RE/MAX Colonial Pacific Realty

Where the Bites Are!
First up, 25 dining destinations that have been traveling under the radar, for one reason or another (listed alphabetically); compare and contrast to last year's 10 which follow. Plus: mini-reviews for 60 of the top restaurants in Vancouver.

by Jamie Maw and the editors

2005: 25 UNDER THE RADAR

1. Aurora Bistro
Chef Jeff Van Geest pre-dated the gentrification of the Main Street crossroads just a few years ago. Through regularly scheduled wine and beer dinners, he and general manager Kurtis Kolt have built a well-deserved affinity with neighbours and cross-town traffic. They come for the clean cooking conscientiously cast in locality and good ingredients such as mixed Fraser Valley organic greens with white balsamic dressing ($9), or Nicola Valley bison carpaccio ($11) with local asparagus, B.C. cheddar, lemon and white truffle oil. The smoked ham hock risotto ($13) studded with peas was deeply flavoured yet light; a larger plate of Red Devil ale-braised veal cheek shepherd's pie ($22) was also well conceived and crafted. Wonderful brunches feature cosseting dishes of poached eggs with duck bacon ($10.75) or truffle scrambled eggs with back bacon ($11). The terrific wine list is B.C.-only, and features tough finds such as Black Hills Alibi ($48), Joie Year One rosé ($40) and Kettle Valley King merlot ($60). Aurora has met its mark as a modern Canadian bistro where both the food and service are both accessible and convivial.-J.M. > 2420 Main St., 604-873-9944.

2. Brown's
Storyline: Cactus Club ex-pat Scott Morison and partner Derek Archer roll out incubator for what must surely become a chain. And nail it, too, in a neatly designed room that's as comfortable as its no-nonsense, greatest-hits menu. Brown's runs rife with quality burgers (the hickory version, $10, is a smoky treat), beef dip sandwiches, pad Thai bowls, and some interesting sides. We particularly liked the rendition of spicy wok squid ($8), cowboy salad ($5) and Thai chicken soup ($3/$5). Evening entrees see "Simple Fish" numbers one or two (market price), filleted inhouse and served with wild rice salad and vegetables. Back ribs ($23) and two certified Angus steaks ($24/$32) complete the snapshot menu. The wine list is short and directed with a dozen or so by the glass.-J.M. > 1764 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver, 604-929-5401.

3. Burgoo
Could there be a neighbourhood restaurant more perfectly suited to a drizzly grey summer night in Vancouver? Or a drizzly grey winter night in Vancouver? Comfort food is the name of the game at Burgoo, a West Point Grey haunt serving up steaming bowls of flavourful soups and stews-it's a saving grace for anyone stuck for where to take granny, the kids, a first date, or the soccer team post-game. We fell under the spell of the saffron-infused tomato and cream seafood bisque ($6.95), even if we did wish there were larger bites of the prawns, mussels, squid, clams and snapper. The Caribbean jerk spiced chicken pepperpot ($8.95) with chick peas and sweet peppers kicked things up a notch, but winner of our popularity contest was beef Bourguignon ($9.25) with perfectly caramelized pearl onions, served on garlicky mashed potatoes. We went overboard and ordered the dark chocolate banana bread pudding ($4.25), and didn't regret a single bite, even if it meant rolling ourselves out the door and straight into bed.-R.P.
> 4434 W. 10th Ave., 604-221-7839.

4. Café de Paris
The city's oldest bistro (it's been drawing the punters in for nearly 30 years), Café de Paris is charmingly old school in many ways-not least in the time-warp décor-but the kitchen has been roused in no small manner by the arrival last year of Chef Scott Kidd. It's still very French, right down to the horse meat tartare on offer, but the menu's traditional favourites-a melt-in-the mouth lamb sirloin, punched to the top with anchovies, for instance, or the Cassoulet Toulousain (duck confit, braised pork shoulder, Toulouse sausage and white beans), a hearty plate of grandmére comfort-all come with subtle regional dashes. Diners get an elegant dish of the Café's justly famous pommes frites to share, Carol Pao's desserts are delightful (the chocolate paté with cassis sorbet is especially refreshing on a summer evening) and a window seat offers a charming view of the bustle of Denman street life.-M.M. > 751 Denman St., 604-687-1418.

5. Casa Verde
Portuguese food is probably not first-date food. It's peasant cuisine, honest, pungent and messy, the sort of tasty stuff you consume only with people you've known and loved a long time. And Casa Verde, a homely little joint (on Commercial Street, not Drive) is the best place in town to dig in. It's a family affair, with a big TV in the corner tuned to Portuguese soaps and soccer games, run by the Barbosa family-Mr. Barbosa cooks in the back, while his lovely and ebullient daughter Sarah hosts out front. There's sports memorabilia all over the place, clumps of friendly middle-aged Portuguese men drifting about the room with glasses of red wine, and a banquet hall in back where Larry Campbell (a regular along with Jim Green) made his first-ever political speech, according to Sarah. Make sure not to fill up on the fresh Portuguese buns that'll keep on reappearing at the table and start things off with Sardinhas Assadas ($5.95), whole grilled sardines, and Camaroes Piri Piri ($17), pan-fried prawns in a piquant sauce that you'll want to use the buns to swab up. For mains try the classic Portuguese dish Carne de Porco Alentejana ($12.95), marinated and pan-fried pork cubes, steamed clams and chorizo (or chourico, as they say) slices served on a bed of homemade fries, or Lulas Grelhadas ($11.95), a whole grilled squid pan-fried in lemon and olive oil, with sides that include boiled potatoes and a boiled egg. And don't miss the house-legend, weekend-only Frango no Churraco ($16): BBQ-roasted piri piri chicken. -M.M. > 3532 Commercial St., 604-876-7647.

6. Dundarave Fish Market
You know it's fresh (they're in the trade) and now you know it's also very good value. Unfussed seafood in a delightful room, with a cosy bar that screams gemütlich. There are Kusshi and Stellar Bay oysters ($2.50) available all day, and a charming seafood ceviche ($14) that finds ahi, scallops, salmon, shrimp and crab acidulated in lime and cucumber. By night, grilled crab cakes ($11.95) are served with a red curry aïoli, and wonton prawns ($11.95) arrive with an unusual horseradish-spiked dipping sauce. "Rip Tide Squid," which is a variation of the now ubiquitous bar food, was served with a chilli and tobiko-laced aïoli: delicious. Our only disappointment? Finding sea bass on the menu. Lots of martinis; abbreviated wine list.-J.M.
> 2423 Marine Dr, West Vancouver, 604-922-1155.

