Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Vancouver is home to an estimated 300 Chinese restaurants, as many as any city across
North America. As well as the sheer number of restaurants, the quality is generally excel-
lent and the cost reasonable, mostly because of the accessibility of fresh produce and sea-
food.Withinthecity,youcan'tgowronginChinatown,afewblockseastofthecitycenter.
Chinatown encompasses six blocks, but restaurants and fresh-produce stalls are concen-
trated within the two blocks bordered by Main, Keefer, Gore, and East Hastings Streets.
Within this area, look for stalls selling fish, fruit, vegetables, and other exotic goodies up
Pender Street and one block on either side of Pender along Gore Street. These markets are
especially busy early in the morning when local restaurateurs are stocking up for the day's
trade.
Chinese
Dining in Chinatown offers two distinct options: traditional eateries, where you'll find
the locals, and the larger, Westernized restaurants that attract non-Chinese and a younger
Chinese crowd. A perfect combination of the two is
Kent's Kitchen
(232 Keefer St., 604/
669-2237, lunch and dinner daily, $5.50-11), a modern café-style restaurant where the ser-
vice is fast and efficient, the food freshly prepared, and the prices incredibly low. Two
specialty dishes, rice, and a can of pop make a meal that costs just $8, with more unusual
dishes such as pig's feet for $6 including rice. The most expensive combination is a large
portion of shrimp and sweet and sour pork, which along with rice and pop is $9.50 (and
could easily feed two people).
NextdoortoKent's,
Hon's on Keefer
(268KeeferSt.,604/688-8303,lunchanddinner
daily, $5.50-11) is a large, bright, and modern restaurant that attracts a younger Chinese
crowd for mostly Westernized Chinese food. The menu lists more than 300 dishes, all pre-
pared within sight of diners. Across the parking garage entrance from the main restaurant
is another Hon's, this one a takeout.
Tiny
Gain Wah Restaurant
(218 Keefer St., 604/684-1740, lunch and dinner daily,
$4.50-11) is typical of the many hundreds of noodle houses found in Hong Kong. In Asia,
noodle houses cater tothe poorerendofthe population, andalthough this isaWesternized
version of those across the Pacific, dining here is still extremely inexpensive. The restaur-
ant is best noted for
congee,
a simple soup of water extracted from boiling rice. A bowl
of congee costs $1.50, with flavorings an additional $0.50-2. On the main menu, no dish
except those containing seafood is over $10. The friendly staff is willing to describe the
more unfamiliar dishes.
