Re: So when does it "get better"
 

They never did do reservations, and the businessmen from Granville St had to line up and take a seat next to the drunk if that was the next one free. One night I was seated next to someone who went head-first into his chowder. My favourite thing there was the steamed clams. Remember the fish and crabs in the window?
For those not familiar with the place, it dated from the early 1900's and I doubt it had changed much. They tried to revive it for a year or so after closing and someplace called Coney Island Seafood opened a few doors down, but it didn't last.

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

Americanized Chinese food is hard to find simply because what you get here is either authentic or Canadianised.

I remember years ago having a good Chinese meal in San Francisco, it was almost authentic!

A new place has opened near us called the Spicy Fish Pot ............ and a friend told me this week that it is awful, it is far too hot for her. She's originally from Hong Kong, the restaurant is serving authentic Szechuan food, which is VERY spicy when done right. Spicy food is not common Hong Kong food!

Of course, one of the "problems" of going to an authentic ethnic restaurant is that often the staff do not speak good English, or sometimes almost no English, so you have to know what you are ordering

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

That's what I meant!

Some of the bigger places did take reservations, especially in the evening and if you wanted one of the very large circular tables.

It was sad when all those restaurants began to close down as the newer Chinese immigrants moved out into other parts of Vancouver and the suburbs. I'm not sure what is left down there because I haven't been for many years.

Crab with black bean sauce was our favourite.

We eat Japanese food these days, and have a very good place less than 2 blocks from home.

My daughter always wants Japanese as much as possible when she visits ............. it is hard to find a good place in Halifax, and the food, sushi for example, costs at least twice as much as in Vancouver and is not as good. The one good Japanese place they had there over-stretched itself and had to close down ............. but it was only average for us and much more expensive!

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

I'll ask my friends in Vancouver for their recommendation (though tbh the stuff they make at home is better than anything I had at a sushi restaurant there).

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

Thanks but no thanks ........... we have our list of favourites, though we usually go to the one near home which is tops for us.

If I'm downtown, I tend to slip into the "little place just off the main drag, even if it is in the basement". I've had some really good sushi at places like that, at half the price of the places on the main drag, such as Alberni, Robson, etc.

That's another nice thing about the small sushi places ........ they're very welcoming to a woman on her own!

Daughter has also begun to make sushi at home .............. but the important part of good sushi is the seafood you use, and, for example, Atlantic farmed salmon just does not cut it for us, or for her, yet she cannot get Wild Sockeye there (or at an exorbitant price if it does com on the market).

She also has a problem with a husband who doesn't like seafood, let alone "raw".

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

Oh dear, too bad, doesn't matter, I just sent 2 emails so you're going to find out anyway. There is no potential down-side to this.
For Sushi night Daphne would buy a piece of tuna, a piece of salmon, and a piece of cod, it wasn't even cheap back then.

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

OK, no worries. Thanks

I can add them to the list of "to try ...."

