Chicken Pot 3.14

Nutritional Yeast - Finding the Best Brand (Product Review Part 2)

2012-09-17T22:12:00.002-07:00

I discovered nutritional yeast and it took over my life. I avoided trying it for so long because it sounded gross, but once I tried it, I was hooked.

<< See: Part 1 What is Nutritional Yeast?

It didn't take me long to realize there is quite a difference between brands. Obviously it isn't sold at all grocery stores, and I didn't want to go to the trouble of ordering it online, so I set out to find the best that I could find sold locally in Calgary / Canadian grocery stores.

I'm sure most health food stores will carry the product, but I tracked down four types sold near me: unidentified brand from Bulk Bin, Red Star brand from Community Natural Foods, Purely Bulk from Superstore, and Bob's Red Mill from Superstore.

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THE CONTENDERS
I've been able to find four different brands of nutritional yeast at my local grocery stores.
From left to right:
1. Generic (unidentified brand from Bulk Barn... the clerks didn't know)
2. Red Star (from bulk bin at Community Natural Foods)
3. Purely Bulk
4. Bob's Red Mill

1. Bulk Barn Generic 2. Red Star 3. Purely Bulk 4. Bob's Red Mill

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APPEARANCE / FLAKE SIZE
Nutritional yeast comes in sizes ranging from large flakes to fine powder. I tend to prefer larger flakes because of the texture when sprinkled onto salads and popcorn. If you're cooking it (such as into pasta or sauces) it doesn't matter. But I definitely tend to use it sprinkled into food more often and I find that I enjoy the texture of the larger flakes.

Generic / Red Star (bulk from Community Natural Foods) - Both the bulk products were fairly powdery -- probably from getting knocked around when getting put into the bulk bins and subsequently getting scooped out again.

Bulk Barn sample (flake size fairly similar to Red Star brand, not pictured)

Purely Bulk had the largest flake size. Like I said, I put this into my salad, and I definitely like it better as a large flake due to the texture than just as a powder.

Purely Bulk - largest flakes

Bob's Red Mill had a medium flake size compared to the other contenders (although its packaging does say that it is 'large' flakes).

Bob's Red Mill - medium flakes

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NUTRITION
Most the products are pretty comparable in nutrition. This stuff is seriously a nutritional powerhouse.

From the Bob's Red Mill label (per 1/4 cup or 12g serving):

Calories 50kcal
Protein 6g
Carbohydrate 5g
Fiber 3g
Fat 0.5g
Sodium 0mg

Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Info

Awesome right? Low-cal, high-protein, high-fiber. Also suitable for certain diets: sodium free, gluten free.

I did notice that some brands online highlight that their product have been fortified with vitamin b12, which is a common deficiency of many vegetarians and vegans.

I couldn't get any info on the bulk products, but it appears that Purely Bulk is not fortified, while Bob's Red Mill is fortified. There is 7mcg of vitamin B12 per 1/4 cup (12g) of Bob's Red Mill. To put things into perspective, the RDA for vitamin b12 is 2.4mcg for most adults. But do take note that this stuff is naturally high in all vitamin B's anyway -- you're probably getting too much vitamin B if you're eating this on a regular basis.

That being said, vitamin B is a water-soluble vitamin and luckily does not deposit in the fat. You end up just urinating it out. Studies have also found that higher doses of vitamin b12 do not seem to be toxic. Sure. I found this out the ~~hard~~ entertaining way: my pee was bright neon yellow and I remember learning in school that vitamin B makes your pee that color. Anyway, don't be alarmed at the bright yellow pee. Just stay well-hydrated, and eat your nooch in moderation.

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COST
1. Bulk Barn - $1.99 per 100g
2. Red Star (bulk from Community Natural Foods) - $2.99 per 100g
3. Purely Bulk - $6.99/180g = $3.88 per 100g
4. Bob's Red Mill - $8.25/226g = $3.76 per 100g

The cheapest was the Bulk Barn variety at only $2 per 100g, with Purely Bulk as the priciest still only at $3.88 per 100g. Not a big price leap either way, but I guess if you are eating as much of this stuff as I am, it is good to know.

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TASTE
This was fun - to try all four types side-by-side. On their own, they all taste OK for the most part*. Cheesy, nutty flavor from all of them. But when you have them next to each other, you can really tell the difference.

1. Bulk Barn - This was by far the worst nutritional yeast ever because it tasted like bulk bins: it tasted like a mix of all the seasonings and spices stored adjacent to the nooch at the store. Gross. Not sure what brand this was, but I feel like the low turnover of this kind of product at a place like Bulk Barn (as compared to a health food store) surely didn't help.

