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Panz Veggie Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Chinese Vegan, Chinese [Edit]
1355 Hornby StVancouver, BC V6Z 1W7
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 266-3637
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Panz Veggie Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"They use fresh ingredients and the price is right." In 5 reviews -
"And the lunch special is the best deal in town." In 4 reviews -
"Bamboo roots hot pot - This was interesting." In 4 reviews
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37 reviews in English
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Review from Fritz S.
3/14/2012
Ok real talk, I take back everything negative i ever said about vegan cuisine!
My Cousin was visiting from Ontario for a convention, and she's the only hardcore Vegan in our family so u can imagine when she visits a carnivore family like myself there isn't many places vegan I KNOW to take her.. thank god for YELP who helped me find a pretty good place to take her.
At first i was skeptical on the food, "oh man no!! meat, or anything with a face?!?" this is gonna suck #$#$#$$!!!!!" As u can tell i wasn't excited at all!! It was about 9pm and almost closing time so we had to order really quick..
We ordered the veggie (surprise, surprise) spring rolls, The Yang chow fried rice with fake ham, the rib bites with veggies, and some sort of tofu stir-fry. The sauce in some of the dishes had a funky smell to it but all in all the food was pretty fu*ing amazing!
The ribs (soy based) actually tasted like meat, the fried rice had a ton of flavor, the spring rolls were crunchy with the accompaniment of a sweet and sour sauce.. or plum sauce... oh man! i felt like i was cheating on meat at that restaurant... "was that a cow peaking in the window, shit did she see me!?"
anyhoo,, overall, the food was great... well for my first vegan experience, i have nothing to compare it with but I'm a new fan..
NOW that being said... would i try vegan food again?: absolutely..
Would i ever become Vegan? even for a month?: absolutely... NOT
but much respect to you Vegans out there! you really know how to fake meat ;) -
Review from Kyle M.
Vancouver, BC
4/25/2012
Truth be told a vegetarian place (let alone a vegan one) is pretty much the last place on earth you'd ever find me.
But I was on my very first date with a super cute boy, and he's a vegetarian. Normally I point and make derogatory comments at vegetarians, but... cuuuuuute. Anyway, I digress.
Now, what do I need in order to prevent babbling myself into a coma on a first date? Alcohol! Nary a drop to drink in the place. Except tea. 'Cuz tea makes me so suave and debonaire. So after hysterically turning over the menu and looking table to table for a booze list, I internalize my nervous breakdown and steady my hands to peruse the menu.
After some terribly awkward initial conversation we decide on coconut greens, a buddha's feast, a vegetable soup and some rice.
The soup comes first. Now, most white people i know automatically start slopping soy sauce into any broth they get in a chinese restaurant - myself included. I'm glad I tried it first. Honestly, the broth was so rich and delicious I SWORE there was pork in it. There was fat floating on top of the broth which I later identified as sesame oil. All in all, killer soup. The coconut greens were fantastic, the buddha's feast was full of all kinds of weird veggies but if you're adventurous, go for it.
One thing though - once we ordered, no servers ever came back. Never got the ride we ordered, either. Had to ask for our bill with food on our table. Add to that the no booze thing and I was a medoicrely happy, albeit full, camper.
Then we went for drink and all was right in the world. -
Review from Sean W.
Surrey, BC
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Visiting this restaurant while not a vegan myself turned out to be a great experience. The food is like it's average non-vegan relative.
The only turn off would have to be the menu. With choices like "Laughing Tiger" and "Buddha's Feast", you really have no idea what you're getting unless you ask, even then so in broken english. -
Review from Gabrielle P.
Brentwood Bay, BC
2/3/2012
I don't expect to enjoy my experiences at Vancouver vegetarian Chinese restaurants. Normally I find everything too oily, everything flavoured the same, the veggies never seeming very fresh, the atmosphere sterile.
I am pleased to be proved wrong at Panz. I've eaten in once one a cold day for lunch with friends, and once we had delivery (the second-party delivery man even said how much he loves the food and the restaurant despite not being vegetarian, and that the owners are a pleasure to deal with).
