Jason Van Camp
Latest Reviews
CAFE NELL
Or visit to Café Nell was fortuitous, as the nearby restaurant we'd planned on checking out was unceremoniously closed during their posted operating hours (both online and terrestrial), for some unknown reason. We looked for something similar in the neighborhood, and this classy little bistro jumped out at us, having both an intriguing brunch menu and an adorable aesthetic.
Upon arrival, and lacking a reservation, we were informed that the only available tables were inside (awesome!), and were seated immediately. Pleasantly surprised to see a variant of one of my favorite cocktails (the Rusty Nail) on the drink menu, I ordered the Kentucky Nail to go with my chicken paillard, while my wife ordered the French 75, a sort of sparkling lemon gimlet, along with the shrimp and grits; I'm still flabbergasted that she didn't order the Dungeness crab mac & cheese!
In both cases, the entrées were incredible; the shrimp and grits, an elevated home-cookin' comfort classic, hit all the right notes. Meanwhile, the chicken paillard was a complex amalgam of savory, sweet and sour, unified by the acerbic mustard vinaigrette dressing drizzled over both greens and fowl, it's only weakness being there wasn't enough of it. This would be my only complaint about our dining experience here: without the presence of an included side dish, this otherwise exemplary dish seemed a little exorbitantly priced for the size of the portion, yet not enough to be a detraction. Still, those with larger appetites should plan, and order, accordingly.
As gorgeous as the covered outdoor seating is, especially as it was on the warm Sunday morning in which we visited, the interior décor is no slouch, with its upscale-diner-meets-Parisian-boutique vibe. It's cute, cozy, and intimate, particularly after sunset, when the lighting manifests a moodier, duskier, more sultry ambiance. Perfect for a date night!
Portioning and pricing taken into consideration, a meal at Café Nell is still a worthwhile experience. They do things differently enough to stand out among their competitors, offering some truly incredible dishes, uncommonly great (and uncommonly encountered) cocktails, and stellar service, all packaged together in a charming little corner space that wouldn't seem out of place in any of the 20 Parisian arrondissements...which is saying something, because this is ostensibly an American café. When you can stand toe-to-toe with the culinary colossus that is French cuisine and culture, you're doing something VERY right.
Upon arrival, and lacking a reservation, we were informed that the only available tables were inside (awesome!), and were seated immediately. Pleasantly surprised to see a variant of one of my favorite cocktails (the Rusty Nail) on the drink menu, I ordered the Kentucky Nail to go with my chicken paillard, while my wife ordered the French 75, a sort of sparkling lemon gimlet, along with the shrimp and grits; I'm still flabbergasted that she didn't order the Dungeness crab mac & cheese!
In both cases, the entrées were incredible; the shrimp and grits, an elevated home-cookin' comfort classic, hit all the right notes. Meanwhile, the chicken paillard was a complex amalgam of savory, sweet and sour, unified by the acerbic mustard vinaigrette dressing drizzled over both greens and fowl, it's only weakness being there wasn't enough of it. This would be my only complaint about our dining experience here: without the presence of an included side dish, this otherwise exemplary dish seemed a little exorbitantly priced for the size of the portion, yet not enough to be a detraction. Still, those with larger appetites should plan, and order, accordingly.
As gorgeous as the covered outdoor seating is, especially as it was on the warm Sunday morning in which we visited, the interior décor is no slouch, with its upscale-diner-meets-Parisian-boutique vibe. It's cute, cozy, and intimate, particularly after sunset, when the lighting manifests a moodier, duskier, more sultry ambiance. Perfect for a date night!
Portioning and pricing taken into consideration, a meal at Café Nell is still a worthwhile experience. They do things differently enough to stand out among their competitors, offering some truly incredible dishes, uncommonly great (and uncommonly encountered) cocktails, and stellar service, all packaged together in a charming little corner space that wouldn't seem out of place in any of the 20 Parisian arrondissements...which is saying something, because this is ostensibly an American café. When you can stand toe-to-toe with the culinary colossus that is French cuisine and culture, you're doing something VERY right.
Vancouver Mall
My, how this place has changed over the years! I remember the days when there was no food court, and my favorite place in the entire mall was an ice cream shop on the upper floor, where they would dip bars of vanilla into hot fudge, and roll them in toppings of your choice (sprinkles, nuts, candies, etc). That was back in the 80s, so the "kids these days" have no idea what they are missing.
Some things that were lost (like our youth!), we'll never get back, but that doesn't mean that all changes are for the worse. In fact, Vancouver Mall, for the most part, has generally improved in almost all aspects. It's cleaner, more vibrant, better lit, with modernized décor, and reasonably well-populated with stores (compared to most other malls in the area, anyway). The one-and-only elevator is still trash; probably the same one from when the mall first opened, creating a bottleneck for people with strollers or in wheelchairs who aren't willing to risk a tricky ride on an escalator.
