The next time I visit I’ll be trying either one of the halibut dishes.  One is marinated in yogurt and the other is a curry based dish.

Vedas is a really nice addition to the accessible area of  Lonsdale in North Vancouver.  It’s very fairly priced and they do it right.  You really can’t go wrong.

Enjoy!

This place is a hidden little gem located at roughly Main & 22nd.  You’ll find nothing but authentic Thai dishes up and down their concise menu.  When the owner and I sat down to eat, we had both the Pad Thai and a nice Basa fish dish (see below).  These are the times when you really get some knowledge about the food and culture if you ask the right questions.

It was very normal for him to have many gatherings based around food and drink with friends and family while growing up, so needless to say, all of his dishes are recipes from home.

When you’re surrounded by wonderful Thai food every day it can turn you into a picky eater. That’s why he opened Bob Likes Thai Food.   He wanted to eat meals from home. All of his  dishes are from his experiences in Thailand.   So much of that starts with being able to buy authentic ingredients, and due to the vast cultural diversity in Vancouver (and many similarities between some dishes from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos etc…) he’s able to easily acquire them and cook you meals from home.   His food is simple and done in an unpretentious space that will remind you of Thailand.

Enjoy!

I was able to try and handful of wonderful items, but I can honestly say that I’ve never had better lamb.  It was the spice combination and tenderness that did me in.  You just know it’s a recipe that’s been passed down from generation to generation within their family.  In fact, Vivek (owner) told me that 2 vital components of his restaurant come right from India – his chefs and his spices.  He passionately explained that both are simply best when they come from India…end of story.

Aloo Gobi, paneer, butter chicken were the next samplings.  You will not be disappointed.  I could go on and on about each dish, but it can all be summed up by saying that it was some of the tastiest Indian food I’ve ever eaten, and the owners don’t get any friendlier or accommodating.  It’s nice to know that when I’m downtown and craving Indian, I won’t have to think twice.  It’s upstairs on Robson between Jervis and Bute.  Enjoy!

Robson All India Restaurant

I visited Cafe Barcelona last week…what a way to eat!  It’s small, different bites all the time, and I love that everything comes in an authentic, Spanish ceramic dish.

Man, did I ever get to sample lots!  I had ‘grilled red bell pepper and eggplant, topped with goat cheese’. Basically, I spooned the works on a little, crispy, toasted crostini.  It was soft, flavourful, creamy, salty, and a really nice start.  This was followed by beef and pork meatballs in a red pepper and tomato sauce.  Yum.  Next, on a toothpick was an anchovie, a gerkin, an olive, and a green bean, all to be eaten in one bite.  I normally would be somewhat hesitant with anchovies, but the previous items went so well that I just had to.  The flavour combo was a perfect match and I would easily recommend it and have it again!  Again, on toothpicks were disc shaped octopuses (new for me…usually deep fried), on softened potatoes of the same shape with the entire one-biter sprinkled with lovely smoked paprika.  The depth of textures and flavours were simple, yet addictive.  Lastly, I had the basque chorizo style sausage and potato cake.  It’s like Spanish style meat and potatoes….mmmm.

There are many good reasons to like tapas and the general idea of smaller plates.  I mean, you get to try a little of everything, which opens up so much more of the menu.  If you went with a group of 6 or 8, you could literally order 90% of the menu while still feeling like you had a satisfying meal.  Cafe Barcelona delivers on all fronts for me – flavour, concept, budget friendly and location.    I’ll be back.  Enjoy your tapas!