A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

Remembering the Downtown Eastside’s Short-Lived Asian-American BBQ Restaurant

The ever-evolving Restaurant Graveyard series looks back at the countless, long-shuttered establishments that helped to propel Vancouver’s food and drink forward. Full A-Z with maps and photos here. May they never be forgotten!

Robert Belcham, Ted Anderson and Tom Doughty – all veterans of the award-winning (but now shuttered) Campagnolo restaurants – launched The Fat Dragon in 2011. Located on a comparatively rough and out-of-the-way block of the Downtown Eastside (566 Powell Street), the brick-walled Asian-meets-American BBQ restaurant served up fat-slicked noodles, chicken-fried oysters, meaty bao buns, crab fried rice, Jalan Alor-inspired chicken wings, Korean BBQ pork, soft serve ice cream and many other delicious things, including bartender Matt Martin’s unforgettable Junmai Sour cocktail. (Think fruit tea-steeped sake and gin frothed with egg white and given licks of lemon, sugar, orange blossom and mint on ice.) Designed by Marc Bricault (see also Vij’s, Thierry, Thomas Haas), the long, stripped down room was low on ornament but high on atmosphere. Of memorable note was its silk-draped entranceway, neon signage (which would later appear at Campagnolo Upstairs) and ceiling hung with a curvaceous dragon motif that snaked past the bar, scales and all. Despite its unique concept, always interesting food and positive reviews, The Fat Dragon was tragically short-lived, lasting a mere nine months. The address is currently home to Dosanko, a beloved Japanese homestyle restaurant.

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Fat Dragon, The
Neighbourhood: Railtown Japantown
566 Powell St.
(Closed)

On Liquor, Licensing and Loopholes, with Keenan Hood of The Keefer

We catch up with The Keefer Bar’s General Manager, Keenan Hood, for a recap on the closing of the Keefer Yard, and the successes of the past couple of years…

The Cozy Prairie Themed Bar Tucked Away on Cordova Street

This cozy, unpretentious Saskatchewan-themed Gastown tavern was a beer- and bourbon-lovers' living room, with a food menu that could have been featured entirely in Scout's 'Comfort Food Guide to Vancouver'.

The Slick, Pacific Rim-Inspired Restaurant Was a Yaletown Fixture for Five Years

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen was a professionally-run, West Coast meets Asian restaurant owned by the legendary Bud Kanke.

Remembering the West End’s Charming Ligurian Restaurant and Its Stunning Patio

The 110-seat restaurant and bar specialized in the regional cuisine of Liguria, with seafood dishes figuring highly.