Honestly, I tell my boyfriend not to worry about taking me to some fancy restaurant when we have our anniversary or Valentines and to just take me to Kinemi's. I see why he's a bit hesitant.. the inside is really what you would consider a hole in the wall restaurant. But the food is amazing! We've been here more times than we can count and have probably had everything offered on the specials board and we've yet to be disappointed. We always have the pasta dishes and they are always flavourful and the pasta is perfectly cooked. The whole restaurant is run by a husband and wife team, there'll be a third family member helping out when it gets too busy but that's about it. The restaurant is busy, very much so on the weekends. Yes, it does get slow. You may not be able to order exactly when you want or have your water refills right away, but you see that they work their butts off. Come in, have patience, and enjoy the food. This place is cash only, but the convenience store next door does have an ATM machine. read more

Let's face it...the Champlain Heights are a bit of a void in terms of cuisine. I found this little gem of a place next to the Champlain Heights Community Centre, with my little Chibi (baby) in tow. Kinemi's Kitchen is NOT fine dining, but don't let the exterior and location in a quiet strip-mall deter you from stepping into the small and casual eatery. The food is primarily Italian (pasta and pizza) and the Chef has worked in some pretty spectacular local kitchens like, Don Francesco's, Dario's Ristorante, and Henry's Kitchen. It is a self-serve dining room, but the family-run eatery serves to please and I received my hot and delicious lunch served to me at my table. I ordered the Oven-Baked Seafood Gratin served over garlic rice from the "Rice Entrees" section of the menu. And the Chef whipped up some macaroni with veggies in a broth, for my one-year-old. Of course not on the menu, but so thoughtful! You'd never get that kind of service at Whitespot! The Oven-Baked Seafood Gratin was full of big prawns, scallops, squid and clams! And the creamy gratin was so smooth and seasoned perfectly. Served over garlic rice, it was filling and delicious. My one-year-old got one bite of my gratin and she was hooked also! I had to give my last few precious bites to her...a bit sad... As a busy mom, I am definitely going to keep Kinemi's Kitchen on my speed dial. It's a bit hard to find but very centrally located if you live or work around the Fraser-Killarney, Metrotown, or South Burnaby area. read more

What a gem in the most random of areas. Google map it and follow the directions carefully cause you would drive right pass this place if you didn't know where it is. Small joint tucked away in a little plaza between a corner store and a video rental place. They go tables and they got chairs..... no fancy table cloths, no candle light, and no settings on the table. The food just speaks for itself. My friends have been raving about this place for awhile now telling me that the chef has worked at many famous Italian restaurants before opening up this hole in the wall. The chef worked in Japan before coming to Canada and ended up working at Don Francesco's Restaurant before opening up this place. "Gotta try the epic lobster dinner man!!!" Ok, ok, you've sold me! It was a huge surprise to me coming to this place. My friend hyped up this place as really good Italian food with an Epic Lobster Pasta, good thing I didn't dress up for this place cause it's far from it! The menu is printed on a piece of paper and kept dry between those plastics sheets that we all grew up using to keep our notes/projects/homework crisp and dry. As I started to browse through the menu, which looked quite ordinary for an Italian restaurant, I was rudely interrupted by my friend who said, "Dude, the good shit on the board man." Hmmmm interesting, now that's what I'm talking about! The verbiage of the menu items sound really nice and of that of a higher end restaurant. Alright, but I'm feeling a bit poor cause I haven't got my tax return yet, so I'll got for the Braise Lamb Shank and I'll taste your Lobster Linguine. Wow, I was really blown away by the Lamb shank! It was braise perfectly! I have only tried a very few lamb shanks this good in my life and I have tried many! The meat so tender, flavourful, and the jus you can tell was made from the reduction of the braising liquid cause that's the money shot on that dish. Well seasoned real mash, perfectly cooked vegetables, and a really nice braised red cabbage with a little tartness to balances out the rich flavours on this dish. $17 for this??? Are you kidding?? I'll like 20 more please!! That lobster did look epic! I was soooo into my dish that I didn't even get a chance to sample my friend's dish! lol I am super happy with my dish I almost licked the plate! Oh btw, your cutlery comes in a little basket with napkins. I love the feel of a mom & pop shop with the more refined flavours, and priced for a clearance! UYE tomorrow anyone??????? read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - Braised Lamb Shank - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

