I have loved sushi since I first tried it when I was seven years old. Today, I am revealing my top 5 favourite North Vancouver sushi restaurants. Mama Izumi, my foodie cohort took me to my first sushi restaurant, Aki in the historical Japan Town. Otherwise known as Paueru Gai, it is where the Annual Powell Street Festival is held. Back then, my favourite was tuna. It still is, but my taste buds are more adventurous and my favourites now include Uni (sea urchin).
North Vancouver Sushi Restaurants Number 5 – Sushi 5
Starting with number five, Sushi 5 is located in Lynn Valley Centre, close to Highway 1 and Central Lonsdale. It is easy to get to, whether you are living on the North Shore or in Metro Vancouver. They are one of my favourite sushi restaurants because they have yummy Mix and Match combos that are reasonably priced and include miso soup (soup is not shown in the photo).
Sushi 5 Mix and Match Lunch Specials
Number 4 – Sushi Kumo
Sushi Kumo is conveniently located at 180 East 2nd Street. It is in Lower Lonsdale, a few blocks up from the Quay and the seabus station. Little known fact, when I was in high school, my first job was as a dishwasher at this location–it was a different Japanese sushi restaurant called Manyo. Mama and I have been to Kumo twice and both times we enjoyed their Sushi & Sashimi and Sushi Boxes and also received wonderful customer service from Candy.
Kumo Sushi far photo Sushi & Sashimi Box and near photo Sushi Box
North Vancouver Sushi Restaurants Number 3 – Sansho Sushi & Japanese Dining
I have been a long time customer at Sansho. It was first introduced to me by Mama, my foodie mentor. This North Vancouver sushi restaurant is located at 707 Queensbury Avenue kitty corner from S’wich Cafe. Our favourites are their Makunouchi Bento (shown below) and Chirashi Sushi (featured photo above my blog).
Sansho Makunouchi Bento
Number 2 – Hamaei Japanese Restaurant
Hamaeiis one of my favourite sushi restaurants because they serve an amazing lunch special. It includes miso soup and a little bit of everything we love about bentos! They are located at 1601 Westview Drive at Westview Shopping Centre which is right above Highway 1 and close to Delbrook Community Recreation Centre.
Hamaei Lunch Special
North Vancouver Sushi Restaurants 1 – Momji Japanese Cuisine
The number one best North Vancouver Sushi Restaurant is Momji. It is located in the Blueridge Area at 3720 Mount Seymour Parkway. They offer authentic Japanese cuisine (one of the last restaurants on the North Shore to do so). A former colleague introduced me to them and I loved it! My stomach was ready to burst after our meal. Their dishes were over flowing with umami and I ate too much because of it. Mama and I ordered ika karage (Japanese calamari), miso soup, katsu curry and agedashi tofu. A wonderful meal and restaurant that we enjoyed immensely and look forward to going back.
Momji Japanese Cuisine’s Ika Karage
All photos are my own and I relished every moment of taking them, but especially when I was able to devour the dishes! Please ask for permission to use them or credit me in your publication. If you enjoyed this article, share it!
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Bobzaa manager, Vash Vashist and learning more about this wonderful addition to Central Lonsdale in North Vancouver.
M: Bobzaa is a family owned business. What was the inspiration for the restaurant?
V: We have all worked in the restaurant industry in the last few years. One of my family members has been a chef for the past seven years, I have been a restaurant manager at different restaurants and have the front of house experience and my other family member has more of the fast food experience so we combined our skills and made it our goal to open Bobzaa.
Bobzaa Butter Chicken and Grilled Chicken Bowl Lunch Special
M: How did you decide on the name for Bobzaa? What does it mean?
V: Initially, we just wanted to open a small bubble tea and pizza place. The name was decided before the location. Then we found this location, but it is pretty big for just bubble tea and pizza so we came up with other menu items as well.
Bobzaa’s Mango Slushy Bubbletea
The name Bobzaa is a combination of bubble tea and pizza.
M: Who in your family came up with the concept of a dessert cafe with bubble tea, Indian cuisine and brunch favourites? It’s so original.
V: It was a collaboration.
M: When did you open the doors to Bobzaa Dessert Cafe and Bistro?
