Sherman's Food Adventures

Lucky Lily Asian Brasserie (YVR Domestic Terminal)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 07:00:00 +0000

As much as YVR is lauded one of the best airports in North America and sometimes, the world, I thought their food options could be better. Well, that has been changing in the past 10 years and now we see spots like Bubble Waffle Cafe, Pajo's, Salmon n' Bannock and Sal Y Limon among others. Now we see the latest offering at YVR's Domestic Terminal in Lucky Lily Asian Brasserie by Top Chef Canada winner, Nicole Gomes. This is not her first airport restaurant, as she has opened Wander Kitchen & Bar at Calgary International. The menu is Pan-Asian and offers a wide-range of options to eat-in and for takeout.

We had a sampling of the menu that covered a wide-range of items including the Chicken Sesame Slaw. Called "Sau See Gai" in Cantonese, this is a popular cold dish that has hand shredded chicken mixed with cabbage, celery, cucumber, pickled veggies, radish, cilantro and crispy wonton strips in a sesame soy dressing. This was a good version where the freshness and crunch factor was high. Chicken was tender and moist while the wonton strips countered that with a firm texture.

Next up, we had a new dish on the menu - Crispy Thai Wings. This was the best item we tried for the meal. Consisting of both flats and drumettes, these wings were indeed uniformly crispy. The skin was properly rendered and nothing was flabby. Inside, the meat was juicy and super tender. We loved the size of the wings too as they were neither too small or large. On the outside, the makrut lime salt added a delicious zing while dipping them into the black pepper lime dip added such brightness and a bit of bite.

We tried a super classic Sichuan dish in the Spicy Wontons. These pork dumplings were sourced from a legit Chinatown supplier in Vancouver. Featuring a thin wrapper, these wontons were cooked just right. The wrapper was al dente, yet was tender enough to the chew. Inside, the pork filling was moist and tender. These were dressed in Sichuan peppercorns, chilli crisp and soy-garlic vinaigrette. Nice combination of flavours, yet I could've done with more heat. However, I'm sure they made these mild so it could appeal to all.

Our last appie was the Vietnamese Meatballs. These house-made meatballs consisted of pork & jicama. Hence, there was a noted bright crunch to go with the soft pork. Underneath, we found an Asian tomato sauce that was tangy and sweet. Another layer of sweetness came from the cooked-down onions. Adding a bit of heat and zip, we found slices of pickled jalapeno. I thought the addition of crispy onions was necessary since the meatballs were pretty soft. The buttery toasted baguette provided even more crunch.

Although not listed as an appetizer, the Cold Sesame Noodles was another great dish to share with friends (one could eat it by themselves, but I recommend sharing it). This was a good amount of chewy thin white wheat noodles sitting atop a creamy sesame sauce along with cucumber, peanuts, chili oil and scallions. Upon tossing the noodles, it became apparent a bit more sauce would've helped in terms of texture and taste. However, the parts of the noodles that had enough sauce was aromatic. I think adding some of the chili crunch (upon request) would've put this dish over the top with even more texture and some smoky bite.

Since sharing one Karaage Burger would've been difficult, we were served 4 mini-versions instead. Loved the sesame brioche bun as it was super soft and nutty. Inside, we found a marinated chicken thigh which was juicy and completely crispy from the perfectly deep-fried coating. We found some creamy melted havarti, crisp lettuce and spicy togarashi mayo that added everything we needed from texture, moisture and flavour. Nice little bite. The side of fries were crispy and had a hint of 5-spice.

We ended the savoury portion of the meal with the Bangkok Bowl. Functionally, this was a solid red curry with mild spice, creamy aromatics and measured sweetness. Veggies were not overdone and the rice was fragrant and chewy. The one thing that could've been better was the chicken. It appeared to be brined and precooked. My guess is that it holds up better in the takeaway version from the adjacent market. Totally understandable from a practical point-of-view. However, the texture was not consistent with traditional chicken breast for Thai curries.

We moved onto dessert at this point and went with a HK-style cafe classic in the Hong Kong French Toast. The method here consisted of 2 pieces of milk bread with peanut butter in the middle and coated with egg and then deep-fried. This particular one was topped with condensed milk custard, sliced bananas and almonds. I thought it was pretty tasty with crispy edges and a soft interior texture. I liked the contrast of salt and sweet, but would've like to see even more sweetness. The other dessert was the Salted Lava Buns. These were pretty textbook with a soft and fluffy bun. Inside, the salted egg custard was plenty runny. It was aromatic, sweet, salty and a bit nutty. Overall, the food at Lucky Lily represents something different for the domestic traveler at YVR. Sure, some purists might wonder about the modern takes on some classic dishes, but I believe the menu at Lucky Lilly is accessible to all for a reasonable price (given it is in the secured area of the airport).

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Pricing is fair considering where it is located

- Something different

- Nice spot to hang out before your flight

The Bad:

- Not sure about the precooked chicken in the curry, but it is understandable from a functional standpoint

Charoen Krung Thai Noodle House

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Is it just me or are there more and more Thai restaurants opening up these days? Are we finally going to catch up with Portland's Thai food game? Well, let's not put the cart in front of the horse now okay? We still have ways to go... However, in the GVRD, we've seen a rash of authentic Northeastern (E-Sarn) and also Central Thai restaurants popping up. Many, if not most, are really good an have elevated the choices for Thai food. One of the newest is Charoen Krung Thai Noodle House on East Hastings. They feature a mainly Central Thai street food menu with the rarely seen Boat Noodles. We didn't order that this time, but we did get a good amount of food nonetheless.

To start, we had the Deep Fried Wonton with Quail Egg. Instead of the 6 you see in the picture, there should've been 7 wontons (they served it to us shortly after). Really enjoyed these as the outside was crunchy and light. Inside, the quail egg was not overdone. The whites were not rubbery and the yolk was creamy with no dark ring. Served on the side was some Thai sweet chili sauce. Sure, a bit defaultish, but it went well with the wontons.

Initially, we were planning on ordering the assorted appetizer but seeing how there was only one wing of each flavour, we wanted more than that. Hence, we got a full serving of the Classic Chicken Wings in Thai fish sauce. Although I usually detest coated wings, these were actually pretty good. Crispy on the outside while succulent on the inside, these wings were also flavourful with hits of brininess. Skin wasn't completely rendered due to the coating, but I didn't mind it in this case.

If you blindfolded me and didn't tell me what I was eating, the Pad Thai would've been a really great stir-fried noodle. The rice noodles were chewy and not clumpy while the wok hei was evident. I definitely got aromas and the mild hit of funkiness of the fish sauce. However, the dish was lacking the tang and sourness of tamarind as well as enough palm sugar to balance. Noodles were slightly greasy, but then again, you can't stir fry rice noodles without it. One minor detail was the little bits of tofu. I personally like firmer pressed tofu than the soft fried cubes that were in the mix. Overall a good dish, but needed much more tamarind and even some heat.

On the other hand, the Pad See Ew was excellent. It had a definite hit of Maggi sauce which added both depth and umami. There was noticeable wok hei where things were smoky and caramelized. The crystal noodles were chewy and full of elasticity while not being clumpy. Big chunks of fried tofu were delicate inside. Vibrant and green, the gai lan was crunchy, yet cooked all-the-way through. One of the better versions I've had of late.

Chicken Green Curry was flavourful and had impactful heat even at medium spicy. It had the right viscosity neither being too thin or thick. Aromatic with a touch of brininess as well as herbaceousness. Normally, non-tenderized chicken breast is used in Thai cuisine. Hence it tends to be a bit drier and chewier. This version employed tenderized chicken breast. In a vacuum, I thought this was great as the meat was bouncy. I didn't mind it at all. But for some purists, this would not be authentic.

We ended up getting both of their available desserts as we couldn't make up our minds. The first one was a bit confusing due to its presentation. Initially, we thought the Kanom Tuay (Pandan Coconut Pudding) was served in 2s but those upside down bowls were also full of pudding, hence we had four servings! Good thing too as it was aromatic, lightly sweet and really great with the salted coconut cream (served on the side).

We also had the Mango Sticky Rice that was beautifully green from the pandan. It was texturally on point too with a moist chewiness that wasn't mushy. It was sweet and aromatic from the salted coconut cream. Although not in season, whatever mango they sourced was sweet and juicy. Overall, the food at Charoen Krung was generally delicious and well-portioned. If I had to nitpick, the Pad Thai needed much more tamarind, palm sugar and spice. Furthermore, despite me liking the tenderized chicken in the green curry, for others, that could be a no-no. I'd still go back though to try the boat noodles.

The Good:

- Good wok hei

- Well-portioned

- Excellent service

The Bad:

- Pad Thai needed much more seasoning

- Tenderized chicken could be a deal-breaker for some, I didn't mind it though

Bentall Centre BX1 Food Court

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The food court. You know, a collection of food stalls that are located in malls where one would usually find: a Chinese combo spot, chain-burger joint, Japanese teppanyaki, KFC, Tim Horton's and the sort... Well, thankfully, this has been gradually evolving as tastes have changed and people are generally looking for more interesting eats. The Bentall Centre food court features 5 different stalls that offer more than the usual and they are definitely not some big corporate chain. I was invited recently to try them all.

One of the most recognizable names is Zab Bite Thai Express. Yes, it is run by the same people as the Michelin-Recommended spot on Fraser Street. We were able to try some of Northerneastern Thai cuisine including their fabulous Pad See Ew. This had plenty of wok hei with smokiness and caramelization. Crystal noodles were full of elasticity and weren't overly clumpy. We also tried the Tofu Green Curry. Fragrant, sweet and briny, the mild green curry had a velvety viscosity. I found the rice dry enough to accept the curry while retaining a chewiness. The fried tofu was crispy and held up to the moisture of the curry.

Right next door, we found the almost viral Four-Bite Burger operated by the same people behind Bovine Rice Bowls. These little sliders featured a smash patty that was crispy with a beautiful maillard. Finely slivered onions were grilled into the smash patty adding sweetness and texture. These were delicious with the addition of processed cheese and burger sauce. Buns were soft too with good structure. We got to try the Chicken Strips too and they were pretty typical, but were fried until crunchy with moist breast meat inside. This was served with crispy curly fries and honey mustard.

Over at Little Seoul, we were got some pictures of their bento boxes. We sampled a few of their wares including Beef Bulgogi, Spicy Pork, Mandu and Tteokbokki. The pictures do not completely represent what we tried, but this is what you would get if you order a set. I thought the tteokbokki were fantastic. Texturally, they had a nice chew, but gave way to softness. Mandu were great too with a thin skin that was crispy and coated with a gochujang sauce. Inside, the filling was moist and tender. We had the beef and pork in a bibimbap format and they ate really well. The meats were tender and full-flavoured.

Also run by the same people (who operate the Frying Pan), we have Tori. It features everything from Tori Paitan Ramen to Chicken Karaage. We got to try Pork Katsu and Chicken Karaage. I thought the karaage was juicy with a crispy batter on the outside. It was mildly-seasoned and probably needed the side of mayo. As for the pork katsu, it was rather lean meat, but was still moist and juicy. Batter was lightly crispy.

The last food stall at the other end of the food court is Indish (which has a food truck too). They feature a pan-Indian menu including the 2 things we tried. I really enjoyed the Vegan Channa Kebab Kathi Roll. Loved the flaky and crispy paratha and the crunchy vibrant slaw. The vegan channa had a crispy exterior and a semi-dense tender interior. It was nicely spiced with earthy notes. Humungous in size, the Samosa was flaky and crispy with a tender and spiced potato filling. On top, there was an earthy and spicy chickpea masala along with kachumber slaw, mint and tamarind chutney. To say this was a flavour explosion would be an understatement. Really great for anybody, but great for vegetarians too, much like the Kathi roll.

