Eaters Gotta Eat: Touk Chef-Owner Chanthy Yen’s Top Spots to Eat in Vancouver

“It’s so powerful to showcase Cambodian cuisine on a different stage, at a different level,” says chef Chanthy Yen, who opened Touk restaurant last winter and its upstairs cocktail bar, Loolaa, this spring. On May 28 he’ll debut a new Cambodian concept, Mee Bar at Oakridge Park’s Time Out Market—so, yes, he’s busy as can be. But momentum is everything and Yen knows this well, because the Top Chef Canada winner’s star has been rising for some time. Where to begin? He was the first Canadian chef to train under famed Ferran Adrià at the El Bulli Foundation, and was the former personal chef to PM Justin Trudeau. As exec chef at Vancouver hot spots, he’s cooked for celebs aplenty and can tell you exactly where Pedro Pascal likes to sit at Carlino to sip an Old Fashioned. (At now-shuttered Bacaro at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, Yen recalls creating nutrition-specific menus for James Van Der Beek before he passed. “I was so privileged to have that opportunity.”)

To dine on his cuisine today is to devour layers of freshness and flavour created with heart. But as one of Vancouver’s few queer restaurant owner-chefs, in a city that has a specific idea of what Cambodian cuisine should be, the path isn’t always smooth. “I call it friction in innovation. You have to ruffle a few feathers in order to see your vision come to light, and it takes sacrifice and pressure,” Yen says frankly. “When people think of an innovative chef, they think of smoke, mirrors, fine dining. But the innovation I bring to the scene is a culture shift. It spotlights unrecognized communities… and it’s beautiful how much you can impact each other if you support each other.” So true. To that end, here’s what Yen is ordering when he’s off the clock.

Unchai

2351 Burrard St.
“My favourite Thai restaurant in the city is a hole-in-the wall. It’s Northern Thai, so undeniably spicy, but it is pure goodness,” says Yen of this mom-and-pop place downtown. “It’s less fusion and more the bare bones of flavour building and balance. It tastes like my grandmother made it, you know? I love the Khua Kling, it’s like a spicy ground chicken. It was actually my dad’s favorite dish. In Cambodian, we have a version with chicken liver, to give it a bit more punch. Before my dad passed he asked my mom to smuggle it into the hospital. So that brings me back to a very special time in my life.” 

Au Comptoir

2278 West 4th Ave.
“I’m a sucker for classic French techniques every now and then. I love the omelette for brunch, and then I shove it with duck confit. I think it’s such a naughty way of approaching something so classic at lunchtime. The dressings are really good with balanced acidity and oiliness. It’s no Thousand Island dressing!” Bonus? You can practice your French with the staff.

Los Sapos

210 Keefer St.
Three words: classic street tacos. This casual-service Chinatown spot usually has a line-up, but it’s worth it for Yen’s late-night fix of nopales (sauteed cactus) and carnitas tacos. “Be warned, you’re gonna be elbows deep in grease, which is where you want to be I think. Chef tip: bring your own napkin or wet wipes, and don’t wear white. These are just the rules!”

Meo

265 E. Pender
“Best oysters in town. Their filtering system removes over 90 percent of the microplastics in the oysters making them taste more clean, saline-forward. It’s a specific tank they use.” We absolutely love this fact. 

Motoretta Gelato

1001 W. Cordova St.
“Their gelato game is sooo good. I love when they do a fresh strawberry or rhubarb. They use local fruits. Chewy, fruity, no additional vanilla. And they do a really good balancing act between milk and cream, so you’re getting smooth, unctuous, holds-its-shape, doesn’t-melt-on-you gelato.”

Batch at Kits

Kits Beach Park
When Yen needs to take the pressure off the day, Batch—with its beach view, local B.C. ciders, live music—is the place. “It’s a great place to celebrate local businesses. If you go for a swim, go here for a cider after. And you can’t go wrong with a DownLow fried chicken sandwich with extra spicy mayo and onion rings.”

 

Viva Café & Bakery

1555 Yew St.
“I’m ordering a cortado with oat milk and a beautiful plain croissant. It’s perfect to be with yourself, your coffee and pastry. One can be dipped into the other and it’s such a harmonious experience.”

Kits & Trout Lake Farmers’ Markets

On weekends, you’ll see Yen—and a number of other top Vancouver chefs, if you keep your eyes open—at the Kits and Trout Lake markets. “I love it. At Kits, I see all my neighbours. You’ve got kids bouncing around and dancing, plus all the produce that you’d want to find from B.C. I’m a huge fan of Klippers Organics. And Hannah Brook Farm needs to get back there!”

La Quercia

3689 W. 4th Ave.
“If you want a classic Italian experience, one that really boomed the Italian food scene in Vancouver, go to La Quercia. Classic, classic. And this is coming from someone who has been the culinary director of Kitchen Table Restaurants. My partner and I had one of our very first dates there. I really enjoy the Menu del Dia, the fixed menu. I just like when chefs express themselves.”

Bar Tartare

54 Alexander St.
“At the end of the shift, if I’m done early enough, my partner and I will go here. It’s very easy, breezy and I love it when the patio sprawls outside. A nice chilled wine, shared between two people… and I love the concept of different chefs popping up in the space.”

Touk

1152 Alberni
What to order at Yen’s’ own spot, we must know? “I recommend the Touk Adventure, which allows me to be a little bit more creative, with at least two off-menu items.” On-menu, Yen’s must-tries are the tuna pleah (ceviche), with wild B.C. tuna and a passionfruit and tamarind dressing; the oysters; the prawn nantua. Also the coconut buns and pork tomahawk in a Cambodian mole. “I also have a Sailor Moon Dessert—the Passion Moon.” 

A Few Last Bites…

Kin Kao — “The fried chicken skin is the perfect snack.”

Anh & Chi — “I just love the team so much.” 

Mott 32 – “I was taken to dinner there the other day—spectacular fried rice.”