Honjin Sushi Japanese Restaurant (menu, map, 138 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-688-8808) is an upscale sushi restaurant in the Yaletown neighborhood of downtown Vancouver. It is one of my favorite places to go for lunch with coworkers. I enjoyed a true sushi feast (pictured below) and the total price including tax and tip came to $25 per person (for six people). After your meal, you might want to enjoy a walk along the False Creek waterfront seawall, which is just steps away. The restaurant is also very close to the Yaletown Canada Line Skytrain Station which will be operational in 2009. In the meantime it is a 5 minute taxi ride from most downtown hotels. For the printable menu, please click here, and for more photos please view Part 2.

Ebi Sunomono Salad – with shrimp, $3.50

Sunshine roll with mango (other pieces not pictured, $11.95)

Dynamite Roll (shrimp tempura) – $4.25

Tuna and salmon sashimi (9 pieces, $11.50)

Tuna and Salmon Nigiri Sushi (Tuna: $1.50 per piece, Sockeye Salmon: $2.00 per piece)

Click here for the printable menu.

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen (web site, 1118 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604 689-8318) offers West Coast and Pacific Rim cuisine in a trendy, upscale, and lively atmosphere.

This downtown Vancouver restaurant focuses on seafood, with selections such as the ling cod (served with ginger, baby bok-choy vegetable, and a black bean reduction, $22, pictured below), and the wild BC salmon (with Asian BBQ sauce and a snow pea salad, $22, also pictured below). We also tried and enjoyed the miso sake asparagus roll ($8, with mushrooms, marinated tofu, spicy hoisin glaze, pictured below), the wok tossed squid (not pictured, $8), and the creme brulee for dessert (pictured below, $8, served with yummy shortbread cookies).

The restaurant has hip, tasteful decor that is reminiscent of the modern restaurants in recent James Bond movies, and can easily accommodate large groups or provide a more intimate atmosphere for a romantic dinner. Goldfish Pacific Kitchen also has an extensive wine list and a lively bar area that is popular with the upwardly mobile urban socialites of Vancouver’s “yuppie” Yaletown neighborhood.

Unfortunately the restaurant does not cater very well to vegetarians, with only two vegetarian main courses (although the kitchen would most likely accommodate special dietary needs if required). Valet parking is available, and the restaurant is quite near to the Canada Line train station which will be operational in 2009. Visit their web site for the Goldfish menu and more info.

Ling Cod seafood at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen ($22)

Wild BC Salmon at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen ($22)

Miso sake asparagus roll at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen ($8) – the sake is quite strong in this dish!!

Creme Brulee for dessert ($8). The shortbread cookies were so tasty!

Ridge Gardens Chinese Restaurant (map, visitor reviews, 3113 Arbutus Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-736-7006, fax: 604-736-5231) offers above-par Chinese food in the affluent Arbutus Ridge neighborhood of Vancouver, which is close to Kitsilano to the north and Kerrisdale to the south. It’s in the same strip mall as the Ridge Theatre.

My family always chooses to dine at Ridge Garden for big get-togethers, where we order off the banquet menu and share many dishes.

Prices are reasonable: for a huge meal including soup, crab, and at least one dish per person, the total cost came out to around $20 each including tax. There were enough leftovers for a couple more meals at home too! The Ridge Garden restaurant also offers Chinese food delivery to the nearby Vancouver vicinity, as well as take-out.

Pictured below are the Hot and Spicy Crab (market price), the hot pot with chicken and black fungus (very tasty, believe me!), and the house soup (flavorful and savory). Ample free parking is available in the lot just north of the restaurant on Arbutus street, and the restaurant is also accessible by bus (view easy transit directions to the restaurant).

Hot and spicy crab, prepared Chinese style

Chicken and black fungus Chinese hot pot

Chinese soup (very flavorful)