Running until November 13th, they will be running a Lunch Club Series where guests can pick up their lunch from one of the five food stalls and join a themed-activity based on the day. On Tuesdays, there is casual drop-in Mahjong in a format that is welcoming to all experience levels. Love the addition of all these activities to engage customers at the BX1 Food Court. However, for me, it is all about the food. It is much more interesting than the usual stuff we find in most food courts. Definitely satisfying and something that fits into the tastes of the ever refining appetites of Vancouver foodies. I might just have to find a way to come back when I'm on holidays because it is only open weekdays during lunch hours.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Quality food

- Lots of choice amongst the 5 vendors

- Portions are enough for most people

The Bad:

- Only open weekdays for lunch (but makes sense because on the weekends, no one would be in the offices

Nom House Vietnamese Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

We are all pretty familiar with Vietnamese cuisine when it comes to rice and noodle bowls. However, most of the time, it requires sitting down at a full-service restaurant. With Nom House in Seattle (another location in Issaquah), it is a quick service concept where you can order specific bowls or create your own. Rounding out the menu, we find Banh Mi and salads. If you are thinking that the concept is fairly healthy, you are right, even their egg rolls are not deep fried!

About those Pork Egg Rolls... They were pretty large and nicely browned in the oven. I would say they were mostly crunchy with some softer spots. That would be the byproduct of baking them rather than frying. Hence, they were also not greasy at all. Inside, the cabbage and carrot filling was a bit on the softer side, but the pork did provide texture and body. This came with a sweet chili dipping sauce.

We ended up trying 3 of their Bacos (Bao + Tacos) with 3 different fillings. There was Top Sirloin, Pork Belly and Tofu. I liked how the bao were thin, so that it wasn't overly carby. Rather, with the amount of filling that also included pickled carrots, cucumber, jalapenos, cilantro, fried garlic, fried shallots, nom nom sauce and sesame soy, the whole thing ate with a lot of flavor and texture. I liked the pork belly the most as it was buttery soft.

Instead of creating our own bowls, we merely tried their signature items including the Nom Combo consisting of grilled sirloin, lemongrass chicken and all the veggies/sauces atop rice and salad. Definitely on the healthish part of the quick-service eats spectrum. As with the baco, the sirloin was tender with plenty of natural meatiness. Chicken was moist and soft with a mild lemongrass kick. Veggies were fresh and that nom nom sauce was creamy with plenty of herbaceousness.

Another signature item is the Pork Duo with pork belly and grilled pork with all of the same accompaniments as the nom combo except with the addition of a fried egg. Pork belly was soft and buttery while the grilled pork had some smokiness and was mildly-seasoned with sweetness. Since there was pork belly and egg present, this ate more robustly and had silkiness provided by the pork fat and the egg yolk. The salad and veggies helped offset that to a degree.

We moved onto some of their specials including the Mini-Me & Salad as well as their Nom Special Banh Mi. Loaded with cilantro (a lot of it!), pickled carrots, cucumber, jalapeno, nom nom sauce and house mayo, the banh mis were not devoid of filling. Add the choice of meat (steak in the mini), then the sandwich was filling. Bread was good too being crusty with a soft and chewy interior. Personally, I would've lightened up on the cilantro, but that's just me... The Nom Special Banh Mi was fully-stuffed with pork belly and grilled pork with 2 fried eggs. That was definitely enough for one person due to the amount of protein. Runny eggs added more moisture and some velvety texture.

Lastly, we had one of their Vermicelli Bowls with grilled sirloin. This was not much different than the other bowls, except sub rice vermicelli for the rice. Due to that, it did eat a bit lighter and it needed some sauce to go with it as a result. On the topic of sauces, one is included with your order. Choices include Nom Nom, Spicy Soy Sesame, Fish Lime Vinaigrette and Sesame Soy. For the vermicelli, the fish lime vinaigrette was recommended and yes, that would be my choice too with brightness, saltiness and tang. Otherwise, if I was having rice, I would go for the spicy soy sesame. Nice kick to go with the aromatic saltiness. So overall, the food at Nom House trends towards the healthier side without sacrificing flavor. Definitely a modern take on Southern Vietnamese cuisine, but a good one. Great for a quick lunch that won't break the bank or make you feel bloated.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- On the healthier side

- Impactful flavors

- Decent value

The Bad:

- Due to being baked, the egg rolls are not as crunchy as I would've liked, but they are healthier

Billiard Hoang

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

I've been wanting to check out Billiard Hoang for many years now. However, it just never worked out every time we've been in Seattle. It wasn't only because we couldn't fit it into our schedule. Rather, the place gets pretty busy during dinner time. To combat this, we arrived at 5:00pm on a Sunday. In turn, we had our pick of seats and also there was plenty of parking. Our plan was to order lots, and then after our meal, play some pool!

We ordered a few appetizers including the Duck Salad. With a bed of greens including herbs, cabbage, onion and pickled carrot & daikon, there was no shortage of crunch, tang and aromatics. On top, there was a chopped duck leg which was super tender with the classic gelatinous texture. It was well-salted where the meat was flavorful without being too salty.

Next we tried something I don't see very often - Roasted Quails. These had some passing similarity to roasted squab, but just smaller. Seasoning was supplied by some five-spice, soy and sugar. There was a beautiful lacquered appearance where the skin was rendered and flavorful. We found the meat to be succulent where we picked all of it clean from the bones. This came with a salt & pepper lime sauce that helped brighten things up.

Those first 2 appies were solid, but we were really here for the Fish Sauce Chicken Wings! Sporting only the flats, the wings were aggressively fried. It resulted in fully-rendered skin that was crispy with no flabby portions. This also meant the rest of the wing was a bit drier than expected. However, that didn't result in overly dry meat though. It just wasn't as juicy as other Asian-style wings I've had. These were tossed in a fish sauce glaze that was sweet, salty and plenty briny.

For me, I have to order a Banh Mi whenever it is available. Generally, ordering it at a full-service Vietnamese restaurant can be hit or miss though (I like dedicated Banh Mi shops more). The one here was a hit since they loaded up with meats. Hence, it was fulfilling and increased the flavor quotient. That was further elevated by the generous portion of pâté and buttery mayo. It added moisture and creaminess. The bread itself was airy and crunchy on the outside.

Off to the bigger plates, we went for the Bò Lúc Lắc or Shaking Beef. At first glance, this was not any different than most versions of this dish. However, the smells emanating from the wok fry was pretty fragrant and exhibiting wok hei. Our noses were correct as one taste of the beef and there was caramelization as well as umami from the fish sauce. The beef itself was super tender and juicy. Veggies were still crisp and vibrant.

Onto the requisite Phở Đặc Biệt, we found the broth to be a bit murky-looking, but it was fairly clean to the taste. Flavors were definitely there with strong star anise and the sweetness of daikon as well as charred onion. Cinnamon came through too. With that being said, the broth was not overly salty though. Noodles were plentiful and al dente. They didn't skimp with the meats either as there was enough to go around with every bite.

We also got the Bún Riêu and it has to be one of the best we've had in awhile. The tomato-based broth was rich and silky with moderate tang. Crab brininess was apparent too and some sweetness a well. Nice aroma from the soup. Those meatballs were fluffy and light with plenty of brininess and only limited porkiness (which is a good thing in my mind). Noodles were slippery and not overdone.

Out last item was the Mì Thập Cẩm or dry noodles with BBQ pork, shrimp, fish ball, imitation crab and squid. Pretty solid version here with al dente noodles mixed with sweetened soy along with plenty of toppings. When we were done eating, we sauntered over to the pool tables and played a few games. Yes, a Vietnamese restaurant in a pool hall seems strange, but Billiard Hoang deserves all of their accolades. Food is delicious, well-portioned and decently-priced. The people there were super-friendly too. Would come back!

The Good:

- Delicious eats

- Large portions

- Nice people

The Bad:

- Can get busy and you might have to wait, parking lot can fill up too

Rooster & Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

This Asian chicken & rice thing is a fairly simple concept. Poach some chicken in seasoned fragrant water. Use that broth in addition to the rendered chicken fat to make some flavored oil rice. Ensure there are the requisite dipping sauces and don't waste that chicken broth as it can be served as a soup on the side. There are distinct, yet similar, versions all across Asia including Thai, Singaporean, Malaysian, Vietnamese and of course Chinese (Hainanese Chicken). Now I'm not here to dispute where it originated, rather, I blogging about my latest food adventure at Rooster & Rice. This chain has locations across several states in the West and serves up the Thai version (Khao Man Gai). I recently checked out the Bellevue location.

Their menu is pretty simple with only 3 items on the menu. We started with The Original, that featured boneless breast and thigh meat with skin. I found the chicken breast to be sufficiently moist, but it wasn't juicy though. On the other hand, the thigh meat was plenty tender and juicy. Chicken was fragrant, but really, it had to be dipped into the KMG sauce. This combination of soy, vinegar, sugar, garlic and ginger was reminiscent of the one found at Nong's Khao Man Gai, except being a bit more vinegary.

With the same deboned breast and thigh atop chicken oil rice, The Bellevue, featured the classic ginger & scallion condiment. This would be more like the Chinese version of the dish. We really enjoyed the condiment as it was predominantly ginger with just a bit of scallion for effect. It was seasoned nicely and brought the chicken alive with brightness and a bit of sharpness. The chicken rice was quite good being flavorful, nutty and plenty al dente. There was some crunchy cucumbers on the side as well as chicken broth.

Last item was the Hat Yai Chicken with crispy shallots on top. We found the skin plenty crispy and flavorful while completely rendered. I wouldn't say the chicken was moist inside as the deep-fry was pretty aggressive. It was delicious though especially dipped into the sweet chili sauce. We sampled their alternative sauces too including Habanero, Thai Sriracha and Pineapple Habanero sauces. They were all spicy, with the habanero being the hottest. There was background sweetness but the one with the pineapple had the most. Definitely a great alternative or addition to the standard sauces. Overall, the food at Rooster & Rice is good and the sauces are killer. I do think that the chicken breast and the Hat Yai chicken could benefit from a bit more moisture though.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post)

The Good:

- Well-portioned

- Okay pricing

- Delicious sauces

The Bad:

- White meat could be juicier

Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

After doing an AYCE Wagyu Shabu Shabu in Kyoto on my recent trip to Japan, I was curious how Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House would compare. Mikiya is a chain restaurant that operates in several states including Washington. We visited the University District in Seattle to experience their Diamond Wagyu Set for $98.00 per person ($88.00 for members). There are also 2 tiers below this being Silver at $55.00 per person ($48.00 for members) and Gold at $78.00 per person ($68.00 for members). Main difference is Silver features Australian Wagyu and the Gold elevating to Japanese A5 Wagyu. For the Diamond, we had all of the menu available for us to order in addition to even more cuts of A5 Wagyu.

Before we got to ordering our meats on the supplied tablet, we helped ourselves to the self-service items. This included a Rice Dispensing Machine with curry on the side. The Curry Rice was actually quite good. We found the rice to be cooked through while being chewy and not overly wet. The curry wagyu as well as the minced wagyu were tasty and well-textured. Sauce bar was pretty typical with soy, ponzu, sesame sauce, sesame oil, garlic, onion and chili sauce. We found raw eggs for the sukiyaki too.

Right next to the sauce bar, we had a selection of Veggies including lettuce, spinach, napa cabbage, taro, udon, mochi, broccoli, crab stick, fish ball pockets, konjac noodles, tofu and seaweed. Things were definitely fresh and the display was kept tidy and stocked. As much as these things were great, I personally would recommend you order more of the beef and only get a bit of veg to compliment.

Moving to the right, we found another station with Fruit (melon, grapes & rambutan), mushrooms, squash and several small appies. These appies included takowasabi and 2 types of seaweed salad. Fruit was fresh like the veggies. Really enjoyed the rambutan as we normally do not see that in any buffet. Loved the seaweed salads, especially the one with birdseye chili.

The last 2 self-service stations included cans of pop (Sprite, Diet Coke and Coke), soft-serve (more on that later) and dispensed drinks. These included hot tea, calpico, milk tea, guava tea, iced tea and lemon water. Appreciate that they had cans of pop since they taste better than fountain drinks. There was ice available so that drinks stayed cold. The other beverages were fine, but on the sweeter side.

Moving onto the main menu, we could order a limited amount of items each time. We went for some appies first with the Wagyu Tartare and the Wagyu Nigiri Sushi. As you can see, the beef in the tartare was totally Wagyu fatty. Despite being raw, it still ate buttery. Normally, that much unrendered fat would be chewy. Flavors were a bit mild though. The nigiri were excellent with buttery soft thinly sliced wagyu. Really enjoyed these.

