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Canadian Cuisine?
one thing i have noticed as a vancouverite who travels to long beach/seattle a lot is that canadian restaurants tend not to serve massive portions of food.
Sack Lunch: A Luxurious and Deeply Aromatic Noodle Lunch
you know what you need for soup? well, for smooth soups at least - a vacuum thermos! i work in a library and its an awesome way to work in the stacks and have lunch at the same time
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Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
I'm a student at UBC, so cheap and delicious in vancouver is all that I seek!
I can recommend Burgoo (4434 w. 10th avenue; I haven't been to any other locations but I like this one), and Sophie's Cosmic Cafe for the biggest, most hangover-killing breakfasts, I can't think of much else off the top of my head, but Sushi/Greek food in Vancouver tends to be cheap, and very, very tasty (and there are tons of non-fishy options). I get mad cravings for burgers sometimes, and Vera's Burgers are very satisfying.
If you are planning on a night out, you could hit up Sanafir on Granville street (they do a tapas-type thing, and each option is served three ways for something like $14/option).
Canadian Cuisine?
one thing i have noticed as a vancouverite who travels to long beach/seattle a lot is that canadian restaurants tend not to serve massive portions of food.
Sack Lunch: A Luxurious and Deeply Aromatic Noodle Lunch
you know what you need for soup? well, for smooth soups at least - a vacuum thermos! i work in a library and its an awesome way to work in the stacks and have lunch at the same time
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
I moved away from Seattle 7 years ago, but our family LOVED Shanghai Garden across the street from Uwajimaya...especially the 7 flavor tofu and barleygreen handshaven noodles. I'm going back to Seattle for the first time in a few years next month...anyone been to Shanghai Garden lately?
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
Hey!
You have many restaurants to eat there... check out this site for more information.. www.yummyuck.com.. you can also read reviews, other people's experience and price structure without steppin in to it.
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
There's actually stellar ramen in a hole in the wall of Uwajimaya - you have to go outside the store to get there - called Samurai Ramen. There's also Maneki, not far off, great for traditional Japanese food all around, and there are a few Izakaya bars that have great Japanese style snacks and ramens.
Check out Seattle Yelp - www.yelp.com/seattle - those kids know their stuff. The restaurant lists are very reliable.
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
How 'bout specific recs for Japanese noodle houses? I know the food court at Uwajimaya has options, but I was hoping for some stellar ramen in some little hole-in-the-wall Japanese shop.
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
In downtown Seattle, there is a wonderful and authentic Argentinian restaurant aptly named Buenos Aires. They have a terrific happy hour with $3 matinis and the tastiest camarones(grilled shrimp) you'd ever want to taste. And the waiters are nice on the eyes......
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
Oh, nightmoon reminded me, do definitely go to Pike Street Market. Spend the entire day in the area even. It is worth it to get the perfectly ripe peach, blueberries and cherries (Washington does some wonderful great big ones that should be at their peak then plus you can watch the fish get flung by the Seafood vendor there) and go across the street from the market to get a coffee from the "sort of" original Starbucks location (just cause) then head down just a few doors to Piroshky Piroshky to get a Russian pastry. Those were to die for and you'll probably find the place because of the line starting outside but it's worth it. With a bit of fruit these can make a meal or at least a substantial snack. The potato, onion and cheese and the cheese onion garlic roll are incredible. Then you can get dessert there too (or maybe breakfast for the next day to eat at your leisure before heading out). Apparently it's Zagat rated and won number 8 on the best of for Bakery at Seattle CitySearch (seems to be several others on that list at the Market too). There's also another Russian restaurant in the Market area that's supposed to be very inexpensive (less than $10) called, Cafe Yarmarka which I found looking up the first place. I've never been but it has great reviews on the web and would be a different sort of experience for perogies and stuffed cabbage.
I'd also say if anyone does want some fish then Ivar's Fish Bar which is on the waterfront behind Pike Street Market (next to their "Acres of Clams" location) is the place to go. It's basically a Seattle institution and worth it for the waterfront view and people watching. Those who don't want seafood can eat some good fries and coleslaw (though they have chicken too -- there are other places in the area to catch a different bite though).
Then make sure to hit Granville Island for a day in Vancouver. I love that place and it has a Public Market too for great inexpensive eating with several vendors so everyone can get just what they want whether to eat inside or take out for a picnic. You can take a Foot Ferry (Aquabus) there, say from the Science World (taking the SkyTrain to there) or just take a tour of False Creek (it's fun and worth it). We discovered the joys of eating at the Public Market when our hotel charged us the full price on our hotel (5 days) every single day we were there causing the credit card to go into shock and all we had was about $20 in cash to eat with. It's one of my favorite memories.
