Japanese - The Hungry Nomad

Breakfast, Brunch, Canada, Chinese Food, Dessert, Dim Sum, Fish, Food, French, French food, Italian food, Japanese, Japanese Cuisine, Vancouver

A Foodie’s Guide to Vancouver (Canada)

October 18, 2014 No Comments

Vancouver, British Columbia…the most beautiful place on earth. At least that is what the license plate claims. But really, it is! I may be biased since I am from Vancouver and spent the majority of my life there before moving south of the border. And while the natural beauty, scenery and wildlife may take your breathe away, Vancouver has even more to offer. The diverse mix of immigrants that now inhabit Vancouver has brought with it some of the best restaurants and food in North America. Here is my list of go-to spots in Vancouver that I never fail to visit when I am in town. I would love to hear what your favorites are in the comments below so that I can consider them on my next trip home and add it to my list!

Brunch:

From the same owners as Chambar, Medina serves Belgian-Moroccon cuisine. Lines up go around the block and can take hours but once inside the food will make you forget that you waited for so long. Don’t miss out on the classic belgian waffles and the lavender lattes. Twisted Fork serves some of the yummiest brunch in town. I always go for the banana stuffed french toast which is an unforgettable experience in decadence.

Or choose to spend the morning in Stanley Park, the sprawling urban oasis of greenery and water that is the West Coast’s rival to Central Park. Begin at the Teahouse in Stanley Park, a well-known brunch spot, both for its location and Canadian Northwest twists on some classic breakfast items. Ask for a table by the window to look out over English Bay and West Vancouver. Don’t miss the smoked salmon Benedict, which comes with local sockeye salmon. (7501 Stanley Park Drive; vancouverdine.com/teahouse).

Chinese:

It is not a surprise that really good chinese food can be found in Chinatown and while there are really authentic spots where you must visit with a mandarin/cantonese speaking friend (for which I’m lucky to have one) there are other more modern restaurants that have started popping up in this up and coming hip neighborhood. Bao Bei is a really hip/hipster restaurant that has really good chinese food with a twist. Phnom Penh is another favorite located in Chinatown. And while the name might suggest the food is a mix between Cambodian, Vietnamese and Chinese. It offers some favorite classics like the chicken wings.

Dim Sum:

For one of the most genuine Asian cultural and culinary experiences in North America, go to the Aberdeen Center for dim sum at Fisherman’s Terrace (3580-4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond). This sprawling Asian shopping center has an entire store dedicated to Hello Kitty merchandise, a Korean barbecue and a pan-Asian supermarket, among other treasures. Many options are also available downtown in Chinatown. The Jade Dynasty Restaurant (137 Pender Street) offers good-value dim sum, or just wander along the road and choose one of the many restaurants that takes your fancy.

French/Belgian:

My favorites include Chambar (562 Beatty Street) is a sophisticated, funky restaurant serving innovative Belgium, French and Moroccan food using regional ingredients. Les Faux Bourgeois is a french bistro located in Mount Pleasant. If you want to feel a little bit of France and have authentic French food then make the trip out of downtown to Mount Pleasant. Wait times are long but it is definitely worth it. Another French favorite located downtown is La Brasserie located in Davie Village.

Indian:

There is a large Indian population in Vancouver which means one thing: really good and authentic Indian food. For the real deal you must head to Main street and Fraser street to ‘Little India’. Here you will find a vast number of Indian restaurants where cheap eats are a plenty. However, for a more upscale evening, head to one of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver: Vij’s (1480 W 11th Ave). Owners Vikram and wife Meeru pride themselves on quality Indian food in a beautiful setting. The restaurant is quite small and the wait time often is over 1-2 hours long. So be prepared to wait a while and get drunk in the process. My favorite item on the menu? The Lamb Popsicles!

Italian:

An area in Vancouver that should be explored if you have time is Commercial street- Vancouver’s own version of Little Italy. Here you can find a range of great Italian food. Outside of the Commercial street area are a wide range of great choices including my favorites: Campagnolo and Campagnolo Roma.

Italian Pizza options are also great in Vancouver including Nicli Antica Pizzeria in Gastown and Pizzeria Farina.

Japanese:

Starting off at the intersection of Denman street and Robson street is where the feast begins. For the best ramen downtown, I usually head to either Motomoki Shokudo (740 Denman Street) or it’s sister location, Kintaro Ramen. Try the black bamboo charcoal ramen. It is quite possibly the best broth you’ll ever taste.

Further up on Robson street is another all-time favorite, Guu with Garlic, a Japanese Izakaya restaurant which opened its doors in the early 2000’s and quickly gained so much popularity that it now has multiple locations around Vancouver and Toronto. (Below is the grilled squid served with a side of Lemon and Japanese Mayonnaise).

For the best hand-made gyozas in town I always head to Gyoza King (1508 Robson Street), a small and cozy Japanese bistro where you can choose from a variety of gyozas and other Japanese favorites. My number one pick: the shrimp and chive gyozas with a bottle of unfiltered sake to wash it down.

Sushi:

Where to begin on this one? Sushi restaurants cover the streets of Vancouver just as frequently as Starbucks. Some authentic, fresh and delicious and others are just in the business to make money. Making the hunt for good sushi a fun challenge (although to be honest even the mediocre sushi bars in Vancouver are far better than most sushi I’ve tasted around the US)! For a healthy organic sushi meal I head over to the tiny little gem, Shizen ya, located on Hornby street directly across from the courthouse. For a more upscale experience with unique takes on sushi, Miku (#70 – 200 Granville St) is the place to be. The sushi is amazing and takes on a form of art. If in Yaletown, Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar (1095 Hamilton St) offers a vast range of fresh seafood, sushi and BC coastal fare. It is a classy affair and on the pricey end but if in Vancouver for a short time it should not be missed.

Sandwiches:

Finchs Tea and Coffee House (353 W. Pender Street) is a classic Gastown gem serving some of the best sandwiches in town. Favorites include the proscuitto, pear and baked blue brie cheese and walnut sandwich. Absolutely to die for! Hubbub is another favorite due to their oh so delicious bread. My all time favorite is the turkey sausage sandwich which I describe in great lengths in my post.

Seafood:

When in Vancouver, eat lots of seafood, the unrivaled local specialty.There are so many that I am going to list them here for you and let you pick your favorite: Blue Water Cafe and Raw Bar, Miku, Rodney’s Oyster House and Go Fish Ocean Emporium (a food stand close to Granville Island).

What are your favorite restaurants in Vancouver? Please add below in comment so that I can try it out next time I am in town!

xox,

The Hungry Nomad

Gourmand, Japanese, Organic, Vegan, Vegetarian

Sushi-heaven at Shizen Ya (Vancouver, Canada)

April 15, 2014 1 Comment

Shizen Ya is one of the best sushi spots in Vancouver with two convenient locations. One on Hornby street directly across from the courthouse making it a great lunch destination. If you are a health-conscious eater searching for vegetarian, organic and vegan eateries then you will absolutely fall head over heels for Shizen Ya. The quality of the food is quite possibly one of the highest I have tasted and is definitely above many other downtown sushi locations. There is no doubt that all ingredients down to the brown rice and wasabi are organic. Given that it is all organic it tends to be a little pricier than other sushi spots but then again you are paying a bit extra for the quality. Each plate of food that was brought to our table reinforced the passion and dedication that goes into their ingredients and preparation making Shizen Ya one of my favorite sushi spots in town. Definitely a tiny gem downtown that should be visited by all (if you can find room in the tiny eater).

We started off with the organic wild rice and tofu salad with quinoa. I have never tasting anything so fresh and flavorful as this salad.

An order of salmon sashimi.

and brown rice shrimp tempura and avocado roll.

