Shoestring Café is a small family owned business located in the industrial area of No. 6 Rd…read more Without word of mouth, one would typically not notice a restaurant in this area. However, I know why this restaurant continues to be booked and busy. I have been various times before but this was the first time in the last few years. I would describe this restaurant as western fine dining for a Chinese palate. You'll find some classic dishes but less heavy on the salt and grease, perfect for myself and the party I was dining with. I ordered the 5 course meal which was a fantastic deal for $65. The bread service at the start is so warm and yummy - don't skip out on it! The pesto sauce tiger prawns weren't overly pesto forward and had a strong presence of garlic - perfect for me! I loved the chowder as I especially like corn. The portion was also perfect considering I had many courses coming afterwards. Next, came the crab cake, which was generously filled with crab and paired with delicious house made butter. For each dish, I found the garnishes pleasing as well (especially the strawberry which was so sweet and ripe!). I think the best deal of the night was the steak. It was not too salty and cooked perfectly to a medium-rare. I managed to have leftovers as well since the portions were overwhelmingly good. Finally, the star of the night was definitely the chocolate soufflé for me. I loved the rich bitterness of the chocolate paired with ice cream on the side. I don't think this place is the best representation for fine dining. After all, they do not serve any alcohol. However, I think it is a great deal and accommodating to my taste buds. If I do not wish to drive out for fancy food, I know I can rely on the food at Shoestring café. As it is a family run business, there is only one person managing the front and I think they do a pretty good job at juggling all the duties of a host, server, and table busser! I would love to return soon.

Friendly service and I love how passionate they are about quality and using fresh ingredients (eg…read morefresh mushrooms for sauces and fresh made pasta). Steamed mussels and soufflé were so addictive and heavenly. The mussels were savoury and buttery and the soufflé was airy with the perfect amount of sweetness. They were very good! Hits and misses for the mains. While the pasta and sauce were great, we wish the seafood were panfried or something to give it a bit more texture. The duck was well done but not tough (we generally like medium rare) though we were confused by why the skin was served down as crispy skin is always a plus for duck breasts. I'm not a fan of mashed potatoes but theirs was not overly heavy and buttery, which I really appreciated and enjoyed. This reminds me of Asian western food but they were tasty and the ambience was cozy - a local neighbourhood spot.

A casual French bistro with a delightful relaxing decor. Americano is strong and flavourful. The…read moreduck confit salad is light with two perfectly poached eggs. Wish more duck confit and less dressing - there is a pool of dressing left on the plate after finishing the salad. The restaurant gets quite busy so normal service.

Went here for dine out Price point isn't good but what can…read moreyou expect nowadays for $55? Steak size is a little bit small but overall a good experience Will have to compare with Au comptoir to have a more accurate comparison

Came here for a romantic anniversary dinner and it was amazing! Cocktails are tasty and I loved…read moretheir comments to them. We had a good laugh at The Kinky's comment: "so dirty that you might seek god afterwards." All the food was great, and the oeuf mayonnaise was the best tasting deviled egg I ever had in my life! Would also recommend the beef tartar, escargot, oysters, and steak frites. We sat at the bar (via reservations), but our bartender Troy was still very attentive and great at recommending the food! I was also impressed they wished us happy anniversary and gave us some complimentary stuff because I usually feel no one reads those comments, but they did!!

birthday dinner with the parents at this cozy, french bistro that's semi-tucked away. it can get a…read morelittle tight inside the restaurant but i think that's what adds to the homeyness vibe. my parents arrived early and were seated RIGHT by the window so i couldn't miss them when i got to the place. there's 2 entrances so make sure you enter in the right one - nbd if you didn't tho. our server was wonderful and attentive - there was a little hiccup with my wine order, and he was able to fix it right away (i wanted the bottle not the glass). this was also my parents' first time trying french cuisine and safe to say - they enjoyed it! we started with the classic french onion soup - the gooey cheese made it a little hard to share but the soup was one of the best ones that i've had. the onions were caramelized to perfection to the point where they were essentially pureed in the bowl. that was devoured rather quickly. we also had escargots - the parsley garlic butter that they were sitting in, i wanted to drink it - and tarte flambe alsacienne (flakiest tart base ever). then we're onto the mains! the standouts were the clams and mussels (daily feature - the sauce/soup that was on the bottom, my parents drank that up!), and the canard confit (the meat fell off the bone). steak frites were a little too well-done but not bad - the other two dishes just shone too much! finally dessert - my mother HAD to get the creme brulee as that's her fav and i snuck a bite - the vanilla shone right through! the chocolate terrine was great as well - i loved the salted, candied pecans that added a nice crunch to the dish. my mother has already said that we need to go back again LOL

Came here for a birthday dinner and I'd highly recommend this place for special occasions. Our…read morewaiter was very friendly and made sure to check in with our table throughout the meal. The place was also very well decorated and looked upscale. We were seated on the upper floor and got a nice view of the entire restaurant. As for the food, the duck poutine was so good! I'd come back here just for the duck poutine. Everything was well made and at the end of our meal, the waiter surprised us with a lovely dessert plate for the birthday celebration.

