Metro Vancouver Restaurant News thread

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by spm2013

When does Tap & Barrel close down?

T&B has an unrivaled waterfront patio. This unfortunately means their food is very easily rivaled.

[WarrenC12]

Who says Craft will have better food?

[spm2013]

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[djh]

Originally Posted by spm2013

They don't have to have better food. Craft will squeeze them out because they have a room that isn't split between two floors with most of their seating indoors. More atmosphere, more traffic.

Most of the points you listed as being negatives are things that I would see as positives when I'm dining out.

So I don't think you've proved conclusively that Craft would do anything to Tap & Barrel's business.

However, I do agree, and have said many times, that quality of food is inversely proportional to quality of view...

[spm2013]

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[djh]

Originally Posted by spm2013

So let me understand that you like to dine at two floor restaurants that have seating indoors with atmosphere and traffic?

T&B has 280 seats outside, 200 inside. Craft will have 400 inside and 50 outside.

We can have a friendly beer wager to see who's correct in six months (of course we'll have to have it at Craft since T&B won't be in business)

Not quite...

The 2 floors mean that I can go upstairs and enjoy the view, while others might prefer to stay downstairs and chat with friends.

"Atmosphere" and "traffic" mean totally different things for different people. E.g., I personally hate & avoid restaurants with TV screens; I might want to peacefully enjoy the view from a 2nd floor sheltered patio and enjoy conversation with a date, not have lots of friends sitting around being rowdy and watching the game. The last time I went to Tap & Barrell, I specifically took my friend there to enjoy the former and avoid the latter (which was happening downstairs).

And I think I already implied that I agree that Tap & Barel's food is terrible. I don't think it will be gone in 6 months because of it though. They'll either realise the food is not selling well and change the menu/chef, or not care because people will continue to come for the view regardless.

[theKB]

Originally Posted by djh

And I think I already implied that I agree that Tap & Barel's food is terrible. I don't think it will be gone in 6 months because of it though. They'll either realise the food is not selling well and change the menu/chef, or not care because people will continue to come for the view regardless.

Hey the boathouse is still around and their food is AWFUL.

Tap and Barrel has a second location at the convention centre with an equally large patio over there.

If good food mattered to people living in the GVRD, Earls, Cactus, Moxies, Browns, Donnelly etc all would have shut down by now, but apparently we enjoy paying way to much for subpar food while ignoring the gems around these parts. Lets not forget that all of these places are in fact glorified TGIFridays.

Also the Daniel group must be well embedded with the city/parksboard to get access to all of these prime locations.

[spm2013]

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[logan5]

Originally Posted by theKB

Hey the boathouse is still around and their food is AWFUL.

Tap and Barrel has a second location at the convention centre with an equally large patio over there.

If good food mattered to people living in the GVRD, Earls, Cactus, Moxies, Browns, Donnelly etc all would have shut down by now, but apparently we enjoy paying way to much for subpar food while ignoring the gems around these parts. Lets not forget that all of these places are in fact glorified TGIFridays.

Also the Daniel group must be well embedded with the city/parksboard to get access to all of these prime locations.

It must be the East Van in me but I like Earls and Cactus Club food.

[osirisboy]

Yea I love the food from those places. The steak at cactus in yaletown was the best I've had anywhere

[officedweller]

Good consistent food - just a bit pricey.

[Spork]

I would rather eat at a good non-western place any day of the week and pay half of the price of a Cactus/Earls/Moxies/Browns, etc for far better food. All you are paying for there is ambiance and slightly better service.

[Conrad Yablonski]

Craft has the cheapest shittiest chairs available anywhere a person definitely has to be well on their way to inebriation to spend any amount of time in one.

[spm2013]

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[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by spm2013

That's T&B. All the Craft seats including bar stools have padded seats (from photos).

Thanks for that-I should have known from the awful red patio umbrellas.

[spm2013]

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[jlousa]

Some sad news as Boneta will be closing on Dec 23rd. There's no doubt it played an integral part to Gastown's latest revival. Will be interesting to see who's acquiring it, personally I hope it's not Global nor another Yaletown group.

[spm2013]

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[officedweller]

The burger place at Level (Nelson @ Seymour) closed down and a Vietnamese noodle house has opened:

"24 Train Express Noodle House"

So the site went from a trendy Chinese place (that failed miserably), to the burger place to this.

The owners of Commune next door must be cringing - though I expect the noodles to be cheap.

Pic by me today:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

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There's also a sign up on Robson across from Library Square for an Italian restaurant (in the old International News location, I think).
Could be a fast food-ish place, like the rest on the block.

[djh]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The burger place at Level (Nelson @ Seymour) closed down and a Vietnamese noodle house has opened:

"24 Train Express Noodle House"

So the site went from a trendy Chinese place (that failed miserably), to the burger place to this.

The owners of Commune next door must be cringing - though I expect the noodles to be cheap.

Ugh...ugly garish signage can seriously deteriorate the hard work that an architect or designer or landscaper has done to make an area attractive. This just cheapens that corner, in my opinion. Next up: 99 cent pizza stores take over the block