Sherman's Food Adventures

Shore Club

2012-02-09T00:00:00.001-08:00

Does there need to be a reason for dining out? Well, not really. However, when it is a special occasion, which calls for more premium eats, I guess that would be an excuse to go. This was the case when Snake mentioned that we should all go out to eat since his, mine, Chill and Costanza's birthdays fall within a month of each other. At first, Costanza suspected it was another one of my lame excuses to gather a bunch of people for the purposes of visiting a new restaurant. Partly true I suppose, but it really was Snake's idea. Now as for the choice of restaurants... Of course it was mostly my influence. I had suggested the Shore Club (part of David Aisenstat's restaurant group) because it seemed to fit the theme of the dinner. 4 guys celebrating each others' birthdays at a swank place which boasts a variety of food.

I arrived a bit late to find the guys relaxing in the lounge waiting for our table to be set up. They were in the process of ordering a bottle of wine when I heard from the lounge singer croon "Happy Birthday Sherman's Foooood". Huh? Apparently, Snake had made a request for the singer to wish me a happy birthday by using my blog name, but it didn't come out right. Uh yah. Why does he always want to embarrass me so? Yah, and the trick they played on me with the help of our server was classic too. They convinced me that the restaurant didn't allow flash photography nor any other photography for all that matters. When our server was confirming this, I was thoroughly confused as the table beside us was madly taking pictures with flash! Well, the prank kinda fizzled out there...

As for the food, we shared 4 appies to start. The Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio was nicely presented with diced red onions, capers, shaved Parmesan, dijon peppercorn drizzle and truffle oil. The beef tenderloin itself was thin and buttery soft. Some good flavours at work on the plate except the red onions. I could see where they were going with this due to the nice crunch, however, I felt the red onion was overpowering. If they didn't add that, the carpaccio would've been better. At first, when Costanza suggested we get the Steamed Mussels Meuniere, I was indifferent. As much as I love mussels, they can be pretty generic and uninspired at times. Not this one though. It arrived in a large pot and was served hot. One sip of the broth and "Bam", the flavours smacked us in the face. Sure, it was on the saltier side, but we didn't mind because it was garlicky and buttery. And for once, the mussels were plump and humongous. Very satisfying.

Although the Dungeness Crab Leg Cocktail drew some mixed reviews, there was no denying the quality of the meat. It had pillowy soft texture with the requisite fresh bounce. Naturally sweet and savoury, the leg meat was a real treat. The mixed response was essentially due to the dijon mayo dip which was considered bland. I didn't mind it since a more powerful dip would've overwhelmed the crab meat. As for our last appetizer, we all agreed it was the weakest. The Vanilla -Battered Prawns, in theory, sounded like a can't miss dish. In reality, the batter was too thick. Although the prawns were fantastic, the batter was too prominent. We did love the dip though. It may have looked like the run-of-the-mill sweet chili sauce, however, it really delivered a lingering kick.

When it came down to ordering our mains, we were having a difficult time deciding. Actually, I was trying to stay way from a steak since I would already be having it the next day. Then Costanza suggested we all share 4 entrees instead. He totally read my mind! LOL... So this way, I could still order steak and eat it too since I would only be obligated to 2 pieces. We ended up deciding on the Bone-In Rib Steak which was grilled to a perfect medium-rare. It was well-marbled (Canadian Prime) and charred for a full-bodied flavour. The meat was super-moist and didn't require much effort to eat. It was a touch salty though. This was an expensive, yet well-worth it steak. Snake wanted to go for a fish dish and ended up choosing the Smoked Alaskan Black Cod. It was poached in milk and presented with a lemon beurre blanc sauce. As explained by our server, the restaurant receives the cod smoked whole and then they cut it up piece-by-piece. Hence, the smoke flavour was really intense and penetrated deep into the flesh. There was no absence of flavour which really made the buerre blanc more of a bystander than anything else. Although the fish was moist and flaky, we would've liked to see it a bit more "black cod-like", if that makes any sense.

Even before we got a chance to open our menus, Costanza called dibs on the Braised Short Ribs. This 16oz behemoth took up the entire plate and would prove to be our undoing. Believe it or not, we could not finish all of our food, not even by a long shot. The ribs in general were okay, but not as good as they looked. There was a rich meat flavour, yet we could've used more seasoning. Furthermore, the meat was a little stringy for a large untrimmed portion of short rib. Our last entree was the Bouillabaisse with prawns, mussels, clams, snow crab leg and fish (in this case, it was sea bass). The tint from the saffron both coloured the seafood and flavoured the broth. It was fragrant and seasoned just right. All the seafood was perfect - from the fluffy crabmeat to the flaky fish. For our sides, we went for 3 items including the French Fries. These appeared to be fresh cut and double-fried which gave them a very French-bistro like appearance and texture. For me, I was a bit surprised to see this type served here. A definite pleasant surprise though. They were crisp and for me at least, appropriately served with a side of mayo.

Our second side was the Tempura Battered Onion Rings. Resembling the battered prawns we had as an appetizer, the tempura was thickly applied to the onions. We would've liked to see just a touch less batter because it was not really all that appealing in the middle despite the crisp exterior. With all that being said, we didn't dislike them either. Lastly, to get our fill of veggies, we got a side of Fresh Asparagus. Not sure if this qualified as our recommended intake since everything else could not be considered health food. Not much to say about the asparagus other than it was cooked perfectly with a nice colour and maintaining a crunch. Not that we really bothered by it, but it was salted aggressively.

After it was all said and done, we had spent a pretty penny. A good time was had by all and we're not sure if it had anything to do with the 2 bottles of wine either. Although there were some highlights, some of the food was salty. Sure, it wasn't cheap, yet we got more than enough food and really enjoyed the ambiance.

The Good:
- Nice ambiance
- Decent eats
- We got great service (but then again, Snake likes to blow my cover)

The Bad:
- Pricey
- A touch salty

Dinner @ Fortune House

2012-02-08T00:00:00.003-08:00

OMG. My birthday again? At one point in my life, I would sooo look forward to it. C'mon. Gifts and food, people buying you drinks... what's not to like? Now, it is only a reminder of my fleeting youth (can I even say that anymore???). At the very least, the food part of it still exists and in fact, the eating destinations have gone considerably upscale. Such was the case this year since we had made plans for my birthday dinner a few weeks later at Hy's . However, my mom felt it was not right to not at least go out for dinner on my actual birth date. Hence, I got a bonus of sorts because all-of-a-sudden we headed to Fortune House at Metrotown for the 1st of my 2 birthday dinners.

As we were running late from my visit to NCIX (waiting in line as usual), my parents had already ordered and the food showed up as I sat down. Apparently, there was no option to order Duck Lettuce Wrap without ordering the 2 courses of Peking Duck, so we settled on the Seafood Lettuce Wrap. We were indifferent with this dish because seafood doesn't necessary make for a great lettuce wrap (unless it is dried oysters). I'm not blaming the restaurant at all for this because it was prepared quite well. The shrimp was cooked beautifully and the veggies were crunchy. It's just that seafood doesn't add any "meatiness". One thing we would have liked to see was a better trim job on the lettuce, some parts were discolouring.

When the next dish arrived, I was confused. Well, Viv says I'm always confused, so that shouldn't be a surprise. You see, my eyes spied eggplant while my nose smelled salted fish. Huh? Apparently, my senses weren't deceiving me. It turned out to be the Eggplant, Salted Fish and Chicken Hot Pot. Not the most usual of combinations, yet to me, it worked. Eggplant is pretty mild and with the kick of the salted fish and peppers, there was a smorgasbord of flavours going on. Just think of a Szechuan eggplant hot pot with the addition of salted fish. From the unusual to the standard, the Gai Lan with Beef was wedged onto our small table. This was executed really well. The beef was both plentiful and appealing. Good colour, well-marinated and tender, it still retained its meat texture. We appreciated that they cut the gai lan stalks into bite-sized pieces, so it was easy to pick up with our chopsticks. Moreover, the gai lan was cooked perfectly as well, being vibrant, crisp and well-seasoned. With barely any liquid at the bottom of the plate, it exemplified good wok heat too.

As if we had any more room on the table, the Seafood & Tofu Hot Pot was gingerly sandwiched in between the lettuce and eggplant. Right from the get go, it was obvious they loaded it up with a bevy of seafood. There were big scallops, shrimp, squid and basa filets mixed in with fried tofu and shitake mushrooms on a bed of lettuce. There was just enough balanced starch-thickened sauce to coat the properly-cooked seafood (except for the squid, it was chewy). Lastly, we had to do some puzzle maneuvers to fit the Black Vinegar Pork Chops onto the table. This was probably my favourite dish of the night. These were meaty with very little in the way of fat and still had a chewy pork texture while tenderized enough that it wasn't hard to chew. They cut up the pieces into the perfect size where it could maintain its moisture through the cooking process while still being easy to pick up. In terms of flavour, I felt this used just the right amount of black vinegar. I could definitely smell it and taste, yet it didn't overwhelm the dish. There was a subtle tartness while the dish was predominantly sweet. The sauce clung onto each piece of pork beautifully where it provided all the necessary flavour without compromising the crispy parts and creating a goopy mess on the plate. Lastly, we were presented with dessert which included Almond Cookies (with a walnut on top) and Coconut Milk & Tapioca Soup. It ain't cheap to eat here, but despite what I've read on Urbanspoon, the food was prepared with good ingredients and the execution was spot-on (at least for our meal).

The Good:
- Good ingredients
- Proper execution

The Bad:
- Expensive
- Service was not bad but we couldn't find our server for long stretches

Burger Heaven

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

When I first starting blogging, one of my earlier posts was on Burger Heaven. I remember it vividly because I used my Blackberry to take pictures and looking back, they sure looked horrible. At the time, they still offered 2-for-1 with an Entertainment coupon, but sadly, that is now gone. Oh well, I guess where there is success, discounts need not apply right? Burger Heaven has been high on my re-visit list for quite awhile, not only because of the crappy photos though. You see, I've always been intrigued with their Ernie's Mile High Burger. Consisting of 8 patties totaling 2.5 pounds of beef, cheese, mushrooms, bacon and sauce, this was something I needed to eat. Reminded me of the Everest Burger at Hilltop Diner in Langley... Where I had to get Mijune to share it with me since I'm hardly capable of a real Man vs. Food adventure. Hence, I enlisted the help of Miss Y for this eating adventure. This way, there would be no way she could order something ridiculous off the menu. She often orders the most whacked-out item from a place that specializes in anything but the thing she chooses. Case-in-point, she ordered the quiche from the Red Onion. Who eats a freakin' slice of quiche from a burger joint??? What's next? Lasagne at a Japanese restaurant? Wait... I did that...