V: We opened the doors to our restaurant in December 2022.
M: How did you decide on North Vancouver as the location? And why?
V: We live in North Van so we wanted our restaurant close by. Because it is a family business, we did not want to travel far. It’s just a 10 – 15 minute walk from here.
“We combined our skills and made it our goal to open Bobzaa”
M: Has the city and the community been receptive to Bobzaa?
V: It was hard because our goal was to open in three or four months and do the whole budget, but it took us seven months to get our restaurant license. It took forever because of COVID and we had several inspections. Every day we would wake up and go to City Hall to check the status on our license. They told us they did not know how long it was going to take because of COVID.
We invested everything and wanted to open now! We were working 24-7, day and night. It was hard to get the license.
Bobzaa and Nicole Hibert’s Mother’s Day Event
M: Bobzaa collaborated with Nicole Hiebert, local promoter and artist and I for a Mother’s Day event. When will the next event be?
V: Well, we are planning. Nicole had the idea of a clothing swap. We want to do something different once a month so that’s our goal.
Photo by Bobzaa The Dessert Cafe and Bistro
M: You also do private events. What do you provide and how long in advance do you need for customers to book the event?
V: We do all the decorations and everything if they choose to have it here at our location, we do full service. So they come here and just enjoy. If they book for their home, we do not decorate but we provide the catering service.
We need at least two weeks notice for customers booking an event.
M: What is your favourite item on the menu? For brunch, lunch and dessert?
V: For brunch I really like the waffles and for drinks my favourite is the Mango Frango. That is what I recommend to everyone. In food, I am a vegetarian, so I like the Potato Pizza. Also really good is the pesto and shrimp pizza. And for dessert, my favourite is the brownie. It’s vegan and gluten-free and you can’t even tell the difference when you taste it.
We only have one type of brownie and everyone has it. But no one can tell that’s it’s vegan.
It has been a long and difficult journey for Vash and her family to open the doors to their beloved Bobzaa. But they persevered and they did it! In the process of opening their North Vancouver restaurant, they have become experts in different industries; designed their own website, built their own tables and have done their own plumbing.
To order delicious dishes from their fusion infused menu, please visit their website and to stay up to date on their upcoming events, follow them on their Instagram page.
The first time I was a guest North Vancouver’s 16 WEST Restaurant was in August 2022, two months after they opened and I loved it! I had a four course meal with wonderful wine pairings.
I recently had the opportunity to interview 16 WEST’s owner and gracious host, Brooke Naito-Campbell.
M: You opened the doors to 16 WEST in the summer of 2022. What has the first year been like (almost the first year)?
B: 16 WEST opened on June 24, 2022 and the first year has been great. A gradual organic growth through word of mouth. Not as busy as we had hoped, but guests from Hachiro would come in so happy and excited saying, “I’m so glad you’re still here!” They weren’t sure what happened to us and they were worried we were gone.
Hachiro Ramen Transformed into 16 WEST
M: I did not get a chance to visit your previous restaurant, Hachiro Ramen. Besides the cuisine, what has been the main difference in running the two different restaurants?
B: Definitely more experienced servers with wine knowledge. We have a wine director and sommelier, Brendan Jones on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays who has curated a wine list for us, mainly local BC wines, but we are looking into curating international wines because our guests have been asking.
16 WEST Restaurant Wines
M: Was Hachiro the first North Vancouver restaurant you and your brother, Stephen opened?
B: Yes, Stephen went to Japan and studied how to make ramen before opening Hachiro. We opened 6 months before COVID hit. It was really hard. But I wanted to fight for our restaurant!
Hachiro had become a take-out restaurant. I wanted to change the menu into more of an izakaya and serve appies and cocktails, but a lot of the guests that came in just wanted a bowl of ramen.
“I am passionate about 16 WEST!”
M: How did 16 WEST come to be? Was it your idea or was it someone else’s?
B: I had a beautiful restaurant and it made me sad to leave it. So my friends, some employees that were there and I thought, what do we need in North Vancouver? What are we passionate about? What would feed the community?
We first thought of a Spanish tapas but then we thought a menu that’s not tied to one kind of food. We could serve French, Italian and Spanish. I love a wine bar and I am passionate about 16 WEST and so is my team.
