Calabash Bistro (Vancouver, Canada)

Neighborhood: Gastown

Price range: $$$

If you crave Caribbean food, reggae music and a really fun night out then make your way over to Calabash Bistro. Calabash is yet another great addition to the burst of culinary venues in Gastown. It was quite the adventure walking over there from Water street including some interesting characters...but that's happening more and more these days as restaurants expand outside of the downtown west side. Either way- the experience at Calabash is worth the trip through the neighborhood. 

Traditional Caribbean food including goat curry, roti and jerk chicken are served at this bistro (see menu). Plus there is nightly live music downstairs which turns into a big party after 10pm.

If you want to combine food and fun then Calabash is the perfect way to spend the evening. Definitely try one of their many flavors of rum including some of their delicious creations.

We started with plantain chips and johnny cakes served with a side of Jamaican ketchup and the house hot sauce. For dinner I opted for the jerk chicken with a side of roti. The spices were just right and the chicken- soft and tender served with a side of rice. The roti was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside served with a side of hot sauce (yum). A friend recommended the oxtail claiming it to be the most amazing dish in town. I'll have to try it next time. 

For dessert another friend and I tried the coconut dumplings which were also very good. All in all, our party really enjoyed our night at Calabash so much that we ended up staying there all night. The food, art, drinks and music are all amazing. Really glad to see restaurants like this opening up in Vancouver adding a bit more excitement to the city.