Once again, Vancouverites have weighed in with their choices for which restaurants, bars, pubs, and cafés make this city one of the tastiest places on Earth. And you’ve done an amazing job, so thank you for that.
But what about the so-called experts? Who did they vote for?
Since the public has had their say, we thought we’d pick the brains of Westender’s resident gastronomic authorities, and ask them who they picked with their votes.
We gathered wine expert and consultant Michaela Morris, veteran food and drink writer Michael White, restaurant reviewer and columnist Anya Levykh and myself, Robert Mangelsdorf, certified Level 1 Cicerone and BJCP Apprentice (and editor of The Growler, the best craft beer magazine anywhere).
So here’s our take on who we think should have won. Bear in mind, these are our own personal opinions, based on no specific criteria whatsoever. Take with a very large grain of salt.
–Robert Mangelsdorf, editor
Most Romantic: Cinara
350 West Pender
Cinara.ca
This year’s winners for most romantic dining spot have a lot going for them, but, for me, romance has always been synonymous with intimacy, whether at a casual or more high-end scale. Owner/chef Lucais Syme has styled Cinara a “modern European” restaurant, but this small corner room in the financial district is really home to some of the best Italian fare (with some pan-European influences) in the city. Dishes like the rabbit and foie gras terrine with almonds and celeriac remoulade are made for sharing, as are most of the plates on the daily rotating menu. If budget allows, go for the $85 tasting menu, and be treated like a very royal – and famished – guest. A handful of cockails are available, but the small and well-selected and mainly Italian wine list is always full of excellent choices, whether you want to stick to a glass or two, or splurge on a bottle.
Cheap Eats: Bestie
105 East Pender
Bestie.ca
The only place in town to get fantastic currywurst, that Berlin street food staple, Bestie uses locally-made and all-natural sausages as the base for their simple and stunning dishes. The basic currywurst ($9) sees your choice of sausage (go for the classic pork bratwurst) sliced over fries and drizzled with a smoky curried ketchup that gives the buds a little zing with each bite. Alternatively, go for the sauerkraut combo, with the house mustard and German-style potato salad. Did I mention they now have a sausage brunch every weekend?
Best Place to Take Visitors: Masayoshi
4376 Fraser
Masayoshi.ca
Not going to a Japanese restaurant while in the city is tantamount to sedition. But, forget your casual sushi joints and go to this tiny space on Fraser where each dish explodes with flavour. From the delicate and well-studded chawanmushi to the best dashi I’ve had in years, sitting at the bar and letting chef/owner Masayoshi Baba feed you for a few hours is an experience not to be missed.