M: What was your inspiration for the menu? Did you work together with your head chef or did you leave it to them?
B: Our menu is a collaboration between me and Jorge Camacho. He is from Dublin’s La Maison. French Bistro. We work really well together. Our coffee cake, biscuits and all our desserts are made by his best friend, Andrea Lopez.
16 WEST Head Chef Jorge Camacho and Owner Brooke Naito-Campbell
M: What is your favourite dish? (lunch, brunch, dinner)?
B: My favourite for lunch is the meatball sub. It is really good. One of my favourites for brunch is the steak hash, and for dinner the mushroom risotto with seared Hokkaido scallops (they will be on the menu shortly) and the mussels.
M: 16 WEST is now open for brunch on the weekends and lunch on weekdays. What is the busiest time? Are there certain times/days we should make a reservation?
B: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday nights and brunch on the weekends are the busiest times. We always have the bar open for walk-ins and we will be opening the patio soon for the warmer weather and walk-ins. Our patio is also dog-friendly.
Central Lonsdale Community
M: What is the best part of being located in Central Lonsdale?
B: Central Lonsdale needed a cool, hip restaurant. A hidden gem. It needed love. Lower Lonsdale has all the restaurants. Central Lonsdale is getting developed. 16 WEST is one of the few restaurants with a watering hole.
16 WEST FEATURE WINES
M: Being located in the heart of North Vancouver, in Central Lonsdale, do you feel a sense of community?
B: Yes, I feel the sense of community with our guests. We have some who have stayed with us since Hachiro and have become friends. One such guest, Susan brought a friend who asked me if I have ever thought of hosting a drag show. And I had! Thus our drag show brunches was born!
North Vancouver Roots
M: I read that you grew up in North Vancouver. What area? Where did you go to school?
B: I grew up in Pemberton Heights. I went to Capilano Elementary from Kindergarten to grade 7 and then high school in Arizona where my mom is from.
M: Did you always know that you would own a business? What did you want to be when you grew up?
B: No, I had no idea. Hahaha…what did I want to be when I grew up? As a kid I wanted to do the usual singing, dancing and as a teen I wanted to be a cosmetologist. I was a hair stylist for a long time before opening the restaurants.
After my daughter was born, I turned to food and hospitality because it was something I was around all my life and am passionate about. My dad was the Executive VP of Okabe Company that used to own Coast Hotels.
And now, my daughter, Mika loves to help me set up on the weekends: lighting candles, setting the tables and even expediting the food orders. She loves it!
16 WEST Gnocchi
M: What would your advice to future entrepreneurs with dreams of owning their own business be?
B: Owning a restaurant is tough. Surround yourself with great people. People that you trust and more experienced than you. I have learned so much and I am so grateful that we got through COVID.
M: Do you have a philosophy in life or a famous quote you would like to share?
B: This too shall pass. It’s something I always tell myself and it is true.
16 WEST Hosts Events
M: Is there anything else you would like to share?
B: Right now we are focusing on meaningful events. We host a realtors luncheon and we have an upcoming women’s networking lunch.
In August we will have a PRIDE event with my husband coming out of retirement to be our DJ and drag queens. I am also in the beginning stages of organizing a fundraiser for ALS because my dad passed away from the disease.
If you have an idea for an event, please contact Brooke at kitchen@naitohospitality.com. To book a reservation call: 604.988.7561 or book online. If you would like to learn more about Central Lonsdale’s one of a kind wine restaurant and bar, please visit their website and follow them on Instagram.
Mama Izumi and I started out our Sunday picking up a pair of Vessis that I found on Facebook Marketplace. Bur we were about to embark on another foodie adventure! Originally, we had discussed going out for Korean, but the FB seller lived near Commercial Drive, so I said, “Let’s go to the Lunch Lady!” and Mamma was like, “Okay!”
The Lunch Lady is nestled in the heart of the Drive at 1046 Commercial Drive in East Vancouver.
Mama is usually game for any kind of restaurant that I suggest. We are foodies and this was our first time which was exciting for both of us. We had tried to dine here before, but the wait for a table was 45 minutes.