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

I agree Tojo’s is truly a Japanese culinary experience to do at least once but it is ‘very’ expensive.
Our experience is that ‘most’ of the sushi joints are pretty well all the same as far as the food goes. Last number I heard was that over 60% of them are actually owned by Koreans. For awhile the Japanese sushi restaurants were considering putting a label of authenticity on the door but then decided it was unnecessary.
We generally don’t go to a restaurant for sushi anymore and just buy prepared Japanese sushi, sashimi etc from Fujiya on the corner of Venable and Clark. You usually have to get there before 3pm to still have a full range of options. The place is ‘always’ packed with Japanese customers when we go there. For $25 you can get what would cost you closer to $60 in a restaurant and the food is always fresh because they put through such a volume of food everyday...and what a variety .....highly recommend this place. https://www.fujiya.ca/
If you are into the recent rise in popularity of Japanese ramen then I highly recommend Danbo on Robson. It is a tiny restaurant and I have never seen it on a weekend afternoon without a lineup. Fukuoka-style Tonkotsu Ramen DANBO - Kitsilano, Vancouver, Canada
We have a ‘lot’ of foreign students from Japan and another favorite haunt of theirs is Gojiro Ramen which is located at the end of the block from the Railway Club on Dunsmuir. Again...on the weekend afternoons expect a lineup.
RAMEN GOJIRO - The First Jiro Style Ramen in CanadaIf we were going to take a visitor out for Japanese food a likely option would be Tatsu Japanese Bistro at 1441 Commercial Drive. Check out the menu...pretty awesome..... http://www.tatsubistro.com/files/Tatsu_web_menu.pdfOf course Caretaker you already know one of our all time favourite restaurants for Southern India/Chinese fusion the Green Lettuce near the corner of Victoria and Kingsway. Green Lettuce Restaurant - Welcome
Living at our old house near Victoria and Kingsway allowed us to sample over a dozen Vietnamese Pho restaurants so we see ourselves as fairly knowledgeable in this realm. However our number one go to place for Pho is easily the Petit Saigon at 2783 East Hastings just a couple of blocks west of the PNE grounds. We simply don’t go anywhere else anymore for Vietnamese food. https://www.lepetitsaigonvancouver.com/
Last but not least is the Bai Bai Thai Cuisine at 2443 East Hastings near Hastings and Nanaimo. Try #88 the Khoo Soi Gai. It is a mild curry soup with chicken, thick egg noodle in a coconut broth. It is to die for.....really. J
BAIBUA THAI CUSINE : Thai Street Food | Dine in | Take out | Welcome

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

I was in Metro yesterday and saw Yum Dynasty Hakka chili chicken.. Might be worth grabbing a couple while they are on offer to try out.
https://www.metro.ca/en/online-groce...p/717854573030

:)

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

For Indian, Dhaba Express in Bayers Lake.

As for Chinese, I must preface this by saying I fell out of love with Chinese food years ago, and that I have only went to Chinese restaurants here with Chinese people, who seem to get a whole different menu presented. Fan's, of course, is great for Dim Sum and the Canton Garden in Farnham Gate Plaza is another go to. I now rather like Chinese food again but would not touch the MSG laden crap you get in a lot of UK and Halifax establishments.

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

Burlington, should anyone be in the area, has one really good (authentic) Chinese/Asian restaurant - close to Hong Kong standards (the Thai dishes are also good; I've noticed they are now serving Pho but I haven't been there since that started so can't comment. Run by a local family there are many 'local' Asian families in the restaurant.. a sure indication that it's authentic food.
http://pomeloasiancuisine.ca/


Wish I could find a Malay or Indonesian restaurant :)

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

I couldn't vouch for that statistic but I would say that most of the lower end Japanese restaurants in Toronto are either Korean or Chinese-owned. Japanese ingredients, rice especially, are extremely expensive on the export market and can sometimes be hard to come by. A 10Kg sack of decent Japanese rice alone can go for $100 or more and for logistical reasons a lot of rice in Japanese restaurants routinely gets wasted. My ex-girlfriend used to work at a high-end Japanese restaurant downtown and almost everything they used was authentic but the customers paid a huge premium for it. The Korean-Japanese stuff is more than good enough IMHO though and often tastes more authentic because its closer to regular Japanese home or cafe cooking and isn't aiming for any Michelin stars.

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

Bahn Thai on Fairview at the corner of Appleby is good Thai. My sister and I always try to get there for dinner when I'm home.

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

Haha, they stop signs drive me bonkers too.... :banghead:

Before moving here, I used to hear stories about the standard of driving (in the GTA) .. I honestly can not stand it here. There is ZERO road etiquette. I mean, do people not get taught / tested on the basics?? MOVE OVER to the inside (slow) lane if NOT OVERTAKING! :sneaky:

Re: So when does it "get better"
 

Certainly did.. Have you seen Oakville prices and what you have to be 'content with' nowadays ? Joke