Looking for a romantic restaurant to go to with my girlfriend for a lunch/brunch. Appreciate any suggestions! We will be in West Vancouver.

As chefs grow older, working far beyond usual retirement ages, how can restaurateurs find and prepare a new generation of chefs with the same skill sets?

Full article here:

https://vancouversun.com/feature/chinese-food-restaurants-next-generation-chefs

Hi everyone

I want to bring attention to this little hole in the wall restaurant on west 4th. They don't advertise and very few people know about them, but it's quickly become one of my fav spots in the city. The chef is local and tries to use as many local ingredients as possible. The food is top quality and very reasonably priced - a 3 course meal which tastes amazing is only $35.

Please please please go give this place a shot. They're usually not very busy which worries me because I want them to stick around. West 4th has already lost a lot of great places in the last 4-5 years, I don't want this place to be next.

Thanks all. Hope everyone made it through the storm okay these past few days.

Crispy, golden, rich, and warm are all words that come to mind when I think of tonkatsu. This lovingly breaded and fried pork loin is something that brings me comfort through its hearty nourishment and the reminder of precious time spent with friends. My thorough enjoyment of this delicacy often leads me to wanting more. I decided to turn this desire for more into a search for my ultimate tonkatsu. Here I have documented four tonkatsu from Japanese restaurants in metro Vancouver.

The Tonkatsu Set

In my mind, the accompanying components of a tonkatsu set are just as important as the tonkatsu itself. In my search so far, I have found six universal constants of the tonkatsu set: Perfectly cooked white rice, warm and complex miso soup, refreshingly light cabbage salad, beautifully aromatic sesame seeds, umami and tangy tonkatsu sauce, and of course, the tonkatsu. Certain aspects of each of these may differ in form and composition, but each of them remains an integral part of the tonkatsu set. With this important background information now stated, we can begin our discussion.

Katsu San – $22.50

https://preview.redd.it/t0p37kv9wr0e1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2886ef8a87a8b51a4a918c6c0da44f2eda5f5e68

This Richmond restaurant is all about katsu. They have tonkatsu of course, but also chicken, cheese, tiger prawn, and even scallop katsu. Their tonkatsu is thicker than most which (assuming similar amount of pork) leads to it coming with fewer pieces, and a lower breading to pork ratio. The fewer pieces made me feel like it was gone too soon. That said, it was high quality pork that was full of flavour. This set comes with the six universal constants and additionally, wasabi, ginger and daikon tsukemono (pickles), and pink Himalayan salt. Everything, excluding the tonkatsu and its sauce, were unlimited. The salad had a lemony dressing that wasn’t quite to my taste. The salt and wasabi were both nice additions. Everything else was pretty standard.

Saku – $25.00

https://preview.redd.it/uluajxebwr0e1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=625770ec0f6aab6bb0d6b496dadeb80d4d53ee05

咲く(saku) means ‘to bloom,’ likely referencing the plum blossom in their logo and サクサク (sakusaku) is the onomatopoeia representing the crispiness of fried food. This double meaning symbolizes their dedication to serving the crispiest katsu, and they deliver on that. Their tonkatsu is among the best I’ve had. The balance of meat to crispy is right on the mark, the pork is full of flavour and it’s perfectly juicy. The universal six are present, alongside lemon salt, delicious tsukemono, and robust Japanese mustard. The rice, miso soup, and salad are all unlimited. The soup contains white miso and pork which compliment each other perfectly. The mustard is a wonderful addition, definitely my favourite non-standard condiment with tonkatsu. The cabbage is shredded incredibly thin which when combined with the sesame dressing becomes the perfect refresher after a fried dish.

Raisu – $23.00

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Raisu is a member of a restaurant group that is scattered around the world, but most of their restaurants are in Vancouver. Each of these restaurants has their own theme, and Raisu feels very homey both in décor and menu. Their tonkatsu set doesn’t try anything new, but instead has refined every aspect to perfection. The soup and rice are unlimited. The only entirely unique component is the grated daikon that serves as a refreshing condiment, contrasting the sweet tanginess of the tonkatsu sauce. Another non-universal-six component is their nappa tsukemono, the tender leafy texture and balanced acidity working perfectly together. The tonkatsu is perfectly fried and the salad dressing is a delightful combination of soy and sesame. The miso soup contains red miso, which has more character to it than white miso. The carrots and other vegetables in the soup fit this flavour profile perfectly.

Suika – $23.80

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Suika is part of the same group as Raisu, and its theme is a snack bar. Despite this, their entrees are not to be taken lightly. The Double Tonkatsu SET DX is quite an undertaking to finish. It comes with unlimited rice and miso soup, although it’s unlikely you’ll have room for that. The big six are present, alongside my favourite tsukemono detailed here, a cucumber with what appears to be soy. The miso soup also contains red miso and carrots, but also arugula and daikon. It is marvelous. The ‘Double’ in “Double Tonkatsu SET DX” is no joke, you get two times as much tonkatsu as you would from any other of these restaurants for the same price. It is perfect. Crispy, golden, rich, and warm, it checks all of the required boxes. Even without the extra tonkatsu, it would still be my ultimate tonkatsu.

This was written for ENGL 111 at the University of British Columbia.

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I post about local food spots, activities and events in Vancouver (and sometimes different travel destinations)
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TIA!

Visiting soon and wanted recs on the above that's in or near the following:

• chinatown
• gastown
• yaletown
• granville island (i wrote down to get candied salmon from longliner seafood)
• Lower Lonsdale
• queen elizabeth Park
• aberdeen centre in richmond
• stanley park, lighthouse park
• english bay beach, sunset beach, kits beach, vanier park
• Grouse mountain, Sea To Sky Gondola

TIA!

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I’ve tried random whole grain brands from costco.. sour dough from Cobs.. milk bread from T&T… brioche bread from Breka… they were all ok but nothing really made me want to buy more than once.

does anybody have recommendations for me to try next?

• preferably ones that freeze well too

• I would generally be putting butter and jam on it

Thank you!

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