Believe the Hype

So, in every Vancouver guide that I read (from blogs to The New York Times), I kept hearing about this Indian food restaurant called Vij's that was supposedly "amazing,""the best Indian food outside of India," and so on. Well, today, we went to have dinner at this place and, let me tell you, all of the reviews are correct. We arrived at five o'clock because that is the time that we heard you needed to get there in order to guarantee that you would eat there. A huge line had already formed outside--and did I mention that this place doesn't even open until five thirty?

Once we were seated, chai lattes arrived in front of us, as did passed plates of delicious Indian appetizers. It felt like we were at a cocktail party--Vij himself circulated constantly and spoke with all of the patrons about their meals. In addition to some excellent white wine recommended by our waitress, we had lamb and beef samosas seasoned with fennel, cloves, and sumac to start. I have eaten a lot of samosas, but these were divine.  For our entrees, we basked in the deliciousness of the flavors of curry, turmeric, and cumin as we shared some of the best lamb, braised shortribs, rice and naan ever! So good. For dessert...a pistachio ice cream did not disappoint.
After we left (full and satisfied) we both felt like we had been transported for dinner. It was an experience like no other and one that was, in and of itself, a reason to visit Vancouver.
Some other recommendations from our day today:
Seasons in the Park: Wine, cheese, with a large portion of amazing panoramic views of the city...
Queen Elizabeth Park: Not as stellar as Stanley Park, but enchanting in its own way...
Main Street: Not necessarily the shopping area you might have heard about, but amazing stationery, design, and vintage stores! Some favorites were: Regional Assembly of Text, Baker's Dozen Antiques, Urban Source, and Front and Company (where I found, loved, and bought a William Shakespeare card with famous quote stickers!)
Delaney's Coffee House Vancouver nights are chilly and we wanted to watch the fireworks with coffees in hand...we stumbled upon this neighborhood place and discovered some amazing coffee...
Celebration of Light  Sorry Spain. Sorry China. My vote goes to Vancouver!
Happy Exploring!