Rating / 3 out of 5 stars

La Taqueria Pinche Taco shop has expanded their tiny downtown operation to a second location, primely situated on Cambie near the corner of Broadway. It’s a convenient stop for Canadaline commuters craving bit-size, freshly prepared Mexican tacos.

Hopefully La Taqueria fairs better than the previous rotating shift of of unsuccessful tenants including a greasy spoon, Chinese, and Japanese restaurant. The Cambie location is certainly larger than the original, but similarly decorated in muted tones with splashes of bright yellows and pinks.

(Above: Unlike their Hastings location, the Cambie Taqueria has giant picture windows for loads of sun to shine through — whenever the sun decides to show up, that is.)

The menu is pretty straight forward, featuring a selection of meat and vegetarian tacos at $2.50 each, or $9.50 for a set of four. There’s also a daily special that they switch up every once in a while that you can ask about.

(Above: Clockwise from left to right: Fish Taco, Pork, Lamb and Beef Tongue.)

Case and I shared a set of four: Al Pastor (pork and pineapple), Lamb (the special for the day), De Lengua (braised beef tongue), and Pescado (grilled fish). The modestly portioned meats are beautifully cooked — the braised ones fall apart tender, and the fish nicely grilled — all gently seasoned.

The real joy is adding the fresh accompaniments like pickled onions, peppers, lime and a touch of one of their four house made salsas.

(Above: Fizzy, sugar juice.)

Our meal including taxes and tips and a bottle of fizzy, sugar juice came to around $14. It’s a little bit pricier than other taco joints, and the portions certainly won’t fill you up like Chronic Tacos a few blocks away. But, the carefully prepared meats and fresh toppings make these bite size tacos a refreshingly tasty snack.

Perfect for: a tasty taco alternative to the Chihuahua or cactus variety.

The Details

2549 Cambie Street, Vancouver
604.568.4406
lataqueria.ca
@LaTaqueriaYVR

Rating / 3 out of 5 stars

Vancouver’s Downtown has a lack of notable Vietnamese noodle shops. Enter BaoQi Eateri at the edge of Yaletown on Davie Street, a contemporary Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall, with all the coziness you’d expect from a bowl of hot noodle soup with a few updates.

(Above: BaoQi’s seafood noodle soup garnished with fried shallots, cilantro and onions.)

BaoQi’s decor feels like a modern rendition of colonial era Vietnam — the walls blanketed with carefully selected vintage photography including black and whites of Asian ladies with beehive hairdos. A long, wooden, communal table occupies most of the petite dining space while some stray seating snuggles underneath a slanted nook. And the tables are adorned with sleek utensils and dishes.

It’s easy to mistaken BaoQi for a Pho restaurant. It isn’t. The short menu is a modest cross section of familiar Vietnamese dishes including a variety of noodle soups (mostly sans beef noodle), banh mi (sandwiches), appetizers and some exotic sounding beverages.

I warmed myself up with BaoQi’s seafood noodle soup: a sweeter-than-usual, clear broth swimming with generously portioned squid, fish cakes and prawns. BaoQi’s noodle soup feels more refined; subtle, yet still comforting.

(Above: Standard triumvirate of Vietnamese garnish: bean sprouts, lime and chili sauce.)

Case ordered the hot and sour soup: a tangy, tomato and tamarind based broth with just a hint of spice and chunks of tomato, whole okra and garlic tips. It’s served with a side of steamed rice which can be soaked in the soup prior to consuming.

(Above: Vietnamese hot and sour soup with tomatoes, okra and garlic tips.)

Our meal including taxes and tip came to around $23, which is pricey for a typical Vietnamese noodle soup meal, but seems like the right price point for a downtown location and for the more refined execution and decor. The flavours at BaoQi aren’t what you’d expect from most Vietnamese hole-in-the-walls, but BaoQi’s contemporary execution feels at home with the local vibe on Davie Street.

Perfect for: Downtown Vietnamese noodle fix.

The Details

620 Davie Street, Vancouver
604.700.4100

Rating / 4 out of 5 stars

What’s all the Hubbub, Bub? Well, if you make your way onto Hornby street just a block away from Robson, that Hubbub is sandwiches. The abandoned sports bar project turned sandwich shop dishes out torpedo like packages of protein, carb and veggies in a well manicured operation.

(Above: Hubbub sandwich served wrapped in butcher paper, with a side of chips in a tin bowl on a tin tray.)

Everything about Hubbub is polished, from the clean, minimal decor, to the painted on the the wall signage giving directions on how to order, to the presentation and packaging of the sandwiches themselves.

The menu is small: Pork, Turkey Sausage, Chicken Breast, Veggie and Prawn, plus a handful of sides and beverages.

(Above: What’s all the Hubbub, Bub?)

