could you provide any more details? i'm a vancouverite living abroad and i don't get home til the 22nd... will i get a last meal with Shiro-san? i grew up with that man! i can't believe this, but he deserves a retirement...

apologies if this has already been discussed...

i'm coming home to vancouver for winter break and getting depressed about new year's eve options. then i saw momofuku ssam bar's NYE prix fixe and got even more depressed. (check er out here: http://www.momofuku.com/wp-content/up...

anyone have any suggestions for awesome NYE menus / good atmosphere / wine/booze pairings, etc.?

Legacy, eh? Didn't even know it existed (Vancouver born and bred, but have been living abroad past few years). THanks for the tips.

Hi All,
Anyone know if its possible to find Amaro Montenegro, Braulio, or any other Amaris in Vancouver?
Thanks

gelfball

when i lived in Montreal they were available at Costco... huge jars for cheap - about 50% less cost then when purchased at schwartz's or any other nice epiceries... but never seen them available in BC :(

Going out for Ethiopian on Friday with about 6 friends.

Should we go to Fassil or Red Sea?
Both are within two blocks, so I guess we can choose that night.

But which place has better food?
which is more expensive?
which has better ambience?

gracias!
gelfball

sorry for the miscommunication. yes, twinkienic was right, i was referring to Saravanaa Bhavan. haven't made it to HOD yet, but i should just to post back here.

i was living in chennai last year, and i am seriously considering moving back there for the food. okay maybe not in the summer ;)

ate there again last night. damn, it is SO GOOD! takes me right back to Chennai; this place if freakin legit. i would recommend getting the 'special meal' at dinner or lunch if you want to get a good variety taster/sampler of regional flavours.

the only thing that's a bit different is the way it is served - not on a banana leaf. which i am sure are very difficult to find / expensive in the west. Usually at a place like Saravaana Bhavan in south India, a banana leaf would be unfolded in front of you, and unlimited rice is served from a giant bucket. you can always ask for more. then most of the vegetables are served in the same style - a boy will come by the table with a big bucket of spinach/greens and scoop them onto your banana leaf. then some other accoutrements are brought in the little mini metal tiffin dishes, like the curd and the buttermilk and the rasam and sambar.

YUM!

I guess the big question is, what is better - House of Dosa, or Saravaana Bhavan?

Last year I was living in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and had dosas on the daily. Saravaana Bhavan was a huge chain there, and very well respected as a clean and consistent place to eat. I've been to the one here 5 times since its opened. Their food is almost exactly the same as it was in South India.

I am going to take a trip to House Of Dosa as soon as I can, for comparative purposes.

surprisingly, I would recommend a place in New Westminster, BC, called Tamarind Hill. i work in new west, so if you are in burnaby or the burbs, its incredibly delicious and well-valued Malaysian cuisine. I get the Singapore Laksa at least twice a week for lunch.

Its on 6th Avenue, across from royal City Centre, near 8th Street.

Shiro is my family's 'place'. definetely not fast food sushi, its by far and away my favourite sushi place in vancouver. a tad on the pricier side of japanese food in vancouver, but well worth it.

thanks for the el sureno tip though, forgot all about that place. its kind of strange though. but they will definetly have the ancho

i also need harissa, which i'm going to spice up a bit.

check out Brick House on a weeknight. in chinatown. 730 Main street.

its quite eclectic, fantastic people watching spot, and extremely conducive to reading (they have stack and stacks of shitty pulp and romance novels). no food though, and bizarre bar staff. but it has a buttload of character.

Hi there! Newbie here, please don't bash me too hard...

Having a dinner party on saturday, and my recipes call for two things i don't have:

Ancho Chile Powder and
Ras-El-Hanout (Moroccan spice mix, sometimes referred to as Moroccan 'curry powder')

Any place likely to have these besides South China Seas trading Co.? I love that shop, but parking is difficult, and my hours don't work well with theirs except for weekends.

I live near Oakridge, but can drive anywhere. Would prefer something somewhat close to my hood.

Thanks in advance!

the nice thing is they freeze very well. (was informed about this by the South Seas wonderful staff)