Taco Mexico Rico is an interesting spot. It is a busy restaurant, located in a bit of an obscure location near Vancouver Community College and Victory Square park on Pender Street at Hamilton. It has been around a for awhile now, I had previously known this place to be just down the street from it's current location. In a past life this place was known as Mexico Sabroso so if you've been wondering where it moved, now you know.

Inside we found a quiet table in the corner and the EU Cup playing on the screen. There was a wait once at the table and a bit of confusion on our part about what to order but we eventually figured everything out, finally settling on some drinks from an unspecified cola company and some enchiladas and a quesidilla as the main course.

What did we find? This is the place you want to go when you want good spicy food without the window dressing. "Rustic" is a good way of characterizing the place, but "well traveled" might be a better term. I think this place would be great spot at 4am but they keep hours which are pretty much limited to standard business day.

The weekend is here folks and you survived the rain. With the sun back in style it is time to get out. So hit the beach and make your way to the Topanga Café for some après with your friends.

The Topanga Cafe is a little gem on the west side between Point Grey and Kitsilano that should not be missed. The menu is largely made up of Mexican dishes prepared with a Californian flare. The result is a flavourful mix of tastes and some great drinks that will make most anyone relax a little bit as they ease into the weekend.

Shogun is your Japanese ramen house if you are a daytime city dweller or far away commuter. Located on Hornby beside the Vancity (at Pender) and next to the International Food Fair, you should expect a small crowd by the door. The lineups never take that long as this place moves people through in a hurry.

The food is decent if ramen is your fare and the order will be at your table fast. If you opt for a fried rice and/or curry dish you will also get a kind of miso soup that differs from the norm: a very oniony soup which is very good, it reminds me of a Korean BBQ dish I had in the West End once. Pickled bean sprouts also come with the non-ramen foods on the menu.

With the Victoria Day long weekend now behind us you're probably getting down to business right about now, sorting through all of your tasks and wondering where your next business lunch will be.

Sala Thai's Burrard Street location is a good option for lunch with colleagues, potential clients and even your mom when she comes to town. The prices are reasonable for a casual dining environment that borders on having a formal atmosphere.

Are you a picky eater? No? Well then, do you like eating really creative sandwiches perhaps? The Salty Tongue Deli might be the spot for you. Unlike other sandwich options in Vancouver the Salty Tongue Deli serves up exactly what you want on demand. That's right - they have a selection of sandwiches but you can substitute everything on the menu.

When you are ready for a REAL adventure I would take things a step further and use the handy form to create a sandwich from scratch. To do this you must pick up this piece of paper near the till and check off what sandwich options you are craving. For my selection I chose some turkey, cranberry relish, humus, banana peppers and some greens. Sound gross? It was! I did enjoy it though because I picked everything myself so I had nobody else to blame.

When I think of Vancouver's Gastown I'm often thinking of all the places to get a soup and sandwich at lunch. Today though, I have another pleasure on my mind: the rich and flavourful tastes of Incendio Pizzeria, a well-known haunt for locals and tourists looking to fly under the radar and enjoy some time with friends.

The signature of the Incendio brand is the wood fired brick oven that is used for their home style thin crust pizzas. With all the fresh ingredients kicking around the kitchen this restaurant also features a
wide selection of salads and pasta dishes to keep you coming back when you're not in the mood for a slice.