I am really, really into yuba (bean curd sheets...yes, it might not sound appetizing, but it is delicious), and various types of mushrooms, so I'm pleased to see a lot of that on the menu. The hot and sour soup is wonderful, and the bean curd sheets ("tofu skin") with Asian greens is incredibly delicious and not at all oily. I've also had a spicy eggplant dish that was actually spicy (shocking) called the "spicy soya spirals, eggplant, and spinach". I would order all of those again.
I've never had the bargain lunch specials, but my dining companions have, and it is an alarming amount of food (a good thing!). I'm really excited that Panz exists downtown, and I hope that some of the less enthusiastic reviews here are eventually made right with follow-up visits. -
Review from steve c.
Updated - 9/14/2011
Every time I eat here I love this place more and more. Nice atmosphere, good food, and great service from the owner, Sheila.
They use fresh ingredients and the price is right. They keep the place nice and clean so you feel even better about dining in. Daily lunch specials tasty fresh food are a good draw but its the service that really keeps me coming back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/22/2010
Honestly, this is one of my new favorite vegan restaurants.
I've driven past so many times over the… Read more »
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Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
8/31/2011
I was really eager to try this place out ever since I noticed it while biking downtown a few months ago. Husband and I finally gave it a go on a fireworks night. The place had a few patrons but was pretty quiet otherwise.
Now, I'm completely open to trying Asian fusion food, but for some reason I'm not feeling this set up. It's got all sorts of random Asian zen decor but feels too fancy for me to be comfortable.
We ordered two dishes: the tofu sheet hot pot and the three wise mushroom & vegetable chow mein. Both dishes were quite good, but the chow mein was a lot greasier than I expected. The tofu sheet had a good variety of tofu and was well flavoured. We also got a soup which was overseasoned with pepper.
I'm curious about their lunch menu, but I'm not sure if I'll try it again for dinner. -
Review from Simi S.
Vancouver, BC
4/11/2012
It's a winner. The service was initially slow, but once the tall kid picked it up it was exceptional, the food was healthy and fresh and made me feel great after the meal. Try anything on the menu, it's all good. Not overpowering flavour, no need for strong spices because it's quality ingredients. If you're vegetarian or vegan, you have no excuse not to have tried this place yet.
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Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 3/5/2011 3 photos
* That's it *
Ok, I was really disappointed when I last visited back in June 2010. It was so sad that what had been a really great new spot had gone downhill. At the time I figured they must have lost their chef, and decided to not return for a while to hopefully let them get things back on track.
I finally returned.
I shouldn't have.
Things are still downhill. I guess they never got the kitchen back and running how it used to be.
They started off with a complimentary hot and sour soup. It was a bit watery, with non-balanced flavours. The tofu and mushrooms in it were nice, but the broth was just not satisfying. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The Buddah's Feast had a ton of different veggies. But they were random in terms of if they were cooked too long or too short. A few items had the taste of butane, which I'm not sure where it came from. But it was very unpleasant. The lotus root was undercooked severely. Some of the mushrooms were over cooked to the point of mushiness. One item, which I think was chickpeas (?!?!) were rock hard and actually hurt to try to bite into. I got the impression they basically just threw everything into a pot at the same time and hoped that some how miraculously the cooking times would be the same for all these items. Not a good dish at all, which is sad because they used to have a really good tofu skin claypot which had a similar sauce. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The dish came with a side of 5 grain rice which was undercooked and crunchy in parts, as well as an overly greasy spring roll which apparently had not been drained and blotted properly. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The "dessert" (which is listed as something included with the lunch combo) was a single segment of a small grapefruit cut in the way oranges are frequently presented in a Chinese restaurant. They used to have nice complimentary Chinese dessert soups. Now it is just a grapefruit segment. Bah.
I'm doubtful I will return again. Too bad. They started out so well way back when!Listed in: Vancouver Chinese Food, Free Vancouver Wifi
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/21/2010
* Oy *
I am saddened by what has happened here based upon my most recent visit.
Everything was… Read more »
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Review from Evilyn T.
6/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was pretty stoked that even though we moved from the happy Cambie village to the West End that there was still a veggie Chinese restaurant that would be able to fill us up with delicious tofu and noodles.
The BF and I came here and were both kind of surprised to find the place somewhat empty, since there had been so many flattering reviews on here. But as we enjoyed our dinner, more and more hungry patrons arrived. We ordered the peanut and tofu dish, and a dish with tofu and spinach. The server asked us if we would like soup too, and we hesitated until he mentioned that it was free. It was mostly just a salty broth, and wasn't very exciting, but it was free right?
