La Terraza (Happy Hour)

As mentioned in my previous post, many people are looking for value these days when it comes to dining out.  Hence we see the increasing popularity of all-you-can-eat (AYCE) as well as the veritable Happy Hour.  There are quite a few options in the GVRD with many being at chain restaurants.  However, did you know that a fine dining spot has a rather affordable Happy Hour that features some appealing items?  La Terrazza has been a Yaletown staple since it opened in 1998 and yes, they have a Happy Hour menu from 5:00pm - 7:00pm.  Only 19+ as it is only served in the bar area.

Jackie and I dropped by prior to a concert at Rogers Arena.  We began with the 1/2 Dozen Oysters.  Totally wasn't paying attention to what was the type, but they were definitely Westcoast.  Small like kusshis, these were clean-tasting, a bit briny and pretty sweet.  They were shucked properly with no shell fragments.  Condiments included yuzu pink peppercorn vinaigrette, horseradish, hot sauce and lemon.

Staying with cold, we also had the Chilled Tiger Prawn Cocktail.  These were prepared well being cooked just enough where the bounciness of the prawns were cold-water crunchy.  This was served with a horseradish rose sauce that was tangy and slightly sweet with a bite at the end.  Now if that wasn't your fancy, there was also a seared half-lemon too.

Still with the cold appies, we had the Beef Carpaccio served with a side of freshly-baked fontina flatbread.  This was a competent version where the Angus Reserved beef tenderloin was tender and moist.  Possibly, there could've been a bit more condiments to this, but the black truffle vinaigrette did have impact with its tangy woodsiness.  Loved the flatbread as it was warm and slightly crispy.  Plenty of nuttiness as well.

We moved onto some pastas including the Gnocchi al Forno.  Baked with plenty of mozzarella on top, this was plenty cheesy and robust.  We found the gnocchi to be good where they were soft, but not too much so that there wasn't any texture.  As for the San Marzano tomato sauce, it was nicely balanced where it was naturally sweet with only a bit of tanginess.  Lots of depth and it was bright.

Our favourite dish of this Happy Hour menu was the Strozzapretti Bolognese.  Starting with the pasta, the shaped held onto the sauce effectively.  On top of that, the texture was spot on where it was tender, but had a firm bite as well.  Oh and the bolognese, it was so delicious.  Just slightly creamy, but plenty tomatoey, the cooked down meat was tender and full of umami.  I could eat a few of these myself!

Just to round out our meal, I just had to get the Truffle Parmesan Fries.  Yah, probably other things to order off the menu, but I just love fries!  These were serviceable being crispy and well-salted.  The star of the dish was indeed the truffle aioli.  super creamy and nutty.  Overall, the Happy Hour menu at La Terrazza is a steal in my opinion.  In this economy, it is nice to see we can still have a meal with quality ingredients for an affordable price.  Located in Yaletown too!

The Good:

- Affordable, especially for Downtown

- Lovely setting and service

- High-quality food

The Bad:

- Only in the bar area, so pretty dark and limited in space

Alchemy (Happy Hour)

Considering the state of the economy, dining out is now considered a real luxury (if it wasn't before).  Hence, that is one of the first things that is cut out of people's budgets.  Yet, there are ways to save some money and still dine out - taking advantage of Happy Hour menus.  We've seen many of them including those at chain restaurants such as Cactus Club, Earls and Tap & Barrel.  We also find them at many independent restaurants too and that brought us to Alchemy in Yaletown.  Located at the end of Mainland, it is a bit hidden as compared to the rest of the businesses.

What drew me to their happy hour menu was the fair pricing especially for Yaletown.  We started off with the Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip served in a beautiful tree trunk platter.  Surrounded by multi-coloured tortilla chips, we found a ramekin filled with dip.  They delivered on the promise of cheesy where it was stringy and fairly thick.  Really solid cheese dip and we actually needed more chips to dust it off.

For $15.95, we felt the Beef Carpaccio was a good value.  It came with a large piece of pizza bread that was soft with an appealing chew.  The thinly-sliced beef tenderloin was tender and dressed with arugula, shaved Grana Padano, capers, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.  Nice balance of acidity, tang, saltiness and nuttiness.  Solid dish.