2. Community Natural Foods - This was my second favorite. Nutty, cheesy, just the way you want it to taste.

3. Purely Bulk - By far the best flavor. Lots of nutty flavor. Lots of umami flavor. Cheesy, nutty, delicious. Awesome!

4. Bob's Red Mill - Sour. What the heck? I was really hoping to like this one since I am usually a huge fan of their products. But it literally tasted a bit sour and not cheesy at all. Maybe I'd gotten a bad batch?! The package said that it was best stored in the fridge/freezer.. but really, all of these products were purchased from the store at room temperature. This product was only marginally better than the Bulk Barn one, sadly.

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OVERALL

Best: Purely Bulk
Worst: Bulk Barn

Purely Bulk

Best flavor by far. Lots of umami flavor and absolutely delicious. I could (and do..) eat it by the spoonful.
Nice large flakes.
Nutritionals: comparable to other nooch. I didn't need it to be fortified with vitamin B12, and it wasn't. Vegetarians/vegans might want/need that in their nooch, but I'm good without the add-in.
Most expensive of the lot. But a tub of the stuff (180g) lasts me long enough and is certainly worth it.

Nutritional Yeast - What is it? (Product Review Part 1)

2012-09-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

Nutritional Yeast. Neither of those words sound appealing nor appetizing. It sounds at best maybe like something you would add to your plant feed.

It took me a really long time to try nutritional yeast for the first time. I'd seen many health food bloggers mention it before and use it regularly in their diets. But whenever I was at the grocery store, I felt it was hard to commit to spending $8 on a large tub of the stuff that could very well make me want to vomit... (don't worry, it was much the opposite).

One day I saw it at my local health food store in the bulk bin. I was hooked instantly -- I bought a small bag of it and started putting it into different foods, and the rest is history. From that point on, I've been buying it as a staple; it shows up on my shopping list just as regularly as milk and eggs. :)

Since the first time I tried it, I have been on a mission to find the best nutritional yeast available.

What is it?
Also known as "nooch", nutritional yeast is a type of dried and deactivated yeast that is commonly used as seasoning or condiment ingredient in vegan and vegetarian diets. It has a cheesy and nutty taste, with plenty of umami flavor. It is typically sold as flakes or as fine powder and can easily be used as a straight seasoning (eg. on salads or popcorn), or cooked into food to impart a cheesy flavor to certain dishes (eg. pasta, casseroles).

The strain of yeast cultured to make nutritional yeast is usually Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sample is cultured for several days in a sugar-based medium such as cane sugar or beet molasses. The yeast is then heated to pasteurize the product and dried to create the flaky / powdery product that is sold in grocery stores.

Delicious large-flake nutritional yeast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional yeast is naturally low in calories, low in fat, high in fiber, and high in protein. There are about 10-15 calories per tablespoon (depending on whether you buy flakes or powder). This makes it a great supplement for individuals who are watching their calories but looking to get in some extra fiber and protein. Some nutritional yeast products with also be additionally fortified with vitamin B12 which is a common deficiency among vegetarians and vegans.

Side note: if you eat too much vitamin B12, your body will pass a lot of it in your urine as vitamin B is a water-soluble vitamin. It turns your urine bright yellow, so if you're wondering why your pee is more yellow than usual.... consider yourself warned.

Nutritional Info from Purely Bulk package

Nutritional Info from Bob's Red Mill package

Uses of Nutritional Yeast
Because of its nutty and cheesy flavor, nutritional yeast is often used as a substitute or partial substitute in place of cheese for vegetarian/vegan version of certain recipes. For instance, it can be used to make cheese sauces for pasta dishes.

My favorite way to use nutritional yeast is still the most basic -- I really enjoy sprinkling it straight onto salads and popcorn. Sometimes I will mix nutritional yeast with garlic powder and a pinch of salt to give it additional flavor and then put it on my salads.... and that tastes delicious too.

.. and then sometimes, sometimes, I just eat it straight from the container with a spoon. Because I like it just that much. :)

See: Part 2 for my comparative product review.

Ichi Rock (Calgary)

2012-05-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

Ichi Rock is a small-ish Japanese restaurant located in the heart of downtown Calgary. While they call themselves an izakaya (an izakaya is traditionally more of a bar with 'tapas-style' food), this restaurant has a nice mix of entrees and sushi, and therefore caters well for customers who are looking for a full meal and/or sushi fix.

Assortment of special maki: Spicy Tuna, Sakura Blossom, Sakana A-ge

The place is stylish but very cozy; dimly lit with a red-and-black theme, and just maybe a dozen tables spaced closely together.

Front of the restaurant

Tables & Seating

We went on a Friday night at 8pm (with reservations). Upon arrival the restaurant wasn't busy at all (just a couple other tables seated), so there wouldn't have been a wait anyway. The staff was very friendly; the bar is located right by the entrance & faces the diners, and the chefs cheerfully greet you as you enter/exit the restaurant.

