For the third year in a row, Vancouver has been voted the world's most livable city by the William M. Mercer Institute, a British consulting firm that bases its decisions on 39 quality-of-life criteria. With more than 170 parks, a temperate climate, a diverse cultural scene and a low crime rate, Vancouver can impress visitors at any time of year. Summer, however, is its most spectacular season, with long days that allow for plenty of outdoor activities, festivals and concerts. Situated on a peninsula, the city has many waterways on which Vancouverites parade their maritime skills -- kayaking, canoeing, sailing and cruising. For Americans, the appeal is even greater now that the United States dollar buys about $1.54 in Canadian currency (prices below are in American dollars).  >>  New York Times article

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 Asian Stars Are Bright in Vancouver's Firmament

Vancouver  is to Asian food what New York is to European: A place where a cuisine is often as good, and sometimes better, than in its country of origin. So splendid is the Chinese cooking in Vancouver that it rivals that of Hong Kong; so original and satisfying are its Japanese, Indian and Thai restaurants that frequent travelers to those countries who are familiar with Vancouver see little difference in the quality of the best establishments.  

And its natural resources give Vancouver one advantage over almost any place else. The Pacific Northwest is justifiably famous for its seafood, and the interior of British Columbia -- specifically the Okanagan Valley, reminiscent of Napa 30 years ago -- produces a delicious bounty of summer produce as well as some of the region's best wines, especially whites. (The Blue Mountain pinot blanc, for example, on most good wine lists in town, is world class.)

It isn't only the homegrown and imported Asian talent that makes the Vancouver restaurant scene so exciting. Though Lumière gets the most press, there are a dozen or so other non-Asian restaurants worth visiting for the freshness and simplicity of the local ingredients. Chief among these is the venerable Bishop's, a model for the delicate treatment of seafood; the Pear Tree, a tiny but charming husband-and-wife operation; Cioppino's Enoteca, an informal Italian place that may be the best of its kind in the city; and Raincity Grill, a more experimental restaurant that often strikes pay dirt.

Vij's
Vikram Vij worked for the above-mentioned Bishop's and Raincity Grill before opening his own place in 1994. Here, he concentrates on the front of the house, leaving the cooking duties to a loyal and competent staff supervised by his wife, Meeru Dhalwala Vij. The couple's sophisticated taste is evident everywhere, from the massive antique carved teak door to the glowing, backlighted rectangle of alabaster hanging over the bar, to the locally handmade plates.

It's especially evident in the food, which has hints of fusion but is as carefully prepared as any Indian food in North America. You might start with chai -- black tea with spices, sugar and milk -- or a fruity white wine from the thoughtfully assembled list.

Seasonings are important in every cuisine, but the complex combinations upon which Indian cooking relies are especially difficult to master; Meeru Vij's palate seems perfectly attuned to these, so the sauces and chutneys make even simple dishes sing. Potato-caraway bread, freshly fried, is served with mint and cilantro chutney; vegetable fritters come with tamarind-mango and mint chutneys. A dumpling of eggplant and summer squash with a sweet potato curry, surrounded by mango-spiked yogurt, is hot, sweet, tender, spicy, cool and mild at the same time, a marvel of complexity.

Similar in texture but markedly different in flavor are carrot-and-yam dumplings in a slow-cooked onion sauce. Grilled loin lamb chops, served on a bed of spinach and new potatoes with a fenugreek cream curry, are equally alluring. There are crisp yucca fries sprinkled with chili and garam masala, a magnificent goat curry and a stew of jackfruit. Even the simple dal is irresistible, and the aloo paratha (layered bread stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes) is a paradigm.

Vij's is spare, with nearly unadorned tables -- there are candles in elegant goblets -- overhung by Indian-style lamps that filter the light. It's moody; one night energetic and jazzy, another quiet and almost mysterious.