One dish that was just okay was the Smoked Salmon Bruschetta.  I'm not even sure if this is on the menu anymore either.  In actuality, there was nothing wrong with the individual components as the crostinis were crunchy, yet not too hard while the tomato and basil mix was tangy, sweet and bright.  I just didn't think it went particularly well with the salmon.

The best deal and also the best thing on the Happy Hour menu in my opinion is the Classic Cheeseburger for $15.95.  Even though it was on special, the burger was still a good size and it included crispy fries.  We found the beef patty to be juicy and tender with a nice sear on the surface.  The tomato and lettuce was fresh and the brioche bun was soft.  Solid burger.

We had one of their pizzas in the form of the Capricciosa with Tomato sauce, mushroom, mozzarella, smoked ham, artichoke, sliced black olives, bocconcini, oregano and grana padano.  This was fully loaded with not only all of the above ingredients, but the amount of cheese was generous.  That meant each slice was meaty, saucy, cheesy and flavourful.  The pizza crust was fairly crispy with a chewy interior.

Another item off the regular menu, we had the Spaghetti Carbonara.  This was also quite good with lots of rendered bacon and nutty parm.  Hence, this was bordering on salty, but didn't go over that line.  Pasta was al dente and was fully coated.  Overall, the food at Alchemy was pretty solid, especially for the price.  Given its Downtown location, the Happy Hour menu is a good value and features some appealing items such as the burger and artichoke dip.  Would come here again.

The Good:

- Well-priced

- Solid eats

- Decent portion sizes

The Bad:

- Location is at the far West end of Yaletown, so far from the action (could be good for some people though)

The Library Square Pub

The Library Square Pub has been around since 1995 and at one point, was part of the Donnelly Group and subsequent Freehouse Collective.  They are now an independent outfit and still offer up a killer location for those wanting to grab a bite before or after events at the nearby stadiums and theatres.  We were there recently for the Superbowl party and watched the Seahawks capture their second Vince Lombardi trophy.  Atmosphere was electric and the food was reasonably-priced.  This time around, we were here for their Sunday specials, in particular, their Steak & Lobster for only $25.00.  Yes, you read that right.  Steak & Fries are only $13.00!

Let's get right to the point of this blog post - the Steak & Lobster!  So just because it costs only $25.00, we weren't getting something crappy.  Resting on a bed of crispy Cavendish fries, we found a 6oz NY steak prepared medium-rare.  It was actually quite tender despite the low price tag.  On top, there was a decent sized broiled lobster tail.  The meat was bouncy and sweet.  Pretty good with all things considered.

Now if you want to get a bit more spendy, for $30.00 you get a 6oz NY Steak with Lobster and Snow Crab Legs.  Things were the same with the steak but it was topped with some caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms.  That in itself added more umami to each bite of steak.  The snow crab was pretty typical where the meat was briny with sweetness.  

We tried other items from the Sunday Feature Menu including the Fresh Shucked Oysters.  These local Pa'aje oysters are famed by the Tla'amin Nation in the waters of Okeover Inlet.  Rather than being briny, these had a subtle melon finish.  There was still sweetness and they were fresh.  We didn't find any shell fragments and the oyster shells themselves were presented nicely.  This came with mignonette and creamy horseradish.

Served in a toasted bread bowl, the Seafood Chowder was thick and rich.  It started off a bit more brothy, but then settled into a denser viscosity since it started to soak into the bread.  Not a bad thing though as we tore off the bread and it was delicious.  The chowder itself had some brininess to got with appealing sweetness.  Lots of chunky ingredients and this was definitely filling.

Staying with the seafood theme of the menu, there was also the 1/2 lb of Mussels in a chorizo & white wine sauce.  Really enjoyed this as the mussels were plump and cooked just enough.  That broth was so packed with flavour that was part spicy, a little sweet and plenty garlicky.  Those grape tomatoes provided some brightness and tang.

