The Main Street (South Main - Mount Pleasant) night scene

So K and I were having drinks (belated birthday celebration) at The Cascade Room and we were discussing how some people who live west of Main Street are somewhat reluctant to come to the East Side of Vancouver, despite how 'up and coming' the area may be. I agree that this might be the case at night, sometimes, but it all depends on what you are looking for. So I thought I'd do a summary of the places where I think people can spend some time when out on the town. In no particular order, here are my suggestions for things to do at night...

The Cascade Room - I have reviewed this restaurant before, and I am still as impressed as I was on the first day. The service this time was excellent as I expected, the drinks were right on and we had the chance to chat with Wendy (one of the co-owners) for a bit. The Cascade Room is a place to hang out, have dinner, drinks, spend time, you know... no pressure. The food menu is comforting, it's not something that has to be sophisticated. The decor is excellent, and the music level is just right. Main and 10th Avenue.

The Main - I have only tried The Main at brunch and on a week night for beers. The place is awesome and I've been told they have live music, so I would strongly recommend it. Main and 27th-ish.

The Reef - I've been to The Reef for dinner and drinks (though not sure if I've written a restaurant review yet). The food is Jamaican-Caribbean-oriented and the drinks are to-die-for. Main and King Edward-ish.

Public Lounge & Eatery - This is a small place, but with a nice patio - I've been to Public for a drink with Nomade Moderne, though we didn't stay for long. Came back for another drink on my own. Pleasant atmosphere, though I am always tempted to go back for (strangely enough) dessert. Main and 17th-ish. [I approve of their website - Public Lounge - I am not sure the 'Eatery' should be included in the name, but since I'm not the owner, I have no say]

The Whip Restaurant Gallery - Oh yeah. The Whip has a generous patio, awesome decor (local artists) and great drinks. The food menu is a bit upscale, as my review indicates. Hipster hangout. Main and 6th Avenue (on 6th, actually). [As with Public, I'd be happier if it was only named 'The Whip' - since I'm not the owner nor management, I have no say]

Rhizome - You might be surprised since they have a brunch menu that has items that are beyond your wildest dreams, but Rhizome also hosts events in the evening. This relaxed, chill hangout place has created a wonderful and welcoming atmosphere for queer and queer-friendly folks in East Vancouver. Often have Queer Board Games and speed-dating parties. Broadway and Scotia-ish [almost kitty-corner from Kingsgate Mall]. My review only includes brunch.

The Anza Club - For sure, anyone who prides him/herself in knowing the Mount Pleasant area should know that the Anza Club is one heck of a place to go partying. Lounge and Main areas, and they host another queer-friendly event (Bent) on (I think) the third Thursday of the month. I might be wrong with the dates. Excellent website with a bit of history.

SoMa - We all cried foul when SoMa closed (the Flickr PhotoStream of Caterina shows you what it looked like inside before moving from Main St. near Broadway to 8th Avenue near Main St.) -- well, I discovered that they are now licensed, open late at night, and the place is comfy and has a nice atmosphere. I'll have to check it out.

NOTE - I didn't include coffee shops (obviously one type of place where people can hang out) because I wanted to highlight those places that may serve liquor, SoMa being the only exception I know (a coffee shop or former coffee shop that now serves - if I am not mistaken - alcohol).
And apparently I wasn't mistaken.

Bar review - 1181

Even though I have lots of friends who live in the West End, I almost never come down unless I have a specific schedule (e.g. dinner or dancing) and an arrange date with these friends. However, Nomade Moderne and I were already Downtown for the VQFF and therefore we thought we'd eat in the Davie Street area. We had an amazing dinner at Cafe Luxy (not surprising because as I mentioned in previous posts, Cafe Luxy is one of those trusted pasta houses where you know you are always going to get amazing food and great service). We were definitely not disappointed (though I wish we had bigger stomachs!)

After dinner, H and I decided to hit 1181 for a couple of drinks. The place is small, sleek, elegant, sophisticated and (yes) full of testosterone :-) But more than that, 1181 has a great female DJ who plays (amongst other of my favorites) Kaskade, Lisa Shaw, Synthique, Miguel Migs, and the list goes on. She really knows how to rock the house. On the plus side of things, the always amazing company of Nomade Moderne. On the down side, this place is really small. But the truth is, the overall experience was very nice. Good screwdrivers and caipirinhas. This is a good place for drinks and maybe some dancing, but definitely not the place to hold a conversation. But hey, who is actually wanting a conversation here? :-) I am sure we'll be back to 1181 soon!!!

Bar review - Mahony & Sons (UBC)

I went to Mahony & Sons with my good friend JH who had just defended her Masters thesis. She's super smart, super sweet and really fun to hang out, and we had to celebrate. Two colleagues joined for a bit and then it was just J and I, and we had a long nice chat over a jug of beer (which I am proud to say, we finished all by ourselves - and I still could walk home).

