It was lunch time, we were downtown after the craze that is Aritzia Warehouse sale. Across the Vancouver Convention Centre sits a circular building with lots of glass panels and a big "ARC" sign. I have always wondered what it is.

I really liked the simple and elegant interior following the slightly curved structure - the 'ARC'. It's bright, spacious, inviting, and relaxed...until I saw the menu.

First the positives: they offer simple and easy to follow menu with just enough variety from each category to offer to different cravings. The drinks menu is extensive enough and is also offering two Italian wines in magnum and double magnum formats (they incorrectly listed the 3L format as Jeroboam).  The serving staffs were friendly and attentive, just that some of them were a bit too casual in demeanor to present a consistently uniform package.  For the sake of a complete dining experience, I feel that there are some disconnects. Perhaps their dinner crew is better.

One thing about this place that tainted our dining experience somewhat was not the decor, the staffs, nor the food, but the pricing of their menu. I understand that it is expensive to run a restaurant this size, beside Fairmont Waterfront and in one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vancouver. But everything is almost twice as expensive! All their entrees start in the $20's! Normal markup for wine is about 2 to 2.5 times retail. I was put off by their pricing. Who pays $85 for a Masi Campofiorin? Don't get me wrong, It is a tasty wine, just not $85 tasty.  They do have Lynch Bages for $165 a bottle which I will happily get if I come with a bigger group for dinner. However, it was lunch time, I was not going to get a whole bottle. Some of their 5 oz glasses of wine (where other restaurants do 6 oz glasses) are almost as much as a whole bottle from retail.  I did find a good value offering on the menu however - a 3 glasses 6oz beer flight for $12!

We ordered their Fish and Chips, ARC Smoked Brisket sandwich and the beer flight (I ordered the Parallel 49 Jerkface 9000, Hoyne Dark Matter, and Bridge Brewing Wunderbar Kolsch). Now, pricing aside, they were actually quite tasty!  Fish was halibut deep-fried in beer batter with just the right balance of crispiness from the batter and moisture in the fish.  The chips were not actually chips, but normal thicker cut French Fries so authenticity aside, it is a delicious dish.  Smoked Brisket sandwich is the same thing, the bread has just the right texture holding the flavour layers in place so it can be taken in whole complete bites from start to finish.

It was a satisfactory meal. They have quality ingredients, relaxing atmosphere, friendly staffs. But I had to ask myself. Would I come back again if I can get the same thing at a Cactus Club Cafe? Perhaps dinner at ARC will be better.