Whaddup, whaddup! It’s been a minute ICYT readership! Can’t believe we’re here – the end of summer. As always, the warmer months always come and go way too quickly. Last month I was big OOO (Out of Office) for the newsletter – the GF and I (just like almost everybody else this summer) made our way west to Vancouver, the place I consider home away from home. For as long as I remember, it’s been a yearly tradition visiting family and friends in Vancouver. In 2019, I had the opportunity to move to Vancouver for work. During that time, I got to experience the city in a whole new lens, exploring all sorts of different areas all over the Lower Mainland – and of course, the hunt for delicious food usually fueled that drive for exploration. I might be biased, but Vancouver might be one of the best food cities in the world. The city is so rich in culture and diversity. It’ll have some of the highest rated restaurants in the country and on the same block they’ll have mom and pop shops serving up traditional food they’ve served to family members and patrons alike for generations. Join me on this month’s installment of uMAHmi - a travel journal of some of our favourite places that we ate at in Vancouver. meal check 1. Osteria Savio Volpe - 615 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC ​ Man oh man, where to start with Savio Volpe . Simply put, they are easily one of my favourite dining experiences in the city. The space is comforting and warm, staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and the menu is always off the hook. Their menu does turnover regularly including the nightly features that come and go. Savio Vople takes advantage of the regionally in season ingredients found throughout the province to incorporate into their ever changing menu. They keep it short and sweet with only a handful of items rooted in the Italian tradition of simplicity and freshness. The offerings at Savio Volpe are no fuss - when it comes to their menu of straight forward plates and simple cocktails. ​During this trip, we couldn’t help ourselves but to visit Savio Volpe twice in the week. FYI, they do fill up quite quickly so reservations are highly suggested if you want one of those prime time dinner slots – I’d book at least a few weeks in advance to secure the bag. Don’t forget to end the night with their selection of daily churned fresh gelato they have on rotation. A few of my favourite things to get are: House Focaccia: Olive oil and oregano that sits atop the light crispy exterior that compliments the fluffy/airy filling of the bread, making it the perfect vehicle to mop up the remaining pasta sauce from each plate that comes afterwards. Kale Salad: Showered with Pecorino Romano and pangrattato (bread crumbs) tossed in a refreshing lemon pepper dressing – makes for a sensational summer salad. Oxtail Rigatoni: The combination of rich, succulent oxtail and briny olives makes my taste buds tingle. When you don’t think it can get any better, they dust the lovely plate of pasta with some Parmigiano-Reggiano. The gravy is so insane I use the House Focaccia like a Sham-Wow to soak up every drop of sauce left on the plate. Veal Chop: A stunning cut of meat. Cooked to perfection on the grill and topped with a cherry reduction, sliced and diced ready to serve with the bone on the side. One of my favourite nightly features they offer from time to time. Cross your fingers in hopes for scoring this bad boy when you’re there. Oxtail Rigatoni from Osteria Savio Volpe Veal Chop from Osteria Savio Volpe 2. Dosanko - 566 Powell St Unit #100, Vancouver, BC Located in the heart of Vancouver’s historical Japantown, you’ll find a warm and cozy eatery serving up homestyle Hokkaido cuisine. Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands, is known for its cold weather and legendary status when it comes to dairy products. The genuine love and care for food can be felt in each dish at Dosanko. The team at Dosanko focuses on fresh locally sourced food and works tirelessly to craft their homemade ingredients – the miso, shoyu, and dashi are all made from scratch in-house, playing a crucial part in the success of their restaurant. They don’t miss with anything from their selection of in house onigiris and milk bread sandwiches, hearty curries and stews, as well as their fried to order tonkatsu. You can finish your meal with a seasonal parfait, which is second to none with what you would find in Japan. If you find yourself at Dosanko, I’d recommend: Cheese Crusted Oyako Sandwich: The crispy Parmigiano Reggiano cheese edges line the crust of the fresh fluffy milk bread, and then is stuffed full of juicy fried chicken, creamy egg salad, and greens. Might sound crazy, but it’s so crazy it works. Adding the jalapeno mayo gives it a little bit of heat. Curry-Rice: Bubbly, melty baked cheese makes up the top layer of the bowl on this warm hearty curry. Slow cooked to perfection, bringing out all the nuance flavours