Metro Vancouver Restaurant News thread - Page 33

VanCvl · #**641** Posted **Dec 11, 2013, 11:42 PM**

Quote:

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.

I think the noodle house will actually do pretty good. The pho I had there was really good. Compare that to the overpriced "cuisine" at Commune and I think it'll be a hit.

connect2source · #**642** Posted **Dec 11, 2013, 11:49 PM**

I drive past this disaster every day, it's beyond hideous and bordering on offensive!

We have sign guidelines on the books at City Hall but they are rarely if every enforced. This brings down the entire block so I believe everyone in the area must be cringing. Let's just hope this goes the way of the Paul's Wok and Sunset Burgers ( the two previous tenants ).

phesto · #**643** Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 12:09 AM**

There are far better noodle houses within a 5 minute walk...

Maybe if they keep their cheap looking "Grand Opening" sign up permanently they will scrape by.

spm2013 · #**644** Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 12:16 AM**

....

officedweller · #**645** Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 12:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by phesto

There are far better noodle houses within a 5 minute walk...

Which ones?

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanCvl

I think the noodle house will actually do pretty good. The pho I had there was really good. Compare that to the overpriced "cuisine" at Commune and I think it'll be a hit.

If they do well, maybe then they can take down the signs.
Their customers wouldn't care about the image of the place, but it does detract.

Paul's Wok looked like a westermized Chinese food place (i.e. PF Chang's) - which won't fly in Vancouver (that's also why "Asian- fusion" failed so miserably.

phesto · #**646** Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Which ones?

For Vietnamese, I would recommend BaoQi at Davie & Seymour. For similar basic noodle places there are a number on Robson between Granville and Cambie that would draw far better than this place just based on location. And then there's Noodlebox which is still doing very well, all the Thai places in Yaletown...well, you get the point.

officedweller · #**647** Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 1:33 AM**

Thanks.
I was thinking cheap places, as there aren't that many downtown.

mezzanine · #**648** Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 2:05 AM**

The ramen shop by the central library on robson is also good...

IMO office worker lunches would be the big market in this area and to be a good office lunch place not only do you have to be tasty, but being cheap and fast also helps.

also IMO vancouver is a meritocracy for food. if a place has good food, people will ignore a dingy room and long line ups (kintaro ramen is a classic example..) if the food is good, vancouverites will ignore a cheesy sign..

Prometheus · #**649** Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 2:51 AM**

City Hall really blows your mind.

Remember how inspectors went on a crusade against East is East on Main Street because its unique, beautiful (and classy) wooden signage didn't conform to city bylaws?

And what about the city's crusade against One Wall Centre's efforts to clad itself from top to bottom in the purest, sleekest, most beautiful curtain wall a residential building has probably ever seen, while the incomprehensible spandrel horror show at the top of The Mark (a true black eye for Vancouver) passes by without the slightest notice?

UNACCEPTABLE:

Quote:

Originally Posted by queetz@home

LOOKS GOOD:

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Pic by my friend across the street today:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

officedweller · #**650** Posted **Jan 11, 2014, 7:44 AM**

Wild Rice on Pender is closing January 31st - owner to focus on New West Market location.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/01/wild-rice-vancouver-closing/

giallo · #**651** Posted **Jan 11, 2014, 9:02 AM**

Ha. Nice one, Prometheus. I agree 100%.

spm2013 · #**652** Posted **Jan 11, 2014, 6:02 PM**

....

whatnext · #**653** Posted **Jan 11, 2014, 8:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Wild Rice on Pender is closing January 31st - owner to focus on New West Market location.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/01/wild-rice-vancouver-closing/

That's a shame, they pioneered better dining in the area, but the action moved into Gastown and International Village never delivered on the promise of more traffic in the area. I had to laugh at Wong's expressed hope of welcoming Pender St regulars to New West - how likely is that!?

spm2013 · #**654** Posted **Jan 11, 2014, 8:38 PM**

....

officedweller · #**655** Posted **Jan 14, 2014, 10:46 PM**

Regarding that restaurant at the Hampton Inn:

Quote:

New owners of the former Zachary’s restaurant on Robson Street hired her to transform their space into what will soon be known as Bogart’s – a casual bistro serving the business clientele for lunches and sports fans in the evening and on weekends to capitalize on its location near BC Place.

http://www.biv.com/article/20140114/BIV0...enovation-helps-hard-rock-casino-rebound

thefly · #**656** Posted **Jan 16, 2014, 6:15 PM**

Quote:

A Vancouver dining institution, Le Gavroche French restaurant, which celebrated its 35th year of service last year, is closed, with a bailiff’s sign on the door saying it owes $80,000 in rent.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Gavroche...rving+Vancouver+years/9391013/story.html