By the time you reach your table you should be noticing what a calm and relaxed place this is. It is busy but it is not nearly as frantic as Caffè Artigiano. At times the restaurant is filled with real leaves making it seem more like being outside on a warm autumn day. The difference? You've got wifi. My personal experience with Trees (and I'm only an occasional wifi user) is that their connection is pretty solid. I've had trouble connecting in other cafés but I always get through at Trees. Somebody took the time to do things right.

Having been out of town for awhile Kintaro topped my list of places to visit upon my return to Vancouver. We have reviewed this restaurant on BR before and I have personally checked out other restaurants like it but nothing can really compare to the quality and consistency of the delicious food at Kintaro so let's recap what Kintaro has on offer.

This ramen house, located on Denman at Robson street, usually starts with a wait at the door if you arrive after 7 pm. The turnover is quick so do not give up! You might have to wait longer if you want a private table but if sitting at the bar or with a group at the table in front is okay the wait will not be long.

Many other ramen houses have been popping up around Kintaro, but no matter how high-end pretty the new establishments can be I have yet to find one that can come close. Not as good, too few ingredients, too expensive, the list goes on. Kintaro has it all and the cost is really low. So why try another place at all? Monday nights. Kintaro is closed on Monday nights. Atmosphere might be another consideration if you require a formal dining experience.

The Joyeaux Café is in a new location on Howe Street as a result of ongoing construction in the Pender Street area. At the old location, I knew this café as a custom sandwich haunt but the new location does a better job of showcasing the variety of Pho dishes, traditional Vietnamese baguette sandwiches and other foods that they have on offer.

For those who know the area well you are probably thinking about graffiti when I mention the location. The owners of this café have had graffiti artists update the exterior (see the video for details). The wall adjacent to the building has been in mural form for a good seven or eight years now, this latest update sees the building looking a few shades younger after the past artwork had been looking a little weathered.

With a wide selection of breads and toppings you can choose what suits you best for your next lunch on the go. Seen here is the Tandoori Chicken sandwich on whole wheat. Recommended by the chef, this sandwich features fresh marinated chicken served with other fresh fixings and a side of cheesy poofs or chips to top up your order.

If you follow that door and you will find an almost-private room in the back where additional seating is available along the Water street side of the building. Outside of lunch hours this is a great place to have a meeting while you enjoy the rich flavours of the menu. As with many cafés in Vancouver's Gastown you can also opt to sit outdoors if the weather permits, though seating can be limited when the kitchen is brewing up a storm. Like other heritage buildings, Brioche lacks air conditioning which only adds to the old-world appeal of this venue.

This curry bar features nearly everything under the sun. A daily special for each day of the week has my personal favourite, chicken masala, featured on Wednesdays. On other days I opt for the chicken curry or if I've got a craving for sweet foods I'll go for the chilli chicken. The standard dish comes with two veggie options as well, and usually there are at least six to choose from. So you can get some dal (the lentil dish) and some chick peas (as seen here) or you can get some cabbage, mixed vegetables and even some potatoes if the rice or noodle option is not enough starch to keep you happy.

When we arrived, perhaps about ten minutes into the lunch hour, we were made to wait before getting a seat. No big deal here - perhaps just a taste of Paris coming through - for we were promptly seated after things calmed down. So far things are okay.

It took quite awhile for us to flag down our server to take our order. At lunch hour on a Monday one might expect that they would be "on it" for the daily rush. Whatever. We're still doing alright by any account I suppose. I thought about what I wanted, scrolled down the menu and pointed at what I wanted as I read it aloud to our server. I ordered a chicken baguette sandwich with the only side order I saw available: fries (I think they have soup too but nobody told us the daily specials). It's been a long time since I've had fries but no worries I guess. You only live once and there are bigger things to complain about than this.

What happened next?

Inside the restaurant Pho Van glows with neon lights, a big screen TV and a lot of mirrors on the three walls that are not facing the street. For this reason it looks about three times larger than it really is. Sometimes the TV is playing pop music videos, other times I've seen it showing the mating habits of animals on the Discovery Channel. Whatever the case, you'll have a few distractions when you're waiting for your food which usually arrives in good time.

When you arrive at the Beaver you will note the industrial surroundings with the BCIT Aerospace Campus just to the north. Busses are few here so good luck walking that distance - I certainly wouldn't want to do it. Convince a friend to drag their oil wagon out of the driveway, or ride you bike already, and head down to the south side of Sea Island and you will be well on your way.

Well, if you want to shun the pasta your next best option is to go for some food court specials. Teriyaki House is a hidden away gem nestled below the 7-11 on Alberni and Thurlow streets. Once inside you will find a many different food options and often a line up at, you guessed it, Teriyaki House.

Taco Mexico Rico is an interesting spot. It is a busy restaurant, located in a bit of an obscure location near Vancouver Community College and Victory Square park on Pender Street at Hamilton. It has been around a for awhile now, I had previously known this place to be just down the street from it's current location. In a past life this place was known as Mexico Sabroso so if you've been wondering where it moved, now you know.

Inside we found a quiet table in the corner and the EU Cup playing on the screen. There was a wait once at the table and a bit of confusion on our part about what to order but we eventually figured everything out, finally settling on some drinks from an unspecified cola company and some enchiladas and a quesidilla as the main course.

What did we find? This is the place you want to go when you want good spicy food without the window dressing. "Rustic" is a good way of characterizing the place, but "well traveled" might be a better term. I think this place would be great spot at 4am but they keep hours which are pretty much limited to standard business day.

The Topanga Cafe is a little gem on the west side between Point Grey and Kitsilano that should not be missed. The menu is largely made up of Mexican dishes prepared with a Californian flare. The result is a flavourful mix of tastes and some great drinks that will make most anyone relax a little bit as they ease into the weekend.

The food is decent if ramen is your fare and the order will be at your table fast. If you opt for a fried rice and/or curry dish you will also get a kind of miso soup that differs from the norm: a very oniony soup which is very good, it reminds me of a Korean BBQ dish I had in the West End once. Pickled bean sprouts also come with the non-ramen foods on the menu.