Girls' Night Out - The Keg, Sephora and Yaletown

Vancity Girlfriends had a little hiatus with the busyness of life!  Thought it would be nice to share with our readers what we've been up to including our Girl's Night Out dates.  

I had a gift card for the Keg so we decided to meet at The Keg on Alberni Street downtown Vancouver which Carolyn also describes as the Shangrila Keg.  This was the first time I went to this location and I loved the atmosphere.  First we met at the bottom of staircase that led up to the front doors of the restaurant.  The staircase was lined with bamboo on both sides creating a natural and beautiful entrance.  I had made Open Table reservations for 5pm and that's also when the dining room and outdoor patio opened.  It was a beautiful sunny evening so we asked to sit in the elegant patio and dine outdoors.  

Happy Hour was from 3-6pm so we had time to indulge in $6 glasses of wine.  I had the white on tap and Carolyn had the red on tap.  Both were lovely blends that I would return to have again.  It was worth going for an early dinner just to be able to have $6 glass of wine.  

For our meals, we didn't order from the Happy Hour menu but instead had the Keg classic dinners which start with a caesar salad and the steak of your choice comes with grilled vegetables and a side of your choice.  I chose the Top Sirloin (8oz) steak with bernaise sauce and a twice baked potato.  The Keg Classic dinners did not disappoint.  We were both completely satisfied with our meals and the ambiance at The Keg on Alberni in Vancouver.  

After our meal, we walked down Robson Street and stopped at our favorite beauty store, Sephora.  I was looking for a new cleanser and moisturizer and found the Ole Henriksen A Brighter Truth skincare kit with the cleaner, serum, and moisturizer.  The brighter truth has vitamin c to help with the sun spots and age spots which I need so I bought the reasonably priced kit at $42.  It has a light fruity scent that is refreshing so we'll see how I feel after I test it for a month.

Then we continued our journey down Robson Street past the Vancouver Art Gallery where there was a busker playing music on the street.  We were both completely full from dinner so the evening stroll downtown was a way to walk off our dinner.  Since Carolyn needed to travel by the Canada Skytrain Line, we decided to walk to the Roundhouse Yaletown skytrain station.  Just outside the skytrain station we were pleasantly surprised with the Underbrella art exhibit.  Umbrellas in the sky.  It was the perfect way to end our girl's night out.  

NaBloPoMo Day 4 - The Meaning of Vancity Girlfriends

The Meaning of Vancity Girlfriends

NaBloPoMo 2017 Day 4

It began as two friends who wanted to get together and start a vlog on YouTube, but we needed a name.  We are two country girls who now live in the city.  We like to eat out, go for drinks, and enjoy the city of Vancouver.  That's how we decided on Vancity Girlfriends for our name.  That's who we are, two girlfriends, who hang in Vancouver, BC.  

The photo on the right is when Carolyn was showing me all the cool things you can do with Snapchat filters during our girlfriend getaway.  Boy, that was a fun weekend!  

Follow us on: 

YouTube:  VancityGirlfriends.ca

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VGirlfriends

Thanks to Blissful Lemon for their 50 Blog Post Idea which inspired me to write this idea.  I'm participating in NaBloPoMo 2017 but started today on Day 4.  Better late than never.  

 

Thrifty Tuesday - Bow Bow Cafe Taiwanese Restaurant

Bow Bow Cafe is at 4611 Kingsway in Burnaby and if you aren't looking for it or are looking for it but aren't paying attention, it is very easy to miss.  That's what I did, but my girlfriend who I was meeting found me on the street, turned me around, and led me to the hole-in-the-wall kind of place.

Bow Bow Cafe is a small restaurant serving Taiwanese noodles.  That's what it's famous for.  This is a no frills kind of place.  The menu is written on a chalkboard on the wall.  Read it and order.  It's that simple.  If you are a place that specializes in noodles, then you order the Taiwanese Beef Noodle.

We decided to also order the chicken noodle dish below.  However, I admit, I loved the Beef Noodle better.  The advantage of Bow Bow Cafe is that it's pretty simple and fast food and there's not much fuss.  The disadvantage other than trying to find it beside an adult sex shop, is that it is a cash only type of place.  I don't mind this as the dishes were reasonably priced at around $10-$12 each.  My friend treated me so I don't quite remember but it's a good place to try again now that fall is here for the beef noodle in a soup.  
  