99 problems but the pasta ain't one. If you want the best experience from Kinemi - do take out. The price is more than fair and the pasta is wonderful, 5 stars. Ask for a table to dine in for more than 5 people, you're now in an episode of Seinfeld trying to order soup. It's not a good experience and quite franky a bit embarrassing. The décor is... what décor? The service, nope not there. The cutlery, the tables... the chairs - I am pretty sure these were picked up from a thrift shop or borrowed from the old folks home down the block. Hey, if it's the food you're after you're at the right place. If you want to dine comfortably, there is a pub next door. Edit: cash only, and no AC. read more

I've probably been here at least 5 times now. It's pretty much the only restaurant we go to anymore as it's such a close walk from our house and the food is so delicious. I've recently started ordering their salad's, he sometimes has a special one as well as Caesar or house salad. I also get an appetizer sometimes like the foccacia (once they brought it out with an amazingly delicious anchovy dip in addition to balsamic and oil and tapenade). Last time I went I had the Carbonara pasta, it was the largest portion of pasta I've heard had there and it was delicious just like everything else there. read more

I just found my favorite casual italian dining eatery in the heart of the suburbs. A friend recommended this place to me and their pasta portions are large and their fine dining menu is the best I can find in an area outside of the more popular Italian dining areas outside of downtown or the inner city. Good food and great price! Both times I ordered something seafood with my pasta and both times I was not disappointed. I went for take out but when I got there it was a small 18-20 seated restaurant but the line up to pick up was enormous. I guess people have already got word of their delicious menu set. I ordered the Penne alla Puttanesca with the olives, capers and anchovies. I can't believe I can enjoy anchovies to this degree but I did. Another time, I ordered off menu, the lobster seafood spaghetti. The tomato cream base was the perfect compliment to this dish. Best dish yet. No wonder why it's not on menu. I am definitely coming here again! read more

Fabulous place to eat. Been going there at least 2 years now. Expect pasta and expect it to be good. The only thing I dont like is they love tomatoes and each dish, even the beef stroganoff, will have tomatoes in it. Sometimes I just want to have a break from tomatoes. Having said that, I've never had a bad meal there. Everything is made from scratch and so yummy. Oh, most important part, they take cash only. Dont worry, at the next door convenience store is an independent atm. read more

I heart hole-in-the-walls! Kinemi's is the best kind - clean! Cheap! Good food! They say it's Japanese fusion - but really, it's Italian food cooked by Japanese people - the only hint of fusion that I saw was the wasabi aioli. Easy to miss, it's in a strip mall - NOT in champlain square. The 1 lb lobster rose linguine special for $23 is an amazing value. It comes presented with the meat separated, with the shell on the plate for decoration. Came with asparagus, tomatoes. My only gripe is that the lobster meat was a bit cold - mix it up with the pasta and it's all good in the hood. Their other specials on the board seemed to be a hit all around the table, I sampled the lamb shank special and it was a winner - tender, flavourful, mashed potatoes with gravy. Family-friendly, lots of take out orders going through here. read more

Came here on a weekday for dinner with a friend and her kids. I was recommended to come here by a friend, it was a pretty good deal. Not much of a restaurant, it has a few tables and looks a little like a cafeteria, but it smelled great when we went in. It was pretty quiet, but we noticed a lot of take out business. We ordered the dinner for two, Caesar salad was decent, garlic bread good, seafood pasta tasty. We also ordered a pizza, good taste but seemed more like a home cooked pizza than a restaurant style. We ordered another small pasta for the kids, and they loved it. Bit of a unusual place as it is owned by Asians, but the food was food and reasonable. read more

The cheese bread is a great starter and popular with kids. The lobster linguine is a must-try with perfect al-dente linguine and lobster sauce that has just enough flavor without being "just garlic." The cannelloni with crabmeat was also a great surprise in that it wasn't too heavy. Overall, fantastic food! read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - lobster linguine - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