Mama Izumi – my foodie cohort
Today we were lucky! We found parking right beside the Lunch Lady and although there was a line-up, we arrived 5 minutes before they opened.
An airy space brightly lit, renovated bar and chrome table tops awaited us with a comfortable ambiance, filled with awesome music from artists like Drake. Friendly staff greeted us and served us throughout our meal. We ordered their Beef Pho and Pork Belly with Vermicelli and spring rolls. OMG, the pork belly was full of umami (Japanese for tasty)!
The Lunch Lady’s Yummy Beef Pho!
Everything was fresh and full of flavour. Mama and I highly recommend the Lunch Lady and will definitely go back.
We would also like to thank Jasmine and all the staff for their attentiveness and great customer service!
Mayumi Izumi – Local Promoter, Digital Creator
If you would like to learn more about the Lunch Lady follow them on their Instagram or make reservations on their website.
Mama Izumi and I went on a Foodie Adventure recently and had the pleasure of dining at Raisu Restaurant in the heart of Kitsilano, where all of our foodie desires were satiated with their authentic Japanese cuisine.
I have been eating sushi since I was I was a little girl and they have the freshest, most delicious sashimi I’ve ever had. We shared the Raisu Lunch Meal Special.
You can choose 2 out of these 4 items:
Chef’s choice of sashimi (3 kinds), deep fried dishes (2 kinds), today’s meat dish, and today’s grilled fish.
Their lunch special also includes rice, miso soup, small dish, homemade pickles and salad.
We also feasted on their Bluefin Tuna Deluxe Seafood Bowl. And although we were stuffed full of yuminess we ordered their Yuzu Parfiat and Souffle Cheesecake for dessert.
Mama and I highly recommend Raisu to fans of sushi, sashimi, and Japanese food!
The Bluefin Tuna Deluxe Seafood Bowl is just as yummy as it looks!Yuzu Parfait & Souffle Cheesecake
I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the people behind Raisu. I had the opportunity to interview their Assistant Manager, Yumi Takeshita.
Exclusive Interview with Raisu’s Assistant Manager
M: When did Raisu first open for business?Who is the founder?
Y: Raisu opened on July 2, 2016 as a sister restaurant to Kingyo Izukaya, Suika Snackbar, and Rajio Public House. All 4 restaurants are under the Tamaru Shoten Marketing Corp umbrella.
Minoru Tamaru began Kingyo about 10 years ago because he wanted to introduce people in Vancouver to Izakaya culture and provide authentic Japanese meals.
Raisu is located at 2340 W 4th in Kitsilano
Inspiration for Opening Raisuand Providing Authentic Japanese Cuisine
M: What was Minoru’s inspiration for Raisu? Is he the sole owner or does he have business partners?
Y: Yes, he is doing this business by himself. Raisu’s concept is 80’s Japanese culture and Teishoku (balanced meal set).
Raisu Lunch Meal Special
M: Yumi, where are you originally from? If you moved to Vancouver, why did you move here?
Y: I am from Japan and I hoped to live abroad when I there. I had heard Vancouver is the best city to live and I was interested what the Japanese culture was like here too.
M: What did you do prior to working at Raisu?
Y: I worked for 8 years at Coca-Cola bottlers in Fukuoka prefecture, in Japan. I was sales person, sales office administrator and HR. When I came here in Vancouver, I worked at JAPADOG as a manager, and went to college, worked as an accountant at an agency for Japanese students who want to study in Canada.
Then now I am working at Raisu. I have been working here 3 years and I am assistant manager fortunately since April. All my job experiences are now with food.
M: If you were in adifferent industry, did you enjoy your former career?
Y: Yes, absolutely. I enjoyed working every occasion. There are a lot of good things to know and learn. If it does not relate between each industry, I can find relations and there is no waste time that I have experienced.
IsUniversity Important for Future Business Owners?
M: Did you go to university? If so, what did you study? Which university did you attend?Would you advise others to pursue a degree before opening their own business?
Y: Yes, I graduated Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka, Japan, and I earned a Bachelor of Law Degree.
I might recommend to pursue, but if they have clear future vision, that is no need to. However it is very worth time to pursue something and make friends before doing business. I think it is very important at that term.
