Next to campus

 

Vancouver is a land of many restaurants, but few of them close to UBC. Beyond the simple eateries on campus (listed at http:// www.attractions.ubc.ca/food_shopping/food.php#) , many of which should be avoided, there is a small stretch of businesses on the street level of the David Strangway Building, on University Boulevard just west of Wesbrook Mall (listed below).

 

Mahony & Sons, 5990 University Blvd., offers tasty, albeit somewhat yuppified, pub fare (bangers and mash, lamb stew, and the like), plus North American standards (burgers, pizza, etc.) at a moderate price.

 

Boulevard Coffee Roasting Co., 5970 University Blvd. Student-owned and operated café with decent coffee and sweets.

 

Café Crepe, 5960 University Blvd. Crepes, French sandwiches, salads. Simple, inexpensive, and good.

 

Also, if you forgot anything from your travel kit, the Shoppers on Campus (the local incarnation of Shoppers Drug Mart) at 5950 University Blvd. carries plenty of toiletries and other goods.

On the other side of Wesbrook Mall, on University about a block or so beyond the Strangeway Building, is a development called University Village. Here you will find a Blenz Coffee, as well as a number of inexpensive eateries, including Suga Sushi (reasonably good, but the management has changed since I ate there), as well as Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese fare, the inevitable student pizza joint, and in the newer part of the complex (called University Marketplace), the Pearl Fever Tea House. There is also a Staples office supply shop in University Marketplace (back away from the street—turn right onto Allison Rd. to find it).  

 

Close to campus: Point Grey via foot or the 99 B-Line

 

If you walk east on University Blvd for about 3 km., you will find two or three blocks of shops and restaurants on 10th Avenue in Point Grey, starting around 10 th and Sasamat (University becomes 10th at some point, so it's a straight shot). If you don't feel like walking, Point Grey can also be reached easily by bus. The 99 B-Line Express Bus runs frequently from the North Bus Loop (on Wesbrook Mall, north of University Blvd.) and costs $2.25. Tell the driver that you need a transfer, and he will give you a ticket that allows you to ride anywhere on the system and reboard an unlimited number of times for the next 90 minutes.

 

The 99B makes limited stops between UBC and East Vancouver. From UBC, the 99B heads east on University Ave., which becomes 10th Avenue. The first stop is close to campus; then, after the bus passes the university golf course, the second stop on the route will be at 10th and Sasamat. Be on the lookout for a Safeway Supermarket on the left—your stop will be coming up in about half a block, so pull the signal cord at this point. At 10th and Sasamat you will find a wide array of eateries, including the following:

 

Sushi Wonderland, 4572 W. 10th Ave. Even the most basic sushi places in Vancouver tend to be decent, thanks to the availability of fresh seafood. Sushi Wonderland offers good, basic, inexpensive Japanese food and a wide selection. Hime Sushi , at 4480 W. 10th , is also good and cheap, but with a more limited menu. For inexpensive sushi, there's also Tokyo One Sushi , 4443 W. 10th Ave.

 

Think! Coffee Lounge and Bistro, 4512 W. 10th Avenue. Coffee, sandwiches, and pastries, plus plenty of reading material—anything from the history of Canada pre-Confederation to Darwin on emotions in humans and animals to a pretty dense-looking treatise on “epistemic states.”

 

Provence Mediterranean Grill, 4473 W. 10th Ave. Expensive, but delicious fare inspired by French Mediterranean cuisine. On the dessert menu, the berry clafoutis is hard to beat.

 

Burgoo, 4434 W. 10th Ave., provides savoury fare from a variety of culinary traditions—e.g., Irish stew, coq au vin, and butter chicken (Indian) all appear on the menu. I enjoyed the lamb Dijon sandwich the one time I had lunch here; on the dessert menu, chocolate banana bread pudding and cherry clafoutis both sound promising.

 

Mix Bakery, 4430 W. 10th Ave. Soups, sandwiches, and baked goods.

 

En Cuisine, 4422 W. 10th Ave. Anyone looking for a fancy Japanese meal close to campus might give this one a try. The restaurant has changed names (and possibly chefs as well), but back when it was Wabi Sabi, the food was excellent.