Next, we had the Bluefin Nigiri and the Sweet Shrimp Sashimi. As you can clearly see in the picture above, the bluefin was fresh with bright colors and a nice sheen. It ate as such too with classic butteriness. The shrimp was so sweet and delicate. Loved how the meat was not mushy which was an indication of its freshness (as fresh as flash frozen can be).

The Wagyu didn't stop there as we had the Wagyu Bone Marrow. This was a roasted bone marrow with bits of Wagyu on top. The result was a extra-luxurious bite atop the pieces of toast. We got a selection of their fried items including the Tempura Shrimp, Fried Chicken and Fried Gyoza. At first, I thought these were throwaway options but in reality, they were quite good. The chicken was juicy with a crispy exterior while the tempura was fairly light with buttery shrimp inside. The gyoza was the most surprising item as the skin was super thin and crispy while the filling was juicy with just the right amount of cabbage.

Now we got to the Shabu Shabu with a half-Tomato Broth and half-Sukiyaki. Yes, the classic sukiyaki was great with sweet and salty vibes and the meat was so silky with the raw egg, but I loved the tomato. It was velvety and rich with sweet tanginess. Our first set of meats included the A5 Japanese Wagyu Chuck Ribeye, Wagyu Brisket, Wagyu Shoulder and Kurobuta Pork. Suffice to say, these were buttery and melt-in-our-mouths tender after a quick cook in the broths. My favourite of the bunch was the chuck ribeye as it was nicely marbled.

The next set of meats were a combination of Gold and Silver tiers (but included with the Diamond). They consisted of Full Blood M9+ Australian Wagyu Chuck Ribeye and Shoulder Cut. Also Premium Australian Wagyu Brisket, Chuck Ribeye and Shoulder. Sure, the marbling was less than the A5, but it still cooked up buttery and tender. If you aren't overly concerned about going for A5, Silver tier is perfectly fine.

All tiers include the Seafood Platter (and also a la carte). This particular one in the picture featured snow crab legs, abalone, prawns, oysters, scallops grouper and izumi dai. Things were fresh, including the oysters, where nothing was fishy. Snow crab had plenty of meat and the scallops were buttery. Since they weren't super large, the trick was to cooked them every-so-slightly.

We ended things off with more fruit, but also the Soft-Serve Ice Cream. They had options of Strawberry and Sesame or in our case, a twist of both. This wasn't the creaminest of ice creams, but it was fine nonentheless. It was a tad sweet, but I did like this as a cool-down treat from the hot pot. Overall, I found the food at Mikiya to be good quality and prepared quite well for an AYCE. I've had more marbled A5 in Japan, but the fact this was Seattle and the pricing was more-than-reasonable for the quality, I would have to recommend Mikiya. In fact, there is a great chance I'll be back with the fam!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Price point is reasonable, especially the Silver

- Quality is good for an AYCE

- Loved that drinks were included

The Bad:

- I've had better A5 in Japan, but this wasn't Japan and the pricing was reasonable

Secret Congee

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

It has been awhile since we've been out to Secret Congee located in the Ballard area of Seattle. One look at the menu and you will immediately ascertain that this is no ordinary congee joint. Rather, they take the traditional Chinese congee base and top it with mostly non-traditional components. I've heard some criticisms that it isn't authentic, but c'mon, where does it state it is trying to be anyways? Some of the best eats I've ever had was due to some place taking chances and doing things differently. Besides, where do you think we got the Vietnamese cuisine we have now - fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisines...

Anyways, we headed out on a Saturday morning and yes, the place was hopping. Congee is a great brunch item that is nourishing and comforting. I personally like the congee base as it is velvety and mildly seasoned. We skipped the chicken congee this time as we feel the meat is too dry. So instead, we tried something quite different in the Mala Pork. This featured a large serving of sliced pork shoulder that was dressed in a considerably spicy mala sauce that had numbing spice and lots of earthy elements. Unlike the other bowls that included ginger and green onion, this one also had cilantro.

On the side, we needed to get the obligatory Yaoutiao or Fried Salty Doughnut. This was pretty good being lightly crispy with a chewy interior. It was nicely salted and could be eaten by itself, but c'mon, this was for dipping into the congee! We liked how it wasn't overly greasy too. Also, we had the side of Taro Chips. Again, this was fine to eat as is, since they were crunchy and well-salted. But, if you wanted a textural and aromatic component to your congee, you could crumble the chips and sprinkle it on top!

One of our favorites is the Shrimp Tom Yum and there was no doubt we would get it this time as well. The fragrance of the tom yum was was full of lemongrass, tanginess, sharpness from the galangal and also the slightest bit of spice. This really brought the mild congee base alive as every spoonful was now impactful and aromatic. The large shrimp were meaty and had a sweet briny snap.

We had 2 versions of the Thai Meatball with one featuring the addition of century egg. I've always loved this bowl of congee as the medium-sized meatballs provide plenty of body. Other than the classic chicken (which we didn't order this time), this is the least expensive at $15.00. Meaty with just enough fat, the meatballs were tender with a pleasant chew. They were lightly seasoned and acted as a textural component rather than adding flavor. With the supplement of century egg for $2.00, this provided the umaminess for the bowl of congee. For the other bowl, we added a soft-boiled egg for also $2.00.

Heading to some more delicate creations, we had the Hokkaido Scallop. Once again, this featured the same components as the other bowls of congee. As expected, this was a subtle affair with the sweet scallops blending into the mild flavor of the congee. This was more about texture as the buttery scallops still had the mantle, which added chewiness and even more scallop essence. The same could be said about the the Barramundi Bass where the fish was delicate and slightly sweet. We loved how they were able to keep the fish buttery soft while being cooked through. For both of these, I added more white pepper for some kick.

Our last bowl of congee was also subtle in the Garlic Blue Crab. Sure, it ain't cheap at $24.00, but looking at the picture, they did not skimp on the chunks of crab. Furthermore, the crab was fluffy and fresh-tasting. Plenty of sweetness to go with the brininess. The addition of fried garlic provided aroma and texture to the congee. So this was another delicious visit to Secret Congee. I understand how some people would like this interpreation of congee. However, modernizing it while keeping some traditional elements work for me. I love their creative approach to their toppings and willingness to take a risk. Yah, the prices are higher than typical Cantonese restaurants of this ilk, but they aren't serving up premium toppings either.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Velvety congee base

- Generous with the toppings

- Lots of choice

The Bad:

- Limited seating inside, and sitting outside is fine, if the weather cooperates

- Sure, it costs more (and it is valid for some people), but I personally think it is worth it

Okonomiyaki Jiban-Ya

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Located at the front of the restaurant where Steak Easy is located, we find Okonomiyaki Jiban-Ya. This place is also run by the same people who brought us Secret Congee and Ginger & Scallion. After a month-long stay in Japan during the Summer, I was quite interested how this place would compare to the Okonomiyaki I had in Osaka. They definitely are taking things seriously by importing Okonomiyaki Teppans straight from Japan. They served the Okonomiyaki right onto the teppan so it keeps things hot and sizzling.

We started with some appies first including the Wasabi Greens Tsukemono. This was a pungent dish that wasn't just your usual pickles. There was definitely a fermented hit at the very first bite that was strong and impactful. Nice crunch from the greens. We also had the Furikake Butter Corn that did its best impression of Mexican Elote. Corn was plump and had pops of sweetness while having just a touch of smokiness. Butter was creamy and added saltiness while the furikake did it's spiced thing.

Topped with a considerable amount of black tobiko, the Miso Butter Crab Dumplings were chock full of crab. They were a bit on the fishier side, but texturally, the crab was fluffy. The dumpling wrapper itself was pretty al dente and really needed the miso butter for moisture. Thankfully there was plenty of it. We found it to be velvety with a rich saltiness. Some chili oil provided a little something something. Lastly, we had the Mala Koji Duck Breast. The duck itself was juicy and fairly tender. Skin was a bit flabby though, yet had lots of flavor. That mala koji was spicy and full of umami. Really addictive and could be eaten with anything!

Onto the Okonomiyaki, we tried the Hiroshima-Style (with noodles) with scallops and cheese. After we let the noodles sear on the teppan for a bit, they turned out to be fairly al dente and smoky. The cheese crisped up on the teppan and added some texture and nuttiness. On top, we found large whole scallops complete with the mantle. For our Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki, we had the Panko Oyster. This was made with cabbage and egg. Tender, but with a crunch, the cabbage was mildly-seasoned. Naturally, we added the okonomiyaki sauce provided at the table. Although the oyster was fried up well with a crispy breading, it was on the fishier side. Despite that, the okonomiyaki itself was pretty legit. Maybe next time, I'll go with the basic versions, as I didn't really need the toppings.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Keeping it legit with the teppan at your table

- Okonomiyaki are large

- Cabbage and noodles were optimal texture

The Bad:

- Some of the seafood was fishy

Steak Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

From the same people who brought you Secret Congee and Ginger & Scallion, we find a pop-up restaurant near UW. Steak Easy is its name and Steak Frites is its game. Yes, they only serve a few variations of Steak Frites (with 5 sauce choices), salad and bread here. They do have a bar though where you can pair the steak with your favorite beverage. Now from the outside, it isn't obvious where the place is located as the only sign you will find is a 8.5 x 11 sized paper with handwritten "Steak Easy Pop Up" on the door. It is actually located at the back of Okonomiyaki Jiban-Ya, so try finding their sign on the adjacent door. You will find the old signage for Big Mario's sooner than the 2 aforementioned restaurants!

Once inside, the place was bustling and we headed to the back of the restaurant for some steak action. But before that, we dove into some locally-sourced Bread that was chewy with a soft center. It was served with a boatload of butter that was creamy and spreadable. Only other item we could get was the House Salad with a house vinaigrette. This was fresh and loaded with cheese on top. The vinaigrette was tangy and a bit sweet.

Onto the main event, we had 2 versions of their Steak Frites including the large version of the Wagyu Flank for $45.00. Half the amount of steak would've been only $25.00. Each piece of steak was prepared a bit differently with one being rare and the other around medium. Although the rare looked fabulous, the medium ate much better. With fattier cuts of meat, it is always better to activate the fats by cooking it more. As expected, there was a much meatier flavor with this steak. A bright aji limo chimichurri topped the steaks and it was plenty garlicky and citrusy with slight spice.

Our second Steak Frites was the 100% Grass-Fed Picanha served as the large version for $30.00. Single steak would be only $15.00. A freakin' steal in my books. This was cooked to medium and despite looking dry, it ate really well. Nice meaty flavor with a coffee rub on the outside. Steaks were seared up nicely. We found a yuzu Hollandaise on this steak and it was creamy with just the slightest of tanginess. Handcut frites were fried in beef tallow being crispy and lightly salted. They didn't skimp on the portion size for this.

Trying to get a sense of the other sauces that were available, we got sides of the Mushroom Bordelaise and Sichuan au Poivre. Loaded with mushrooms and shallots, this was a sauce that had plenty of umami and slight tanginess. Maybe the wine could've been cooked down more, but if you like wine flavor, this would be it. As for the Sichuan pepper sauce, it was creamy and had the slightest numbing spice at the end. We liked this one the most. Overall, we thought the Steak Frites at Steak Easy to be a great value. Sure, they can't compete with an actual steakhouse, but for the price, I dare you to find something better.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Highly inexpensive for what you get
- Decent quality
- Large portions

The Bad:
- Cook on the steak could've been more consistent

Mambo Café (Aberdeen Food Court)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Here is an oldie but goodie located at the food court in Aberdeen Centre. Mambo Café has been one of the most popular stalls here offering classic Hong Kong-style eats for a reasonable price. Despite drinks not being included with your meal anymore, it is still a good deal. Up until lately, I hadn't been back in quite some time. Not that I haven't visited the Aderdeen Food Court though. It is just I've been going to the other stalls. But this was about time I actually do a post on the place!

When judging a HK-style café , one must order the Baked Pork Rice. That we did and it was a substantial portion for $15.00. Sporting a well-prepared egg fried rice base, this was a great start. The rice was chewy and nutty while being just dry enough. On top, they didn't skimp on the tomato sauce. Viscosity was spot on with proper thickness where it was almost creamy. There was a background tanginess, yet the amount of sugar and butter levelled if off. We found 2 fried pork chops hidden within and they were tender with slightly crispy breading.

