Life in the Lower Mainland (BC, Canada)

Gave this place a go for lunch with a couple of friends. They ordered pad thai, one fried rice. I asked the server for what might be "weird" or "interesting" on the menu and she suggested a not-on-the-menu yellow curry with noodles and chicken. All three items together were just over $60 after tax and BEFORE tip. Presentation is lacklustre. Dishes are plain, as if done with the minimum number of ingredients. Maybe this makes them "authentic", but if you have to spend $20 on a plate, get something more interesting than food court quality food. And in a food court you wouldn't have to pay tip programmed at a minimum of 15%. I would have given them 2/5 for mediocre food but price and tip pushed this experience even lower. Menus are all online and you scan the QR code at the table. If you don't have data on your phone, you can try connecting to the wifi from (no joke) the Sutton Place Hotel across the street. There's conference room wifi with a ...

Due to Covid I hadn't gone out at all, until my friend invited me to try Disco Cheetah -- her treat too since it was for my birthday, which was a lovely surprise! Which also means I didn't pay for the food but then neither did the restaurant so I guess it's all good. We were curious about the various things so ended up getting the "Disco Cheetah Sampler" which sounds like it has a lot of stuff, but really it's two things -- deep fried chicken and falafel. The rest is filler text. I'm really tempted to fail them outright because they tried to advertise "scallion" as a significant component of the sampler plate. And no, it wasn't a significant component of the sampler plate. Disco Cheetah Sampler ($29.99) fried chicken bites x5 pieces, whole chicken wings x3 pieces, falafel bites x5 pieces, fries, dipping sauces Also comes with a selection if dipping sauces and some pickled red radish. I'll allow a mention of the dipping sauces since th...

Casual walk-in to Chancho Tortilleria tonight to catch up with a friend. If it looks like it's got a line-up, don't be daunted -- go in and see if there's actually a wait for seating or if it's just the lineup to place your order at the counter. This is diner-style: Place your order, find a table. There are napkins at the table but if you're sharing with friends you probably want to look for a plate and fork as well. Guacamole ($9) Appys are always more expensive than mains, so you can't expect that much for price for portion. This was okay-tasting. At $9 I'd pass if I went again. Vegetarian Tortillas ($18 for half pound) - Mixed Potatoes and Vegetables. All orders include condiments: Pickled red cabbage, whole pinto beans, salsas, freshly made Chancho tortillas, and limes. The best part here is price for portion, especially if you are in a group of 3-4 people and order one pound. 1/4 pound is recommended as being enough for one person. We go...

I got lucky and scored an invitation to try Blaze Pizza at their downtown Granville street location at a Yelp Elite Event . It was a warm no-pressure invitation to try their pizza and process and have a good look around. Blaze Pizza operates sort of like a Subway sandwich shop: You tell them what you want and you follow them down the counter as they assemble it. They pop it into the open and a few minutes later it's ready for an optional finishing touch (like a drizzle of balsamic glaze) and you pick up your order. In between there's a lot of customization available, like more or less or extra toppings and slight touches like a sprinkle of sea salt before it goes into the oven. They try to make it easy with fixed pricing, and it's all the no-cost little extras like the finishing touches that gives the pizza a touch of class and personalization. Whether that's worth money to you depends on how you see pizza. If you think of it as super-cheap stuff-your-face ...

You may remember I got the opportunity to attend a Yelp Elite garden party at H2 Rotisserie and Bar . They gave attendees an extremely generous $50 voucher to come back, obviously with the intent to be reviewed on Yelp. As it would be gauche to go back solo and eat practically free because of the voucher, I rustled up a few friends to come along. Was also hoping to go undercover, but I was immediately busted. It was probably naive of me to expect otherwise because the voucher could only be redeemed by contacting someone specific and using a code that included the word "YELP". Still, when I arrived early and my server said I looked familiar, I tried to deflect it by saying it was my first time here. When she brought over a complimentary salmon tartare however, we figured I'd been made. This was further reinforced later in the evening when the chef and various higher-ranking staff dropped by to check on us. Oh. My. Gawd. This was basically the first time any restau...

Came to H2 Rotisserie tonight for a Yelp Elite garden party , so obviously the two big things you need to know for this review are: You are in a sit-down restaurant, not a garden party. The preparation is different so likely what you'll get will differ in various ways from this review. Like rotisserie chicken that'd been kept warm for 20 minutes because everyone wanted cuts from the steak instead. Food and three drinks were free. Freebies typically tilt reviews, though I'd like to think I'm gonna give you a straight-up honest opinion and tips that aren't too contaminated. H2 Rotisserie is more than just the food, however. There's really good evening ambiance here. The interior space is beautiful but until fall and winter, the outdoor space has great potential, especially as a romantic venue. In particular: Live music every night and during weekend brunch. Swimming pool nearby. Roasting marshmallows is a possibility at their somewhat secluded away-...