Tim "Grom Nom Nom" L.'s Profile

Never knew there was an English name for this shuttle van, but leave it to Yelpers to figure that all out.

Anyways, for just a quarter more than a regular fare on our trusty MTA, this is a far better experience as well as faster and more direct connection between the Chinatowns.  Especially with all that track work that is constantly going on with the 7 train.

It's well worth it and over the years it seems like its gotten more and more friendlier for non-Chinese speaking riders. Though I gotta say there's not much that you can really screw up, you hand them money and then get on board. Only problem is don't get on the wrong shuttle or you may end up at the wrong Chinatown.

Either way, you may luck out with one of the vans with a screen where you can watch some of those cellophane wrapped bootleg DVDs the driver's sister is trying to sell you on the 7 train.

Apotheke is one of those places that's getting along in age to the point where there's times you think it's a little past prime. The crowd has definitely moved on from this place and I now notice it filling up more with the annoying business folks that creep in from the financial district and the single 50 year olds on their first date in their new online dating endeavors.  For some reason it bears fruit to some incredible showings of douchey behavior amongst the patrons.

Ignoring that however, the drink menu is still full of great cocktails and all the staff working here are still awesome but the winds have changed and it's not quite the same.

Having said that though, this is still one of those places I make sure to take out of town guests as it still possesses that feel that they get so excited about.  The music is still good and on occasion there's a live band and as long as you can tune out some of the wacky behavior in here, the decor and atmosphere can still all come together to make for an amazing time.

Overall if you're able to avoid the scenesters and odd ball crowd of the weekend, I'd highly recommend checking it out earlier on in the week when it has far more of a comfortable feel.

This particular location of Fatty Crab actually takes reservations which is nice as it makes for a nice hassle free experience compared to their village location.

Came here on a Monday night so not sure how it fares on busier days, but it certainly made for a nice low key and casual atmosphere. It wasn't empty but it wasn't packed and the pacing of the service made it perfect for another dinner spent catching up with a friend.

Started out with the pork belly and shrimp appetizer which was good but nothing spectacular. The flavoring and preparation of the shrimp was well done but it sat on such thin slices of belly that it made it difficult to appreciate the flavor from that.

Not content with just that I ended up getting the watermelon pickle and crispy pork which was surprisingly filling for what I thought looked like a relatively small portion.

The pickle itself was not what I was picturing when I was imagining a pickled watermelon, for one it wasn't the rind and was a mild pickling of the actual red part of the melon. Definitely delicious though.  The pork was very crispy but had a good texture throughout which was enjoyable.

Pricing is a bit on the higher side for what you're getting, but given the great service and warm atmosphere it all plays into a worthwhile meal.

Just like the food served here this place leaves a salty ass taste in your mouth!

Like others I was enticed by the atmosphere and wanted to truly like this place. It's so easy to be tricked into liking this place, but really sit back and think about it and I'm sure you'll have an equally bad experience.

Came here for dinner where we utilized a Travel Zoo deal (http://www.travelzoo.c... - Take note of this during the review...) which promised 2 drinks at the bar, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 2 desserts. Perfect to try this spot out which according to almost all professional reviews revealed this place to be an overpriced place to get very basic food.  (Strangely every classification of this place is American, yet it clearly strives to be English -- guess there's rarely a classification for that).

Also people may say "Hey your fault for using a deal site." well guess what? Fuck you, the point of restaurants partnering up for things like deal sites, prix fixe menus for restaurant week etc is to gain exposure and to show off and make a good impression.

We enter the restaurant and are greeted by the nice hostess and coat check girl who promptly takes our jackets. We purposely come early to make use of the drink portion of the deal. As we try to be good patrons, my companion and myself let the hostess know we'll be using this deal and ask to clarify the details of the deal.  No problem we're told, just have a couple of drinks at the bar and let the waitress at the table know when we're seated.

Had the London Sting which was unique and a little different take on the Bee Sting that I've had before elsewhere (whiskey replaced with Gin which I enjoy). Definitely did as expected and tickled the throat, interesting but probably won't get it again.

