At my last trip out to Vancouver, my friends and I went to the much talked about Go Fish – located by the docks a short walk from Granville Island. The day was beautiful, sunny, and perfect for outside eating. Unfortunately, since it was such a beautiful day and a saturday, the wait for our order was rather lengthy. Go Fish is known for their fish tacones, scallop burgers, fish & chips and everything is very fresh. Here’s what we got after a considerably long wait. 

Much talked about scallop burgers. Super fresh & yummy.  Can’t tell you much about the texture of the scallops since I  was so hungry from the waiting, that I didn’t notice.  Coleslaw, had a sesame-asian flair to it.

Fish Tacones. Moist, juicy goodness. Lemons on the side for extra flavour.

Fish chowder.

So, I must say that though the food was incredibly tasty and the view while eating was amazing, the wait for the food was somewhat too long. However, if you’re a tourist like I was that day I’m certain that you will want to check out Go Fish at least once! Just try to go at odd hours of the day, call in your order or go when the day isn’t sunny and warm so the lineups will be less.


Go Fish
1501 1 Ave. West
Vancouver, BC
(604) 730-5040

The menu that night included a prix fixe for $18 (+tax). There were four choices for appetizers (two soups, two salads), ‘mainstays’ (ratatouille provencale, chicken dijonnaise and beef bourguignon) and two choices of dessert (chocolate banana bread pudding & baby banana sundae). We ended up choosing three of their soups and a salad, everyone got the beef bourguignon (partly due to the wet and cold weather), and we all finished dinner with warm banana bread pudding accompanied with vanilla icecream. 

By the time we reached dessert, my companions and I were certain that Burgoo lives up to its claim. It truly is comfort food at its best! The carrot soup was noted to have the taste of carrots with a hint of cream, while the caesar was fresh and crunchy and Dan found his tomato soup tart and refreshing (almost as if there were 30 tomatoes in his soup!). So, perhaps not for those that aren’t a fan of tomatoes! Continuing with the trend of enjoyable comfort food, the beef bourguignon was soft and was accompanied with enough sauce to eat with the mashed potatoes. Perhaps it was the weather outside that allowed the food combined with the atmosphere to make a memorable tasting experience for all involved. I’m certain we will come back again! 


Oh and when we go next, we will have to try the Mac ‘n Cheese as we saw two versions of it leave the kitchen during our meal. It looked visually appealing, filled to the brim and topped with aged white Cheddar and oven baked. 
Burgoo Bistro
4434 West 10 Avenue.
Vancouver, British Columbia
(604) 221-7839
limited reservations
11am-10pm
http://www.burgoo.ca/                         

If you’re ever in Vancouver, the one thing that every good food connoisseur should advise you to try is the acclaimed Japa Dog. Now, this is not just any hot dog, but a beef, bratwurst, pork, turkey or vegetable hotdog filled with a variety of toppings – such as bonito flakes (very good!), delicate pieces of seasoned, dried seaweed (also very appetizing), fried cabbage, Japanese mayo, teriyaki sauce etc… To make it easier for Japa Dog visitors, there is a series of menu options in visual form to make your decision a smooth one. Here’s a sample of what you can expect if you’re ordering a Japa Dog.

The price of Dan’s Okonomi seems a bit on the pricier end, which I’m thinking is attributed to the Kurobuta sausage. Nevertheless, the combination of the all the toppings is truly delicious! I’ve also wondered, due to the price of the Kurobuta, if you could substitute for a cheaper hotdog such as the bratwurst or beef and still get the same toppings(?). Since, the toppings themselves add to a large portion of the taste factor. 



Of course, you can get the ‘regular hotdog’ at any of their carts, but what’s the fun in that? Next time you’re in Vancouver, be sure to try a Japa Dog. Certainly a taste towards umami. Be warned, though, that the line can get quite long nearing lunch or dinner hour. As well, according to their website since May 28, Japa Dog has now opened a physical location at 530 Robson St. Vancouver! From what Japa Dog lovers have said, the line is still long. For those wanting the cart version, visit them at the following address:


Downtown Vancouver, BC
corner of Burrard & Smithe
near the Sutton Place Hotel
Monday to Thursday: 12:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m
Friday and Saturday: 12:00 p.m – 9:00 p.m
Sunday: 12:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m
www.japadog.com   


Ordering notes: When you arrive at the cart, you will see two lines. This sound self-explanatory, but one line is for ordering and one line is for picking up your order. The line directly in front of the cart is where you order your food. After you’ve ordered, they will give you a plastic card with your order number and you will be asked to wait in the line beside the cart.