Vancouver's Coast a hot dining spot

I enjoyed a wonderful dinner and evening last night at Coast in Vancouver, BC. Coast has been around for a few years, but the new Coast is smashing in both its decor and its fish. And yes, with a name like Coast, it's all about fish. OK, in addition to the surf items, there is also a selection of turf for meat loves. As part of Vancouver's Glowbal Collection, which includes Italian Kitchen, Sanafir, Glowbal, Trattoria and Society (not yet open), it's already scoring high marks with both resto reviewers and diners.

The restaurant moved from Yaletown to Alberni Street, just a few blocks off Robson and easy walking distance from The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and the new Shangri-La Vancouver. The space was formerly a duty-free shop but now, instead of shopping for perfume and handbags, you'll find two levels of dining in a giant jewel box. I sat upstairs with the perfect view down to the colorful activity below, but did enjoy a cocktail at the bar prior to our 7 o'clock reservation. There's also O Lounge, a little bit of LA bumps into Vancouver.

Oh, and make reservations. I was there on a Monday night and it was jammed.

A view from the second floor dining area
Photo by Sue Frause