Vancouver Restaurant - Harambe Ethiopian Restaurant

I love trying new food so I was happy when friends invited me for Ethiopian food.  We went to Harambe Ethiopian Restaurant on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC.

It was a quaint restaurant and it's great when others know what to order and could order for us.  We ordered a combination platter and a lamb wot dish that perfectly fit in the middle of the plate.  Ethiopian food is eaten without utensils.  Yes, that's right, we eat with our hands.  They serve the food with and on injera, which is a flatbread that you pick up the food with.  Now I think there is a talent for eating with your hands.  Even with the injera my fingers were covered with juices and I must have used ten napkins.  Ahh, the fun of eating with friends.  

Vancouver Event - Playland

Summer is here and Playland is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon for the whole family.  Playland in Vancouver is an amusement park and it has rides for all ages.  There are roller coasters for the little kids (which I prefer) as I find the wooden roller coaster too scary for me.  They also have the ferris wheel with the breathtaking views.  

It's a good idea to get an early start to Playland when there are fewer crowds and people.  Eat a big breakfast for you can enjoy the rides and fun without having to spend too much money on eating out.  There are all kinds of rides with lots of spinning, screaming, and gentler rides like the bumper cars.

Don't forget to bring a little cash so you can walk around the fun games sections to Whack a Mole (which is my favorite) or play darts, shoot guns, knock down bottles all for the hopes to win a prize.  This year the prize was the Skeleton Bunny!  

Check out Playland at their website:  https://www.pne.ca/playland/
Save money by buying online instead of at the gate or check out their special promotions.  

Vancouver Cheap Eats - Dosa Factory

Everyone has talked about the Monday Dosa specials and I missed going with the large group of colleagues.  So I asked my Indian friend if she wanted to go again and bring me there.  Of course she said "Yes" as it's hard to resist a meal for $5.99.  That's the Monday special where you can order a dosa for $5.99.  At that price she basically told us to order one to go so we all would have lunch the next day.  Initially I wasn't going to but then I really thought about it and figured out that $5.99 is cheaper than a McDonald's Big Mac combo.  I might have offended my friend at that time for comparing authentic South Indian Food to McDonalds.  That justification won me over and I ordered one dosa to eat-in and one dosa to go.

Mondays at the Dosa Factory on Kingsway in Vancouver is a big deal so it's natural that you have to put your name down on the wait list and wait.  With a smaller group of 4 people it was easier than with a group of 10 people.  I did notice that they had many tables of 2 so a dynamic duo is a good number.  

It was worth the wait.  When we were seated there were bottles of water on the table for us.  The Monday menu was simple and we ordered one dosa to eat in and one order to go.  They were able to keep track of our order.  Even though it was busy and cheap, they still take the time to provide good customer service which I appreciate.  

I ordered a prawn dosa to eat in and the lamb dosa to go.  A dosa is pictured below and it's hard to see but inside it has the delicous filling of vegetables, potato, and the "prawn" or "lamb" or "menu option" of your choice.  What was more surprising is that it was filling and I was stuffed after eating one dosa.  I would definitely return to the Dosa Factory.  Everyday they have specials but Mondays are the cheapest.  I'll return again for another Dosa Day.  

Find out more about their daily specials here:  http://dosafactoryvancouver.com/dailyspecials.html

Vancouver Restaurant: Ramen Butcher

R is for Ramen Butcher which is a Japanese comfort food restaurant in Chinatown on Georgia Street.  It is a lovely gem admist the hustle and bustle of the streets.  

The Ramen Butcher has its specialty menu which focuses on as the name suggest "ramen".  Since this Japanese Ramen restaurant makes fresh noodles and provides extra noodles as a part of their service.  This is a great way to ensure that people leave with happy with a full belly.  

I've tried ramen before but had never heard of Tsukemen so I had to give it a try.  Tsukemen is a dish where the noodles are served separately from the soup concentrate and instead of drinking the soup, it is enjoyed by dipping the noodles in the soup concentrate.  It's flavorful and fun to be dipping noodles.  After the plate of noodles, they provide "soup wari" which dilutes the conentrate so it can be consumed.  Those who wish may ask for rice to combine in the soup.  It was a fun experience and I was full without the rice.  

This might be because we started with Karrage and they were plump pieces of fried chicken served with sauce and is meant for sharing. 

One friend had the classic Tonkatsu (Pork Broth) Ramen with the marinated egg and thin noodles.

Another friend had the Tori Ramen (Chicken Ramen) served with medium thick noodles and after he finished the extra noodle ball with his leftover soup, that was enough to keep him full.