of their curry covers every grain of rice. You can add pork loin or beef belly tonkatsu to really elevate this already amazing meal. Omu-Rice: Sitting on top of a bed of fried rice is a delicately cooked silken egg omelet that gets split open table side upon being served. Topped with their savory stewed hayashi beef sauce adds a layer of depth to this comforting and warm dish. Cheese Crusted Oyako Sandwich at Dosanko Curry-Rice with the Pork Loin! 3. The Dolar Shop - 6078 Silver Dr, Burnaby, BC This restaurant chain from Macau does hot pot like I’ve never experienced before. Dolar Shop offers extravagant cuts of meat, handmade noodles, and an insane selection of fresh seafood. The customer service is second to none with an attentive and professional front of house staff to ensure the experience for the customer is nothing short of greatness. They have iPads that make ordering easy with pictures and descriptions of each item. Presentation is bright and beautiful - as each dish comes out, you can see the precision that went into plating each one. For the few times that I’ve been, they’ve brought out all the food at once making you feel like you’re in a Studio Ghibli movie with an entire feast right before your eyes. Their broth is clean and already delicious on its own, as you add more and more items to your soup, it gradually enhances the flavour throughout the duration of the meal. The Dolar Shop is definitely on the pricier side, but it’s worth every dollar (no pun intended). As you would expect at hotpot, you’ll likely overeat, but how can you say no to a complimentary soft serve ice cream cone and macaron to cool down your palate before you leave. Can’t go wrong with ordering: Wagyu Mountain: A pile of marbled Thick Cut Wagyu Short Rib (American Wagyu) slices stacked in the shape of a mountain, topped with wagyu cubes at the summit. It cooks in seconds and melts instantly when you bite into it. Don’t think I need to say much more to convince you to get this when you go to Dolar Shop. The Dolar Shop Shrimp Pâté: This crowd favourite is prepared table side by a server as the pate is divided into bite sized pieces. The freshness in the shrimp is evident – this dish gets cleaned up quickly by all the seafood lovers at the table. The Dolar Shop Pancake Banana Egg: This warm, sweet crepe is a fantastic way to break up all the savory hot pot items like the meats and seafood. Ever since it was recommended, I couldn’t stop getting it every time I’ve been back. Simple, crispy, sweet, buttery goodness. Hand Crafted Noodles: A good quality noodle completes the hot pot experience. The noodles are perfect for soaking up all that flavour from the broth. The chew of the noodle is on point – I wouldn’t expect anything less considering how premium everything else on the menu is. Wagyu Mountain honorable mentions I couldn’t do an in-depth write up of everything we ate this trip because if I did, I’d probably still be writing right now. See below for some of other good eats we enjoyed in our latest trip to Vancouver. Kam Do Bakery : This OG Chinese bakery carries all the classic treats baked fresh daily. They offer the classic HK breakfast items, as well as some with a more modern take - like their Pineapple Bun Breakfast Sandwich. J Squared Ice Cream : Scooping a rotation of primarily Asian and tea inspired flavours. If they have a flavour you want to try, act quickly because they do sell out. Some favourites are their Shanghai Fog and Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog : Fried and made to order, these Korean corndogs were the rage when this popular chain opened on the west end of Robson. A solid cheap eat that you can load up with all the sauces and flavoured powders your heart desires. Thank You Pizza : Sourdough pizza with a beautifully charred crust, snappy chew, and fresh toppings. The burrata pizza almost broke my brain, it was out of this world. DD MAU Chinatown : Doesn’t matter if you go with small party or large, you’re going to have a good time with amazing food and unique cocktails. Slinging traditional Vietnamese street food with a modern take keeps things fun and refreshing. Pizza Coming Soon : Japanese snack bar with a vibe like no other. The space is curated like a bar from the 70s with bright pastels and quirky little caricatures littered throughout the restaurant. Their selection of natural wine and cocktails are top notch. Di Beppe : An aperitivo at any time of day. Nothing like enjoying a refreshing spritz and slice of pizza pie on the patio on a sunny afternoon in Gastown. Kokoro Mazesoba : A big bowl of tossed noodles full of umami goodness. Fatty, salty, fresh, herbal, spicy, sharp, acidic notes all in a bowl of noodles. Their Hokkaido soft serve cone is the closest thing you’ll get to a Cremia without going across the ocean. Honestly, there are too many amazing places to eat in Vancouver to even attempt to list all of my favourites for you guys. My love for