3980 Fraser Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-569-3317

Web: http://fray.me/our-menu/

Twitter: @Frayonfraser

Advice: Colouring pencils at each table for kids or adults to colour away a great added touch.

This is one of those not so ordinary places that I am happy is just that. Last week my friend and fellow writer Cassandra Anderton joined me for dinner where we were happy to find a creative, passionate chef who supports local farms on the east side. Chef Antonio Martin has created a fresh, flavour focussed menu with dishes chock full of local farm grown veggies and other local fare.

Portobello Fries

F-Bombs

To start we both shared the addicting Portobello Fries ($8.95) A Jenga tower of breaded mushroom fingers, fried and served with truffle aioli; we then shared their F-Bombs ($7.95) a variation on Devils on Horseback, this is a share plate of Fraser Valley bacon-wrapped fresh figs with a balsamic reduction.

Lamb Pasta

Vegetarian’s Delight

For our Mains, we shared both the outstanding Lamb Pasta ($17.95) Braised lamb with vegetables on fresh tagliatelle that was full of flavour, as well as the ever so tasty Vegetarian’s Delight ($10.95) fresh market vegetables roasted and served on a bed of the most delicious cauliflower cous cous with chick peas and a curry vinaigrette. Although they list the Vegetarian’s Delight as one of their mains we both thought it would be better off being a side dish for two to share.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Banana Spring Roll

For dessert, we shared the delicious and simple home-made Vanilla Bean ice cream ($4) with extra virgin olive oil and maldan salt; along with the Banana Spring Roll ($6.95) Served with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and local fireweed honey.

Looking forward to my next visit which will be for Brunch, must try their French Canadian Toast!

Review By: Richard Wolak

1701 Powell Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-568-3877

Web: http://www.eatdrinkperch.com/index.html

Twitter: @eatatperch

Advice: Play Bengo on Thursday nights, it’s like Bingo but named after Ben so it’s Bengo.

Pesto Flatbread

Thin Crust Pizza

I had high hopes for this vegan focussed restaurant when having lunch with friends recently. The room is quite funky on two levels with lots of light escaping from the large windows. My friends and I sat upstairs and ordered the Pesto Flatbread ($5) for us all to share that was too hard to eat. Since pizzas appeared to be quite popular with 2 tables surrounding us having ordered them, I decided to join them and had the Thin Crust Pizza ($11) with vegan cheese, yam, arugula, cashew on a gluten-free crust that looked good was a fairly good size for the price, though was quite bland in taste. Both of my friends had Omelettes ($7) with various fillings that again were of a good size and lacking in flavour. The music was blaring too loud for our liking, this was a restaurant not a nightclub, and it shouldn’t have taken us three requests to have the server turn down the music alas it did.

Review By: Richard Wolak

269 Powell Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-566-9229

Web: www.biglousbutchershop.com

Twitter: @biglousbutcher

Advice: It’s a butcher shop and a sandwich shop in one.

This is an old fashioned butcher shop that is everything but old fashioned, leading the way with noted origins of which farm or producer each meat has been sourced. They are all about the best meats available and making the best sandwiches to eat in or to go.

The Big Lou-ongo

Bulgogi Chicken

I shared a couple of sandwiches eating-in with a friend and absolutely loved the Bulgogi Chicken ($9) Korean firechicken using locally sourced Polderside chicken, green onion, sesame mayo and cucumber the other sandwich was the house special The Big Lou-ongo ($7.50) named after one of the star players on the Vancouver Canucks hockey team, this sandwich is filled with housemade meatballs, marinara sauce and shaved parmesan, all stuffed on to a baguette and served piping hot. The sandwiches are a good size and the bread has a good crunch to it, you will find a whole array of sandwiches as well as some side salads. The staff were fashionably dressed in old-fashioned suspenders and hats, Big Lou’s is a meat loving paradise and this is the place you are going to want to go for your meat!

Review By: Richard Wolak

1489 East Hastings St, Vancouver (located inside the Waldorf Hotel)

Tel: 604-253-7141

Web: www.waldorfhotel.com

Twitter: @waldorfhotel

Advice: open for dinner service Wednesday through  Saturday.