Another HK-style café classic is the Baked Spaghetti Bolognese. Once again, they filled the aluminum container to the brim with noodles and sauce. Although not al dente, the spaghetti was still somewhat firm and not mushy at all. Just like the pork chop rice, they were generous with the meat sauce. Sure, it wasn't a traditional bolognese, but it was a good HK-style café version of it. The meat was tender while the sauce had a mild tang with some fall flavours.

Completing the trifecta of standard items found on a typical HK-style café menu would be the Baked Seafood Rice. Again, this featured an egg fried rice base (which is the right way to do this dish). There was a plethora flour-thickened white sauce (most likely a combination of milk and evaporated milk) that was aromatic and balanced. Lots of seafood as the picture suggests including crab stick, fish, prawns, bay scallops and squid.

On another visit, we delved into more stir-fried dishes. In the end, we settled on a family-favourite in the Singapore Fried Noodles. For those who aren't familiar, this featured rice vermicelli stir-fried with onions, peppers, sprouts, BBQ pork and shrimp with plenty of yellow curry powder. This particular version was quite good being only a bit greasy with plenty of components and exhibiting caramelization from the wok hei. But for some reason, this took considerably longer than our other dishes.

We had a fried rice as well in the XO Seafood Fried Rice. Loved this dish as the wok hei was on display here with smokiness and caramelized flavours. Spice level could've been higher as the dish ate rather mild. But the brininess from the XO was definitely there. As you can clearly see above, the amount of seafood was balanced for the amount of rice. With little corn niblets strewn around, we also had bursts of sweetness with random bites.

A visit to an HK-style café isn't complete without some meat combo on rice or spaghetti. Hence, we had the Mixed Steaks on Rice with a black pepper sauce. This featured a minute beef steak, pork chop and chicken steak (deboned leg). As you can tell from the picture above, the steaks were large. I found them tender and yes, the beef steak was tenderized, but hey that is par for the course when it comes to HK-style café fare. Peppercorn sauce was flavourful and this was a massive portion for the price. In fact, with the lousy economy that we live it at the moment, Mambo Cafe (and all of the other food stalls at Aberdeen) is a good way to get a delicious and filling meal for a reasonable price.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Large portions
- Delicious

The Bad:
- Waits can be quite long and for one of our visits, they forgot one of our dishes

Baba Chicken Dhaba

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

With "Home of the Best Butter Chicken" prominently plastered at the entrance of Baba Chicken, it elicits memories of Buddy the Elf congratulating a coffee shop for having the "World's best coffee". Jokes aside, I really do like a good butter chicken and I was truly intrigued by that proclamation. Formally Showsaa Modern Taproom, Baba Chicken now focuses on accessible food in a more casual atmosphere. Jackie and I were invited to see what changes have been made and yes, the butter chicken.

I have to say their revamp of the interior makes the place a lot brighter and less formal. There is this sports bar vibe that is also reflected in its menu. Hence, we started with some share plates starting with the Kurkuri Gobi. These fried cauliflower florets were crispy (thanks to the rice flour) and cooked through. Yet, they still had some firmness so that there was no mushiness. Best of all, the spices really came through with a bit of heat. There was some balancing sweetness too.

One of my favourite items here is their Paneer Til Tinka. Essentially, we find paneer sticks coated with batter and 2 types of sesame seeds. They are deep fried and served with a sweet and spicy dip. These "fries" were crunchy and nutty on the outside with squishy and tender strips of fresh cheese. Texturally, they were already on point, but we got some earthiness from the spices and the dip just brought things together with sweet heat.

You maybe wondering why we ordered Fish n Chips at an Indian restaurant... Well, this wouldn't be the first time and really, I've yet to have a bad version. In fact, most, if not all of the fish n chips I've had at Indian restaurants are on par or better than dedicated fish n chip restaurants. This was no exception as the fish was super flaky and moist with a uniformly crispy batter on the outside. Fries on the side were the typical starch-covered variety, but they were crispy.

We were surprised to be so excited about a typical-looking order of Tandoori Chicken. Well, because it ate and tasted a lot better than it first appeared. No fancy sizzling platter here, yet, the chicken was so impactfully smoky and well-seasoned. More importantly, the chicken was really tender and moist. That was true even for the breast meat. They did this by par-cooking the chicken first and letting it rest, then finishing off on the grill before serving. This kept the chicken from drying out. Delicious.

Okay, here we get to the regular-sized Baba Butter Chicken. This was super rich and creamy that was not tomato-forward. With that being said, there was a hint of tang at the finish. Spices were prominent with pronounced earthiness. Not much in the way of spiciness, yet it wasn't lacking flavour. The big pieces of tandoori chicken nestled within were smoky and sweet while being juicy. I have to say if you like your butter chicken this way, it is one of the better ones I've had.

Contrasting the Baba Butter Chicken, the Delhi Wala Butter Chicken was more tomato-forward with initial tanginess giving way to much more spiciness. The tang was nicely balanced by the sweetness from the onion. It was more velvety than creamy, being less rich where the spices were also not as prominent due to the stronger tomato notes. The pieces of charred chicken were smoky, moist and tender.

To us, the Daryanganj Butter Chicken looked to be a hybrid between the Baba Butter Chicken and the Delhi Wala Butter Chicken. It was definitely more tomatoey than the Baba chicken, but creamier than the Delhi chicken. It was just as or more spicy than the Delhi chicken as well. There was a pronounced tanginess that was balanced by the cream, yet the spices really came through. This would be the most common butter chicken you would find at most Indian restaurants.

We had a few more curries as well including the Paneer Angaara. Wow, this one really packed a punch. This was probably the spiciest curry that we had and it was a good kind of spicy. Despite having a kick, it did not detract from the other components. Hence, we could still pick out fall spices and of course, earthiness. There was a hint of smokiness as well as tomato tang and sweetness. Loved the texture of the paneer as it was at its squishy best.

Going a bit off the board, we went for something different in terms of flavour and protein in the Methi Prawn. This was still rich and creamy with earthy and slightly bitter notes, thanks to the fenugreek. Furthermore, we definitely got aromatics from the base of onions, ginger and garlic. That offered sweetness, slight sharpness and nuttiness. As for the prawns, they were both plentiful and texturally on point. They had a nice rebound and natural sweetness.

As always, we complimented our orders of basmati rice with something more flavourful and could stand on its own - Chicken Biryani. As you can see, the rice fully took on the marinade from chicken. Hence, it was spicy, earthy, gingery and garlicky. Texturally, the rice was moist yet still had a nice chew to it. The ample pieces of chicken were tender and due to the marinade, the flavours had penetrated the meat.

To further compliment our curries, we went for a selection of breads. We had the Garlic Naan which was fluffy with a crispy charred bottom and edges. Nice chew on the inside too. On top, there was a wealth of butter and garlic, which made it delicious to eat on its own. We also had the Hari-Mirch Bullet Parantha which was topped with a considerable amount of chilis. It was definitely spicy, but balanced, so it didn't blow our taste buds away. Loved the texture of the bread as it was crispy and chewy. Lastly, we tried the Stuffed Naan in onion and also chicken. These were also fluffy with elasticity. Edges and bottom were crispy and charred. Both came with Baba Buttery Gravy and butter. Suffice to say, they were delicious.

Instead of ordering a dessert, we went for the Mango Ice Cream Lassi instead. So really, it was a creamy and refreshing mango lassi with a scoop of mango ice cream. The lassi itself was creamy, yet light at the same time. It wasn't overly sweet either. However, the ice cream took care of that. Considering all the heavy dishes we had, this was rather refreshing. Overall, the food at Baba Chicken is solid and yes, the butter chicken (all 3 versions) was delicious. Definitely a good choice if you were in the mood for the dish.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- All 3 versions of Butter Chicken
- Place is a lot brighter and casual now
- Other dishes were solid too

The Bad:
- Food can take some time

Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

A few years ago, I had a delicious meal at Moltaqa Moroccan out in Yaletown. It was just shortly after they received Michelin-Recommended status in the guidebook. It wasn't for this I wanted to dine there though, it was because I really wanted to try the place after so many years planning to do so. In general, there aren't many Moroccan restaurants in town. Recently, I was invited for a return visit and I brought Ipanemagirl with me.

What better way to get a taste of their appies than to get the Moroccan Sampler Platter. My favourite item had to be the Lentils as they were tender with a pleasant bite. They were sweet, earthy and aromatic. Beets were great too with appealing sweetness and earthiness. They had a brightness to them and were served at a good temperature. I thought the White Bean Stew was quite tasty as well. Tender beans that were savoury and slightly sweet while flavoured with warm spices.

Included with this platter, we found 2 soups. The one on the left was a Traditional Bessara Soup. This split pea soup was smooth and almost creamy. It was not heavy though as the viscosity was just slightly thick. Definitely got the natural sweetness to go along with some earthiness. As for the other, it was the Classic Harria Soup made with tomato, lentils and chick peas. This was tomato-forward without the edge of sourness. Rather, it had the flavour, but was fairly mild with the richness of butter. Lots of herbaceous hits, especially from the cilantro.

Even with the sampler, we wanted to some full-sized versions of their dips. We tried the Chilled Eggplant Dip first and it was fantastic. At the forefront, we got all of the smokiness due to the char on the eggplant. That added considerable depth and impact. In terms of texture, it was delicate and silky. Hits from the garlic came through too as well as the smoothness of the EVOO. Just a touch of acidity came in the form of lemon.

Since we love hummus, we also had the appetizer version of the Moroccan Hummus. Much like the eggplant dip, this was served with warm semolina bread. The sturdiness of the bread fit well with the dips as we could get a lot of it onto one bite (and there was plenty on each plate). About that hummus, it was thick, yet still creamy with earthy hits from the spices. For me, I would've liked to see even more of the spices, but as a hummus, this was good.

Another classic small dish was the Lamb Merguez Sausages. Due to the side of harissa on the side, we could customize the heat level to our liking. I needed quite a bit of it since the sausages were default to a very mild flavour. Definitely deliberate so that the spice level would be accessible to all. I thought the texture was meaty, yet moist and tender. Lots of earthiness and warmth from the spices. With the addition of the harissa, it really brought the sausages to life.

Although the Beef Briwats weren't particularly interesting to look at, they were delicious and a textural delight. Outside, the hand-rolled phyllo was uniformly crispy and a bit nutty. Inside, the tender beef was nicely spiced and benefited from the natural sweetness of the onions. Since they were mild (again, on purpose) where the harissa on the side was necessary (for me) to elevate the base flavours.

Something I had last time that I really wanted again was the Seafood Pastilla. Sporting thin and flaky pastry, this had quite the healthy amount of seafood filling. It was sweet and briny with textures that were appealing. None of it was hard or overdone where the fish was still flaky and moist. Loved the prawn on top as it had a natural aroma and essence. Once again, this was served with harissa, but I didn't need it as I could get the flavours of the seafood better as is.

Once done with the smaller dishes, we moved onto the mains. Naturally, we had to get the Lamb Shank Tagine. As the lid of the tagine was lifted, we could get the aroma of lamb, saffron and spices. The meat fell off the bone and was at its gelatinous succulent best. For those who are concerned about lamb being gamy, for me at least, it wasn't. Loved the saffron lemon braising jus as it was aromatic, bright and surprisingly light.

The show-stopper had to be the Rack of Lamb Flambé. We decided on the half-rack and it was plenty of meat for us. It was flambéed and carved tableside. As you can see, the meat was about medium where it was juicy and extremely tender. There was a spiced Dijon rub on the outside which was earthy and aromatic. On the side, we found roast potatoes, tomatoes and rice. Although a bit fatty, the lamb jus was full of umami and more of the spice from the lamb.

The biggest piece of meat we had was the Tagine of Lamb Shoulder. Size wasn't the only great thing about this dish as the texture was on point too. Fatty and tender, the meat had the classic velvety fall-off-the-bone quality. It sat atop couscous that had soaked up all of the delicious juices including the accompanying veggies. Naturally, the saffron and fall-flavoured spices was evident as well.

