Pacific Northwest Thread

[gregor]

Other members could probably chime in, but the drive itself to where Simons is located is less than a 20 min drive from downtown Vancouver, if traffic is light.

it's van, traffic is never light

i still think it's worth it though, honestly, it is quite a good location, definitely better than a lot of the eastern and prairie locations. kokko, as well, is worth the skytrain down there, as they really do have quite a surprising amount of stock, even for more obscure brands like aleksandr manamis (whom i quite like), but the prices are, well, fitting for the clientele (rich asians in richmond have a lot of money).

as for hotels, dji i really do recommend the shangri-la, similar price (i think?) and i'm really quite a sucker for a good view, which most of the rooms have there.

[dji]

thanks gregor, I'll be driving in from Seattle anyway so I'll have a car so should be convenient enough to visit both stores.

I was considering the Shangri-La but felt it might be too stuffy, I generally try to avoid the Hyatt's, etc. that said the buffet at the Shangri-La in Manilla looked amazing so might be worth it just for breakfast.

[dji]

ended up booking the Shangri-La, only 10% difference in price between it and the Opus so was kinda a no-brainer.

any ramen recommendations? I recall someone mentioning that Kintaro was good.

[gregor]

santouka is my personal fave when i'm home, but kintaro is super, super good, as well as a bit of a vancouver staple. you can't really go wrong with most of the ramen in the west end.

good choice on hotels, as well

[Analytic Philosopher]

^ beat me to it.

Most of the major ramen places are within a few blocks of each other, so you'll have a lot of options. Kintaro is good, but not my favorite. I prefer Santouka, especially since they have their toroniku, which is my favorite of the chashu options in town. Marutama (chicken based broth), if you want something a bit different, is also quite good, as is Danbo (Fukuoka style), which has become my go to as of late. I haven't been to Motomachi (next door to Kintaro) in quite a while, so can't really comment, though I remember liking it the last time I was there, for what's that worth. There's also an outpost of Jinya on the eastern end of Robson St., though that's probably not as enticing since you've already been to another outpost of it.

[dji]

thanks for tipping the scales in favour of the Shangri-La.

the Santouka in Bellevue is 5 mins walk from my apartment, they're decent but heavy on the MSG. not sure if the Vancouver location is notably better? sounds like there's plenty of solid options though, thanks guys.

[gregor]

the broths are great at santouka, the chashu can be beaten, but is still great by north american standards. for vancouver eating, the value is also there, which is always nice.

i'd say so, i always feel like asian-american food is a bit more msg-intensive than even asian-canadian.

either way, enjoy yourself in van, presuming you haven't been before, it's a great city, so long as you don't stray into surrey or the dtes.

[dji]

oh yeah, and any good day trips out Vancouver? looks like I'll have a lot of free time while there..

[hausofblaq]

for vancouver eating, the value is also there, which is always nice.

He's coming from the states, our dollar is like the American quarter right now, he'll get value on anything and everything

oh yeah, and any good day trips out Vancouver? looks like I'll have a lot of free time while there..

If you ski/snowboard/snowshoe, definitely go up to Whistler, such a beautiful mountain. I grew up in Vancouver and hadn't gone snowboarding anywhere else until I came over to Ontario for school, and man, the rest of Canada just pales in comparison...

[gregor]

oh yeah, and any good day trips out Vancouver? looks like I'll have a lot of free time while there..

victoria, maybe? really beautiful city in my mind, if you don't mind the ferry.

[absintheparty]

Given your list, I'm assuming you've been to some of the standard places. Is there something specific you're looking for or are you just not a fan of the style here?

Mainly straight espresso drinks for me. I mean don't get me wrong, coffee is always good - i've yet to be taken away

Most places i've been are serving the local stuff that is crazy acidic, not so much my style. maybe something a little more mellow?

victoria, maybe? really beautiful city in my mind, if you don't mind the ferry.

This! Also consider taking the ferry around the gulf islands, very beautiful.

[dji]

cheers guys, a trip up to Victoria is definitely on the cards but might wait till summer and drive straight from Seattle.

went to Pestle Rock in Ballard for lunch today, very solid Isan Thai food which isn't particularly common in this area.

[dji]

any standouts around Richmond BC?

[hausofblaq]

Kokko would probably be the only place worth visiting. Their prices are pretty steep, but since you're visiting from the US, the prices might seem reasonable.

Food-wise, there's not much that's outstanding. There's a Guu location in the same mall that Kokko is in.
G Men, a ramen store is on Alexandra Rd., there's usually a line however.

Richmond is pretty Chinese-dominant, I would recommend some more restaurants but they're like hole-in-the-wall type of places, and honestly I think I like them only because they have an authentic Hong Kong 'feel' to them, where I'm originally from.

[dji]

cheers hausofblaq, was looking for somewhere to eat around Kokko so Guu might do the trick. tried the OG Guu, bit of a mixed bag but a fun vibe.