Seafood

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Hot Dining: Cool and Cozy Dinner Spot

The popular $12 fries are served with a "side order" of steak.

If you love ending the day with a glass of wine and a good meal, look no further than Vineyards Wine Bar Bistro in the ByWard Market, which is known for its warm, relaxed atmosphere (as well as its $12 French fries served with a side order of steak). This restaurant carries 70 wines by the glass, 200 types of beer (including hard to find Belgian ones), and 20 wine flights, which come with a tasting sheet and three different wines. Live jazz Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday evenings and a complimentary cheese table Sunday to Thursday from 4pm to 6pm add to the experience. 54 York St. (in the cellar), 613-241-4270.

Hot Dining: Delicious (and Affordable!) Brown Bag Lunch

On the go? Try the "Brown Bag Lunch" from The Whalesbone.

Lunchtime got a whole lot more interesting when The Whalesbone Sustainable Oyster & Fish Supply started doing its take-away “Brown Bag Lunch.” As the retail shop to its fine dining sister restaurant, The Whalesbone Oyster House, this is the place to go for a hearty fish sandwich. There are three types on offer (selection changes by availability), but we love the smoked tuna with capers and tangy sauce. Hot tip: Tuesdays are “Chowdah Chewsdays,” so you can get a free cup of chowder when you buy a large sandwich. Sandwiches start at $8, lunch is offered Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 2pm. 504-A Kent St., 613-231-3474.

Hot Dining: Seafood Specialists

Artful seafood at world-renowned Tojo's. Photo by KK Law

Vancouver baits foodies from around the world with its oceanside locale and access to the freshest fish. For this seafood savant, top spots to taste saltwater succulents include Tojo’s (pictured), for buttery sashimi; Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House, for oysters by the dozen; and Coast Restaurant, for line-caught fish.—Kristina Urquhart

Zagat Rates PEI a Top Foodie Spot

Those famous PEI mussels (Photo by ulterior epicure)

Restaurant-rating company Zagat has named Prince Edward Island one of its eight favourite foodie destinations around the world, calling the tiny island province a “shellfish junkie’s dream”. (more…)

Hot Dining: Steak’s New Meating Place at Black + Blue

The bar and meat-aging cellar at Black + Blue. Photo by KK Law

Downtown’s newest steak emporium, Black + Blue (pictured) is a positive stunner with no shortage of buzz, wrapping prime beef and killer cocktails in a dazzling three-tiered setting highlighted by a glass-walled elevator. Uber-cuts from the Himalayan-salt-walled dry-aging room range from PEI Blue Ribbon and Canadian Reserve Angus to USDA RR Ranch and Wagyu, grilled precisely to taste and offered with a variety of sauces. Good sustainable seafood options cater to the less carnivorously inclined. Think high-energy protein palace…then multiply by 100. For a less contemporary though still very flavourful take on steak, wander down to clubby Hy’s Encore, established in 1962. For simple but flawless steak frîtes, and wines to go along, rendez-vous chez Bistro Pastis.—Tim Pawsey

Hot Dining: Cannery Redux at Goldfish Seafood and Chops

Sockeye salmon wellington with pinot noir butter sauce. Photo by KK Law

Cannery Redux

When the waterfront’s long-running Cannery succumbed to port security measures, former owner Bud Kanke took up the challenge by incorporating some of the original hallmark dishes into the menu at his Goldfish Seafood & Chops in Yaletown. Reincarnated classics include the pastry-wrapped sockeye salmon wellington and the smoked Alaska black cod, while other mainstays include brick chicken, braised beef short rib with cashew brittle, and a seafood tower stacked with marine treats.—Tim Pawsey

More information:

GOLDFISH SEAFOOD & CHOPS $$. D (daily). 1118 Mainland St. 604-689-8318. www.goldfishseafood.com

Hot Dining: Pink Salmon at O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar

Pink salmon with Pemberton potatoes and chanterelle mushrooms, at O'Doul's. Photo by KK Law