Finishing off our meal, we had a selection of Richbond Cookies, Walnut Cookies and Almond Briwat. Yes, they were on the sweeter side, but really, not too bad. Lots of textures here and aroma. The Richbond was coconut forward, as it should be and the Walnut Cookies were nutty and floral. Briwat were crispy due to the phyllo and had some almond paste inside. Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Moltaqa where the lamb was prepared properly and the portion sizes were generous. Loved the aromatics and hey, it is something different in a sea of Asian food (I love Asian food, but need a break sometimes!).

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Something different
- Proteins were properly prepared
- Love the Moroccan spices

The Bad:
- Things could be spiced more heavily, but we understand that it appeals to the average customer

OiSo (Popup Tasting Menu at Stackhouse Steak Sandwiches)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, what you see is not what it seems. That is true for many things such as Save-On-Foods being rather expensive (irony in the name). Anyways, from the outside, Stackhouse looks like a sandwich shop (which is it). However, for those who don't know, owner Eric Lee is a French-trained chef who has worked at Le Crocodile. That would explain his delicious beef tartare sandwich! Damso is another establishment that he worked at, so his experience and range are extensive. So it wouldn't be as surprising at first glance that he as cooked up a Korean fusion tasting menu. The surprising part is that it is being served at Stackhouse on Abbott after it is closed. We were invited to give this a go.

Our first course was the Acorn Jelly in a kimchi dashi. Tender and slippery, the acorn jelly still had a bite left. Dashi was refreshing and balanced with tanginess, sweetness, spiciness and aromatics from the sesame oil. Naturally, the kimich gave out fermented vibes with just a slight funk. There was crunch from the cucumber and radish. Roasted sesame seeds added another layer of nuttiness.

Next course featured a Taco with pulled pork. I found the pulled pork to be moist with a natural meaty texture. There was definite sweetness with noticeable smokiness. We found some crunch with the pork cracklings on top. Some tanginess and a bit lighter crunch came in the form of pickled onions. One of the more interesting ingredients was the sesame leaf which was earthy and herbaceous.

Onto a fairly straight-forward dish, we had the Beef Tartare. There was quail's egg in the mix and hence, offered up some silkiness. In general, this tartare was buttery smooth with only mild seasoning. The natural beef flavour came though, but I would've liked to see more aggressiveness with the tartare components. We did find Asian pear and garlic shoots that provided clean sweetness as well as sharpness. Loved the fife bread on the side.

No Korean-themed tasting menu would be complete without Kimchi right? This came with a question mark though as it was a re-imagined dish with butter-roasted kimchi. It was crunchy with freshness that was tangy, sweet and spicy. We found a smooth and silky Hollandaise that acted like a kewpie mayo. The addition of roasted brussels sprouts made for another layer of crunch. We found some shaved pork bushi on top that subbed in for bonito flakes.

With a large piece of local uni on top, the Ramyeun sat in a dwenjang cream. The noodles were supremely al dente with a wonderful chew that had nice elasticity. Although the sauce was creamy, it wasn't overly heavy where it had the classic fermented soybean finish. There was a certain brightness that was only aided by the clean sweet taste of the fresh uni. Some crunch was evident from the diced water chestnuts.

Sporting a large bowl of burdock rice with aster and bellflower root, we found the Land & Sea. We all know what was land, but the sea part of the dish was scallop, clam and squid dressed in a sweet glaze. In addition to nori sheets, we also found gamtae gim (green lattice seaweed). Much like the clam bibimbap at a pocha, we used the seaweed to combine the rice and seafood to create a delicious bite.

There was actually excess rice from the previous dish, but it was perfect to go with the Kalbee. Sporting a large piece of 24-hour braised shortrib with rice cake, carrots and potato. Meat was fatty and fall-apart tender. Lots of natural meatiness with sweetness from the root veggies. Again, combined with the rice, it was a comforting and hearty dish.

Finally, we arrived at our last course, which was the Snowman. This shaved ice was flavoured with yuzu and complimented by pieces of dalgona. This was definitely sweet, but had balancing citrus. Crunchy bits of dalgona provided a caramelized crunch. Overall, this was a delicious meal with Korean and French influences (a taco too) which reflects Chef Eric Lee's training and experience. Tentatively, this tasting menu will be priced at $85.00 and it is a fantastic meal at a reasonable price. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming pop-up dinners on their Instagram page!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Nice blend of Korean flavours with French dishes
- Things were prepared properly
- Well-priced

The Bad:
- Tartare could've been seasoned more aggressively

Aureliana

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Due to the dominance of Asian cuisine in the GVRD, we are not blessed with a wide selection of ol' skool-type diners. You know, the ones with the jukebox, checkered decor and red vinyl seats... You'd have to travel a bit out of Vancouver proper to find one except for a select few. There is a newish one on Hastings in Downtown though and it is more of a modern interpretation of a diner, but hey, I'll take it! Jackie and I were invited to try some of their wares and we didn't need to be asked twice!

Due to our impending indulgence with a variety of diner favourites, we did a preemptive strike and got something green in the Rocket Salad. Naturally, this featured arugula (where rocket is from the French word roquette), pear and pistachio in a lemon dressing. The arugula was fresh with it's classic pepperiness while balanced off by the sweet tang of the vinaigrette. We got some more textures from the pear as well as the pistachio.

We were recommended the Mac & Cheese and it delivered. First of all, the macaroni was firmly al dente, which meant there was texture. Secondly, there was plenty of cheesiness, but not in a saucy way. Rather, it had a thick and gooey consistency which had the sharpness of aged white cheddar and slight stringiness of mozzarella. There was a bit of processed cheese product for saltiness and creaminess. Some garlic breadcrumb on top provided texture.

One of my favourite items from this meal was the Reuben with pastrami, sauerkraut, signature mustard and Swiss on rye. For $15.00, we thought this was a good value since they weren't shy about piling on slices of tender and buttery pastrami. There was also uniformly melted Swiss with just a bit of sauerkraut. Hence, the sandwich ate full-flavoured without being overly sour. Even the mustard spread was just enough on the toasted rye.

We also had their 2nd most popular sandwich - Tuna Melt. This featured light tuna, olive oil, lemon, parsley and American cheese. As you can see in the picture above, the bread was evenly seared on the flattop being crunchy and deliciously buttery (maybe a bit too buttery?). Inside, the tuna was super moist with a balanced amount of mayo. It had enough seasoning for impact and the lemon provided some tangy brightness to counteract the butter. However, I would've loved even more lemon.

Overflowing with sauteed mushrooms, the Mushroom Burger was tasty. I found the burger patty had a great maillard with a nice sear and crispy edges. Inside, the patty was still just a touch pink and plenty moist too. It was completely covered in melted Swiss and a bunch of onions on top. This help add a bunch of textures that complimented the soft brioche bun. Naturally, the thing that stood out was the ample amount of buttery and well-seasoned mushrooms. Tying it altogether, we had some signature mayo.

We tried one more burger in the Luna with beef patty, grilled hot dog, bacon, American cheese, lettuce, jalapeno, onion and signature mayo. This was one hearty creation with the same moist patty as the previous burger. The combination of bacon, hot dog and melted American cheese made things a bit salty, but the onions, jalapeno and lettuce did help balance things out. Fortunately, we had a few drinks to wash this all down...

Those drinks happened to be the Vanilla Milkshake and the Root Beer Float. Thick, creamy and sweet, the milkshake was classic in both texture and taste. It was well-blended and we could drink it through the straw no problem. Some amaretti crumble added crunch. As for the float, it brought back memories of yesteryear. Of course it was sweet as well, but the combination of woodsy and earthy root beer with sweet vanilla ice cream just went down really well. Perfect to go with the saltiness of the Luna.

Even though we arrived in the late afternoon, we were still able to try a few breakfast items including the Golden Breakfast featuring pancakes, bacon, fried egg and maple syrup. These thick and well-seared pancakes were fluffy with a bit of firmness. Loved the buttery crust that was flavourful and provided texture. Of course the maple syrup was the perfect compliment, but the crispy bacon did its thing too offsetting the sweetness. Fried egg still had a runny yolk and that added to fun.

One last breakfast item we tried was the French Toast with vanilla and lemon custard as well as mascarpone cream. The well-soaked brioche was custardy and ate like bread pudding. It was aromatic and sweet with just a bit of tang. It was also seared enough so that the colour was appealing and caramelization had occurred. Lots of butter really helped this become pretty decadent. Loved this dish, I would gladly have it many times over.

We ended things off with a slice of Apple Pie à la Mode. This was great as the crust was buttery and lightly crispy. It was coated with cinnamon sugar but was balanced off by the salt in the crust. It also created another layer of crispiness. Inside, the slices of apple were tender with just a hint of bite. Glaze was sweet, but not overly so. Nice consistency on it. Scoop of vanilla ice cream was good quality being creamy and rich. Lovely ending to a solid diner meal. In fact, I am already planning my return visit as I know my kids would want to try it. Really good diner that does food right.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Solid diner eats
- Nice retro design, but spacious
- Decent portions

The Bad:
- Definitely not diet food as this is a diner, things can be on the greasier and saltier side, but hey, it's a diner!

Puchkaman Street Food Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

I'm sure you are aware that there is no shortage of Indian eats along Scott Road along the Surrey/North Delta border. However, most are Northern Indian restaurants. In addition, we have the massive buffet in Tandoori Flame, some chaat houses, sweets shops and also Happy Singh's which dishes up street eats. We now have more street eats at Puchkamen that, like its namesake, features Puchka (from Eastern India). We dropped by to try some of their dishes.

Of course we had to start with the Puchkas with a variety consisting of Kolkata Special Aloo, Ghugni, Dahi and Paneer Szechuan. My favourite of the bunch was the dahi as it was tangy and zesty. I also enjoyed the Szechuan as it was spicy and since it was filled with paneer, the shell remained crunchy. The Special Aloo had tender nuggets of spiced potatoes while the shell was also quite crispy. To compliment, we tried all of their waters including Pudina, Khatta, Jeera and Meetha Panis.

The next 2 dishes comprised of the Corn Chaat and the Mumbai Pav Bahji. Refreshing with pops of sweetness and some bite from the onions, the corn was a nice compliment to the Pav. Really enjoyed the Pav Bahji as the mashed veggies were almost creamy with nice heat and background earthiness. The melting butter on top added more nutty richness. Loved the soft buttered and toasted buns.

We got a selection of Momos including Tandoori, Pan Fried, Kurkure and Classic Steamed. We also got the dipping sauces including Momo Chutney, Coriander Mint and Tandoori Mayo. Even though I thought the Kurkure would be heavy, it really wasn't. The crispy coating was great while the momo inside had a chewy, yet moist texture. The Tandoori were nicely spice and had an appealing chewiness. For each of these, the filling was vegetarian where it was nicely spiced and delicate without being mushy.

As for the Sandwich selection, we went for the Corn Cheese, Paneer Szechuan, Chicken Blast and Mushroom Blast. Really loved how they used the sandwich press to achieve some smoky crispiness. My favourite of the bunch was the Corn Cheese since it was super cheesy and sweet. All of the other sammies had heat due to the spicy mayo drizzle. The Szechuan was even more so in the heat department. Loved that kick.

Trying some items from the other sections of the menu, we had the Aloo Tikki Chaat. On the bottom, we found a bed of tender potatoes that had some crispiness while bathed in a tangy tamarind chutney. On top, there was a combination of yogurt, mint coriander chutney, pomegranate seeds and crispy sev. This was a textural delight with appetizing sweet and sour notes.

Something that was new to me was the Pan-Fried Maggi. Yes, these are the instant noodles under the Maggi brand name! I found the noodles a touch on the softer side, but since they were pan-fried, some parts had dried out and were still chewy (in a good way). The combination of spices added earthy, tangy and slightly spicy notes. With some cilantro, we had some herbaceousness.

If you are wondering why the Butter Chicken Fries was so light in colour, it is because the dish isn't native to Eastern Indian. However, their version is thicker and generally has cashew paste added. Hence this one resembled a Korma more than the Delhi-style's tangier tomato-forward dish. Despite being coated with the sauce, the fries were crispy and the right type for this dish. There was no starch coating which meant the fries were more naturally-textured.