7. Hamilton Street Grill
Chef-owner Neil Wyles' comfortable Yaletown steakhouse features a range of Angus steaks, seafood and braises. But insiders know to order the flavour-packed hanger steak (a.k.a. "the butcher's cut"), served with roasted garlic-mashed potatoes and a turn of seasonal vegetables. The roasted tomato soup ($8) is delicious, redolent of a backsplash of aromatic gin. Prices compare favourably to other Vancouver steakhouses: a grilled sirloin is $18, and a hefty 20-ounce New York just $32. Lamb shanks ($20), which are served in a bowl of their feisty tomato braise, are also an absolute bargain. Wyles is a charming fellow who knows his many regulars by name; many attend his monthly wine tastings, where appetizers, sample glasses and an explanatory talk from the winemaker are $20 or so. Last word: Don't leave without sampling the housemade gingerbread pudding.-J.M. > 1009 Hamilton St., 604-331-1511.

8. The Ivy
The vestiges of Hungary that pepper the menu in this pleasantly decorated west side space are best found in the chicken paprika ($18.95), which necessarily combines paprika-smothered braised chicken served with very good spatzle. But the real deal here is a Hungarian cucumber salad ($5.50) in sour cream and dill dressing, followed by a truly special dish of slow-roasted, crispy skinned duck ($20.95) bedded with braised red cabbage and shotgunned with red wine sauce. The chef might occasionally weary of its preparation, but we never do.-J.M.
> 3525 West Fourth Ave., 604-737-1818.

9. Japone
Eye-grabbing (for all the wrong reasons) strip mall reveals reasonably priced Japanese in several guises. Fresh fish shows up as pressed sushi (unagi battera, $9.25), rolls and more typical sashimi and nigiri. The uni (sea urchin) sushi is a cut-rate $2.75, the crabmeat freshly picked. But Japone also veers into interesting hot Japanese kitchen dishes, with crispy fried chicken cutlets ($8.25) and soft shell crab ($10.50). And elsewhere: "octopus hold" is slices of octopus in tomato-basil sauce, and asari is clam meat cooked in garlic butter. Excellent motoyaki, such as grilled oysters in an egg-based sauce ($4.95), seal the meal.-J.M. > 8269 Oak St., 604-263-6708.

10. Lucy Mae Brown
After opening with a bang in 2001 (and inheriting the Century Grill crowd with salacious appetites in tow) this room snuck under the radar for a few years; a recent visit however did confirm that Vancouver still loves Lucy. A newish patio dining area and the downstairs lounge have got it going on, especially on Friday nights when the crowd is young, handsome, a tad raucous (in a good, Friday-night kind of way) and looking to flirt. A visit to the upstairs dining lounge, however, lacked the same energy level. The room is sexy as ever, but service came in fits and starts. While both the farmhouse duck breast served with crispy potato and plum compote ($24) and the filet steak topped with creamy cambozola and served with potato gratin ($27) were good, the halibut special, lukewarm and-we hate to say it-mushy in texture, was anything but. A sticky toffee pudding, with caramel sauce, roasted banana anglaise and cinnamon ice cream ($8) rescued, although the when the final bill came we questioned whether, in a city full of better meals at half the price, the dining room had room to improve. But Lucy's extensive and well-thought-out wine and cocktail list reveals the owners' vast knowledge of drink-take advantage of that. -R.P.
> 862 Richards St., 604-899-9199.

11. The Mouse and Bean
This straight-from-the-heart (and occasionally, straight-to-the-heart) Mexican cuisine shines in grilled tortas (Mexican sandwiches) by day. Dinner for two? Begin with the creamy guacamole and totopos, a pair of tacos dorados or some huaraches (chorizo and salsa open-faced tortilla and named for the Mexican sandals, $7.50). Then a whomping great feast called Plato Mixteco ($16.75): carne asada (thinly sliced grilled beef), frijoles de la olla (black beans), arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican red rice), ensalada de nopales (cactus salad) and a cheese enchilada. Refreshing agua fresca drinks, breakfast coming soon. Charming family-style service. -J.M..
> 207 West Hastings St., 604-633-1781.

12. Octopus's Garden
We're busted for exposing one of the best (and friendliest) Japanese restaurants in the city. Located on the Cornwall Avenue café strip, Octopus's Garden is a jewelbox of cold fish and sake that warms the night. And there's a bonus: no dour knife man is chef Sado, whose humour lights his bar in dishes entitled Yellow Submarine (a roll of mango, yellowtail, tobiko and tempura-with telescope, $20) and Lobster on Vacation (lobster both steamed and tempura, $28). Spicy tuna roll ($8) is delicious. The omakase (chef's choice) menu ($35 to $75) of kaiseki dishes is masterfully delivered; more conventional tuna sashimi and sunomono salads ($12; $5) and sushi are also top drawer. Don't miss: the Spicy Garlic Mountain ($12), stir-fried udon with garlic shoots and chillies topped with deep-fried garlic cloves. Excellent cold sake list.-J.M. > 1995 Cornwall Ave., 604-734-8971.

13. Ordinary Café
Proprietor Dennis Huang has made a go in a location that's buried more chefs than Six Feet Under. His secret: diligent shopping, low prices, steady regulars and delighted newcomers. The room is more ordinary than the food and service. We found a Belgian endive salad with Stilton and toasted pecans in an orange and tarragon vinaigrette a great start for $8. The smoked bacon-wrapped saddle of rabbit was served in its tawny Port-imbued jus. Asia arrived in a dish of sautéed Manila clams with punchy black beans, bamboo shoots and scallions. Mains include steamed daily fish with sautéed Shanghai noodle salad ($19) and a rich pappardelle that combines rabbit confit in a Pommery mustard cream sauce. The short but well-counselled wine list is reasonably priced, the service cheerfully explanatory and the prices out of the ordinary.-J.M. > 1688 West Fourth Ave., 604-742-8386.

14. Pearl on the Rock
Chef Ian Reynolds' ambitious, seafood-laden menus have grabbed local attention at this southern belle that tolls for me. It's time Pearl gained wider attention. A dozen oyster selections from the raw bar include local Pearl Bay, Chef's Creek, Royal Miyagi and Kusshi varieties ($2.50 to $3 per piece) to coolly begin an evening of indigenously-wrought flavour. You'll find further evidence of locality in squid and boar spring rolls ($13) with two hot sauces; albacore sashimi bites ($4); garlicky steamed honey mussels ($13); and "scrumpy" sablefish with pulled pork ($24). Panhandle halibut with hoisin crust ($25) features steamed noodles, snap peas, baby bok choy and ponzu sauce. But Reynolds wanders more widely, and for the most part successfully: a frog legs starter ($14) combines a cake of green peas with dried sungold tomato laced with saffron. His signature flourish of whole roasted loup de mer ($57 for two) is understudied with date risotto, lemon balm and burnt onion. Five course tasting menus are $60; paired wine supplement $40.-J.M. > 14955 Marine Dr., White Rock., 604-542-1064.

15. Random
Started on a bare-bones budget and nurtured with much love and affection, this Davie Street gem kicks off every diner's meal with a roasted butternut squash soup taster that's creamily sublime, and the experience rarely dips after that. Owners/operators Josh Carr and Darren Bogner offer a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a clever, clear menu of homey contemporary regional fare, divided by price into soups and salads for $6 (the butternut squash is remarkable, but we're always happy to see their tomato gin soup hit the specials), starters and smaller plates for $9 and mains (we have to stop ourselves from ordering the lamb tenderloin over and over again) ranging from $12 to $14. Random brings in plenty of grateful locals but is well worth a trip-just be prepared for the West End parking dilemma.-M.M. > 1326 Davie St., 604-696-9996.