So about that mile high burger... Pretty impressive I'd say. I queried Miss Y how it felt like to be part of the mile high club and all I heard were crickets... *Awkward* Anyways, the burger was extremely large and there was more than enough food for 4 people, let alone 2. Despite the ample charring on the surface of the patties, the meat was quite moist and a bit greasy (hence it was moist!). The meat was nicely seasoned and I really didn't notice the toppings because we had to deconstruct the thing to eat it. Once again, their famous Potato Wedges didn't disappoint. They were large, crispy and potatoey on the inside. Very good texture. As you may know already, having one item, even if it is insanely large doesn't do a restaurant justice. Therefore, I returned one day with my son after skating for lunch. This time, I had the Kangaroo Burger (which I've had in the past) and a side of Poutine. As expected, the kangaroo meat was on the drier side (leaner meat), yet not terribly so. The burger was still moist and combined with the toppings (beets, fried egg, cheddar, bacon, red onions, lettuce and tomato), it was a quite filling.

Looking at the Poutine, it shouldn't have worked in theory. The large wedge fries and the dark gravy would make some people shy away. However, I enjoyed it for what it was. It was extremely filling due to the large wedges and the abundance of melted cheese curds. Not a traditional poutine, but it never was advertised to be. My son took one look at the menu and only had eyes for the Grilled Cheese. *Sigh* He is definitely not a foodie in the making... Now, after I had left, I figured out they totally messed up the order. I was charged for a kid's meal when all I got was the grilled cheese and fries on a small plate. There should've been a drink and a sundae included. For the food my son got, that cost more than a regular order of grilled cheese. Wonder how they could make such a mistake and not notice. Whatever the case, it was made with real cheddar and a whole lot of butter. Translation - he liked it. And really, after these 2 revisits, I continue to like Burger Heaven. The burgers are unique (elk, kangaroo, lamb etc...), the service is good and the place has a certain charm.

The Good:
- Some unique options
- Solid burger
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- The bill could get up there depending what you order
- It's a small shack, you'd better not be shy

Dragon View Chinese Cuisine

2012-02-06T00:00:00.001-08:00

For awhile there, I was trying to hit up all of the Dim Sum joints in Richmond. That stopped pretty quickly due to the lack of proximity. It is amazing I make it out to Richmond as much as I do already considering the distance, parking headaches and potential car damage that can be incurred. Alas, even those challenges cannot prevent me from gravitating towards the land of no shoulder checks and broken turn signals. The dearth of good Chinese food around where I live only adds more fuel to the fire. So with Viv out-of-town, I tagged along with my parents for Dim Sum at Dragon View in Richmond. Affiliated with Wah Wing in Coquitlam, I was curious to see if the food was any better due to its location.

Similar to many Chinese restaurants, a reservation for Dim Sum is akin to not having one at all. Despite arriving on time, we waited an hour for our "reservation". At the very least, we
scored a nice table in a corner, away from the mass confusion at the centre of the restaurant. And much like any other Dim Sum joint, there is no rhyme or reason to the expedition of dishes. Hence, we received the Egg Tarts first. These weren't too bad with a flaky crust and nicely texture filling. I found the filling to be rather sweet, but I guess that is not a huge problem considering the well-executed components. Feeling guilty about not getting enough greens lately, I got an order of the Stir-Fried Yui Choy. These were prepared properly being soft enough to chew while still retaining some crunch. Furthermore, the dish wasn't too greasy nor overseasoned either.

For the kiddies, we got an order of the Fook Chow Fried Rice. As the picture suggests, there was no absence of ingredients on top. Lots of tender chicken, mushrooms and crisp beans and carrots. However, the one thing that made this dish a partial fail was the really dry and hard fried rice base. We believe it was done beforehand and left out too long. In actuality, this is a common practice to make a big batch of fried rice, so no real surprise. It just shouldn't have been so dry to begin with and left out to dry out even more. Yet another kid favourite, the Shrimp Spring Rolls arrived next. With the addition of seaweed, this made for an interesting version. In some ways, it added some flavour to the roll. Yet on the other hand, it completely changed the normally crunchy texture. When we typically chew through a spring roll, we get an immediate crunch followed by a softer filling. In this case, the crunch gave way to a layer of extreme chewiness that halted our eating enjoyment as we struggled to get through it. On the positive side, the shrimp filling had a nice sweet nap. In the end, we could've done without the seaweed.

Onto my son's favourite dish, the Soy-Fried Rice Noodle Rolls. How much does he like this? He can have this for breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one day... Talk about the anti-Atkins diet. These were a bit stiff and dense for our liking. For those rice noodle roll aficionados, you might question why the rolls look "soft", even though my experience was the opposite. Yes, some rolls began to fall apart, particularly in the front of the picture. Let me assure you that it was not soft, rather, it was just prepared haphazardly. Now due to the different cooking method (actually, it would be the second stage of cooking rice noodles since they have to be steamed as a sheet to begin with), the Beef Rice Noodle Roll was much softer. The meat filling was plentiful and not gritty. We would've preferred less green onion though, it was overwhelming.

Of all the dishes, it was a bit surprising that the Bean Curd Skin Roll was my favourite. Generally, there are more "sexier" choices than this as the best item at Dim Sum. However, I really liked the texture of the bean curd skin since it was still chewy while soft at the same time. The filling really benefited from the addition of large chunks of shrimp, which added a nice snap to the moist pork. I also liked that there was not a big glop of sauce on top and underneath the rolls. That, to me is not really all that appealing. Now, the connection with Wah Wing didn't really sink in until we got the Sui Mai. These were exactly the same as the ones I had a there and unfortunately, they were not any better. By looks alone, they look awesome with a big cold-water shrimp and tobiko on top. However, the dumpling looks way better than it tastes. It was like they forgot to season it or something. Furthermore, the pork was far too chewy and did not exhibit that "bounce" texture achieved with proper tenderizing (strange since the pork in the bean curd roll was fine...).

Of course when we have Sui Mai, there is also the other Dim Sum staple - Haw Gow (or steamed shrimp dumplings). I'm sure if you look at the picture, it is quite obvious one of the dumplings had a boo-boo. Aesthetically unpleasing and really a no-no, luckily it was not an indication of how the dumplings really were. The skin was slightly sticky while the filling was pretty good. Lots of snap and crunch combined with the natural sweetness of shrimp, it was almost forgivable for the damaged-looking dumpling. Almost. For us, another must order is the Steamed Black Bean Spareribs. We usually like it on rice, but it seems that more and more Dim Sum restaurants do not offer it. I guess it would be too much of a filler and people would end up ordering less? Could be... Well these were pretty good. The meat was tenderized properly exhibiting a slight chew which was still tender. Lots of garlic and seasoning, in particular, the chili flakes which added another layer of flavour. As you can also readily see in the picture, the pieces were meaty with very little fat or cartilage.

For our last dish, it was predictably offal. Hey, for myself Dim Sum is not complete without innards of some sort. In this case, we had the Beef Tendon and Tripe. This was a large portion of soft tendon and tender tripe. Some of the tendon was a touch too soft, yet not overly so. The tripe was a perfect balance of tender while still having a slight chew. The dish was predominantly sweet with plenty of garlic. So, by virtue of being affiliated with Wah Wing, I can't help but make comparisons. The good news is that Dragon View was better than Wah Wing. The bad news is that it was a bit uneven. Considering it is located in Richmond, there is plenty of competition nearby and I'm not sure if I would personally pass up any one of the following: Sea Harbour, Fisherman's Terrace, Rainflower, Sun Sui Wah, Red Star or Kirin, to eat Dragon View. However, they are very busy and continued to be so throughout our meal. Hence, they must be doing something right because they are not hurting for business.

The Good:
- Decent-sized portions
- Okay pricing

The Bad:
- Food is okay, but there is better
- Crazy lineup where reservations don't really matter (but that is normal with Chinese restaurants)

Announcement

2012-02-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Huh? Where is the post for today??? Yup, that's what some of you might be wondering. Don't worry, I'm still eating. But, after 3+ years of posting everyday, I've decided to only blog on the weekdays from now on. It was a good run. But something had to give. See you right here again Monday!

Pearl Urban Bistro

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

As much as I get around the Lower Mainland, specifically for eats, there are still areas I don't frequent. One particular place is White Rock. No, there are no fears of bad drivers nor bad eats. Rather, it is just plain too far from where I live. I envy those who live nearby, there are many restaurants to choose from on Marine Drive. Speaking of which, one of my colleagues happens to live in the area and frequents many of those establishments. On many occasions, he has mentioned Pearl Urban Bistro. At first, he was not that impressed, but according to him, it has significantly improved. Coincidentally, the owner of Pearl Urban Bistro contacted me recently about the possibility paying the place a visit. So with Viv and I having to be out in those parts anyways, we figured might as well kill 2 birds with one stone.

We were greeted by the manager, Gina, who gave us the option of either ordering from the menu or dine on the chef's choices. We chose the latter and were presented with an amuse bouche to start. Served in an espresso cup, the Roasted Carrot & Brie Soup with creme fraiche was aesthetically appealing and steaming hot. We sampled the smooth puree and it was texturally pleasing and exhibited only a mild amount of cheesiness (mind you brie isn't exactly that flavourful though). We got a hint of tomato (possibly tomato paste) and a good amount of natural carrot sweetness. I think if there was a touch more salt, it would've heightened the flavours even more so. We were presented with our appetizers next consisting of the Crab Spring Rolls and Flamed Prawns. The Crab Spring Rolls came plated with a cut roll resting precariously on top of 2 uncut rolls. This was a real challenge for our server since it was a tough balancing act. Within the crispy wrapper, there was rock crab meat, fennel, red pepper and carrot. A streak of lemon garlic aioli and salsa verde completed the plate. These were pretty good with the crunch of the veggies complimenting the texture of the fluffy crab. We enjoyed the flavourful aioli, yet didn't get much out of the salsa verde.

Our second appie was the Flamed Prawns presented in a sizzling cast iron pan which was lit on fire (with the help of sambuca) tableside. Although we were impressed with the presentation, the actual dish itself could've been less sweet. The roasted garlic butter sauce was somewhat muted due to the sugar content. Now that's not to say the dish was bad per se. C'mon, there are prawns at play here! I loved the red peppers, which went really well with the sweet prawns. For our main, Viv and I had the same dish being the Pemberton Striploin with Morel Risotto topped with a demi-glace accompanied by beets, carrots and kale. As you can see, the steak was thick and cooked to a medium-rare. Furthermore, the steak was cooked evenly and was super tender. There was a good char on the exterior and it was obvious the steak had rested properly (no juices flowing out when cut). As for the risotto underneath, it was a pretty good attempt, considering Pearl is not an Italian restaurant. The rice still had a bite (a touch more cooked than I personally like it though) and it was creamy and cheesy. Loved the morels, they added another layer of texture and flavour.

For dessert, we were presented with the 2 selections. The Chocolate Pate was accompanied by mascerated cherries, hazelnut praline and creme fraiche. The pate was smooth with some sugar granules. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but I didn't mind it since it added some texture. Flavourwise, it was sure chocolaty and sweet. The tart cherries were necessary to cut the heaviness of the dessert. Lastly, we had the Vanilla Creme Brulee which had a relatively thick torched sugar topping. As such, the dessert was quite sweet. When we only sampled the custard underneath, it was actually not that sweet by itself. The real vanilla bean added a nice flavour. Alright, I have to admit that these invited dinners are somewhat of a catch-22 for me. If I am too enthusiastic, it would appear I've been "bought". On the other hand, if I am too critical, it might seem like I'm "reaching" for negatives to look legit. So there is never a way I can win. Hence, the only thing going for me in these cases is the body of work on this blog. What I am going to say about Pearl Urban Bistro is that the food as a whole was decent. It is a better option than many of the chain restaurants out there. As much as there were good components to each dish, there also could be some more refinement as well. I can't comment on the service since they knew we were there. However, I did like the decor and ambiance. Very cozy and classy.