They have one rice bowl available in the Tandoori Mint Bowl. This featured chewy seasoned basmati rice topped with chicken and tandoori sauce. This was quite a saucy affair with tang, sweetness and earthiness. With the addition of mint, there was the usual brightness and herbaceousness. Pretty solid bowl if you like it saucy.

The last item was the Chicken Kathi Roll that featured a really flaky paratha. It was a considerably buttery and the chewy texture of the flatbread was fantastic. Inside, there was plenty of tender chicken bathed in yogurt and spice. A bit of heat and noted earthiness. Overall, the street food at Puchkamen is quite good with the Puchkas and Sandwiches being the highlights for me. Lots of options for takeout and dine in.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Lots of options

- Good spice level

- Loved the paratha

The Bad:

- The limited staff there work hard and are friendly, but also means you need to be patient

Sumibiyaki Arashi

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Thanks to Ipanemagirl, I finally got to dine at Sumibiyaki Arashi. Reservations are hard to come-by since Pete Ho's yakitori omakase spot has become a Vancouver favourite since it opened in February of 2025. The place has already earned a Michelin-star and places #17 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants. Make no mistake, Pete Ho's lineage might be Taiwanese, but his training has been under 2 renowned Japanese chefs in Yoshiteru Ikegawa and Kentaro Nakahara. His restaurant is compact with only 12 bar seats, where one can see him in action. The omakase course costs $175.00 per person before drinks, add-ons, tax and tip.

The meal began with an Oyster on the half-shell. It wasn't explained what type of oyster it was, but from my best guess, it appeared to be a type of Pacific oyster, possibly a kushi? It was briny and sweet with a clean finish. There was some ponzu, different cuts of blue fin tuna from Nova Scotia and a dollop of caviar. Really nice refreshing bite leading up to our first yakitori. However, we were also presented with House-made Pickles consisting of turnip, stems and cucumber. These were used as palate-cleansers between courses.

Our first yakitori was the Dakimi Chicken Breast with wasabi. Watching Chef Ho tend to the live flame was akin to attending the ballet where each movement and motion was deliberate in expertly preparing each skewer. The doneness of the chicken was on point where it was plump and juicy while barely being cooked through. Seasoning was evenly distributed and we didn't need to add anything else.

From the chicken breast, we moved onto the Chicken Thigh that was coated in tare. Due to the use of kishu binchōtan, the heat was extremely hot and smoky. Hence, the chicken thigh, with more fat and the skin-on, was charred with crispy edges. Textural contrast between those edges and the succulent chicken provided excellent mouth-feel. Definitely got the smokiness as well as the sweetness from the tare.

I was hoping to have some Chicken Hearts as part of the Omakase and my prayers were answered. Sporting three gigantic hearts with one smaller one, the skewer was my favourite of the meal. The hearts were evenly charred with smoky caramelization along with the slight saltiness of the seasoning. Plump with a juicy interior, the hearts were perfectly grilled. They rode that fine line between being cooked through and being undercooked.

Moving away from Yakitori for our next course, we were presented with a beautiful slice of A5 Waygu accompanied by a deep-fried quail's egg. Without sounding too clichéd, the beef literally melted in our mouths. It was buttery, silky and super soft. This was marinated in yuzu kosho ponzu with scallions on top, that was it. With a bit of crispiness, the quail's egg popped with a completely runny yolk. After this sinful and rich piece of beef, we were present a Palate Cleanser where the juicy tomato really stood out.

We moved right back into yakitori with the Lower Thigh (which really is the drumstick). This was even juicier than the thigh and had a bit of the usual tendons found in it. They were not noticeable though. Once again, the skin was juicy and flavourful and not flabby. Smokiness was at the forefront as well with the scallions providing brightness and really went well with the meat.

From here, we had an interlude of sorts with the 6-hour Chicken Paitan Broth that made use of the all the chicken carcasses after they broke down the meat. This was highly-concentrated with intense sweetness and umami. It was also silky with a slightly viscous consistency from the collagen. This was simply seasoned with some salt and a touch of pepper. Really clean and delicious.

Our next course didn't even involve meat in the Crispy Tofu. This was firmly crispy, yet gave way to airiness and fluffy tofu. Really nice textural contrast. There was the sweetness of nikiri soy as well which was balance off by the brightness of the Tokyo negi, daikon sprouts, myoga, and shiso on top. Right after, we were served Shishito Peppers that were salted and blistered. They were tender with just a touch of crispiness in spots on the outside. Smoky of course with natural sweetness and a touch of bitterness. No hot peppers this time around!

Continuing on, we had the Chawanmushi with mushrooms. It also appeared to be crab tomalley on top (?) which added some more creaminess and depth. The mushroom really came through while there was a noted smokiness. It was sweet as well with a bright and clean finish. The egg custard was silky and smooth with very little residual moisture left. Really good version.

Back to the skewers, we had the beautiful Duck Breast. Trying not to repeat myself, but really, the duck was prepared expertly where it was cooked to medium being succulent and juicy. The seasoning was just right where the nikiri soy added just enough savoury sweetness to amp up the umami of the meat. Skin rendered enough that it wasn't overly flabby.

I knew we would get to the Tsukune eventually and it did not disappoint. Wrapping around the whole skewer, the chicken meatball was juicy and moist with a delicate bounce texture. Of course there was smokiness to go with the ever-so-light crispy exterior from the grill. It sat atop egg yolk and tare which only added to the meatball with silkiness and sweetness.

Finishing with one more yakitori, we had the Wing & Drummette. As expected, this was also succulent and juicy. For the flats, the meat was silky while the skin was crisped up and well seasoned. For the drummette portion, the meat was predictably firmer, but it was still plenty plump and moist. For this one, I added the tableside numbing spice and it was a nice compliment to the natural sweetness of the chicken and the smokiness from the grill.

Our last item before dessert was the Nyumen Somen in chicken broth and charcoal oil with some ground chicken on the side. Really nice finish to the savoury portion of the Omakase. The soup was clean and sweet with rich smokiness. I added the chicken to the broth and it provided a certain deep in terms of flavour and texture. The noodles were slippery and still had a chew.

Onto dessert, we were presented with a slice of Melon as well as the Pineapple & Passionfruit Sorbet with poached pineapple. The melon was supremely ripe being soft and sweet. As for the sorbet, it was a bit chunky, yet still easy to eat. The sweetness was measured while the sweetness of the pineapple on top was a treat. Overall, this was a fantastic meal with expert execution of the skewers and the rest of the dishes. Really worth the money and deserving of all the accolades.

The Good:
- Expertly-prepared
- Flavours were impactful
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Sometimes, there was limited descriptions of each item

Kona Kitchen (Lynnwood)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Not trying to be overly complicated for our dinner plans, we merely made our way to the Lynnwood location of Kona Kitchen for some Hawaiian eats. For those who not familiar, Hawaiian cuisine is highly influenced by the different nationalities that have moved there. These include Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Portuguese and many others. Hence, there is a mish mash of things and they even have plates of mixed cuisine since workers would share their lunches with each other.

We started with the classic Spam Musubi where the influences were definitely Japanese with American injection of Spam. Normally, the Spam would be seared with some sweet soy glaze to cut some of the saltiness. Then it would be placed on a fairly thick block of sushi rice and then crispy nori wrapped around it. Such a simple concoction, but ultimately super delicious. The sushi rice is critical as it cuts the Spam's saltiness. This particular version had a balance amount of components, but I wished there was more glaze on the Spam to cut the saltiness. The rice was quite good being chewy yet still moist.

Viv went big with the Waimea Plate with thinly-sliced teriyaki beef, katsu pork, spring rolls, mac salad and 2 scoops of rice. Loved the beef as it was full-flavored and tender. Katsu was a bit thin and hence not as moist as it could've been. Panko coating was crispy and not greasy. Spring rolls were crunchy and some would call them lumpia (Filipino influence). Mac salad was a bit too soft for me, but the amount of mayo was right and the seasoning was on point.

I went for the Hamburger Steak complete with gravy, grilled onions, 2 scoops of rice and mac salad. Yes, this has elements of the Japanese Hamburg steak which itself is already a fusion dish of a Salisbury steak. This one was excellent with large and thin rectangular patty. It was moist and juicy while completely seared on both sides. Gravy had a nice viscosity and was plenty savoury while being influenced by the sweetness of the onions.

I ended up adding a small Saimin to go with my main dish and it really did bring back memories of having it at Hamura on the island of Kauai. This simple bowl of chewy thin noodles fuses mainly Chinese and Japanese cuisine together that features a clean dashi, half a hard-boiled egg and char siu. Nothing mind-blowing, but comforting and satisfying. This particular version was exactly that but I wished the char siu was less dry. Overall, Kona Kitchen did do the trick and satisfied our Hawaiian food cravings.

The Good:

- Fairly generous portions

- Decent eats

- Good service

The Bad:

- Although it did the job, I was wanting a bit more with some items

Siam 65 Thai Street Food

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

For many different reasons, Portland is a surprising hotbed for Thai food. I strongly believe that the Portland Thai food game is better than Vancouver, B.C. (where I'm from). However, what gets lost in all this is that Seattle has a say in this too. In fact, I've had some excellent Thai meals in the Seattle Metro Area. The most recent of this was at a hidden little spot called Siam 65 located in Lynnwood. You would never spot it from the Hwy 99 as it is tucked behind a few other restaurants.

We began with the Chicken Wings which were deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown. Hence, they were crunchy with generally rendered skin. The meat itself was quite moist but not exactly juicy. As much as the menu description promised garlic pepper and Thai spices, the flavours were just not there. They could've been considerably more aggressive with the seasoning. However, there was a Thai sweet chili sauce on the side.

With a wealth of wok hei and caramelization, the Pad Thai was full-flavoured. The rice noodles were chewy, completely loose and not clumpy. Hence, it was very easy to eat and pick up with our chopsticks. There was a good mix of briny and tangy elements with balanced spice. At the same time, the dish did not have too much moisture either. The prawns were meaty with a sweet snap texture. Really good version of this dish.

Equally delicious, the Pad Kra Pow with fried egg was served in a generous portion. There was more than enough tender ground pork and veggies to go with the modest amount of rice. Flavors were impactful with caramelized sweetness, smokiness and spice. Thai basil came through too. As you can see, the fried egg on top of the rice was perfect with a crispy bottom and a runny yolk. Mixed with the rice, there was silkiness and also crunch.

We also had the Chicken Green Curry which was also full-flavoured. It was slightly briny, plenty aromatic, creamy and a bit herbaceous. Of course it went well with the side of rice. The chicken breast meat was actually rather moist while the baby eggplant had a wonderful texture that was not mushy. Overall, the dishes we had at Siam 65 were flavorful and impactful. Caramelization from the wok hei was evident and the portion sizes were good.

The Good:

- Impactful flavors

- Good wok hei

- Fair portions

The Bad:

- Wings could've been seasoned more aggressively

Thai Pud Pong

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

After a day of cruising up and then back down the Sea-to-Sky Highway, we were looking forward in heading home. However, we hit the dreaded traffic going back into Vancouver and worse yet, the bridges were pretty much all red according to Google Maps. Therefore, we didn't even bother with that and ended up going for dinner at Thai Pud Pong on Marine Drive in West Van. If you have read this blog from the start, you will know that I haven't been back to Thai Pud Pong in 16 years!

Kicking things off, we had the Green Papaya Salad. This was refreshing great texturally. Nice crunch from the veggies and there was some real spiciness at the end. We also had the Yum Nua (Thai Beef Salad) and yah any salad with beef in it is fine by me! Tender and moist, the slices of beef were completely seasoned with the combination of fish sauce, lime, sugar, Thai basil and bird's eye chili. The spice level was perfect as it was flavourful without killing our taste buds.

Staying with appies, we had the Spring Rolls. Typically, these are filled with mung bean vermicelli and a variety of veggies including cabbage. Nothing-out-of-the-ordinary here as it was exactly stuffed with those components. What made this good was that the veggies were still crunchy and vibrant rather than being mushy. Great texture as well as the crunch from the wheat wrapper as well. I only wished they drained the oil better as the bottom was quite greasy.

