A Foodie's Guide To Vancouver
Fritz European Fry House
http://www.fritzeuropeanfryhouse.com/location
Delicious beyond belief poutine and fries that will keep you going between lunch and dinner. For those who haven’t heard of poutine, it is a Canadian specialty and consists of Fries, cheese and gravy. At Fritz’s, you can also add toppings such as pulled pork, bacon, and beef chili. They also have normal fries that you can get with a variety of unique sauces like parmesan peppercorn, chili chutney, and jalapeño mustard. You will need the carb load because you will be walking around A LOT.
Gyoza Bar
https://gyozabar.ca/dinner-menu/
This place is definitely worth popping some extra glipizide for. Coming from LA I had heard about the ramen in Vancouver and wanted to give it a taste myself. With a quick Google search and Open table reservation, I was able to snag a table at one of the top-rated ramen restaurants Gyoza Bar. The menu features a variety of Japanese small plates, gyoza (of course), and ramen. I stuck to the classic Tamari-Shoyu Tonkotsu Pork Ramen and it was delicious!! Fear not if you don’t want to overload of on carbs they also have a wide variety of meat and veggie small plates.
Medina:
One of the most popular brunch places in Vancouver is Cafe Medina. Cafe Medina is known for its locally sourced ingredients and delicious pastries including the best Belgian Waffles in the city! I highly recommend the Sandwich Au Porc or Pork Sandwich for a hearty and delicious meal without being too much to finish. Be sure to save room for a waffle! One of my favorite things to do is to order a sandwich and take off the bread to make an open face sandwich, half the carbs and just as good.
Bao Down
This pan Asian food restaurant has some of the best bao in Vancouver. Located In Gastown this restaurant considered itself “pacific rim cuisine with Filipino flair”. Stop in for a quick Bao or two and make sure to get the Truffle Fries they are delectable! They also have a wide variety of local beers on tap and a selection of BC wines. Not only can you get the Bao normal style with a bun you can also get them in a lettuce cup for those who are gluten or carb conscious;).
Wildebeest
https://wildebeest.ca/menus/dinner/
Looking for something a little more upscale? Check out Wildebeest. We were lucky enough to visit Canada during their Dine Vancouver which offers a preset menu for a fixed cost. For an appetizer make sure to get the BQQ Boar Belly, though covered in popcorn, this boar belly will just melt in your mouth.
I would definitely recommend the Tuna Tartare, yellowfin tuna with a kimchi mayo, turnips and a wonton cracker, also make sure to get the BC Wagyu Carpaccio topped with Iberico cheese and olive oil. For the main, I would suggest the steak as well. Wildebeest is definitely one of the more diabetic friendly restaurants in Vancouver, all of the dishes we ordered were low-carb and low-sugar. They even offered to swap on the dessert on the pre fixe for one of the other small plate options (talk about service).
Tuc Craft Kitchen
https://www.tuccraftkitchen.com/
Yes, I know another carb heavy meal…but here me out when you spend the rest of the day exploring and walking around you don’t want to risk getting too low. So, for Brunch head to Tuc Craft Kitchen for rustic, seasonal farm-to-table food! We started our day off with mimosas (only $5 ;) ) and then appetizers. The “appetizers” we started with were the pork belly cracking and the side of potatoes (we were starving and needed food ASAP). For our main meal, we got the Crispy Chicken and Waffles. We easily could have split this meal but it was so good I’m kind of glad I had my own ;).
Fairmont-Notch 8
In the mood for drinks and appetizers? Head to the Fairmont. I suggest the Bubbles and Berries cocktail and you should order both the Charcuterie & Cheeseboard and the Local Oysters. The staff at Notch 8 provided us with the most wonderful service and the food was definitely up to snuff. Notch * offers plenty of low-carb and low-sugar apps perfect for sharing!
What is your favorite food destination? Have you been to Vancouver? Let me know if I missed any places!
*Disclaimer I am not a doctor, all advice and opinions are my own and always listen to your doctor 1st. All opinions are based on my personal experience while I figure things out on my own diabetic journey!