By Kristi Alexandra
Often hailed by locals as the future “little Brooklyn” to Vancouver’s NYC, Downtown New Westminster has undergone significant revitalization in the past few years. Along with it came a new shopping centre, Shops at New West, located right inside the New Westminster Sky Train Station. The transit hub — populated by shops, restaurants and even a movie theatre — has become its own culinary destination, with a plethora of regional cuisines to choose from.
We took a trip to the Shops at New West to bring you five food pairings on offer for under $15.
Four Tacos & Café Mexicano at Originals Restaurante Mexicano
(Pictured above.) For $11.50, Original’s Restaurante Mexicano offers up four traditional-style tacos. You can mix and match your flavours from nine options, including pastor (pineapple marinated pork), Baja Fish (chipotle-crusted tilapia with cilantro and avocado), barbacoa (lamb) and lengua (beef tongue). We washed it down with an authentic Café Mexicano (think Americano brewed with beans from Tapachula Chiapas) for $2.75.
Night Market Poutine & Beer at the Spud Shack
Try a funky place to eat Canada’s national culinary creation. Spud Shack serves up 10 unique styles of poutine, most notably its locally-inspired the “night market”: a veritable tower of kimchi, ginger beef, green onions, and spicy mayo all atop a bed of fries, cheese, and gravy. A small size runs you $8.75. Pair it with a $5 craft beer for the ultimate nationalistic guilty pleasure.
Happy Hour Appies & Wine at the Hub
There’s a whole lot you can get at The Hub (what an apt name) for less than $15 if you time it right. The spot’s happy hour runs daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and from Sundays to Thursdays from 10 p.m. to closing. Mix and match appies such as the wok squid ($6), chicken karaage ($6), or Italian meatballs ($6), while sipping on $5 house wine or $4 craft beer. A straight-from-the-oven pazookie ($8.75) — the signature Hub dessert — is a fabulous shared treat if you’re looking for a fresh-baked sweet.
Waffles & Bubble Tea at BobaCabana
If happiness had a taste, you would find it on the menu at BobaCabana. Locally famous for its Belgian waffles, which range from the Parisien ($6.95) with savoury brie and green apple to the sweet Banana Nut-ella, and bubble tea, this sweet shack has seemingly unlimited heavenly pairings. We tried a strawberry slush with pearls ($3.75) and a liege waffle ($2 each).
Won Ton Soup with Noodles & Canned Juice at North Noodle House
Where dim sum joints and places to get won ton soup are a dime a dozen in Greater Vancouver, a rarity is an authentic northern Chinese noodle house. At North Noodle House, all noodles are made in-house and by hand. A six-piece won ton soup with noodles ($8.95), complete with baby shrimp and vegetables, tastes even better knowing each ingredient is hand-sourced. Complement your northern noodle bowl with a can of Chinese peach juice ($2.50).
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