Case and I shared the Turkey sausage — a free-range, lightly spiced chorizo sourced from a local butcher. It arrived neatly packaged in a soft, yet firm baguette (not crispy mind you) meticulously layered with lettuce, onions, jalapenos and their secret sauce. Crispy BC grown potato chips served as our sandwich’s accompaniment.

(Above: Extreme close up of Hubbub’s Turkey Sausage sandy.)

Our chips and sandwich including tax and tip came to under $15. Hubbub certainly isn’t the most inexpensive meal around, but the portions are good — teetering from decent if you’re really hungry, to not quite enough if split between two people.

Perfect for: Downtown sandwiches made by folks who may or may not be artists.

The Details

859 Hornby Street, Vancouver
604.568.3398
hubbubsandwiches.com
@_hubbub

Rating / 3 out of 5 stars

Dougie Dog, started by a proprietor with a clear passion for hot dogs, is located in the entertainment district on Granville Street. Sure, there are various toppings to be had but unlike most hot dog vendors, Dougie Dog starts off with wieners that are all natural and free of hormone, chemicals and preservatives. Then, they lay on the toppings.

(Above: the New York Style dog — classic with mustard and sauerkraut.)

Dougie Dog has a sizeable menu influenced by a road trip across America to discover the best hot dog. This lead to such menu items as the Dave Grohl (whiskey infused, cole slaw and hot peppers) and the Downward Dog (a veggie dog topped  with tomato, onion, spinach, avocado and feta). But it was the more familiar New York Dog we ended up selecting — a classic with spicy mustard, piled with sauerkraut and served on a warm soft hot dog bun. It finished with a satisfying snap after each bite.

(Left to right: Mac ‘n Cheese, and a side of slaw.)

To accompany our dog, we ordered a side of their homemade mac n’ cheese, which looked a lot more tasty than it really was. The pasta was sorely overcooked and despite all the cheese — tasteless.

Dougie dog is also home to a wide variety of root beer, both bottled and tap. We opted for the tap variety which was cold and frosty and tasted smooth with a slight hint of medicinal spice.

(Above: Root beer on tap. Serious business.)

Our bill including taxes came to under $20, on par with most hot dog prices in the Downtown area. I can see Dougie’s being extremely popular after a hard night of clubbing, with patrons one upping each other trying some of the crazy combos. Skip the sides, however, and stick to the dogs and root beer.

Perfect for: a street meat alternative.

The Details

1011 Granville Street, Vancouver
604.468.3647
dougiedog.com

Rating / 3 out of 5 stars

Penang Delight Cafe is a small restaurant located in the same neighbourhood as Universal Bakery and Golden Oscar Cafe. It’s a restaurant that identifies as authentic Malaysian cuisine. We can’t speak to its authenticity, but we were curious to see how Penang would stack up to other Malaysian restaurants in Vancouver.

(Above: Penang Asam Laksa — Hot and Sour Noodle Soup with Sardines. )

Inside, the restaurant’s seating is cramped, but the wood paneling and Malaysian decor with intricate, colourful patterns is pleasing to the eye. We arrived during the lunch rush, when select dishes are offered at $1 less than the regular price. Although Penang was buzzing with activity, we were seated promptly and service was efficient.

We started with a cold drink — grass jelly soya bean. Grass jelly is a jello type substance made from a plant belonging to the mint family. It is known to have a cooling effect on the body. Because of the grassy taste, it’s an acquired taste, but the combination of the milky soy and ice made for a refreshing and interesting beverage.

(Above: Number 11)

Tre had the Penang Asam Laska: a spicy, hot and sour broth with laska noodles, sardines, cucumber, pineapple, onions and garnished with mint leaves. The broth had a subtle kick, but wasn’t all that spicy. The sourness, however, was less subtle.

For myself, Curry Laska: a mixture of yellow noodle and rice vermicelli with fish balls, bean sprouts, fried tofu in a coconut curry broth. The broth was comforting and familiar, but didn’t stand out particularly amongst other laksas I’ve tried.

(Above: Grass Jelly and Soy Bean drink.)

Next, the sweets, starting with Kuih Dadar: a vibrant, green crepe flavoured with pandan juice, stuffed with grated coconut and steamed. It was steeped in palm sugar. They looked pretty, but our jaws grew tired from the overwhelming volume and dryness of the grated coconut.

Lastly, Malay Kuih: a steamed gelatinous dessert topped with grated coconut and milk that resembles a Chinese dessert often served during dim sum. This dessert arrived looking messy, like it fell off the plate first and was quickly rescued, but the flavour was nice and the texture more pleasing than the Kuih Dadar.

(Above: Malaysian Dessert — Jello-like, topped with crunchy coconut shreds.)

Our bill included taxes and tips came to just under $40 — which felt pricey for a menu serving lunch specials. The meal had its ups and downs, but Penang would serve well as as a trusty back up plan.

Perfect for: Malaysian cuisine on the East side.

The Details

3885 Rupert Street, Vancouver
604.566.9898
penangdelight.com