Where to find Ube, purple yam

thanks RCC, you are right about Canadian customs...I don't live there anymore tho so that's not an issue...
GG I was hoping to stay in the city but if I don't find what I need in China town is the area around Phil-Am grocery worth exploring?

balini in Manhattan

Where to find Ube, purple yam

thanks to both of you for your suggestions...yes the purple cake is my motivation, there is a wonderful Filipino bakery in Vancouver that makes them and they are much loved by my family there....I'll let you know

balini in Manhattan

Where to find Ube, purple yam

Any ideas on where I can get either Ube flour, frozen grated Ube or better yet fresh Ube ( purple yams used to make Filipino desserts) while I am in the city next week? Is there a Filipino market anywhere?Thanks for your help!

balini in Manhattan

10 days and nights on West 81st Street. Would appreciate some local intelligence to eat well

I just read that Kefi has closed can anyone confirm that?

balini in Manhattan

Two nights with mother: Kingyo and _______

I think you'd enjoy either Akbar's Own or Maurya....they are both favorites of mine...Maurya has a beautiful atmosphere, very attentive service and some interesting not so traditional items on the menu. It has more of a fine dining approach and is more expensive than Akbar's which is smaller and has a cozier, more relaxed feel. The food to my taste is excellent at both. If you haven't been to the Original Tandoori K. King on 65th and Fraser you should try that sometime... probably not when you are dining out with your Mom as it is much less expensive and a very basic environment...but the food is great....just make sure to go to the one on 65th not the Tandoori King on Fraser .

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

An Okanagan Summer, 2009

Thanks QAW for spending the time to write such an eloquent and detailed report...it will be very much appreciated here. Even though it's early in the day I was tempted to open that last bottle of BC white, (a 2007 Hester Creek Pinot Blanc from our Okanagan trip last summer) to sip on while I read.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

British Columbia Adventures

Hey Sweeney...I do the drive from Seattle to Vancouver and from Vancouver to Grand Forks almost every year...so here are a few suggestions for you. If you are driving to YVR the same day you fly into Seattle you may not be looking for any stops but if you are getting close to Bellingham and it's still light out and you're hungry I would highly recommend taking a detour off I-5 just north of Mount Vernon and take Chuckanut Drive (Route 11) north to Bellingham where you will rejoin I-5 and continue on to Vancouver. This is an incredibly beautiful scenic drive and there are three great restaurants along the way, it's a little bit slower route, and you will want to stop and take in the views but it if the weather is good and the timing is right it will be the highlight of your drive.

Rhododendron Cafe: charming and delicious no ocean view tho, it will be first; not long after you exit I- 5 
http://rhodycafe.com/index.php

Chuckanut Manor will be next, oceanside, classic place
http://www.chuckanutmanor.com/

The Oyster Bar: Amazing view and excellent seafood.

http://www.theoysterbaronchuckanutdrive.com/index.html

In Bellingham itself there is FlatsTapas Bar a wonderful little place t...http://www.flatstapas.com/Core/Index.html .

and since you were asking about ice cream you should probably get yourselves to Mallards for incredible homemade ice cream...(blackpepper vanilla and Lavender are two of my favorites...)
http://local.yahoo.com/info-22194494-mallard-ice-cream-cafe-bellingham

Vancouver....
I loved my Omakase experience at Tojo's a few years ago but have noted the mixed views here recently so I would probably go to Blue Water Cafe, The Five Sails or do a couple of Izakaya's. Cafe Medina is great for breakfast.

Driving to Grand Forks with a stop in Osoyoos for lunch will take between 8 and 10 hours depending on how many fruit stands and wineries you stop at! (We try to get on the road between 5:30 and 6:30 am which should be doable for you if you are still operating on East coast time.....leaving late in the morning embroils you in some pretty unpleasant traffic ) we often stop at Manning Park Lodge for breakfast, nothing special just a good quick stop, and then go to either Burrowing Owl or Nk'mip for Lunch...If you choose Borrowing Owl call them from the road once you know and reserve a table on the patio. We have stopped for lunch twice at Nk'mip Cellars in Osoyoos and loved it. The Patio views over the Lake are lovely and the whole feeling of the place is very peaceful. Interesting aboriginal inspired cooking and terrific use of the local produce. http://www.nkmipcellars.com


Burrowing Owl is a short and very worthwhile detour to Oliver. The restaurant is another don't miss experience.... overlooking the vineyards you feel as if you are in Tuscany; the atmosphere, food presentation and preparation here are truly inspiring not to mention the great wine.
http://www.bovwine.ca

Staying in Grand Forks will be less expensive than Osoyoos but there's not much there, a couple of motels on the river just past the bridge as you leave GF heading east look OK. Fmed was right about the Grand Forks Hotel I haven't been in years (we get our borscht in jars from a farm stand on the road to Christina Lake) but I think it's still a good place to go but If you stay there just ask where you can get good Russian food; somebody will tell you.