M: Do you have any interest to own your own business?
Y: Yes I do, but I need to learn about business more, so I start working at Raisu.
Yumi’s Philosophy
M: Do you have a philosophy in life or famous quote you would like to share with everyone?
Y: Live everyday happily, that makes your future happy!
This is my philosophy to live but I am not sure there is similar quote in English.
MILESTONES
Raisu just celebrated it’s 5 Year Anniversary July 2nd 2021.
Go in to congratulate them in person at 2340 West 4th Street or learn more about Raisu visit their website. You also have the option to order online and follow them on Instagram.
I discovered BLVD Bistro one morning last summer when my BFF and Big Sis, Mona had spent the night and we were craving brunch. I did a Google search and they were one of the first to pop up for North Vancouver.
They provided great customer service and yummy noms. And I found out the Chef and Owner of BLVD also is the man behind the business next door, S’wich Cafe.
I went to work straight away taking photos of our brunch, the decor and featured them on my Instagram page along with local hot sauce, Jumpin’ Johnny’s. And more recently I was able to visit S’Wich Cafe with my Foodie Cohort, Mama Izumi and ordered an El Cubano, Up Your Alley and their Vegan Chilli.
Winner of North Shore News Readers Choice Awards – BLVD Bistro Favourite Weekend Brunch & Favourite Breakfast Restaurant
I had the privilege of interviewing Chef Erik Juarez and thoroughly enjoyed our Q & A session:
M:When did you open S’wich Cafe and Blvd Bistro?
C: S’wich Cafe was opened August 1, 2011 (OMG) and BLVD BISTRO opened April 20, 2016.
M: Did you plan from the beginning to open two businesses side by side?
C: I didn’t plan on it at all! I thought I was going to live simply. Sling coffees, a few sandwiches and not do anything more in the hospitality business ever again.
BLVD Bistro’s Standard Issue Benedict
M: Where are you from? If you moved to Vancouver, why did you move here?
C: I was born and raised in North Vancouver. It is my home and always will be. I’ve moved around a bunch in my youth, Mexico, Spain, Kelowna, and the Salmon Arm.
M:What was your inspiration for your businesses?
C: Truthfully, I never meant to open a business. I was a dedicated Chef that fell into the same trap as so many others before me.
Find a decent job and work your ass off for some owners that would probably replace you tomorrow if you dropped dead. That’s what happened. I was working 16 hour days with no days off in sight for people I feel, couldn’t care less about me.
I was stressed, sick, fat and unhappy. At that time my grandmother passed away and I inherited 33 thousand dollars from a life insurance policy. The shop you know as S’wich Cafe was originally a neighbourhood coffee shop that wasn’t doing so hot.
One day the owner asked me jokingly if I wanted to buy a cafe. I said, “Yes, I DO!” So with that inheritance and some help from my Mom I bought that business (paid too much) but now I have something that is mine. A little tiny piece of a hospitality business and a chance to do it differently.
M: Did you always know that you wanted to be a chef?
C: I did not know but I was about 16 when I found out. I worked at EARLS like a lot of North Vancouver men and women have. I worked my way through the ranks, learned to communicate, learned to flirt.
Most importantly, I learned that I had a deep love for cooking, the push, the lifestyle and the art. However, somewhere in my limited experience I knew there was more art and skill to uncover.
Chef Erik Juarez & his dry cured Spanish Chorizo
M: Did you always know that you wanted to be a restaurant owner?
C: I think every aspiring Chef dreams of opening his or her own place. But Ownership was never really a specific goal I had in mind.
My career has just organically led me to these places. Basically, life presents doors and pathways and I hope that by now — I have the life experience and instinct to walk through the right doors and tread down the correct paths. Trust me when I say, I haven’t always.
M: Where did you study the art of culinary?
C: I had been working for a few years in fine dining kitchens by my early 20’s. I had some amazing mentors and some horrible ones.
I remember the day I told one of my chefs that I was going to go to culinary school. He said, “Erik, you can go to school, spend 10 thousand dollars on a fancy diploma and you can hang it on the bathroom wall. The only thing it will be good for is to wipe your ass when you run out of toilet paper.”
