West Coast Patio Dinner at Cardero’s

• Located at Coal Harbour: metered parking available (map)
• Great restaurant to go on dates; Reservations recommended
• Amazing ambiance; Separated into patio, dining area, bar, and lounge
• Live music 9pm – 12 am, Sunday to Thursday

I like getting lost in the city. Every time that happens, it’s like a new adventure and a ticket to finding some awesome places. Cardero’s is one of those surprises I found while trying to navigate in the coal harbour area.

The dining area was separated into three sections: bar, lounge, and dining room. They also had a open kitchen which is always fun to watch. Also to note, Cardero’s offers live music in the pub at 9pm to 12 am from Sunday to Thursday.

Pina Colada (left)
and Strawberry Margarita (right)

Taking advantage of the warm weather, GT, AG, and I opted for a table on the patio. Overlooking the harbour, it was everything I could ask for. While the gentle breeze kept things cool and the west coast sunset as our background, we sipped on some girly cocktails and shared our appetizer of Five Jumbo Prawns ($13). I’m happy to report these prawns will not be used in any English oxymoron examples. These monsters had a nice firm texture and just enough sweetness to them. Highly Recommended!

We had a chance to speak with one of the chefs and he recommended we try the Fresh Shucked Oysters that were just shipped from Vancouver Island. The flavour of oysters is dependent on their growing environment. Factors such as salinity of water, mineral content of the water, and temperature all affect the flavour. They are often sold at market price which varies with the season. I was a little disappointed with the oysters at Cardero’s. Although their briny taste highlights their freshness, they lack the plumpness found in a substantive oyster.

Fresh Oysters on the half shell $2.50 each (taken from menu)

Pacific Sesame Crusted Albacore Tuna:  wasabi soy sauce, wok broccolini $25 (taken from menu)

For my main dish, I decided to order the Pacific Sesame Crusted Albacore Tuna. The portion was perfect for me and the tuna was fresh and prepared really nicely.

Wok Squid: crispy with garlic, chilies, onions, cilantro, ginger  $11 (taken from menu)

However, AG, who seems to have a knack for choosing Asian food in restaurants, was disappointed with his Wok Squid – he found the squid bland and the fried rice slightly oily.

Sunday Night Slow Roasted Prime Rib   $25

The Roasted Prime Rib that GT ordered was decent sized and had great taste - they offer this dish every Sunday for only $25.

Cardero’s is best known for their atmosphere and they certainly have done that really well. Food was good but nothing to write home about. However, what makes this a place ideal for a date is the walk you can have after dinner along the harbour. Seems like the perfect thing to do after a great dinner, right?

Have fun ♥♥♥


Cardero's Website: http://www.vancouverdine.com/carderos0experience.aspx
Cardero's Address: 1583 Coal Harbour Quay, Vancouver
Cardero's Phone Number: 604.669.7666 



Just wanted to thank all my honeybees for patiently waiting for new posts. Love you all! ♥

Posted in: Activity, Bar, Downtown, Food, Nature, Romantic, Vancouver, Waterfront