We had some spring rolls to start, and I have to agree with Crystal on this one, you will definitely need more sauce to get through those rolls. The peanut and tofu dish came with mixed peppers and onions, and was really good and kinda spicy. The second one with spinach and tofu was just weird. It came in a bowl with flavoured water, so it looked more like a soup than a main course. The spinach was soggy and the tofu was bland, and it was definitely not my favourite, but I managed to pick out some of the spinach and mix it in with the sauce from our peanut dish and it was bearable.
Dinner was pretty cheap between the two of us, and I wish I had grabbed a take-out menu, but I just noticed they have a website with their menu listed, so I will just have to try and remember that when I am lazily flipping through all of our take-out menus at home. Maybe I will just fold up a piece of paper and write the web address on it and add it to the pile so I don't forget.Listed in: Vancouver Vege-me-tarian.
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Review from Isabelle G.
Vancouver, BC
6/14/2011
Panz Veggie
Atmosphere: It was very quiet with relaxing traditional music. I was thrown off by the arrangements of the tables at an angle. I moved the tables to a more traditional setting only to have them moved back by our waiter which was more comical rather than an annoyance. Everyone seemed so relaxed. It was hard to have negative conversation when everyone seems so serene with the music. The place is too hidden away from the general public, therefore, I am not sure if that is a good thing as for a Sunday at dinner, it was pretty dead. This is not an establishment to bring noisy naughty kids. Thankfully none were in site, however, can see how this would easily ruin the ambience.
Food: It is Vegan, however, a warning...it is not Gluten Free and even though I had some dishes knowing this, the Gluten overkill didn't make me feel to steller after. For what it was, it was great and a good dining out alternative. I had the citrus "ribs" which were amazing. For dessert I had a black sugar roll which tasted like a combination of a sticky cake with the consistency of a gummi bear.
Service: We were served our tea and dishes in less than 5 minutes, the fastest service that we have ever received. Our waiter was young, cute and sweet and his attitude seemed to have gone with the atmosphere they were trying to convey.
Price: Very Very reasonable. I had a Groupon, however, without a Groupon this establishment is very reasonably priced. -
Review from Alyssa W.
Vancouver, BC
1/9/2011
After recently returning to veganism, I was on the hunt for good vegan places in Vancouver. I live just a few blocks away from here, so I was really excited to go after seeing some good reviews on here . A friend and I went last night (she's a meat eater, but was intrigued to try some veg Chinese!)
We went around 6 and there were no other diners (never a good sign!) but another group followed in after us. The decor is nice. Clean, comfortable, and well decorated.
The menu is...confusing! With names like Buddha's Feast, Tiger's Nest, and Virtue and Kind you need a bit of an explanation and the menu provides none. The mystery of ordering some of the stuff is kind of fun though!
The service was a bit slow, especially considering it was only us and one other table. The waiter also messed up our order a bit, forgetting to put in an order for my friends entree, saying he thought we had already ordered enough food for the two of us (we wanted some leftovers for tomorrow!)
Here's what we ordered:
Hot n Sour Soup - SOO good! The $8 portion is enough for three people. Everything about it was fantastic!
Simply Herb Fried Rice - Not what we expected but a great surprise! Really flavorful with fresh herbs and walnuts on top. Yum!
Tangy sweet & sour soya ribs - The waiter claims this is their most popular dish. I probably wouldn't have ordered it had he not recommended it, but I'm glad we did. Typical sweet and sour sauce with peppers, oranges, and onion. The "meat" was really crispy and yummy. My friend said she wouldn't have guessed it wasn't real meat.
Bamboo roots hot pot - This was interesting... The bamboo shoots had a really unique texture. The broth was flavorful. We took most of it to go since we'd already had lots to eat, but also because this dish came out long after everything else since he forgot to put the order in.
All in all, I'm really excited to keep trying different things on the menu. The hot n sour soup might be a staple, but I'll definitely switch it up and try new stuff next time. Hopefully the service is also better next time! -
Review from Rhea D.
