Indian food in Vancouver is probably right up there with sushi in terms of "food people like to do takeout for", but when it comes to Dhaliwal's Lounge, which is a newish restaurant, there are two main benefits to dining in – it's a gorgeous entrance and dining room, and the food is upscale enough that you wouldn't want to miss out on the food presenting and tasting as the chef intended. Last week I had a chance to check out the entire menu with group of food bloggers hosted by Sherman's Food Adventures. Disclosure: This was a complimentary dinner hosted by another food blogger. All opin ..read more

I struggle when it comes to visiting new spots as soon as they open. So many things can go wrong as a new team gets its operations smoothed out, but I'm also a fan of the umbrella of Kitchen Table Restaurants. Ask for Luigi, Giovane, Di Bepper, Farina are all great places in my experience. It's likely that Mercato di Luigi, the latest addition, will fall in line with greatness in time, but at least for the opening weekend, service, ambiance, and service left a lot to be desired. I know there are some folks out there who have seen this story before and would never recommend a person visit an e ..read more

If you're a fan of barbecue, you won't want to miss Northern BBQ in Burnaby, British Columbia. This unassuming spot may not look like much from the outside, but the food and interior are world of difference. Hailing from the same family as "Tasty BBQ" in Richmond, this toned-down joint near Metrotown is probably half the crowds with the same bbq-centric menu full of skewers and fried foods. During a visit from one of my foodie friends, we ventured out to this charming spot for dinner. Northern BBQ BurnabyFood: Team Food Soc came here on a rainy weekday evening and I had a great taste of the f ..read more

Within the realm of German food (sorry vegetarians), my favourite dish has to be the pork hock. Pork hock appears in Chinese and Taiwanese cuisines too but there's something about the size and girth of a German-style pork hock that gets my saliva rolling every time. I'm used to getting a portion at the Vancouver Christmas Market, but that's only available about 6 weeks of the year. For something a little more permanent, a friend recommended we go to The Old Bavaria Haus in New Westminster and pre-order the pork hock. Needless to say, this is something worth planning ahead for. Food: Team Arka ..read more

One thing that gets better in groups is Chinese food. Set dinners are a very popular option when dining at a Chinese restaurant and Golden Paramount in Richmond is no different. The main value proposition is ordering these dishes together makes things easier for the kitchen to prepare and as a result, the set is cheaper than ordering the dishes a la carte. For this occasion, we opted for just that. Food: Team Lido came here for a Sunday dinner and I had a great taste of the following: Deep-Fried Crab Cake Dried Scallop and Chive Soup Abalone with Pea Tips Crab Crispy Roasted Chicken Sweet an ..read more

There are trucks that show up to take your lunch money in exchange for standard items and then there are trucks that are doing something really unique that leave you hoping they can set up a permanent brick-and-mortar location. Random Food Truck off the Coquihalla Highway This guide looks at the latter with the following strict criteria: Serving something not immediately available at a restaurant in the same neighbourhood Is not affiliated with a restaurant with a brick-and-mortar location (sorry Le Tigre) Is fairly available throughout the year and is not a limited time thing (sorry BBQ tru ..read more

One year after opening and one listing on the Vancouver Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand later has Song (by Kin Kao) one of the hottest places to get a reservation at in Mount Pleasant. While prices are on the elevated side here, and nearly everything has an equivalent dish at a cheaper price point elsewhere, each dish has a special flair to it to justify the higher price. When I had the chance to have dinner with friends on a Friday night, I jumped when we saw Song had space for us. Food and Drink: Team Block Party came here for a Friday evening dinner and I had a great taste of the following ..read more

When you talk about Mexican food pioneering in Vancouver, La Taqueria is always a part of the conversation. While they aren't the tiny Cambie Street nook slinging out $2.50 tacos anymore, they are the casual taco place I can recommend to just about anyone looking for Mexican. I recently went to their new location at The Amazing Brentwood and once again came away impressed by their creativity and mission to create a fun dining atmosphere at a reasonable price. Food: Team Tastic came here for a weekday lunch and I had a great taste of the following: Fish Baja Taco  ($7.50) Carnitas Taco ..read more

Despite what people say about the pricing at the Vancouver Christmas Market, I think it's one of the best places to spend your holiday dollars if you've never been. Absolutely you could spend $100 for 2 at a pretty decent restaurant but you'd miss out on the lights, the vibe, and the overall Christmas joy this market provides. That being said, the market asks more of its visitors year over year, with scaled down amenities (goodbye Kathë Wohlfahrt) or scaled up prices. It's a negligible change if you don't go every year but annual fans like me can't help but notice the small changes in accessi ..read more

I wouldn't fault you if you haven't heard of Apollonia near Granville Island yet. It was only until recently I knew it as either the restaurant I'd always run past during the Vancouver Sun Run or the first wife of Michael Corleone from The Godfather. But now, one dinner invitation and a window table later, I'm convinced Apollonia is a spot checking out especially if you are a fan of homey Greek feels with a touch of class. Disclosure: I was invited for a complimentary dinner for this blog post with no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own. Food and Drink: Team Tastic came here for a ..read more