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!

Hon’s Wun-Tun House (1339 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-685-0871) is a large cafeteria-style Chinese restaurant downtown that is very popular with families and casual diners because of the low prices and generous portions.

Hon’s has other locations in Chinatown (288 East Pender Street, Vancouver, 604-681-8842), New Westminister (408 6th St, New Westminster, 604-520-6661), Coquitlam (310 – 3025 Lougheed Hwy, Coquitlam, 604-468-0871), and Richmond (101 – 4600 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-273-0871).

Hon’s on Robson has an open kitchen concept, with a totally separate kitchen for Vegetarian dishes as well as a special area where they prepare the potstickers. On Saturday during the day Hon’s serves Chinese Dim Sum, which is always a special treat. We ordered the many Vegetarian Dim Sum items pictured below, and our total bill for two people came to just under $20.

Vegetarian Potstickers ($3.25)

Chinese Vegetarian Siu Mai dim sum ($3.00)

Chinese Vegetarian Sticky Rice ($3.00)

Chinese Vegetarian Bean Curd Roll ($2.75)

Steamed Vegetarian Pork Dumpling ($3.00)

Mango Pudding Cake ($2.50)

Be sure to get your leftovers to go! Hons Chinese food is good for take-out too.

Urban Thai Bistro (1119 Hamilton St., Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-408-7788) is a very popular Thai restaurant in Vancouver’s downtown Yaletown district, that serves delicious and authentic Thai dishes at affordable prices. At lunch, enjoy a meal such as the Pad Thai (around $7.50, pictured below), which also includes a green salad and spring roll. Vegetarian options are available. For more photos and info about Urban Thai Bistro please visit: Part 2, Part 1.

Pad Thai at Urban Thai Bistro