Vancouver, BC
5/17/2011
Fantastic, healthy and delicious! My boyfriend and I like to go at least once a week :-) I absolutely love the soya ribs with orange, and the spring rolls are delicious. My favourite thing is definitely the Wonton Soup, I was so excited to find vegan wontons which is reason we started going there in the first place.
The menu is a little daunting at first (due to lack of descriptions on the menu) but it is easy to ask your server for help when choosing a new dish to try! This restaurant is a fantastic addition to downtown :-) -
Review from Alana Eve B.
9/28/2011
Delicious! And the lunch special is the best deal in town! I was the only vegetarian in the bunch, but we all loved our meals. The flavors of each dish were unique and rich. Highly recommend the tofu sheets - never had tofu prepared like that. And my husband, the omnivore, had the soya nuggets (could use a less gross-sounding name) and was pleasantly surprised at how yummy they were and also how much they really tasted like chicken nuggets.
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Review from Michael G.
Downtown, Vancouver, BC
10/19/2011
I used a social shopper coupon. The portions are huge. The flavours were perfect. The service was excellent. Highly recommend this veggie restaurant.
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Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
The menu lacks description, so I thought I'd kick off this review with some descriptions:
Laughing Tiger: vegetables: carrots, celery, potatoes, lotus root and baby corn mixed with tofu skin in a light sauce and lots of ginger
Colourful commentary: It sounds like the "Tigers Nest" dish located under laughing tiger is similar, except with lots of vermicelli. Thought this dish could have used a rice or noodle dish to compliment.
Tofu Skin Hot Pot: a clay pot full of tofu skin, deep fried tofu, 4 different types of mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
Colourful Commentary: It's obviously hot, but the mushrooms bring lots of different textures.
Spring Rolls: deep fried with a sweet/sour sauce. Julienne carrots and celery inside
Colourful commentary: These would be ideal if the excess oil was blotted. Ask for double the sweet/sour sauce, even though they might think you're a strange bird, it tastes better with more sauce!
Complimentary Soup: Seaweed and bean sprout in a veggie broth.
Colourful commentary: The sentiment was nice, but I found it to be a little meh for my liking. The flavour was just too weak to conjure up any kind of "yum, yum, yum" response from me.
If I could use "awkward" as a way to describe the service I would. Maybe it was because we were one of two tables eating at the time, or it could have been overhearing one of the servers talk to himself as he cleaned the table next to us and murmured to himself while clearing away our plates that made me feel uncomfortable. Luckily, overall, our two servers were sweet and tried really hard to give us a pleasant experience.
Oh and the tea - the tea was awesome! -
Review from Corey G.
5/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
This restaurant was close to our hotel, and it caught my attention because it said it was "vegetarian" (to be more precise it's a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant). Now, I'm not vegetarian, but I like to dabble every once and a while.
The interior was stylishly clean & minimalist. Our group of 5-6 was seated at a nice circular table toward the back. We were mainly served by a woman whom I'm thinking might be the owner--she was very nice, and informative.
A friend can't eat garlic (I know, a total crime!), and asked our server if they have garlic-free options. As it turns out, none of their dishes include garlic (or onion, chives, shallot, and leek)....
** BUDDHIST CUISINE LESSON **
Buddhism refers to these items as the "Five Spices"--they are strong smelling and can "excite the senses".
On a similar note, with regards to vegetarianism, the understanding of animals as fully conscious & capable-of-suffering beings, the killing/consumption of animals is denounced--and vegetarianism is advocated.
** ********************************** **
Learning this about this cuisine and cultural definitely made you appreciate experience even more.
We all picked out several types of dishes, and picked and choosed to get a variety of tastes during our sitting. There were a few tofu dishes and a couple of eggplant plates ordered as well. While waiting for our meals, the owner came to our table and asked if we'd like complimentary bowls of soup: we all obliged, of course. I have to mention that this soup turned out to be one of the fan favorites of the night.
Our entrees were all good. A couple were similar, but for the most part, they were all unique and offered a different direction cuisine path. I personally liked my tofu dish best, but I must admit I also liked one of the eggplant dishes as well (and I'm not even an eggplant fan!)
Now our group was probably a tad bit loud for this quiet & mellow establishment, but we were truly treated well by the awesome staff, and had an excellent Buddhist food experience. We had one mix-up with the order/receipt, but it was fairly minimal---I blame it on our American accents. A solid 4.5 star experience!Listed in: My Top FUCs
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Review from Bradley C.