I will never forget that. He was kinda right. I staged and worked in every kitchen I could. Every place in town with the word “Le” before the name I worked there.
I read culinary text books like novels and tried the recipes that interested me. I found my resources and my style and have evolved it over 20 years of learning. I still use my online subscription to “ Cook’s Illustrated” daily and have been collecting those magazines for 20 years.
M: What would your advice to future chefs with dreams of owning their own restaurant be?
C: RUN! RUN away fast!!! Hahaha. Joking…
I have a ton of advice. Firstly, be equal to your concept and your staff. Put in the work and do what it takes to make it mesh. There a lot of very long difficult days ahead but I promise once you’re on the other side of it… It’s worth it.
Be there for your staff, know them and care about them.
S’Wich Cafe’s lovely Tina helped me order from the many yummy sandwich options
Back up your weaknesses, If cooking dope food is your thing but numbers aren’t, make sure you budget and be able to afford someone that has your bottom line in mind at all times.
M: Do you have a philosophy in life or favourite quote(s) that you would like to share with everyone?
C: I also have a bunch of them.
‘How you do one thing is how you do everything’
‘Perfection is the little things done well. Everyone else sees the big things’
My new FAVOURITE:
BE THE BEST. WORK HARD- WORK FAST-WORK CLEANLY. EVERY INGREDIENT WE USE HAS TO BE THE BEST WE CAN AFFORD.
SEASONS HAVE TO RULE THE KITCHEN. ONLY ALLOW MINIMAL MANIPULATION OF INGREDIENTS WHEN NECESSARY. ELEVATE FLAVOURS THRU UNDERSTANDING.
COOK AS IF YOU ARE EATING. WASTE IS POOR WORKMANSHIP. EXTRACTION OF FLAVOUR IS OUR ROLE IN LIFE AS COOKS.
BALANCE OF MENU IS OUR OBLIGATION TO OUR GUESTS. HEALTH IS CRUCIAL IN MENU PLANNING.
SEASONING IS A TRUE SKILL. SO TASTE, TASTE AND TASTE AGAIN. OUR GOAL IS TO BE THE BEST. SO WE MUST ACT THE BEST.
Winner of North Shore News Reader’s Choice Awards – S’Wich Cafe Favourite Caterer
MILESTONES
The meaning of milestones has changed for me. I used to think it was winning awards and competitions. But I couldn’t be more wrong.
Milestones for me are when employees leave you to pursue their own life goals, when great things happen to the team, and when people tell you they love a component or multiple components of your business.
One of my greatest achievements is finding a way to pay a living wage to my staff and provide meaningful benefits to my whole team. Not having to hire and retrain constantly because people feel appreciated and included. It’s built into our company’s culture of genuineness and inclusivity.
Accolades are nice, Reader’s Choice Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, recognition from our peers. It all feels amazing but I’d have to say, surviving a pandemic, coming out stronger and better has been our greatest achievement to date. I will never forget the strength it took our team to weather the storm.
I am grateful to my staff that stayed with me and came back. We have never been better and that is my greatest achievement to date.
To learn more about BLVD Bistro please visit their website and follow their Instagram as well as S’Wich Cafe’s (right next door) website and IG Page.
Mama and I decided to go to Sula Indian Restaurant on Commercial Drive for the fourth installment of Mayumi & Mama Izumi’s Foodie Adventures. “The Drive” as it’s affectionately called by many locals, is in Vancouver’s iconic Little Italy and is chalked full of restaurants of all ethnicities, grocery stores, clothing shops and boutiques.
It was my first time but Mama had been before with one of her foodie friends. As soon as we stepped inside the dark, exotic entrance, we were greeted warmly by Sujata. She was also our server and after a few minutes of seating us with our menus, she asked us if we had any questions. No, we were ready to order. Mama Izumi usually leaves it up to me to choose our entrees.
Koi fish inside Sula Indian Restaurant on Commercial Dr
I chose their Butter Chicken and Fish Malabari which is a traditional yellow curry with roasted coconut, black mustard & tamarind that is dairy and gluten free, and ordered Basmati rice and Naan bread to accompany the curries in medium spiciness.