One of the more surprising items was the Stuffed Chicken Wings as I didn't expect them to appear as they did. I was thinking would look like wings, but they were actually deboned, stuffed (with ground chicken, grass noodles and carrots) and then cut in half before deep-frying. Not the prettiest things, but boy were they texturally appealing (with a uniform crunch) and delicious. These were served with a sweet chili sauce much like the spring rolls.

Exhibiting great wok hei, the Pad Thai was excellent. Noodles were still beautifully chewy while cooked through. They weren't clumpy as the amount of moisture was just right keeping things slippery, but still somewhat dry. We found smokiness and caramelization to go with the sweetness of the palm sugar and tanginess of the tamarind. Spice level was just right too. Prawns were meaty with a bounce and the bean sprouts were still crisp.

Served in a a fairly large portion, the Massaman Curry with Beef was impactful and packed with flavour. This was due to the meshing of many non-Thai spices with commonly used Thai ingredients. Therefore, we had the fragrance of spices that we associate with fall flavours combined with the usual lemongrass, galangal, coriander and shrimp paste. This particular version was sweet, savoury and just a touch briny. The beef was super tender and melted in our mouths.

The most surprising item we had was the Choo Chee Spring Salmon. I was expecting overcooked salmon, but to our delight, it was tender and flaky (impressive for spring salmon!). It sat in a rich red coconut curry sauce that was fragrant, sweet and creamy. Overall, this meal at Thai Pud Pong was so much better than my original visit. Mind you, that was 16 years ago. I can tell you the portion sizes were larger than before too. Would come back and not so long this time...

The Good:

- Impactful flavours

- Good wok hei

- Well-portioned

The Bad:

- Spring rolls were good but greasy

Elem (Tomato Tasting Menu)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Recently, I finally tried Elem's tasting menu or "Let us Cook for You" rather than ordering a la carte. In reality, it was us two sharing a curated selection of plates instead of being served individual small dishes. The meal was delicious and gave us a good overview of the menu and what Elem is all about. So we returned to Elem a month later to experience their Tomato Tasting Menu, at the tail end of Tomato season. Unlike our previous experience, this was an actual tasting menu.

Things started with the 3 "snacks" in the Stoney Paradise Gazpacho, Tuna Tomato Tartlet and Lamb Belly Skewer. I sampled the gazpacho first and it was creamy and tangy. There was considerable brightness and natural sweetness. There seemed to be a layer of sweetness from onions and red pepper as well. That tartlet featured bright and buttery soft tuna which contrasted beautifully with the crispy shell. Even though the tomato was bright and tangy, it was subtle enough that it didn't overwhelm the delicate tuna. We also found some earthy notes. I was delighted to see the lamb skewer as that is one of my favourites at Elem. This was fatty and melted in my mouth. Sweet and sticky, the medjool date glaze was deeply sweet and further enhanced the flavour of the lamb.

We moved onto the Aloo Chaat next. It was herbaceous and tangy with sweet and sour notes from the pomegranate seeds, as well as some earthiness. The Sungold tomatoes were supremely fresh and at the forefront of this dish. However, the chaat was definitely potatoey (as the dish name suggests) with a certain creaminess. There was a light crunch and nuttiness from the puffed rice.

One of my favourite dishes of the meal was the Dungeness Crab Salad served in a whimsical crab shell plate. This was more than appearances alone as the bevy of fluffy crab was the star in terms of texture and taste. Loved the combination of briny, sweet, earthy, slight tang and background earthiness. Pops of sweet bitterness from the pomelo was refreshing. There was some crunch in there to give some texture and of course some tomato for brightness.

Our next course was another stunner in the Hokkaido Scallop sitting in a tomato kadhi. The scallop itself was tender, buttery and rare in the middle. On the outside, it was aggressively seared so there was smokiness and caramelization. Loved the kadhi as it was spicy and earthy. Tomato aachar was sweet and tangy. It was a really punchy dish with lingering spice and impactful aromatics.

Next course was a beautiful Rotolo with a concentrated passata and kale cream underneath. It was cooked down with only garlic, salt and pepper, hence it was pure tasting and clean. It was complimented by the cavalo nero with earthiness. The pasta itself was quite firm, but had a great mouth-feel. Inside, it was stuffed with provolone, ricotta and pine nuts. Really well-executed dish with on point textures and flavours.

Featuring a singular peeled tomato, the Tomato Farci was deceptively flavourful. This was mainly due to the shell bisque made from a variety of shellfish. With a bevy of Argentinian prawns this was heavily briny and sweet with a subtle tang. The bulk of the tanginess was provided by the juicy tomato. It burst with freshness as well as plenty of brightness. There was a balance between the savoury bisque and the sweet tomato which was just right. For a bit of crunch, we found some bubu arare on top.

Our final savoury item was the Shio Koji Tenderloin with lacto fermented tomato. The slice of PEI Blue Dot tenderloin was prepared rare being buttery and tender. The truffle demi was silky and only mildly earthy. Loved that it was not salty. Definitely sweet as well. Moreover, the corn atop the tender zucchini took the sweetness to another level. We also had some squash puree that was silky and had an earthy sweetness. That tomato was so juicy, almost like a grape. It provided the acidity needed to balance all the sweetness in this dish.

If you can see Mickey Mouse atop my palate cleanser, you aren't seeing things. That is what I saw too with the Tomato Sorbet infused with strawberries. Yes, I could taste the tomato in this, but they did a great job in making this fruity and tangy rather than sour. At the same time, the sweetness was restrained. Definitely refreshing after the most heavy bite from the tasting menu.

Appropriately titled One Last Tomato, our dessert was made with tomato (of course). This was comprised of sungolds that were marinated in red wine and a reduction of water and honey. In the centre, there was a creamy and rich heirloom tomato ice cream. It was tomato-forward, yet restrained. We got a sweet caramel crunch from the praline. There was also smokiness and nuttiness within the dessert too. Those marinated tomatoes were explosions of juice and sweetness.

At the end, we were presented with some Mignardise sporting Chocolate Cream Puff, White Chocolate Fudge with Tomato Jam and Cookie with Dark Chocolate Drizzle. These were nice little bites to finish off a fantastic tasting menu. In fact, I believe this was the most consistent and well-thought-out meal I've ever had at Elem. That is saying a lot since I've been there 11 times! Chef Vish truly celebrated the in-season (at the time) tomatoes in many different and create ways. The meal progression made sense and the flavours of tomato were unique and varied. I can't wait for his next tasting menu!

The Good:
- Well thought-out menu
- Spot-on execution
- Flavours were not repetitive (despite the theme)

The Bad:
- Maybe not for those who don't like tomato? But really, they might even like it

Imran Halal Beef Noodle

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

For an amazing Asian food metropolitan such as the GRVD, we don't have as many hand-pulled noodle spots as one would imagine. Refining the category even more so, there aren't many Halal beef hand-pulled noodle restaurants to choose from either. Have no fear since Imran Halal Beef Noodle checks all the boxes with their location on Robson near Nicola. The place is spacious for a noodle joint and features counter service which is quick and efficient. All of their noodles are made-to-order, so they are as fresh as can be.

Prior to our noodle experience, we tried some of their smaller places first. We had a trio of appetizers/sides dishes including Cold Mixed Wood Ear with Onion, Spicy & Sour Shredded Potato and Spicy Cucumber. I thought these were solid with crunchy wood ear with a mild sweetness and potato being tender but still retaining a bite. I would've liked to see a bit more spice though. Cucumbers were crunchy and fresh with plenty of garlickiness. We also had the Tea Egg and it was more or less standard being a bit overdone (no way to avoid this). It did have initial flavour but could've used more.

We got two small meat appetizers in the Five-Spice Beef and the Shredded Peppercorn Chicken. If we had known the beef would be same found in the soup noodle and the cold noodle, were would've opted for the spicy beef instead. This one was a bit plain and needed some chili oil and vinegar (found on the table) to wake it up. On the other hand, the chicken was had some numbing spice to go with some mild sweet and salty notes. Loved the gelatinized texture of the skin.

There were 3 BBQ dishes available and we got all of them. They were all well-seasoned with the usual spice mix including a good amount of cumin and a touch of spice. We got the BBQ Beef Skewers in mild and they were pretty tasty. The meat was tender with a good amount of spice but it wasn't spicy. For the BBQ Lamb Skewers, we got it in spicy and there was just a bit more heat, but not significantly. Meat was also tender and not really all that gamy. The Roast Chicken Wing Skewers were almost juicy with somewhat rendered skin. Flavours were similar to the beef.

We had a collection of hand-pulled noodle items and of course we had to get the Lanzhou Halal Beef Noodle. It came out steaming hot with a broth that was daikon-forward with the unmistakable sweetness of the root vegetable. It was on the saltier side, but combined with the noodles and the addition of chili oil, there was balance. The slices of five-spice beef was no different than the one we got as an appie. It varied between tender and fatty to a bit dry (with those slices with less fat).

Onto something without soup, we had the Lanzhou Cold Noodles. This came on a large plate with a considerable amount of hand-pulled noodles. They were chewy and since they were cold, the chew was more robust. They were tossed with only a mild amount of seasoning and moisture. Hence, they did get a bit clumpy if not manipulated right away. There was some Taiwanese cauliflower and also broccoli for some veggie content. They were crunchy and vibrant. Not sure of the five spice beef could've been better off mixed in rather than sitting on top?

For our fried noodle, we got both the Noodles with Stir-Fried Cumin Beef as well as the Noodles with Stir-Fried Cumin Lamb. Once again, the freshly hand-pulled noodles had a remarkable chew to them and that in itself was pleasing. Theere was some wok hei with caramalized flavours and pepperiness. Of course the cumin really came through with both plates of noodles. Overall, the food at Imran was delicious, freshly-made and served in generous portions. The place was pretty full while we were there on a weeknight and it further reinforces it as a solid place for hand-pulled noodles in Downtown Vancouver.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Texturally on point hand-pulled noodles (made to order)

- Large portions

- Great for people who are on a Halal diet

The Bad:

- Since they hand-pull the noodles to order, you must be patient (but worth it)

- Some pieces of the five-spice beef were dry

Sumu

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

One look on the outside, Sumu on Burrard appears to be some high-end, boogie restaurant. Well, it certainly isn't low end, but in reality, it is only a moderately-priced place that dishes up a mix of cuisines. Upon entering, you will be greeted with a more elevated "Big Way" setup where you can pick-your-own-ingredients and broth. Then perusing the menu, the most prominent section is their large assortment of Yakitori and other grilled skewers. Completing the menu, we have Mini-Donburis and also Japanese "Izakaya-like" dishes to share. A little bit strange for sure, yet, I always have an open mind.

Starting with the Yakitori (different grilled chicken parts), we had several skewers including the Lemongrass Pork Shoulder (grilled skewer, not Yakitori), Red Date Glazed Chicken, Chicken Heart and House Tsukune. The pork shoulder was tender and almost juicy with strong hits of lemongrass. Really enjoyed the red date chicken as it really did capture the sweetness of the date. Chicken was succulent. Chicken hearts were a little overdone, but still had an appealing chewiness. Could've used a bit more salt. We found the chicken meatballs to be a bit crumbly, but chock full of white and green onion notes.

Next set of skewers consisted of Premium Grade Certified Angus Beef, Enoki wrapped in Beef Rolls and Honey Glazed Pork Jowl. This was a really great selection of grilled meats where the Angus Beef was served in large pieces and turned out to be supremely tender. They were well-seasoned with lots of natural beef flavour. The enoki beef wraps were also good with juicy meat encasing just enough enoki. Pork jowl had that unmistakeable bounciness that was also a bit smoky.

Our last set featured Garlic Butter Prawns, Miso-Glazed Sablefish and Citrus-Charred Chicken Wings. Butterflied and topped with flavourful garlic butter, the prawns were sweet and meaty. As expected, the sablefish was fatty and flaky being buttery soft. The skin was crispy while the miso on top added some fermented saltiness. With crispy and fairly rendered skin, the wings were slightly dry, but had some nice smokiness to go with the brightness of citrus.

