Amarcord Restaurant (visitor reviews, restaurant web site, 104 – 1168 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604.681.6500) is an authentic Italian restaurant located in the upscale Yaletown district of downtown Vancouver. It has excellent service, outstanding traditional Italian dishes, and an unpretentious atmosphere. Mia Stainsby writes in the Vancouver Sun:
“Amarcord -Â a pleasant memory of good food, service and an Italian slice of life… The kitchen does gnocchi like nobody’s business – not too dense, just pillowy right… The tournedos of beef in a red wine sauce revealed its excellent quality when it came under the knife.”
And she wasn’t kidding about the gnocchi. I ordered the Gnocchi alla Reggiana which is soft gnocchi pasta served with Italian sausage, fresh tomato and basil sauce (pictured below, $12.95 at lunch), and this was a real treat – the sauce had just the right amount of garlic and tomato and left me wanting more. I also really enjoyed the Insalata alla Caprese, a salad made with Tomato, Bocconcini, and capers with fresh basil (also pictured below, $8.95 at lunch). Dinner prices are slightly more than lunch, around $16.95 for a pasta.
Gnocchi with Italian sausage served in a sauce made with fresh tomato, basil, and garlic.
Tomato and Bocconcini salad with fresh basil. Delicious and refreshing!
I went back to Book Kyung Ban Jeoun Korean Restaurant (1638 Robson Street, Vancouver, phone 604-689-3898, more info) and enjoyed theBiBim Bop, a traditional Korean dish that is rice in a hot stone bowl with a selection of seasoned roots and vegetables, mushrooms, and beef (pictured below, around $11.00). It was served with a delicious spicy soup broth with onion, and a very hot sauce.
59,429 views - Posted Saturday, November 10th, 2007
White Spot (web site) is a popular Canadian chain of restaurants that serves American style food, such as burgers, chicken, salads, and breakfast, as well as some creative or ethnic dishes on the currently featured menu. One of their downtown Vancouver locations is at 580 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, phone (604)662-3066, which is within walking distance of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, GM Place Stadium, and BC Place Stadium, as well as Pacific Centre Mall and the Four Seasons Hotel. (Click here to view a list of White Spot’s 34 locations in the Lower Mainland area.)
I ordered the Chicken Gai Yang ($14.99, pictured below) which their website describes as, “Fresh pineapple, red pepper, green onions, mushrooms and bean sprouts simmered with coconut milk, lemon grass and lime juice over Jasmine rice. Topped with fresh grilled chicken breast marinated in lemon grass, curry paste, ginger and cilantro and garnished with house-made peanut sauce, a traditional Thai cucumber relish and cilantro.” It was nicely presented, and had some tasty combinations of flavors.