Time comes to get seated and we sit at our table and am presented with the regular menu to muse over further drinks. We let the waitress know we're using a Travel Zoo deal and away she goes with our voucher and returns with a Travel Zoo specific menu.

No problem here. It's a lot like a restaurant week menu, where it's the same items on the menu but reduced selection. It has everything that we wanted to try on the regular menu anyways.

We both get the Pork Belly appetizer that everyone writes about. I get the Duck Shepherd's Pie and my lady friend gets the Salmon fishcake with the poached egg.

The pork belly arrives and as others have noted the salted caramel and apple salad is the best part. Pork belly while being a solid chunk, is overdone to begin with and being served cold only exacerbates the issue of it tasting like rubber (got to note the skin however was crunchy and tasty).

Hunger sets in, so I get a glass of the Ponzi Pinot Noir and the duck pie arrives. It's ok, but nothing stellar.  Good thing we didn't spend the exorbiant price tag it normally goes for on it.  Actually glad that's the case with all the food we got.  Either way I'm hungry so over the next 30 - 40 minutes wash it down with sips of the wine.  My companion's fishcake remains 1/3 eaten the entire meal.

Next comes dessert time, I get an Earl Grey tea and we get the special Travel Zoo menus again.  The tea comes back and we order the molton chocolate cake and the sticky toffee. Away the waitress goes. 5 minutes later comes back and informs us that there's a different deal and it's just 1 dessert between the two of us.

We're almost certain it was supposed to be 2 but are both sitting there with a WTF? Should we say something face. We ponder it and decide not, since most of the other food is just mediocre, but my mind goes wild. We ordered extra drinks beyond the deal you'd think that'd be enough to toss in that second dessert.

Anyways we finish and ask for the check and it comes where the waitress tells us gratuity has been included. Um seriously WTF? The deal page is pretty clear that Tax & Gratuity is NOT INCLUDED. I understand some people are dicks with deals and don't tip properly but seriously, we're grown up people let us deal with that.

Of course that all leaves a bitter taste and beyond this review making my Shit List, Travel Zoo will probably hear about this since despite it not being their fault, I feel like they should be aware of what type of place they decided to partner up with.

I'll imagine this place will continue to survive on the shopping tourists in the area. Perhaps lunch is better? However either way, dinner experience here -- which again tries to be English and so I shall equally respond -- is utter bollacks and a the whole establishment is a total cock-up.

The only redeeming factor was the Ponzi Pinot Noir and the Earl Grey I had which I'm sure you could just get via a liquor store and your neighborhood Gristedes respectively.

Why am I up at this hour writing this? TMI WARNING! Well note to the wise mixing the London Sting + Pinot Noir + Salty Ass Food + Sweets + Tea does not equal a good gastrointestinal experience anywhere.

This is probably the best place to get food and a drink in this airport and for that it gets the extra star. There's not many airports that actually have decent restaurants so when comparing this restaurant it just can't be compared to a regular restaurant.

The service was pretty decent despite being the last seated patron of the night. Service was attentive initially and it of course declined being the last ones there.

If you're not wanting to get a drink (alcoholic) then you're probably better off with food that's consistent from something like Five Guys.

Otherwise this place is your best bet for food + drink.

I came here for lunch and ate in the "lounge" portion and as people have said their food is absolutely delicious. It's primarily known for their tapas which can definitely rack up the bill given their pricing. Just to give you an idea their entrees are only a few dollars more.

This is certainly a place where you'd go for a business lunch with a client and that's exhibited at nearly all the tables. Service to be honest is pretty spotty and terrible once seated, but the manager who's by the host station is always on top of her game and friendly to boot.

The floor to ceiling and wall to wall glass as well as its location make this a prime people watching spot as well.

The best deal on the lunch menu has got to be their burger with the pork belly. It's actually very decently priced and tastes amazing. Especially for all the meat lovers out there. It's very indulgent and full of flavor, not to mention generously portioned.

Like so many others I was excited to see another option for Mexican on the UES. Unfortunately it was a pretty big disappointment.  There's just so many other places where the same amount of money spent would bring you a far better experience.

