It's Pho good ..

Tonight, I had one of those "could not ask for more" kind of nights. Usually, when a group of friends and I go out to dinner together, it's planned a week or so in advance. We all have pretty busy schedules and lots of evening commitments, so it takes time and effort to orchestrate a girls' night out on the town.

This afternoon, I wrote on a friend's Facebook wall that we should go out for Pho - aka absolutely delicious Vietnamese noodle soup. She sent me a text message telling me she was totally up for and we set a time to meet. A few minutes later, I got a text message from another girlfriend. "Are you guys really going out for Pho? Can I come?" ... Yay! Dinner with two friends. What a pleasant surprise.

As I was heading out to meet them, I got a phone call. "Hey, are people really going out for Pho tonight? 'Cause I've been totally craving it and I wanna come too!" Oh. My. Gosh! A spontaneous, full fledged girls' night! Bring it! :)

We ended up going to our favorite Pho place up on Sasamat street called Gold Train Express.

Gold Train Express

4530 West 10th Ave (corner of Sasamat)

We ate our soup, chatted, laughed, updated one another on life. When dinner was over, we were all having such a great time that none of us were ready to say goodbye ... so we headed over to Suzanne's and curled up on her couch and watched Walk The Line. Cue more laughing, some off-key singing, dancing, cartwheels in the hallway (seriously!) and a whole lotta fun. I love these girls so much. I love my west coast life so much. Oh, and I love Pho! It's just pho good! :)

"And these are the moments I thank God that I'm alive. And these are the moments I'll remember all my life. I found all I've waited for, and I could not ask for more."

Serious about Sushi

Fact: You cannot live in Vancouver and not fall in love with sushi. You just can't. Spare me the whole "but I don't like fish" spiel and just trust me on this. There are more sushi shops in Vancouver than there are McDonalds and with good reason - sushi in this city is da bomb. That's right, da bomb. *happy dance*

Last week, Xinxin and I decided to treat ourselves to some serious "sushi-ness" and we ended up here:

Tomokazu, 1128 West Broadway #201

All you can eat sushi. Be still my heart. ♥

{Caught in the act. Don't judge. Those udon noodles were amazing}

They had a really great selection and unbelievably quick service (we were served out first plate of sushi within 5 minutes of us sitting down). Everything we ate was delicious (especially the spicy tuna rolls!) and it was all really fresh. I also appreciated the fact that the restaurant was unbelievably clean and the tables weren't crowded together ... sometimes "all you can eat" places can get messy and noisy, but Tomokazu had a really classy ambiance. It's a great place to go for an intimate date night or an evening out with friends.

Next time you're craving a California roll or some tuna teriyaki, I highly recommend you check out Tomokazu. Just make sure you eat lightly all day to save room for the buffet!

What about you, fellow Vancouver friends? Where's your favorite place to grab sushi?

xo

All Greek To Me

Tonight, a group of my friends and I went out for dinner here ...

{ photo credit - Waqas Ahmed }

Stepho's Souvlaki Greek Taverna is, according to many, *the* Greek restaurant in Vancouver. Popular among both tourists and locals, it's located right downtown, on Davie Street, and is known for its inexpensive but delicious souvlaki, pitas and lamb roast. I was really excited to try Stepho's, not only because I've heard so much about it, but because I rarely eat downtown. There are so many fantastic restaurants and cafes right in my neighborhood (Kitsilano) that there really isn't any need to venture across the Burrard Bridge into the downtown core to find good food. That being said, one of my goals for 2011 is to expand my foodie insight to all corners of the city ... and Stepho's downtown was a great way to kick-start that goal into motion.

From the outside, it certainly doesn't look like anything to write home about. Nestled cozily between a little convenience store and a sushi restaurant, it actually looks a little run-down. As my friends and I joined the queue of diners standing outside, I wasn't convinced that the 45 minute wait was going to be worth it. Luckily, once we stepped inside I was pleasantly surprised. They've made the inside of the restaurant look like a little Greek village with one half of the restaurant looking like a little house and the other half like a garden. The service was fast, our waitress was friendly and our food arrived about 10 minutes after we ordered it. I ordered the moussaka and it was very good - not the best moussaka I've ever had, but delicious nonetheless.

{ Grace, Bo and I enjoy some warm Greek bread }

So, is Stepho's worth all the hype? Yes and no. I loved the atmosphere ... the authentic decor, the Greek music, the jars of olive oil and the vintage wine display. I loved the checkered blue and white table cloths and the flickering candles and the little vases of flowers on each table. I would happily wait 45 minutes in line, on a chilly Vancouver evening, just to sit in a place that makes me feel like I'm in Greece. As for the food ... well, while I certainly liked and enjoyed it, truth is it's not the best Greek food I've ever had. Dishes at Stepho's average $7-$12 and you get what you pay for ... it's yummy, but it's not the creme de la creme. Will I go back? Yes, probably many times. Will it get my vote for best Greek restaurant in the city? Sorry, Stepho's, but no.

What's your take on restaurants with hype? Do you find they typically deliver, or do you usually leave feeling a little disappointed?

xox