Hole in the wall. Very cosy interior, and very reasonable pricing. I enjoyed the smoked salmon linguine the best :) Portions are quite big, very filling, I've yet to Try the other dishes..coming back for sure read more

It was a hot August afternoon and I decided to head out to the neighbourhood grocery store to grab a slushy and seek some relief from the heat. As I walked passed Kinemi's I thought to myself, "Great, another pizza joint doomed to fail". Boy was I ever wrong!! I had no dinner plans that day and decided to take out from Kinemi's, and was absolutely blown away by the food and the prices. The salmon carpaccio, thinly sliced topped with wasabi aoil and garnished with fresh greens and lemon, was better than what you'd find at a Robson street Japanese tapas. The main attraction has got to be the lobster linguini. A fresh one pound lobster cooked to perfection, and placed on top of a bed of rose sauce linguini. The lobster was tender and juicy, and mixed well with the pasta. For $23, I couldn't ask for more! I have tried many other dishes and I must say, this is a true gem hidden away in an otherwise unassuming location. read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - The One Pound Lobster Linguini. Don't think I will find something as good (and fairly priced) as this. - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I read about Kinemi's Kitchen from the Japanese Canadian Nikkei magazine. I was very curious about this Italian restaurant run by Chef Kin Sin Lee + his Japanese wife. When we first walked in there was no one in the restaurant - but don't fear! They are located in a very suburban strip mall, it was a weekday night + as we ate our dinner we noticed A LOT of takeout orders were being picked up. We started off with yummy yummy escargot, I ordered the pasta carbonara + my husband had the lobster pasta (it's not on the menu, but ask for it!). Perfect al dente, portions are huge + so very good!!!!!! Wife Emi takes orders + is very sweet. A true family establishment! Go support them! read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - Lobster Pasta!!! - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Ah, Kinemi's, never judge a book by its cover. You may pass by thinking it's just a small little coffee shop, but it is actually much more than that. You definitely won't find a selection of baked goods for sale alongside a bunch of coffee and tea drinks here. The types of dishes are of the comfort food variety with some added cruise ship-esque garnishing and presentation but without the really high price. It would be nice if there were more options for vegetarians though (I understand they specialize in seafood dishes). I found many more options at places like BP and White Spot. The veggie strudel with blue cheese (I think that's what it's called) was really good, but it is not a regular menu option. Instead, it is a seasonal special dish. The deserts are a whole different story. The baked apple crisp and the creme brule is delicious. The drizzle of mango sauce along with the garnish of a mint leaf made them as nice to look at as they were to eat. It really reminds me of deserts at high end restaurants and cruise ship fare. It's certainly not a pasta restaurant that you go to for the dining atmosphere. It's more of a small family restaurant; the kind of place to take the kids for dinner as it's not too crowded and noisy (and definitely no cheering sports fans sitting in front of a flat screen TV). The whole restaurant is run only by about three people doing everything, hence the limited hours of opening and not being open on most holidays. They do not take reservations and it tends to be pretty full at dinner time on the weekends. It's already been said by several reviewers, cash only. I'm not aware of any ATM's nearby in case you forget, unless the pub next door has one (which is likely). read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - Apple crumble dessert. As you can see, cruise ship fare. - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

3rd time is a charm! Came here a few times but they were too busy and was turned away. This time we were seated after a 10 minute wait. This is a pasta and pizza place. We had the lobster linguini and chicken/broccoli Alfredo. Both were really flavourful and the portions were decent. We polished off both plates. I agree with other reviewers. This place is a hidden gem. It worth the wait to give it a try! read more

See all

One of the only asianized pasta places around left. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection and the carbonara sauce was delectable. The service was quick and friendly and the food came a lot faster than I had anticipated. Will be back! read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Hands down my favourite pasta place in Vancouver. The place took me by surprise, and if it were not for the recommendation of a reliable source, I would still be driving past without a second thought! Literally EVERYTHING on the menu is extremely delicious! Very reasonable prices, and very well run considering they only have ONE person in the kitchen and ONE person doing service. I have eaten in and taken out numerous times and have not yet had even a mediocre experience. The place is small, with the decor of an unappealing sushi shop... But who CARES!? Do pay attention to their specials board, as they do make changes on a regular basis :D read more

