Dispatch from Vancouver

Good Food producer Harriet Ells just returned from Vancouver and sent me this note:

I just got back yesterday from three weeks in Vancouver where I had some of the best food I’ve had in a long time. I also met some of the nicest people ever: Canadians. No matter what bar or restaurant we were in, they were friendly. That is, except for the night Canada played the U.S. in hockey, but that’s another post for another blog.

Here’s a quick roundup of my favorite eats from the last three weeks…

* Japadog – the Kogi-sized line was justified. These dogs were so good.

* Bao Bei – this Chinese “brasserie” had incredible dumplings, beef noodle soup and sauteed king pea shoots.

* Refuel – Foie Gras croquettes. Need I say more?

* The Keefer – this bar was straight out of L.A., with homemade tinctures and bitters. Their “Dark and Stormy” was yummy.

* Saxony House – This region of Germany took over the Vancouver Rowing Club near Stanley Park. If you like beer in plastic cups, curling on the big screen and acordian music, this place is for you. They served brats as well as bread, smeared with bacon fat and topped with onions and pickles. Sadly, this is an Olympics-only place.

* Joey’s – This was the perfect spot to have a glass of wine (great BC varieties) and a burger and watch some Olympic sports on TV. The lobster grilled cheese was pretty good too. I went here about 4 times as it had a great wine list and it was pretty easy to get a table.

* Miku – Really good sushi served in the aburi style (seared with a sauce). They had some creative rolls and really good soft shell crab.

* Pinky’s – The quirky decor made this place a lot of fun (oil paintings on the ceiling). It’s a steak house but I only went there for drinks.

* Chill Winston’s – Even though their lemon oil/parmesan popcorn tasted like cough drops, the flatbread pizzas were terrific. They also had a great wine list. That and the spontaneous eruptions of O Canada by it’s patrons made this place a favorite for watching hockey games.

I’d love to hear about any places that I missed. Post them here!