I have always had a fascination with Spanish food and ever since I visited Barcelona and tasting all the delicious food and sweets, I have longed for Spanish cuisine even more. The Waldorf Hotel ‘s Leetag Room specializes in Spanish cuisine and every few months they are featuring a different region from within the country as visiting chefs take up residence here to create a regional menu for all us lucky diners to savour.

Ajo Blanco

Gambas al Ajillo

I dined in a couple of weeks ago and celebrated the NW region of Spain, starting off with a Glass of Burgans Rias Baixas – 2008 Albariano from Pontevedra, Spain ($9) which went well with the smooth Ajo Blanco – ($6) Chilled White Almond Gazpacho with extra virgin olive oil and fresh grapes. The next dish was the tasty Gambas al Ajillo ($12) –sauteed prawns with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, red chilli, brandy and parsley, the sauce was the best part of the dish and I used the bread to soak up the remaining jus.

Red Snapper and Clams

Fabada Asturiana

Chuletillas de Cordero con Pimientos y Papas Confitadas

My first entrée was the Red Snapper and Clams ($20) in Salsa Verde –traditional basque style red snapper served with clams and olive oil, garlic and pasley sauce; followed by the 2^nd entrée ‘Fabada Asturiana’ a white bean stew ($18) with saffron, bacon, shoulder of pork, blood sausage and chorizo. My 3^rd entrée was my absolute favourite dish Chuletillas de Cordero con Pimientos y Papas Confitadas – Basque style grilled lamb chops ($22) with garlic, sherry vinegar, pipuillo peppers and potato confit, this lamb was done to perfection and paired well with the Glass of Las Rocas de San Alejandro -2008 Garnacha (Aragon, Spain) ($8).

Fondante de Txocolate

For dessert I had the outstanding Fondante de Txocolate ($8) Chocolate fondant with Mango ice cream it was the perfect ending to the outstanding meal the chocolate fondant was superb.

They have an impressive well thought out wine list that features a good selection of Spanish wines, you will also find cocktails and beers on offering. This menu was created by Ernesto Gomez (Nuba), Pedro Martin (Jaleo) and Cesar de la Parra (Nuba). All three trained together under the notoriously brutal brigade of three Michelin Star Chef Martin Berasategui in San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain. The room is located inside the Waldorf Hotel and is of a Tiki theme, perhaps not what you would think of when dining in Spain, however it all works here and the service is spot on.

Review by: Richard Wolak

3296 East 1^st Avenue, Vancouver

Tel: 604-251-1122

Web: http://www.pooritalian.com/

Twitter: n/a

Advice: Reservations suggested, free parking.

My friend Ajay joined me for a delightful dinner recently at this Eastside Italian, within minutes I noticed friends Rick and Kathleen being seated at a nearby table. This was a first time visit for all of us as it turned out, and we were fortunate to be able to meet Executive Chef John Costanzi and to talk to him about his classic Italian cooking.

Roasted Beet and Burrata Salad

Linguine Vongole

Grilled Rack of Lamb

The large and colourful room was bustling with dinners on this Monday evening. To begin I had a glass of Di Lenardo Pinot Grigio IGT 2008 (Italy) and Ajay had a glass of the Piccini Chianti DOC 2008 (Italy). We each had the Roasted Beet and Burrata Salad ($12) Crispy pancetta, shallot and pine nut vinaigrette to start, we then shared the Linguine Vongole ($18) White wine, garlic, fresh clams, and for our entrée we each had the delicious Grilled Rack of Lamb ($32) Balsamic glazed cipollini onion and rosemary jus. We both loved the cipollini onion glaze with the lamb which made for an outstanding dish.

Tortino d‘Olio Warm Olive Oil Cake (L) & Dark Chocolate Terrine (R)

We were both quite full, however dessert was in order. We shared two desserts the Dark Chocolate Terrine ($11) with red wine sorbet, cracked sea salt and the outstanding Tortino d‘Olio Warm Olive Oil Cake ($9), with sweet rosemary gelato.

Review by: Richard Wolak

6113 Fraser Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-322-3086

Web: http://www.pinpinrestaurant.com

Twitter: n/a

Advice: No reservations, note that your whole party must be present to be seated.