The Good:
- Nice ambiance and cozy dining room
- Food is decent
- Of course, by virtue of being on the strip, the environment is fantastic

The Bad:
- The food could use some refinement
- Prices are consistent with the strip (which is not cheap)

Dinner @ Golden Lake

2012-02-02T00:00:00.001-08:00

Seeing how we already tried out Golden Lake's Dim Sum service recently, we figured why not have dinner there as well. As mentioned many times over in this blog, Dim Sum and dinner are 2 mutually exclusive entities at Chinese restaurants. More often than not, there is a separate Dim Sum Chef from the dinnertime Executive Chef. Therefore, it would be best to experience both services to get a better feel of a restaurant. Of course that would take a bit of time in the GVRD considering there are so many Chinese restaurants that do both services! This time around, my parents joined us and that is usually a good thing since it means more food! Oh right, and yes, they are good company as well... LOL...

Rather than ordering from their set menu, we went ahead with random items starting with the Duck & Dried Fish Maw Soup. For those who are unfamiliar, fish maw is the fish air sac which has been either fried or dried. In this case, it was the dried variety which is more gelatinous and chewy compared to the airy and spongy fried type. In addition to the duck and fish maw, the soup consisted of wood ear mushroom, shitake, bamboo shoots and ginger. Although conservatively seasoned, we felt the soup base had enough depth to provide flavour. Furthermore, the soup was not overthickened with starch, so it silky rather than goopy. For our first dish after the soup, we had the Fried Fish with Cream of Corn Sauce. If you are wondering where the sauce disappeared to, we actually asked for it to be served on the side. This way, the fish doesn't become a soggy mess. As illustrated in the picture, the amount of fish on the plate was substantial. It was prepared so that it was still moist and flaky while the outside was slightly crisp. It wasn't as crisp as we would've liked, yet at the same time, we appreciated the very thin layer of batter which meant more fish. As for the corn sauce, it was pretty standard since it does come from a can (albeit diluted, seasoned and starch-thickened).

When the Stir-fried Pea Shoots arrived, we were in awe. That had to be one of the largest mounds of peas shoots we've ever seen in a restaurant. This could've easily be split into 2 separate orders. Now portion size is one thing, execution is another. Thankfully, this fit the Chinese criteria of "peng yau leng" which means inexpensive while still good. The pea shoots were tender with a slight crunch, although a tad greasy. It was modestly seasoned with a hint of garlic. We would've liked to see more salt in this dish. With the kiddies present, we had to get a dish that they would eat. On cue, we got the Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp. This was once again a large plate of food consisting of fluffy eggs and a surprising amount of large crunchy shrimp. We light how the eggs were cooked just right without being greasy.

My personal favourite of the night had to be the Spicy Eggplant and Tofu Hot Pot. For me, the star of this dish had to be the fried silken tofu. It was soft and sweet. Although the garlicky meat sauce was on the sweeter side, I still enjoyed it, especially with rice. The eggplant could've stood to be cooked a little less since it was hard to pick up with our chopsticks without disintegrating. Our last dish was was the Chinese-style Beef Tenderloin. Now, for those who don't know, this dish is rarely made with actual tenderloin. Rather it usually consists of beef that has been tenderized (usually a combination of pounding and baking soda). This one could've been tenderized a bit more since it was on the chewier side. Furthermore, the pieces of beef were far too small. Convenient to eat, yet it results in a drier product. The sauce was good though, it was tangy with a hint of depth provided by Worcestershire sauce. Despite the last dish, the meal as a whole was above-average at reasonable prices. The portion size here is mind-boggling. With the recent renovations and attentive staff, I think Golden Lake is a solid choice for authentic Cantonese food in the area.

The Good:
- Large portions
- Generally well-executed food
- Attentive service

The Bad:
- Our last dish took awhile to arrive, the might still have some kinks since they have been opened for only a month
- Love the parking lot, yet also dislike it since it is so tight

Feast Van

2012-02-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

I usually do not outwardly promote events on this blog, however, when there is a good cause involved I do make exceptions. I'd like to draw attention to Feast Van, which is an event being put on by Joe Chaput, proprietor of Au Petit Chavignol and Les Amis du Fromage. Together with the Strathcona Community Center's Backpack Food Program and 16 participating East Van restaurants,their goal is to take $1.00 from each prix fixe meal to fund their program that feeds 283 kids in Vancouver DTES each weekend. Better act fast because the event only runs until February 5th. You can learn more about the it here.

Great Han Mongolian BBQ

2012-02-01T00:00:00.001-08:00

I often wonder how places like U-Grill can get away with the prices they charge. Every visit results in excess of $10.00. And most of the time, it creeps up to $15.00! I guess the fact you do not know how much you are paying until they weigh it, makes it extremely dangerous if one was very hungry. It's sneaky. It almost looks like a buffet, but not. And if you are too aggressive with the meats, watch out! Therefore, it suddenly makes the Mongolian grill-type restaurants look like a fantastic value. For under $7.00, one could load their bowl with as much of anything they want, including meats. Same customization and practically the same cooking technique. Generally, an all-u-can-eat option runs around $11.00 or so. However, you gotta be crazy hungry to take advantage of that.

The notion of value brought us to Great Han Mongolian BBQ. Their lunch special for one bowl runs for $6.59 and the AYCE option goes for $11.95. Both include soup, salad and a bowl of rice. The deal here is to take a large bowl and cram as much as you can manage. The best strategy is to actually put the veggies and noodles on the bottom. That way, the meat can weigh down the lighter items and they in turn won't fall out of the bowl. However, it is easier said than done because they put the meats first (in this case, there was Pork, Lamb, Beef and Chicken) and when there is a line, it is not possible. Well, it is possible, but that would involve being pretty rude (and I'm not even going into detail where they could possibly happen...). Just think of a place where lineups are are ignored as well as any other orderly conduct...

So if one was to do the lineup in the proper order, we would find various noodles and veggies next. I was a little disappointed that mushrooms weren't part of the selection. However, the veggies did seem fresh despite the mess caused by previous customers. After the veggies, the sauce bar was next consisting of many familiar Asian flavours such as black bean, teriyaki and peanut sauce. Around the corner, 3 more flavour shots welcomed us in the form of sesame oil, curry and hot chili oil. I would advise people to be quite liberal with the sauces because a lot of it is lost in the cooking process. And yes, the next step was cooking. The round grill was pretty hot and only after a few swipes, the food was ready to go. Despite this, when the place gets busy, you'll have to be patient. Since I was last in line, by the time I got my food, the first few people were completely finished eating.

Once I got my bowl, the food was more than enough for lunch. Some of the others thought about the AYCE option but gave up when they finished their first bowl. I found that they add too much moisture when they are cooking the food here. Hence, my food was too wet. Furthermore, the meats, particularly the beef, was tough and chewy. I guess for $6.59, there shouldn't be too much complaining going on especially if the food is several notches above edible. However, in comparison to several other places I've had Mongolian-type grilled food, the execution and meat quality is a step below. With that being said, if one was in the area and merely wanted to fill their tummies for the same amount of money as a fast food joint, yet eating infinitely healthier stuff, then Great Han would be an option.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Relatively healthier than equivalent priced fast food

The Bad:
- Meat quality is average, particularly the beef
- Cooking method here uses a bit too much water

Matoi Sushi

2012-01-31T00:00:00.001-08:00

Fate would have it, after my father-in-law's 70th birthday, it was my dad's 70th as well. And of course it called for more eating! He really didn't want anything big and in fact, wanted something a bit more healthy. So we gathered up the immediate family (which would be me, Viv and the kids) and planned on trying out Osamu Sushi in Coquitlam. Widely regarded as one of the best Japanese restaurants in the Tri-Cities area, it seems that every time we try to eat there, something gets in the way. This time, they were booked up solid and no tables were available until late. With kids in tow, that wasn't an option. So onto plan B, we went to another popular Coquitlam Japanese restaurant - Matoi Sushi (which is Japanese owned and operated).

Located in the same plaza as Hon's and White Spot, there is ample parking for those who care (I do!). Seeing how it was my dad's birthday, we decided to get the Chef's Special Sashimi combo which boasted many different types of fish including hamachi, tai, tuna and skipjack tuna among others. As you can clearly see, the sashimi had a nice sheen and looked fresh (of course as fresh as previously frozen fish can get). In general, nothing tasted amiss and in fact, tasted very good. The preparation was spot on while the textures pleasant. Next up were 2 maki rolls: Dynamite and Real Crab California. Honestly, I actually prefer imitation crab meat over the real thing when it comes to sushi. It just has more flavour. Sure, it is not as valuable as real crab meat, but that is not the point. One thing I will concede is that real crab meat has a much more pleasing fluffy texture. As for the sushi rice, I thought it had a pretty good consistency. Moreover, it exhibited nice hits of vinegar and sugar.

Moving onto some cooked items, we had the obligatory Deluxe Assorted Tempura which featured a fried whole spot prawn. Impressive-looking while not exactly easy to eat though. I found the batter to be slightly excessive which became more of an issue when the tempura cooled down. On the inside, it was no longer crispy. However, when eaten right away, there were no problems. Since we already had tempura, it was a bit repetitive to order the Ebi Mayo. I did it anyways because it happens to be one of my favourite dishes. I could eat so many of these accompanied by a cool beer! I wasn't totally convinced with this version though. The ebi were coated with far too much tempura batter. It reminded me of something I'd get at a Chinese buffet. Too bad really since the ebi had a nice snappy texture and the chili mayo was nicely flavoured.

Finally breaking the yakiudon streak, the kiddies agreed on a Oyako Don rather than fried noodles. Thank goodness! Guess who usually ends up finishing the noodles when they change their mind? Just call me the trash can... This was a fairly decent portion consisting of moist chicken with egg. We felt that there was just the right amount of "sauce" which penetrated all the way to the chewy rice. It was on the sweeter side and could've benefited from a bit more soy or less sugar or mirin. Then for no apparent reason other than for diversity, we also had the Teriyaki Beef. Little did we know it was not served a la carte and also came with rice. Don't you hate it when that happens? If we had known, we would've ordered something else. No matter, it was not bad, if not a touch dry. On the positive side, it was not doused with an obscene amount of syrupy sauce. In that respect, this was actually not too bad.

Not sure what possessed me to order the Oden other than pure curiousity. You see, oden is merely a collection of boiled items such daikon, fish cake and eggs in a soy and dashi broth. Nope, nothing too exciting or bursting with flavour either. Mind you, I like Chinese hot pot and there are some similarities... Well, there was not much to say about the oden really. The broth was very light, seemingly missing the soy. The daikon was cooked nicely being soft while not falling apart. The fish cake was not bad, but one of the fish balls had a weird texture. With most odens, this was served with a side of Japanese mustard which added the necessary kick to the mild ingredients. On the topic of mild, Japanese food is generally pretty balanced. So it comes as no surprised that the Grilled Eggplant was delicate. Much like the one I had at Miko Sushi, this one was soft, yet not mushy and very lightly seasoned. Not particularly my cup of tea, yet I could appreciate the effort it took to prepare eggplant in a way that it borders on mush while not being so.