Bar

They have a lot of options on their menu --- standard appetizers, sushi & sashimi, noodles, rice entrees, and of course their izakaya-type items.

I was tempted by their Seafood Okonomiyaki ($15.95) since this seems to be a rare find in Calgary... I haven't really seen it in any Japanese restaurants, and when okonomiyaki is done right, it is a damn good thing. (Okonomiyaki: basically a Japanese pancake made with a savory batter and fillings of your choice cooked into it). But I didn't really want to fill up on one dish and not to get to try the others, so I ended up opting out - maybe next time.

On the other hand, the boyfriend went for the Chicken Karage ($6.95) to start. Unfortunately, we were both really disappointed with this dish. While the chicken had clearly been freshly fried, the preparation otherwise just seemed to miss the mark; the few scant pieces of chicken looked like they had been lightly dredged in plain flour or cornstarch and tasted mostly of oil and plain salt. :( Bummer. While I'm definitely a fan of not over-battering deep fried foods, this just really lacked the crunch that you want in karage.

Chicken Karage ($6.95)

Luckily, the rest of the meal was really a lot better. We ordered some maki was well, and this definitely fared to be a much better choice.

The presentation of the maki was gorgeous (pictured at top). I am rarely particularly critical of food presentation, but this was really notably good. We ordered four rolls between the two of us, which were laid out on a large serving plate to share, and decorated beautifully with the assorted sauces and seaweed salad. Nice.

My first roll was the Sakura Blossom ($13.95). This one had mango, avocado, scallop, and roe in the middle, topped with raw salmon, served with wasabi mayo. Pretty good -- the combination of mango with sushi has really grown on me; the sweetness of the mango goes surprisingly well with scallop. The fish and scallop were both reasonably fresh and overall I did like this roll.

Sakura Blossom Roll ($13.95)

The second roll that I got was the Sakana A-ge ($12.95). This is one of their more fish-heavy rolls (which I like) -- fried salmon & tuna inside, topped with tuna, and garnished with some deep-fried onion. The boyfriend is a fan of mostly-fish rolls too, so he ended up ordering one for himself. We liked this one too; the partially cooked salmon & tuna on the inside had a nice texture.

Sakana A-ge Roll ($12.95)

The boyfriend also ordered a Spicy Tuna roll ($5.75) which was pretty standard: tuna, cucumber, lettuce, and spicy sauce. I tried a piece and it was good as well; the tuna was fresh and just the right amount of fattiness like in the Sakana A-ge roll. To be honest, this was probably just a lot better bang-for-your buck compared to the other special rolls (considering most of them are $12-14), and turned out to be a really pleasant surprise in that way. Yum.

Spicy Tuna Roll ($5.95)

The menu was overall on the pricier side for most of their items, but the food was for the most part very enjoyable. The special maki was good in that the fish was fresh and they used just the right amount of rice, but at $12-14 per small roll, you definitely have to order at least 2-3 per person to make for a meal. That being said, I did appreciate that they had a wide variety of unique options on their menu, and I'd definitely like to come back and try some of their other appetizers and izakaya dishes someday.

TL;DR
Food 4/5 - Good maki with decent quality seafood - really nice presentation. They have a fairly large assortment of choices for appetizer/izakaya items, but still lots of entrees (rice & noodles) and sushi too. My pick: Sakura blossom roll ($13.95), or many of the 'regular' rolls if you want better value / cheaper meal (Spicy Tuna roll for $5.75, Crispy Tuna roll for $6)
Value/Price 3/5 - slightly pricier (~$12-14 for their special maki, ~$8-16 for their izakaya items)
Ambiance 4/5 - Cozy (smaller restaurant) but still somewhat trendy-looking
Service/Wait 4/5 - No wait (but we went at 8pm), friendly service, food arrived quickly.
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Overall 4/5

Ichi Rock
923 6 Ave SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 453-0852

Holy Crap Cereal (Product Review)

2012-04-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

Holy Crap mixed into yogurt (pre-soak)

Holy Crap is an organic cereal that is a mixture of just a few simple ingredients (all organic):

chia seeds
hulled hemp hearts
buckwheat
dehydrated fruits (cranberries, raisins, apple)
cinnamon

The product was first made popular by the television show Dragons' Den. In fact, I heard about it for the first time on the show. The Dragons had fairly positive feedback about the taste of the cereal, so I was really interested in trying it out -- especially because it's supposed to be pretty healthy.

Holy Crap Cereal - "Dragon's Blend" made popular on the TV show Dragon's Den

The cereal is made in British Columbia, but is now available in stores throughout Canada (shipping available to the US). The local grocery store sells it for $10.99 per 225g bag, which is pretty darn expensive considering you get about 8 servings out of the entire bag if you follow their suggested serving size (28g). Then again, this is in comparison to regular grocery cereal --- if you're comparing it to organic cereals, you fall in a similar price range.