We got 2 cheesy dishes in the Baked Smoked Oysters and the Escargots.  Both were served with crostinis and that was critical because we definitely needed something to balance out the richness.  For the smoked oysters, they were the typical ones you would find in a can (hence the serving vessel), but were topped with a inordinate amount of cheese.  As for the escargots, they were their usual bouncy-textured self while spiked with a lot of cheese and garlic.  Very aromatic and yah, needed that bread.

We couldn't come to a pub without having some drinks right?  From left-to-right, we had the Sangria, Cocktail Tower and a Caesar with prawns and a crab claw.  Naturally, the cocktail tower would be best shared and it consisted of fruity flavours mixed with tequila.  Loved the sangria as it was refreshing but still had enough wine in it.  Caesar was at its tomatoey and briny best with the bite from Vodka.

We ended things off with their rendition of PNE Mini-Donuts.  Hey, I've worked at the actual stand at the PNE and in comparison, these were pretty darn good.  With the sugar and cinnamon crusted onto each soft and fluffy donut, these were legit.  A side of dulce de leche dip added even more sweetness.  As you can see, the food here on the Sunday Feature Menu at The Library Square is both affordable with more-than-acceptable eats.  You really can't beat that.  I would recommend that you try it out for yourself.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Incredible pricing

- Good food quality for that price point

- Generous portion sizes

The Bad:

- It can get busy, due to the pricing, so you need to be patient

Sainam - Thai Isaan Eatery and Bar

You've probably heard me talk about how many of the restaurants we have in Vancouver (and many other spots around the world) take the "tourist" approach to their menus.  Hence, we see multiple cuisines from different regions of one country all packaged into one restaurant.  We are seeing more often that restaurants are being dedicated to one region as customers are becoming more aware and are also demanding it.   This brings me to one of the newest Northeastern Thai restaurants in town in Sainam.  Opened by Angus An, Sainam joins a growing list of Isaan (or E-Sarn) focused Thai restaurants in Vancouver.  Known for their sweet and sour flavour profiles and Loatian influences, it is definitely different than the usual coconut thick curries and seafood of the South.

Predominant on the front page of the menu, there is a section dedicated to Som Yum (Papaya Salad).  Although it was suggested we try the one with salt cured little crabs, we opted for the Fried Papaya Salad instead.  I've had the one with the crabs before and it was definitely briny and full of umami.  However, this fried papaya salad was all about the textures.  So much crunch in this and bathed in a sweet and tangy dressing that was also plenty spicy.  It was a balanced spiciness though as I could still taste everything else and not kill my tastebuds for the other dishes we ordered.

For our next item, we had something that is not unique to Isaan cuisine, but definitely a Thai favourite as the menu states.  This was of course, the well-known dish of Pad Thai.  I would say this was prepared in a familiar way and it was probably intentional.  For those who are not familiar with Isaan Thai, this (and the other items in the Thai Favourites section), would be accessible.   The noodles were chewy and al dente while doused in enough tamarind for a tangy bite.  There was a touch of brininess and balancing sweetness.  It was pretty mild, but the side of chili powder helped kick things up.

Another dish from the same section of the menu was the Laab Fried Rice.  This had sufficient wok hei for some nuttiness from the rice.  The rice itself was moist, yet not wet, where it was chewy with discernible grains.  It was seasoned well where every bite was full of flavour including the various herbs including the sweet star anise hit from the Thai basil and some spice from the chilies.  Of course we had some brininess as well as plenty of sweetness too.   Some background acidity balanced things out. The big chunks of chicken were rather dry, but not in a bad way.  It had crispy bits on the edges and a firm chew everywhere else.

One of my favourite cuts of meat has to be Pork Neck or aka Pork Collar as it is fatty and tender.  Therefore, we ordered the Nam Tok Pork Neck.  There are 2 versions on the menu and this particular dish found the sliced pork neck tossed with roasted rice powder, herbs and spicy lime dressing.  As per usual, the pork neck was fatty and plenty bouncy in texture.  Very nice mouth feel with tangy spiciness as well as the brightness of the herbs.  There was some nuttiness from the rice powder.