On to the review. Best patio, like, ever! [insert early twenties voice]. Excellent beer. Top notch service, the waitress was super attentive and really friendly. Yam fries rock. Would I recommend Mahony & Sons for a drink and some appetizers? Absolutely.

An eco-friendly vodka?

Well, since I do enjoy one vodka tonic sporadically (e.g. every few weeks), a friend of mine suggested that I looked into Vodka 360. The creators of this beverage indicate on their website their commitment to “eco-awareness and corporate social responsibility”. Of course, all disclaimers apply here (e.g. drink responsibly, don’t drink and drive, etc.) And full disclosure – I have nothing to do with this company. I just like vodka-based drinks once in a while. It’s exciting to see that environmental issues are gaining more visibility.

“Because nobody living with AIDS should live with hunger” (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.

Restaurant review - Coppertank Grill (Kitsilano)

Ok, so since we're on the topic of watering holes, it would also be unfair not to review Coppertank. I recently went to Coppertank with M and A, but I had also been there a few times with other friends. In reading some reviews of Coppertank, it appears as though people love the fact that it's an unpretentious, boisterous place where you can have a beer and a burger.

I would compare it to The Five Point on Main Street and almost 15th Avenue, but I have to say that Coppertank feels a bit more cozy. It's perhaps the fact that they have live bands sometimes. And I really enjoy the burgers there. I just wish they had the $10 burger-and-a-beer combo. Speaking of which, I know Stamps Landing Pub and the Five Point DO have said combo.

Coppertank is great to meet your Kitsilano friends or take an out-of-towner who enjoys good beer and food. Just about everyone fits here! Of course you can come here just for the beer, but I would never do that. I need my burgers :)

Restaurant review - The Fringe Cafe

Best place for a jug of beer and hang out with good friends? The Fringe Cafe, hands down. I love this place. I have been here numerous times (quite obviously since many of my friends live in Kitsilano). The Broadway strip from Alma to Macdonald has lots of interesting places worth visiting. Since I went to the recent Greek Festival for a very brief period of time, I thought it was just timely that I write a review of The Fringe Cafe (or The Fringe as we call it).

I raved about Cactus Club's jambalaya recently. Well, honestly, The Fringe Cafe has a jambalaya that rivals that of Cactus. My brother is quite a picky eater and he loves it. My friends love the beer (I am not a heavy drinker, but I can appreciate a good draught).

The Fringe is a really cool place to hang out and just have a good time. I know for a fact that I'll be coming back. My closest friends used to toy with the idea of coming down here for drinks as they knew I had some negative associations (heartbreaks). But I never stopped loving the Fringe. I never will :) And apparently, neither will these reviewers [I love Martiniboys' reviews :)]

Bar review - Oasis

I took two of my out-of-town friends to this bar on the premise that it was a really good bar (located along the Davie Village) and it had a nice atmosphere. While I am guessing that Oasis also has food, I thought it was more appropriate to indicate that this was a bar, rather than a restaurant. Well, perhaps the category should be more "bar-lounge". The place advertises itself as a cocktail lounge.

I had been here before with A and S before S went to Africa for a short stint, but I hadn't been back in a long while At any rate, The Oasis has fairly good, not-too-expensive drinks. There were two things that I didn't really like. Smoking is permitted on the patio, and lots of people take advantage of that fact. I am a non-smoker and of course that spoils my evening. Second, our waitress got to a point where she just simply slapped us with the bill before even waiting to ask whether we wanted to go or not. I actually did not appreciate that.

But to be fair, the service is always good (except this last time) and the bartenders are sweet. I ordered a sweet drink and since it wasn't sweet enough, the bartender added some grenadine. So, really, who can complain? :) And the place is so beautiful and has such a nice atmosphere, I'll definitely be back.

Restaurant review - Cloud 9 (The Empire Landmark Hotel)

Cloud 9 is one of the two revolving restaurants I know of in Vancouver (the other is located at the top of Harbour Centre), and it is a popular destination for visitors. Since I have recently had lots of visitors from out of the country, it was just fitting to bring my friends L and V to Cloud 9.

There are many things that make Cloud 9 an excellent location. The drinks are good (even if rather pricey - I had what was perhaps one of the most expensive martini's I've ever had), although I can't really comment on the food as we thought the menu was really expensive. The service was impeccable. Bear in mind, of course, that this is a tourist destination and thus it may be the case that prices are high.

The view of Vancouver is phenomenal, although come to think about it, perhaps I should have taken them to Harbour Centre as you can't really see East Vancouver or Gastown from the current location of Cloud 9, at the top of the Empire Landmark Hotel. But if you're looking for a special experience for out of towners, I'd recommend Cloud 9. I took L and V there and we had a phenomenal time. Ahh, good times :)