Monday, July 25, 2005

Glorious Restaurant Find!

Have you ever walked by a restaurant dozens, if not hundreds, of times but for whatever reason never went in? And then suddenly one day you did and kicked yourself for not going there years before?! That's exactly what happened to me today! I'm a HUGE fan of Vancouver's Granville Island. It's quite close to my home and is a wonderful place to go for a walk, or shopping, or just to play.
At the mouth of Granville Island is a cooking school called the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. I've walked past this place hundreds of times but only once did I go in and only to check out their bakeshop. What I didn't realize was that they offer lunch and dinner offerings, as a way for their students to practice their craft. A friend from California was in town and had discovered this place on the Internet. So I joined her there for lunch.
To say I was impressed would be the understatement of the decade! The food was absolutely delicious and the presentation was what you would expect in a 4-star restaurant. What's equally amazing is that for just $11 you get your choice of an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert. This same meal would easily cost $40 - $50 at any comparable restaurant. Click on any of the photos and I bet you'll start salivating. I just checked out their website and discovered they have a seafood buffet every Friday. There are few other things in life that I ravenously desire more than a seafood buffet! Guaranteed I will be partaking in such a feast very soon!!! Reservations are strongly recommended!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

PelaLusa! Jacinta from Victoria here. Culinary institutes often offer some of the best food at some of the best prices, and the students are always so pleasant and eager to please. I didn't know about this one on GI, but I'll go there on one of my trips to Vancouver, sooner rather than later!

dgnyhk said...

One of the best restaurants I've ever been to is in Hanoi - http://www.hoasuaschool.com/ - not only is it a training school, it's also a way to create real opportunities for kids who otherwise would have none. Service can be a bit hit or miss, but comes with such enthousism you can't possibly complain.