We ended up trying 3 of the Mini-Dons including the Grilled Unagi & Mango, Grilled Scallop and Salmon Oyako. Yes, these were not very big, however, there was much more topping than rice. Hence, every spoonful had a considerable amount of impact from the components. I particularly enjoyed the diced unagi as it was sauced just enough and buttery soft. The mango offered up some sweet tang to brighten things up. The grilled bay scallops could've been a bit more rare, but they were still soft and sweet. I found the salmon to be texturally on point, but maybe a bit more seasoning would've helped.

Onto the pick-your-own-ingredients Hot Pot, we had roughly a pound each which cost around $25.00 ($4.19/100g). For mine, I went for the Red Curry which was fragrant and a bit creamy. It wasn't overly spicy, which would appeal to most people. Jackie had the Tom Yum Broth and it was appealingly sour with lemongrass and galangal notes with just a touch of spice. Of course there was a help-yourself sauce bar that included the usual components as well as some fruit and veggies. Overall, our experience at Sumu was rather interesting as they combined 3 different restaurant concepts into one. Usually, this is a recipe for disaster but in some strange sense, it worked. It gives people options and the pricing is reasonable. Worth a try.

*Partial food credit was given for this blog post*

The Good:
- Three restaurants in one and it isn't bad
- Nice dining space
- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:
- Menu can be a bit confusing for some

Amber Road

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

What if I told you there is this new stylish European restaurant that features cuisine inspired by the ancient trade route connecting the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean? Head Chef and owner Jarek Jaroslaw has crafted a menu that touches everywhere from the Mediterranean to Eastern Europe. Consider this, would you believe it is located in the Holiday Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown? Yes, it isn't the first place that comes to mind when guessing its location. That would probably explain the inclusion of some more recognizable North American dishes and breakfast on the menu. However, we came here to experience the unique cuisine at Amber Road!

We started off with things I've never had before including the Elk Pyzy Of The Northern Forest which were Polish potato dumplings filled with elk and sauced with light cream, bacon and chanterelles. These were stealthily delicious as they initially didn't give away how flavourful they would be. Once past the soft potato casing, we found tender and surprisingly non-gamy elk. But the strongest part was the aromatic woodsiness of the plentiful chanterelles combined with the cream and salty bacon.

Another surprising item was the Polish Croquettes because they didn't look like how I envisioned what would be classified as a croquette. Featuring folded golden crêpes filled with mushrooms, spinach and cheese, these reminded me more like a spanakopita (at least the filling that is). Oh and how delicious was that filling... It was creamy and cheesy with tender spinach and the umami of mushrooms. The exterior was crispy and light. This was served with traditional red borscht on the side. It was earthy, sweet and tangy.

Something much more recognizable was the Arancini Dell'ambra. These were quite massive and featured a slightly crispy breading that was seasoned. Inside, the risotto was somewhere between firm and soft, so it was quite easy to eat and had silky texture. There was plenty of cheese inside that was melted and quite stringy. Underneath, the marinara sauce was tangy with a bit of sweetness.

Another classic dish was the Mediterranean Calamari. This one is the Italian version and really, it has been debated if the fried version is Italian or Greek. Well, both have grilled, stewed and fried dishes. Whatever the case, this was good where the calamari was tender with a slight rebound texture. The light batter was crispy and properly seasoned. It came with a lemon aioli and a fresh herb tartar sauce. Both were good, and depended on whether you liked a tangier dip or more herbaeceous one.

I'm pretty sure the Galician Free-Range Chicken Wings were on the menu to satisfy local tastes. However, with us choosing the Mediterranean herb flavour, it could be considered Hungarian-style. Of course one could order them as BBQ, garlic or Buffalo-style as well. These were well-prepared wings with a crispy exterior and rendered skin. No flabby skin on these ones and they were well-seasoned too. Inside, the meat was tender and moist.

Our last appetizer or small plate was the Rollatini Di Melanzane which consisted of baked eggplant rolls stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella in a marinara sauce. This was quite familiar as it had similar elements to an eggplant parmigiana. I happen to love that dish and this was no exception. It had a tangy tomato sauce with plenty of ricotta and melted mozzarella on top. The slices of eggplant were tender, but not mushy.

Onto our main dishes, we had the Amber Road Cheeseburger. Once again, this was mainly catered for those less adventurous. However, it was a solid burger with a nicely charred grass-fed beef patty that was lean and meaty. Some melted Swiss cheese helped add some European content while the portobello mushroom provided another layer of meatiness and earthiness. That thick-cut bacon was lean with big flavour. This could be had with a beer for only $20.00 on Tuesdays!

Heading over to Executive Chef Jaroslaw Faryna's native Poland, we had the Galician Pierogis. These were really good with a thin dumpling wrapper that was tender with appealing elasticity. Inside, we found a creamy and soft potato and cheese filling which was plenty flavourful on its own. However, it sat on a bed of creamy and thick sour cream while topped with crispy guanciale. Classic salty bacon vibes with sour cream.

Sitting in a rich champagne and saffron cream with fresh herbs, the Mediterranean Lobster Ravioli featured a firm house-made pasta that was still cooked through. I found the filling slightly dense, but still impactful in terms of lobster essence. I found the sauce to be heavy, so a little went a long way. I did like the addition of champagne as it provided a bit of brightness. The little smattering of ikura did add little pops of brininess.

Going with some of the biggest hits, we head to Austria with the Viennese Schnitzel. This was a pretty thick piece of pork cutlet which was quite meaty and firm. The breading was not too thick and fairly crispy. It was topped with a runny sunny side egg and bacon. That in itself made things a bit breakfast-like, but hey, that is how I like it! We found tender red cabbage and hasselback potatoes complementing the schnitzel.

One of my favourites from the meal was the Crown Roast of Lamb. This featured 4 Frenched lamb chops that were grilled to about medium. They were juicy and super tender. Maybe it is because I love eating lamb that I didn't consider it too gamy. Although properly seasoned and sauced, the carrot-ginger puree really added a bright sweetness and bite. On the side, we found a beautiful potato gratin that was layered with tender slices that had crispy edges.

Arriving with 2 really large and meaty bones, the Braised BBQ Ribs had some Romanian inspiration with a smoky tomato coffee sauce. This had plenty of depth with the smoked paprika and slight aromatic bitterness of the coffee. The ribs super tender where the meat had not shrunk considerably. This way, it retained more moisture and the meat maintained its structure and didn't tighten up. This was served with some fries and slaw.

One of the more surprising dishes was the Classic Beef Wellington. Despite the flaky pastry being a touch dense in spots, the entirety of Wellington was well-executed. Firstly, the beef tenderloin was a perfect medium-rare. It was soft with its juices intact. I know this might be bold to say, but I enjoyed this one more than Gordon Ramsey's version at the River Rock (mind you, the one in Vegas was better). Veggies were also good being cooked just enough.

Onto the sweets, we tried all of them including the Limoncello Tiramisu. Loved the light and creamy mascarpone that was balanced in terms of sweetness. Ladyfingers were soft and moist without being soggy. Of course the bright citrus flavour of the limoncello was welcomed as well as just a touch of booziness. Some lemon rind on top provide an extra hit of lemon and slight bitterness.

Hands-down, my favourite dessert was the Flambéed Crêpe à La Mode. The thin and tender crêpe was delicate with an appealing elasticity. It was buttery and caramelized. Inside, we found some sweet slices of apple and pear. On the outside, this was topped with a black currant compote and a scoop of ice cream. Sure, with all these components, the dessert ate on the sweeter side, but it was still balanced.

One can't get anymore classic than a Crème Brûlée. This was indeed a textbook version with a silky custard that was aromatic but not all that sweet. Perfect really since it allowed the on point torched layer of sugar on top to do the heavy-lifting. That it did with a proper thickness and uniform texture. It cracked with a firm strike with our spoon. There was definite caramel vibes and just the slightest of smokiness.

Finally, we had the Panna Cotta that was beautifully presented. The panna cotta itself was silky and soft without being too firm nor dense. It was semi-sweet and sat atop a sweet raspberry sauce and berry sorbet. Loved the textural contrast of the thin cookie accents on the side. Overall, the food at Amber Road was interesting and diverse. Sure, there are some universally recognizable hotel menu items, but hey, they need to take care of every customer. For me, I would go for the unique items and experience the European touches Chef Jaroslaw Faryna incorporates into every dish. Very large portions here also. Best to bring some friends and share.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- The unique European dishes stand out

- Large portions

- Comfortable and upscale dining space

The Bad:

- To satisfy all customers, there is forced fusion of more recognizable dishes (totally understandable being in a mainstream hotel)

French Creek Pub (Burrard)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Despite my recent obsession with doing some of the top restaurants wherever I've been travelling, I'm always down for casual comfort eats. Everything has a place and time where they can all be equally delicious. This takes me to the newly opened French Creek Pub on Burrard across from the soon-to-be-closed St. Paul's Hospital. If the name sounds familiar to you, the original location is in Parksville on Vancouver Island. One look at the menu and it is clear they go hard into the classic pub favourites as well as some interesting spins on some dishes too. We came here to mainly try their viral Party Boat!

So let's get to that Party Boat shall we??? This monstrosity goes for $119.99 but can feed 4-8 people. From my experience, this can easily feed 4 hungry people and comfortably feed 6. If you aren't big eaters, then it can feed 8. Underneath at floor of the boat, we had a good helping of Calamari, Popcorn Shrimp, Fries and Onion Rings. These were all fried just right where the calamari was crispy with nicely seasoned batter. The squid itself was tender with a bite. Although I'm usually not a fan of tempura-battered onion rings, these were quite good with a uniform crunch and tender onion in the middle. The popcorn shrimp were more like fried shrimp as they were large enough to be detectable beyond the crunchy breading. Fries were crispy with plenty of potato texture within. The one last item sitting in the middle was a big bowl of Coleslaw. Sporting big pieces of cabbage and carrots, this was crunchy, fresh and pleasantly tangy, but just a bit watery.

Moving onto the top part of the boat, we had 3 pieces each of Fried Cod and Fried Halibut. These were legit where the cod was flaky and moist with a crunchy batter that was fully cooked through. However, the halibut was even better where it was thick-cut and buttery soft. This indicates that the fish was fresh and cooked perfectly. We found 3 Shrimp Skewers that were grilled just enough that the shrimp still had a juicy bounciness. Lastly, we had 3 Lobster & Shrimp Rolls at the aft of the boat. The mix was appealingly textured with bits of onions to add crunch and brightness.

Of course we needed beverages to go with all that fried goodness right? We had it all under control with the Mimosa Tower. Yes, this is enough for as many people that are sharing the Party Boat! We went for grapefruit and it was plenty refreshing and perfect with our food. Another bevie came in a cute fish cup in the Limoncello Puffer Fish Drink. As expected, this was also refreshing very easy going down. Great summer cocktail!

To get a better feel of the menu other than what was included in the boat, we had to get an order of their Lemon Pepper Wings (because wings are some of the most important things on a bar menu!). Good thing we tried these because they were great! These were gigantic with crispy, well-rendered skin (without any breading). There was more than enough lemon pepper seasoning for a great tang while the meat inside was juicy and tender.

Another prominent item on the menu is their mac n' cheese. Hence, we went for one of the many choices with the Hot Chick Mac n' Cheese. This was served in a large bread bowl and it was totally overflowing with saucy cheese. Therefore, the whole thing was completed coated and plenty satisfiying. There was a combination of real cheesiness and saltiness. We found the noodles to be decently firm while the chicken was crispy and mildly spicy.

Finally, a pub is not a pub without a burger. But this was no ordinary burger though. It was the Surf n' Turf Burger with house sauce, bacon, shredded lobster roll mix, cheddar cheese and topped with a garlic aioli shrimp skewer. Beyond all the festivities of the other components, the actual burger patty was lean and bit firm while being evenly seared on both sides. Bacon was crispy while the lobster roll mix added creaminess and more texture. Burger was huge and more than enough for one person. In fact, everything at French Creek Pub is huge and you will definitely get your money's worth. However, the most important thing is the food itself is well-prepared. I most certainly will be back to share some food with my friends and/or sport teams.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Large portions

- Well-prepared comfort food

- Oh that mimosa tower...

The Bad:

- Yes, there are some gimmicks here, but for me, the food itself is still good

- Parking in the area can be challenging