Rajan S.'s Profile

I joined Crossfit Westside in Nov 2010 and the experience over the past 10 months has completely changed my approach to fitness and workouts. I had gotten bored of following my same routine for years. Crossfit abruptly ended that. Challenging, sometimes intimidating, but never routine or boring, Crossfit Westside pushes you to reach outside your comfort zone, but in a truly supportive manner that makes coming to class always worthwhile. I can't see myself ever going back to my old routine thanks to Jenika and her team.

Not only the best Indian food in the city, but the best service! More fusion than authentic, but here that's very much a good thing. Delicious, mouth-watering, and flavourful dishes that you will only find here like lamb lollipops and goat meat kebobs. All served, in an incredibly friendly, hospitable atmosphere where personal service rules the day-a tone set by Vikram himself. I can't say enough about this place, other than do yourself a favor, and treat yourself to this Vancouver gem.

This may just be the best coffee shop in Vancouver! Mike serves up a deeply rich, aromatic, naturally foamy Americano that seems to have hints of cocoa in it's coffee beans. This came on a recommendation from fellow Yelper Ramon V. He is right on! My coffee snob alter-ego thanks you.

Very disappointing, considering the time and effort that went into building a nicely appointed environment for fast food fare. Very bland, sparse dishes that don't stand up in this city of high quality, tasty Asian food varieties.

In my quest for the best burger in town, I finally made my way to Splitz Grill on Main Street. Large location with a similar feel to Vera's Burgers but thankfully a much tastier sandwich. Yes, something does beat Vera's meat - actually many. The first bite was very satisfying, but by the end, I found it a little salty. The fries were good. I still prefer Modern Burger, although I feel like there has to be a better burger out there. Laugh as you may, so far, Fatburger ranks right up there in this town. I know, that's not saying much!

Very busy during the business lunch rush, but fairly attentive service none the less. Downtown is a difficult place to find great pho or Vietnamese food. Thankfully I recently discovered Joyeaux Cafe. The food is admirable and the atmosphere is welcoming. It doesn't have the appearance of your standard Vietnamese restaurant, more like a North American family restaurant. Nonetheless, their pho was tasty. Not many options to choose from other than your standard beef or chicken. But if you're not seeking to be adventurous, either of these will do just fine.

In this tiny coffee/bakery shop tucked away on Granville street which is unfortunately too easy to not notice, you will find - hands down - the best frosted cinnamon bun in the lower mainland! Moist, rich, sweet and delicious. Wow! Make sure you have it served warm. Then, step outside in the cold weather, sit on one of their small patio chairs, and enjoy your little bit of warm heaven on earth as you watch humanity walk on by. A Vancouver delight. Don't be intimidated by the small size and hefty price ($3.25). This is a treat in every way, and well worth it.

Granted I didn't try the wings, but I did try their pho beef noodle soup. I found it to be one of the worst pho soups I have ever experienced. The broth had a bad meat smell to it, the beef itself was tough and chewy, and the restaurant environment left very little to be desired. It also didn't help that the person sitting across from me was wearing his food around the outside of his mouth rather than eating it. What a mess. All in all, a disgusting experience. A nightmare I won't soon repeat.

From the moment you read the sign and logo on the window, to when you walk inside are greeted by the giant chalkboard hosting today's gourmet sandwich creation, to the punch bag with boxing gloves hanging from the ceiling, you can't help but be impressed. This is one of the most well thought out, tightly run sandwich shops I have ever experienced. This place belongs in San Francisco or New York, not the corner of Hastings and Cambie - but I'm so glad it is. Places like these are neighborhood changers. Meat & Bread is just the latest example of the exciting re-gentrification happening in Gastown and the surrounding areas. The place is open and inviting, with hints of a meat packaging atmosphere. The daily meat is beautifully on display behind glass at the beginning of the customer queue. As each customer orders their sandwich, the meat is cut, placed and dressed on fresh bread and served on small wooden cutting boards with dollops of homemade mustard and hot sambal. On this day, they were serving braised beef brisket with caramelized onions and spinach, and porchetta with salsa verde. I happily selected the beef brisket sandwich. Outstandingly tender and flavorful. My only complaint is that they spread far too much aioli sauce for my liking. A small amount goes a long ways, particularly with the intense flavours of the meat. Other than that, I highly recommend Meat & Bread.

I'll start by saying I like the sister restaurant Kingyo on Denman far better. The menu items at Kingyo are tastier and more to my liking - the ribs in Chinese sauce is incredible, may even the best I have ever tasted! What I like about Suika is the atmosphere and the people. The decor is meticulous and spectacular - Asian and industrial if that makes sense. I love their bar area and the people are very friendly and provide attentive service. Every bit of me wants to give this place 4 stars but their menu lacks considerably compared to Kingyo. I do like their Shake Sashimi salad. The rest however, is more hit and miss for me. If they bring over some of Kingyo's menu items, I would quickly increase Suika's rating. It's quite likely that since Suika is relatively new, they owner may be using it to experiment with other dishes to find new hits, which is admirable.