Regional Hero

Not long ago, West Coast salmon was so plentiful that fishers used to throw back pinks. Nowadays, the milder flavoured, pale-fleshed, sustainable cousin of hard-to-find sockeye and coho has found new favour, thanks to chefs such as Chris Whittaker at O’Doul’s, who likes to serve locally caught salmon in inventive ways. Taste it also at Diva at the Met, Yew and The Fish House in Stanley Park, among others. Best way to check who serves sustainable seafood? Download the free Ocean Wise app from iTunes.—Tim Pawsey

More information:

O’DOUL’S RESTAURANT & BAR $$-$$$. B/L/D (daily), brunch (Sa-Su). 1300 Robson St. 604-661-1400. www.odoulsrestaurant.com

DIVA AT THE MET $$-$$$. B/L/D (daily), brunch (Sa-Su). Metropolitan Hotel, 645 Howe St. 604-602-7788. www.metropolitan.com/diva

YEW $$-$$$. B/L/D (daily), brunch (Sa-Su). Four Seasons Hotel, 791 W. Georgia St. 604-692-4939. www.yewrestaurant.com

THE FISH HOUSE IN STANLEY PARK $$. L/D (Tu-Su). 8901 Stanley Park Dr., next to the Pitch ‘n’ Putt. 604-681-7275. www.fishhousestanleypark.com

Hot Dining: Top Vancouver Restaurants to Eat Oysters

Oysters at Monk McQueens. Photo by KK Law

Superb Shellfish

Whether or not you believe the old adage about eating oysters only in months containing the letter “R,” November is a win-win. Enjoy waterfront views at Monk McQueens (pictured) while slurping succulent BC bivalves on ice. If you prefer these molluscs cooked, the oysters Rockefeller is a tasty choice. Other top spots for these freshly shucked shellfish include Coast Restaurant, Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House and Yew.—Kristina Urquhart

More information:

MONK MCQUEENS FRESH SEAFOOD AND OYSTER BAR Patio, Where to Dine Awards 2010. $$-$$$. L (M-F), D (daily), brunch (Sa-Su). 601 Stamp’s Landing. 604-877-1351. www.monkmcqueens.com (more…)

Hot Dining: Eco-Friendly Green Table Restaurants

Pork rack chop with Parmesan gnocchi and bacon jus, at Hamilton Street Grill. Photo by KK Law

4 Eco-Friendly Eats

Looking for a meal that’s as good for the environment as it is for you? These Green Table–certified restaurants are sustainable from top to bottom.

1 Hamilton Street Grill Warm and friendly, this converted Yaletown warehouse is known for certified Angus steaks and great seafood.

2 Raincity Grill Across the street from English Bay beach, regional-seasonal plates are paired with wines from throughout the Pacific Northwest.

3 Commune Cafe Right downtown, this minimalist cafeteria-style spot with a hipster buzz serves all things free-range, organic and sustainable, from dawn to dusk and beyond. (more…)

Hot Dining: Heritage Tastes at Boneta

Boneta's new digs. Photo by KK Law

Heritage Tastes

Gastown’s popular Boneta has moved—almost right next door. The edgy new spot, tucked in behind Gassy Jack’s statue, sports a French-inspired, locally grounded menu and a convenient back door off Blood Alley. Those seeking more traditional continental fare head to Water Street Cafe, while seafood lovers pack into Cork & Fin and hop hounds find the city’s best craft brew selection at cozy and casual Alibi Room.—Tim Pawsey

More information:

BONETA Bartender of the Year, Vancouver magazine 2011. This modern bistro serves artfully presented dishes on a constantly changing menu. Reservations advised. $$. D (M-Sa). 12 Water St. 604-684-1844. www.boneta.ca

WATER STREET Cafe Overlooks Gastown’s cobbled streets and trademark steam clock. Fresh seafood, veal, lamb and daily specials. Private dining rooms. Reservations recommended. $$. L/D (daily). 300 Water St. 604-689-2832.

CORK & FIN Casual seafood and wine bistro. Decadent seafood dishes, oyster bar and vegetarian items. $$-$$$. D (Tu-Su). 221 Carrall St. 604-569-2215. www.corkandfin.ca

THE ALIBI ROOM Trendy spot serves dishes inspired by the modern English tavern. Menu changes seasonally. DJs (F-Sa). $$. D (Tu-Sa), brunch (Sa-Su). 157 Alexander St. 604-623-3383. www.alibi.ca