16. Relish
Ex-Earls vets rev this courthouse-centric room that serves casual lunches by day, then dresses up slightly for an evening rush of drinkers and diners. At lunchtime, the lobster ravioli ($14) is lawyer-friendly, and the sirloin beef dip ($10) as crusty as a traffic court judge. The seafood wonton stack ($8) is a nifty spin. At night, the handsome cocktailing crowd pauses for a crab meat sushi tower ($10), maple-chipotle glazed ribs ($22), or Moroccan-spiced lamb chops ($25). The room is sleekly furnished, the bar abuzz and the location convenient to the new Famous Players theatres.-J.M. > 888 Nelson St., 604-669-1962.

17. Sage Bistro
The pretty views of Howe Sound from the balcony lure off-duty professors, but increasingly the burgeoning population of UBC condo dwellers find Sage too. The main dining room comprises two levels (we find the upper one cosier) with parquet floors and well-spaced tables. The menu changes rapidly and is cheaply priced. On our last visit, we found grilled baby squid with a sweet chilli sauce ($6.95), hickory smoked grilled chicken with refried beans ($13.95), and grilled pork chop with ancho chilli demi-glace ($13.95). But the real reason to go is for the wine list, which numbers many local bottles at very low mark-ups. Examples: Blue Mountain "Stripe Label" chardonnay is $36.95, their regular label pinot noir just $35.00.-J.M.
> 6331 Crescent Rd. (at UBC), 604-822-1500.

18. Saveur
The former Piccolo Mondo was purchased by its chef et sa femme-Stephane and Nathalie Meyer-last year. They redecorated the room (it's less formal now) but still turn out a menu that captures the changing season-every six weeks. This is disciplined, French-inspired cooking that speaks to experience and skill. Although everything is available à la carte, we recommend the value of the three-course prix-fixe menu ($38). Starter items include spring pea soup, warmed Yukon gold potatoes with braised pork cheek terrine, or frog legs fritters in roasted garlic vinaigrette. Second courses number seared ling cod with baccala brandade ravioli, veal rib with seared sweetbreads and watercress purée, or flambéed quail in cognac. Desserts are also very well made: banana tarte Tatin is whimsical in its cloak of Earl Grey syrup; the selection of French and Italian cheeses, served with fresh fruit, is a $6 surcharge. Neat wine list, reasonably priced.-J.M. > 850 Thurlow St., 604-688-1633.

19. Simply Thai
A little time spent eating in Thailand makes Vancouver's Thai restaurant scene seem underwhelming. So many mediocre renditions of the same limited range of dishes! So stay away from them and go to Simply Thai, where chef/owner Siriwan Rerksuttisiridach has done three things: first, she's striven for authenticity in her dishes-her pad Thai is as close to the real deal as you're going to find on this side of the Pacific; second, she's realized that she's not
in Thailand, and has allowed her menu to reflect where she lives and works, without resorting to sickly fusion; third, she's expanded her menu beyond the usual range of stock dishes (yes, there's pad Thai, but I think it's a criminal offence for a Thai restaurant not to offer it). Start off with the cho muang ($8.95), purplish dumplings packed with "secret ingredients"-or if that's sold out, go for the gai haw bai toey ($8.95), marinated chicken wrapped in bamboo. After that, range freely, though you ought to reserve room for the Gaeng Ped Bped Yang ($15.95): sliced barbecue duck in a red curry sauce (with coconut milk, bamboo-shoots, bell pepper, tomato, pineapple, red grapes and fresh Thai basil) that's one of the best tastes in the city right now.-M.M. > 1211 Hamilton St., 604-642-0123.

20. The Smoking Dog
Although not unknown, sometimes the strength of its kitchen goes unacclaimed. We think it's one of the best bistros in the province because it stubbornly exerts a menu of Gallic classics-from onion soup and crêpes that recall Gastown's La Crêperie in the early '70s, to reasonably priced prix-fixe menus that combine a mimosa salad and daily roast special in the low $20s. Expertly made pasta dishes pull neighbours, while celebratory diners take the wonderful pepper steak frites ($30), a whopping filet with good potatoes, the côte de boeuf ($39), or classic duck a l'orange ($30), a slow-roasted B.C. bird in a piquant orange glaze. The seasonal salad Niçoise is a patio favourite, best paired with a chilled Sancerre. Jean-Claude Ramond sold The Smoking Dog to his son Martin and partner Jean just before he died last month. He was an icon of the city's restaurant business for 35 years; for a little guy he took up a lot of room and we miss him deeply.-J.M. > 1889 West First Ave., 604-732-8811.

21. Tacos Mexico Rico
This is the real deal. We've taken diners here who were taken aback by the authenticity of this humble little spot tucked in on West Hastings, confused by the lack of melted cheddar on their burritos or the absence of lashings of sour cream. This is Amparo Ruiz's restaurant and she runs it with a firm hand; during slow moments, the servers retreat behind the counter to pound out tortillas. The spices can be fiery but always remain nuanced, and Ruiz offers what is surely the best mole in town. The salsas, the guacamole, the beans, the agues frescas-all have the ring of truth, of first-rate Mexican home-cooking. The tortas are mouthwatering. There's nothing polished about this place, but it shines.-M.M. > 102-440 West Hastings St., 604-688-7426.

22. Tapastree
Every time we pass by Tapastree, we kick ourselves-Why didn't we think of this place last night?-which makes it the living definition of an under-the-radar restaurant, don't you think? This airy West End small plates specialist has a loyal clientele despite its low profile, and packs them in quite nicely on a weekend night on the merits of its light-touch, internationally-minded menu-which has some stalwarts dating back to the early days (it opened in 1997), but changes enough to keep return visits interesting. We try to get there more often, and when we do we deeply enjoy the polenta with white bean, grilled vegetable ragout and feta cheese ($9), the grilled calamari ($9), the lamb chops ($4 each) and much else. A fine wine list and some of the most pleasant servers in town round it all off.-M.M. > 1829 Robson St., 604-606-4680.

23. The Templeton
There's something vaguely Wizard of Oz-like about walking the 1000-block of Granville, a drab stretch of '70s-era downtown decay, and then into The Templeton, a Technicolor '50s-era diner; if you haven't strolled the Mall since Art Phillips was mayor, you might well miss it, stuck as it is amongst the peepshows and pawnshops. But like the fare at those fine establishments, The Templeton's quite a find: amongst the best Eggs Bennies in the city (good luck finding a table for Sunday brunch), and some solid dinner choices, too-we like the Tiki Burger ($10.95), marinated in pineapple salsa and topped with melted aged white cheddar, and the unusually light three-cheese (white cheddar, gorgonzola and Italian parmesan) organic macaroni ($9.95). Other plusses: a Monday Night Movies series (we watched the Sound of Music one night, singing along to all the cheesy songs), a not-too-current jukebox and a waitress who isn't afraid to correct you on your grammar.-M.O. > 1087 Granville St., 604-685-4612.

