Moderne Burger

Food: * * * * 1/2

Service: * * * *

It's a burger joint with a '50's diner feel, so good service here is totally different than good service at a 5-star restaurant. However, for what it is the service was great, and our orders came quickly. The burgers were *huge* as were the fries on the side, so we ended up sharing my side rather than ordering fries for both Hubbs & I. Apparently the fries are cut and fried as you order them, so they are fresh. They also don't taste like greasy fries; they sort of taste like potato chips. I'm thinking maybe it's because they are preservative free, like the burgers are. I will be back whenever I next have a mondo burger craving. Prices are reasonable ($10.95 for burger + fries), and one day when my heart is feeling particularly healthy, I might even try one of their thick milkshakes. It's a fun lunch or a cheap dinner date place. Oh - and bring cash. That's what they take.

Gramercy Grill - DOV 2010

Food: * * * *

Service: * * * *

What a lovely neighbourhood grill! For $28 we couldn't go wrong here; portions were fair (not huge, and the dessert could've been bigger for Hubbs' chocolate thing), food was very tasty (Hubbs *loved* his scallop appie), and on a drizzly rainy Van day, it was a nice place to enjoy a meal. Ambiance is definitely more casual and even arguably kid-friendly, so upscale this is not (even though the dark wood furniture suggests an attempt at business-casual). However, it's definitely several steps up from most family-friendly restaurants, and the food is way better than any chain restaurant willing to entertain people dragging in their little tykes. Good place to hit up if you want a quality meal but don't feel like dressing up fancy and putting on pretenses.

The Crime Lab

Hubbs &  I are big big C.S.I. fans, so a restaurant called the Crime Lab obviously caught our attention.  N & A generously took us out for dinner a few nights ago so that our curiosity about the place could be satisfied.

We arrived sans reso, and it looked like they were quite busy.  We did manage to get seated anyway, at a booth/table that was close to the patio.  We really should've sat on the patio, though, since it was heated and the patio chairs had blankets on them for patrons to use. Anyway, we ordered our drinks and meals and then the wait began.  At one point my server returned to tell me that they had run out of pork loin chops, so I had to rechoose my entree.  I wasn't thrilled with having to go with Plan B.

Maybe it was because it was a Sunday night, but the restaurant was incredibly busy.  We had to wait quite a while for our food, and then our order got messed up so that A & I got our meals about 10 min. before Hubbs & N got theirs.  The staff there obviously felt bad about the mess-up, though, because they generously offered the table a complimentary round of drinks *and* an appy of yam fries!  I love when serve staff are thoughtful that way.

When our meals arrived we dove in.  My free range chicken breast was alright; the drumstick that they left on was my favourite part and the skin was broiled to a wonderful crisp, but the white meat tended towards being a bit dry.  My risotto was awesome though, and sufficiently cheesy to be tasty without being super heavy.  Hubbs loved his seafood linguine with dill cream sauce, daring even to compare it with his mother's linguine with clam sauce.  I think that both N and A also enjoyed their meals, although they were both feeling fatigued and N was under the weather so maybe this affected their dining experience.  The free round of drinks were great though :)

Overall, the service was good (esp. since they gave us freebies) and friendly and appropriately apologetic, and the food was good.  Prices were also reasonable, and servings were adequately sized.

I would probably head back to the Crime Lab again, though perhaps not for a while, since I think there are probably many other restaurants in Van of comparable food quality and pricing.  The next time I do go, however, I'll probably aim to sit on the patio; it looks over Coal Harbour so the views are pretty rad. :)

Service: 4 out of 5

Food: 3.5 out of 5  (Hubbs gives it a 4/5)

Shady Island Seafood Bar & Grill - Steveston

Hubbs & I have been bad.  We've been eating out ... a lot.  One of the places we tried recently is a cute little restaurant on the "wharf" in Steveston, called Shady Island.  We decided to give this place a try after gawking at the menu, which featured a steamed seafood platter for two.  Guess what we had? ;)

Of course, we weren't smart enough to check the reviews on the place before getting seated, so when we did finally read up, we were a bit worried.  Food, it seems, is mediocre, and service is apparently appalling.  We braced ourselves for the worst.  However, our server came promptly, and took our orders (drinks & food) at once.  We waited a bit for our grub to arrive, but it wasn't a super long wait.  When it came out, our food was an impressive display stacked on a two-tiered rack. 

Thankfully, we were hungry.  Famished, in fact.  Hubbs immediately got down to business with the lobster (an entire one) and the crab (an entire one).  Meanwhile, I aimed my appetite at the delicious mussels, scallops, clams, shrimp, and oysters on the bottom tier.  I could honestly have eaten the entire bottom plate, but held back and saved some for Hubbs.  I even helped him with cracking through all those claws; I'm quite adept at it now. :)

It was unfortunate that I couldn't try the two items on the top, but I had to make sure my stomach didn't go into convulsions afterwards and abstinence is the best policy when it comes to me and crab and lobster.  Hubbs tells me they were good.  The oysters were killer awesome - fresh and flavourful - and I really loved the clams as well.  The garlic toast that came with the meal was not quite crispy enough, but since I was sopping up garlic butter anyway, I didn't mind so much.

