The Moose

If you're in Vancouver looking for a place to grab some delicious food and a pint, I'll admit that the options can be overwhelming. There's an abundance of great food in the city and a thriving craft beer industry, to boot. I won't claim to have tried more than a few of the local joints around here, but C and I did stumble onto a real gem while we were out for a walk.

This is the first thing we saw when we turned onto this block - I very nearly stopped in my tracks to stare at it. An entire menu priced at $5.95? Twenty-five cent wing night? One dollar sliders? Is this a trap?

We made our way inside and were seated at a rustic wooden table already occupied by another couple in hockey jerseys. "On game nights we double-seat our six-top tables," the host explained. I didn't mind in the least - I was too busy taking in the decor. It was cozy without being cramped and full of interesting things to look at in every direction. An entire wall of stacked home audio equipment? Why not! Enormous antlers above the bar? Of course!

The menus are made from old vinyl album covers, each one different. I wasn't expecting much in the way of creative food, but one glance at the menu told me I was dead wrong.

I ordered the Moose Burger; a beef burger with crispy pancetta and sharp cheddar cheese. Obviously I was expecting the bare bones with a price tag of $5.95, but our friendly waitress asked me whether I'd prefer fries, soup, or a Caesar salad for my side. I picked the naughty option and was glad I did, because the french fries were amazing. C went for a blackened chicken sandwich and was raving about it. I've never been a fan of blackened chicken but I had to agree - it was bursting with flavour. We left with full tummies and mostly-full bank accounts.

The most baffling thing to me about this $5.95 menu was that on our outings on later days, I noticed not one or two but three more hole-in-the-wall joints with the same claim - in one block! Turns out it's a bit of a trend here in Vancouver, and one I can get behind fully! If only Toronto would follow suit.

The Moose is one of those uncommon places that just feels like you're surrounded by friends, even when you're 3,000 miles away from home.

Give it a try if you're in the area. The Moose 724 Nelson Street 604-633-1002

If this one's not to your liking, head around the corner to The Factory, another $5.95 menu joint, or down a block to The Famous Warehouse, a $4.95 menu!

Vancouver

This past week I played at being a jet-setting businesswoman - as much of a businesswoman as one can be in steel-toed shoes with a c-wrench in my back pocket, I suppose. A company I contract with flew C and I to Vancouver for a week-long conference for one of their major clients. There's something wonderfully hilarious about nine bedraggled and frozen technicians clambering into a SUV stretch limo at five in the morning. This limousine was clearly meant to serve a different kind of patron entirely, as the twinkling LED lights and up-lit bar made clear. [You'll have to forgive me the poor quality of these photos - I'm limited to my iPhone for the time being and it doesn't like the dark.]

But I'm not one to complain about a warm limo ride to the airport on a freezing January morning! Our client had kindly arranged for a limousine to pick us up in Vancouver as well, so we arrived on site in style :]

We had more than a few long days with the client but as far as corporate work goes, this definitely falls on the 'fun' side of the spectrum. They're friendly and efficient and I always have a good time on these conference tours. Who doesn't like staying in nice hotels, having catered meals and exploring a new city for a week? Nobody, that's who.

This is where I spent 80% of my time in Vancouver: at my messy front of house workstation!

And of course, there were a few nights spent at the bar and seeing the sights around our hotel!

Here's a handy tip for reheating leftovers in your hotel room: pop that Pad Thai on a hot iron and stir it around. Almost all hotel rooms have irons and this works brilliantly. Isn't C clever?

I'm pretty allergic to feathers and down pillows/duvets, but I do look forward to the big comfy sheets in hotels. I don't even mind getting a bit of a scratchy throat - I cocoon myself in those wonderful duvets and wish I never had to leave.