That being said (and for full disclosure), I had actually been fortunate enough to pick up some samples from the company when they were giving them away at a 5K/10K race(!) I was super excited and couldn't wait to try it. :)

This is what it looks like in the bag, before hydration. Hmm.

In the mix: Chia seeds, hemp hearts, buckwheat, dehydrated fruit (apple, cranberries, raisins), cinnamon

They have two suggestions for preparation: soak with a bit of milk, or stir into yogurt.
I added it to my favorite yogurt mix (non-fat Liberte plain Greek yogurt and Source lemon-meringue-parfait yogurt...yum!). I actually am not a fan of raisins or cranberries so I picked around those when I was scooping from the bag. Hee. (Side note: the company also sells a product called 'Skinny-B' which is basically the same thing as Holy Crap, but minus the dried fruit.)

My favorite yogurt mix: Liberte 0% Greek with Source Lemon Meringue Parfait

Let soak for 15 minutes until everything got hydrated.

Time to eat. It was a really interesting texture in the yogurt. The chia seeds have a bit of a slimy/slippery quality to them (but not in a bad way), while there was a bit of a bite from the hemp hearts and buckwheat. There was only a small amount of apple and cinnamon, which didn't really add or detract much from the texture of flavor profile.

Hydrated Holy Crap in yogurt

This cereal doesn't really have a strong flavor --- I thought at first maybe it was the flavor of my yogurt overpowering the flavor of the cereal, but then I tried it again just soaked in a bit of 2% milk, and again there wasn't a distinctive flavor. I definitely preferred it in yogurt rather than in milk though.

The main highlight of this cereal, for me, is the nutritional value rather than the flavor. High in fiber, a source of omega fatty acids, a source of iron, and low in sugar... this cereal definitely beats out most other cereals from a nutritional standpoint.

Holy Crap - ingredients and nutritional info

Final verdict?

This cereal is definitely a super healthy food choice and a quality product, but is not remarkable for its flavor. I would buy it mainly for the nutritional benefit, and that it adds a neat texture to my yogurt. Their website also features some recipes that suggest using it in baked goods, salads, and beverages -- definitely looks to be worth a try too.

Because a lot of it is just chia seed, you could probably make a comparable replica of the cereal using chia seed and your favorite dried fruits (... hmmm!). It is on the pricier side when compared to regular grocery cereals, but is reasonably priced as an all-organic product. I definitely liked this product and would eat it from time to time. I'm not a big fan of dried fruits, so I am glad they thought of making 'Skinny-B', which I will definitely check out soon.

TL;DR

Pros

Healthy: high in fiber, source of omega fatty acids, source of iron, etc.
Good quality ingredients (all organic)
All "real" ingredients -- no additives or preservatives, no flavorings (but requires refrigeration after opening
Friendly to various diets: no sodium, low sugar, gluten-free, kosher

Cons

Pricier than most regular cereals (~$11 per 225g bag; yields about 8-9 servings)
Taste is OK, but not remarkable
Requires a small amount of wait-time for cereal to soak (10-15 minutes) - not ideal if you're the type that rolls out of bed and out the door

Saigon Sandwich (San Francisco)

2012-04-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

I was staying at the moderately-seedy but conveniently-located Hotel Whitcomb in downtown San Franciso when I decided to stop by Saigon Sandwich for a quick banh mi breakfast. After finally managing to do a search using the hotel's extremely spotty Wi-Fi, I came across rave reviews on Yelp for this small sandwich shop located just blocks from where I was staying. Open from 7am-5pm daily, I was glad we would be able to get in for breakfast --- there are a bunch of other sandwich shops in the area, but they either didn't look as tasty or they didn't open till lunch-ish hours.

Special Combination Banh Mi ($4.00)

This place really shouldn't have been hard to find... but it was hard to find. We were at the correct intersection but couldn't find a restaurant sign for it anywhere. After pacing around for a few minutes, I realized that their canopy (with their restaurant name) had been taken down. The only way that I was able to recognize it was by leering into the small shop and recognizing the menu board that I'd seen photos of, on Yelp.

Storefront. Could not find this place for a while. They were missing their restaurant sign...?

The shop itself is teeny-tiny. There is just enough room for the ladies to work in the back (where you can see them make your sandwich), a counter positioned about a meter from the entrance which is where you place your order and can purchase miscellaneous snacks, and finally a small area in the front with their drink cooler and a few chairs where you can smush up against the window while you chow down.

Front counter - place your order here

Ladies working on sandwiches in the back

Menu Board

We stopped by around 10:30am that day and there was no lineup at all. I ordered the Special Combination banh mi ($4.00), while my boyfriend opted for the Roast Pork ($3.50) to eat right away and the Roast Chicken ($3.50) to eat on the road **.

