PiDGiN

PiDGiN specializes in sharing plates and creative cocktails, so it was decided to be perfect for an after-work get together with friends. We had our eyes set on plenty of the dishes, so lets just dive straight into the photos!

First, a cocktail. I got the You can play with my yo-yo (hehehehe):

Salt Tasting Room

Salt has been on my list for a very long time because, duh - meat, cheese, and wine! What's not to like? Here's how it works: the restaurant has their daily meats, cheeses, and condiments up on a chalkboard. For their tasting plates, you can select any combination of 3 items (meat and cheeses) and also 3 condiments. If you can't decide what you want (trust me, it's pretty difficult to decide when you want everything), they also have pre-designed plates. Oh, and did I mention, there's also wine - more on that later.

I got a Tasting Plate ($16):

L'Abattoir

L and I decided to head to L'Abattoir before she headed for her month-long vacation, and we were both really stoked to try this place because of the rave reviews. L'Abattoir has also recently been listed as number 23 of Canada's top 50 restaurants on Vacay.ca!

We arrived at 6pm to a completely empty dining room, which was very nice as it made us feel like VIPs (hahaha). It filled up within the next hour of course.

Catch 122 Cafe Bistro

I don't often get a chance to go for brunch so given the opportunity, I immediately decided to go to Catch 122. Their brunch menu looks absolutely divine; duck prosciutto eggs Benedict, Liege waffles? Yes please!

The restaurant itself is small but has large windows which fills the place with sunlight, and being lucky enough to get a seat near the window, it made it a fantastic place to have brunch.

Meat & Bread (Cambie)

The day that I discovered Meat & Bread was a glorious day. I don't often find a "holy-grail" worthy sandwich (the last one was Earls' grilled chicken and baked brie - try this if you haven't!) but the moment I bit into a sandwich from Meat & Bread, I was in love.

Al Porto Ristorante

I should start off by saying that I've been to Al Porto quite a few times, and although the food here isn't particularly special or incredible, their prices are reasonable, the service is great, and the interior of the restaurant is lovely.

The restaurant itself is slightly hidden in Gastown - you have to turn into a very short alleyway to see the door of the restaurant. I think that there's another entrance elsewhere but I haven't found it! The inside is very spacious and the walls are decorated with paintings, there is a very European/Italian feel about it all (although I've never been to Europe, so don't quote me on this).