Unfortunately, the desserts are not up to par. I was not turned on by the pistachio ice cream, nor the almond rose pudding, nor the gulab jamun, doughnutlike pastries in cardamom sugar syrup. These imperfections are minor: I have eaten here four or five times and always leave wanting to come back.

Sun Sui Wah
The last time I ate at Sun Sui Wah, widely considered the pinnacle of Cantonese cooking in a city that knows a thing or two about the subject, I brought a crowd of about 10 people, and we sampled more than 30 dishes. I left satisfied but craving those tidbits, still streaming from the kitchen, that I had not managed to taste.

We had some of the usual dim sum: two kinds of steamed dumplings, one with a paper-thin wrapper and a shrimp filling, the other with a slightly thicker wrapper made from tapioca flour encasing peanuts, pork and vegetables. The memorable roast pork buns are small, flaky and crispy, with a fine barbecued pork filling and a sprinkling of sugar and sesame. Hot, crisp radish cakes, juicy, tender shu mai, and spicy, soft tiny spareribs are all impeccable.

The list of uncommon dim sum is even more impressive. Sticky rice laced with sausage, vegetables and seasonings is wrapped in a banana leaf, steamed and served with a Hong Kong specialty based on dried scallops, XO sauce. Braised duck tongues (don't knock 'em until you've tried 'em) are served on a bed of taro. And speaking of taro, there is a taro cake that gave me new appreciation for this usually boring tuber.

I don't know that you could find a more eclectic or esoteric meal elsewhere without spending a small fortune. Yet the story doesn't end there, because this is a Chinese restaurant with desserts that appeal to non-Chinese. Green tea and coconut pudding is delicious, despite an abundance of green food coloring; as is the warm steamed fresh tofu with ginger syrup. A light egg custard in a buttery crust would pass muster in Paris. Amazingly, however, a creamy, subtle warm almond pudding is served with canned fruit cocktail.

The service is exceptional for a large restaurant and the dining room is relatively attractive. But even if it looked like my high school cafeteria, I'd eat at Sun Sui Wah when I was in town.

Lumière
For years, I ignored the pleas of my Vancouver friends to visit Lumière, officially the Best Restaurant in Town. If there is one thing New York-based food writers don't need, I argued, it's the local four-star maison.

But Robert Feenie's Lumière is in that rare category of restaurants where the food is often original and sometimes stunning. Mr. Feenie, a candid admirer of the better-known North American chefs, does not so much imitate them as allow himself to be inspired by them.

And he takes full advantage of the Northwest's enviable local ingredients. One of his classics is black cod with sake, maple syrup, mushrooms and hijiki (black seaweed), a uniquely North American twist on a Japanese classic. Raw sockeye salmon with beluga caviar and a touch of tapenade is a bare-bones treatment of local seafood.

A signature dish is Mr. Feenie's ravioli with red curried squash with truffled beurre blanc -- sweet, spicy, tender and juicy, the kind of dish you cannot get enough of. But not all of his special dishes are so precious: local white and green asparagus are served with a soy vinaigrette; raw tuna comes with a simple Thai salad of green papaya dressed with lime

The offerings in Lumière's spare and subtle main dining room are based on four different tasting menus and, by New York standards, they are not expensive (especially given the favorable exchange rate), ranging from $50 to $75 in U.S. currency. To me, the less elaborate ones, with a mere seven or eight courses, are preferable to the grand one, which consists of a dozen or so plates and will take you nearly three hours to eat. In fact, for economy of both dollars and time, you might consider sitting in the attractive bar, where you can order many of the tasting menu dishes, and some other specialties, for $7.50 (United States) each.

Desserts are refreshingly restrained. Lemon sorbet laced with lemon peel and served with deep red, sweet strawberries is one example, as is arborio rice pudding with rhubarb confit. These are designed not to overwhelm you with their brilliance but to provide a nice finish to a good meal. Bravo.

