Maenam

"Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$$ One of the city’s hardest working chefs, Angus An has five other spots dotted across the city, including Fat Mao, which serves blissful noodles in Chinatown and Downtown, as well as Longtail Kitchen and Sen Pad Thai. But if you only have time to visit one of his restaurants, go for Maenam, where you can drool over An’s deft balancing act of sweet, aromatic, citrusy, hot, and spicy flavors in great Thai dishes with B.C. twists. Walk-ins are welcome in the lounge for an a la carte dinner, but it’s worth it to book the chef’s menu, a bargain at $88 ($65 USD) per person for 11 dishes served family style. Four-course lunch sets are also a terrific value. Must-try dish: The grilled Thai sausage and crispy rice salad is so good you won’t want to share." - Nikki Bayley

"This kitchen delivers vibrant, heady cooking with bold flavors and an eye toward authenticity. Traditional dishes are given a local accent with top-tier local ingredients, from in-season produce to pristine fish caught in local waters." - The MICHELIN Guide

"There’s a reason Maenam, a little piece of Bangkok in British Columbia, is a perennial winner of many of the city’s food awards. The menu leans on fresh ingredients and sustainably harvested seafood, and it varies depending on whatever's currently in season in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley (or in the Pacific). Whether dining from the a la carte menu at the bar, or enjoying the popular Chef’s Menu, menu highlights include BC albacore tuna laab salad with garlic oil confit tuna and toasted rice powder; Moo Prob Pad Gapi, a crispy roasted pork belly stir-fry with long bean, bird’s eye chili, and shrimp paste; and the Geng Gai Curry of Halibut with betel leaf, turmeric curry, and grachai. At Maenam, the four flavor profiles of Thai cuisine—sweet, spicy, sour, and salty—are reflected in many of the inventive cocktails as well. Try the Siam Sunburn (chile-infused tequila, butterscotch, kaffir lime, passionfruit, and egg whites) or the house twist on the standard Daiquiri: añejo rum, lemongrass, fresh lime, simple syrup, and grated cassia bark. The thoughtful beverage menu features local craft beer and highlights terroir-driven wines - everything from minimal-intervention B.C. producers to international classics and blue-chip Champagne. A Michelin Guide-recommended spot, it is not a rarity to be dining next to some of the region’s most-lauded chefs here." - Guy Saddy, Nicole Schnitzler

"What makes this place stand out in the Vancouver dining scene? Can a restaurant that’s been open since 2009 still be considered fresh and new? By Vancouver standards, Maenam is a little long in the tooth—this city’s food scene is always shifting—but chef Angus An, a local fixture since his days at the late, great Gastropod, seems to constantly be upping the game. This is Thai-influenced cooking taken up a notch; there’s a reason Maenam is a perennial winner of many of the city’s food awards. What's the crowd like? From young loves on a first date to a family intent on ordering every dish, everyone's here for the inspired Thai cuisine.. What's on the drinks list? At Maenam, the four flavor profiles of Thai cuisine—sweet, spicy, sour, and salty—are reflected in many of the inventive cocktails. Try the Siam Sunburn (chile-infused tequila, butterscotch, kaffir lime, passionfruit, and egg whites) or the house twist on the standard Daiquiri: añejo rum, lemongrass, fresh lime, simple syrup, and grated cassia bark. On the wine and beer side, the thoughtful beverage menu features local craft beer and highlights terroir-driven wines - everything from minimal-intervention B.C. producers to international classics and blue-chip Champagne. Take us into the kitchen. What can we expect from the food? The menu leans on fresh ingredients and sustainably harvested seafood, and it varies depending on what's currently in season in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley (or in the Pacific). Whether dining from the a la carte menu at the bar, or enjoying the popular Chef’s Menu, menu highlights include BC albacore tuna laab salad with garlic oil confit tuna and toasted rice powder; Moo Prob Pad Gapi, a crispy roasted pork belly stir-fry with long bean, bird’s eye chili, and shrimp paste; and the Geng Gai Curry of Halibut with betel leaf, turmeric curry, and grachai. Anything else to keep in mind? Ask your server how to balance your dishes—or just go for Chef’s multi-course menu." - Guy Saddy

"The standard-bearer for exceptional Thai cuisine in Vancouver, Maenam has been a local favorite since opening in 2009. This kitchen delivers vibrant, heady cooking with bold flavors and an eye toward authenticity. Traditional dishes are given a local accent with top-tier local ingredients, from in-season produce to pristine fish caught in local waters. Dishes may be rustic in their presentation, but they reveal abundant refinement when it comes to their laser-focused flavors. Familiar items like hot and sour soup or panang curry achieve breathtaking heights thanks to a masterful use of aromatics and artfully balanced tastes. Plates are ideal for sharing in groups, but a family-style tasting menu features the menu's highlights for smaller parties." - Michelin Inspector