Seeking help narrowing down choices for Vancouver (BC).

[L.Nightshade]

Anyone here from Vancouver, or familiar with Vancouver dining?

We spent our anniversary in Van last year, and plan to do it again this year. We’re only going for two nights this time, so we really have to narrow down our choices. We’ve always stayed downtown, but this time we want to get to know the area south and west of the bridges. We’ll be staying at the Granville Island Hotel, and looking for places around there, around Kits, or wherever we can walk, so within a couple miles. Actually, we can drive some too, if parking is not a nightmare.

On our first night will be a Monday. We are thinking something casual and different. Perhaps a foreign dinner that we don’t have in Bellingham, which means pretty much everything. Beer and spirits service would be a plus, or at least beer and wine. Under consideration:
Afghan Horseman
Mr Red Cafe
Yagoto Sushi
Temaki Sushi

We want our anniversary dinner to be a bit special. Nothing hearts and flowers romantic, but an intimate feeling would be nice. (Last year we went to L’Abattoir. We were absolutely delighted, but we’re not crossing the bridge this time.) On my radar are:
Mission Kits
La Buca
AnnaLena
Farmers Apprentice
Maybe Octopus Garden, but not sure whether that fits for our anniversary dinner, or our casual, foreign dinner.

Since we’ll only have one full day this time, I’m hoping to spend a good chunk of it wandering through the Granville Market; we haven’t been in ages. Any places you’d recommend for daytime nibbles, and for goodies to bring back home?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share opinions! I will report back after we’ve dined.

[Sasha]

Regarding the market, we have had nothing bad at Terra breads. We tend to get the pastry more than the bread itself, but it’s all good. I also really enjoy bringing back meat, sausage, and pate goodies from Oyama Sausage Co.

Happy anniversary.

[kaleokahu (Kaleo)]

This won’t help narrow your dinner choices, but if you like oysters I like Chewies in Klitsilano for Cajun-style seafood and po’boys. Wicked weekend brunch there, too.

[L.Nightshade]

Thank you Sasha! I’ve heard good things about Oyama, will check them out, along with Terra. I have to check into what is OK to bring back across the border, I know regulations about meat, and especially pork these days, change regularly.

[L.Nightshade]

Thanks Kaleo. We do love oysters, I’ll put Chewies on my list. Even if we don’t make it this time, we’ll be back again.

[L.Nightshade]

OK, so here is our plan: Anniversary dinner at La Buca and other dinner at Mission Kits. I hit a lot of dead ends trying to find a second dinner. Lots of little places were closed on Monday, I got a thumbs down from some friends on the sushi places and Afghan Horseman, Octopus Garden is closed for renovation. Mr Red still sounds OK, but they don’t serve any alcohol, and I figured we’d want a sip of something with dinner, after the drive and walking around. So I took two places from list two and made reservations for both nights.
Still happy to hear any ideas on the market, especially good cheese vendors.

[Lex_Li]

I hope you have had a fun trip when you were in Vancouver last time. I am actually very curious how did you come up with your the list of choices in the beginning? It sounds like the location and the occasion was the two key factors that drove your decisions. Look forward to hearing back from you!

[L.Nightshade]

We had a lovely time, and we may be going for our anniversary again this year.
I narrowed a big list (largely started by reading Eater Vancouver) by consulting with folks here and on Chowhound who either live there or visit frequently.
Our choices were limited by trying to stay out of downtown on that trip; we usually stay downtown. But that geographical restraint resulted in us finding Mission Kits, which was amazing. We hope to return this year.

[Lex_Li]

sounds like you are going to have another great time in Vancouver. I would love to see your list of places to try in vancouver to get inspirations on my own dine out ideas too

[Lex_Li]

How do people like seeing all the restaurants recommended on the map? A few friends and I are working on a foodie app and we are evaluating the factors that makes food search easy and fun.
If all you foodies want to check it out and give us some feedbacks, we would love to hear what you guys think of it. https://tastory.co/

[marblebag (Paul Dough)]

The app should le me use filters, a lot of filters. You can also think of it as tagging.
If I’m looking for Japanese restaurant without being sushi joints there should be an easy way to filter for those.

Selecting a restaurant should have the basic informationL address, cross street, phone number, opening hours. Provide links to more information like Google/yelp/whatever reviews, pictures, and similar choices nearby.