Hungry? - Tamar

While walking in Vancouver, I noticed an amazing number of restaurants, and what amazed me even more than the number, was the variety of cultures they represented. Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Moroccan, Greek, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, East Indian...and on and on and on. No Newfie restaurants though, come to think of it. However, what amazed me even more than the number, and the variety, was the crossovers from one cuisine to another, and that’s when I realized, that of all possible foods from all over the world, Italian,especially pizza, must be the most popular.

For example, we have Uncle Fatih’s Pizza. I would think Uncle Fatih would be more of a curry and butter chicken kind of guy, wouldn’t you? There is no problem getting pizza or pasta from the Chinese, from the Greek, from the French – you name it, everyone wants pizza on their menu. If there were a Newfie restaurant here, though, there would be no pizza on it. We remain true to our own culture.

And to go back to the Ethiopian restaurant I saw – I wonder what they serve. I remember having to eat everything off my plate when I was a child, as children in Ethiopia were starving. Maybe I’d try an Ethiopian restaurant for starters, but I guess I’d hit an Italian place to really satisfy my hunger. I wouldn’t even have much faith if they offered an Ethiopian pizza. All the children’s leftovers have to end up somewhere.

If I wanted to partake in a High English Tea with all the trimmings, like buttery scones with strawberry jam, then of course I would go to one of the many Chinese cafes that offer that service, along with the spicy noodles and wonton and chow mein that decorate their menu in picturesque detail. And of course, I could also order a take-out pizza to reheat for my dinner.

So, if you ever get hungry in Vancouver, make sure you have your wallet and a good supply of Rolaids. From fish to falafel, from chop suey to cheeseburgers, there will be something to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters!