Restaurants along Denman?

[mr.x]

I'm organizing an event next year, and i was wondering if you guys could recommend me some nice and affordable restaurants for our delegates to eat out.....our venue is the Coast Plaza Hotel on Denman and Comox, so restaurants within a short walking distance would be great.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=coast+plaza+hotel&sll=49.4467,-122.036133&sspn=3.185846,7.075195&ie=UTF8&ll=49.288131,-123.1394&spn=0.006242,0.013819&t=h&z=16

Thanks!

[jlousa]

Better double check for when it is next year as the Coast hotel is closing and being converted to rental stock next year as there new location is opening in the fall of 09.

I've noticed you've been asking for places to eat a few times already, really the best thing is to go and try a few places out yourself. Food is pretty subjective and what one person likes the other might not. Have some fun and eat at a few different places.

[mr.x]

^ what??? has that been approved? i thought it was just a proposal.

Next year's event is in early-2009, but if that's going ahead then the 2010 event is in trouble.


Where is their new location opening?

[jlousa]

Wow for someone that spends so much time on these forums I'd figured you'd know more. :cheers:

The new Coast hotel is already on the 3rd floor, and will top out before the end of this fall and will be open by next fall at the latest. Not sure when the current location will be closing but it is closing and it will be turned over to rental stock as per the new owners, I imagine the work will take a while to convert but work will start as soon as it closes.
If the conference is early in the year you should be fine.

[mr.x]

^ lol, no it's fine....we already signed the contract.

I think I may have just forgotten about that development, isn't it something like 20-storeys....greenish/bluish looking?

FYI, i'm spending a lot less time on the net these days. :p

[jlousa]

That's good to hear, you'll have time to try out some restaurants then.

One of my favorite activities in this city.

[SpongeG]

fatburger
rickys diner
rain city grill

just 3 i can think of

[amor de cosmos]

Mr Pickwick's fish & chips is around the corner on Denman @ Nelson. I've never eaten there though & all I know is what's on their website (such as awards they've won):
http://www.mrpickwicks.bc.ca/

[Smooth]

The banana leaf is good and relatively inexpensive. Not sure if it can accommodate a very big group though.

[Rusty Gull]

Our company used to host events at the Coast on Denman, and we would take our somewhat large parties (50-100 people) to the Macaroni Grill on Davie.

[twoNeurons]

I second the Macaroni Grill. Great for big groups.

[Coldrsx]

rain city is pretty good... their spoon appy is awesome

[mezzanine]

How big is your group? how formal is the dinner out (ie. would it be a manditory activity or just an informal 'meet at restaurant x'?)

macaroni grill is huge, I would agree with it being a natural choice. if your group is ~10-15, maybe Kingyo (by WECC) would be a unique pick.

[deasine]

rain city is pretty good... their spoon appy is awesome

It's one of the best places in Vancouver... but it isn't the most affordable =P

[mr.x]

How big is your group? how formal is the dinner out (ie. would it be a manditory activity or just an informal 'meet at restaurant x'?)

macaroni grill is huge, I would agree with it being a natural choice. if your group is ~10-15, maybe Kingyo (by WECC) would be a unique pick.

300-400 delegates, a four day conference. We're not actually going to book any restaurants, they are free to go to anywhere they want.....they have lunch and dinner breaks. What we organizers want to do is somehow arrange discounts with three or four restaurants as "official conference restaurants" and somehow try to stream as many delegates to these restaurants.


BTW jlousa, it turns out that the Coast Plaza is going nowhere until after 2010. They're keeping the hotel for another few months, just for the Olympics......sadly, we also booked the same hotel again for 2010.

[Robynobotica]

Macaroni Grill is huge, but I've never once heard a good thing about its food. Seriously, think twice about recommending it.

Most of the restaurants along Denman are smallish hole in the wall type places - not places that can handle 300-400 delegates. Yaletown and Robson Street would probably be a better dining destination in that situation. I know you're not seeking a place that can handle all of them at once, but if you're going to make official recommendations, you'll probably want to make sure that they could handle 50+ businessmen (and ladies) arriving at once.

The only restaurants I can think of that might be appropriate within walking distance of the Coast Plaza:

The Boathouse (at English Bay)
http://www.boathouserestaurants.ca/

Milestones (at English Bay)
http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/

Delilah's (underneath the Coast Plaza)
http://www.delilahs.ca/

Smaller restaurants worth looking into:

Raincity Grill (for local 100 mile diet gourmet specialties)
http://www.raincitygrill.com/

Kingyo (for one of the best izakayas in the city)
http://www.dinehere.ca/restaurant.asp?r=1992

Parkside (on Haro off Denman for one of the best gourmet meals in the city)
http://www.parksiderestaurant.ca/

[muzhav84]

I posted this in another thread, but just FYI... Macaroni Grill is turing into The Keg this spring