We were planning on slowly making our way down Market Street towards the Ferry Building Marketplace that day, so we decided to sit at the few chairs at the front of the shop to eat our breakfast.

My Special Combination sandwich (pictured at top) was incredible. You bite into that freshly toasted crusty bun, and you're hit with the flavors of the meats & tofu. The pate was really what made this sandwich for me though -- their generous smear of pate on the inside of the bun just imparted so much flavor and worked well with fillings. Each bite is a little different, depending on which meat you happen to be biting into. Rounded off with the crispy crunch of the fresh vegetables, this sandwich is hard to beat at $4.00.

Banh Mi all wrapped up - We ate our sandwiches crammed up against the window (and enjoyed it)

I sampled a few bites from both of my boyfriend's sandwiches (Roast Pork and Roast Chicken). It was a pretty close call, but I liked the chicken just a bit more because the meat was more tender and less greasy (though neither sandwich was particularly heavy). Seasoning was great for both meats. The boyfriend liked the chicken slightly more as well, but they were both damn delicious and inhaled within minutes.

This place is awesome and didn't disappoint one bit; I'm usually not much of a big-breakfast person, but on this day I was literally giddy with delight after eating that sandwich at 10am. Highly recommended. The Combination Sandwich was definitely my favorite -- that pate (which you don't get in the roast meat sandwiches) is to die for when paired with the rest of the ingredients. While the place isn't really meant for you to hang out and enjoy your meal, you can't really ask for much more in a banh mi joint -- service was fast, food was delicious -- you cannot miss out on this place if you're in the area!

** The Roast Chicken sandwich was eaten within 3 blocks of leaving the store... not sure if this counts as "saved to eat on-the-road"

TL;DR
Food 5/5 - Banh mi done right -- one of the best that I've had. Fresh toasted bun, well-seasoned meats, crunchy veggies. My pick: Special Combination Banh Mi ($4.00)
Value/Price 5/5 ($3.50-$4.00 per sandwich)
Ambiance N/A - To-Go type restaurant
Service/Wait 4/5 - Fast service. No wait when we visited before lunch rush, but looks like a line would form during peak hours -- fortunately, the line seems to move quickly.
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Overall 4.5/5

Saigon Sandwich
560 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA
(475) 474-5698

Vietnam Palace (Calgary)

2012-04-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

Great pho is one of the things that I really don't take advantage enough of as a Calgarian. If Calgary can get one thing right, it's definitely a good bowl of pho. Sure, we have some good Korean and Japanese restaurants here, but the sheer abundance of authentic Viet restos in our city is what allows for some competition between restaurants, which yields some really delicious and cheap options to be found in our city.

Seafood Noodle Soup ($12.50) with sprouts and basil mixed in

To start off, I have to say that Vietnam Palace was not a place that I'd had on my short list of restaurants to try. I've driven past by it a number of times while driving to Sura (Korean food) and had made a mental note of its existence, but after checking out some reviews on Urbanspoon, I wasn't racing to go try it out (especially since there are so many great Viet places right in Chinatown, much closer to where I live).

But so it happened that my mum had scored a pair of vouchers for Vietnam Palace. And since my dad doesn't like Vietnamese food (huh?!), my parents weren't planning to go, so my mom asked me if I'd like to go with the boyfriend instead. --- Umm, hells yah!

$10-Off Vouchers my mom gave me

We went on a Friday night around 7pm. There is a moderate-sized parking lot outside, so parking wasn't an issue at all. No wait time either once we got inside -- we went in and were immediately seated at a booth by a friendly waitress who brought us our tea and our menus right away.

Restaurant Entrance. Plenty of parking in their parking lot out front.

I'll just be upfront here: I was a little surprised at the outstandingly tacky decor. Now, don't get me wrong.... I'm here to eat pho, not the wallpaper, and I'm certainly not expecting any fancy ambiance, but this place is really hit-you-over-the-head with its tackiness. It's actually kind of charming and quirky in its own way: back-lit menus near by the kitchens, mismatched couch upholstery, some funky Asian-inspired transparent booth dividers, and pink-painted walls. I think the redeeming factor here was that it was brightly lit unlike many hole-in-the-wall Viet places, so it looks more clean(??) and spacious(???)... .... ... Not sure, also it doesn't matter.

Restaurant Interior: what's with the booth dividers?

Now the waitresses there were quite nice. They don't speak a lot of English but just enough that you can easily order, and they were pleasant, cheerful, and efficient even though there were just the two of them and they each had their hands pretty full.. Overall, it was very standard no-fuss Asian-restaurant type service -- they take your order, give you your food, and leave you alone. Works for me.

Anyways. Menu menu menu. Lots of options at this place (there were more pages to the menu than pictured below), so it was kind of hard to decide. We decided to split an appetizer and each order an entree.