We were so impressed. We were lucky to be seated on a Saturday evening without reservation…read more(although I DO recommend you make one.) The Happy Hour truly is the best anywhere! This was 6 months ago and I still remember our time here fondly and look forward to returning. We scarfed down the shrimp Provençal and mussels. The Empress Club is a treat for the senses - looks, smells and tastes delicious. The duck poutine is out of this world. You do need to have self-control and patience. Don't dig in right when it is served. Give the fries a chance to soak up the juicy gravy. Trust me, waaaait! It's hands down the best poutine. The cheese is a secret blend. Delectable! The service is top notch. Again, we look forward to returning.

From beginning to end, every single thing about our evening at Le Crocodile was outstanding…read more Big thank you to Lou who seated us, Miguel who served us and Mark the Sommelier who went above and beyond the call of duty. The food was exceptional, the service was superb. We were a party of 4 foodies from Los Angeles, and we are making plans to come back to Vancouver just to eat at Le Crocodile again.

Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie has had a refresh that's for sure. I like the new chairs with the…read morecushions that give a nod to crocodile skin aesthetics along with the warm golden tones and the beautiful semi-private seating nook. The front of the house/bar area seems to be more vibrant colours with the bright pop of red which ties into the rugs in the main dining area. I'd probably remove the second rug but if I had to guess, I'd say red may be Feenie's favourite colour as it is a touch out of place. With Michelin stars making their debut in Vancouver only a few years ago, it seems that perhaps Le Crocodile may be gunning for a star as much of the Lower Mainland seems to be. The level of service is excellent; friendly and speedy, everything you could ever want. The food is elevated but has more non-french or fusion themes going on than before. The foie gras terrine topped with cherries is the perfect combo of sweet and creamy; the brioche really brings it home. The French onion soup is gooey and rich with depth of flavour however the cheese had a bit too much of a smoky burnt taste as opposed to a charred broil. The dover sole was perfectly de-boned at table side and my mouth was watering while watching. It could've used a touch more seasoning but other than that the sides made it so elegantly French that it brought tears to my eyes. I could have done with a touch less beurre blanc as it was almost on the verge of drowning the beautiful dover sole. The presentation of Le Crocodile's dishes are truly Michelin level. I thoroughly enjoyed the medium-rare veal with what seemed to be home-made pasta and the sauce that raised it to the next level. Desserts were great and although the mini chocolates at the end are no longer in a crocodile shape they do have a decorative gold crocodile made by no other than Thomas Haas which brings in the local vibes. There were tiny things such as the scratched bread plates, the loose tea on the tea pot lid, and a small fibre in the menu which are going to be the very difference between staying at this high level and gaining a star that will need to have more attention to detail. With all that said, I'd still recommend anyone who loves French cuisine to make sure to stop by this spot.

Truly fantastic and authentic French cuisine. Lovely waiters from France. Very charming. Cozy…read moreplace. The food is outstanding. Portions a plenty. Rich. Very creatively plated. The bread basket was refilled. The bread was delicious. In NYC the bill would be twice as much. Highly recommend.

One of the better French restaurant in town. We came for brunch as my wife has never been here…read morebefore. We got the confit de canard en salade and fletan benedicte. I also got a cafe creme ( latte ). The food was delicious as it was so flavorful and rich. The latte was perfect. The service can be a little slow as I did have to wait for my latte.

Restaurant located in/near Vancouver downtown. We walked down here during vacation stay in…read moreVancouver. Didn't see any parking besides street parking. A stylish and clean restaurant. They also have a bar area. Kind of an Asian French fusion menu. Food dishes were good and creative, but it didn't really appeal to me. I appreciated the good service and chill atmosphere, but not sure if I would come back. I would say that their house made spicy was really good. A mix of sweet, sour, and spicy. Had a brightness to it yet also very, very spicy. Tastes great on many of the dishes, especially if you wanted a nice "kick" to the food. I believe you can order a jar to take home if you wish.

This was a letdown. I'd heard from friends that this place serves the best pho in town, but the…read more$19.90 bowl didn't live up to the hype. The broth lacked depth and richness, and the amount of beef was disappointingly sparse. On top of that, the pho wasn't served traditionally (no herbs, bean sprouts, or hoisin sauce) and even the chili was mediocre. Given their premium pricing, I expected far more. Honestly, I've had better pho for much less elsewhere in Vancouver. I might come back to try their French dishes, but based on this visit, I'm not impressed.