24. Trafalgars
We're not sure if Trafalgars is the sort of place "where everybody knows your name," but it is a mighty fine neighbourhood restaurant. The trick's been to convince patrons not to skip straight to the finale: Sweet Obsession at Trafalgars has a well-earned reputation as one of the best desserteries in Vancouver. Noteworthy on the bistro's (rather short, but physically heavy) menu are a sweet potato and coconut puree soup ($6), a tangy spinach and Stilton cheese salad (with sour cherry dressing, $7)-and amongst the entrees, the veal liver, served with caramelized onions, potato crisp, spaghetti squash and a smoked bacon jus ($20). (As for dessert, you can't go wrong-but definitely try the Bittersweet Chocolate Buttercream Cake with a pairing of port-$13.50 for the both.) Make an early reservation, get the corner table by the window, and wave to all your Arbutus Ridge homies.-M.O. > 2603 West 16th Ave., 604-739-0555.

25. Vintropolis
Cosy Kitsilano wine bar with attentive service brackets next-door wine store with terrific by-the-glass pairings for coastal food. Start with small plate samplers of marinated olives and charred onions ($8) or a trio of rotating tapenades ($9). Native albacore sashimi salad ($13) is white wine-friendly, while braised pork belly on wilted frisée ($13) calls for a heftier red. There are
several pizzas, including one of capicolla and pancetta ($15) with caramelized onions. Evening entrees number pan-seared salmon ($26) served with delicious potatoes, and a small filet of beef Bordelaise with more terrific spuds, this time confit. McLennan Creek goat cheese ($9), Long Claw Stilton (with poached mission fig, parsnip puree and Port reduction, $12) to finish.-J.M.
> 1809 West First Ave., 604-732-8877.

2004: TEN UNDER THE RADAR

Parkside
We’re the result of what we eat, right? But is what chefs cook also hardwired to their soul? If you’re Andrey Durbach, yes. Parkside’s chef/partner cooks adventurous, lusty, opinionated, egalitarian, challenging (and occasionally prankish) food that reduces in the pan to one vital element: flavour. This is big food with big character—like the guy cooking it. It’s food that punches way above its weight.

Durbach learned some hard-won lessons as he worked his way into the bigs of the hot stove league. He and partner Chris Stewart gave their new establishment an easier to remember name—his previous Etoile stumped the concierges, then slumped. And cooking in the tiny Lucy Mae Brown kitchen mixed sweat with the beers, and even a little blood. Now, from his larger, cooler burners in the basement of the West End’s Buchan Hotel, Durbach maintains that innovation and customer education should know when to start and stop: “Sometimes, you know, people just want to eat dinner.”

But a look around the dining room at Parkside will show that people are being gently educated. About accessibility: Durbach’s ever-changing menus champion value; they’re laughably reasonable for this level of cooking—there’s nothing over $20. The wine list wears some great bottles, all under $60, and the after-dinner drinks card is hands-down the best in town. About intimacy: the room is a perfect rectangle of warm woods, understated art and good lighting where adults can talk all night, and do. And about gentility: partner Chris Stewart (ex-Bishop’s) and server Julie Jones (ex-Lumière) are as gracious, and as helpful, as they come.

And take a look past the dining room to find an outdoor room almost as big, a patio surrounded by tall buildings but dappled under trees and beside flowers—a sanctum. Which is, of course, why we’re here. It’s so pretty, and so tranquil, you’d almost think that you were in...Vancouver. On a starry night, no less. 1906 Haro St., 604-683-6912.

Shiru-Bay
The Izakaya mothership has landed, in Yaletown. Shiru-Bay (or Chopstick Café, as it is sometimes referred to) is a sleek new establishment from the Uno family, who first brought Japanese pub-style food to Vancouver with the old Raku at Thurlow and Robson (which they then sold to the folks behind the burgeoning Guu empire). If you’re an izakaya devotee already, you’ll know what to expect—simplicity plus ingenuiety, mixed with fun. These rooms hop. When it’s on the fresh sheet, jump all over the avacado and crab tempura, lightly battered, rolled in seaweed and served with a little mound of mellow green tea salt ($8.80). And don’t miss the roasted salmon, marinated “masa-style” ($7.80). If you notice some similarities with Hapa, it’s because the folks behind that fine Robson Street joint will freely admit that they learned much of their craft from the Unos’ Tokyo-based empire. 1193 Hamilton St. 604-408-9315.

Fish Café
South African Marcus Stiller serves up beautifully uncomplicated seafood in his 40-seat Kerrisdale storefront. Begin with a platter of gently-spiced squid ($8.95), served with bright chilli-oil and lemon-butter dips. The fish soup ($4.25) is deep and cleanly flavoured, the crab cakes ($6.95) are served with a smoky roasted red pepper sauce. The oft-overlooked rainbow trout ($12.95) is honoured here, so too was a wallop of local snapper ($12.95). Icy pints on tap, a convivial crowd and a proprietor as genuine as the food he serves. A real find. 2053 W. 41st Ave., 604-267-3474.

Fiction
Last December, Fiction raised the bar in its chummy Kits room. Owner/manager Sean Sherwood took over an adjacent space and brought in chef Kris Barnholden to ramp up the menu. A recent visit had many summery highlights, including: a refreshing dungeness crab and ahi tuna salad ($11), heightened with (a Bulli touch) tomato essence jelly; a duck confit beignet ($10) that Sherwood paired beautifully with a Poplar Grove pinot gris; lamb tenderloin with lemon gnocchi and housemade chorizo ($18)—Barnholden makes almost everything from scratch, including the charcuterie; and a dazzlingly fresh halibut in a light chowder ($17). Fiction’s food is inventive but mature, a welcome addition to the Lavalife ad that the neighbourhood sometimes resembles. 3162 W. Broadway, 604-736-7576.

Fiddlehead Joe’s
What Vancouver needs: lively seawall cafés like this, with excellent food, rollicking service and ice cold drinks, thanks to proprietors Joe Ennis and Dan Hushko. Cream of fiddlehead soup, a house standard, is a smooth bowl for just $4; a long tapas menu, including blue crab and salmon cakes, and a terrific Caesar salad run from $7 to $10. But at lunch, soft shell crab and corned beef on potato rye sandwiches, tasty pizzas and P.E.I. mussels served four ways (the curried cream was memorable) complete the picture. Or do they? Because the False Creek view is terrific, the sun is in your face and just for a moment, maybe over a glass of crispy sauvignon, you’ll remember just what brought you to this town. Dinner items include a tomato-braised lamb shank ($16), sockeye lifted with a lemon zest and olive meringue over fiddleheads ($18) and a blue crab portabello. 1012 Beach Ave., 604-688-1969.

