I recently spent a week test driving the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2023 hybrid SUV around Vancouver while visiting some restaurants. This was a great SUV to drive knowing I could get around the city with approx 45 km battery range which is just enough to do minimal stops to the grocery store and other errands. As this is a hybrid vehicle their is a full gas tank as well for hitting the highway without having time to charge up the battery, it is a good mix for this type of vehicle.
Headed downtown to Robson in the Westend to visit VanLove Sushi & more which specializes in sushi and a beautiful presentation. Here I had a virgin Mojito and the VanLove Roll with salmon tataki, tuna, crab meat, cucumber, avocado, sweet and sour sauce.
The next day it was back to Robson, this time to visit one of my favorite eateries in the Westend, Noodle Arts and I had their delicious Dan Dan noodles and Lamb dumplings.
The SUV is well set up for the driver with comfortable steering
The next night we headed to the Mount Pleasant / Riley Park neighbourhood for dinner at Modern Peruvian Suyo Restaurant to celebrate Lawrence’s birthday.
We started off with the Ceviche Clasico with Haida Gwaii halibut, red onion, aji limo, cilantro, leche de tigre
Next it was one of the specials of the night, the Bluefin Tuna Causa.
The Wild Prawn Anticuchero was a stunner with crispy quinoa, togarashi, aji criollo, cilantro almond pesto
and the Lomo Saltado is another delicious dish to share and we did just that with AAA canadian tenderloin, tomato, aji aji amarillo, scallions, soy jus; served with traditional Peruvian rice.
For dessert Lawrence made a wish by blowing out the candle on his beautiful Chicha Morada Poached Pear with a delicious rice pudding panna cotta, oat crumble, mazamorra glaze.
We also had the outstanding Peruvian Trifle with its layers of maracuya, lucuma, milk crumble, pisco foam
and finished off the night with Rafael’s Emoliente Amaro; housemade digestivo inspired by chef’s father’s secret recipe.
Headed to the Westend the next day for a visit to Latin Square a wonderful cafe and market that is filled with Latin food and drink.
Here I had the Iced Dulce De Leche which was one of their specialties. I also tried the refreshing Mango Chamoy drink that went perfectly with a plate of their Colombian Arepa, Chilean Beef Empanada and the Argentinean empanadas.
The fast charger is the way to go but there aren’t that many standalone fast chargers available in Vancouver yet. I got the Plugshare app and did my research finding a great charging station on 44th and Fraser and this is where I charged the car the night before driving to Langley . The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the only plug-in hybrid that can use public fast-charge stations. Designed to quickly juice the batteries in dedicated electric models, these stations can recharge the Outlander PHEV’s empty battery to 80 per cent in about 38 minutes, I charged it to 90 per cent.
I drove out to Langley for lunch at Food by Fanta, one of my favourite spots in that area.
I had the Gang Liang Soup and the Bechamel Taro Nachos which are two of my favourites.
For dessert I had another favourite, their Thairamisu which won 1st place in my previous Tiramisu challenge.
The next night I drove to Kitsilano for a wonderful dinner with my fellow food writer friend Tara Lee at Folke Restaurant
We had the glorious tasting menu which gave me a great sense of what Folke is all about, it’s vegan and for vegan’s I am sure it is a dream. I am not vegan but I did enjoy exploring each dish as it was presented to us.
My favourite of all the dishes was the Roasted Zucchini with yellow curry, it was divine.
1st course: Green peas and beans, and house-made Tater Tots and Fried zucchini
2nd course: Beet tartare which I loved.
3rd course: Chickpea tofu with zaatar, turnip and zohl,; was a very interesting dish, unique and tasty.
4th course: Broccoli with bagna cauda and sourdough flatbread; this was a good dish and I liked the bread but it was far from being a flatbread as they had noted.
5th course: Tapioca dumplings with mushroom Xo sauce and chili oil; this was my least favourite dish and that is ok, cause tasting menus are meant to be just that and not every dish presented is going to be a winner.
6th course: Roasted zucchini with yellow curry; so simple yet so flavourful, it was the star of the meal.
7th course: Chilled Ramen Salad; this dish said Summer, it was refreshing and light, yet it was ramen and ever so flavourful.
8th course: Plum cake (as in an upside down cake) with Fig leaf ice cream and it was a delicious ending to the night.
It’s comfortable all around from the front passenger as well as those seated in the back. There is even a 3rd row that seats 2 people for that family drive or friends coming along.
By: Richard Wolak
Disclosure: Mitsubishi Canada provided me with the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to test drive, and photograph. As always, all opinions and photos are my own.