand out compared to some of the other dishes.
Jalapeno popper
The Jalapeno popper sits on top of a slaw in a small cute jar. A good snack and the ooey gooey cheese is hiding inside ready for you to munch away.
Wild rice tobouli
To pair with this, there is shrimp, octopus and seared tuna. The quality is so-so as I can tell it was pre-frozen, but it’s only $6. This dish is one of the healthier dishes of the happy hour menu.
Baked artichoke dip
This is really satisfying to eat and who doesn’t love chips and an awesome dip. I really enjoyed this.
Flatbread
They have 3 different kinds of flatbread – Veronese flatbread, Frutti di mare flatbread and Pugliese flatbread. They were all decent, crispy edges and filling.
House Made Sweets
They also have desserts for $5 or 3 for $12.
Unicorn cake
This beautifully colourful dessert has almond genoise, raspberry yogurt mousse, lemon curd, and chantilly cream.
Dark Chocolate Bombe
Blood orange cardamom cremeux and a dark chocolate mousse. A fruity compliment to the chocolate based dessert.
Chilled mango cheesecake
This has vanilla shortbread on the bottom and topped with the dome shaped mango panna cotta. It’s really good, I was pretty surprised with the fragrant mango taste.
Pina colada Mousse
You will find coconut mousse, pineapple gelée, and rum coconut dacquoise.
Final Thoughts
The $6 Happy Hour menu is pretty good and if you’re in the area, definitely check it out. The patio is very relaxing and the live music is a plus. Since it is Monday to Friday from 2pm to 5pm, it’s pretty hard to make it if you’re not in the area.
Urban Thai Bistro has happy hour from 3 – 6 pm and 9 – 10 pm. $4 drinks, $6 appetizers, and $8 salads. Since Summer is coming very soon, what better way to celebrate than happy hour after work. We invited to try all their happy hour items.
Interior
The interior has lots of space for small to large groups. They also have a patio. There are a few ornate statues inside and gives this restaurant a modern Thai look and feel.
Drinks
Thai Iced Tea is a must here. The unique taste of the tea with milk and added sweetness. It’s very addictive.
Thai Iced Coffee is on the menu as well. This was really creamy and sweet, which I didn’t like too much. I would have liked a bit more coffee intensity in this.
Royal Thai is another popular beverage. It is a mix of fresh coconut milk and lychee.
Appetizers
Fish Cakes comes with 6 pieces topped with onion, cucumber, sweet chili and a fried basil leaf.
Vegetarian Spring Roll are deep-fried to a golden brown colour. There is a sweet chili sauce on the side.
Urban Thai Shrimp Balls were good to munch on with some beer. It comes with 6 pieces, so its good for groups to share.
Wings comes in 3 different flavours – red curry, chili basil and sweet & Sour.
A good combination of sauces and wings. Recommended for happy hour with beer.
Thai BBQ Chicken was good with a nice char on the outside.
Thai BBQ Pork was really good and comes with many slices.
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce was ok, but a bit on the dry side.
Calamari with crispy batter and a sweet chili sauce. All shaped like rings.
Crispy Fish with homemade sauce was good when it’s fresh out of the fryer.
Salad
Spicy Beef BBQ sits in a lettuce cup. The slices were thin but not very spicy.
Spicy Thai Prawns Salad was not that great. The prawns didn’t seem that fresh.
Chicken Lettuce Wrap is always a fun dish to have at the table and get interactive with your food. The crisp wrap with the savoury filling.
Som Tum Papaya Salad was ok.
Final Thoughts
Overall, some items were hit and miss but anything deep fried with drinks can’t go wrong. They have a lot of options of the happy hour menu.
The Pawn Shop is a new restaurant on Granville Street specializing in Tacos, Tapas and Tequila. The took over SIP Resto Lounge and brings an awesome space for locals and tourists to enjoy.
We were curious about their name as well as their tacos.
Interior
There are tons of seat inside and it has a dark vibe with graffiti and neon signs on the walls. It definitely has a young hip vibe going on.
Drinks
You can find beer on tap, wine on tap, cocktails, spiked slushies, shooters and non-alcoholic drinks.
Cheese Tots
This has tots, cheddar, feta, green onions with side of queso and salsa. Definitely cheesy.
A fun dish to share among friends at the table.
Deuce Papoose
This has fried pastry dough stuffed with carnitas, tomato, and then topped with cheddar, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, rojo sauce chicharron, and cilantro. This dish was ok, we felt like there really wasn’t much stuffing in the pastry dough.