Although not perfect (and what is really), our meal at Matoi was actually pretty good. I would say it gives Fuji Sushi a run for its money when comparing one authentic Japanese restaurant to another in Coquitlam. We thought the slightly higher prices were fair for the portion and quality of food. Furthermore, the service was quite good. They made sure we had enough tea and always came by to clear our plates. The place was busy throughout our meal, so I guess that is at the very least, a good indication.

The Good:
- Pretty good eats
- Pretty good service
- Japanese operated, if that matters to you

The Bad:
- Slightly higher prices (worth it in my opinion)

Saboten

2012-01-30T00:00:00.001-08:00

We've all heard the expression, "do one thing and do it well". When it comes to restaurants, that may be the kiss of death if no one wants to eat that one thing. It can be further complicated by totally messing up the one thing they were supposed to specialize in (ie. don't have wonton in your restaurant name if they suck). The newest addition to the Vancouver food scene is Saboten, which does Tonkatsu (fried pork chop) and really doesn't deviate much from it. They have over 500 locations worldwide and the newest addition in Aberdeen is actually an "express" version. Originally, I was invited to the media event, but I couldn't make it. So I did the next best thing and visited the place a couple of days after on my own. Well, not really on my own because JuJu tagged along. On a side note, his nickname means "small pig" in Cantonese. Wouldn't this be cannibalism???

Located in the former Strawberry Cones stall, the place was busy. Looks like the curious were getting their tonkatsu fix. JuJu decided to try their Loin Katsu Don, which included a miso soup and tsukemono. For the price, we both agreed that the portion size was bordering on being expensive, but just barely. As for the tonkatsu itself, boy was it super moist. The darn thing was almost airy (if you can call a pork chop airy). There was a good amount of dashi, mirin, soy mixture which was leaning towards the sweeter side. It penetrated all the way into the rice which made the whole bowl flavourful. JuJu dusted it off pretty quick and was actually still hungry afterwards (not a stretch for him though). For myself, I knew better and got 2 items starting with the Tenderloin Katsu Curry. It also came with a miso soup and tsukemono, as well as shredded cabbage. I loved the light crispiness of the coating combined with the tender and airy meat. It was like eating something other than pork (in a good way). The curry was predictably mild and slightly sweet. I liked how it wasn't too sweet like some other Japanese curries. There was quite a bit of white onion which added another level of flavour.

Not satisfied with only one item, I also got the Tenderloin Katsu Sandwich. I knew I needed it since the orders being picked up didn't look particularly large. With the same fantastic cutlet as the previous 2 items sandwiched in between soft white bread, it was good. Loved the grainy mustard which added a distinguishing flavour. However, this was gobbled up quickly and honestly, I looked longingly at the other food stands in search for more food. That pretty much sums it up though. The tonkatsu is indeed fantastic, but there is just not enough of it. A heavier eater might need 2 meals just to get full.

The Good:
- Fantastic crispy and light tonkatsu
- They do only one thing and do it right

The Bad:
- The stuff is too light... can't get full
- I wouldn't say it is necessarily expensive, but it ain't cheap either (for what you get)

Chun Hing

2012-01-29T00:00:00.002-08:00

After attending the Chinese Restaurant Awards in Richmond, I was about to head home for dinner. Wait. I had not planned on cooking and I was too tired to go out to eat (shocking, I know). So there I was. In the land of endless Chinese food. What to do? Duh. Rhetorical question. So I headed over to the nearest spot that I could get Chinese takeout. I pulled into the Yaohan parking lot with immense trepidation because fighting through traffic and parking was not something I was looking forward to. Imagine my surprise when not only did I find a parking spot right away, people stopped for me as I crossed the street. When I waved a black Mercedes by, they actually gave a "thanks". Huh? I am in Richmond right?

From the many choices within the Yaohan food court, I decided to go with a place that I've tried before, which was Chun Hing. With food piled high and a 4 for 3 special, it seemed like a good bet. The Honey Garlic Chicken was the most impressively stacked item (is this an unintentional pun???), so I decided to give it a try. Turns out that it was all drumsticks cut into two. They were fried up crisp while being juicy and moist inside. There was lots of sweet honey flavour without a gooey mess. Being Chinese doesn't prevent me from eating the so-called "North American" items, so I went ahead with the Sweet & Sour Pork. At the very least, this was not the North American radioactive-coloured version. As you can see, the pieces of pork were meaty and easy on the batter. There was just enough sauce that it didn't turn it into sweet & sour sauce with pork. I would've preferred more zing since the sauce was predominantly sweet. Furthermore, despite our disdain for fillers, this dish would've benefited from more pineapple and peppers.

For my obligatory offal selection, I got the Brisket, Tendon and Daikon Stew. I really liked this one. The brisket was super moist exhibiting none of the stringiness sometimes found in these stews. The tendon was perfectly soft while not falling apart. I loved how I could taste the flavours of the soy and star anise without a huge amount of saltiness. Moreover, the daikon was nicely cooked where it still had texture. To up the veggie content, I went for the Stir-Fried Eggplant. In actuality, it looked more like an eggplant hot pot without the hot pot. We weren't a hug fan of this dish. It was a tad too mushy (and that is taking into account that it was eggplant and had been sitting around for awhile) and was a little mild in the seasoning department. I mean, there was enough sodium, yet little in distinguishing flavours. Lastly, much like any eggplant dish, it was quite greasy (maybe even more greasy than usual as evidenced by the oil slick at the bottom of the plate).

Lastly, to go with all the food, I got an order of their Fried Rice. It was pretty plain with some egg and frozen veggies. I would say the rice had a decent chewy texture but it lacked some of the nutty caramelization typically found in a commercial wok-prepared dish. I liked how it wasn't greasy though. As a whole, the food was a fantastic value, considering the amount they crammed into each container. Was the food outstanding? Well no, but with reasonable expectations for a food stand, this did the job for dinner that didn't empty out my wallet.

The Good:
- Good portions
- Well-priced

The Bad:
- Food is a bit hit and miss
- Like anything in Richmond, parking is always unpredictable

Dine Out @ C Restaurant

2012-01-28T00:00:00.003-08:00

At this stage in my gastronomical adventures, I'm not a huge fan of Dine Out. No, I'm not being a food snob or anything. It's just that I've had some pretty underwhelming experiences in the past.
The main problem is that some restaurants choose to meet the price points by offering food that is not truly representative of their regular menu. Hence, it does not give a clear overall picture which then in turns defeats the purpose of Dine Out in the first place. I find the whole event becoming watered-down. Now, that is not to say that there are no diamonds in the rough to be found. Seeing how I eat enough as it is, I wasn't planning to do Dine Out this year. However, I was contacted by C Restaurant to try their Dine Out menu. Okay, I was conflicted. First, do I go back on my original plan and actually do a Dine Out meal? And secondly, the rating for C Restaurant on Urbanspoon can be only described as horrible. What to do? A little more information gathering led me to the conclusion that C would be worth trying since they traditionally have good Dine Out menus and the rating on Urbanspoon is a bit misleading. Furthermore, Chef Robert Clark is back in the kitchen since Lee Humphries is away for a few weeks.

Others invited to the meal were Melody, Joyce, Diana, Stephanie and Alvin (who I have to credit for the picture of the restaurant). We started with an Amuse Bouche which included (from right to left) Smoked Salmon Cannelloni stuffed with goat cheese topped with creme fraiche and preserved lemon, Seared Tuna, Spot Prawn, Quail's Egg topped with truffle aioli and crispy bacon and Golden Beet. My favourite had to be the quail's egg (since I love eggs!) because it was poached perfectly with a runny yolk. Furthermore, the truffle aioli and bacon combined put a mouthful of flavours in one little bite. Our first official course was the North Arm Farms Beet Panzanella Salad served with harissa dressing and shaved ricotto salata. I really liked the beets as they were soft while still retaining some firmness. Loved the harissa dressing as it added an ethnic taste to the salad. I wasn't particularly fond of the croutons as they had a fairly hard, yet not crunchy texture. The Dine Out menu at C Restaurant has a few supplemental courses if one wishes to add for an extra charge. One of these is the Sauteed Spot Prawns with kale, chilli, lime and romesco sauce.
This was a nice plate of food consisting of perfectly cooked spot prawns, just barely-cooked kale and a flavourful sauce. The romesco exhibited its classic nutty texture and with this version had a real acidity to it. A nice counterbalance to the sweet prawns (if used sparingly).

Next up was the second course consisting of Seared Albacore Tuna with Winter minestrone, Parmesan pistou and crisp basil. As evidenced in the picture, the tuna was seared ever-so-lightly and served mostly rare. That allowed the natural sweetness of the tuna to shine as well as keeping the texture light. The sprinkle of salt really intensified the delicate tuna. I thought the minestrone underneath was done nicely with some crunch and tartness. The droplets of basil added some herbal qualities to the dish. Our third course, the Seared Lake Babine Salmon continued on with the fish theme. It was served on a bed of squash puree and topped with an almond tapenade. The fish was beautifully prepared being moist, sweet and slightly rare in the middle. Loved the even sear on the outside. The squash puree was smooth and mild while it intermingled with the cubes of squash and firm brussel sprouts. The real surprise of the dish was the almond tapenade on top. It provided both texture and acidity.

The optional supplement for the salmon was the Roasted Beef Tenderloin. It was served with a walnut polenta, tarragon butter and confit of portabello mushrooms. I absolutely loved the demi-glace as it was silky and luxurious. The tenderloin was meaty and exhibited a deep roasted flavour. I really wish this was a bigger portion. Lastly, for dessert, we were served a Spiced Chocolate Pudding with vanilla Chantilly and caramel puffed rice. I liked their spin on the pudding with the Asian spices. It almost felt like there was five-spice in the pudding (well, not really but you get the idea). The crunch of the sweet puffed rice added the necessary texture to the smooth pudding. And as a final treat, a plate of Lemon Poppyseed Biscotti with a side of candied ginger arrived at our table. These were crunchy and we could not mistake what they were made of - buttery and a good lemon hit. Loved the candied ginger on the side.