Chambar
It may be the most heralded restaurant opening of the year. Belgian chef Nico Schuermans, whose resumé includes chef de partie at the three Michelin-starred Comme Chez Sol and London’s Savoy Hotel, opens Chambar later this month with wife Karri. Look for fairly priced lunch and dinner menus redolent of Belgium: a salad of roasted beets, smoked chicken, hazelnuts and grapes on watercress; grilled chicken cous cous with dried fruits and zalouk; and, of course, the house specialty of moules frites—five ways. It’s all wrapped in a pretty room near the Wild Rice-Milk and Honey-Tinseltown nexus. Prediction: a smash, especially as a pre-game alternative to Yaletown. 560 Beatty St., 604-879-7119.

Ellie
Let’s hope Malaysian food is the next big wave of Asian dining. In town, Vancouverites have already signed on for Banana Leaf and Tropika. Richmond’s Ellie doesn’t pretend to be more than a café: it has no license, closes at 10 p.m. nightly and keeps the atmosphere casual with its tight seating, constant Canto-pop and, for décor, giant Escher posters. In other words, it looks and feels like your average storefront eatery in Taipei or Hong Kong. But the food beats average by a long shot. From several dishes sampled, the prawns and asparagus with sambal sauce ($11.95) is the clear winner. The prawns are meaty, the asparagus crunchy and the sauce light. Chicken with three sauces ($8.95) served in a steamy hot stone pot takes second place, in a tie with the high-value Malay curry laksa ($7.95) which is loaded up with tofu, seafood and cilantro. Unit 1111, Continental Centre, 3779 Sexsmith Rd., Richmond,
604-232-0999.

Coast
From the people who brought you Glowbal, here’s a seafood house rising handsomely two storeys over a menu rich in locality. The double entendre of its name suggests both the room and the menu: nearby and relaxed. A trio of oysters ($9) is prepared à la classic Rockefeller, in tempura and grilled with a cool cucumber relish. A skate wing ($19) arrives torched with orange and cinnamon, and tempered with gai lan and lotus root. There are on and offshore crossover items as well: pan-seared flank steak is served with Dungeness crab ($27), a modern version of surf and turf, smoothed by a gorgonzola cream sauce. The light-filled room, designed by David Nicolay of Evoke Design (he’s also a co-owner of Kitsilano’s Tangerine), is a model of modern understatement; more than any other to open in the last few years, it speaks to contemporary Vancouver. Bull-kelp shaped lighting fixtures drop two storeys from the vaulted ceiling, highlighting slab-fir tabletops and oversize slate floor tiles. Two bars, a wall of wine, a patio and a large central communal table (with its own chef) complete. And just like contemporary Vancouver, it’s a pretty room that stops short of shouting. 1257 Hamilton St., 604-685-5010.

Yuji’s Japanese Tapas
Perhaps it was too subtle amid the brash and flash of Yaletown, but chef Yuji Otsuka’s cooking never got the buzz it deserved when he was at Sakura Bistro. Last November, Otsuka took over the Fourth Avenue space vacated by Taka’s and opened Yuji’s Japanese Tapas. Now his culture-crossed dishes live on; dare to request several of Otsuka’s meat- and fish-based inventions, but don’t neglect the tofu—it’s taken very seriously here. There’s the very pretty Black &White Goma Tofu Tempura ($6) in which two chunks of tofu are finished in black sesame seeds with white sesame sauce and vice versa; and the highly original Organic Tofu Sushi Trio ($7.50)—nigiri-style sushi that replaces the rice with soft tofu. Order it for the novelty and you’ll discover it’s no gimmick. 2059 W. Fourth Ave., 604-734-4990.

Yaohan Centre Food Court
Not pretty, we’ll agree. The Yaohan Centre Food Court looks much like any food court in the land, filled with harried shoppers, fluorescent lighting and plastic seating. Plus, decipherable menu items may make more tender-gulleted occidentals take a deep breath—“Assorted Beef Internal,” anyone? No? How about some yummy “Pork Blood in Soup,” then? But for the adventurous, there’s great eating—and great deals—at joints like the Supra BBQ House and Wah Yuen Noodle House. And when you’re done here, be sure to visit Parker Place and all the other Asian malls of Richmond. 3700 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-231-0601.

MINI-REVIEWS

DOWNTOWN

Bacchus
Daters mix easily with business confabs in this elegant but approachable Wedgewood Hotel room. The food, surprisingly reasonably priced, hasn't missed a stroke since executive chef Michael Knowlson assumed the helm. Enjoy the signature crab roll to begin, then roasted lobster tail, pan-fried duck breast with kumquat marmalade and fig jus or grilled suckling pork cutlet with raisin-apple choucroute. Intelligent wine list, and next door, top-drawer cocktails, thin-crust pizzas, stellar desserts and cheeseboards in the bar. 845 Hornby St., 604-608-5319. $$-$$

Bis Moreno
Find intensity and enormous flavours on small plates from the pans of Moreno Miotto in this modern, smartly appointed lower Hornby room. Though tasting menus are available‹six courses $65, eight $95, or a seven-course pasta menu, $50‹the kitchen is also adept at customizing guests' choices. White asparagus soup with truffle oil, and lobster-stuffed ravioli in a perfect, simple tomato basil sauce were both revelatory and two of the best dishes we've eaten this year. Roasted lobster with vanilla-braised endive superb. Growing wine list well composed from Italian and Cascadian only is beautifully hitched. 1355 Hornby St., 604-669-2812. $$-$$

Blue Water Café and Raw Bar
At the feature raw bar in this handsome Yaletown room, select some of the city's most elegant sushi and coastal shellfish dishes (as well as perfectly presented caviar) from the lengthy fresh sheet of master sushi chef Yoshi Tabo. Oyster choices huge and city's best selection of artisanal sakes.
Farther back, star turns of local seafood hot preps (the sablefish and halibut dishes are first rank) from executive chef Frank Pabst have taken this kitchen to the top of the city's got-to-go lists. Bar service very attentive with well-crafted cocktails; cozy private dining room for groups.
Heated outdoor patio looks over constant hormonal parade. Lengthy wine list.
1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078. $$-$$

Bin 941 Tapas Parlour
Small, funky, always-popular room where tasting dishes extol the region and the season. Seafood, poultry and meat are expertly sauced (orange-chipotle, cool cucumber) and as kinetic as chef/proprietor Gord Martin. The menu changes frequently. Plates are priced in the $13 range. Wine list well-priced and chosen, interesting selection of beers including high-test Le Fin du Monde. Goes till 2 a.m. for late-arriving industry crowd. 941 Davie St., 604-683-1246. $-$$

Brix
Enlightened ownership has spawned a remarkable wine program, with many by-the-glass. Chef Jason Wilson has taken the kitchen forward, too. Drop-ins favour the cosy front bar or lovely keyhole courtyard for its Euro-feel. Pork-stuffed spring rolls (with four dips) or a pretty salad of organic greens with a smoked tomato vinaigrette to start and a full-flavoured turn on local game or fish to follow. Well-crafted desserts include intense sorbets. Handsome brick-walled room warms the grown-up scene which goes nightly until 1 a.m. 1138 Homer St., 604-915-9463. $-$$