The meal set us back a pretty penny, but definitely was more affordable than Blue Water and good value considering how much we were getting.  Service wasn't nearly as horrible as others have said, but I have a feeling that the place is probably hit-and-miss most of the time, and we just happened to catch them on a hit day.  

Don't come here dressed in your Sunday best; seafood can be a messy affair.  Also, don't come for super fancy dining; with a name like Shady Island, it's not something you should expect.  Do come for a nice view from the patio, and for some yummy seafood prepared the most basic way possible (which is great for a food purist like me).  

Will we be back? Likely, though we'll probably give ourselves more time next time, in case we do get poor service.

Food:  4 out of 5

Service: 3.5 out of 5

Capones Restaurant & Live Jazz Club

Man, I swear my reviews are getting shorter.  Anyway, Hubbs & I decided at virtually the last minute to go to Capones for dinner; we figured that we'd like it since we like jazz and we like food.

When we arrived for our reso, we were seated front and center at a little round table smack in front of the live jazz band.  The amp was jacked to the max and we were right near the speakers so of course we couldn't hear each other, and we weren't fond of our location.  It then took the server 10 minutes to come and take our drink order.  Strike 1.   When I saw that a booth table had freed up, I requested to be moved.  Server guy left to go ask if the table was available, and then he ignored us for another 5 minutes.  Strike 2.  We finally had to flag him down to check if we could move, and gave him our drink orders.  He said yes, and after we moved to the new booth table, our drinks never arrived.  Strike 3.

Thankfully, another server came by and took our drink order again.  She was way more efficient and came with our ice teas shortly afterwards; turns out the first server figured it wasn't his table anymore so he didn't bother to pass along our drink orders to our new server.  Thanks.

We ordered the Capones lasagna and the Godfather pizza.  I was worried we'd be hungry but Hubbs figured this was enough food.  He was right.  The lasagna came out in a small plate and I thought, uh oh, this won't be enough, but it was hearty and filling.  The pizza, about 10" in size, was also loaded with meat and quite filling.  In the end, I could only finish half of it, and Hubbs had all of his lasagna (save for a few bites that I stole) and 2 pieces of my pizza.  We still have 2 slices left over. 

The music that was blaring was still super loud from the booth/table (since it was right at the front near the stage) but at least Hubbs & I were able to sit beside each other in the booth and hear one another talk.  Then the band went on a break for 30 min., giving us time to rest our poor eardrums.  When they returned to the stage, their next set was a bit more mellow to start out with, allowing us to readjust our ears to the loud loud music.  I must be getting old, since I don't recall loud music ever bothering me before.

Overall, the food was pretty tasty (there was foie gras in the lasagna and duck on my pizza!) and the music was good (albeit loud).  Service was hit and miss depending on who served us, and prices weren't cheap (~$20+/entree, $14/app), but it was an experience that ended better than it started.  Our server also told us that they've come under new management and now the menu changes every so often, and they're trying to improve to their former glory.

Looks like they have their work cut out for them.  First step: fire that first server.  He's bringing them down.

Service: 3 out of 5 (4/5 for the second server, and 2/5 for the first)

Food: 4 out of 5

We finally caved and went to White Spot.  There's one near our place en route to the gym, and we pass by it nearly every day, but we have never set foot inside that restaurant.  Instead, we ended up at the North Van White Spot after a trip to Wal-mart (did you know there's one at Capilano Mall)?  We decided to give it a try because someone told us that the White Spots are better in BC than they are in AB.  Both Hubbs & I did not enjoy our visit to White Spot Edmonton many years ago, so we were a bit wary of dining at a WS in Van, even if it was for lunch (less commitment and cost than dinner).

Anyway, it was a late Sunday lunch, and Hubbs was feeling pretty tired, so we weren't in a particularly foodie mood.  Hubbs selected their seafood risotto and I ordered the turkey club on whole wheat, with sweet potato fries.  The server was competent and quick, and the restaurant was super quiet so late in the afternoon, so we got our food quickly.  Hubbs' risotto was cheesy and hearty and pretty loaded down with seafood, which justified its higher price ($18?).  My club sandwich was *huge* and I couldn't actually fit my large mouth around it, so I had to eat it in layers and leave half my bread at the end of the meal.  The bacon was meh, but the turkey was uber-tasty and moist.  The sweet potato fries were awesome, though, made moreso by the chipotle dip that accompanied it.  That was my meal highlight.

For a cheap dinner (or a pricier lunch), White Spot as a place is pretty good.  It is certainly better than the White Spot in E-town, and I was actually a little surprised at how pleasant my dining experience was.  I thought it was going to be more like a Smitty's, but I'm glad it was a half-step up from that.

Service: 3.5 out of 5

Food: 3.5 out of 5