Swagat Tandoori Restaurant (map, 1726 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, phone 604-688-9400) has a very affordable Indian buffet (around $11.95) that includes about 15 different vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. It’s located in Vancouver’s downtown West End neighborhood, near Denman on Davie Street, a short walk away from the English Bay seawall.

Black Tuna Japanese Tapas Bistro (web site, #202 – 1184 Denman Street, downtown Vancouver, phone: 604-408-7557) is quite a find for exceptional food quality, an upscale atmosphere with aesthetically pleasing decor and a great view of the English bay beach from the window. It’s an intimate dining room located on the second floor of the commercial building on Denman Street, very close to the Davie intersection. We tried the Chef’s Special Dinner Box ($29.95) which in my opinion was really worth it (some of the items are pictured below). And to accompany the food I really liked the restaurant’s choice of laid-back jazz background music.

[update Oct 14 2008: Black Tuna has closed and there is another Japanese restaurant there now.]