Whenever we are dining on SE Asian cuisine, ordering Fried Chicken Wings is a must.  Something about how they seasoned them and the dipping sauces...  So good!  Well, the one here at Sainam was pretty decent.  The wings themselves were still moist with rendered crispy skin.  We would've liked to see more fish sauce glaze on the outside though.  It was plenty flavourful with caramelized sweetness and briny saltiness.  The dipping sauce on the side was a good combination of saltiness, sweetness, tanginess, herbaceousness and spice.

We ordered one veggie dish in the Stir-Fried Cabbage with fish sauce & dried chili.  This was quite good in terms of flavour as the sweetness of the palm sugar was evident and it was caramelized.  Nice briny saltiness from the fish sauce and there was an earthiness in the background.  There was definitely some spice in the end too.  One thing that we would have liked to see was more wok hei and charring of the cabbage.  Texturally, the cabbage was still crunchy and vibrant.

Onto dessert, we had the Pandan Custard Cake which was in a nice shade of pandan green.  It was soft and mildly sweet with the unmistakable floral and nutty notes.  Definitely tropical tasting and not super heavy.  The sweetened egg topping was texturally pleasing while adding an extra hit of flavour.  Overall, Sainam is a solid choice for Northeastern Thai food.  Yes, I didn't get to dive deep into the true Isaan dishes on the menu, but I wouldn't mind coming back to try them.

The Good:

- Nice flavours

- Attentive service

- Unique dishes on the menu

The Bad:

- Wok hei was sufficient, but we would've liked to see even more smokiness

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (Dine Out Vancouver 2026)

Now this is a Vancouver classic... Kobe Japanese Steakhouse has been around since 1968 and has been delighting customers with grilled-in-front-of-you eats complete with a show.  I've been here numerous times over the years, but believe it or not, the last time was in 2011.  Yes, there are far too many places to dine at and getting around to ol' favourites is difficult.  Well, I'm happy to report that things are still going strong here and they are offering a Dine Out Vancouver menu for 2026 that is only $60.00.  It is complete meal were Jackie and I previewed it prior to the start of DOV on January 21st.

The meal started off with a bowl of Shabu Shabu Soup which consisted of chicken & beef stock.  It was a clear and clean soup that was mildly seasoned.  It had some fried onions which added sweet aromatics.  There was also sliced mushrooms and green onion.  Of course we were here for the teppanyaki and our chef gave us a show that included many fireballs, an onion volcano, shrimp tail tossing and plenty of sound effects from the metal spatulas and seasoning shakers.

With our food being prepared in front of us, it did heighten our anticipation as the smells and aroma made us salivate.  The Teppan Shrimp was seasoned and tossed in a good amount of butter and lemon.  It seared up well and had a buttery snap to go with the brininess.  Prepared at the same time, we had a good amount of Vegetables including zucchini, onions and mushrooms.  It was cooked well so nothing was mushy and there was enough seasoning as well.  Two sauces were provided for dipping including a mild Ginger and a punchy Garlic & Mustard.  That garlic & mustard was my favourite and went really well with the steak and chicken (that you will see in the few pictures).

In addition to the shrimp, we also had Tiger Prawns that was cooked in a liberal amount of butter.  These were meaty with a sweet snap and went well with the ginger sauce.  For the base DOV menu, there is a 5oz Sirloin steak included, but for another $14.95, it can be upgraded to a 6oz Beef Tenderloin (which is in the picture).  These were seared on all sides with butter, seasoned and then cut into cubes.  More butter and seasoning followed an extra sear.  These little morsels were buttery tender and although there was good flavour already, I dipped it into the Garlic & Mustard sauce.