The Ramen Butcher was a great place to catch up with friends and enjoy the Japanese comfort food.  Everything on the menu was delicious!  They have monthly specials and at $10-$15 per bowl, this makes the Ramen Butcher worth returning for. 

#AtoZChallenge - B is for Beautiful British Columbia

Beautiful British Columbia - I live in British Columbia and I am amazed every day of the beauty that this province has to offer.  Explore B.C. to see all the natural scenery that surrounds us and all the beautiful cities and towns in B.C.  Here's a short list of different places that are a walk down memory lane for me.

Smithers, BC is childhood.  This quaint little town in Northen BC is a small tourist town with one Hudson Bay Mountain for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer.  The population is still around 5,000 which is perfect for getting to know others in the community.  Even though I don't live there anymore, I love returning to the natural surroundings and beautiful scenery.

Victoria, BC is university life.  Victoria is where the students and seniors collide.  It is a small city of 80,000 people and has the University of Victoria.  Victoria is British Columbia's capital city where the Legislature Buildings are.  It has British heritage and the famous Empress Hotel in the Inner Harbour where you can have a cup of tea.  The Inner Harbour is bustling in the summer with buskers and activity.  

Victoria BC - The Legislature Building

Victoria BC - The Empress Hotel

  
Vancouver, BC is adulthood.  Vancouver and the Greater Lower Mainland has a population density of close to 2.5 million.  Vancouver is dense and full of activity.  It has the mountains and the water and beauty that surrounds it.  Even though I live in the city, I am still amazed every time I bring visitors around Vancouver to explore Gastown or walk along Coal Harbour.  There is always something new to explore.  

Vancouver BC - Vancouver Convention Center

Vancouver BC - Steamclock in Gastown

Thrifty Tuesday - Fatburger

I have to admit that I love saving money and using coupons.  So I have a problem.  I'm addicted to Groupon Vancouver this year.  It helps that a have a Groupon buddy, yes a friend who loves Groupon even more that I do.  One of the reasons I stopped with all group buying coupons for awhile is because I was addicted to buying them and then never redeemed them.  Now times have changed and I make sure that I make my appointments and use my groupons.  On occassion if I miss out, that's okay because the amount I paid never expires.  

One night I was heading downtown for an art workshop at Opus and I knew that I wouldn't have much time to eat dinner.  So when I saw the Fatburger Groupon for a burger, fries and drink for $9, it was perfect and I bought one right away.  Fatburger is a fast food joint with big juicy burgers.  It was easy to use the Groupon and I only had to pay the tax which was less than $1.45 or something like that.  Fatburger just outside Stadium skytrain station was packed because of a Canucks game the same night.  However since it's fast food, I was able to find a spot for one at the window and there is fast turnaround.  It tooks 10 minutes for me to get my meal which is pretty good because just look at that plump burger filled with toppings.  

Check out Groupon Vancouver at my referral link for Fatburger and other great deals.  Or come back to see #thriftytuesdays.  

Vancouver Restaurant - Rogue Ktichen and Wetbar Convention Center

Vancity Girlfriend's girl's night out can be impromptu and unplanned.  It was a surprisingly sunny afternoon so I ventured out to see Vancity Girlfriend Carolyn.  We went for a walk to enjoy the afternoon sunshine and got a bus to go to the heart of downtown Vancouver.  We couldn't wait to get off the bus and walk about.  Of course there are stores all around so we went to Payless Shoes on Granville Street to see how to use Carolyn's 20% off coupon.  She found a couple pairs of shoes for her family and got a good deal.  Then we walked down Robson Street to the large Sephora store.  I keep forgetting about that one.  It is huge.  I browsed and was in awe at how much selection the store had.  Carolyn, the beauty expert, found what she was looking for.  Then we continued on our adventure for a place to eat.  

Our plan was to go to AllStar Wings and Ribs and from the outside the stars and stripes were there, but we could also see that it was dark and empty.  There was no need to go any further.  That restaurant was closed.  

We were thinking of Red Robin, but I didn't have any coupons so then we decided to continue walking to the Convention Center.  There we landed at Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar Convention Center.  It was great because after all that walking we were ready for a drink and dinner.  Unfortunately we missed Happy Hour, but we didn't miss the drink special which was Bellinis for $5.49.

