Bodega on Main
Brief: Restaurant Review of Bodega On Main in Vancouver, Canada
I recently took my girlfriend to the reincarnated La Bodega, now named Bodega on Main, in Vancouver for a nice fancy dinner on the town and it did not disappoint. The man responsible is Paul Rivas, the son of the original La Bodega Restaurante partner Francisco Rivas. Let me tell you him and his team have done a great job. This place is even cool when you’re standing outside! Before you walk in look down at your feet. There is a basement at Bodega and below the concrete outside the front door they have put tiny lights that shine through glass squares in the sidewalk. Nothing crazy I’ll admit but it’s added features like this that prove, even before you step inside, this place is willing to go above and beyond.
When you walk in, the dining room and bar area are beautiful. Tall ceilings, beautiful tile floors, dark treated wood everywhere, and the walls covered in painting and old photos. Take a minute when you sit down to just absorb your surroundings for a minute. I found myself scanning the walls and checking out all the artwork mid meal when I probably should have been more focused on my meal….or my date. Needless to say, aesthetically, it’s beautiful.
Then there’s the food. If you can’t tell by the name this is a Spanish restaurant. The style is Spanish Tapas, aka share plates. You will be happy about that because choosing just 1 thing to order off this menu would be a chore. I feel like you have 2 options at Bodega when it comes to ordering food. Option 1, order an appetizer, then a paella. Option 2, order about 5 appetizers, then a paella. Sorry if I wasn’t clear, order a paella!! I don’t care if its too much food, get it to go. All of it is so good you’ll probably end up pulling over on the way home and finishing it off. Also it’s not going to break your wallet!
Don’t get me wrong, things could get expensive in there. The wine list is huge and from working in the industry for a long time I can tell you, it’s a great list. The sangria is awesome, it is full of fresh cut fruit. The cocktails are delicious, and it’s a very comfortable place to hangout so you could sit there for hours. On the other hand, if you simply want to go for a meal you can make it out of there with 2 appy’s and a paella, plus tip, for about 60$. Trust me when I say, you will not be disappointed. Not to mention its a 2 minute walk from Main street skytrain station and there is free street parking in the back and around the corner.
Overall this experience is a good one, owner Paul Rivas has done a great job continuing La Bodega’s and his father’s legacy. If anyone ever asks me where they should go for dinner in Vancouver, Bodega on Main is near the top of my list of suggestions. So if you want to check it out give them a call, make a reservation (you’ll need it) and enjoy! Let me know how your evening was, I would love to hear from you!