I gotta admit that this Dine Out meal was a whole lot better than I expected it to be (and it is not because it was comped either). I can't comment on the service (as much as it was good) because it was a media dinner. However, if one was to start adding the supplemental dishes, the cost of the meal would go North of $70.00 in a hurry. Furthermore, if one was to look at the basic $38.00 menu without additions, it is predominantly comprised of fish and would leave individuals with bigger appetites longing for more food. Now, that is not to say that the $38.00 menu is not a good value. Considering the raw materials, the venue and the fact Robert Clarke is cooking in the kitchen, it is quite reasonable. This is fine dining folks, not a buffet. That is probably why I don't get too excited about Dine Out these days. Considering the quality of food I got at C Restaurant, I'd definitely return and would much rather order off their regular menu gladly paying the extra cost for more food. (Disclaimer - This was an invited event where the meal was comped)

The Good:
- Good execution with the proteins
- The basic Dine Out menu is reasonably-priced with all factors considering
- Nice location

The Bad:
- The supplements are enticing and will bump up the bill significantly (but that is a personal choice, no one is forcing you to do this)
- If we look at just the basic Dine Out meal, it may not satisfy big eaters

Swallow Tail Secret Supper Soiree

2012-01-27T00:00:00.001-08:00

Back in May 2010, I had the pleasure of breaking bread with fellow bloggers at Swallow Tail
Supper Club. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, I don't blame you. Swallow Tail is not a restaurant, rather, it is a "secret" place where people meet to "donate" money towards a meal. Sounds like a restaurant in a different form right? Well, it is what we call an underground restaurant, much like No Fixed Address and The Birds Nest. To kick it up a notch, the folks at Swallow Tail have moved into the culinary tours and events business. And have they ever raised the bar. From the humble lil' house, the dinners have moved considerably more upscale. I was fortunate enough to be invited along with other bloggers to experience their Secret Supper Soiree. We were instructed to meet in front of the Pacific Central Station where we would be picked up by a double-decker bus.

We all hopped onto the pink bus and were whisked away to... of all places, the Vancouver Police Museum! Shuffling into the autopsy room, past the morgue, we were presented with a cocktail. After some mingling, we all congregated into the another room where we were served a Beet Salad consisting of blood orange granita, BB microns and pomegranate seeds. This was a refreshing, if not tiny start to our 5-course meal. Next up was the Tomato Consume with pickled cauliflower and Hijiki seaweed. It was served in a large beaker with a skewered pickled cauliflower. Although the concept seemed visually impressive, we had quite a bit of difficulty removing the cauliflower from the beaker. As for the consume, I felt it was overwhelmed by the pickling juices. I couldn't taste the base of the consume let alone the seaweed. There was definitely a novelty factor here with the venue, serving vessels and whatnot. Once finished, we loaded back onto the bus and took the short 3 block jaunt over to a totally new place called the Vancouver Urban Winery.

This was an unexpectedly nice venue. With a high ceiling and adorned with wine barrels as decor, the place was beautiful. There was several
long picnic-type tables set for us to enjoy our final 3 courses of the meal. For our appetizer, we were presented with a Poached Hen's Egg with forest mushrooms and a red wine reduction. The eggs were probably prepared in a thermal immersion circulator (if not, they were very skilled at using a regular pot!) and they were poached perfectly. Check out the beautiful free-range yolk! I love eggs and this was exactly how I like them. The mushrooms provided a good level of woodsiness and texture while the piece of baguette was cold and not that appealing texturally. Next up was the Pitt Meadows Flat Iron Steak with potato pave, root veggies and a huckleberry & rosemary jus. Due to the amount of guests and by virtue of cooking at a venue rather than a restaurant kitchen, the food was not as hot as I would've liked. Yet again, this was completely understandable. The medium to medium-rarish meat itself was tender and moist. It lacked the "seared" texture and flavour we normally would associate with a flat iron steak, but we need to take into account the venue. I loved the jus, it was super silky. I wished there was more of it. The shaved white carrot was
aesthetically-appealing and provided a nice crunch. As for the potato pave, it was good in both presentation and texture.

Lastly, for dessert, we had the Riesling Baba with Orange Blossom SemiFreddo, persimmon and pistachios. I like the semifreddo, it had a floral quality to it (as Kevin suggested) which was complimented by the pistachios. However, I found the baba to be too wet and overly sweet. Add in the sweet persimmon and this dessert was crying out for a touch of tartness as balance. In the end, I thought the secret supper soiree was a unique and interesting experience. Although I nit-picked at the food, it was pretty decent considering the challenges of multiple venues and whatever kitchen facilities that were at their disposal. The price for the soiree without wine pairings goes for $89.00 and $129.00 with wine. A group rate of 10+ with wine will set you back $99.00. In my opinion, I consider these prices to be reasonable if you take into account all the logistics (staffing, venue(s), food and wine). Of course, for someone who is only food-focused and are not interested in gimmicks and/or something out of the ordinary, they might not want to pony up the money. However, if you are the type who looks at the overall experience of an event and can appreciate the challenges of putting it all together, then it is worth a try for sure. (Disclaimer - I did not have to pay for this meal as it was a media invite)

The Good:
- Unique experience
- Okay pricing considering everything that is involved (if you look beyond just the food)

The Bad:
- Pricey (if you are food-focused only)
- Not the most elegant of seating arrangements (if you care about that)

Faubourg

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

If I was given a choice between an appetizer platter or a selection of desserts, the appies would always take the cake (pardon the pun). It's not that I don't like sweets, I just happened to prefer the savoury eats more. Hence, this is partly the reason I have taken so long to visit Faubourg. In actuality, I wasn't even supposed to visit it at all this time around. You see, my mom has wanted to do afternoon tea for the longest time, but my dad has no interest whatsoever (runs in the family eh?). In fact, when they were in Hong Kong, she so desperately wanted to try out the high tea at the Peninsula, yet my dad had no desire to wait in line. As a result, Viv volunteered to take her for afternoon tea instead. I tried to coerce Viv into doing another post, much like her visit to Adonia. No dice. She'd rather put up with my suggestive humour (or is it non-humour in her opinion) than to take pictures and write up a blog post. Hence, I had really no choice but to tag along.

We made a reservation to have their Pink Afternoon Tea which costs a competitive $25.50 per person. If you've never had afternoon or high tea before, there will be some sticker shock. Believe it or not, this is actually reasonable considering some can go in excess of $60.00 per person (The Fairmont Empress in Victoria). Of course, the selection and amount of food varies from place-to-place. Located in Kerrisdale, Faubourg is a quaint little place which serves up French pastries and a limited bistro menu in addition to the afternoon tea. We were seated in the reserved section at the back as opposed to the open seating in the front. Our Pink Afternoon tea arrived in a 2-tiered serving tray with the sweets on the top. We started on the bottom with the 3 sandwiches which included a Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Pinwheel, Roast Beef and Chicken Salad. I guess there is only that much one can expect out of tea sandwiches and these were no exception. I mean, they were pleasant enough to eat with fresh bread that was soft (except for the pin wheel since it was compressed slightly) and ingredients that were equally good. I liked the chicken salad the most due to the crunch of the celery.

As we moved from the sandwiches over to the warm Poppyseed Cranberry Scones, things started to get more interesting. The scone had a firm outer shell which gave way to a buttery soft interior. We could've eaten this without the marmalade or cream on the side. Loved the burst of sweet tanginess from the cranberries. Despite my preference for savoury eats, there are times when I actually appreciate sweets. In this instance, one would have to be impressed with the little treats on the top tier. From the bottom right to left, we had the Passionfruit Souffle, Spiced Hazelnut Apple Cake, Lemon Tart, Opera Cake, Berry Yogurt and Chocolate Mousse. The Passionfruit Souffle was super light and bursting with flavour. There was plenty of sweetness as well as tartness while the souffle was on the sweeter side in general. I loved the Spiced Apple Cake since it was super moist
where it was far from being dry. One bite and the spices immediately make their presence known with hits of nutmeg and cinnamon. Loved the tart apples on top which provided a balance to the sweetness.

Despite my indifference about desserts, I'm a sucker for Lemon Tarts. The one here at Faubourg was really good. I liked the firm tart shell which gave way to a creamy and tart lemon curd. I could've done without the rocks of sugar on the rim of the tart since it was sweet enough already. The Opera Cake looked appealing and was very pleasant to eat. The silky dark chocolate ganache was only semi-sweet and complimented the coffee syrup-laced sponge cake. Maybe it was too simple, but I wasn't a huge fan of the Berry Yogurt. It was essentially vanilla yogurt with berries and oats on top. Not sure why it was even on the plate. The Chocolate Mousse was of the denser variety, yet still smooth, rich and chocolatey. I particularly liked the candied ginger on top which added something different.

As we were leaving, there was no chance we'd pass up taking some pastries to go. Queuing up in the long lineup that almost went out the door, we had to get the Croissants. Herbie the Lovebug swears by and highly recommended them. Well, he was right since these had all the attributes one looks for in a good croissant. Crispy, flaky, buttery and aromatic, I could eat a half-dozen of these in one sitting. Well, I'd probably need a defibrillator nearby though. We also got a few tarts to go including a Pear Tart. The tart shell, much like the lemon tart, was buttery, yet held up to the wet ingredients. The pears were fragrant (in a pear kind of way, if that makes sense), however, it could've been a touch sweeter since it was very light tasting. In the end, Faubourg met our expectations and that in itself is an accomplishment. Prices are on the higher side which is common in Kerrisdale. On the other hand, the afternoon tea is competitively priced in comparison to Adonia and Secret Garden. From we could tell, Faubourg seems to fit into the neighbourhood and should maintain a constant clientele.

The Good:
- Delicately-made pastries
- Reasonably-priced afternoon tea (you have to compare with others since AT is not supposed to fabulous deal)
- The place has an air of decadence (if that makes sense)

The Bad:
- Service was a touch indifferent
- Fitting in the neighbourhood, prices are on the higher side
- Reserved section not really all that special

Phoenix Garden

2012-01-25T00:00:00.001-08:00

A really long time ago, when I was pre-school age, we lived near Broadway and Nanaimo. Interestingly, if we had not moved to Oakridge, I would've went to Laura Secord Elementary and subsequently Van Tech, which incidentally were the schools Viv attended. Wonder how things would've turned out if that had happened? Her answer: no way she'd go out with me... Thank goodness the things turned out the way they did! Back then, sandwiched in between Bon's and Trocadero, there was a restaurant called Golden Phoenix. It was eventually sold and the former owners went on to open up Golden Swan on Victoria (which was bought by Golden Ocean). Golden Phoenix went on to bite the dust and become East Ocean. Rising from the ashes like in Harry Potter, Golden Phoenix existed once more (under a new Chinese name). Now, all of sudden, it closed again and now is Phoenix Garden. Confusing? Yeah. But for me, that just means more eating...

As such, we met up with Viv's parents for Dim Sum. For a weekday, the place was packed and bustling with activity. Due to the physical size of the restaurant, the tables were very close to one another and having push carts didn't help either. The result of having push carts in such a small restaurant was the instantaneous appearance of food. Our table was full after 2 carts since they had most of the stuff we wanted. Starting with the classics, we had the Haw Gow and Sui Mai. As illustrated in the picture, the shrimp dumplings were pretty large. The filling was a good mix of whole crunchy shrimp and shrimp mousse. It was well-seasoned and sweet. It was really too bad that the dumpling skin was a tad thick and chewy. We weren't that enthused with the Sui Mai as it was pale and "loose"-looking. In fact, the appearance pretty much summed up the pork dumpling. It was too soft, possibly either over-tenderized or mixed with too much filler (fat). Hence, there was not much texture nor meaty flavour.