The curries were piping hot and stayed so because they were served in stainless steel bowls that had tea light candles under them. Both dishes were delicious loaded with umami and we, foodies were in bliss. And to top it off, the generous portions allowed us to bring leftovers home.
Fish Malaburi and Butter Chicken at Sula Indian Restaurant on Commercial Dr
We will definitely be back and recommend this restaurant to fans of Indian cuisine. The intriguing ambiance, delectable curries, and great customer service, Sula has it all!
To have a look at Sula’s other yummy noms on their menu, visit their website and follow them on their Instagram.
If you have lived in our beautiful city for any amount of time, you will come to learn about Vancouver’s local favourite and long-time provider of our dine-out food staples, White Spot restaurants. I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC and ever since I was a little girl, I have loved and nommed on their yummy. comfort food.
I started with their Pirate Paks, progressed to the Legendary Burger, OMG … Triple-O heaven … and as their menu evolved so did my foodie palette. I have recently revisited my longtime beloved dish, Chicken, Broccoli & Cheese, a hint of curry served with Basmati rice.
My foodie cohort and I decided for our third installment of Mayumi & Mama Izumi’s Foodie Adventures that we would go to our preferred location at Pemberton Plaza in North Vancouver. We love it here because it’s comfy, cozy, and especially because of the wonderful team of servers they have on board: Morgan, Shauna, Grace, Katiee, and Gemma to name a few.
Mayumi & Mama Izumi’s Foodie Adventures at White Spot Restaurants – Fish & Chips and BC Salmon Burger
Smiling faces, warm, sincere attention to their customers & their needs, and they exhibit a real joy while they work to serve us. These are some of the reasons Mama and I love the girls at this particular White Spot.
We also love to support and promote local businesses. And we hold the restaurant that was founded by Nat Bailey dear to our hearts. He started the first drive-in restaurant and the accompanying car-hop tray.on 70th and Granville in 1928 — the first of its kind in Canada.
To learn more about White Spot visit their website and follow them on their Instagram. Pemberton Plaza, Mama & my favourite location is at #107 – 1226 Marine Dr, in North Vancouver.
I’m very excited to share with you all the second installment of Mayumi & Mama Izumi’s Foodie Adventures. Today we went to Famoso Pizzeria & Bar in Little Italy’s Commercial Drive.
It was the first time for both of us and it was a wonderful dining experience! We were the first customers there and were greeted by Daytime Manager, James.
We started our lunch off with Caesars. Not only were they TASTY but they were also on special for only $5 AND just happen to be our favourite cocktail! Lucky us!
Famosos’s Tasty Caesars – $5 drink special EVERY Saturday & Sunday
Because we were first timers to the pizzeria, James asked if we would like to hear his recommendations, so I explained that we would like to order a pasta and a pizza pie and share them.
He recommended a few different pastas they have such as their Fettucine Alfredo, a Linguini Rose with Prawns, and Rigatoni Ragu made with their beef & pork meatballs. We decided on their Ragu and for pizza we ordered the Prawn Pesto … OMG both were delish BUT their pie was like an explosion of flavour in my mouth with different notes and layers of umami (Japanese for savouriness)! Prawns, pesto, arugula, and sun-dried tomatoes … YUM!
James asked us if we would like dessert. I said you have dessert?! We were both full but I said that we take a look. Although I had scanned their QR Code to order from their online menu earlier, I forgot that I needed to look on my iPhone.
So he explained that they had Tiramisu, Blood Orange Cheesecake, Nutella Pizza and Gelato. I was a little conflicted because where else can you get a cheescake with blood orange?! We wanted to order their Tiramisu and almost did but decided not to because we were stuffed.
Famoso’s Tiramisu – my favourite cake
To our delight, James brought us a slice of their Tiramisu in a take-out container on the house! And he added, so we don’t have to worry about deciding… How sweet!
Mama Izumi & I appreciated James’ intuitive customer service, enjoyed the umami of their food, their ambience (they played music from greats Bob Marley & Rolling Stones), comfortable booths, and the pizza of course!
If you would like to taste their savoury pizzas and pastas for yourself have a look at Famoso‘s website, visit them at 1380 Commerical Drive, and you can also follow them on their Instagram.