Vancouver, BC
4/2/2010 ROTD 6/15/2010
Somehow, at the back of my mind, I thought I had already written a review of Panz - because it deserves to be reviewed! This place is just steps from where we live, and it's vegetarian, so a review is essential.
We went just about an hour before closing - there were a few other tables of diners, but it was relatively quiet. We got a seat by the front window. Not an especially great view on Hornby Street, but we still felt privileged!
We ordered the Buddha's Feast, spring rolls, and three kinds of mushroom and fresh vegetable Chow Mein, based somewhat on the recommendations of the waiter. The food arrived quite quickly, and we stuffed ourselves - and had enough left over for lunch the next day.
The service was, as others have mentioned, a wee bit awkward. I don't think the waiter has had a lot of experience, but he was attentive and polite, so that makes up for a lot.
One of the owners came by to chat and see how we were doing - she was friendly and told us how glad she was to have us there. Because the restaurant is actually vegan (not just 'veggie', as the name implies), there is no dairy, no eggs, and no alcohol - so I don't think the lack of booze has anything to do with licensing. She also said that although they don't have a delivery service yet, they could deliver to our building, just next door, if we wanted.
At the moment, the website is still under construction - it is now functional, but hasn't been populated yet. Coming soon? Also, the paper menu is a bit challenged, and the amount of 'glutton' available makes me giggle a bit.
Will certainly be back for another visit - there's so much I want to try!! -
Review from daryl w.
3/11/2011
While visiting Vancouver, we discovered a gem of a restaurant called Panz Veggie. The restaurant is beautiful and food delicious! The Buddha
Delight was awesome and their 5 grain mix of grains (instead of white rice) was amazing. The sweet owner and the wait staff were very attentive and knowledgeable to all of the choices on the menu. Even if you or someone in your group is not a vegan (but open minded), check Pan Veggie out! -
Review from Raymond K.
Vancouver, BC
4/10/2010 14 Check-ins Here
I really liked this new Chinese vegetarian restaurant's interior design. The atmosphere was so nice. Peaceful, modern and classy. Thanks to the other reviewers recommending this place.
I don't really remember what the dishes called. However, we tried the 3-types of mushrooms + tofu, a Kung Pao dish and a Hawaiian fried rice. They were all great. The service was great as well.
I did miss the ceramic spoon and the little bowl commonly found in Chinese restaurants. -
Review from Eric P.
Vancouver, BC
12/17/2010
The food is great and the staff is really warm and friendly. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is VERY nice and calming. The music is quiet and nice, and you can actually hear yourself talk.
The staff are very friendly and accommodating, and it feels more like being welcomed into someones home than into a restaurant. The food is veg/vegan, VERY good, and surprisingly rare for vancouver. We have very few good veg/vegan restaurants in Vancouver considering how large our green and 'hippy' community is. Even if you aren't vegetarian, the food is delicious and healthy and I would recommend giving it a try.
The wonton soup is amazing, the sweet and sour ribs are very tasty and have a great texture, and the chow mein is much better than any other non-veg chinese restaurant i've eaten at in Vancouver.
Seriously, give it a shot you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Michael M.
9/21/2011
Found this place on a veggie website highly recommended. Also recommended by the front desk at our hotel.
A little off the beaten path, we were a little concerned when we arrived at 7:00pm and were the only ones in the restaurant. The atmosphere was very welcoming, nice aesthetics, and the staff was very welcoming.
Our second 'red flag', if you will, was when we read the menu and there weren't any descriptions about what was in each of the menu items. We ventured and tried the spring rolls simply herb fried rice, a braised tofu dish, as well as a bean and tofu dish.
The chef surprised us with a complimentary bowl of soup which started the meal out on a great note - delicious mushrooms, bean sprouts and tofu. The rest of the meal was absolutely delicious. Spring rolls are hard to get wrong, but these were better than most. The fried rice was one of the best we have ever tasted - not overwhelmed with veggies and sauce to hide the taste. Braised Tofu was outstanding - veggies not overcooked, tofu was juicy and slightly braised and well flavored.
Service was wonderful and friendly - not hovering even though we started out as the only ones in the restaurant.
