Don at Kitsilano — Restaurant in Vancouver

Let me start with something I don’t usually say: this restaurant is a strong Michelin Guide candidate for 2026—and truly deserving of one star.

If you’re in Vancouver and happen to be strolling through Kitsilano, this may just be one of the best Asian fusion restaurants you’ll ever experience.

Atmosphere Absolutely gorgeous. The tables are hand-crafted by the team and inspired by the seasons. Every detail—from the chairs to the lighting—has been chosen with care and intention. You can feel the love that’s been poured into the space. The soft background music creates a cozy, intimate atmosphere that makes you want to stay for hours and try everything on the menu.

Service The service is nothing short of excellent. As someone familiar with the top steakhouses in Montreal—I pay close attention to how a team works together. Here, it’s seamless. There’s no drama, no pretense—just a clear focus on providing a warm, attentive experience for every guest. The head chef is a protégé of the legendary Alvin Leung, and it shows in both his skill and calm presence in the kitchen.

They’re technically gifted and impeccably organized. It’s the little details that elevate this team to greatness.

The Food I’ve rarely been this excited to talk about food. Every dish tells a story—and every bite reinforces why this place deserves national attention.

First up: “When Grandma Was Here” This starter is one of the chef’s signature dishes—and a heartfelt tribute to his grandmother. It’s a creative twist on mapo tofu: silky steamed eggs layered with spicy bison sauce, puffed rice, and bold, nostalgic flavors. It’s rich, comforting, and beautifully balanced. I still crave it every time I think about it. This dish alone deserves a food critic’s full recommendation.

Next: Torched Salmon Belly Rice Bowl This place is known for their rice bowls, and for good reason. I’ve tried over 100 rice bowls across various restaurants—and this is one of the best. The marinated salmon belly is torched to perfection and served with egg, cherry tomato, and a small dollop of real wasabi (yes, the real one). It’s a masterclass in flavor and texture. I paired it with a glass of white wine, and it was divine. There's even a little "extra step" you can do with the bowl, but I’ll let the staff surprise you with that one!

Finally: The Dessert – White Rabbit Crème Brûlée This dessert is pure joy. A nostalgic take on the beloved White Rabbit candy, this crème brûlée is made with creamy candy-infused custard, topped with strawberries and pistachios. Watching the chef prepare it is like witnessing art. It’s the perfect ending to an unforgettable meal.

Final Thoughts This is, without a doubt, one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had in Vancouver. It’s not just a meal—it’s a journey. A story. A celebration.

So don’t just visit—experience this place. Feel the joy, taste the craftsmanship, and let yourself be inspired.

Michelin, are you listening? This is a star-worthy restaurant. What are you waiting for? Go reserve...

Thank God for Dine Out because I only discovered this place because of that event. The atmosphere, the vibes…. Very thoughtful, well planned, beautiful. I’m a chronically stressed out person but 20 minutes sitting at their gorgeous tables surrounded by beautiful foliage did something to my mood. Very relaxing, like you’ve entered another world where all you have to do is name your selections and then let them take care of you. I felt very at peace sitting there with my tea. I love the open concept style kitchen where you can see everything, that transparency really tells you about how assured they are in the quality. All the waitresses worked together like a well oiled machine. I read some reviews critiquing the service but I thought it was great. I don’t want to be checked on too much, I just want to enjoy the experience. The waitresses were available and friendly, what more could you want?

The food gets a 9.5 out of 10. My partner loved the braised octopus but I was meh on my beef tartare. I’ve only have beef tartare once and that was in Paris so I had really high expectations. We both ordered the pork jowl and the dish was delicious. I was worried about the “sour tomato broth” but it’s served separately where you pour it yourself….. This dish is revolutionary. Truly. It was… fun. Which is not a word I usually use to describe food. Having the autonomy to be able to customize my own meal and alter the taste as I wished, no broth, some broth, broth with yolk, etc. Again, it was fun in a way that food hasn’t ever felt before. It was oddly empowering too to get to do what I want with each bite. I hope this review doesn’t ruin the surprise for anyone because that was part of the enjoyment for me. The wasabi in the dish…. Best wasabi I’ve ever had in my life. Probably the highest quality too. Normally my partner and I don’t dabble much in wasabi but we both independently decided to use most of it in the meal just so we could experience everything the dish had to offer. Dimension upon dimension, it was just such a wow experience. The entire dish was a standout. It was more than well balanced, it was exemplary. I can’t wait to try more of their food. The desserts - my partner got the creme brûlée which they loved, and I got the hochija pasty which I loved. The pecans especially paired so well with the dish. There are a lot of cute little touches, the sugar cubes are in the shape of a star. The tea sets are simple yet gorgeous and have a great feel to them. The seats are SO comfortable and look very high class which is another thoughtful touch that I really appreciate it.

Give this place a try. I don’t live close and I already have plans to come back. Life is too short to not enjoy food as...

DON AT KITSILANO (Vancouver)

9/10 Overall 10/10 - Dining Atmosphere 10/10 - Service 8.5/10 - Food 7/10 - Value

From the same owners of Poke Okey, comes DON at Kitsilano! They just did their soft opening last weekend and are currently serving only their 4-course Brunch menu. They are working on their Dinner menu, but won’t be out for another month or so. This is not your ordinary brunch spot, it’s more of a high end fusion. Be prepared to pay $49-$55/person. That’s not including any drinks! The decor and dining atmosphere was AMAZING! The chef actually hand made all the tables! They hand picked the flowers and infused them into all the tables. WOW! Anyways, let’s talk about food. It was GOOD!

BING BREAD w/ DUCK YOLK BUTTER So we actually got this as our second course because it was being still baked fresh in the oven. Not joking when I say this is probably the best bread I have ever had in my entire life. As for the duck yolk butter, it kind of just tastes like butter. The bread was the star of the show here! 10/10

CURED SALMON TARTARE Salmon tartare and egg yolk served with prawn dusted crisps. This was a light, but delicious dish. It was very good. When I compare this with the Tuna Stack at Cactus Club though, the Cactus one does rise ahead in terms of taste. Just has a bit more punch to it. But this dish was still great! 9/10

NASI LEMAK Spicy prawn chili chicken, coconut rice hash, cucumber pepper pickle, crushed peanuts and anchovies, kale, egg. This dish was good, but not amazing. 7/10

BURNT PORK JOWL Well charred pork jowl, herb salad, kimchi radish, onset egg, and rice. This dish was pretty good, however there was no sauce. I feel like if they drizzled some kind of sauce over top, it would have given it just a bit more pop to the overall flavour. The pork itself was delicious, the end pieces were a bit on the dry side. Wish it had just a smidge more fat to it! As for the fried rice, it was good and you can taste a subtle hint of the flavour. I feel like the flavour could be a bit more fragrant to elevate this dish. 8/10

CHOCOLATE NEMESIS CAKE Melt in-your-mouth chocolate cake, fermented blueberry sauce. This was delicious. Just a smidge too sweet, but it was still good! 8.5/10

Ok, so would I come back? Yes, the food and dining atmosphere was great! To be honest though, because of this price point, I probably won’t come back soon and I’ll wait until they have the dinner menu or A La Carte options. Also one other note, the restaurant was a bit cold, temperature wise. I almost wanted to keep my jacket on... Either way, you should definitely...