Mel’s Coffee and Diner, or Melriches (1043 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC, phone (604) 681-2120) is a comfortable, warm, and well-kept place to have a casual lunch downtown. Located in the heart of Vancouver’s upscale Yaletown district, Mel’s is perfect for those times you don’t feel like shelling out the big bucks for a lunch on the town. Order your food from up front, picking from their tempting selection of sandwiches, panini’s, and all day breakfast items. I quite enjoyed the Perogies which were served with a chick pea salad (pictured below, $9.49 including tax).

Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant (web site, 255 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, phone 604-879-8998) has an eclectic set of menus with everything from the familiar sushi rolls, sashimi, and teriyaki, to more exotic rolls with ingredients such as cream cheese, and names like “Appetizer for Sumo Wrestler” and “Happy Unagi Roll”. Don’t miss the house specialty, which is okonomiyaki (pictured below) – also known as Japanese pizza - a crepe-like creation made with seafood or your choice of other tasty ingredients ($7.95). Their drinks are excellent too: on a hot day try one of their daiquiris made with fruit slush and rum ($5.25), or one of their non-alcoholic fruit slushies ($3.65).

Sushi California (501A North Rd, at corner of Austin and North Road, Coquitlam, phone 604-931-8284) is a great place for reasonably priced, tasty sushi combinations. It’s located within walking distance of Lougheed Mall and the Lougheed skytrain station. The spicy tuna combination is my favorite item: it’s priced around $8.00 and includes spicy tuna sashimi, spicy tuna roll, and kappa (cucumber roll) maki. Pictured below is the Alaska roll which is around $3.00 and tasted really fresh.