Menu: Appetizers

Menu: Noodle Soups


Menu: Satay Noodle Soups & Vermicelli Entrees


Menu: Vermicelli Entrees

With appetizers, we decided to go with two salad rolls ($4.50) to keep things light. These arrived right away, presumably made ahead of time. Unfortunately, these were kind of a dud. They were room temperature, filled with mostly vermicelli, a bit of lettuce and carrot, and had just two pieces of halved shrimp plus a tiny tiny shred of sliced chicken per salad roll. I was pretty disappointed -- especially at $2.50 per roll, this was a pretty big flop. Will not order again.

Salad Rolls (two for $4.50)

Moving on. For an entree, I decided to go for pho of some sort. My usual pho go-to is some variation of rare beef noodle soup, but today their #27 Seafood Noodle Soup ($10.50) and its picture in the menu was really calling out to me. Okay, sure. I kind of wanted a cold vermicelli entree too, but figured that that's what stealing-off-the-boyfriend's-plate is good for.

Seafood Noodle Soup ($10.50)

The seafood noodle soup was pretty tasty. Their broth was very flavorful without being too salty or too greasy, and made for a nice light dinner. The seafood assortment included imitation crab meat, shrimp, and squid in a reasonable portion, topped with thinly sliced white onions and scallions. Served up with your standard bean sprouts, fresh basil, and chili pepper to be mixed into the soup (pictured at top). Plenty and plenty of noodles.

The boyfriend ordered #56 Grilled Combo Vermicelli ($12.99), which had a portion of each of the meats (pork, chicken, beef, shrimp), a spring roll, and assorted veggies (lettuce, carrots, sprouts). Topped with thinly sliced green onions and crushed peanuts.

Grilled Combo Vermicelli ($12.99)

The grilled combo vermicelli was pretty good too; each of the meats were nicely charred, well-seasoned, and not too greasy. The spring roll was better than the salad rolls we'd had as our appetizer (this was at least clearly freshly fried and the correct temperature), but was at the same time pretty standard fare and nothing to write home about. The balance of meat-to-veggies-to-noodles was fine, although my boyfriend did comment on the huge portion of noodles. For 13 bucks, this entree was a little on the pricey side if compared to other Viet places in the city with comparable/better quality, so I guess that was the only downside.

Lots of carb-inhaling later, I managed to finish all of the seafood, all of the broth (I love pho broth), but struggled in the final leg of the race with the hefty portion of noodles, as I always do when I go on my pho-eating adventures. Sometimes I get my ~~unfinished-food receptacle~~ boyfriend to eat the noodles for me (before I've stripped them of soup), but on that day he was so full himself that he didn't want to bother.

Failure at finishing all the noodles. :(

Overall, I'd say that this place is just OK. The salad rolls were a disappointing way to start off the meal, but the entrees were both reasonably well-made. I liked that the noodle entrees weren't greasy, and that there were plenty of options and variations to choose from. It would have been nice to see some portion size options, as some other noodle houses offer; both our entrees were definitely too big, and had I been given the option, I definitely would've selected a smaller size. A final note is that the pricing at Vietnamese Palace is somewhat higher than other Vietnamese restaurants in the city, while not really offering any more in quality (or quantity, not that anyone should ever need that much food). I guess I'd stop by again if I were in the neighborhood or if a friend wanted to go, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to visit here again.

TL;DR
Food 3/5 - Pretty standard pho and cold vermicelli; nothing to write home about. Good soup base. Enjoyed that none of it was greasy (probably had to do with our menu choices too). Salad rolls were too warm and lacked non-filler ingredients. - My pick: #56 Grilled Combo Vermicelli
Value/Price 3/5 ($8-15)
Ambiance 3/5 - Quirky, weird renovation: makes the place less dingy than some other hole-in-the-wall pho places, but just looks kinda odd. Spacious and comfortable.
Service/Wait 4/5 - No wait on a Friday night. Parking was fine. Exactly what you expect in a pho restaurant: take your order, give you food, leave you alone.
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Overall 3/5

Vietnam Palace Grill & Noodle House
308 16 Ave NW
Calgary, AB
(403) 276-9990

Diddy Riese (Los Angeles)

2012-03-25T23:45:00.001-07:00

Diddy Riese in two words: Cheap and (orgasmically) delicious.

Located just blocks away from the UCLA campus, this cookie & ice cream shop always has a long line-up of students waiting to grab a treat. You'll see most people getting their dirt-cheap ice cream sandwiches ($1.75) which features two of their fresh-baked cookies with a sizable scoop Dreyer's ice cream sandwiched in between.

There was a relatively short line-up when we showed up around 2pm on a weekday; we must've missed their lunch rush. I've seen that line go half a block down the street post-dinnertime, so try to avoid it around that time if you can.

