Ever get stuck in a tourist trap on vacation?
Yep, me too. But fret not! There are ways to minimize those odds.
I’m on vacation right now kicking back, hiking, and eating; in particular, eating my way around Vancouver. I knew that Vancouver would have some amazing food, most notably Asian foods, seafoods, and locally sourced foods. And sure, I knew the names of a few popular restaurants: Guu, Blue Water Cafe, and Salt, but with the bewildering amount of restaurants and bars across the Greater Vancouver area, how could I know which places would be a hit or a miss?
I used to think that food tours were for suckers. Why pay for someone to take you to places where you could easily go yourself? But this summer, I didn’t have time to research the best places to eat and arrived in Vancouver a bit clueless and very hungry. After a few emails and tweets back and forth with @VanFoodTour (http://vancouverfoodtour.com) I decided to do something I thought I would never do: I shelled out the cash, and paid for a food tour of Gastown with Melody Fury, socially conscious foodie, food writer, and city blogger.
When I first visited Gastown a few years ago, I took a picture of the steam clock, browsed the tourist-pit shops, and left with the idea that the area was little more than a tourist trap. Therefore, when Melody wanted to meet at the steam clock, all those terrible prejudices started swirling in my mind. Yet as I write this piece, I can still taste that lightly smoked cod, the bacon and quail egg brioche with tomato jam, the handmade relish… oh man…
Rather than give away all the places we dined at I’m going to give you the top three reasons why you should go on a food tour of Vancouver:
- For Superstar treatment Melody knew the owners, waiters, bartenders, and seriously everybody in Gastown. This meant zero wait time and reservation worries: we waltzed right into restaurants, and even cut across back entrances to a secret whiskey bar hidden behind a pub.
- To eat where the “insiders” eat Since Gastown is such a touristy area, it’s easy to get sucked into the glossy restaurants that seem to bustle with business… oftentimes the business of other hungry and disgruntled tourists. The discerning locals who live and work in the area have discovered and tested the hidden gems. For example: we cut across a back alley, home to garbage bins and some of the city’s underprivileged citizens (i.e. those with mental health issues, no money, and are often left in the shadows) to two socially conscious establishments.
- Stumbling home happy and full We hit up five different awesome places in four hours, and get to go home with the bragging rights of eating at these great places. Honestly, even if I were to spill the beans of the restaurants I toured, that’s five meals in the same area. When you’re on a time-constrained vacation, you want to go to as many of the best a city has to offer… at least that’s how I feel!
Vancouver Food Tour’s Gastown Tour with Melody Fury will set you back $139CAD, but IMHO is worth every dollar. It includes all the food, three wine samplings, and a pint of beer. If you’re on a budget, I suggest saving your money from the tourist traps (*ahem* Capilano suspension bridge), and splurging on a glimpse of Vancouver’s food and culture. If you’re not convinced yet, Vancouver Food Tours is also rated as the top second thing to do in Vancouver on TripAdvisor.
[Photos courtesy of mrfs.net and Jeffery Simpson]
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I didn’t know that Mel did a food tour. I actually went to HS with her! We were in different groups, but she is a really cool person and it’s amazing what she has accomplished in the past few years! I’m glad that you had such a great time. Even though I’m from Vancouver, it’s been 7 years since I’ve really lived back home, and when I do go back to visit I may just end up doing this food tour too!!
Woa… Jen, what a really small world. I’ve been saying that so many times lately! Maybe we should let Mel know about this article!