americangraffitiVancouverSince November 3, 200712 Reviews
(2.7)- Food
(3.1) - Service
(2.3) - Value
(1) - Ambiance (2.7)
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(2.7) (3.1) (2.3) (1) (2.7)I dined at Sala Thai with a small group of friends and we were very disappointed by the service we received. When we arrived there were very few people in the restaurant, but it took quite a while for someone to seat us at a table. Once seated we ordered our food shortly thereafter, but ended up having to wait a long time for our water glasses to be filled and well over 45 minutes for our food (we probably only received the food when we did because we had to ask our server when the food would be ready). Our server brought out a few meals before the others and the rice for everyone. The remaining meals were brought to the table after more waiting (this time about 10 minutes). By that time, the first meals were cold and so were all the side dishes of rice. The dining experience took so long that some of us weren't even able to eat at the restaurant and had to request takeaway containers immediately after receiving our meals. The food quality wasn't great either. In my case, I ordered vegetarian red curry with tofu and I received a very liquidy curry with no tofu and a very limited selection of vegetables (mostly carrot slices and only a few pieces of heartier vegetables like broccoli). What took the cake was the automatic 15% tip that was added to our bill. A sincere apology for the awful service we received would have been more welcome. We won't be going back to Sala Thai after this experience.
The music is too loud. The food is mediocre. The service is slow, and the staff wear clothes that look dirty (including toques that appear to be hiding grungy hair). The food is pretty healthy, but that's about all it has going for it. I'm usually excited when I place my order hoping that what I will get on my plate will be as imaginative as the names on the menu -- but alas, it's usually just a pile of boring food that I could easily whip up at home. I think it's time for me to move on to better vegetarian fare.
I longed for tasty fish 'n' chips for ages after moving to Vancouver from Toronto where I frequented Chippy's. I finally discovered yummy fish 'n' chips at Go Fish! The halibut and salmon are always reliably good, especially when I only order one piece and don't feel bad about the unhealthiness of the meal afterwards. At other fish 'n' chip joints I avoid coleslaw like the plague, but I always want to order more of it at Go Fish. I used to order cod from time to time (because it's cheaper) but started to find that it was quite unreliable and sometimes the rubbery texture of it would be very unpleasant. Stick to halibut or salmon and you won't be disappointed.
If you're looking for a vegetarian buffet and can control yourself to eating just one plate or a plate and a half (so you don't feel disgustingly full) you can enjoy a meal here. Don't expect high quality food, but it's passably good for a reasonable price. The mango lassis are very good (and a good deal!) at All India.
I live near Paul's Place, so I enjoy going here for breakfast; if I lived further away I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. I used to have the omelettes fairly often, but I got tired of the cream cheese included as one of the "cheeses" in the omelettes. I have since started ordering the two egg breakfast, which is a great deal. I love the homemade berry compote that comes with the toast. The service is always friendly, which keeps me coming back.
I put up with the lineups and craziness at The Eatery because they have some of the best vegetarian sushi options in all of Vancouver. The mango paradise roll is particularly delicious. Highly recommended if you're bored with the hum-drum avocado, cucumber and "veggie" sushi that you find at other places.
I will be honest: I'm too cheap to go to Vij's. For this reason, I'm so glad that Rangoli exists. I love the food here, especially the paneer and portobello mushroom dish. The rice pudding is to die for, and I'm so glad the restaurant returned it to the menu after it made a brief disappearance this summer. The restaurant is very small, so I often opt for takeout, which is prepared promptly. I like that the restaurant has invested in serving takeout orders in durable, reusable containers. Highly recommended.
I love the sushi at Kadoya; it's creative and delicious (particularly the Queen roll). Unfortunately, the service could be much better. Both times I have been to Kadoya the service has been extremely slow (we waited about 45 minutes the last time before someone finally took our order -- and we asked twice if someone would be coming by soon). The staff also failed to refill our tea until the very end of the meal. I recommend Kadoya, but with the hope that we will see improved service in the near future!
I am puzzled as to why the Naam wins "best vegetarian" awards year after year as I'm always disappointed by the service and food quality (with the exceptions of the "Gold Dragon" dragon bowl, sesame fries, and the house salad dressing). There are always long waits for tables, and when you finally get seated the service is extremely slow. The dishes served at the Naam are seriously lacking in creativity; most of the dragon bowls are topped with the same mixture of shredded veggies. The only thing this place has going for it is the fact that it is open 24 hrs/day. Maybe you would like it if you became vegetarian in the 70s and learned to love bland veggie food. Other restaurants are far more deserving of the level of attention that the Naam continues to receive (i.e. Dharma Kitchen).
I have been to Noodle Box a number of times because it is in my neighbourhood, but it isn't a restaurant I would go out of my way to get to. The meal prices are expensive given that there are very few vegetables in most of the noodle dishes (I always order my noodle boxes with tofu). The first few times I visited Noodle Box I made the mistake of ordering a spice level that seemed reasonable (medium), but that ended up ruining the flavours of the dish. If you're trying the restaurant for the first time, opt for a milder spice level and work your way up. I usually stick to the Spicy Peanut noodle box, as I have been very disappointed by some of the other menu options.
I went to Sala Thai recently and found the meals I tried (red curry and pad thai with shrimp) to be very mediocre compared to other Thai restaurants in the city. I was extremely disappointed by the lack of vegetables in vegetarian red curry, and found the added tofu to be quite bland. The service was also extremely slow and inattentive on the Friday night that I went to the restaurant.
I love Dharma Kitchen! The service can be a little slow at busy times, but if you know this and can give yourself some extra time to enjoy your dining experience you won't be disappointed. The food is very healthy and very tasty. My favourite meal is the dharma bowl as the veggies are always grilled to perfection. I also really like the chai; it's very different from chai I've had anywhere else and I can't think of anything better to drink on a cold, rainy day in Vancouver. Highly recommended.
