Ken and I ate well on our trip up to Vancouver, BC and back. Some notes on where we went.

In Vancouver, on the fine dining end we were impressed by West which is still excellent despite the changes over the years. The most inventive cooking we had was at L'Abattoir, really precise and interesting food in a trendy, slightly too noisy room. For more old school we enjoyed dinner at Hy's Encore, classic steakhouse with terrific service and very good food. Also enjoyed a more casual lunch at Joe Fortes, seafood in a businessman's bar and grill setting. The awkward middle ground was Le Crocodile, the service and room were not up to the promise (and expense) of the classic French menu. Not that we suffered, mind you, and the wine list is excellent. Regrettably we didn't get to Vij's despite many strong recommendations.

Portland treated us well on two quick overnights. Jake's Famous Crawfish was great; it can be hit or miss but we had a hit that night with fantastic crab claw dish with mushrooms and artichokes. And an interesting evening at the Gilt Club, a sort of hipster late night restaurant / bar. The menu was a bit odd but the cocktail selection was fantastic. I had the BLT, "House Roma tomato vodka, basil & lemon olive oil and fresh lemon - up with bacon salt." It was amazing.