The same could be said about the Beef Meatballs as well. Once again, they were fairly pale which wasn't exactly aesthetically pleasing. I don't know about you, I like my balls with colour... er... One bite into these and yup, these were some mushy balls. Too much baking soda and/or processing. Too bad really since there was a nice balance of seasoning from the green onion and dried orange peel. On the other hand, the Bible Tripe was properly tenderized where it was soft, yet still retaining a certain level of chewiness. It was a fairly large portion as you can see in the picture as it was spilling out of the sauce dish into the bamboo steamer. Funny how I just mentioned this recently in my Golden Lake (what's with all these "golden" restaurants?) post. Anyways, there was ample seasoning with good hits of ginger.

From tripe, we moved onto chicken feet or Phoenix Talons as they are more affectionately known. Well, despite the restaurant's namesake, these phoenix talons were pretty average. Definitely overcooked with the skin and gelatin detaching from the bones. Hence, it was clumpy, especially with the abundance of overly sweet sauce. A bit heavy on the MSG here. The Shrimp Stuffed Eggplant was good and bad at the same time. First with the good where we found a large amount of whole shrimp atop the large slices of eggplant. We surmised that they used the haw gow filling as the stuffing. This was further enhanced with the flavourful black bean sauce. However, the whole thing was fried probably too long which made the exterior too crispy which in turn made the dish taste oily. I could actually taste the oil when I bit into the shrimp, which was not really all that appealing.

Despite its plain appearance, the Steamed Pork Spareribs were pretty good. The best thing going for it was the meat itself - there was plenty of it. With very little fatty or cartilage-laced pieces, we got the cream of the crop in terms of spareribs. Furthermore, the meat was tenderized and marinated properly where it was soft enough to chew while still exhibiting the "bounce"-like texture at the same time. Lastly, it was seasoned with plenty of garlic and sodium (yes, it is necessary). So far into the meal, we were munching away, including my daughter. She was happily eating most things. Not my son though. He was waiting for the rice noodle rolls. So we grabbed the first one that passed by being the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll. Of course I had to take all the shrimp out for him (his loss!). Overlooking the poor preparation of the roll (see the exposed shrimp on top), it was pretty good. Inside the fairly soft noodles were large whole shrimp that exhibited the requisite "snap".

Then finally, the dish my son had been waiting for passed by - the Pan-Fried Soy Rice Noodle Rolls. Good thing I acted fast, since it was the last one on the push cart. Plated neatly and showing a pleasant caramelized colour from the dark soy, the noodles looked good. And yes, they were good. I particularly liked the balanced sweet soy mixture they used while frying up the noodles. It really did exhibit a caramelized flavour which matched its appearance. Texture-wise, it was soft while still having enough chew that it didn't fall apart during cooking. By now, we weren't really all that hungry anymore due to the generous portion sizes. However, with push carts, food kept coming around and hey, it did have an influence. Hence, the Fried XO Daikon Radish Cakes caught our attention. Normally, these are sliced into squares and pan-fried, but the fried cubed version is becoming more prevalent. In fact, this preparation would in theory result in a less oily product due to the quick flash frying in high heat. It was such the case here where the daikon cake was crispy and not greasy-at-all. It was tossed in XO sauce which added some spiciness. However, we felt the daikon cakes were far too dense and lacking in inherent flavour.

In order to defeat the evil "Chinese Dim Sum food expeditor" and his sinister ways, where s/he sends out dessert first, we asked for it last. And wow, did they really save the best for last. After an uneven Dim Sum service, we didn't expect these awesome Egg Tarts. We agreed that these were some of the best Dim Sum egg tarts we've had lately. The puff pastry tart shell was light and buttery (or lardy). It was baked beautifully where we could taste the nuttiness from the copious amount of butter (or lard). It was flaky from top to bottom. Moreover, the egg custard filling was light and just sweet enough. Again, the nuttiness from the butter really helped make this egg tart. That was a sweet finish to an up and down Dim Sum service. Although pretty average as a whole, the large portion sizes and reasonable pricing makes Phoenix Garden an option for those who are not picky.

The Good:
- Large portions
- Inexpensive

The Bad:
- And I thought the seating at Western Lake was super tight, it's worse here
- Hit and miss food

Wild Rice

2012-01-24T00:00:00.002-08:00

You might wonder why I have never been to Wild Rice. After all, the place has been around for over 10 years. It would be within the realm of possibility that I could have eaten here, especially since I've lived nearby at one point. Nope. Did not and really had no burning desire either. You see, the "Modern Chinese" part concerned me a bit. Since I am so used to eating traditional and/or Hong Kong-style Chinese cuisine, it is almost a given I would be biased even before the food hit the table. However, with my recent visits to Terracotta and Bao Bei, I have gained an appreciation that we need to accept food for what it is - not for what it should be. The authenticity and the question of value always come into play when we deal with a take on ethnic food. However, shouldn't we just base everything on whether the food tastes good regardless of anything else? So what if it is a bastardization of something? Or does it really matter if the staff are not of that ethnicity? If we are that picky, then we have overlooked what is most important, which is the food itself.

So Viv and I decided to give the Wild Rice a go with no preconceived expectations nor any "Chinese" food snobbery. We started with the Hot and Sour Soup which was exactly as advertised. It was definitely spicy with a noticeable tang. The spice was thanks to red chili peppers which had a lingering effect on our tastebuds. There was a good amount of julienned carrots and bamboo shoots with shitake mushrooms, green onions and tofu. The soup was not starch-thickened, yet there was enough flavour to make up for any concerns about the lack of body. Next up was the Seared Albacore Tuna with ginger shallot daikon and a black vinegar reduction. I gotta admit I liked this one, especially the shredded daikon underneath the tuna. The ginger infusion was so intense, I didn't even realize it was daikon. The tuna itself was seared nicely with a rare centre. I thought it went with the other components, in particular, the sweet sticky vinegar reduction.

We moved onto another fish offering in the form of the Steamed Ling Cod with fried ginger, pickled radish and honey soy marinade. This was beautifully presented in which we thought the fried ginger would add texture and flavour. Well, not really. It did look nice, but it was neither that flavourful nor crunchy. The fish itself was a little overdone and became stiff. We did like the pickled radish though, it contributed a crunch and tang to every bite. Something that could've been a great dish was the Sticky Beans with roasted peanuts. I stress the "could've" since the beans had a boiled consistency to them. I mean, they most likely were wok-fried or something, but they did not exhibit such texture. Hence, the sauce just "slid" off each bean resulting in a bland product. What we would've liked to see was oil-blanched beans that would be further wok-tossed with the sweet sticky mixture. That would've resulted in a flavour explosion, especially combined with the good roasted peanuts.

On the other hand, the Sweet Soy Chicken Wings were a winner. The wings were perfectly fried until crispy while the meat was moist and juicy. The sweet and sticky sauce clung onto each wing providing just enough flavour. There was a little of everything from sweet, tangy, spice and savoury. However, it was predominantly sweet though. Our last item was a large plate which was recommended as a favourite. It happened to be the Kung Pao Chicken with rice noodles and twice cooked peanuts. The peanuts, by far, were the star of the show. Fried, baked and then dusted with icing sugar, these were a treat by themselves. There was a rich roasted flavour that was accented by a sweet glaze. As for the noodles, the best word to describe them would be clumpy. Due to the deep serving bowl, the noodles were compressed. That didn't mean they were overcooked (in fact they were still chewy), yet picking them up was not easy (came out in actual clumps of noodles). This would've been much better if served on a plate. Actually, serving it on a plate would showoff the massive amount of food, rather than being hidden in a bowl. In the end, I liked the flavours (albeit sweet). There was a good coconut milk kick combined with some spice and the aforementioned peanuts. So really, to be honest, the food was better than I expected. Now, this is from the perspective of eating the food with my "Chineseness" temporarily on hold. Even with that, there were some dishes that could probably need some injection of authenticity such as the beans (I know I am contradicting myself, but it's true).

The Good:
- Loved the high ceilings in the main dining space
- Some dishes were surprisingly good
- The service we got was very good

The Bad:
- Well, it ain't cheap, but then again, this is not a wonton noodle joint (can't compare)
- Dishes like the beans could benefit from injection of some "authenticness"

Paul's Place Omelettery

2012-01-23T00:00:00.001-08:00

An all-day ball hockey tournament. That's what Costanza proposed to a few of us via email. Boy, I haven't played ball hockey in quite awhile. It's been strictly ice hockey, in particular, playing goal. I do like ball hockey, but do I have the stamina to keep up? Also, if I recall, most of my injuries stemmed from ball hockey. Oh fine, why not, it was for charity anyways. Apparently, he was successful in filling the rest of the roster with familiar friends such as Chill, Bubbly, Rock Guy and Slash & Whack Girl. Now, any all-day activity requires nourishment and lots of it. Yet, with very little in the way of downtime, Costanza and I decided to grab some early morning breaky at Paul's Place Omlettery prior to the tourney. After we sat down, I took a quick gander at the dining room and something triggered my memory. Hey! This place used to be Magnum's! For those who are unfamiliar, Magnum's was a popular restaurant with the late-night post-clubbing crowd in the 90's. A bunch of us spent a lot of time in the early morning hours here... It was an alternative to Denny's.

With nostalgia out-of-the-way, we settled in on deciding what to eat. For Costanza, it was easy, he thought that trying out the Meatlover's Omelet would best represent the place. Boy, was the egg portion of the omelet ever thin. So much so, we could see the filling through it! For some, that would be too little egg. For us, it was perfect - more filling. That meant the bacon, sausage, ham, onion, cheddar, edam and romano cheese really showed up in terms of flavour. The side of pan fries was soft potato goodness. However, we would've liked to see more crispy bits and surfaces. For myself, I had a hard time deciding between the Pulled Pork Hash and the Traditional Eggs Benny (with black forest ham instead of Canadian back bacon). The solution? Have both! No need to be like Pippin and Merry with 1st and 2nd breakfast. Just have them both in one meal!

I tackled the Pulled Pork Hash first and it was concoction of pan fries, peppers, onions, pulled pork topped with 2 poached eggs and cheese. Although a tad greasy, I found the hash to be flavourful and satisfying. The pulled pork was tender and moist with a BBQ sauce that was tangy and sweet. The free-range eggs were poached perfectly runny. Onto my second breakfast, I had the Traditional Eggs Benny. Not sure if Black Forest Ham would've been my first choice of meat (I prefer back bacon), but it was okay nonetheless. I liked that the egg was poached free-hand and done perfectly runny. The cheese sauce (instead of Hollandaise) had a nice consistency and a hint of lemon (although I'm thinking was it really lemon? Not sure, it was good though). I didn't end up eating the potatoes on this place since I was stuffed. Our server was impressed that I finished that much. You know what was more impressive? That I didn't puke the whole thing up after a whole day of hockey.

The Good:
- Relatively good portions
- Above-average eats
- Comfy surroundings

The Bad:
- A tad expensive
- I know this is nit-picking, but I would've liked back bacon on the Traditional Eggs Benny

Sampaguita Cafe

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's always exciting to see new restaurants. For obvious reasons, it means I get to try new things and hopefully the food makes an impression. Now out along the Scott Road corridor, it is even more exciting if the new restaurant is not Indian. Again, I love Indian food, but variety is important! Fresh off trying out Maria & Maria Cafe nearby (which has since closed), there is yet another new Filipino restaurant. Located in the partially deserted Kennedy Heights Shopping Centre, we now have Sampaguita Cafe. Similarly to Maria & Maria, they are a catering business which also operates as a cafe. They offer the regular wraps and sandwiches in addition to Filipino food.