Half lobster pasta is our favorite. The creamy seafood sauce and lobster baked with fresh spice & cheese enlighten the whole meal read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - Half lobster pasta - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

Although hidden away, this place has great value and is a family run restaurant. I had their Carbonara for lunch this time and I'm happy to report that the portions were large, the food was very fresh and the service was polite and attentive. It was quite quiet when we went (although it was a bit after 1pm) so I'm hoping I can bring some more folks to this place next time. read more

Definitely a small place and you have to find the right time to go there. But the food is amazing. I travel a lot for work and I love Italian. So whenever I can, I make it a point to eat out in a lot of cities and order a variety of pasta dishes. I can say that Kinemi's provides fantastic taste compared to a lot of other places I eat at while I travel in the US. Love the Carbonara and the Pesto. And definitely check out the board. read more

Read the reviews and tried it - did not disappoint. Lobster linguine is perfect. Price is good, service OK but food first rate. I would like to order take out for my birthday. Love the food but the ambiance is lacking. They should offer delivery. read more

Good food at a decent price!! I'm coming back to try the lobster linguine next time. Very sauce heavy, which is common in asian style pasta, but I love my pasta dishes like this! read more

It is a small restaurant in Champlain Heights that was recommended by a friend. We are regulars and the food is delicious. The half lobster linguine and baked lasagna are my faves. I crave it at times. The food itself is a 5 and the service is a 4. It is hard to get through on the phone at times. We live close so it's not too bad to drive there and order since the food takes about 25 mins. But if we didn't live close by, it would not be worth it. There are only a few tables and not the most decor, but a homely place. We usually do take out. I return because the food is that good. I must mention that one time we came a bit early before they opened and they were kind enough to take our order anyways so we would not have to wait around for another 45 mins! That is going above and beyond. Cash only. The hours listed on Yelp say 11am to 8pm, but they are closed from around 2:30pm to 5pm. read more

lobster linguine - thinking about it makes me want to return already. the presentation, the amount, the pasta cooked to perfection, the idea you get when you walk in having no idea you will be blown away. this is next level magic happening right here. i think what amazes you is looking at the menu, looking at the price, then experiencing the taste of kinemi's kitchen. totally biased here because i watched a korean drama called Pasta (w/ english subs!). it's the funniest and cutest drama ever created that revolves around italian cooking in an asian kitchen. the show's main dish is tagliatelle so i will return soon to try that! !!!!!call in advance to make sure lobster is in stock!!!!! read more

Little family owned restaurant business tucked away in Champlain Heights. Very tasty lobster linguine and Dungeness crab spaghetti with curry sauce and tiramisu. Cash only. Does not take reservations. Will be back again to try their other pastas! read more

Kinemi's Kitchen - Half baked lobster with linguine. So delicious! - Pizza Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

I've seen this place become many things over the years from a video store, various pizza places owned by different people, breakfast joint etc. Many different incarnations and modifications during the 31 years residing in the hood. This is the first time I've actually sat down and walked into this place. Sad but true, however, actually wanted somewhere to hang out away from home. The menu is small, however, they offer home made items that taste awesome. Even the basic cheese pizza with home made sauce was awesome. They do disclose that due to time and preparation that it will take 20 minutes to be served, however, received my Pizza within 10 minutes during the dinner take out rush. This is a cash only place FYI. read more

