Yukon Blonde member's favourite place is 'full-on derelict food court'

When it comes to great food in Vancouver, Yukon Blonde keyboardist and singer Rebecca Gray doesn't noodle around.

Her B.C. Hideaway is a little ramen shop on Robson Street: Hida Takayama Ramen.

Gray said the restaurant, hidden in the food court of the Robson Public Market in the West End, is a surprising little gem.

"It's one of only two or three restaurants left in the mall," Gray said. "There's something that's really charming and strange about it."

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She saidthe ramen could be the best in the city and the restaurant, surprisingly, the least busy.

"It feels like you're stepping into a movie, kind of," she said. "It's full-on derelict food court atmosphere. Really old booths, weird tables ... there's weird old arcade games that are tucked away into a corner.

"It doesn't look like anything special, but it truly is a special place for me."

Gray saidthe seating, in a glass atrium, is a great place to just grab a seat. It's very quiet and in the summer. They even open up a patio.

Try the pork buns

Gray saidnone of her friends had ever been there before she took them. She only found out about it because a former coworker from Japan took her there.

"It was his favourite place to go, so I gave it a try and kept going back more often than I should, probably," she said.

Her favourite dish is the miso ramen with pork chasu and one of their famous pork buns. "They're wonderful."

Gray and her Yukon Blonde bandmates will be taking the stage in Vancouver to help the city ring in 2017 with a major concert at Canada Place.

It'll be a busy night performing alongside the Sheepdogs, New Pornographers, Wintersleep, Humans and more.

"[But] if I have a chance, I will definitely be going there before the show," she said.