For me, there was no way I was going to have a sandwich. Instead, I went for 2 items and rice starting with the Caldereta (beef stew). This version was slightly bland and it was quite obvious it wasn't exactly ready since the potatoes were still firm and the meat slightly chewy. It was pleasant enough if not a touch mild (and I'm not talking about spice). There are different recipes to this dish and I once had it with coconut milk (which is rare) and that made it more rich. For my second item, I had the Afritada (chicken in a tomato-based sauce). This one was also quite mild with the pieces of meat being the chicken wing. Therefore, the meat was moist and tender with the skin being slightly rendered. The veggies in this dish were cooked down more so than the caldereta, which made it easier to eat.

Seeing how my first visit was a little
underwhelming, I wanted to see what some of the other dishes were like. Despite all indications they should be open at 10:30 (according to their website), they never seem to be. Thus, after a couple of fails, I finally caught them open (more like at noon). Since I had no time to actually sit down and eat, I got 2 items to go. Their rice was not ready yet, so I had to do the no-carb diet for lunch. I decided to to give the Laing (pork with taro leaves) a go and boy was it salty. Okay, to be fair, I didn't have it with rice and that would skew things a bit. Whatever, the case, it wasn't lacking in flavour. Lots of coconut milk in an extremely rich sauce with fatty pieces of pork. The taro leaves were predictably wilty, but I didn't mind it. Lastly, I had to try their Pork & Chicken Adobo. This was also not lacking in flavour although the potatoes were probably a tad too vinegary. Again, I ain't complaining since the meat was moist and the flavours seemed to have had time to meld. It was pretty obvious my second visit yielded different results than the first time. Textures were better and flavours were more pronounced. It could be that the food was more "ready" this time around than last. I would say Sampaguita is pretty decent place for lunch with not much in the way of competition nearby.

The Good:
- Decent amount of choice (that is ready to go)
- Prices are reasonable
- The ladies there are friendly

The Bad:
- The times I've been there, certain things are not ready for lunch (ie. the Calderta and the rice)

New Macaw's Cafe

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Almost 10 years ago, I had a temporary gig at a company near the Great Pacific Forum. Now, if you are familiar with the area, it is not exactly a hotbed of culinary excitement. So for one month solid, I went on the Jared diet at Subway. No, I really wasn't on a diet, but other than Burger King and Tim's, there was not much to choose from for lunch. After a month of sandwiches, I'd had enough. Not only was it getting expensive (Subway is not cheap), I had actually gained weight. See what carbohydrates can do to you! So I went searching for alternative eats that didn't involve going upstairs at GPF. Little did I know, there was a small cafe hidden on Swenson Way.

Fast forward to the present and it suddenly hit me that this place still exists. I decided it was time to go back and as I pulled up, the sign read "New Macaw's Cafe". Was it just "Macaw's Cafe" before? Since the menu is so varied, I decided that more than one visit was in order. Thus, on my first go around, I went for the infamous Chinese combo lunch. No, it wasn't combo #5, rather it was Combo F. It included chow mein, sweet 'n sour pork, broccoli beef and lemon chicken. This was a relatively large plate of food reminiscent of places such as Hang Lee Wok and Manchu Wok. However, it costs significantly more at Macaw's. Granted, the food is prepared fresh and served steaming hot. And you know what? The food was pretty good North American Chinese. The chow mein was well-seasoned and exhibited good wok heat. Crisp and vibrant, the broccoli was good while the beef was tender. The sweet & sour pork was meaty and crisp. Although it was flavourful, I would've preferred the sauce to have a bit more tang. The lemon chicken was crispy and meaty with a tangy sauce.

On my second visit, I wanted to try their Sushi. Yah, it looked kinda shady since there was not a lot of choice and there was no sushi chef on the premises. With that in mind, I was prepared to be bitterly disappointed. However, that wasn't really the case. Sure, the sushi was pretty average and in fact, the tuna nigiri looked like it was prepared with a butter knife. On the positive. the rice was actually acceptable and the fish was okay. Seeing how some sushi might not be enough, I also ordered the Ma Po Tofu on Rice. This was actually pretty good. The tofu stayed in tact and the ground pork was moist. The mix of peppers and pickled veggies added some texture as well as hits of flavour. For a lil' cafe out in the middle of nowhere, this was not bad. In fact, the Chinese food in particular is a whole lot better than some actual Chinese restaurants in North Delta.

The Good:
- Lots of choice from Chinese, Japanese and American food
- Food is actually pretty good (particularly the Chinese food)
- Friendly family-run operation

The Bad:
- Not as cheap as you would think
- For those who care, it's mostly serve yourself (get your own cutlery, water, condiments)

Fortune Garden

2012-01-20T00:00:00.001-08:00

After a crazy visit to Seattle for Black Friday, I swore to not go out on Boxing Day here in Vancouver. Even after purchasing a few items off Futureshop and NCIX on their online Boxing Day sales, I still held steadfast on the notion of sleeping in on Boxing Day. Well, I did end up sleeping in. But Viv suggested we head out anyways... and with the kids! Okay, it wasn't that bad since we weren't going to visit any big box stores nor the mall. Seeing how it was almost time for lunch, I suggested we head out for some Dim Sum first. We decided on Fortune Garden since we had just talked about it. You see, Viv and I were across the street at McD's a week prior and remarked that it has been at that location forever (in one shape or form). It was about time we paid them a visit considering the last time I was here, my age was in single digits.

Being a Szechuan restaurant, we decided the Szechaun Beef Noodle was a must try. It arrived first and it was hit and miss in one bowl. We really liked the beef, since it was super tender and not overly fatty. The thin noodles were al dente, yet gooey for some reason. The soup was pleasant enough, not lacking flavour per se, but it was not in the least spicy. So much so, my daughter ate it without complaints. This was an okay bowl of noodles which could be a whole lot better. We then proceeded to some Cantonese Dim Sum items starting with the Haw Gow (Steamed Shrimp Dumplings). For a Szechaun joint, these were pretty good. Although the dumpling skin was a touch sticky, the shrimp filling had a good snap and was seasoned just enough that it didn't overwhelm the shrimp.

As a filler of sorts, we got the Pan-Fried Daikon Pudding Cakes. I use the word "filler" because it essentially fills up your stomach, which means you order less. Not sure why we did this since it was only Viv and I with the kids. And no, we didn't finish it. It was not bad though. A touch on the stiffer side, yet fried until crisp on the outside, there was enough slivers of daikon and Chinese Sausage for flavour. From the
subtle-tasting back to Szechuan, we got the Spicy Wontons. I wouldn't necessarily have called these bland, but it wasn't as impactful as I would've liked. Sure, there was chili oil as you can clearly see in the picture. I guess we could've just used a bit more. I'm pretty sure they make this dish to appeal to as many people as possible. Thus, someone could easily asked for it to be prepared spicier. As for the wontons, they were pretty standard pork wontons which more or less did their job (as a blank canvas for the spicy oil and soy mixture).

Now drumroll... Yes, it is the ever-so-ordered Soy-Fried Rice Noodle Rolls. Although I am completely indifferent about this dish, my son can't do without it. These were pretty typical. The texture was about right where it was chewy while soft at the same time. They were quite greasy though and could've stood for more browning. Also, for some odd reason, there was no accompanying sauces such as the usual hoisin and sesame. Onto something that my son wouldn't even considering eating (which is not a stretch because there are many people who are probably in the same boat) was the Phoenix Talons or otherwise known as Chicken Feet. For those unfamiliar, these are first fried, then tossed in an oyster-based sauce with garlic and peppers, then steamed. What makes a good chicken feet dish? Well, first of all, the skin should be in one piece and not shriveled up and peeling (yes, not a great gastronomical description). Furthermore, the gelatin underneath the skin should be intact since that what makes this dish so good. This was more or less the case here and it was surprisingly decent.

Another decent offering was the Steamed Black Bean Spareribs. Despite its compacted appearance, the meat was tenderized enough so it was easy to chew. Yet, there was still plenty of meat texture left. For those sparerib connoisseurs, you will notice from the picture that the pieces were good quality. There was a minimal amount of cartilage and fat while most were actual rib pieces. Although there was not a whole lot of black bean itself, the rest of the seasonings (such as the peppers, chili flakes and garlic) made up for it. Okay, we decided to get the Xiao Long Bao even though Fortune Garden is a Szechuan restaurant. We were expecting an average attempt and it was pretty much bang-on. The dumpling skin was on the thicker side and the amount of soup was pretty meager. The meat filling wasn't too bad though. It was not gritty and had some good meat flavour. It could've used some more ginger though. But then again, I'm not going to be too hard on them since they are not a Shanghainese restaurant.

Lastly, we added an order of the Vegetarian Spring Rolls because they didn't have the Chinese Donut. My son was pretty annoyed since he was expecting the latter. In the end, he was happy he got something deep-fried and crispy. These were very crunchy and a touch oily. The shredded cabbage and carrots remained crisp inside. Not sure what type of clientele they are hoping to attract, but the inclusion of sweet plum sauce as a dip was not exactly what we were expecting. Worcestershire sauce please! Whatever the case, the food in general was alright and did the job. Not necessarily anything special enough to compete with the big boys and many of the Dim Sum joints in East Van. However, considering its location where there are not really all that many choices (Szechuan Chongqing and Dynasty), it is no wonder it still exists to this date.

The Good:
- Service was above-average
- Food is serviceable

The Bad:
- Food is alright for the area, but there is better elsewhere
- Szechuan items are watered-down to satisfy a wider range of customers (well, bad for us that is)

The One Spot Soup House

2012-01-19T00:00:00.001-08:00

On a recent holiday visit to Herbie the Lovebug's house for dinner, we were discussing great places to eat (of course we would!). While Herbie was proudly showing off his pics from his dinner at Per Se in NYC (Thomas Keller's place) on his iPad, he mentioned another restaurant in town he thought highly of. Oh? Something on the same level as Per Se? Could that be? In Vancouver??? Turns out that Herbie has restaurant ADD and was onto a different type of restaurant. Rather than the a Michelin 3-star establishment, he was referring to a dive known as "the Chinese character for soup" dot com. For those who can't read Chinese characters or were already annoyed at the "artist formerly known as Prince", the English name of the place is the The One Spot Soup House. Herbie was excited that they offered real hot pot rice that had the classic rice crust on the bottom of the pot.

After dropping off our son at Costanza's house for a sleepover, Viv and I head over to 湯.com to see for ourselves. Okay, the place is the true definition of a dive. No decor whatsoever and with Costco chairs and a few tables, this was it. No matter, if the food is good, who really cares? As the name of the place suggests, we went for the Herbal Chicken Soup to start. Presented in its own clay pot with paper sealing the top, the soup was served boiling hot. There was definitely a herbal flavour to it, in this case "Ching Bo Leun". The meat itself was quite tough, but it was meant for flavour more than anything. With a sprinkle of salt, the soup was pretty satisfying especially for a cold, wet day. After this, there as a long wait period of about 20 minutes because every order of hot pot rice is made from scratch.