Recommended by friends and well reviewed on Yelp W and I went to Kinemis about 6:30 Weds. It was empty we are only customers. A customer comes in to get her take out order, waitress takes our order, group of kids order a pizza. Clean but very plain interior kinda like a Fish and chip joint. Food arrives. W has crab cake appy(8.50) and a small Caesar salad($4.50). I have the spaghetti with crab and mushroom in a spicy tomato sauce ($16) (total w/hst $32). My Spaghetti was properly cooked and tasty though nothing special it had only 1 visible piece of crab meat. no bread was offered. I found my dish overpriced and disappointing. W's crab cake was a single small but tall one with fancy greens on it. tasted OK again nothing special and overpriced due to it being only one small crab cake without very much crab.Caesar salad was the highlight of the evening fresh,crispy, dressing and prep done expertly. no complaints on the salad and the CS was good value. I will return and try it again but with lower expectations. a more basic and less expensive pasta and I would not have felt cheated with only 1 crab piece. They charged a premium price for crab dishes and supplied almost no crab. read more

Unfortunately, our son got food poisoning here last night due to under cooked meatballs. Even he commented on how they were mushy - on hindsight they should have been returned - but likely would have been too late anyways. He threw up several times over night followed by a long runny washroom visit this morning. I had the italian sausage pasta, and the sausage as well seemed very soft and lacked taste. Too bad, as we have been there a few times in the past. read more

Wow, what a waste of time and money. $17 for the special Sausage pasta. My wife had the seafood pasta and that was not good as well. We both took 3 bites and then we left 90% of it. We ended going elsewhere for food after paying the $35 bill. I wish I could give it half of one star but that is generous. Needless to say we will not be back! read more

The meatballs will melt in your mouth. House salad is rad! 5 stars for how little you pay, for what you get.

My first review on yelp...and a good start ! This was recommended to me by a friend (professional diner) literally !!....he gets paid to do this ! It's a cozy little place in Champlain Heights.....very casual...but, if you're craving fresh gourmet pasta ( i recommend the garlic prawns linguine in white wine sauce) then you'll def. be satisfied ! Would recommend this place to anyone !...and, the service ( i think it's a 'couple' running it) is so welcoming! !... read more

For the price we paid it was totally worth it! I has the smoked salmon linguine, delicious! Wasn't as greasy as a lot of other Italian places so I likes that. The food has a good home cooked taste to it :). My husband had the spaghetti carbonara, which he really enjoyed, but would've preferred a bit more meat to the plate. read more

Fabulous pasta! unexpected. But I followed yelpers and wasn't disappointed.

I was a bit wary after seeing the storefront and the location of the place but the food was absolutely delicious! The server was polite and came to check on our meal and refill our glasses of water. I got the seafood linguine and the pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was very flavourful. Would definitely recommend checking this place out! It's a shame it's in such an obscure area. read more

Definitely a hidden gem! It's tucked away in an unassuming strip mall smack dab in the middle of a residential area. There are very few spots in the parking lot so it's best to park on the street. Their regular menu has a good selection of pastas (the carbonara is quite nice) and pizzas, but you really ought to check out their daily specials first as they are much more exciting. Oh, and their mushroom soup is delicious but filling - I would recommend getting it to share if you're planning to order your own entrée. Most importantly, go early as the restaurant is quite small and is usually busy during the dinner rush. read more

Steamed mussels were as fresh as it could get. The service was quick and friendly. I liked the very casual decor and atmosphere in here. We ordered some pizza and mushroom soup as well and both were delicious. Definitely worth going again. This is a cash only place though. read more

Good place for home-style pasta. Food is delicious and price is right. Decor is a bit outdated and restaurant is small. Service was slow and not the friendliest, but it may be because the entire restaurant is ran only by the couple. read more

Delicious pasta - based on the previous reviews I knew I had to try the lobster pasta. It was cooked perfectly and my girlfriend and I were pleased. The price is mid-high range so I think the decor and heating during winter should be amped up to make for a much better dining experience. I give it 4 stars for the food mainly. Changing the decor will not mean they're a sell out. Just respecting the customers needs and comforts on a higher level.. read more

Nice food cooked from scratch. We tried the seafood linguini and beef linguini. Both were good tasting. No bread with the pasta though which I found lacking. Place is just good for eating your dish. Minimal ambience if you can call it that. Service was fast and good though. We did order another dish to go for a family member who stayed home. read more

Great food, consistently delicious every time. The value is great and the portions is more than enough! The ambience isn't the greatest but the food is the main attraction. Cash only as well! read more