Japanese, Ramen, Vancouver

Ramen Time at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (Vancouver, Canada)

February 23, 2014 No Comments

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka has long been on my list of Japanese restaurants to try. Sadly, with all the other delicious selections in the West End, I never had the chance and each time that I did try there was always a long line up out the door making me think twice.

On my last trip to Vancouver, I finally made it in the door and was seated within minutes (a miracle according to restaurant fans). For those of you who still don’t know, I love Japanese food, Japanese culture, and anything and everything Japanese. My love for ramen- that steaming hot bowl of Japanese soup is like no other. I would give up an arm and a leg for a good bowl of Ramen. One night after watching the ‘Ramen Girl’ on TV- I decided that I would quit my life and school and move to Japan to learn how to make a great bowl of ramen. That dream never panned out but you if you are ever looking for me, try your nearest Ramen shop. I might be in there slurping away on some good old ramen.

Santouka Ramen is a Japanese chain restaurant which opened doors in Vancouver a few years back, given Vancouver’s large Japanese population. It seems quite popular with both expat Japanese and local Vancouverites. The menu consists of a list of the basic ramens and other dishes for those who arent too big a fan of ramen.
We ordered a side of Gyoza (Japanese pan-fried dumpling) to start. Oh how I have longed for a taste of these delicious treats in my days in Louisiana where authentic Japanese food is non-existent. What suffering I go through. These gyozas were delicious and gone within minutes. A friend who has never tried ramen- shyed away from the thought and ordered a bowl of Salmon Don. The serving was on the small side making it an ideal starter for those who are extremely hungry. As for me I always order the Tonkotsu ramen– a mild, pearl-colored soup where the pork bones are simmered for 20 hours to make the perfect broth. Before serving the vegetables, noodles and other ingredients are added to make magic. I’ve been to several Ramen shops in Vancouver and found this ramen to be only average. I’ve definitely had better in neighboring ramen shops located on Denman street.

My partner in food in Vancouver and I both looked at each other and agreed that this Ramen joint is by far not the best in town. Leaving us with the same question? What is all the fuss about? Why such line-ups when there are plenty of other good authentic ramen places in the West End? Perhaps, nostalgia brings those expats here reminding them of their home. While the food is consistent and good it is definitely not worth waiting an hour for (although the other ones definitely on Denman definitely are). (see post on Motomochi Shokudo)

Japanese, New York, Ramen

Momofuku Noodle Bar- East Village (New York City, USA)

August 7, 2012 No Comments

After hearing and reading about all the food award nominations for Momofuku of course I had to try it. We went on a Friday night and waited in line for 45 minutes to be seated. The restaurant is small, intimate and casual. I really liked the wrap around bar concept where people are seated at the bar facing each other and the bartender.

We immediately ordered a bottle of sake and a few of their buns: beef brisket and shrimp buns (see menu).

The beef was served in a doughy bun with horseradish sauce, pickled red onion and cucumber. The shrimp was served with pickled shallot and spicy mayonnaise.

For our entrees we decided on two noodle dishes: the Chilled Spicy noodles- a serving of egg noodles with sichuan spiced sausage, spinach cashews and the spiciest chili sauce. Our waiter warned me of the spice level but I like to think I have a high tolerance for spiciness, so ignoring her warning I ordered the dish anyway. It arrived looking colorful and fresh. I was so eager to take the first bite. I wish I had a cartoon photo to depict how I must have looked after the first bite. My mouth, nose and entire head was on fire. My sinuses watering immediately, I decided to ignore the signals and take a second bite hoping that maybe my taste buds would adapt. They didn’t. I called over our waitress told her its too hot and that I would have to order something else off the menu. The manager came over and told me that they would not take it off the bill since it states that it is spicy in the name of the dish. I didn’t argue. In fact I never asked for it to be taken off. Oh well, I’m sure they have had to fight that question more than a few times. I don’t know why they would make it so spicy beyond being edible. Our taste buds in North America are not adapted to that amount of hot chili oil in one spoonful. Oh well, on to the next dish.