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
In Seattle, try Paseo for great cuban meat sandwiches...4225 Fremont
Also in Seattle, Salumi for a porchetta sandwich...309 3rd Ave South
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
go to pikes place market in seattle and everyone go to different stalls and buy small bits of favorite foods then take it all out on the grass and have a picnic. we did this and it was so good. had smoked salmon, perfectly ripe peaches, russian tea cakes and some splits of wine from the liquor store across the street.
Then just north of vancouver there's a small town? called horseshoe bay. there's a large ferry station there where cars can get on. we found the place by mistake and it was awesome. we had to stay in the fleabag hotel there near the ferry stop but oh well.. we did have one of the very best dinners at a restaurant on the pier. it was october and chilly. they lit the heat lamps and sorry you don't like seafood but we had the crab sampler with dungeness crab, king crab and i don't know what other crab but it was the most awesome dinner we ever found by accident. it was a little pricy, but not outrageous by any means.
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
In Vancouver, on Davie Street is Cafe Luxy. Giant plates of fresh pasta for $14.95 for dinner. I had three meals off of one plate.
Wish I would have posted a similar query for my trip in May. The other restaurants I visited in Vancouver weren't quite as memorable!
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
Just north of Seattle (and north Seattle itself) has some restaurants that are cheaper than in the heart of the city. They're more often family-owned and not as flashy, but the food is cozy and the people are fun.
If you feel like swinging up into shoreline: Spiro's pizza/pasta, Kam Rai (Thai, owned by a very sweet man who shares my same birthday!), Chef at Wok (North Seattle, realllly good Chinese), and there are others!
let me know if you're interested in a 15 minute drive up north for good food!
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
There are lots of great places in Seattle. I'm out in Redmond though and there are a couple of places that might be worth the drive.
Tropea Ristorante in Redmond is some of the best italian I've had. $12-$20 range, the pasta dishes tend to be on the lower end.
Pomegranate bistro in Redmond is also a great place to go. They have firebreads, which are basically pizzas really good. Firebreads start at under $10 and most are in the $10-15 range.
If I had to pick just one place though, Tropea, definitely.
Eating in Seattle, Vancouver, and in between
Thai Tom in the University District of Seattle
Txori in Belltown
Canadian Cuisine?
Torontonians are not the most well-liked people in Canada. I grew up in central Ontario and moved to the GTA a few years ago. They are very snobby and rude, I guess they are the American equivalent of New Yorkers. Must be because its city life.
As for cuisine, most people have touched on it. Wild game, seafood, poutine, maple syrup, beavertails (but I grew up with them being called Moosetongues), peameal bacon etc.
The prepared foods in Canada are unique, such as dill pickle chips, coffee crisp, crispy crunch, kraft dinner, and Tim Hortons. Other than that, I think our cuisine is very similar to American.
Canadian Cuisine?
@2muchfood, slightly OT, but I have heard that Torontians (sp?) are so uptight and rude - what gives?
Canadian Cuisine?
Geez, there's a lot of comments here! Okay, my step-mother and step-sister are Canadian, and one of the things I remember most is breakfast, which was a bird-in-a-nest and some real pea meal bacon. Bird in a nest is basically an egg fried into the center (or, in Canada, "the centre") of a piece of toast. That bit you removed is also toasted in the pan, for dipping. This can be done on any side of the border where a slice of bread and an egg can be found, but what about the bacon? Believe it or not, it can be had (for a price!) here in the good ol' U-S-of-A, at a place called ...
You can get it sliced or in roasts. If you're well heeled enough, you can get it by the gross, if you want. I find it's not too far off of the "real" stuff, but with a lot of extra water added that cooks out. What I've not done (and should) is a whole roast, THEN sliced.
Anyway, chips-n-gravy, chips-n-curds, amazing steaks served with butter on top, and great game. That, along with some good produce in the summer puts off the "I can't be bothered with you" attitude you sometimes get in Toronto.
Canadian Cuisine?
@tasteful - thanks so much for breaking it down for me.
Canadian Cuisine?
I live in Nwe York state just 5 minutes from Niagara Falls, when it was easy to cross the bridge into Canada without waiting a hour like it is now I would go there for groceries, my mom grew up in Toronto and we love to cook. There are some things we buy there that I can't get in the US. It was always good to go when the US dollar was worth more. Now all the Canadians are flocking across to the US because most places take the Canadian$ at par. Whenever I go anywhere shopping there are more Canadian cars in the parking lot than New York ones. It has even gotten to where the Canadian shoppers don't want to declare thier purchases at the boarder so they wear old clothing to the US and toss them anywehre they feel like (in our malls & parking lots) and wear the new clothing & shoes home. On a Sunday afternoon when the mall closes we are left with a huge mess! ANd they are SO RUDE!!!!!
