With his second, only slightly larger “Bin”, chef Gordon Martin keeps Davie Street’s Bin 941’s same funky style and mixes up the menu with a whole new list of tasty tapas dishes.

Tapatisers II
When larger-than-life chef personality Gordon Martin opened Davie Street’s tiny Bin 941 in 1998, he pioneered a tapas craze that soon found its way into many of Vancouver’s trendiest restaurants. Now with a second, only slightly larger, “Bin” on West Broadway and Granville, Martin keeps the same funky style and mixes up the menu with a whole new list of tasty “tapatisers”—Spanish-inspired small-plate meals to share among friends.

Can I try some of that?
Rather than hogging a giant plate to yourself, a tapas parlour encourages you to share your morsels with your dinner partners. It’s a good idea to make sure you approve of the food your friends are ordering, but even picky eaters are unlikely to go hungry. Try a cocoa-seared, slow roasted venison loin, smothered in a cognac chestnut sauce with sautéed fresh chanterelle mushrooms or buckwheat honeyed pumpkin and honey-glazed roast baby beets. Then move on to your date’s plate, where you can taste a grilled flat iron steak of locally raised Kobe beef with roast organic nugget potato poutine, made with green peppercorn brandied gravy and the real thing—authentic cheese curds from Quebec. The menu changes regularly, so there’s always something new to try.

You can afford dessert
Though high in style, Bin 942’s meals are moderately priced. Even the impressive wine list, featuring bottles from California, Australia, France and British Columbia’s own vineyards, lets you order by the glass. That’s good to know, because you’ll want to save room in your wallet for the sexy dessert. “Fondue Times Two” brings a warm bowl of velvety smooth dark Belgian chocolate to your table, with your choice of fresh fruit, marshmallows, doughnuts or a body-paint brush.

--Joanna Smith