Front of the store: waiting in line to place our orders

We were served after only about 5 minutes. I went with a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie + chocolate with white chocolate chip cookie + cookies & cream ice cream. IT WAS SO HARD TO DECIDE. But it was a solid choice. (Side note: Diddy Riese has a sandwich builder on their website... which is pretty cute and awesome at the same time)

There isn't a whole lot of seating, just a couple of chairs out front. We ended up snagging a seat there to people-watch while inhaling our ice cream sandwiches.

YUM. The cookies were baked to perfection; a little crunchy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside, just the way I like them. I was glad I picked one chocolate cookie and one "plain" cookie to balance the flavors and to get a chance to try one of each.


Custom Ice Cream Sandwich ($1.75). My picks: chocolate with white chocolate chip cookie + cookies & cream Dreyer's + white chocolate macadamia nut cookie

The texture of the cookies were perfect for ice cream sandwiches in the sense that they were firm enough to hold up the sandwich during the 15 minutes (er..2 minutes?) while you devoured it, but not too firm such that ice cream squishes out the sides when you bite. They were just right.

The Dreyer's cookies & cream flavor went really well with my cookies too... such a great combination! I was actually very (and in hindsight, disproportionately) pleased with myself for making those picks -- haha.

The guys who worked there were friendly and very efficient. My server told me that he knew that all the ice cream sandwiches were good, but he really thought he made the best. I laughed and could not contest. There was a ridiculously large scoop of ice cream in my hand: Yup, looks like the best to me!

By the time we were finished eating, we were already thinking about buying some extras to-go. Unfortunately ice cream does not travel well. But we were happy to just pick up some cookies, so we lined up again.

Lining up again to buy some cookies. Friendly and fast workers!

Cookies!

Dirt cheap: $0.35/cookie, $1/three, $4/dozen. No brainer. We picked up a dozen. Lots of other great choices, which I was delighted to try later in the day. The best in my books was still the white chocolate macadamia nut. Honorable mention to the chocolate-based cookies and the somewhat underrated sugar cinnamon.

Diddy Dozen for $4(!)

Then I saw it. Brownies for $0.75 a piece. I looked at our bag of cookies. Then at the menu board. Then considered my waistline. And then I made the most reasonable judgement call. Could not pass that sh*t up. One brownie, please.

Brownie ($0.45)

Awesome! Best call ever. I ate a bit of this immediately, on the way back to the car (see: bite mark). Moist, fudgy, delicious. The brownie was definitely very sweet and very rich but really just what you want in a brownie. The nuts were a nice addition too.

And with that, I concluded my sugar-coma-inducing adventure to the infamous Diddy Riese. After visiting this place, I can see why it is so popular and why it has become a landmark eatery of LA. If you are in the area, you must stop by for an ice cream sandwich. Must.

TL;DR
Food 5/5 - Perfect ice cream sandwiches! My pick: white chocolate macadamia nut cookie incorporated into any sandwich form. Chocolate with white chocolate chip is a close second.
Value/Price 5/5 ($1.75 per ice cream sandwich)
Ambiance 3/5 - Casual.. it's an ice cream joint!
Service/Wait 3.5/5 - Only downside is the possibly very-long wait during peak hours. Staff are efficient and friendly
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Overall 5/5

Diddy Riese Cookies
926 Broxton Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 208-0448

Montreal Bagels (Calgary)

2012-03-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Montreal-style bagels are a wonderful type of hand rolled, wood-fired bagel that don't seem to have gotten to be popular quite yet in Calgary. The flavor of the bagel is usually sweeter than your typical grocery-store bagel, as they have been boiled in honey-sweetened water. They are also comparatively chewier and denser than your typical bagels, which give the bagels a bit of a bite and an interesting texture of crunchiness and chewiness after you toast them.

Sesame Bagel ($0.90)

Cut over to Montreal Bagels, a fairly hidden gem of Calgary. Having loved the famous St-Viateur and Fairmount Bagel bakeries in Montreal, I'd thought that bagels of equal quality would be hard to find elsewhere (especially Eastern Canada)......WRONG. These folks make some amazing bagels in this small shop. The owner apparently used to work for St-Viateur, and sure enough, the quality of the bagels at this Calgary establishment up to snuff.

It is a pretty inconspicuous place with just a few parking spaces out front, it's not really the kind of joint that you drive past, press your face against your car window, and demand to try sometime because of a flashy sign or exciting menu board. It just says Montreal Bagels. And damn straight that's what it is. Once you walk inside, you will see their wood-fired oven in the back, a small display case in the front, a few straggling tables and chairs for sit-down customers (that you never see used), and their plain-jane menu board.