Have a great trip and let me know if there is anything else I can help with on the road trips...I'm heading to Manhattan on Thursday for a week of work combined with theatre and restaurants but will check in once I get home to see how you are doing with your plans.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Victoria restaurants Summer '09

Here's a link to a thread full of great info on Victoria

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/616930

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

1 night in Vancouver

I'd add Yujis to the list....it's close to Bistro Bistro on 4th Ave. You could do both...start early at Bistrot they open at 5:00, then take a walk in the nieghbourhood, lot's of interesting window shopping and people watching along fourth between Burrard and Yew. You could even walk down Yew to the water front and then back up Maple or Cypress, or up Yew to Broadway or continue along 4th until you started to get hungry
again and finish your evening off at Yujis.

http://yujis.ca/

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Afternoon tea (Vancouver)

On my last Vancouver visit in April I had afternoon tea at Adonia, Secret Garden and at the Lobby Lounge at the Shangri-La Hotel...Adonia had the best food, a perfect combination of savory and sweet and delicious scones, Secret Garden the best tea and lovely sweets, I agree with SF toronto's comment about the sandwiches tho....both of these places have a sweet, cozy, casual tea shop feel to them.... as you can imagine the Shangri-la atmosphere is totally different ....It was was spacious and luxurious feeling and the chairs were really comfortable! the service was perfect and everything was delicious...it was more expensive than Adonia tho and didn't include as much of a selection. I can recommend all three...but the one I will go back to next is Adonia it's small though so I would make a reservation.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Lime, Tojo, Octopus Garden? Who is best for Local Fish?

I would give Tojo a chance to impress you...I think that if you asked for local only and put yourself in his hands you would be very happy...you could call and and ask what local seafood they are featuring....

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Day 3: Medina, Screaming Mimi’s, Salmon Shop, Peaceful, Teahouse in Stanley Park

Wow you are doing the town right...hope the weather holds for you. Longliner Seafoods in the Market Place at GI has a great variety of salmon jerky and Indian candy including a spicy one that I highly recommend. IMO both the Tea House and the Fish House in Stanley Park are lovely places to take first time visitors to Vancouver...the food is good but nothing special ...it's really the atmosphere and location that are the big draws there.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Day 1: Kingyo, Zakkushi and kinda sorta Hapa

yes...thanks for the update...so glad your trip went well

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Revised Itinerary for SF Chowhound's Visit 5/24-5/31

Hi cvhound and SO....hopefully you are on the road and the Seattle traffic isn't too bad...I should have chimed in earlier as I make the trip from Seatac to Vancouver a lot and have some favorites stops along the way and lot's of experience with Seattle traffic and the Border crossing at Blaine. I'm hoping for you that because it is a US holiday weekend that the traffic through Seattle won't be too bad.....but if it is don't be tempted to try any shortcuts; there really aren't any, just stay in the commuter lane and enjoy the views.....If you have internet access while you are driving go to this border crossing site to monitor the projected wait times...they are generally pretty accurate.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/border/

Since it is not a Canadian holiday the Sunday traffic back into Canada could be pretty bad especially if you are getting there around 5:00 pm. We usually opt to stop in Bellingham for tapas or an early dinner rather than wait in a long lineup ....but I know you are hoping to get into Vancouver in time for an izakaya crawl so you might just want to tuff it out and go straight through. The other option you might consider if you know the border crossing is really long is to either exit off of I-5 at Burlington onto route 9, OR off of I-5 from Bellingham onto rt 539 (Meridian rd) which will take you across the border at a the much less crowded crossings at Sumas or Lynden respectively, and put you onto the Trans Canada Hwy 1 which you would stay on until you exit on to East 1st avenue,(which I am pretty sure is exit #27) then over the Georgia viaduct on to Georgia street which will take you right to Coal Harbour.

I think the more fun option tho would be to begin your foodie vacation in Fairhaven /Old Bellingham (which is a really great area on the South side of Bellingham ) and go to Flats Tapas Bar a wonderful little place that is open on Sunday. ...http://www.flatstapas.com/Core/Index.html ...the other place not to be missed in Bellingham is Mallards for incredible homemade ice cream...(blackpepper vanilla and Lavender are two of my favorites...) this might actually be a good stop on your way back to Seattle after your Shanghai River Dim Sum,... you should be just about ready for a little sweet treat about then if there's time.

http://local.yahoo.com/info-22194494-mallard-ice-cream-cafe-bellingham

Getting to the border between 8:00 and 9:00 should be much less of a wait...and still get you into Vancouver in time for one of the Izakayas .

Some tips for the border .... the Douglas crossing has more lanes open than the Truck crossing and if you go that way stay to the left when the lanes start splitting. But the Truck crossing is often faster ...you will see video signs that advise you about the wait times before you get to Blaine and again they are usually right on.