How to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind – Nutrition Expert Kristin Ames
Diet and fitness are more top of mind for people than they ever have been. With many of us trapped at home for the last 6 months with nothing but the refrigerator to keep us company, the COVID 15 is no joke. And fitness? It’s been a slippery slope to the couch.
So, you’ve decided it’s time to reign it all in, drop some body fat and get back in shape – fantastic! You’ve started researching the best way to reach your goals but have quickly become overwhelmed with all the options: Keto, Paleo, Atkins, Weight Watchers, Intermittent Fasting, and the Juice Cleanse.
You’ve heard accounts of how your coworker’s uncle’s cousin lost 40 pounds on Keto, and your best friend swears she can eat whatever she wants on using Intermittent Fasting and not gain weight! Compelling for sure, but before you go all in on MCT oil or the ’16:8 plan’, I ask you to consider one question “Can I do what this diet asks of me for the rest of my life?”.
We tend to over complicate things when it comes to our diet. There are definitely situations that call for precise weighing and measuring, attention to meal timing, and detailed macro-nutrient tracking, but unless you’re a bodybuilder or training for the Olympics, those protocols likely won’t apply to you.
The key to changing your body lies in adopting habits and practices you can sustain for life: a balanced program that makes room for dinners out with friends and celebrations with family, includes all the food groups, regular exercise, and whole unprocessed foods most of the time … unsexy yes, but effective.
For most people, most of the time, simple wins the race. One of my favorite quotes is from a fellow online trainer Ren Jones at Fitness Jones Training:
“If we don’t have the basic habits established for our nutrition choices, why would we think a more complicated method is the solution? “I can’t get the hang of driving a car, so I think I’ll try flying a helicopter instead?”
And yet most of us are standing in line to fly the helicopter.
Kristin Ames’ healthy choices for Thanksgiving dinner
So what are the basics? What is the 4-door Toyota Hybrid of the diet world? The following guidelines are the foundation for all our programs focused on fat loss:
Eat until you’re 80% full. We’ve been taught from a young age to ‘finish your dinner’. Eating until we’re full is comforting and makes us feel happy – if we’re eating a tasty meal we want to keep eating because the pleasure receptors in our brain tell us to keep going! But this also leads many people to eat in a calorie surplus. The simple practice of stopping when you’re satisfied instead of when you’re full will yield surprising results. Studies show it takes about 15-20 minutes for most people to feel full, so if you don’t stop eating until you’re full, you’ll likely be stuffed in 20 minutes. Put the brakes on at satisfied, and there’s 20% fewer calories in your day, easily.
Eat protein with every meal. Protein is the most filling macro-nutrient and is the least likely to be converted to fat in the body. When you’re not hungry, you’ll stop thinking about food all the time, and as a result eat/snack less. It’s also critical for muscle growth and repair – a priority if you’re exercising regularly. There is literally no downside to eating protein.
Exercise 3-5 days a week. Workouts will vary depending on your goals and where you’re starting from, but some form of activity on a regular basis is part of every program – from a daily walk for some to an intense lifting session for others. In addition to the physical benefits, its shown people usually make better food choices when exercise is part of their day.
Be clear on your ‘Why’. If you’re just trying to ‘get back to’ a number on the scale that you once were, you’re likely not going to have the motivation and discipline for stick with your program for long. Dig deep and figure out why you really want to lose weight. Nothing wrong with wanting to look better if that’s the reason, but why do you want to? Put it down on paper so when you need some extra motivation you can remind yourself, in your own words, exactly what your goal is.
That’s it – pretty simple, and yet not necessarily easy. But simple is a great place to get started despite what we think we want. None of these principles require you to clear out your kitchen, buy a bunch of books or expensive equipment, or lock yourself at home for fear of eating something that isn’t ‘approved’ on your diet. Everyone can do this – if you’re thinking of losing some weight, I encourage you to give these basic principles a try. And, when you can do these things consistently, 90% of the time, we’ll talk about the helicopter.
Kristin Ames of Fit Life Coaching is a certified Nutrition Coach and Personal Trainer, PNL1 CPT, living in North Vancouver. If you would like to know more about her, you can visit herInstagram page.