The Tin Palace still lives with the excellent outdoor patio and the semi-outdoor section (where my party sat) which feels like it’s outdoors with overhead cover and openable windows. Still not much they can do about occasional vehicles suddenly roaring past. The large darker inner restaurant with different sections remains the preferred long winter part. Parking, to the east of the building remains free, but you need to get there early, say before 5 pm on weekdays to find a spot.
Earl’s features a wide range of drinks from Vancouver wine to lime Daquiris, And an extensive menu from oven baked salmon to burger and veggie-conscious fare. Servers are numerous, attractive, and personable with well-timed intrusions. Dinner for 2 with drinks about $60.
A nice visit there during the dinner hour on a beautiful summer-like evening followed by a post-sup tea and dessert at a valley-edge hi-rise overlooking the Italian park, High Level Bridge with a wide-angle view of the beautiful beginning-of-fall river valley including the Legislature and lit-up 105 St. bridge. Tea was a fruitful decaf and dessert was two modest slices of pumpkin and pecan pie side-by-side. Company was fun with my old 1975 McNally teacher-friend and his retired nurse-wife. The olde jokes and stories still remain the best.