C
Harry Kambolis gives this waterfront location a watershed restaurant‹and the best seafood dining in the country. Sleek room leads to a prime patio with western views over False Creek and Granville Island. Aggressive sourcing of local and long-distance (but always sustainable) raw product is definitive: signature salmon sampler with smoked sockeye, pink and salmon candy a clever start. Chef Robert Clark's 'tip-to-tail salmon' tasting menu revelatory, but countless other innovative touches include a vertical bento tasting box (with tuna tartare, and side-striped shrimp), double-smoked bacon-wrapped Pacific sardine with maple syrup, octopus bacon wrapped Kagan Bay scallops, with, yes, seared Quebec foie gras. Wonderful, fish-friendly wine list orchestrated by sommelier Tom Doughty. Consistent winner of our Critics' Choice Best Seafood award. 1600 Howe St., 604-681-1164. $$-$$

Caffé de Medici
Count on carefully crafted flavour and textures from classic, pricey Florentine menu. At dinner, find well-prepared pesto-crusted black cod over clam broth spiked with Niçoise olives, or classic presentations of veal osso buco with wild mushroom risotto. The grilled filet mignon served with a Marsala green peppercorn jus and Gorgonzola butter is delicious, but value here is in the pasta dishes. 109-1025 Robson St., 604-669-9322. $$ Chartwell The Four Seasons repositioned its signature dining room last year. Now find a heightened simplicity on the menu but with the same sense of occasion in the room. Lobster bisque or tomato-basil gin soups to start, then steaks (filet mignon, venison or New York on the bone‹with an admirable choice of saucing including truffled hollandaise) or Nova Scotia lobster pot au feu with fresh market vegetables. Crisp-skinned wild salmon with fingerling potatoes trustworthy fish entry. Nifty vegetarian choices, extraordinary service‹wood panelling and fireplace lend rich, clubby feel. Four Seasons Hotel, 791 W. Georgia St., 604-844-6715. $$

Cin Cin
Lovely Tuscan trattoria on Robson Street; you'll smell the aromatic woods lighting up the forno the moment you step inside. Chef Romy Prassad has a nuanced hand, whether tackling seafood (forno-roasted smoked black cod with lemon and roasted leek risotto), pasta (delicate angel hair zinged with Sardinian bottarga) or game. The Peace River buffalo striploin with chanterelles is revelatory. Extraordinary breads and desserts from Thierry Busset, lovely cheese selection and one of the finest wine cellars (with dozens by the glass) in the city. 1154 Robson St., 604-688-7338. $-$$

Cioppino's
Open Yaletown dining room, composed of timber posts and beams, looks into the backlights of the kitchen‹a fitting arena for chef/proprietor Pino Posteraro's deceptively simple looking cooking. On any given night this is one of the city's top restaurants‹thank classics such as poached halibut with crispy artichokes, or bass and shellfish in a bouillabaisse broth. Pastas and risottos are refined and understated, but seek out perfectly sautéed Dover sole. The wine list is extensive and runs (quickly) from budget to make-you-blink. The next door Enoteca is open for lunch‹the rotisserie chicken is in a league of its own. 1133 Hamilton St., 604-688-7466. $$-$$

Circolo
An exposed kitchen features toiling chefs in Umberto Menghi's prettily international space. In a departure for Umberto, Circolo offers the cuisines of America (husky steaks and chops), Italy (well-made pastas and a superb beet and bufala mozzarella salad) and France (peppercorn sauce). The wine list is lengthy, the bar lengthier and Doc Fingers' piano goes late. 1116 Mainland St., 604-687-1116. $$-$$ Le Crocodile Alsace gets sassy: yellow walls à la Monet's Giverny bulge with fashionable well-to-do's in vaunted chef-proprietaire Michel Jacob's elegant room. This is Vancouver's most consistent traditional French restaurant, famous for its unapologetic pan-seared foie gras, sea bass with lobster and veal chop with chanterelles. Regulars also opt for garlic-sautéed frogs' legs, signature gin and tomato soup, Alsatian onion tart, duck confit with a citrus and garlic reduction and crème brûlée, all good examples of the art culinaire. Wine list runs deep to the mother country, as do some of the charming servers. 100-909 Burrard St., entrance on Smithe, 604-669-4298. $$-$$

Diva at the Met
Highest contemporary cuisine from executive chef Scott Baechler and understudy Damon Campbell in smartly detailed downtown room. Begin with aromatic braised veal cheek with savoy cabbage, wild mushrooms, pine nut shavings, warm sherry broth; lobster and whites truffle gnocchi with celeriac; or seared ahi tuna with poached quail egg, Hawaiian red sea salt and red pepper rouille. Main courses: Roasted lamb loin with spring bean cassoulet, carrot purée and thyme jus; game hen breast with Helmer's organic potato artichoke salad and sauce à la diable; or cinnamon-smoked duck with white asparagus and morel mushroom risotto, napped with spiced fig jus. Seamless service and Thomas Haas's desserts, which are simply the best.
Explore Cascadian wines and enjoy one of the top brunches in town: the smoked-cod hash with poached eggs is a smash. 645 Howe St., 604-602-7788.
$$

Don Francesco
Brilliantly hosted by charming stalwart Francesco Alonghi, with chef Tom Tran (ex-Il Giardino) launching arias of slow-roasted duck and roast loin of reindeer. Begin with a deeply reduced powerhouse of lobster bisque, then a secondi of wild mushroom risotto or seafood linguine. The Tuscan chicken is delicious, and the baked lasagna is a reasonably priced, rich ramp of
flavours. Neat patio looks over to swarming Robson crowds. 860 Burrard
St., 604-685-7770. $$-$$

Elixir
Contemporary brasserie card reveals chef Don Letendre's deep talents in all-day menus that go late. First-rate breakfasts and lunches: poached eggs with duck confit hash and caponata; roasted baby beet salad with haricot verts and chevre gratinée. Dinnertime sees interesting brasserie twists in Middle Eastern spiced lamb sirloin with cous cous, or pan-seared ling cod with a fennel, orange and coca-bean salad. Sleek lobby bar shows separate menu‹go for the satay plate of chicken, merguez corn dogs and Vietnamese-styled pork, or scallops with nori sauce. Late licensing and kitchen hours to fuel see-and-be-scene. Opus Hotel, 322 Davie St., 604-642-0557. $-$$

The Five Sails
Chef Ernst Dorfler orchestrates Pacific Rim flavours beautifully but stops short of fusing what isn't broken. Spiced hazlenut-crusted halibut finished with white and green asparagus, wild mushrooms and watercress emulsion is among sterling mains. Terrific if pricey wine list. The finest (indoor) view dining room in town: those are the lights of Coal Harbour and the Lions Gate just over your date's shoulder. Pan Pacific Hotel, 999 Canada Place Way, 604-891-2892. $$