When we return to Vancouver, this will be our first stop. This is definitely a vegan gem not to be missed. -
Review from Melissa F.
Vancouver, BC
5/28/2010
My husband and I stumbled across Panz on the way home from Granville Island one day and as a new Vegan all I have to say is Thank the Lord! The food here is delicious and it is so great to be able to walk into a restaurant and be able to order anything on the menu. I know that we have quite a few restaurants like this in Vancouver but I had yet to find a great Chinese place.
The Wonton soup is my favourite thing on the menu so far. I hadn't found anywhere that made this Vegan and was a little nervous to try one of my former favourites... It is so amazing! The broth is great, the wontons have such a great, almost meaty flavour and quality to them. And the portion is huge for what you are paying. We ordered a large and there had to be about fifteen Wontons. Easily enough for three to four servings.
My husband is the total opposite of a Vegan and even he can't get over how amazing their fried rice is. You can't tell the difference between it and the traditional meat version. And hello, pine nuts on top? Yes please. They aren't overwhelming in the least and just add a little something to the whole dish.
I've tried many of the other dishes but these are definitely my favourite if I am in the mood for comfort food, Chinese style.
We have never dined in the restaurant but have always gotten take out. Two thing I will mention are that the lids to the Wonton Soup never seem to stay on properly so give them a once over and try to keep them as flat as possible in your car. Also, when they say your order will be 10 minutes, give them 20. It's worth the wait! -
Review from SaraJane K.
Vancouver, BC
5/17/2010
Every time I'm downtown I get flustered trying to find a place to eat. Most of Vancouver is vegan-friendly, but downtown, not so much. I was excited to hear about Panz. I was definitely not disappointed.
The menu was interesting and my partner and I had a hard time choosing. He had the Tigers Nest and I had the 3 Wise Mushroom Chow Mein. We also had friend wontons as an appetizer. You get bean sprout soup with your meal, as well. It's just a small bowl of a really light and fresh tasting broth with - you guessed it - bean sprouts in it. I can't say that I've had something like that before, but I liked it.
I love spicy food so I asked for my chow mein to be made spicy even though there was no little chile next to it on the menu like some of the other things. We got our food and they had accidentally spiced up my partner's meal instead of mine. It tasted great, though so we didn't really care. We mentioned it to our server (who I think is the owner) and she offered to take our plates and fix it for us. We weren't put out by it, so we just ate it as is. All of the vegetables were fresh and nothing was overcooked or over-sauced. I found the food to have a nice balance of flavors with nothing being too over-powering. Even spicing up the one dish added some extra dried chiles and more flavor, not just heat.
To her credit, the server/owner did seem concerned that we had extra chiles in the wrong dish and repeatedly offered to take it back and fix it with a promise to make sure the kitchen knows they made a mistake. She gave us a complimentary plate of lotus root (also delicious) to make up for the mistake as well as a complimentary dessert. I thought that was very nice considering we weren't upset by it in the least. I really liked the server/owner as well. She was quite warm and friendly.
The restaurant itself is quite clean and not at all hard to find. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere. The prices were also quite good and the food came quickly. If I remember correctly it was $5 per appetizer and $10 per main. I will definitely be coming back here again. -
Review from Crystal G.
West Vancouver, BC
6/16/2011
This was our choice for lunch prior to the ill-fated Stanley Cup Final! Despite the noise and crowds outside, the restaurant itself was serene and tranquil with peaceful decor and atmosphere.
We both chose a lunch special: very good deal for $8. This comes with a small soup, rice or noodles, spring roll, a main dish and a small dessert.
The soup was day lily and lotus root: subtle, delicate and nicely-blended flavours. A pleasant surprise. For the main dish, my husband had the sweet-and-sour which came with peppers, celery and a few chunks of fresh orange, very nice. I had Buddha's feast, with tofu, veg, several kinds of mushrooms and bean curd skin rolls. The food was perfectly cooked, neither too crunchy nor overcooked, with apparently very fresh ingredients.
The dessert was a small roll of red and white bean paste, also very nice, sweet, flavourful and not overpowering.
Panz has Sprite Zero, which most places don't have! They tea provided with the meal was also delicious, different from the usual green tea in Asian restaurants. The food comes in nicely-shaped ceramic bowls (like a leaf or shell), very attractively presented.