Tacos
On their menu, they have 8 different types of tacos. On our visit, we tried 4 of them. If you come from happy hour, these are $1 with drink purchase, which is really good. Originally, they are around $4.
Carnitas
Al Pastor
Bistec
Pescado
Carnitas
This has slow cooked pulled pork, house slaw, fried onions and Valentina Mayo. It tasted ok, but the flour tortilla, I prefer corn tortillas.
Al Pastor
This has fried pork belly, Guajillo pepper and pineapple glaze, house slaw, sour cream, pickled onion, and a grilled pineapple.
Pescado
It has beer battered basa fish, house slaw, Valentina mayo, cucumber salsa, and jalapeno.
Bistec
It has grilled skirt steak, pawn shop dry rub, house slaw, pickled carrot, rojo mayo, and chimichurri. All of the tacos were decent, but I feel like it was missing an umph of flavour compared to other taco shops around town.
There is also some hot sauce on the table if you need some heat added to your meal.
Churros
For dessert, we had churros with cinnamon sugar and a caramel and chocolate sauce.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the place is great for happy hour for cheap tacos and drinks. There are screens to watch the game as well. The food was alright but nothing super amazing.
Masaladobo is a Indian Mexican Cantina in Downtown Vancouver. This fusion cuisine is almost entirely gluten and dairy free, which is great for those with dietary restrictions. They now bringing healthy and delicious food to those who need a quick bite in the area.
The skytrain is just located a few steps away, which is very convenient for those taking the Canada Line.
Interior
The interior is fun, casual and full of colour. During peak hours, you order at the counter, but for other times, they can serve you at your table instead of going up.
There are lots of tables inside, so there shouldn’t be a problem finding a table.
Tacones
Tacos rolled up into a cone shape for easy eating. It has roti-taco-handroll hybrid red shred, masaladobo (spicy sweet indo salsa), raita verde, in a plancha tortilla, which is all gluten-free on corn tostada.
There are many kinds you can order but we tried the ginger duck kebabs and it has a very unique taste, which blends Indian and Mexican flavours together. The OceanWise options are great too with wild salmon pekora or the seared albacore & shrimp kebab.
Blackened tuna tikka taki
This has dry tikka spice and the albacore tuna is seared lightly. The item is on their Cantina Menu, where on Monday to Friday, it’s 2 for 1 from 2pm to closing. A good deal and it tastes great.
Masaladobo bowl
Masaladobo bowl with added ginger duck kebabs also has golden basmati and sofrito-coconut gravy with fresh greens , pickles and masaladobo.
Margaritas on Tap
They have margaritas on tap. It’s not a party without margaritas. A great item to have after work or sometime closer to the Summer during the hot months.
Indian Cola
A unique non-alcoholic beverage with all the syrups made in-house. It’s very different that your average soda.
If you want something stronger, they definitely have that too. Try a shot of tequila and a fresh-pressed juice chaser.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s a unique concept mixing Indian and Mexican flavours. You won’t find a lot of red meat on the menu besides duck, but if you have dietary restrictions, they cater well to those people that are dairy-free or gluten-free, and vegetarians.
The Greek by Anatoli in Yaletown has just introduced Happy Hour and we were given a sneak peek into what customers would have on the menu. Some dishes in this review aren’t the right sizing for happy hour and may be a bit smaller.
From Monday March 27 -31 2pm – 5pm, the Happy Hour food items will be only $2 and then they go back to regular price. A pretty good deal since you really can’t get anything for $2 these days.
The hours are a bit hard to make if you work 9-5 Downtown, other happy hour places end at 6pm.
They also have 12oz 1516 Lager for $4, Glass of Anatoli Meritage or Viognier for $6 or a Ouzo shot for $4. A good way to start the evening with some drinks and food.
Keftedes
These are traditional pan-fried meatballs served in tomato sauce. The meatballs were moist and full of flavour and the tomato sauce worked well.
Homous
There is chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley served with a side of pita bread. The portion is a little bit different than this image as they gave us more to share. A good item to fill up on and the homous is delicious.
Dolmathes
These are grape vine leaves stuffed with beef and rice, cooked in avgolemono broth which is a egg-lemon sauce. I love this stuff. It’s so good but I know some people don’t like it.
Spanakopita
This was everyone’s favourite. This portion is actually 2. It has spinach, feta and herbs, wrapped in filo and baked. It comes with a Tzatziki Sauce on the side. I loved every part of this dish from the flakey filo to that Tzatziki sauce.