Unlike most metropolitan malls, Vancouver Mall has a somewhat home-town feel and flair: I mean, it boasts a branch of the local library, for God's sake, as well as a children's play area and a private lounge. There's even a parlor/studio devoted entirely to the taking of selfies (ugh), complete with several different stations boasting mirrors, ring lights, a ball pit, etc...perfect for the narcissist in us all (for a modest fee, of course)! Community events are frequently hosted here, including all of the traditional holidays you'd expect a mall to acknowledge: Halloween, Christmas, Easter...basically, if you can get a picture of your kids sitting on the lap of a stranger in a furry suit, they celebrate it.
Conversely, many of its anchor stores have abandoned their massive retail footprints (as they've frequently done in malls elsewhere), giving way to new tenants not typically seen in suburban shopping centers, such as an AMC movie theater (not as good as the Cinetopia preceding it), a Gold's Gym, a massive arcade (Round One), and a Hobby Lobby. The food court itself is lackluster these days, with nothing truly compelling within, and there are a few options outside of its borders that are above average, with one exception being Los Pepes, directly below.
Even the satellite buildings surrounding the mall's exterior have morphed, expanded, or changed tenants significantly in the last few decades. Many of the chain restaurants remain the same, while also welcoming newcomers such as Voodoo Doughnut, Chick-Fil-A, Five Guys, and more. The bus depot/transit center has moved from the north side to the south, and the inclusion of a Tesla charging station helps reinforce its attempts and modernization and relevancy in a society that increasingly shirks the terrestrial retail experience in favor of the (arguably) dangerous convenience of Amazon Prime and other online storefronts.
The shopping mall will likely never regain its former glory as the nerve center of the American shopping experience, but as these storied structures continue to struggle and persist in an increasingly online environment, a few of them have managed to carve out a niche intriguing enough to draw in enough commerce to keep themselves alive. Vancouver Mall has managed to hold on, white-knuckled, as the rest of the mercantile marketplace crumbled around them. Without the advent of a new retail Renaissance, it may not be long before it too succumbs to the same disease that has eroded the foundations of Lloyd Center, Mall 205, and many of its other neighbors. It will have to continue to evolve, without losing (any more of) its soul; and if taking a picture does steal souls, as some cultures believe, then that selfie parlor is a portent of its encroaching doom!
Don't get me wrong, I still love walking its halls and plazas, but I have to wonder how much of it is nostalgia, as opposed to any particularly relevant retail reason for visiting. I keep returning, but it's never the place I remember from my childhood, and sadly, it probably never will be again.
Some things that were lost (like our youth!), we'll never get back, but that doesn't mean that all changes are for the worse. In fact, Vancouver Mall, for the most part, has generally improved in almost all aspects. It's cleaner, more vibrant, better lit, with modernized décor, and reasonably well-populated with stores (compared to most other malls in the area, anyway). The one-and-only elevator is still trash; probably the same one from when the mall first opened, creating a bottleneck for people with strollers or in wheelchairs who aren't willing to risk a tricky ride on an escalator.
Unlike most metropolitan malls, Vancouver Mall has a somewhat home-town feel and flair: I mean, it boasts a branch of the local library, for God's sake, as well as a children's play area and a private lounge. There's even a parlor/studio devoted entirely to the taking of selfies (ugh), complete with several different stations boasting mirrors, ring lights, a ball pit, etc...perfect for the narcissist in us all (for a modest fee, of course)! Community events are frequently hosted here, including all of the traditional holidays you'd expect a mall to acknowledge: Halloween, Christmas, Easter...basically, if you can get a picture of your kids sitting on the lap of a stranger in a furry suit, they celebrate it.
Conversely, many of its anchor stores have abandoned their massive retail footprints (as they've frequently done in malls elsewhere), giving way to new tenants not typically seen in suburban shopping centers, such as an AMC movie theater (not as good as the Cinetopia preceding it), a Gold's Gym, a massive arcade (Round One), and a Hobby Lobby. The food court itself is lackluster these days, with nothing truly compelling within, and there are a few options outside of its borders that are above average, with one exception being Los Pepes, directly below.
Even the satellite buildings surrounding the mall's exterior have morphed, expanded, or changed tenants significantly in the last few decades. Many of the chain restaurants remain the same, while also welcoming newcomers such as Voodoo Doughnut, Chick-Fil-A, Five Guys, and more. The bus depot/transit center has moved from the north side to the south, and the inclusion of a Tesla charging station helps reinforce its attempts and modernization and relevancy in a society that increasingly shirks the terrestrial retail experience in favor of the (arguably) dangerous convenience of Amazon Prime and other online storefronts.
