(Aburi Salmon Oshi | Minami Restaurant)
Two words: Feeding. Frenzy. The Dine Out Vancouver food festival kicked off January 15, and between now and February 1, diners will be frantically calling in favours and hassling hostesses in hopes of securing a much-coveted reservation at one or more of the 277 restaurants offering three-course set menus at special rates. And just like the cream of the crop, certain establishments rise to the top. We give you our list of hot spots to bribe your way into during Dine Out.
1. Bambudda:
Past the brat pack of usual Gastown suspects, near the corner of Powell and Columbia, is Bambudda, offering a modern take on Chinese cuisine in a funky urban setting. Many locals come to this spot for the quirky drink specials — a cocktail with two vertical inches of hibiscus bubbles and another that’s poured out of a sunscreen bottle — but these same patrons can’t help but return for the surprisingly stellar food.
(Image: Squid salad at Bambudda)
2. L’Abattoir Restaurant
For a restaurant located in what was once a city jail, L’Abattoir is ironically one of the hardest places to get into. Too substantial to be uppity, this Gastown eatery seduces with masterfully crafted French-inspired West Coast cuisine, and is one of the most coveted reservations during the festival — so much so that at this point diners are more likely to secure a spot through an enterprising Craigslister than through OpenTable. But for those unwilling to be deterred by its full guest list, they do take walk-ins at the bar.
(Image: Bar at L'Abattoir)
3. Minami
The relaxed kid-sister restaurant of Miku, Minami has been drawing patrons to its Yaletown location in droves thanks to its trendy vibe and inventive dishes. Even George Clooney couldn’t resist! Minami’s menu is Japanese like Miku’s, but with a French flair. And it still has that famed (and flame-seared) Aburisushi made popular at Miku. Bottom line: Reserve at 9 p.m. if you have to.
4. Pidgin
Probably the only restaurant whose Google search results yield more photos of protesters than plates, Pidgin has soared past the gentrification controversy and acts of vandalism thanks to its perpetual envelope pushing – culinary and otherwise. For example, during Dine Out Pidgin will be asking guests to turn off the cell during dinner (gasp!) in exchange for a $1 donation per table from Pidgin to a Downtown Eastside organization. Dine Out and donate!
(Image: Pidgin)
5. Exile Bistro
Relatively new to the party is Exile Bistro, which opened its modestly sized haunt in March 2014 just off Davie Street. For anyone with dietary restrictions as detailed as a Starbucks order, Exile Bistro is a dream! The artisan restaurant and cocktail bar offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free — oh, it’s got game (game meat options that is). Strongly advocating “plant forward,” Exile is dedicated to serving cuisine that’s “healthy, plant-based, ethical and wild.” Reserve ASAP as it’s very much bistro-sized.