Service was prompt and polite. Bathrooms were clean and attractive. My iPhone showed a wifi signal from Panz but I could not access it -- don't know if it's for the public or not.
Overall we were very happy with the meal and overall experience and will return soon, either for lunch again or to try the regular menu at dinner. Can't wait to try new dishes. Glad to have found this place. -
Review from Chris G.
7/28/2010
Respect the Buddha.
The atmosphere is mostly calm, tranquil, simple. Bring a book. Does the Buddha respect reading? Probably. Bring something here, because you've got a wait especially if you have one server and a table of six old timers whom modify every plate that they order come in before you. This for that for that, etc.
The sweet and sour ribs taste delicious; the meat was wonderfully tender and with an ample amount of bell peppers (so many, oh god, soo many.) There was one waiter, he was friendly. Asked if I was a student there. I'm 27 years old and sadly, I still am. But not in Canada! Though with places like this, maybe I should be.
Wait time: a total of six pages of Roland Barthes read. -
Review from M S.
Burnaby, BC
5/17/2010
I've been a vegetarian and a resident of Vancouver for almost 20 years, and this is the FIRST vegan Chinese restaurant I've seen in the downtown area. Needless to say I was quite excited to visit!
What a great meal :) First, I'm pretty picky about restaurant cleanliness and aesthetics, but Panz Veggie surpassed my expectations. The environment was inviting and comfortable, the decor was clean and modern, and it was clear that the owners put much thought into renovations.
I was in a party of two and we ordered an appetizer, a soup, and a main dish. My favorite was the main dish - the Bamboo roots hot pot. Fresh ingredients, generous portions, and good balance of flavours. It was later that I learned they use lots of local ingredients (major brownie points!). They also have items for Happy Hour, which is good if you just wanted to drop by after work for a snack.
The service was prompt and friendly, and I remember this because my tea cup was never empty. I sincerely believe that downtown Vancouver needs more vegan restaurants like Panz.. I will definitely be returning!
P.S. You can find the menu online at http://panzveggie.ca -
Review from jeanerinc y.
10/27/2011
This place has a great lunch menu, very affordable (7.99). Includes appetizer, entree, and desert. The interior is clean and the waiters are attentive. The placement of the tables are a bit awkward and it was a bit cold inside, but nothing that would deter me from going again.
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Review from Joanne C.
Vancouver, BC
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've put off going to Panz for a long time, mostly because I don't usually have a reason to go downtown and partially because it is hard to get excited about another Chinese vegetarian restaurant. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how different Panz is from all the other Chinese veg restaurants. The food is delicate and authentic. They have dishes I've only had in Asia or restaurants in Richmond where no one speaks English. While they have the sweet and sour stuff that satisfies most western diners, they also serve dishes are more authentic and enjoyable for the eastern pallet. Definitely a place I would take my Chinese foodie family to. As an added bonus the decor is esthetically pleasing with dark wood furniture, high ceiling and lots of natural lighting - this beats most Chinese restaurants that are blindingly lit and terribly decorated. I'm looking forward to going again real soon!
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Review from Joe C.
1/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice $7.99 vegan lunch special! Interesting combination of veggie and flavors. Great lunch special. Vegan and super tasty. Well worth the visit.
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Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
8/7/2010
After checking some reviews on Yelp I decided to go to Panz Veggie Restaurant for our date night dinner. We hadn't been yet, and we'd had just enough time to recover from our last Chinese vegetarian experience (which was some awful HONs). We arrived around six. There were two other tables seated, neither of whom had been served yet. Shortly after we arrived a bunch of older people arrived, maybe six or eight of them. It took about ten minutes to get tea and water at the table and menus arrived shortly after.
The atmosphere was really nice. Calm and pleasingly laid out with good lighting, though I could have done without "My Heart Will Go On" playing over and over. When we finally ordered, probably twenty or thirty minutes after sitting down, we were starving. We got the Buddha's Feast Chow Mein and Soya Spirals with Eggplant and Spinach - but I mentioned to the server that we were really hungry and wondered if we could order an appy that would come out quickly. He said "not really," but came back a few minutes later and said he had some "chopsticks" we could have. These turned out to be soya chicken drumsticks served with potato and sweet potato fries that had evidently been sitting around for a while because they were cold. This was not prepared FOR us, and while it was sweet of him to offer it, we WERE charged full price for it... so that sucked. He also gave us free bowls of soup (broth with tofu) to tide us over.