Rogue Ktichen and Wetbar Bellinis

  
For dinner we decided to share the fries x 3 (who can resist poutine, bacon and gorgonzola, and truffle oil with parmesan) and the Tempesta pizza with chili prawns.  What a winning combination!  I was impressed that Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar was able to split our bill to share the food and my portion with 1 bellini and dinner came out to $25 (including 15% tip) so I'm going to be taking note of this and going out with Vancity Girlfriend Carolyn more often!  It was a great night catching up!  

Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar Temptesta Pizza

This wasn't our first time at Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar, check out our Vancity Girlfriend Art Gallery and Rogue Date Night from 2015:  http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2015/07/girls-night-out-vancouver-art-gallery.html

Vancouver Restaurant - The Keg on Dunsmuir

Time flies.  After a few weeks of being on hiatus, Vancity girlfriends spontaneously decided to go for a girl's night out!  We missed Dine Out Vancouver so this was a way to go out to wine and dine and catch up on old times.  

Originally we wanted to go to The Keg on Alberni at the Shangri-La Hotel but apparently Family Day long weekend is a popular time to celebrate.  It was fully booked except for 5pm or 8:30pm which are not the ideal dinner time.  So instead we made reservations at The Keg on Dunsmuir.  It's easy to make reservation on Open Table which will give you 100 points for each reservation.  When you have 2,000 points, that is equal to a dining cheque for $26 Cdn ($20 US) or you can keep collecting to the next level.  Guess it rewards all of those organizers and planners out there who plan ahead and make reservations.

When we arrived, we were so glad we had reservations.  There was a line out the door.  We were able to get seated at a table in the bar and lounge.  We ordered our glasses of wine.  I tried a 6oz glass of the Knotted Vine on tap white wine specifically made for The Keg by local Okanagan winery Inniskillin. 

For dinner I ordered the Keg Classic Filet Mignon which is wrapped in bacon.  The classic means that it comes with a caesar salad and vegetables and one additional side dish which I choose mashed potatoes.  The steak is the main attraction at The Keg.  

I haven't had a meal like this is ages.  So since we were already out, Vancity Girlfriends is going to celebrate the girl's night out by sharing a Billy Miner Pie.  The whole evening was definitely a treat!  I loved it so much that I'll be coming back in March for Vancity Girlfriend Carolyn's birthday bash and I'll plan ahead so can go to The Keg Alberni!  Thanks The Keg Dunsmuir for a memorable night!  

Vancouver Restaurant - Hon Sushi Korean Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby

I can't believe that the last time I blogged about Hon Sushi a Korean Japanese restaurant in Burnaby it was a year ago.  In my post I had tried the Japanese food at Hon Sushi:  http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2016/02/vancouver-restaurant-hon-sushi-korean.html

Well we have tried the Korean food at Hon Sushi and love it!  I'm thankful my husband discovered this on his own with friends and loved it.  I'll always love Korean food as it brings back memories of when I taught English in Korea for two years when I was in my 20s.  The flavours, spiciness and taste.  

It's great to have a Korean restaurant that can provide the side dishes and a few of the famous Korean dishes.  Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the Korean Tofu hotpot.  That was delicious and what my husband and I do is that we will order a few dishes to share.  So we shared the stew with a bowl of rice each and the spicy squid dish below.  The side dishes of kimchi, pickled radish and seaweed come with the meal.  Another one of our favorites is the Korean pancake.  One day I'll bring my girlfriend who loves Korean dramas and food there to try a different hot pot.  When I do, I'll be sure to write another post to share with you.  Enjoy the pics and it's time to be adventurous and start looking for a Korean restaurant new you!

Vancouver Park - Winter Walk in Everett Crowley Park

Everett Crowley Park is Vancouver's hidden secret.  It is a peaceful park that's dog friendly with a duck pond and lots of space.  Every time I walk in that park it is like being in the woods with nature.  It's not only nice to wander in the summer:  Everett Crowley Park but with good snow boots, gloves, and a winter coat, it is nice to walk around in the winter too.

I take smaller steps in the winter because of the hidden ice but with the right shoes and on a sunny day you can still enjoy the views from Everett Crowley Park.   It's important to still read the warnings on the duck pond, the ice is quite thin and not strong enough to walk on.  Enjoy the views from the paths and don't forget to look up at the blue skies and tree tops.  I guess it is not common for people to take pictures of tree tops, my niece thought I was taking a selfie.  Nature can be enjoyed all year round.  It's a winter wonderland in BC this year!