A group of my friends joined me for dinner where our Filipino friend Jay lead us on a tasting journey. We ordered a selection of dishes for 6 of us to share, at the table was Jay, Minna, Ajay, Jonathan, Emmy and me.

Lumpia Shanghai

Garlic Rice

Steamed Rice

Binaboongan

Inihan Wa Baboy

Chicken Adobo

Sinagong Soup with Milkfish

Bopis

Sitan at Kalabasa Sa Gata

Dish after dish arrived to our table, we started off with the Lumpia Shanghai ($4.95) finger sized spring rolls (Appetizers), then the Binaboongan ($8.50) pork with eggplant simmered in shrimp paste, followed by a couple of rice dishes including a large Garlic Rice ($4.75) and Steamed Rice ($2.50), next was the Inihan Wa Baboy ($8.50) grilled pork, then the Chicken Adobo ($8.95) with rice and soup, next dish was the Sinagong Soup with Milkfish ($11.50) a Tamarind flavoured soup, then the Bopis ($7.95) lungs and heart in brown sauce and the delicious Sitan at Kalabasa Sa Gata ($8.95) squash and string beans in coconut milk. Of all the dishes that we tried my absolute favourite was the Squash and string beans in coconut milk and the Garlic rice.

Leche Flan

Halo-Halo

Sago Gulaman

Dessert was a must to end this tasting meal, I ended up sharing 2 desserts with Ajay and we both loved the Leche Flan ($3.95) caramel custard, the other dessert was the Halo-Halo ($5.95) a somewhat confusing tasty mixture of ice, red beans, purple yam, coconut, ice cream and shaved ice that you had to smoosh to eat. Minna had the Sago Gulaman ($3.25) a dessert drink that was made with tapioca and cassava pearl in sugar syrup which was like a Filipino bubble tea.

Going with a group of friends is a great way to taste a wide variety of dishes!

Review by: Richard Wolak

55 Kingsway, Vancouver

Tel: 604-568-6822

Web: n/a

Advice: free wifi

Large and spacious, café with high ceilings, large windows around the café with lots of wood as part of the décor. From the moment I walked in I was in awe, great to see such a nice café in the area with friendly baristas too! You will find photos for sale that adorn the walls, free wifi, bench seating, pillows, stool seating by the windows.

Espresso Macchiato

Raspberry Cream Cheese Croissant

There are sandwiches, all sorts of baked goods including croissants, muffins and cookies from Calabria bakery. There are smoothies, milkshakes, teas, cold beverages and Lavazza coffees. I had a Raspberry Cream Cheese Croissant ($2.25) and a Espresso Macchiato ($1.85)   Loved the ambience and the great space to work on my laptop writing this review. Coming back soon!

Review by: Richard Wolak

1097 Kingsway, Vancouver

Tel: 604-873-6338

Web: www.kenschineserestaurant.com

Advice: Have a private room that holds 40, good idea to share some of the dishes.

Yin Yang

Lobster Hotpot

Stuffed Pink Scallop

Beef Tenderloin

This award winning restaurant has been on my list to check out for quite sometime, very happy that I finally trecked across town to visit. The server told me that I had to try the Yin Yang ($2.25) which I did, it was a hot beverage made of black tea and coffee and I suspect this popular HK style hot beverage is loaded with caffeine, with a little bit of sugar for sweetening it was a tasty hot drink. My friend and I began our meal here with award winning signature dish, the Lobster Hotpot ($18.80) in a very tasty sauce with ginger and green onion with taro noodles. The next award winning dish was the Stuffed Pink Scallop ($5) served on the half shell in a curry and cheese sauce. Since they serve both Cantonese style food along with Western Style I had to try one of the popular Western dishes and I enjoyed the huge Beef Tenderloin ($16.95) with black peppercorn sauce, broccoli and other vegetables.

Mung Bean & Sago Dessert Soup

They serve complementary dessert with all of their meals, these desserts change often, tonight we had a bowl of the hot Mung Bean & Sago Dessert Soup. The menu selection is vast, with 3 very different menus they offer a lot of different dishes and apparently all are popular with the varied mix of customers from lunch, thru late night. They were awarded Best Casual restaurant in the 2010 Chinese Restaurant Awards and I see why, come as you are and enjoy the homey atmosphere.

Review by: Richard Wolak