We came on a weekday for a quick lunch. Service was fast and friendly…read more Croque Monsieur - sandwich was crispy and addicting. Very cheesy and decadent Mussels - decent portion of mussels. Cooked to just right Steak tartare - loved the flavours on the steak tartare. Interestingly the steak tartare was in chunks and not grinded which was welcome for me Chocolate nousse- okay but I would pass next time Fries and salad came with each dish. The fried are so addicting and morrish. A bit of old oil flavour which is understandable considering the amount they are frying. It's not crispy but instead very potatoey. The sauce that it comes with (like mayo) went so well with it. Could eats lots of it. Salad was also a welcome addition to make it feel a bit healthier Overall great little French lunch spot

In it's former incarnation, it was known as the Gramercy Grill. I went there on several occasions…read moreand was reasonably pleased with service, food and atmosphere. It has been reborn as a French Brasserie in recent years, and I've finally left my private confines and took a stroll over. I guess it was about time. I sampled a bunch of things. See my pics. No disappointment in anything that was consumed. Notice anything missing in the pic? No ketchup. For the French experience! The servers are Francophones. I really like the interior design.

What a wonderful Michelin one-star dining experience! The restaurant has such a cozy and intimate…read moreatmosphere, and I was lucky enough to sit right in front of the chefs. I could watch them prepare each dish from start to finish and then have it served directly in front of me. Honestly, watching the chefs cook made me even more excited--and somehow even more hungry--for every course! The service was excellent throughout the meal. They also offered a house-made herbal tea, which was incredibly soothing and a perfect complement to the tasting menu. My favorite dish was definitely the salmon--it was excellent! But I also found myself watching the chefs prepare dishes for other guests and thinking, "I wish I could try that too!" Even with the tasting menu, there are options and additions available, including foie gras, caviar, and truffle, so you can personalize the experience depending on what you want to try. I only wish I lived in Vancouver because I would love to come back and explore more of the menu. For those who live here, this is definitely a place worth returning to and trying different dishes. And if I'm back in Vancouver, I would absolutely come again. An excellent, cozy, and very memorable French dining experience!

This was my Nth visit to St. Lawrence, and I've always enjoyed the restaurant enough that I even…read morebought their receipt book. On every previous visit, I sat in the dining room, so this time I booked the chef's counter specifically because I was curious whether the experience would offer something different. Unfortunately, this visit was quite disappointing. When we were first seated, our seats were directly beside the entrance to the bathroom, which I wasn't comfortable with, so we asked to move and were accommodated on the right side instead. The "chef's counter" itself was also quite different from what I've experienced at other restaurants with a chef's counter. Most of the preparation was happening with the chefs facing away from us, and there wasn't particularly much interaction or activity to observe. Since there is no additional charge for the counter, I wouldn't consider that a major issue on its own, but it was certainly not the experience I had expected. More importantly, the food didn't resonate with me the way it has on previous visits. I've always appreciated St. Lawrence's cooking, which made the contrast particularly noticeable this time. The cheese course was especially underwhelming for the price: a very small brioche accompanied by two very thin slices of cheese. The Hiromasa dish lacked the depth and balance I remembered from previous meals, and one of the garnishes on the snail dish had actually fallen off before the plate even reached our table. The salmon was just, it's not good at all. I have no words for it. The rice pudding was probably my favorite bite of the evening. I actually really enjoyed that it wasn't overly sweet and that it was quite restrained. The nuts are amazing addition. But when the dessert ends up being the highlight of the entire meal, it says something about how different this visit felt compared with my previous experiences. The most concerning issue, however, was the seating itself. There is an extremely sharp metal shelf directly beside one of the seats, with glassware stored on top. After we had finished paying, my partner simply stood up from the seat and hit his head on the sharp corner. He sustained a minor concussion. There was no protective covering or other apparent safeguard around the corner. I understand that restaurants have to work within limited spaces, and I'm not expecting every seating arrangement to be perfect. But having a sharp metal corner positioned immediately beside a chair where a guest naturally needs to stand up is a genuine safety concern, particularly when the corner is at head height and there is no protection around it. I strongly hope the restaurant addresses this before another guest gets hurt more seriously. I'm disappointed to write this because I've genuinely enjoyed St. Lawrence over the years and have returned many times. But between the seating arrangement, the chef's counter experience, the food itself, and most importantly the safety issue, this visit fell considerably short of the standard I had come to associate with the restaurant. Unfortunately, I don't see myself returning.