I ordered the Momofuku Ramen as a replacement hoping that the broth would soothe my burning tongue and lips. It arrived shortly after. At this point, I was over the entire meal but felt obligated to take a few spoonfuls of the ramen if only to be able to write about it on my blog. For $16 it was quite the disappointment.

Overall, I was not impressed with the menu or the food. There was no originality and being from Vancouver I’ve definitely had better buns and ramen in my day. It has always been hard for me and other Vancouverites to find good Asian food outside of Vancouver- we are truly spoiled to have some of the best in Van City. But back to MoMofuku. I heard someone call it hipster food. And I would have to agree. There is nothing particularly amazing at this Noodle Bar. But the atmosphere is lively, the decor modern and simplistic and the food will definitely fill you up.

(As a sidebar- the photo quality is low as I didn’t have my SLR handy- all photos were taken by my iphone with poor lighting).

Canada, Gourmand, Japanese, Vancouver

Gyoza King (Vancouver, Canada)

March 28, 2012 No Comments

Its hard to have one favorite Japanese spot in Vancouver since there are so many to choose from, especially in the lower Robson/Denman area. But Gyoza King has stood the test of time as being my ultimate favorite downtown Japanese tapas joint.

I’ve been going here regularly since ’03 (whenever I’m in town that is) and was happy to see that nothing has changed on my most recent trip: same great service, great food and menu. If you go on the weekends be prepared for a long line up. This isnt the place to be if you have a large party as the restaurant itself is pretty small and filled up with a lot of regulars. For the Gyoza lovers out there, this place has amazing gyozas. My personal favorite is the ebi-nira (prawn, pork and chives), not to say that the others aren’t great since they are all pretty amazing. The Gyozas are hand made to perfection and everything else is en par.

Always on my list of orders are the beef sashimi, tuna tataki, agadeshi tofu, kimchi udon, ebi mayo, cheese croquettes, chicken karage and takoyaki. Did I just list everything off the menu? Its probably because everything here is so delicious.

The beef sashimi was slightly seared on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside. Drizzled with ponzu sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds served with chives and other goodies.

The tuna tataki- another personal favorite is also slightly seared served in a small bowl drizzled with sauce and served with chives and turnip.

BBQ Tongue

Being with a group of adventurist foodies we decided to try the tongue. It was very chewy and nothing extraordinary. I probably won’t order it again given that there are so many other delicious options on the menu.

The best part of the meal is always the handmade gyozas. You can order them steamed or deep fried with a variety of different fillings, including a vegetarian option. I always get the ten piece and can honestly probably have 20 myself..they are THAT good.

Agadeshi tofu is a staple Izakaya dish. I love the combination of the crispy outside and soft inside of the tofu mixed with the delicious sauce which I end up drinking like soup. And I absolutely love the one served at Gyoza King.

Takoyaki

Takoyaki, otherwise known as octopus balls, otherwise known as deep fried octopus batter served with mayo and a variety of delicious spices and flavors is also a personal favorite. You can never go wrong with this one. Just be careful as they are very hot. I usually poke them to let out some of the steam…having burnt my tongue one too many times.

All in all, if you are looking for a solid Japanese Izakaya restaurant in the downtown core, serving good food at relatively cheap prices in a great atmosphere then you must try Gyoza King. Or if you just want to try some of the best Gyozas in Vancouver then you should also make your way over to Gyoza King and enjoy.

Canada, Gourmand, Japanese, Vancouver

Hapa Umi 海 (Vancouver, Canada)

March 1, 2012 No Comments

I’ve been a big fan of the Hapa restaurants ever since the first opened up years ago in front of my house on Robson street. In fact back then I split my time between Hapa Izakaya and Guu with Garlic on Robson. I love both Hapa Izakayas (Robson and Yaletown locations) and was excited to hear that another Izakaya was opening close to my office on West Cordova making it an optimal location for a work lunch.