The food was all completely forgettable.  Either I was expecting more based on the glowing reviews and love the other location has, but the food was mediocre at best.  The worst part is the fact that you shell out a pretty penny for extremely small portions (even for tapa / share plate standards).

Most of the tacos we ordered dripped a disgusting amount of oil and as much as I wanted to like this place the food just negated everything else.  Guac was the only thing memorable for the fact that it reminded me of someone simply taking an avocado, mashing it up and putting it on a plate without adding anything else.

The atmosphere looked great here with a nice margharita bar and neighborhoody feel. Unfortunately the unattentive service we received coupled with the disappointing food and spendy price tag just all came together to make me never want to give this place a second chance.

It doesn't help that it's right next door to Flex Mussels which has found that perfect balance of a good bar scene, casual and welcoming with a good balance of service and tasty food.

The contrast just really makes this a 2 star experience for me.

Cafe Medina deservedly sits with its solid rating here for the sole reason that it offers up a great atmosphere in an unpretentious neighborhood with reasonable prices.

Despite the small space, Medina does a pretty solid job of handling the vast amount of people that try to get a table here.

The lavender latte seems to be the most popular and for good reason. It's an absolutely smooth comfort drink and goes perfectly with any brunch item you might go for here.

The use of fresh ingredients that are top notch results in a perfectly constructed dish with each piece both standing out and blending together perfectly. Prime example? The paella dish here is absolutely amazing. From the egg that is cooked just right, to the proportionately appropriate vegetables and chorizo.

Staff are patient and friendly and extremely effective in being around to serve you. Go on a weekday lunch for easier access and less frustration.  Two is the perfect number here and any group larger than 3 is probably going to be a bit of a wait.

Vancouver certainly needs more quality places like this and Medina does a solid by being a prime example.

Bacaro has definitely become one of those places that has made itself come to mind whenever friends are asking me for a recommendation of a cool and casual spot that's low key and trouble free.

It's a perfect spot for a casual catch up session with friends. A perfect spot for a date. A perfect spot for a small celebration.

Nestled a short stretch of street on the edge of the LES and Chinatown this little spot is definitely one of those "hidden gems" despite the number of people who've actually been here.

The downstairs dining room/bar is where most of the action happens and it's an unpretentious experience.

The candle lit cavern feel is perfect and from the bartender down to the waiters are all very laid back and arrive whenever you need to make an order. The relatively low pricing and high quality of the dishes are all perfectly in balance with the atmosphere.

A very decent wine list without any of the snobby wine folks to tarnish the vibe. Grab a glass here with some cheese plates and a generously portioned entree and you're set to drink the night away.

Took a peek in their private party room and it looks like a perfect spot for a less than 20 party to have fun in.

Overall definitely worth venturing to.

I was initially a little cautious of trying this place out given the assortment of mediocre to poor reviews of this place.

I came here for dinner so no disappointing brunch and seriously... the AC failing is a total pain in the ass in the middle of Summer, but I'd assume that's not a regular occurrence.

Anyways, made reservations here for an 8pm dinner and the table was pretty much immediately available at the time. That's always nice, especially when it seems my luck lately is despite having reservations there being a wait.

The space has a good feel and ambience to it despite having an open layout and no real nooks or crannies. Conversations flowed freely at every table around, yet you have no problems hearing the one at your own table.

The service was a bit slow to start out with, but as the restaurant thinned out it became better. This is definitely a place to have a slow and enjoyable meal.

It was also the first place in a long time with a menu that had an assortment and solid variety of options that were all very appealing, which makes the decision for food a tad more difficult.

I was torn between the mac & cheese entree and the hangar steak but was pleasantly surprised they were able to make a side portioned size of it for just a few bucks more than the side of regular mac and cheese freeing me up to have my hangar steak and fries as well.

With the whole truffle fad and how rich they taste, it's been so easy to find a bad truffle dish as restaurants think it's ok to just dump in a bunch of truffles, up the price and call it a day. The mac & cheese with the chopped truffles and prosciutto however is perfectly balanced here. In fact everything was perfectly prepared and delicious to boot.

Definitely a great date spot, there were lots of those going on here.