Next to many Chinese and Japanese food spots, Vancouver has some pretty good Middle East food options to offer as well.

East is East might look like an Indiana-Jones Disney attraction from the outside, the atmosphere inside is a bit more authentic. This place breaths oriental all over the place. The stage offers live music on a daily basis, filling up the place with even more ambiance.

East is East offers a fusion cuisine based on the ancient Silk route, which led all the way through Asia, the Middle East up to the Mediterranean. The chef in this restaurant is from Afghanistan and grew up in India, so she should know the real deal, right?

We had the ‘Chai-fest’, which offers a choice of about 20 different dishes, of which you can sample as many as you want. This is such a cool concept, because you can taste everything on the menu in sample size (these are big sample sizes though). It’s an all-you-can-eat concept at the same time, although it feels a bit more refined (you order the dishes 2 at a time, which avoids over-ordering). The dishes are served with a soup, salad, rice and Boulani (an amazing Afghan roti, filled with potato, onion and herbs.)

Best dish of the menu, in my opinion: the Afghan eggplant. This eggplant is so perfectly prepared with onions, tomatoes, garlic and spices; it almost has a meaty texture to it. The different curry’s on the menu are worth is as well, especially the salmon and the cauliflower one. Honestly, there wasn’t a dish we didn’t enjoy here.

Although you can order single dishes here as well which are probably worth the try, the chai fest menu is amazing to try several dishes, especially if you’re feeling hungry. The menu is 28 CAD (18,50€) per person.

East is East, 4433 Main Street