“True Greek Pork” Souvlaki
The Souvlaki is served kalamaki style on pita bread with a side of tzatziki. It was really good, but then again when is pork not delicious? It was seasoned well, but had a slight toughness about them.
Calamari
It’s classic, crispy and served with a side of lemon and tzatziki. An item that will definitely be very popular. It was really good and I would order it again.
Greek Salad
This items isn’t on the happy hour menu, but sometimes you need veggies. It has fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, feta from Greece, capers and olives.
Mythos Beer
Mythos is a Greek Lager Beer. It is light, refreshing and pairs well with the food.
Anatoli Caesar
The caesar is garnished with a pickled bean, lime, a grilled prawn and a rim of salt and pepper. The drink looked great, but it needed more spice and heat to this drink. I like my caesars hot, but I could mostly taste vodka.
Karpouzi Watermelon Basil Mojito
Outside of the happy hour dishes and drinks, there were a few different items we tried like this Watermelon Mojito. Very refreshing and perfect for the warmer weather.
Final Thoughts
It was good to see what their happy menu has. Although it’s not extensive, it has a good amount of dishes that would keep customers happy. I do love good cheap food especially during happy hour.
Earls Test Kitchen is the place to go for happy hour before watching a movie at night. What is different about this Earls is that it is a culinary playground to craft different dishes and drinks that may influence the other Earl’s menu in North America.
The place was packed and we wanted to come here to catch happy hour. All items are smaller versions of what on the regular menu, but cheaper.
They have this menu every day from 3:00pm – 6:00pm and 9:00pm – close.
Interior
The interior is nice and there are tons of tables. Best to come earlier for happy hour as it is very busy.
Rhino Beer
Sleeves are $3 and Pints are $5. I got the lager as I wanted something light and fruity to go with the meal.
Garlic Fries
The garlic fries were crispy, skinny and full of potent garlic flavour. The fries seemed oddly short.
Super Avocado Toast
There are 4 pieces to this order for $7. It is smashed avocado on olive oil toasted baguette, garnished with confit tomato, sriracha drizzle and radish. I enjoyed it as a nice bite to help fill me up.
Bigger Better Burger
This burger has vine ripened tomatoes, onion, lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise and mustard, on a freshly baked brioche bun. You can also add cheese or mushrooms to the burger. M went with cheese. It was an ok, burger but it wasn’t too outstanding. For $9, this was the burger only.
Baja Fish Taco
The crispy battered cod taco is topped with fresh cut salsa, cabbage slaw, on corn tortillas with a wedge of lime. It’s a pretty big size and for $3, it’s a good price.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a good quick meal before the show. It’s funny how the servers can guess who is here for dinner before a movie. It’s just steps away from the theatre and the food is solid.
Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar has Happy Hour from 3pm – 6pm daily. The location is great as it’s close to Burrard Skytrain station and also right by the Scotiabank Theatre. I came with a few friend after work to kick off the long weekend.
The Happy Hour menu has food and drinks under $10. It’s a very good deal compared to their regular menu.
Interior
You have to stalk for a table in their lounge as it is very crowded at 5pm. The staff are nice and can help move around chairs to best seat your party.
Oysters
One thing you’ll want to get here are their 2 bucks-a-shuck local oysters. They are Joyce Point Oysters from Sawmill Bay with shallot mignonette sauce and lemons. The oysters were shucked very well and tasted very fresh.
Korean Galbi ‘Dog’
There were no dog hurt in the creation of this item and it’s a fancier hot dog. It uses American wagyu beef in a brioche bun and served with pickled vegetables and chili paste.
House Smoked Salmon Pâté
The house smoked salmon pâté is served with grilled sourdough, pickled red onion, and capers. Very delicious as well. The pate is very smooth and I love the smokey flavour.
Final Thoughts
Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar is a great place to come for Happy Hour to enjoy some appetizers and drinks. I really enjoyed it and I’ll be back.
We Rate Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar:
Address:
The Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver
I love the abundance of Happy Hour options near my office. My coworkers and I wanted to grab a quick drink after work to celebrate the holidays. We headed to Juniper as they had a earlier happy hour than some other places.
On their happy hour menu, they have:
Beer on tap
Cider on tap
Cocktail on tap
Wine on Tap
Aperitif
They also have some food options too.
I’m a beer drinker, so I got the Four Winds La Mason Saison on tap. The beer is part of Four Wind’s Notus Series, named after the Greek God of the South Winds, is a series of their low-ABV brews.
It has a light body with a pale golden hue. This dry table saison is brewed with spelt and rye and then fermented with wild yeast for notes of pepper and tropical fruit.
