So, two dear friends are joining us in Van for a long weekend next month. This is a return trip after Wahine and I stood up for them there at their nuptials many years ago.
Ideas are most welcome for personal recommendations to narrow us tor 2-3 exemplary dinners. No cuisine turned aside, and not necessarily Haute. As usual with my requests, we all are seldom wowed by things outside food excellence. We just want to enjoy ourselves in hospitality and grace.
We had wonderful halibut fish and chips from Go Fish in False Creek. This is a walk-up stand. Very long line. And it’s pricey, even with a favorable exchange rate. A 2-piece order with fries and coleslaw will set you back $31! On the plus side, the fish pieces and chips portion are huge–one order is more than ample for two people. The slaw, not so ample, but it was good.
We also had Israeli food at a place on Denman called Ofra’s Kitchen. Unfriendly, unmotivated owner (We waited 45 minutes to be seated because she wouldn’t push 2 vacant 2-tops together for 4 customers). Less than mediocre food. The shakshuka lacked flavor, was watery, and the pita was more like an unfilled humbao. As I was standing in the doorway ready to leave, a passerby on Denman said, unprompted: “Don’t eat here. The food’s terrible and the owner’s a [C-word]”
Then there was the dim sum. We’d always heard that Chinese restaurants in Van were at a very high level, but this lunchtime meal was so disappointing–yet expensive–my brain refuses to even lodge the place’s name. If anyone’s interested, there was one entire wall that was a Jumbotron streaming pro golf.
The saving culinary grace of our trip was the Red Umbrella on Davie. Dependably outstanding breakfast food. The Breakfast Salad there is a classic.
Sounds like you went to Sun Sui Wah. I’ve not been there.
Dim sum quality varies from year to year in every city it seems. The very best place one year goes downhill and is overtaken by another competitor, and the cycle seems to be every ~3 years.
In Seattle we loved going to harbor city, but they’ve definitely fallen off. I haven’t figured out the best spot there these days. Same thing happens in my neck of the woods, though it’s easier to ask around at home and follow the crowd as tides change. Less easy to get the scoop when visiting.
I think you sleuthed this out. I searched images, and it matches.
I let someone else choose this place. Not that I’dve chosen differently, but the whole experience was unlike past dim sum meals I’ve enjoyed. This place had–I know it sounds strange–a country club atmosphere. There were no circulating carts with their pushers busking delectables. But there were posters proclaiming that abalone, usually $49.95 CDN, could be had for $19.95. And laminated menus that really didn’t cover much in the way of classics.
Adding to my disappointment, one of our party won’t eat pork, so we ordered none.
Oh well, we’ll try again. I wish someone had responded who could have recommended a place with the gestalt of House of Hong.