The shopping mall will likely never regain its former glory as the nerve center of the American shopping experience, but as these storied structures continue to struggle and persist in an increasingly online environment, a few of them have managed to carve out a niche intriguing enough to draw in enough commerce to keep themselves alive. Vancouver Mall has managed to hold on, white-knuckled, as the rest of the mercantile marketplace crumbled around them. Without the advent of a new retail Renaissance, it may not be long before it too succumbs to the same disease that has eroded the foundations of Lloyd Center, Mall 205, and many of its other neighbors. It will have to continue to evolve, without losing (any more of) its soul; and if taking a picture does steal souls, as some cultures believe, then that selfie parlor is a portent of its encroaching doom!
Don't get me wrong, I still love walking its halls and plazas, but I have to wonder how much of it is nostalgia, as opposed to any particularly relevant retail reason for visiting. I keep returning, but it's never the place I remember from my childhood, and sadly, it probably never will be again.
Waterfront SeaBus Terminal
Not only is the SeaBus a quick, cost-efficient way to cross to and from downtown to North Vancouver, it's also an entertaining little aquatic voyage for out-of-towners such as ourselves. Canada has public transport "figgered out" (quoting Letterkenny here) in a way that will take America decades to catch up, and this little waterborne ferry is a prime example of that.
Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine
Ya Hala for ya boy, because this place is fresh like the Prince of بيل اير!
My wife and I have been meaning to stop in here for years, as we love Lebanese (and Mediterranean cuisine in general) with a passion, but for some reason, it had never worked out. This weekend, we happened to be in the neighborhood, hungry, and without any other pressing plans...at the time. So we stopped in, discovered its order-at-the-counter-and-grab-a-table modus operandi, and settled on splitting a mezza platter with pita bread.
Yet once again, things conspired against us, and we ended up having to pivot and take our order to go, as something popped up that required our presence across town, so we weren't able to dine inside, as we'd planned. Fortunately, the mezza did not suffer from being transplanted to another location, and we made quick work of it once we were able to settle in and take care of things that required our attention.
In particular, the hummus was smooth and creamy, oily but just so; the dolmas were obviously hand-made, far better than most places, which come pre-made or from a can; the baba ghanouj (who doesn't love saying that?!) was tangy and not too chunky or dry; the tabouli fresh, tart and refreshing, not at all bitter. The pita, a $2 add on (my only gripe about our order - it should be a de facto inclusion; otherwise, how do you eat this properly?), was thankfully thin, tender and pliable, not overwhelmingly filling or powdery, as it often can be at other restaurants.
We might have been denied the full dine-in experience, but our appetites were whet enough by the appetizer that we're sure to be back for the full entrée experience, whenever the stars align and allow us to do so. Until then, we'll be rubbing our bellies in satisfaction and anticipation, hoping for a genie to emerge ("from WHERE!?!" - my wife, confused and a little scared) to grant our wish, sooner than later!
My wife and I have been meaning to stop in here for years, as we love Lebanese (and Mediterranean cuisine in general) with a passion, but for some reason, it had never worked out. This weekend, we happened to be in the neighborhood, hungry, and without any other pressing plans...at the time. So we stopped in, discovered its order-at-the-counter-and-grab-a-table modus operandi, and settled on splitting a mezza platter with pita bread.
Yet once again, things conspired against us, and we ended up having to pivot and take our order to go, as something popped up that required our presence across town, so we weren't able to dine inside, as we'd planned. Fortunately, the mezza did not suffer from being transplanted to another location, and we made quick work of it once we were able to settle in and take care of things that required our attention.
In particular, the hummus was smooth and creamy, oily but just so; the dolmas were obviously hand-made, far better than most places, which come pre-made or from a can; the baba ghanouj (who doesn't love saying that?!) was tangy and not too chunky or dry; the tabouli fresh, tart and refreshing, not at all bitter. The pita, a $2 add on (my only gripe about our order - it should be a de facto inclusion; otherwise, how do you eat this properly?), was thankfully thin, tender and pliable, not overwhelmingly filling or powdery, as it often can be at other restaurants.
We might have been denied the full dine-in experience, but our appetites were whet enough by the appetizer that we're sure to be back for the full entrée experience, whenever the stars align and allow us to do so. Until then, we'll be rubbing our bellies in satisfaction and anticipation, hoping for a genie to emerge ("from WHERE!?!" - my wife, confused and a little scared) to grant our wish, sooner than later!