On the wettest, coldest, rainiest/snowiest day I made my way down to Hapa Umi wanting nothing more than something to warm me up. The venue is very clean and modern. In fact the Hapas are commonly referred to as the Japanese version of Cactus Club. Same service, similar clientele, just different food. The food was good although I myself prefer the other two locations. Perhaps it was the lunch menu but I was not a big fan of the Tempura Udon as it lacked in flavour. The udon noodles were not authentic and handmade as those in other udon restaurants but I guess that is to be expected of a Japanese restaurant not specializing in udons. The salmon sushi roll was delicious and fresh and my friend’s Udon dish was okay; however nothing that good to merit the price. Overall, it is a nice location for a work lunch if you are willing to spend more than the average for lunch. However, overall if I had to choose I would stick to the other Hapas preferring their menu and ambiance over Hapa Umi.

Canada, Gourmand, Japanese, Vancouver

Suika- Japanese Izakaya (Vancouver, Canada)

November 17, 2011 No Comments

We are so spoiled in Vancouver…on many fronts but particularly on the food front. Thanks to the various immigrant groups that have made this city as colorful as it is today you can have any type of food your little heart desires any time of day and night. I’ve searched the world through and through (excluding Japan) and can hands down guarantee that we have some of the best Japanese Izakayas in the world. This confidence was bolstered by my last visit to a new Izakaya (its been around for 1 year now): Suika Izakaya.

This place was recommended by fellow bloggers. Wanting to try something outside of the downtown core we headed over the bridge (5 minutes over the bridge) to Suika- located on Broadway and Burrard. It is a great Izakaya place: good food, great service and great ambiance. The decor is really well done. I especially loved the empty sake bottles hanging chandelier.

Tuna Tataki

Lotus Roots- Delicious

Duck

You all know by now that I love everything Japanese so its no surprise to hear that I loved this restaurant from the food, decor and our super sweet Japanese server. We will be back soon Suika (don’t let Guu know okay? It will be our little secret!)

Gourmand, Japanese, Vancouver

Guu is Guuuuud (Vancouver, Canada)

March 9, 2011 3 Comments

There once was a time when Guu with Garlic was my all time favorite restaurant in Vancouver. To the point that my best friend and I spent most Friday and Saturday night dinners there. But that was in 2004.

Having just recently returned to Vancouver I was looking forward to going back to Guu. With all my high expectations in place I went back over the weekend and although it was not in any way horrible it just was not the same. Back in the day Guu was amazing and was less known than it is now. As a rule of thumb I always trust a restaurant whose majority clientele are of the same origin as the food. The local Japanese community used to flock to this restaurant…! As you may have noted by now I do consider myself Japanese on the inside (given my love for all things Japanese) and thus also flocked here every weekend.

But on to the actual restaurant: The menu has changed completely and there is not as much selection as there was before. And of course with the popularity has come smaller portions. The tuna tataki and beef sashimi were once my all time favorite but have now lost all flavor. They used to be infused with delicious sauces which are now served on the side (and again the portions are noticeably smaller).

However, for those going to Guu for the first time they will not be disappointed as they won’t realize what Guu was then and what it is now. Through word of mouth I heard that it has new management…which makes sense since Guu now has 5 locations in Vancouver including Guu Garden that I have yet to try.
If you do happen to be in the mood for Japanese I still recommend making a trip to Guu. My favorites still remain the same: kimchi udon noodles, beef udon noodles, beef sashimi, agadeshi tofu, beef tongue, and calamari.

I am now on the hunt for the new jewel of the Vancouver Japanese Izakaya world. Any suggestions?

As soon as you enter this small and crowded restaurant every host, server and cook is yelling at you in Japanese… I assume they are welcoming you to their restaurant. The food is Japanese Izakaya and I think the photos will do all the explaining.