Urban Thai Bistro (map, reviews, website, 1119 Hamilton St., Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-408-7788) is a great place to go for delicious and affordable Thai food in the heart of Yaletown (in downtown Vancouver).

At lunch time, there are some great specials which include a salad, spring roll, a main entree and rice for $8.00 before tax and tip. Service is fast and attentive, and the restaurant’s decor is pleasant and inviting. Urban Thai Bistro also serves a good selection of vegetarian and tofu dishes which make it a regular place to visit for some of my vegetarian friends. Dinner time prices are also reasonable, in the $12 to $18 per person range.

Pictured below is Lunch Special 76S ($8.00), which their menu describes as beef with green curry paste, eggplants, bell peppers, peas, basil leaves and coconut milk. It is also served with a spring roll and a green salad (not pictured).

For more photos and info, please view Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1. Their menu is also available on their website.

Beef with green curry paste, eggplants, bell peppers, peas, basil leaves & coconut milk

I’ve taken a bit of a break from posting about restaurants, but never fear, I’m still eating!

Here’s a quick dinner I threw together: made with some Korean Kim-chi dumplings (bought from H-Mart), onion, garlic, zucchini, and a package of udon noodles.

I first heated some vegetable oil in a pan at medium heat, and then added the frozen dumplings. Covered and cooked for a few minutes, and threw in the chopped onion and garlic. Then added the zucchini, with a bit of white wine (it added a nice flavor to the vegetables). After it cooked a bit, I added the package of udon noodles and waited until they softened. I also added the soup flavoring package which came with the noodles. It was pretty tasty!

Udon noodles, dumplings, and zucchini with onions, garlic, and white wine.

I made another visit to the Beatty Street Bar and Grill (map, 765 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-688-3504) and enjoyed their Parisian Panini sandwich ($11.99, pictured below). The sandwich was made with fresh brie cheese, fresh tomatoes, chicken breast, and tasted great! This is currently my favorite item on their menu. Instead of the side salad (pictured) you can also order it with fries.

The Beatty Street Grill is located in the Georgian Court Hotel which is near BC Place Stadium and GM Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver.

For more photos and info about this restaurant / sports bar please visit Part 2 or Part 1.

Chicken and Brie Cheese Panini (The Parisian Panini) from Beatty Street Bar and Grill in Vancouver. ($11.99 before tax and tip.)