Stuff We Like — Little Saigon in Yaletown

This is honestly my favourite restaurant. The Yaletown location is the most transit friendly of the three lower mainland locations, but the food is delicious at all of them. This place is a must try for anyone who loves Vietnamese food. One of the things I love about this place is that you can pick one of their favourites or build your own meal. There are gluten free and vegetarian options for every diner. My personal go to is their build your own vermicelli bowl with prawns and spring rolls. And of course there are the drinks. A personal recommendation: Little Saigon Ice Tea for all ages, Miss Saigon for those looking for an alcoholic option. – JP

Stuff We Like — Almond Milk at Starbucks

After the disappointment that was the introduction of coconut milk (a term that I’m going to use loosely since it was less coconut and more filler) Starbucks has finally brought another milk alternative to its menu — almond milk.

While it still contains added sugar and some additives to keep it from separating, the list of ingredients is significantly shorter than that of the coconut milk. And you can tell that based solely on the taste. Where their coconut milk always tasted a little fake — like someone added too much Coffee Mate to their beverage — the almond milk manages to strike a balance between alternative milk and regular milk in terms of taste.

If you’re looking for an alternative to soy, coconut, or dairy, give the almond milk a try, but remember it does have added sugar. So, if you want to skip a super sweet treat, ask for reduced syrup in your drink! – JW

Stuff We Like — The Ramen District

In Vancouver’s West End, there is about a three block area around Robson and Denman that has a disproportionate number of ramen restaurants. It’s fondly referred to as The Ramen District by some — myself included — and it’s probably one of my favourite food destinations in the city. I live in Surrey and on more than one occasion, I’ve transited the 90 minutes so I could then stand in line for an additional 30 minutes just so I could eat ramen. I’ve been called crazy for doing this, but when I end up craving ramen, I know that buying the instant kind from the grocery store isn’t going to cut it.

The nice thing about having so many of these restaurants so close together means that you can find something for everyone in your group. While most restaurants make the traditional pork bone broth, there are others that make their broths with chicken or with vegetables. So if you don’t eat pork or meat, you won’t miss out on the deliciousness that is non-instant ramen. – JW