Our last course was the Teriyaki Chicken and that was probably my least favourite since it was chicken breast.  It wasn't overcooked per se, but wasn't juicy either.  At least it had lots of sauce to add moisture.  Went well with the provide bowl of rice.  Dessert was a choice of Mario's Gelato: Vanilla Tofulatti, Matcha or Mango.  We tried all three of them and believe it or not, the vegan Tofulatti was my favourite.  Flavour was mild and sweet enough while the texture was somewhere between ice cream and sorbet.  The Matcha and Mango were rather sweet, yet pretty creamy.  Overall, for $60.00, the DOV menu at Kobe is a good value with more than enough food for one person.  Sure, it isn't the most amazing meal in the world, but the food was good for what it was and you get a show to go with it too.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- It's a fun night out
- DOV menu has enough food
- Meat quality is good

The Bad:
- Will never be a "fine dining" experience, but it isn't trying to be

 

Dovetail

So I finally made it out to Dovetail...  It has only been 2 years since they have opened!  Replacing Nightshade (which was vegan), Dovetail's menu features a California-inspired West Coast menu with various influences.  Honestly, I didn't mind Nightshade, but the offerings at Dovetail look a whole lot more appealing to me.  With a chic, but casual atmosphere, Dovetail's menu is closer to chain restaurant pricing.  That makes it a bit more accessible than many other Yaletown restaurants.

Starting off light, we had the Tuna Tartare.  This was rather refreshing due to the use of yuzu ponzu.  Lots of tanginess and brightness, but I felt that the dish was far too saucy.  With that being said, I still enjoyed it due to the aforementioned refreshing flavour profile.  Clean-tasting, the cubes of tuna were soft while being contrasted by the crispy fried lotus root chips.  We found some edamame, avocado, sliced radish and tofu added to the mix as well.  I was not really feeling the tofu and that could've been omitted.

The most surprising dish for me was the Bang Bang Shrimp.  Normally, when I see that on the menu, I stay far away because it is usually a disappointment.  However, this one was fantastic!  Super plump and large, the shrimp were lightly coated being crispy while the inside was buttery and bouncy.  There was just enough spicy aioli for moisture and some creamy spice.  The pickled fresnos levelled up the spice with a balancing acidity.

Another delightful surprise was their Burger constructed with 2 beef patties, onion, pickles, American cheese and comeback sauce.  All of this was served on the softest of buns.  This gave us Big Mac vibes in the best way because it didn't have an extra bun nor the messy lettuce.  Beef patties were well-seared and properly salted.  Meat was still moist.  The side of fries didn't look like much but were crispy and plenty potatoey on the inside.

With a strong mushroom essence emanating from Mushroom Mafaldine, I could not wait to try it.  This did not disappoint as the salt levels were on point.  Lots of umami from the natural mushroom flavour as well as a light touch of truffle.  Sauce was super creamy, yet not overly heavy.  Pasta was al dente and held onto the balanced amount of sauce very well.

We went big with the 26oz Bone-in Ribeye prepared medium as suggested.  I agree with the steak being cooked to medium as ribeye can be chewy if too rare.  However, the cook on this was a bit uneven.  The middle was perfect but the end pieces were completely cooked through and looking very grey.  With that being said, it was still tender and properly salted.  Loved the creamy and mild horseradish cream on the side as well as the herbaceous chimichurri.

On the side, we got the Broccolini that was beautifully grilled.  Sporting some char, there was smokiness to the dish.  Although cooked through, the broccolini was still crunchy and vibrant.  It was tossed in a roasted shallot vinaigrette which added a background acidity.  To top it off, we found some crispy shallots as well.  Once again, on point use of salt here.

Of course we didn't skip dessert and in fact, we had two.  The first of which was the Lemon Tiramisu.  As expected, this was lighter than the traditional version.  Although, the lady fingers were soaked with limoncello, it wasn't that sweet.  The lemon curd immediately made this tangy and helped balance the heaviness of the mascarpone.  This was quite pleasant.

I wasn't going to order the Passionfruit Cheesecake at first (since we were quite full), but we got it anyways.  Good decision as it was NY-style being rich and thick.  The brûlée on top added sweetness (as the cheesecake itself was not that sweet) and a smoky caramel crunch.  Tangy and sweet, the passionfruit sauce made this eat a whole lot lighter than it was.  Overall, the food at Dovetail was really good and fairly-priced.  Definitely a good option in Yaletown and an alternative to the chain restaurants.

The Good:

- Delicious food

- Reasonably-priced, especially in Yaletown

- Nice vibes

The Bad:

- Ribeye could've been cooked more consistently