Canadian Cuisine?
Canada has a strong culinary identity which is distinguished by local ingredients, and many different cultures. The same as any other country in the world there are several regions.
They love blueberry wine in the east.
Newfoundland is similar to English food. Peas pudding, salt meat, jigs dinner, bubble and squeak. There aren't many fruits and vegetables around, because Newfoundland is a giant rock. So its mostly root veg, preserved meats, and seafood.
Nova Scotia has lots of sea food. They have saltwater Taffy, which is a highly addictive chewy candy.
Quebec is extremely french. You will find tons of local cheese and charcuterie. Cheese curd and great foie. They also have sugar pie, and maple syrup soup (which I've seen with and without rhubarb.) Poutine and Montreal smoked meat are some of the more famous ones.
You can find beaver tails throughout Canada which are actually fried dough, coated in various toppings in the shape of a beaver tail.
In Toronto, it is one of the most multi cultural places in the world. There is good Greek food, Jamaican food, Indian food, Chinese food, Japanese food...you get the picture. If you want it you got it. The cuisine of Toronto sprouts from this inspiration. There are great farms in Ontario with great local products.
In Alberta they have tons of beef. As a result, they eat tons of beef.
Throughout Canada there are many varieties of game animals. Its not unusual to see a bison burger, or have venison on the menu at a nice place.
Fiddle heads are extremely Canadian. We also have wild mushrooms in the West of canada.
On a whole, we have good beer, lots of doughnuts, and some flannel. There are even Native Canadian Chefs that are innovating traditional Native Canadian food.
Canadian Cuisine?
I'm another Canadian Serious Eater, but I don't have much to add in the way of defining Canadian cuisine. We seem to have a hard time defining Canadian culture, so cuisine tends to follow I guess. I know when people have visited us from elsewhere (US, Asia, Europe) they have enjoyed the butter tarts, nanaimo bars, tortiere, and various types of candy that aren't available in the US (i.e., Smarties-kind of like plain M & Ms, but better!)-those seem to be the things they hadn't heard of before coming. My Belgian cousins are also fascinated by Tim Horton's and all things maple. That said, I've eaten many yummy things here, from the traditional British roast beef dinner, to a broad variety of ethnic cuisines. There are many culinary adventures to be had in the various regions as others have pointed out.
Canadian Cuisine?
Bitter and PerkyMac - you should have the Nanaimo Bar recipe now. Anyone else who wants it - ping me!
Canadian Cuisine?
@Maureen........did you get my email? I'd love to see that recipe also. I'm surprised I never heard of it.
Canadian Cuisine?
I agree with littokrazie regarding portions. Canadian restaurants tend to serve more reasonable portions. Also the food in general tends to be less sweet including pop (aka soda in the US), peanut butter, fruit yogourts etc... Most items are also more lightly dressed (salads) and sauced. Overall a healthier, more European approach. It might exlpain why we have lower obesity rates...
I'm French Canadian and enjoy foods from my culture as well as many others from our "cultural mosaic". And always vinegar on fries...
Sack Lunch: A Luxurious and Deeply Aromatic Noodle Lunch
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who brings noodle soup for lunch.
What I do is keep the soup in a vacuum bottle, and the solids (noodles, toppings) in a Tupperware. If I feel up to it, I might separate the toppings from the noodles (to keep them from getting soggy).
When eating, you can always pour the soup in one part at a time. This means you can bring a smaller Tupperware, at the same time, you get hot soup throughout the meal!
Sack Lunch: A Luxurious and Deeply Aromatic Noodle Lunch
I'm glad you posted this. It sounds delicious. Thanks.
I have to agree with the suggestion to use a vacuum bottle. They will keep your soup (or whatever else you put in it) super hot all day and you don't have to be too careful about spilling it on your commute.
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I'm a student at UBC, so cheap and delicious in vancouver is all that I seek!
I can recommend Burgoo (4434 w. 10th avenue; I haven't been to any other locations but I like this one), and Sophie's Cosmic Cafe for the biggest, most hangover-killing breakfasts, I can't think of much else off the top of my head, but Sushi/Greek food in Vancouver tends to be cheap, and very, very tasty (and there are tons of non-fishy options). I get mad cravings for burgers sometimes, and Vera's Burgers are very satisfying.
If you are planning on a night out, you could hit up Sanafir on Granville street (they do a tapas-type thing, and each option is served three ways for something like $14/option).