There is one more option I would like to suggest tho especially if the day is clear and sunny. Get off I-5 just north of Mount Vernon and take Chuckanut Drive (Route 11) north to Bellingham. This is an incredibly beautiful scenic drive and there are three great restaurants along the way, it is a slower route, the road is curvy and you will want to stop and take in the views but it should get you to the border at a less busy time....

Rhododendron Cafe: charming and delicious no ocean view tho, it will be first; not long after you exit I- 5
http://rhodycafe.com/index.php

Chuckanut Manor will be next, oceanside, classic place
http://www.chuckanutmanor.com/

The Oyster Bar: Amazing view and excellent seafood.
http://www.theoysterbaronchuckanutdrive.com/index.html

I hope this is more helpful than confusing I have thrown a lot of info at you..but I wanted you to have some options to a long boring wait at the border and Bellingham really is a great little city!

I hope you have a delicious trip.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Zipang: more than just manga and anime (Vancouver)

Great posts grayelf and flowbee....Zi Pang is one of the places I return to every time I'm in Vancouver and yearn for when I'm not....all these photos have given me a serious craving for sushi tho which isn't an option here.... unless I make it....

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

LA Hound/extreme Foodie looking for the best local seafood

he's everybody's hero

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Help locating Malaysian Restaurant

I remember that restaurant but not the name... was it Malaysian or Mongolian? maybe the Mongolian Grill??? It was east of Cambie, not Banana Leaf...I think they had another location in Richmond. You picked out all your ingredients from a salad bar type station, paid for it by the pound, chose a sauce and they cooked it for you on a big central griddle. A little bit funky the last time I was there in terms of upkeep and decor and service. I just did a search and I think this is the place you mean...The Mongolie Grill 467 W Broadway 604 874-6121. With all the changes down in that area I wonder if they are still open?

balini in Prairie Provinces

Vancouver wine bars/bistros

I highly recommend Chow, it's not a wine bar or bistro but has that feeling, really great food, a good wine list and it's a very easy place to relax into.

http://www.chow-restaurant.com/

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

takoyaki mystery

Hope it was a great experience...did you take pictures?

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Corkage in Vancouver?

the other issue that i don't think has been addressed is how many bottles can you bring with you over the border? I do it frequently and my understanding is 1.5 liter per person...with out paying some pretty high duty. It's the same going back into the U.S. I would love to take some of the great B.C. whites I've enjoyed back home but again it's only one bottle per person.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Western Canada Foodie Tour—Best New Spots?

If you will be driving through the Okanagan, RauDz Regional Table in Kelowna (the revamped Fresco) should be worth a detour and Lunch at Burring Owl winery in Oliver is a truly lovely experience.

balini in Western Canada Archives

Best Chinese Bakery in Vancouver Metro

I didn't see this post before I answered the question about our favorite Vancouver snacks but the coconut cocktail buns from Maxim's in China town and Michelle's cake shop on West Boulevard have always been a special weakness of mine.... hard to explain why they're so addictive but they are....kind of a hot dog bun shaped ,hot cross bun with a yummy coconut filling instead of the yucky dried fruit , if you go to Michelle's early in the morning they'll still be warm and a box of those taken to go with a morning coffee break is always a huge hit

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

What snack do you buy and eat before you get home (van)?

The Portuguese style egg tarts or a coconut filled cocktail bun from Michelle's Cake shop on West Boulevard or the spicy Indian Candy from Long Liner Seafood on Granville Island...

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

takoyaki mystery

Interesting...I wonder why it's seasonal? I hope you do go and give Zi Pang a try as you can see from the menu they have some interesting offerings and I really love the daikon candle holders that come on the Sushi platters!...it's small tho so you might want to make reservations if they'll do it...

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

takoyaki mystery

Try Zipang on Main street I'm pretty sure they serve authentic takoyaki made from scratch and cooked in a pan...really delicious and presented beautifully.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

What is the perfect combination of food and liquor on Main St.

I see no one has mentioned Crave...I enjoyed my visit there last summer and seems like a good combination of food and drink but it's not open late and it would be small when the back patio is not open so maybe not a place to drop in to. Another small but great place on Main is the Japanese place Zipang... again maybe not exactly what you're looking for but very good, reasonably priced sushi and Izakaya type fare in a fun environment, maybe add it on to the main street crawl list.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Good places to eat in Kelowna?

felix, here's a link to a thread that covers a couple of years posts on Okanagan restaurants, lot's of great info that I'm sure you'll find helpful.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/421701

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

New Year's Eve options in Vancouver?

The restaurant you went to last time was The Parkside http://www.parksiderestaurant.ca/ which might be a really nice choice for NYE, call them and see what they have planned.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)

Vancouver eating trip - recs needed

I'd suggest starting your day at Cafe Medina and add Salam Bombay and Blue Water Cafe to fmeds' excellent suggestions. Have fun....what a great thing to do! Since you'll be there on Saturday night with a good sized group you should probably have reservations for your prime time choices.

balini in B.C. (including Vancouver)