Power Lunch: Miku

Escape the office for a sushi-style power lunch at Vancouver’s Miku

Locked in the heart of Vancouver’s financial district is one of the city’s Japanese gems: Miku. It’s filled every day with bankers looking for good sushi and sake, so lunchtime reservations are a must for anyone looking for a spot in the 60-seat restaurant. With management eyeing a new, larger location down the street, this spring may be your last chance to check out Miku’s original digs. And while Yaletown sister restaurant Minami is perfect for a romantic dinner for two, Miku is the go-to option for working lunches (boozy or otherwise) (mikurestaurant.com).

BEST TABLE If you’re in the mood to mingle, head straight to the sushi bar. Stretching the length of the dining room, the sleek communal seating puts you in the perfect position to watch the chefs work while you nosh on tuna sashimi.

DRINK UP With a menu that includes 25 different sake options, sampling Japan’s signature rice wine beverage is a no-brainer. Make the most of the extensive list by opting for a sake flight, which includes three two-ounce sakes of your choosing.

MUST-TRY ORDER Don’t leave without sampling the signature Aburi-style sushi. Lightly seared and infused with savoury sauces, there’s an Aburi order to suit all taste buds, from local salmon with jalapeño to house-cured mackerel.

INSIDER TIP While sitting at the sushi bar, take advantage of the restaurant’s fast-paced and interactive atmosphere by chatting up one of the sushi chefs; they are more than happy to make suggestions and answer questions.

Farm 2 Fork

For fine food, head underground

Hidden in a nondescript building on Gastown’s historic Water Street is the hippest Vancouver dining experience you’ve never heard of. Farm 2 Fork, an underground restaurant created by Nicolas Hipperson, the executive chef of Raincity Grill, takes only one group of six to 10 per night and tailors an intimate tasting menu to each party. Patrons bring their own wine and then sit back and enjoy a seven-course hyper-local feast featuring seasonal seafood, meat and produce—95 per cent of which comes from within 100 miles of Hipperson’s kitchen. While the offerings on the menu change based on season and ingredient availability, Farm 2 Fork’s Saskatchewan-born chef always includes a beet salad—”The beet is a Prairie staple,” he says. The local focus extends beyond the menu, too, and the brick-walled space is adorned with the work of local artists and furniture designers. Offering an unprecedented chance to interact with tone of the city’s top chefs has proven a winning combination for Hipperson, who reports taking bookings as far as six months in advance (farmtwofork.com).