Fleuri
Inventive cooking by chef Michael Deutsch. Potage of sweet onion with potato blinis and caviar, or spicy tuna loin with avocado and apple salad in spiced tomato with scallion and olive oil dressing highlight a menu constructed in a classically French-influenced style with Eastern overtures. The off-lobby room is quiet and well-suited to private affairs. The overall result: some of the most successful fusion dishes in town. The adjacent Gerard bar is popular with the film set. Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard St., 604-642-2900. $$

Gotham Steakhouse
Proprietor David Aisenstat, a.k.a. 'the King of Steaks' owns the Keg and Hy's chains, but Gotham is his showpiece for USDA Prime beef served up in deep, unctuous grills. Gotham cuts from the herd of high-end steakhouses with uncomplicated fresh seafood preps and veteran servers well-versed in the menu, and charmingly amusing in its delivery. The bar roars long and loud late in the week; the heated patio is a refuge for intense business and romance. Serious wine list tilted to rich California and French reds. 615 Seymour St., 604-605-8282. $$

Hapa Izakaya
It has captured full houses since opening last year with modulated Japanese bistro cuisine in a beautifully black-on-black Lower Robson room.
User-friendly service and chef Shinge Toyoshige's mackerel, Korean hot stone bowls and negitoro are lovely and inexpensive. Wine list is growing; Sapporo and sakes well-chilled. Owners Justin and Lea Ault a treat. 1479 Robson St., 604-689-4272. $

Hermitage
Classical French but with a nudge to local ingredients (find them in a stunning west coast bouillabaisse) and one of the most assuredly romantic rooms in the West End. Chef-proprietor Herve Martin's disciplined menu delivers deeply flavoured dishes of pheasant breast with cabbage and bacon; sweetbreads and kidneys in a Bordelaise sauce with cepes and marrow; and duck magret in blackcurrant sauce. All reach through the plate to the passion in the kitchen, and all are well attuned to the stunning wine list, especially rich in majestic Burgundies. 1025 Robson St., 604-689-3237.
$$-$$

Hy's Encore
Hy Aisenstat's place of legend still turns out one of the city's best steaks in one of the city's only authentically retro dining rooms. The colour scheme runs to black and red, and so do the reasons you've come here‹the main event steaks are expertly trimmed and grilled. While the 22-ounce T-bone may be a model of understatement, the Caesar salads, prepared tableside, are pungent and deep. Portraits of retired rear admirals and retired waiters line the walls; those still working are polished and all-pro. Wine list runs to U.S. and French reds. 637 Hornby St., 604-683-7671. $$

Il Giardino
The city's longtime Tuscan standard-bearer has rebounded to the top of the class again. Owner Umberto Menghi pulls crowds to the city's prettiest garden patio with salmon carpaccio mediorente and a thick chop of grilled provini veal in a rosemary-accented wine jus. GM Bobby Copiak is one of the city's best and won a Premier Crew service award this year to prove it.
Fabulous patio pulls very pretty crowd, many tongue in chic. 1382 Hornby St., 604-669-2422. $$

Indigo
Modern room features hand-blown glass by local artists, and a tasteful blue-tiled wall that marries perfectly with surrounding glass walls. Executive Chef Andrew Court's must-try is the free-range chicken with mushroom risotto, and the sablefish reaches for the sublime. Save room for raspberry panna cotta or the tiramisu. Situated in the Sheraton Wall Centre, Vancouver's biggest hotel, Indigo is a downtown secret. Over 150 wines, with many local selections. 1088 Burrard St., 604-893-7150. $-$$

La Terraza
Chef Gennaro Iorio's menu matches the elegance of this dramatic, richly appointed room. Start with baked crab cake with Japanese bread crumbs, prawn bisque and crème fraiche, oven-baked halibut with olive tapenade and pancetta sticky rice, or prawn cakes scented with white truffle oil. Mains include seared ostrich with amarena cherries and red wine jus, and veal scallopine with Calvados, apples, gorgonzola and potato confit. Wine list is enormous and especially deep in Italy and California; a wine library offers private dining. Useful dessert list (order the signature white chocolate mascarpone cheesecake in phyllo). Tasting menus range from $55 to $95. 1088 Cambie St., 604-899-4449. $$-$$

Le Gavroche
Find warmth and classical French cooking from chef Roger Leblanc in particularly good starters of rabbit terrine with grainy mustard and onion marmalade; smoked salmon with potato pancake, caviar and crème fraiche, and veal sweetbreads. Mains include roasted sturgeon Muscovy duck breast with Port and sun-dried cherry jus. Veal is shockingly good. But the real reason to go is for the tableside service of 'le classique steak tartar,' Caesar salads and fabulous peppered rib-eye for two, carved off the bone and served with a well-rendered Bordelaise. The wine list is the city's most extensive, packed with value and deep in vintage French bottles. 1616 Alberni St., 604-685-3924. $$-$$

Maurya
Vancouver's most elegant Indian dining room reveals high-octane cooking from ex-pat Delhi chaps under soaring ceilings all carefully choreographed by amiable host Lalit Sharma. Unusually strong wine list confirms Maurya's sense of occasion and underscores clean, subtle spicing of curries and other mains. Steer for black cod in chickpea batter with mint chutney (amritsare machhi). The 'Symphony of Fire' vindaloos are not for beginners, but there are plenty of milder options‹try the less incendiary Goa chicken plate. The lunch buffet is an absolute bargain. 1643 W. Broadway, 604-742-0622. $$ Morton's the Steakhouse Downtown power-dining haunt elicits gasps even from seasoned carnivores. The parade of steaks is mainly huge (although there are several seafood alternatives), the side dishes commendable and the service, always confident, has been smoothed by the arrival of GM Bryant Coleman. Good after-work bar scene, when complimentary mini-steak sandwiches make the rounds. Wine list leans on France and the U.S. 750 W. Cordova, 604-915-5105.
$$

900 West
Beautiful downtown room is full again thanks to reality check and menu conversion to sea and steakfood. Now huge portions of USDA striploins, certified Angus ribeyes and the city's best prime rib roll from chef Shannon Walsh-Wrightson's grills and tableside trolley. Starches and vegetables, so often a steakhouse oversight, are also commendable, and‹egads!‹included in the price of dinner. Award-winning wine list is strong on Cascadia and California, with many available by the glass, and being a Fairmont property, the beer taps fairly sing. Crisp but friendly service, and we can't think of what not to like. Hotel Vancouver, 900 W. Georgia St., 604-669-9378.
$$-$$

Phnom Penh
Down on East Georgia is the Phnom Penh, a Cambodian/Vietnamese restaurant distinctly different from run-of-the-mill pho shops. Phnom Penh was one of the first ethnic restaurants in town to be lauded by the New York Times, which raved (justifiably) over the spicy garlic squid with lemon pepper dipping sauce. The squid is still wonderful but there are other dishes as good, like the marinated beef‹tissue-thin sliced, barely seared, marinated in cilantro, lime and fish sauce, then spread on a plate like the petals of a flower and sprinkled with crunchy deep fried garlic. It's a lovely dish, and for two people one of the most sensuous things we've ever eaten. 244 E.
Georgia St., 604-682-5777.
$-$

