Railtown Japantown Archives

Heads Up / Railtown Japantown

Izakaya-Style Snack and Jazz at Dosanko Every Tuesday Starting May 30th

After eight months of closure following last year's fire, the beloved Japanese homestyle restaurant is bringing back their popular Izakaya-style pop-up in tandem with live jazz - the perfect opportunity to slip up to the bar and reconnect with the Dosanko crew...
Heads Up / Railtown Japantown

Alibi Room Readies for Changing of Hands at the End of December

Although the Alibi Room will continue to sling pints (under the management of Victoria, BC-based hospitality group, Four Top) the last day of service under their current ownership of extended family members - Nigel and Kerry Springthorpe, Raya Audet and Chef Greg Armstrong - will be Friday, December 23rd, 2022.
The New Breed / Railtown Japantown

Talking Pâté, Imposter Syndrome and Restaurant Nostalgia, with Chef Colin Johnson of St. Lawrence

Over fish n' chips and a couple of pints, Rhys Amber catches up with St. Lawrence's Chef de Cuisine - someone who's as real as they come and not afraid to discuss the difficult parts of our industry, along with all the aspects that we love so much.
Power of Two / Railtown Japantown

Dosanko Restaurant Partners and Proprietors, Nathan Lowey and Akiyo Tani

Meet Chef Nathan Lowey and General Manager Akiyo Tani, partners in business and in life. They share parenting duties, as well as opening and closing duties at their Powell Street restaurant. If you've even been, you know their warmth.
The Dishes / Railtown Japantown

Akiyo Tani Does ‘The Dishes’

In this edition, the General Manager and Co-owner of Dosanko Japanese restaurant, takes us for a spin around town to visit some of her current favourite places for eating and drinking.

8 Places
Picking Grapes / Railtown Japantown

Picking Grapes With ‘The Pie Shoppe’ Sisters

The two chefs and avid wine-lovers take us through a journey of their most memorable BC wines.

8 Places
Comfort Food / Railtown Japantown

COMFORT FOOD GUIDE // Arguably the Best Brownie Situation Ever Sold in Vancouver

The delicious and not too sweet things are dense, chewy and creamy at the same time, no doubt the result of some alchemic spell.
Definitive Records / Railtown Japantown

All the Things Being Listened to by The Mackenzie Room’s Antonio Cayonne

The hospitality lifer picks three important records, singles out some vital podcasts and shares several essential books on tape.
Opening Soon / Railtown Japantown

Inside the Imminent Japanese Cafe, ‘Harken’

It's been a long time coming, but the new cafe aims to start serving coffee and shojin ryori-style vegan food around June 1st.
View From Your Window / Railtown Japantown

The View From Your Window #216

We love posting photos like this that reveal the views through the windows of our readers. We hope you'll consider sharing yours!
Opening Soon / Railtown Japantown

Take a Sneak Peek Inside Pallet Coffee’s Beautiful New Roastery in Railtown

After several months in the making the new facility is on track to officially open to the public this Monday, November 4th.

You Need To Try This / Railtown Japantown

Is This Vancouver’s Most Underrated Restaurant?

Dosanko, the quietly excellent yoshuku-style restaurant on the edge of Japantown, is back open for dinner service.
Picking Grapes / Railtown Japantown

Picking Grapes With Cody Dodds of Powell Street’s Mackenzie Room

This week we put our Picking Grapes questions to the Wine Director at one of Vancouver's best restaurants.

8 Places
Opening Soon / Railtown Japantown

Basement ‘Boogie Van’ Ready to Rock in Railtown

Take a look inside Chef Stu Irving's new 50 seat hideaway in Railtown and watch out for the levitating skeleton king...
TBT / Railtown Japantown

Long Before St. Lawrence Came Along, There Was a Little Butcher Shop…

Long before 269 Powell St. was home to its current tenant, it was Big Lou's, which closed under strained circumstances.
Opening Soon / Railtown Japantown

Pallet Coffee Roasters Set to Expand

The local coffee company is moving its roasting operations to Railtown and growing its commissary in Hastings-Sunrise.
Opening Soon / Railtown Japantown

A Look Inside Japantown’s Harken Coffee

The upcoming, Japanese-inspired coffee house and shojin ryori-style restaurant is coming together at 338 Powell Street.
Opening Soon / Railtown Japantown

Basement Lounge ‘Boogie Van’ Opening Soon

Cuchillo owner/chef Stu Irving is building a new 50 seat lounge (inspired by his old, souped-up 1980s van) under his restaurant.
How To Cook Vancouver / Railtown Japantown

Railtown’s St. Lawrence Does a Rice Pudding So Good We Tried to Make It at Home

In the latest edition of How to Cook Vancouver, Maciel gives us a road map to recreating one of Vancouver's best desserts.

The New Breed / Railtown Japantown

The GM at One of Canada’s Best Restaurants Dishes on Ambition, Mentors and More

Scout recently met with the dancer at heart to pick her brain on the trajectory of her career and all things hospitality.
You Need To Try This / Railtown Japantown

You Need To Try This Pina Borracha in Railtown

It'd be a 'stiff' drink if it weren't for all the char-speckled juice. Pair it with Stu Irving's wild prawn tacos with sunflower sprout chimichurri.
Definitive Records / Railtown Japantown

These Are the Records That Define the Musical Tastes of One of Vancouver’s Top Chefs

The Mackenzie Room's kitchen maestro is concise yet poetic when describing the vastly different records that impacted his life.
TBT / Railtown Japantown

Five Years Ago This Week, the Launch of Belgard Kitchen Was Imminent in Railtown

I was able to tour the final stages of the restaurant's construction a couple of weeks before its launch in April 2014.
You Need To Try This / Railtown Japantown

You Need To Try This Sakura Onigiri in Japantown

This fleeting treat is loaded with chunks of lobster, pickled beets, pickled cherry blossoms and flecks of shisho that cling to the rice.
You Need To Try This / Railtown Japantown

Whenever Pasta Appears on the Menu at The Mackenzie Room, Pounce On It

You can't really see them in all their plump glory hiding under a blanket of spring greens and petals, but they're truly beautiful things.
Restaurant Porn / Railtown Japantown

The Spanish Restaurant Where Japan Meets Brasil

Spanish design firm Masquespacio created this beautifully colourful and tropical Japanese-meets-Brasilian sushi spot in Valencia.

View From Your Window / Railtown Japantown

The View From Your Window #172

We love posting photos like this that reveal the views through the windows of our readers. We hope you'll consider sharing yours!
TBT / Railtown Japantown

A Look Back at the Start of Ask For Luigi, Which Turns Five This Week

The room was littered with cardboard, unfilled menus, fresh bus pans and other bits of service detritus, but it looked very promising...