REALLY FINE FRUGAL FARE
10 spots that are sure to satisfy
Ouchless meals — ones that don’t hurt when you pay — are part of what make this city so great.
We are blessed with immigrants who enrich us in many ways, including their tangible, tastable food cultures.
Where would we have been without hot, healing ramen or pho during Metro Vancouver’s recent punishing winter? I am bereft without regular fixes of Korean food with killer marinades and sauces. Just look at the lineups at Sal y Limon for deep-into-Mexico tacos, and at Phnom Penh for the Cambodian and Vietnamese fixes — it seems like a lot of us have been smitten by immigrant food.
Talented young chefs seem to have found truth and happiness cooking fun, affordable food and taking a pass on the high-wire act of fine dining.
Here are our Top 10 places for cheapskate eating. You’ll notice that most of them wouldn’t exist without our cultural diversity. You’ll find dishes for $15 and less at these places.
1 The Arbor 3941 Main St., 604-620-3256 | thearborrestaurant.ca Comfort food for vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free eaters.
2 Bestie 105 East Pender St., 604-6201175 | bestie.ca Gourmet hotdogs with meats from Oyama Sausage. The diva of the bunch is the currywurst.
3 Fish Counter 3825 Main St., 604-876-3474 | thefishcounter.com Committed to local, sustainable fisheries and to making fantastic fish and chips and other noshes. Totally casual.
4 Flower and Horse in Spring 1741 Robson St. , 778-379-6198 | No website, Facebook page Yummy Yunnan food. Crossing the noodles a must. 5 Heritage Asian Eatery 1108 West Pender St., 778-7371108 | eatheritage.ca Baos, rice bowls that pop with flavour. High-fives to the chef.
6 Longtail Kitchen 810 Quayside Dr., New Westminster, 604-553-3855 | longtailkitchen.com Award winning chef Angus An spins out Thai street food.
7 Molli Café 1225 Burrard St., 604-3366554 | mollicafe.com Tacos and tortas, brilliantly prepared.
8 Peaked Pies 975 Denman St., 778-379-5612 | peakedpies.com/pies Like Aussie meat pies? Then you’ll like Peaked Pies.
9 Sal y Limon 701 Kingsway, 604-677-4247 | salylimon.ca Tacos, quesadillas, huarches, all piled high.
10 Tamam 2616 East Hastings, 604-6207078 | tamampalestiniancuisine.com Time to discover Palestinian food. Try reekah and mujaddrah.