Front of Montreal Bagels

Wood-fired oven and workers in the back

Your options are: plain, sesame, poppyseed, and multigrain. 90 cents a piece, or you can get them by the half dozen ($4.25), or dozen ($8). Tuesday special gets you a dozen for $7. There are also a few other "prepared" sandwich options on the board (with butter, cream cheese, lox, etc), but I don't think I've ever seen a single customer seated at the few tables that are at the front of the store. This is more the type of place where you pop in and out of and enjoy your goodies at home, or in my case, enjoy in the car on the way home (more on that in a second).

Simple Menu Board (Tuesday Special is $7 for a dozen, at the bottom there)

If you show up at the right time, you can snag a bagel that is still hand-searingly-hot-out-of-oven. Yum. And that's exactly what has happened a few times now when I've gone early in the afternoon. The folks that work there are very friendly and they will offer to make up a fresh batch for you if they have just run out of a certain flavor and you are willing to wait 20-30 minutes. Side note: this place is cash-only.

My favorite is the sesame bagel, with the poppyseed as a close second. Whenever I get a superfresh batch, I can't help but eat one immediately in the car because they smell so damn good and are nice and crunchy-chewy and warm. My recommendation for once you get them home is to toast them, smear them with herb & garlic cream cheese (Boursin is amazing) and top with smoked salmon. Delicious!

In the car, tearing into the bag for a fresh-out-of-the-oven bagel

TL;DR
Food 4/5 - Authentic Montreal-style bagels -- such a surprising find in Calgary! Steady supply of fresh-out-of-the-oven bagels available frequently throughout the day. My pick: Sesame Bagel
Value/Price 5/5 ($0.90 per bagel)
Ambiance N/A
Service/Wait N/A
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Overall 4/5

Montreal Bagels
103 8408 Elbow Drive SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 212-4060

La Cevicheria (Los Angeles)

2012-03-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

I discovered La Cevicheria while browsing Yelp for the highest-ranked seafood restaurants of Los Angeles. This casual eatery scores some high praise from many online reviewers, so it was naturally a must-try when we were in the area.

The restaurant is located in the east end of LA (Mid-City area) on an unsuspecting street complete with metal gates to secure the front entrance and the front windows. There is parking along most of the side streets, but most of the spots were full when we got there. There is also a grocery store across the street with a private parking lot which I guess you can use at your own discretion.

We went during lunch on a Wednesday, and while there were a few other patrons at the other tables, we had no wait time at all and were seated immediately. The staff were extremely friendly in greeting us, and explained the menu while making a few recommendations: the Concha Negra and the Chapin.

Concha Negra Ceviche ($15)

I went for the mixed Concha Negra ($15) which is a Guatemalan style mix with blood clams, shrimp, octopus (which I subbed with imitation crab), tomatoes, onions, avocado, mint, lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce. This is served up with soda crackers, corn tortillas, and if you like, a house-made habanero sauce (by request) and other commercial hot sauces (just on the table). I quite liked this -- it was very fresh and the flavors had a good punch. The fresh mint is really nice, but I would've liked less lime juice in mine as I found the lime a bit too sour and overpowering. Nonetheless, this was really delicious with some soda crackers crumbled into it and scooped up with the corn tortillas. Finished every last bite, including eating many bites from my brother and boyfriend's orders. Yum.

Chapin Ceviche ($10)

My brother ordered the Chapin ($10) which is very similar to the Concha Negra mix, except it has a mix of imitation crab meat, shrimp, and octopus. It's basically the same thing but with imitation crab substituted in the place of clams. The clams were good, but they really don't change the flavor profile that much; I don't think they are really worth the extra $5, unless you A) are a tourist like me and want to try it for kicks or B) happen to be some kind of blood clam enthusiast. My brother agreed that he thought the lime juice was a little too strong for him too, but he seemed to enjoy the dish overall.

Tacoes De Pescado ($4.50 for two tacos)

The boyfriend is not a huge fan of shrimp, so he opted for the Pescado ($10) which is a mix of fish, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, avocado, and lime juice and the Tacos De Pescado ($4.50) which gets you two (deep fried) fish tacos. I did get to try a bit of both his dishes and they were both excellent. The ceviche was good, and I enjoyed the freshness of the fish, but I liked the Guatemalan style of my ceviche better. The fish tacos were notably delicious as the fish was just out of the fryer (super crispy) embedded in mostly cabbage, and wrapped in a soft taco shell.

This was overall a really great lunch spot and we did not leave disappointed; it is wonderful if you are looking for a light, inexpensive, sit-down lunch with some good (but casual) service.

TL;DR
Food 4/5 - Fresh ingredients, flavor has a lot of punch. My picks: Chapin ceviche, Tacos De Pescado
Value/Price 4/5 ($10-15)
Ambiance 2.5/5 - casual seating, nothing fancy
Service/Wait 4/5 - no wait time, friendly staff
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Overall 4/5

La Cevicheria
3809 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 732-1253