Sunday Funday - Robson Square Ice Skating

Even though the snow has melted in Vancouver except on the mountains and the rain has started, there are still winter activities that you can do.  Robson Square Ice Skating is one of them.  It is conveniently located downtown on Robson Street underneath the Vancouver Art Gallery.  

It is a small rink but it gives people a break from shopping.  They have skate rentals for $4 but remember to bring cash.  I helped chaperone my niece's 14 year old birthday party and took the girls there to skate around.  We didn't stay and went across the street to Cafe Artigiano for a Spanish coffee.  Okay, I wasn't really a chaperone since 14 years old kind of have a mind of their own.  I was there to be a human GPS and keep my sister company.  

Skating Robson Square take about an hour or less before it can be a bit too repetitive but it is unique and fun event if you are downtown.  Plus the girls had fun taking selfies and doing their own photo shoots likely to post to each other on Snapchat.  (That's my best guess!).

After skating we walked down to Cartem's Donuts.  

Robson Square Ice Skating is open until February 14th (Valentine's Day) from 9am - 9pm Sunday - Thursday and 9am - 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.  

Vancouver Restaurant: Medina Cafe

The best part about having visitors and family come visit, is being able to explore the city and spend time trying new places.  When my "sister" from London came for the new year, I took a day off work so I could spend time with her.  She wanted to go downtown Vancouver and suggested we try Medina Cafe.

I vaguely had heard of the name of the restaurant in passing but not much else.  Perhaps it was one of those brunch restaurants that would normally have a line up out the door.  Luckily for us since everyone was back to work, our wait was not very long, maybe 20 minutes instead of an hour.  That is the trick for those restaurants who do not take reservations and have a first come first serve policy.  Just go to them on your day off!  

The Medina Cafe Menu had such unique items with a Mediterrean or Middle Eastern flair.  It was a difficult decision as to what to try.  Everything on the menu looked tasty and I would definitely return.  I ended up going for the Harissa Burger with two fried eggs on top of a pita with beef, hummous, baba ganoush.  It was a gourmet breakfast and soo super flavorful!  

If you come to Vancouver and are staying downtown and want a unique brunch, check out Medina Cafe.  If you are in a rush, they also have waffles to order on the go.  #Yummy

Vancouver Bakery: Cartem's Donuterie

Cartems Donuterie specializes in donuts and has some coffee drinks to accompany the donuts.  Pictured above are the Blood Orange donut and the London Fog Stuffie (yes that is a donut stuffed with creamy goodness).  WOW!  The was a nice little donut shop downtown and their donuts sure are tasty!  They also are more expensive than Tim Horton's but it is worth it for a treat or a coffee date.  They have unique flavors and even better for your friends who are gluten free.  They have half a dozen gluten free donuts to try.  I've heard that if you don't go there early enough they can sell out however we went in the morning at 11am and all of the options were readily available.  

Check them out:  Cartems Donuterie

Vancouver Restaurant: Boiling Point Restaurant

Even with the busy city lifestyle, it is nice once in a while to catch up with old friends.  December and January are popular months when I have an opportunity to meet friends and spend a bit of quality time.  I have one girlfriend who is Taiwanese and an avid foodie.  The combination makes her a perfect date and one who chooses fabulous unique restaurants.

Boiling Point is a Taiwanese hot pot specialty chain restaurant.  They have three Boiling Point restaurants in the Lower Mainland.  There is one in Burnaby, BC, Richmond, BC and Surrey, BC.  We went to the one in Burnaby which was the closest.  The have restaurants in the USA in Southern and Northern California and Washington.  There is also one in China.  

It is a quaint little restaurant and when I entered it was jam packed of people at the door.  Then I noticed a small little machine which was the ticket to let them know how many people were in your party.  It was easy enough to navigate and even though my girlfriend hadn't arrived, there were so many people standing at the door, I thought for sure it would be a 30 mins wait.  So I grabbed the ticket and found a standing spot inside to wait.  Less than 5 mins later the server came and called my number, I felt a bit embarrassed and told her my friend had not arrived yet so I could wait and she could seat the other guests.  She did that and returned and continued to seat others but at the same time was conscientious that I was first and kept checking to see when my friend would arrive.  Once I knew my girlfriend was looking for parking and told the server, she asked me to sit at the table first.  The tables are quite tightly packed and it is perfect if there are two people who are eating.  The menu was a one pager with great pictures of different types of hot pots and descriptions.  I decided to try the Korean style hot pot and my friend also ordered side dishes of stinky tofu and grilled pork, Taiwanese specialties.  