The service at Lumière is knowledgeable and competent if sometimes overly friendly. But the servers, along with the near-flawless food, the clean, bright, stylish feel of the place, the superb wine list -- which offers standard haute cuisine accompaniments, but also a broad native selection -- combine to keep Lumière at or near the top of everyone's Vancouver list.

Tojo's
No sushi fanatic can possibly visit Vancouver without a visit to Tojo's, inventive and beautiful. The room itself has panoramic views of the city; you can sit on the terrace, in one of a couple of small, semiprivate rooms (on the floor on cushions), or in the main part of the dining room (the interior tables, away from the windows, are less desirable).

Most of the action, however, is at the 10-seat bar. There, omakase, the chef's tasting menu, is priced at $31.30 (United States) and up. (Much as I like to cut costs when possible, this is a place where you are best off putting yourself in hands of the chef, Hidekazu Tojo, and then paying the bill without directly looking at it.) When serving omakase, the chef steers clear of standards. Sablefish is steamed in parchment paper with mango, shiitakes, shrimp, and gobo (burdock); a crepe comes filled with crab, shrimp, scallops and chile; sockeye, lightly smoked, is served nigiri-style; seared tuna is marinated in citrus; a geoduck hand roll combines herring roe, daikon, cucumber and chile, a super marriage of textures and flavors. Mr. Tojo's cold seafood salad with surf clam, slivered fried eel, shiso leaves, cucumbers, green noodles and a light soy dressing, is memorable.

As is the overall experience. This is not only good eating, it's good theater. A dramatic, forceful character, Mr. Tojo changes dishes and ingredients at whim. He seems to see North America not so much as a place to follow the traditions of his native cuisine, but as one where it can evolve. In Vancouver, he approaches cult status: for a young chef, working with him is an honor, and the enthusiasm of those lucky enough to whirl like dervishes behind the counter send out not only gorgeous food but also near-nuclear energy in every direction.

The wine list is limited, but there is a good selection of white wines from British Columbia, as well as a dazzling array of sakes. Most desserts are nicely done versions of the standards -- such as the inescapable green tea ice cream -- but the daily special is usually worth sampling. On my last visit I had black sesame ice cream served with fresh fruit, including pineapple marinated in strawberry juice, a pretty touch.

Bill of fare
Vancouver is easy to get around in: Cabs are plentiful and inexpensive, and if you are driving you probably won't get lost. Parking is easier than in most major cities, and none of these restaurants are right downtown. Just carry ''loonies'' and ''toonies'' (1- and 2-dollar coins) to feed the ubiquitous parking meters. All these restaurants take credit cards, and none allow smoking.

Prices are in U.S. dollars, calculated at $1.60 Canadian to the U.S. dollar.

Vij's, 1480 West 11th Avenue, just off Granville; (604) 736-6664. Open for dinner daily; no reservations (be prepared to wait, though, except for peak times, it often isn't bad). Dinner for two, about $45.

Sun Sui Wah, 3888 Main Street, near 23rd Avenue; (604) 872-8822. Open every day, lunch and dinner; reservations accepted. Dim sum, less than $13 a person. Dinner, $13 to $20 a person.

Lumière, 2551 West Broadway, near Larch Street; (604) 739-8185. Open for dinner, Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday. Reservations almost essential, except for the bar, which can get crowded. At the bar, spending less than $15 a person is possible; otherwise, figure at least $50 a person.

Tojo's, 777 West Broadway, near Heather Street (second floor); (604) 872-8050. Dinner only, Monday through Saturday. Reservations required. Minimum of $15 a person, but it's easy to spend $60.

Worth a Visit
Bishop's, (604) 738-2025, 2183 West Fourth Avenue, Vancouver.

The Pear Tree, (604) 299-2772, 4120 East Hastings Street, Burnaby.

Cioppino's Enoteca, (604) 685-8462, 1129 Hamilton Street, Vancouver.

Raincity Grill, (604) 685-7337, 1193 Denman Street, Vancouver.   -  By Mark Bittman  New York Times