Inexpensive ethnic restaurants are some of the things I love most about living in Vancouver. We are so blessed with authentic food from India, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Korea, Greece, Japan and a dozen more areas, and I try and patronize these small, independent cafes as often as possible.

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Having once visited Malaysia, I knew Malaysian food was delicious, and, owing to the multicultural nature of the population, multi-faceted. But, until yesterday, I didn’t realize how exciting and entertaining Malaysian food preparation could be. Yesterday I was fortunate to be one of the travel writers and other travel industry professionals invited by Tourism Malaysia to enjoy a dinner presentation in Vancouver that showcased Malaysian cuisine.

I was able to sample a wonderful variety of food on my recent visit to Mexico’s Yucatan, but, looking back, my favourite was Sopa de Lima, Yucatecan chicken and lime soup. During my short visit, I enjoyed this traditional dish three times. The chicken broth features chopped tomatoes, onion, carrot and celery to which are added chunks of boneless chicken, strips of tortillas and the juice and slices of fresh, local limes.

When I think about genuine northwest coast food, First Nations cuisine comes to mind. When my wife and I were hitched about 15 years ago, we arranged for the Liliget Feast House to cater the reception, and it drew rave reviews from family and friends. Alas, the Liliget Feast House is long gone, but I recently discovered a new place that serves genuine BC First Nations food. It’s the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler.