Centro Mediterranean Grill (web site, phone 604-694-0202, address: 901 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada) is located on the corner of Smithe and Granville in downtown Vancouver (pictured below). Their website describes that Centro is a popular lunch spot for lawyers and judges from the nearby courthouse, and it’s also a popular place for night-time concert-goers being really close to the Orpheum Theatre and Granville Street night clubs. From their web site:

Concert and nightclub-goers are turning on to Centro’s convenient proximity to most of Vancouver’s late night venues. Whether you are attending a Diana Krall concert at The Orpheum or going to shake your bon bon at The Caprice or The Commodore Ballroom, Centro will get you there in style and with time to spare. We’re located within easy walking distance of movie theatres, dance floors and the entire Entertainment District. Centro specializes in late night, Mediterranean style dining. On weekends, you can even stop in for a bite after the show since our kitchen stays open until 1 a.m.

Photo by Geoff Peters

Cactus Club (web site) is a chain of trendy, popular restaurants with great food, fun atmosphere, and awesome service.

Their downtown Yaletown location (357 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-685-8070) is conveniently located in one of Vancouver’s most upscale and chic neighborhoods, a short taxi ride from any hotel in the downtown core. They also provide valet parking.

As an appetizer I enjoyed the Westcoast Pocket ($4.00, pictured below), which is an inventive creation that is made from sushi rice, salmon, Japanese Inari (bean curd wrapper), and is garnished with pickled ginger and Japanese masago. The Westcoast Pocket is one of my favorite menu items at Cactus Club and I seem to order one every time I’m there.

As a main course, I selected the 9oz Sirloin Steak (with four mushroom demi-glace: shitake, portabello, button, and crimini mushrooms, $27, also pictured below). The steak was juicy and tender – truly satisfying!

To finish this fabulous meal I enjoyed the fresh baked apple pie ($7.50, also pictured below). If by any chance you have some room left over for dessert, I highly recommend the apple pie! It was made with sweet and slightly tart ripe apples, and the flaky crust was heavenly.

If you’re interested in Live Jazz, be sure to check out their West Vancouver location (855 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC, phone, 604-922-1707) which features the Geoff Peters Trio on select Tuesday nights.

Westcoast pocket at Cactus club- like sushi but better! ($4.00)

Sirloin steak at Cactus Club (with four- mushroom demi glace) – $27

Fresh baked apple pie at Cactus Club ($7.50)

Tokyo Miyako Sushi Restaurant (630 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-488-0399) is a Japanese sushi restaurant located in downtown Vancouver on the edge of Yaletown.

A reviewer on DineHere.ca writes (click here for review link):

Nice to see a new restaurant with what looked like a following already. The food was Great. The Kerrisdale Roll was fantastic! We were stuffed, had a couple of beers each and the bill including tax and tip was under $50.

Pictured below is the Ebi Sunomono Salad (around $3), the fancy Tokyo Miyako Roll  (around $8), and the BBQ mackerel fish (saba). I really enjoyed the food!

Ebi Sunomono Salad (Japanese food) – $3.00

Tokyo Miyako Roll (around $8)

Japanese BBQ Saba (Mackerel) – around $3.25