Piccolo Mondo
Wonderful, disciplined cooking from northern Italy (with French influences) gracefully served. Soups outstanding (the flavourful fish version is the city's best). The red bell pepper soup with fennel, grilled spot prawns with pink grapefruit and sablefish with shrimp gnocchi betray chef Stephane Meyer's past as a Michelin two-starred chef. Extraordinary wine list, exclusively Italian. Formal-looking room anything but: Proprietor George Baugh's sense of humour is Schweppes-dry; his wife and partner Michele Geris adds the effervescence. 850 Thurlow St., 604-688-1633. $$-$$

Raincity Grill
With Sean Cousins at the burners, this attractive room offers an oft-changing menu based on expertly sourced ingredients from across the province: Fraser Valley duck trio (seared breast, leg confit and consommé with braised scallions, spinach and coriander spaetzle) and pan-roasted Hecate Strait halibut with goat cheese fondue, beet puree, atugula and truffle oil. With its stunning English Bay views, there are few better places to impress visitors. More than 125 wines by the glass, cheerfully explained by manager Brent Hayman. Excellent brunches. 1193 Denman St., 604-685-7337. $$-$$

Showcase
Chefs Bruce Knapik and Morgan Wilson (who will represent Canada at the 2005 Bocuse d'Or culinary competition) push an adventuresome menu that travels the Pacific Rim and beyond‹what was fused is now fully merged in offshore techniques married to local ingredients. Butter chicken curry, served with a lick of Brinjal chutney, is boisterous but not bullying. Also recommended: ahi tuna with Nicoise vegetables (baby new potatoes, quaill egg, olive oil and lemon salt) or bamboo-steamed wild salmon with Dungeness crab congee, wok-fried bok choy and snow pea salad. Well-composed wine and beer lists.
Mariott Pinnacle Hotel, 1128 W. Hastings St., 604-684-1128. $$

Villa del Lupo
Charming old house reveals cosy salons and fireplace ambience. Chef Julio Gonzalez-Perini extols organic, wild, free-range and mainly local ingredients. Find them in octopus and potato salad with Spanish pimiento and olive oil; braised wild boar with fettucine, tomato, star anise and smoked mozzarella; or fillet of ahi in a red wine reduction with fresh spinach and stuffed gnocchi. The stuffed and roasted chicken is a wonderfully unctuous bargain. Familial service and a terrific wine list. Private dining room with bar upstairs; private wine-cellar table down. 869 Hamilton St., 604-688-7436. $$-$$ WEST SIDE

Banana Leaf
Just about every Asian restaurant in town offers up some variation of a green bean dish, but there's little doubt (in our minds at least) that the sambal green beans at Banana Leaf, in either of its two locations, are the best around. The beans are always ravishingly crisp, the sambal (a ubiquitous Indonesian condiment made with garlic, chili and dried shrimp
paste) has infinite depth, and the shrimp and tomatoes wrap it all together.
Devotees go for the crab. Check ahead for availabilty. 820 W. Broadway, 604-731-6333; 1096 Denman St., 604-683-3333. $

Bin 942 Tapas Parlour
Good cooking (and a good-looking crowd) carry over to Gord Martin's newer South Granville room. Don't miss the Tandoori-crusted tuna tataki with mango-papaya pickles. Hot? Order the sexy East:West crab cakes with burnt orange chipotle sauce, charred bok choy, cucumber salsa and tobiko. And if you see Martin's retro take on beef Wellington on the nightly card, take it.
Smart wine list and excellent, if loud, house music. 1521 W. Broadway, 604-734-9421. $-$$

Bishop's
John Bishop is the chef who began Vancouver's intrepid search for its culinary roots. This cool, intimate room defines modern regional cooking. With a weekly rotation of menus based on local organic ingredients, Bishop and executive chef Dennis Green deliver remarkable flavours in turns of duck consommé with morsels of confit, Fanny Bay oyster stew, and sablefish with truffle brandade‹redolent of smoke and the sea. Vegetable preps are praiseworthy and the desserts, wonderful: go for the buttermilk panna cotta with rhubarb compote. One of the smartest wine lists in town, with many local tilts, and from one of the true gentlemen of Vancouver's culinary culture. 2183 W. 4th Ave., 604-738-2025. $$

Bistro Pastis
Proprietor John Blakeley recently retooled this popular west sider, making the décor more casual and hanging the descriptor bistro up front. Chef Brad Miller's new menus mesh well and change rapidly with the seasons. Grilled sablefish and other piscine dishes stellar, but our advice is to ask the proprietor what's up. Nightly rotations (coq au vin et al) artfully paired to French and local wine list (and artisanal pastis sheet) and if the words duck confit show up ­ head there. Service charming. In cooler weather regional braises, cassoulets and roasts majestically show force. 2153 W. 4th Ave., 604-731-5020. $$

Coco Pazzo
Filling the fine-dining void in Shaughnessy/Kerrisdale, Ken Bogas's menu (seared ahi a signature that rises well clear of cliché) performs ably in pastas, pizzas and husky, beautifully sauced mains. The chef's own favourites is 'Ken's Big Ass' dry-aged ribeye, three inches think and enough to feed the family. The room is dominated by Bogas's open kitchen‹it's a great show, and the blazer and Hermès scarf set eat it up. Watch for specials‹he puts them on for a reason‹and enjoy the smart wine list. Small patio a fair weather friend. 1864 W. 57th Ave., 604-267-1864. $$

Cru
Experienced hands Mark Taylor, Dana Reinhardt (ex-Kelowna's Cellar Door
Bistro) and Christine Funnell capture the elements of informal but informed regional dining (combo small plates or entrée-size mains) in this sleekly designed, warm room with an intelligent wine list‹see headings like 'crisp,' 'mellow,' 'luscious' and 'juicy.' Reinhardt tandems Guy Leggatt, turning out admirable duck confit and frisée salad with a classic warm bacon dressing and plush bowls of steamed mussels. Desserts include burnt butter almond cake and house-made ice creams. Three-course prix fixe menu is $32. 1459 W.
Broadway, 604-677-4111. $$

En
Moved up the block into larger premises. Fresh menus roll out weekly; find superb cut fish and innovation in the prepared meals. But wait‹there are also snowy white tablecloths, candles and classical music. Chef Yami Yamagishi serves up blowtorch-seared salmon carpaccio, oysters in an ethereal mascarpone and even duck breast. Sommelier Hiro Shintaku delivers the best wine card of any Japanese restaurant in the city. 2686 Granville St., 604-730-0330. $-$$

Feenie's
Rob Feenie and chef du cuisine Marc-Andre Choquette have deconstructed brasserie classics and put them back together again, bigger and brassier than ever: their shepherd's pie promotes duck confit with mushroom duxelle and truffled mashed potatoes. The charcuterie board numbers up to seven of Oyama Sausage Co.'s remarkabl