PICKS OF THE MONTH - VANCOUVER

Restaurant: Dundarave Fish Market

2423 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, www.dundaravefishmarket.com

Oxymoron (definition): A figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms.

Example: Vancouver and Value

Recently, thanks to years of set menu meals in Europe, I have become of the opinion that there really are no restaurants, outside the sushi circuit, serving both great food and providing great value in Vancouver. As the city rises in status on the international scene, so do its prices. However there remain a few culinary gems that for now are dominated mainly by a faithful posse of locals.

My favourite place is a West Coast fusion seafood restaurant located in quaint Dundarave, a trendy neighbourhood in West Vancouver. The Dundarave Fish Market boasts an original, to-die-for menu with items such as smoked black cod risotto, cedar plank salmon, Cajun snapper burgers, mussels a la Provencal, candied pecan scallop salad (amazing!), and its uber popular crab cakes. Considered the it-place among West Vancouverites, the restaurant sticks to its seafood theme with hip marine decor and a funky nautical martini list. It even has a lovely sun-soaked patio where customers can chat over a glass of cool sangria while working on their tans. My favourite dishes are the rip-tide squid, tug boat lettuce wrap and famed halibut fish n’ chips.

The Dundarave Fish Market is a great place for out-of-towners to get the true West Coast foodie experience. To be guaranteed a spot, make a reservation on their website because, as a friend once said, the only bad thing about the Dundarave Fish Market is not being able to get a table.