 

Other places in this area include: G-T Express II, 4530 W. 10th (cheap Thai and Vietnamese fare); Candia Taverna, 4510 W. 10th (Greek cuisine); Perfetto, 4460 W. 10th (pizza, pasta, souvlaki); Bean Around the World Coffee House, 4456 W. 10th; Dentry's Irish Grill, 4450 W. 10th; Chin Ho, 4448 W. 10th (“Canadian and Chinese Food” – a rather suspicious combination); Ginger and Chili Szechuan Cuisine, 4423 W. 10th); Café Katzenjammer, 4441 W. 10th (German and Austrian fare); and Engima, 4397 W. 10th (soups, panini, burgers, curries, pasta).

 

Also, if you're looking for a newspaper, International News and Video at 4453 W. 10th Ave. carries a reasonable selection.

 

 

Further afield on the 99B:

 

10th and Alma:

 

If you continue going east on the 99B bus, the next stop is on Broadway, just after the bus turns left from 10th Ave. onto Alma, and then right onto Broadway (for the return trip, the bus stop is on Alma). There's a wonderful French bakery on the corner of 10th and Alma called the Patisserie Bordeaux, at 3675 W. 10th Ave. It's probably not open very late, but if you have a sweet tooth and arrive in time, it's worth a look. To the left of the Patisserie Bordeaux is MacFalafel, where the surly proprietor makes good doner kebab and excellent tabouli for a low price.

 

My real recommendation here, however, is Montri's Thai Restaurant, at 3629 W. Broadway. Thai spices with extremely fresh, high quality seafood make for the best Thai food I've ever had. Call 604-738-9888 for reservations, since the restaurant fills up fast in the evenings.

 

Broadway and MacDonald:

 

If you continue on the 99B, the bus will turn right, and the next stop will be at Broadway and MacDonald. There are plenty of other restaurants and shops along Broadway, as well as on 4th Avenue, four blocks to the north. If you walk north from Broadway for about eight blocks, you can also walk along English Bay. Dining recommendations include:

 

Banana Leaf, 3005 W. Broadway, a few blocks west of MacDonald. Delicious Malaysian cuisine at a moderate price. It's hard to go wrong here with seafood, and on the appetizer list, roti is a must. For reservations, call 604-734-3005.

 

Lumiere, 2551 W. Broadway, a couple blocks east of MacDonald. Fine, upscale, French cuisine, with other European and North American influences. I've never eaten here, but Lumiere has the general reputation of being one of the best restaurants in Vancouver, if not all of Canada. Call 604-739-8185 for reservations.

 

Feenie's, 2563 W. Broadway. Chef Robert Feenie's more casual counterpart to Lumiere. Still relatively pricey, but apparently with a more relaxed style of cuisine (emphasizing upscale versions of North American comfort food) and an easygoing atmosphere. 604-739-7115.

 

Broadway and Granville:

 

If you take the bus one more stop east, you will reach the busy area at Broadway and Granville. The total travel time from UBC to this point is about 25-30 minutes. Nearby restaurants include the following:

 

Tojo's, located a few blocks further east at 1133 W. Broadway, is widely considered the best Japanese restaurant, and one of the best restaurants in general, in all of Canada. I think Alexei and I ate there during HSS 2000 and thought it was perfectly good, but not so much better than our favorite Japanese restaurants in Los Angeles, but Ted Porter (who happened to be dining with Dorothy Ross at the next table over) still raves about the place. Call 604-872-8050 for reservations.

 

Vij's, 1480 W. 11 th Ave. (with a more casual bistro at 1488 W. 11th Ave.). Walk south on Granville from Granville and Broadway, and turn left onto 11th. Vij's offers what one could call nouveau Indian cuisine. I found the food under-spiced and overrated, but Vij's is a favorite among locals and always very crowded. Call 604-736-6664 to see if they take reservations.

 

Portobello Ristorante, 1429 W. Broadway (just east of Granville). Excellent Italian cuisine; moderately expensive. 604-734-0697.