Cafe il nido

780 Thurlow Street (hidden away)
604 685 6436

Atmosphere - Tucked away in a corner at Thurlow and Robson made it a little difficult to find but added to the relaxed charm and cozy ambience of this restaurant.

Service - We were greeted by the hostess as soon as we arrived, we had a reservation so we were seated right away. Because it was Valentine's day it was very busy, but the servers did their best to keep up though really only had enough time for basic service. It probably would have been a good idea to have another body on hand.

Food - The Valentine's Day Menu was quite varied and had lots to choose from. I ordered the Grilled Salmon with vegetables and salmon mousse. I thought it was a bit strange to have a cold salmon mousse on the same plate as the grilled salmon, and it turned out that it tasted a bit strange as well. Aside from that little issue, the salmon was done well, and it came with crispy vegetables and mashed potatoes, one of my favourites.

Whom to take - It ended up being a nice place to go on Valentine's Day, but it would also be a great place to take one's parents or out-of-town guests.

Value for Money - Good, the service was great for such a busy night and my food tasted delicious and was presented nicely.

Portobello Ristorante

2585 W. Broadway
604-734-0697

Atmosphere: Low lighting, Italian opera music, cozy but with enough space between tables. There is an open kitchen area so you can watch the chefs create your meal while they banter with the waiting staff. One of the chefs broke in to an a cappela version of O Sole Mio while we were waiting for our main course.

Service: The waiting staff are warm and friendly. Our waiter said to choose anything we wished as "everything would be perfect."

Food: I ordered the mussels in white wine sauce and the salmon pasta in cream sauce. The white wine sauce that the mussels were served in was fantastic, tangy and with a hint of lime. I found that the salmon filet was a little dry but the cream sauce was delicious, if not a litte too creamy. My date ordered the melon and prociutto appetizer, a traditionally Italian dish and the spaghetti bolognase. Both tasted just as they should.

Whom to take: Low lighting and ambiance make the perfect place to go on a date.

Value for Money: Good. A little pricey but worth it for the tasty food and great staff.

Aoki Sushi

1888 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6J 1Y9

ph: 604 731 5577

Atmosphere: This lively Japanese restaurant is almost always busy but I haven't had to wait for longer than 15 minutes to get a table. When you walk in the door you are greeted with an automated greeting.

Service: The servers are very friendly and efficient and the sushi chef smiles and calls a greeting from behind the counter. The staff is always the same and seems to know the regular customers.

Food: The food is fresh and seems authentic. The menu is extensive with the sashimi, nigiri, Don, tempura and rolls to choose from some are very inventive like the Mediterranean roll featuring sundried tomato. It is located close to me so I go quite often. Last time we went i ordered the Tuna Tataki and the veggie gyoza. The Tuna Tataki comes with a tangy sauce on the side and the gyoza appears to be made in shop. Other favorites include the spicy tuna roll and Alaska roll.

Value for money: Good. Aoki is priced a bit higher than most other 'fast food' sushi places in Vancouver probably because they use better quality ingredients.

Whom to take: A great casual place to go with friends.