heidi40

Hi, not sure about down town but there is a fantastic stake house in west Vancouver called Cactus restaurant.
The best stake I have ever had!!

Alan2005

I like Cactus club for some things (steak isn't one of them), but I find the waiting staff extremely irritating in that they all fancy themselves (especially the one on robson). Cactus also has a fair number of imitators, all serving pretty much the same thing - reliably good if a little dull food.

Vancouver isn't really a foodie city and I find that when I go to new places more often than not I'm disappointed. Places I have liked include cin cin on robson, the tapas tree in the west end, julliettes in kits. Also the best indian food i've tasted in this city comes from the international food court on horny and pender (i've given up going to other places as they are invariably rubbish)

dboy

Porkys in Kits does a nice bit of meat. All food is half price on mondays.

West is world class :

http://www.westrestaurant.com/profile.html

adele

West is literally round the corner from where I live; I walk past every day and dream that one day someone will take me there...it looks lovely

dboy

Yes it is although a bit pricey. Despite what some are saying on here there are some great places to eat in Vancouver. Pastis on 4 th, Gastropod and Bistro (also on 4 th )are also top shelf.

In your neck of the woods, the red door is good and shabosien (not sure how to spell it) right opposite red door on granville is a good korean place. Bin 649 is also good on broadway - although a bit of a squeeze.

adele

I've been to Red Door a couple of times and really love it, Shabusen I haven't tried yet but will at some point, and Bin 942 is another place I keep meaning to try (pmsl at 'Bin 649' - your mind is obviously set on winning the $35 million tonight... )

ScottDrummer

Ok, so thanks for all the suggestions, I actually went with my boss who took me to Cioppino's Enoteca. Italian in yaletown.
I had "Tuscan style rib-eye of dry aged triple A beef, rocket salad, Parmigiano", was real good, good wine, good desert and friendly quite funny server. Pricey but the boss paid.

pthom

"A Kettle of Fish" As the name suggests, seafood. A bit on the pricey side but we've always had great food and service

Oink

I agree. For a large city the quality of restaurant is generally poor with the service being even worse. That said, The Blue Water Cafe is very good. Especially when you have a big table of your mates there. You have to have the three tier tower of seafood. Its the bollox.

dingbat

Another vote for Cin Cin, and a lament for the curried crab cakes with salad and a pile of fat chips they used to do at Joe Fortes.
The curried crab cakes are no more.

dboy

I must be living a different city! I think it takes some time here to learn where the good places are. Overall i've had mostly good experiences with service, although there have been a few exceptions.

Can't say I'm overly fond of the chains such as Cactus clubs, and earls etc, although they are ok in a pinch. Cactus i see as a lunch spot - too many trendy types and the odd gangster in the evening.

Alan2005

It's not that the food is bad here - it's just that, as you pointed out. you have to know where to go. There are definitely some very nice places, but in no way is Vancouver some kind of mecca for gourmets; people don't come here for the food in the same way they go to say Paris, Singapore, etc.

dboy

The know where to go syndrome of vancouver is very prevalent at all levels- not sure why. I often don't find about places until they have been open for months sometimes years. The grapevine does not seem to be very effective here.

No not paris but very good by north american standards.

JonboyE

But the same city as I do.

They do for Chinese food.

Alan2005

No they don't - stop making things up.