At Boiling Point everyone gets their own individual hot pot that is cooked in front of you.   I love restaurants where you can actively participate.  Even though it is a small space and jam packed, the hot pots were delicious and I can't wait to return so I can try a different hot pot.  

I would want to return for lunch since the lunch combo consists of hot pot, rice and a drink for $11.99.  The dinner combo is the hot pot and rice for $12.99.  Enjoy my pics below and feel free to check out their full menu:  Boiling Point.

Boiling Point Side Dish - Fermented Tofu (Stinky Tofu)

Boiling Point Side Dish - Sliced Pork

Boiling Point Hot Pot - Korean Bean Paste

Boiling Point Hot Pot - House Special

Vancouver Bakery: Divinely Delish

Divinely Delish is a blogger, traveller, food enthusiast so I happily support her baked goods and savory items by treating myself to something homemade.  I love ordering her one savory item which are Chinese dumplings.  I've tasted all of the dumplings but traditional Pork and Chives is still my favorite.  Even though she posts the recipe on Divinely Delish blog, I still like to order them to save time.  It's nice to have fresh homemade dumplings in the freezer.  They make my meals on a numerous occasions.  I just boil them until they rise to the top and then dip them in a combination of soy and sriracha sauce.  

During the holidays I wanted to get something for my husband and the biscotti sold me.  Biscotti is something that I would never make at home especially the double baked biscotti so I decided to order some for my hubby to have with his coffee.  When my husband saw the big bag, he immediately froze some and then we had the rest fresh to go with our coffee drinks.  

I look foward to new year when I may try some other new baked items.  In the meantime check out the Divinely Delish Blog.

Vancouver Restaurant: Gotham Steakhouse and Bar

Gotham Steakhouse is one of Vancouver's well known restaurants for steak.  They have won several awards and none of this would have enticed me to go.  Instead I could just wonder....until this Christmas.

The office decided to host the Christmas party at Gotham Steakhouse and Bar.  What a treat!  There are private rooms downstairs for company parties and a bar and servers.  It's the full service deal.  It was cozy to have this private Christmas party and even better that there was an open bar!  It's the company Christmas party when I can choose a signature cocktail to enjoy all night long.  I've learned my lesson not to mix drinks or play and drinking games.  I've grown into enjoying a cocktail and Gotham is the place for cocktails.

I researched Gotham cocktail list so I would be prepared for the party.  I waited for others to order so I could admire the different types of drinks and then I ordered the "French 49" martini.  Such a beautiful drink!  

The servers are friendly that it wasn't until my 2nd order of this fancy martini cocktail that they corrected me and said it was a "French" martini.  I loved every sip of this drink.

When the food arrived it was just as impressive, the steak was flavorful and tender.  There was a set menu for us and we had options for our appetizer, entree, and dessert.  I choose a prawn cocktail as an appetizer.  It was served on ice and the prawns were large and delicious.  

The main course was a filet mignon tenderloin steak.  It was the perfect size and packed with flavour.  The side dishes of mashed potatoes, button mushrooms, and asparagus were in the middle of the table for all to share.  The mashed potatoes were light and fluffy and whipped with butter.  I couldn't get enough and had to finish all of the little plates of mushrooms and asparagus.  This was such an elegant tast of a steak.  I now know why Gotham Steakhouse is so well known for its steak.  

I have to admit that this was one of the most memorable Christmas parties!  I'd recommend others to look into Gotham Steakhouse next year for their holiday party but keep in mind that you have to book early.  

Thrifty Tuesday: Viet Sub on Robson Street

Downtown Vancouver have lots of restaurants that are almost like a food truck but instead of eating standing on the street you can eat at the bar stools at the window.  Viet Sub is a Vietnamese "restaurant", there is bar stool seating but not much else.  Don't let the decor stop you.  

It has a simple menu with salad rolls, spring rolls, Vietnamese subs, and a few other Vietnamese dishes.  But as their name suggests, it is famous for Vietnamese Subs.  I tried a "Special" sub and it was delicious!  The french bread was fresh and soft and the sauce soaked the meat and vegetables.  Yummy!  

Viet Sub is at 520 Robson Street and Yelp has given it 4 stars out of 5.  As this is Thrifty Tuesday, I've saved the best for last.  This Viet Special Sub pictured above was less than $5.  Just talking about it is making my mouth water.  Ahh, so happy for friends who know where to eat for cheap!