When the food arrived it was hot and the portions were impressively big. We weren't expecting what we got with the Buddha's Feast, so we were kind of underwhelmed, but the chow mein was delicious. I have to learn to stop ordering that dish though, it's always full of weird textures and not very flavourful. Also, the oil in this dish tasted kind of perfumey and there was WAY too much of it.
The soya spirals with eggplant and spinach was pretty good. The eggplant was perfect and the sauce was spicy-sweet which we really enjoyed. The stems had been left on the spinach, so we both choked on them a little... it would have been nice if they'd been trimmed.
We didn't feel totally ripped off at Panz but it wasn't incredible either. In conclusion, the service was slow and the food was too oily, and like most Buddhist restaurants it was a little lacking in flavour. However, it was MUCH better than HONs. -
Review from Nadine N.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2010
I really wanted to like Panz. Some friends and I came for dinner on a Friday night. Upon entering the establishment, I was hit by the scent of incense. I like incense, but when I'm at a restaurant, I want to smell food. Incense makes me feel that you're trying to mask some other smell. There were only two other tables of diners, but hey, at least we got seated promptly. We ordered three dishes - one noodle, one mock rib, and an eggplant dish. The eggplant was the way to go. The other two ended up coming home with me, only to get tossed out after sitting in the fridge for a week. Service was pretty awkward. We paid with a credit card, but there was no place to leave a tip, so the server had to call it in, which took a good 10 minutes. I can't see myself coming back.
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Review from Peter Q.
Vancouver, BC
3/11/2010
Early days yet for this new restaurant but its great to have a vegan venue downtown. Lunch time specials soon that the owner promises will be great deals.
The menu needs some tweaking but the food I had was fresh and very tasty.
Hope this works, copy menu attached: http://pdfcast.org/pdf... -
Review from R S.
9/7/2011
I am a big Chinese veggie food fan and I have to say this place is one of the BEST places I have been to.The food is authentic, absolutely delicious and they use fresh ingredients which helps with the taste and quality of the food . I would say if you are looking for Americanized Chinese food and a hip place to hang out, this place is not for you!! If you are looking for some really good quality Chinese vegetarian food in a nice relaxing atmosphere, you absolutely need to check this place out!
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Review from lisa r.
5/10/2010
What a wonderful meal we had today and it was Mother's Day.
This restaurant features healthy, ethical, and local produce. It was like eating home made Chinese food which when you are non-Asian is a real treat. The food is beautiful in color, texture and flavours, light but saucy.
The staff is very courteous and humble and even quirky funny. I liked the ambience of all people in the restaurant, families enjoying the meals together and of the staff passing by with delicious looking meals that I will have to come back to try again.
To top it off we were told we get 15% at the end of our meal for bringing our mother in with us, what a nice little surprise.
my favorites were the Spring rolls, Almond and Cashew Hard tofu and the Braised Mushroom with bamboo shoot roots and green vegetable. -
Review from Star S.
Vancouver, BC
7/23/2011
I go out to eat because I'm hungry, not to wait 45 minutes for an appetizer. Our server was so slow moving and there was only one old lady in the kitchen cooking. So maybe they were just understaffed last night? Regardless, the food was bland. I'm a vegetarian and I've had amazing vegan food so I know it's possible. This, however, was nowhere near amazing. A positive note about this place is the restaurant itself is really cute and clean, but there's way too many good eats in Vancouver to waste my time on this place again.
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Review from Amy E.
BC
5/24/2010
This place could be amazing and I was eager to try it out, however the food was PAINFULLY bland. I ordered something that listed ingredients that weren't even in the dish that came to me. I had a lunch special which can with a spring roll. The sauce with the spring roll was great and I actually had to pour that over the rice to give the entire dish any flavour. The soup that came out before hand was also so bland. I think they need to get some better tastes going and then try again. I will not be returning ever again.
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Review from RT P.
Surrey, BC
6/9/2011
food so tasty an omnivore may forget it is vegan. Vegetables are fresh and crunchy. Ambiance is gentle making conversation easy. Panz is on my "favorites" list
