Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
chicken, cornmeal-crusted trout and vegetarian étouffée for those who like a taste-trip-
ping dinner. For a hearty lunch, consider one of the New Orleanian sandwiches, while
the weekend brunch offers hot fusion riffs on traditional breakfast dishes.
The large menu of accompanying malts and bourbons plus regular live jazz spices
things up. Drop back on Sunday evening for the $10 burger-and-beer deal.
VIJ'S
INDIAN
$$$
(
www.vijsrestaurant.ca
;
1480 W 11th Ave; mains $24-30; 5:30-10pm; 10)
Just off South
Granville St, this Vancouver favorite is the high-water mark of contemporary East Indi-
an cuisine, fusing regional ingredients, subtle global flourishes and classic ethnic fla-
vors to produce an array of innovative dishes. The unique results range from signature
wine-marinated 'lamb popsicles' to savor-worthy meals like halibut, mussels and crab
in a tomato-ginger curry. Reservations are not accepted, which sometimes means a very
long wait.
You can avoid the queues (or a meal that stretches all night) in a couple of handy
ways: next door's bistro-style Rangoli (
Click here
)
is also part of chef Vikram Vij's loc-
al empire, while his
Railway Express
food truck can often be spotted downtown or at
festivals serving tasty Indian takeout.
WEST
WEST COAST
$$$
( 604-738-8938;
www.westrestaurant.com
; 2881 Granville St; mains $27-49;
11:30am-2:30pm Mon-Fri, 11am-2:30pm Sat & Sun, 5:30-11pm daily; 10)
This sleek but never
snobbish fine-dining favorite is committed to superb West Coast meals with ultra -at-
tentive service and a great wine selection. Ideal for a classy night out, seasonally
changeable menu highlights often include Queen Charlotte halibut and Pemberton Val-
ley striploin, while the pastry chef delivers some of Vancouver's best desserts. Arrive
early for a seat at the bar and sup some excellent cocktails.
Before you leave, ask to try the sliding ladder attached to the wine shelves: they usu-
ally (okay always) say no. And if you're looking for a romantic dinner destination -
and maybe a place to pop the question - West is ideal: you likely won't be the first to
propose here.