We ended up getting 2 hot pot rice and each came with a complimentary soup (which was good) and a small container of pickled daikon and carrots. Viv went for the Chicken Hot Pot Rice with shitake mushrooms and Chinese preserved sausage topped with a few stalks of yau choy. The hot pots average around $7.00 and for the amount of food, it is a fair price. There should be enough to satisfy one person. Back to the hot pot, there was plenty of moist, tender chicken atop the perfectly chewy rice.A bottle of sweetened soy sauce was provided at the table if needed. We were quite conservative with the soy since the chicken had sufficient seasoning already (especially combined with the Chinese sausage).

For myself, I had the Pork and Preserved Vegetable Hot Pot Rice. I added a salted duck egg as well. They weren't stingy on the meat as it was a thick patty almost totally covering the rice. The meat was smooth, bouncy and tender. The bits of preserved veggie added some zing and saltiness to the moderately seasoned meat. I particularly liked that the meat wasn't overly fatty either. But the real treat was at the bottom and sides of the hot pot. The "fan gew" or rice crust was crunchy and nutty. Very aromatic and texturally pleasing to eat. If someone wanted to point out that these type of hot pot rice at Dim Sum restaurants usually costs less, the reason is that they are normally steamed, not over a flame. Furthermore, these here have not been sitting around, they are made-to-order and it shows in the final product. Certainly not the most sexiest food out there, but it is something comforting and
inexpensive.

The Good:
- Fair pricing
- Prepared fresh
- Lots of choices

The Bad:
- The decor makes wonton noodle joints look luxurious
- Service is friendly, but sparse

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

2012-01-18T00:00:00.002-08:00

Lunch with Vandelay can be dangerous at times. You see, he loves to eat (possibly more than me!) and when he does, he goes all out. When he eats ramen, it can only be the fatty pork. If it is a smoked meat sammie, it has to be full fat. And when he has pork belly, there is no wastage at all, the whole thing goes in his mouth. For people who really know food, Vandelay is doing it right. But if we look at healthy eating, this would be the complete antithesis. Hence, whenever I'm out for eats with him, it sets me further back if there is a blood test on the horizon. So I suggested to him that we should eat "healthy" for once. How about Shizen Ya? They serve good-for-you Japanese food right? Vandelay reluctantly agreed and as we were walking up Nelson, our attention took a sharp detour to the left. What's this? A new restaurant right next to Relish? Oh no, here we go again... We went from healthy eats to non-healthy in a blink of an eye. Curse you Vandelay!

Apparently, there is now a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ in Vancouver. With over 700 locations worldwide, this is a serious chain restaurant. As such, we would naturally go for the BBQ, but first, we had a few appies. Incidentally, all of them were fried. Curse you again Vandelay! So we started with the Spicy Salmon Volcano which was a whipped salmon and spicy mayo concoction sitting atop fried sushi rice. I would say the best way to describe it was "interesting". I wasn't really fond of the fried sushi rice. It was a touch too hard and gummy. The salmon "mousse" on top was slightly spicy and sweet. Up next was the Fried Calamari with chili mayo dolloped on the plate. This was good. The squid was tender and still moist while the batter was crispy and light. Dipped into the chili mayo, it was a pleasant experience (not sure if this is the right way to describe it, but we were indeed feeling pleasant...).

For our last appie, we had the Chicken Karaage which consisted of boneless dark meat pieces. These were fried up perfectly crisp while the meat was moist and juicy. There was a proper amount of salt which added enough flavour. After our fried food tour, we then proceeded to the fatty meat portion of the meal. Curse you Vandelay! We settled on the Meat Lover's set meal which included rice, soup and salad. The meats on the plate consisted of Toro Beef, Chuck Kalbi and Bistro Harami. We thought the portion size for the price was fair especially considering the quality of the meat. When cooked on the BBQ, the meats were tender and properly seasoned. Probably the best thing going for them are their super hot and effective BBQs. It may look like Korean BBQ, but believe me, these are some of the most powerful and even-temperature table BBQs I've ever cooked on in a restaurant. No dead spots and barely any meat sticking to the cooking grate. Furthermore, the ventilation worked well in dissipating the large amount of smoke emanating from the BBQ.

Hey, the meal was good. Nothing Earth-shattering, but solid nonetheless. Healthy? Well, that would be up for debate wouldn't it? Curse you Vandelay! Other than the awesome BBQs, the most memorable thing was the service. It was super-attentive to the point of being almost intrusive. Yet, we'd take that over crappy service any day.

The Good:
- Super attentive service
- Really good BBQ equipment
- Decent eats

The Bad:
- A little pricey (but similar to other restaurants of this ilk)

Hai Phong

2012-01-17T00:00:00.003-08:00

Every year, it seems like we do the same things around Christmas time. Like clockwork, we made the trek out to Metropolis to get Santa photos with the kiddies. However, while we were in the long lineup (even before Santa arrived for his morning shift), it quickly dawned on us that we really should be somewhere else. Why? Well, it was a glorious sunny day and the following week would not be so glorious. Hence, it would probably be the best day to do the Stanley Park Christmas train. Seeing how it was already 11:00am, we made an executive decision to ditch the Santa lineup in favour for the Christmas train lineup. So we high-tailed it Downtown, making it to Stanley Park in 30 minutes. Viv jumped out of the car to encounter a lineup spilling out beyond the front gates. What parents do for their kids... We ended up getting the tickets for 8:30pm and considered ourselves lucky since as we left, the lineup stretched far into the parking lot. There must be a better way to do this!

Now with the kiddies complaining of hunger and Viv frozen from standing in line for an hour, the only solution in my mind was Pho. Quick, hot, cheap and accessible - that was the plan. Viv queried where and I confidently stated we would drive down Kingsway and find our way. Hai Phong ended up as our eating destination partly due to Kaiser Soze (he kept raving about it all summer). So what's so special about this place anyways, especially with all the other Vietnamese joints nearby? The thick menu consisting of items not normally found in the run-of-the-mill Pho joints was a clue. With dishes that are similar to Phnom Penh and Mui Ngo Gai, one could technically eat here for weeks on end and not have a bowl of Pho. But guess what Viv had? Yes, a bowl of Pho Dac Biet. Oh well... It was a fairly healthy portion with tender meats and a fragrant broth that had a slight spice at the end. Noodles were al dente as well. Solid bowl of Pho.

For myself, I had the Dry Noodles (which are very similar to the one you'd find at Phnom Penh). As you can see, they weren't shy about loading it up with shrimp, pork stomach, tongue, quail egg, pork and liver. There was just enough sweet soy underneath to wet the noodles while not taking away from their chewiness. Pretty good size for a small order. Of course a small bowl of noodles would never satisfy my appetite, so I got an order of the Lemongrass Chicken and Pork Chop on broken rice with fried egg. Sometimes, the lemongrass is an afterthought with this dish. Not here, lots of fragrance and flavour, in addition to the nice char on the meats. The deboned chicken thigh was super moist while the pork chop really needed more tenderization. The broken rice was perfect in texture, a touch dry and chewy.

For the kiddies, we got them the kid's Pho Ga which came with 2 quail eggs (but Viv stuck the one from my dish into it to make it 3). The chicken was super moist while the broth was light while flavourful at the same time. The kiddies liked it and that made us happy. Normally, a visit to a Vietnamese restaurant does not elicit much excitement nor any huge desire to do another visit right away. However, the stuff at Hai Phong was unique and good enough for us to think about returning.

The Good:
- Large and diverse menu
- Decent portions
- Food is above-average

The Bad:
- Service is good, but can be extremely sparse when busy
- Tables are tightly packed

Zest

2012-01-16T00:00:00.001-08:00

New Year's Eve. Boy, the last time we partied hard was in 1999. No kidding! Not sure if we partied like it was 1999 though. I think we ended up at this warehouse South of Marine Drive somewhere in Vancouver. It was this makeshift event which was alright I guess. All I remember was I had to walk like 10 blocks in the cold because there was no parking and a lot of confetti when the clock struck midnight. I think shortly after that, we just stopped partying. At least that is what I remember. Well, not much has changed since then because when you got kids, party is defined by how many balloons you ordered from the dollar store. So when Snake asked if Viv and I would be interested in joining him and Snake Charmer for dinner on New Year's Eve, that intrigued us. So much so, we actually convinced my parents to look after the kids. Yes, we got to go out on NYE! Well, not to party of course, just a nice dinner.

Initially, Snake was hoping to try the Omakase at Octopus' Garden after reading my post. Alas, it was not meant to be since they were closed until the New Year. As an alternative, I suggested Zest since they had an Omakase too. Furthermore, Richer Guy was so impressed with the place, he called me out-of-the-blue to tell me about it. We considered doing the Omakase, but in the end Snake and I opted for the Dinner Course menu while Viv had the Tasting Course and Snake Charmer did a la carte. As part of our meal, Snake and I started with the Sashimi Salad. The salad consisted of a bed of mesclun greens topped with sashimi which included 2 pieces each of sockeye salmon, red tuna, albacore tuna and hokkigai. The fantastic soy ginger salad dressing was served on the side. The best part of the salad was the sashimi (which it should be) since it was vibrant, fresh and sweet. A great start to the meal. Snake Charmer actually ordered the full-sized version and really enjoyed hers as well. As an FYI, the tasting-sized salad was not considerably smaller.

As for Viv, she had the Spinach Gomae to start. Notice how there was not a goopy mess-of-a-salad dressing on top? Yes, the typical way of doing it for most "Japanese" restaurants is to merely plop a massive amount of sweet-as-candy sesame dressing over blanched spinach and call it gomae. Surprisingly, Snake Charmer (who is Japanese) said she really doesn't mind that version. Okay, I guess we are being picky then? Anyways, for me personally, I prefer toasted sesame over lightly dressed spinach. The one here at Zest was somewhat of a hybrid. It did have the toasted sesame seeds on top, yet also had a sesame miso dressing that was quite sweet. It was conservatively used though and it had a rich sesame flavour. Combined with perfectly blanched spinach, this was an above-average gomae. For Viv's next course, she was presented with an alternative form of Seafood Sunomono. Rather than a dressing, it was laced with a vinaigrette gelee. Intermingled with the gelee was 2 large pieces each of Dungeness crab leg meat, hokkigai and ebi. The crab meat was a real treat since it was fresh and sweet. Underneath was some wakame which was a textural contrast. We weren't convinced with the gelee though since it was quite strong with a alcoholic (sake?) aftertaste.

Snake and I were presented with the Hassun platter next which consisted of the chef's choice of assorted appetizers. The first of 4 was the Green Beans with black sesame and miso dressing. The green beans were blanched perfectly where they were cooked while still having a crunch and a vibrant colour. The dark black sesame dressing was very rich being sweet and aromatic. I love black sesame and this was perfect with the beans. Our second appie was the Tuna Tataki with a jalapeno dressing. In addition to being aesthetically-pleasing to look at, the tuna was seared ever-so-slightly and evenly. Hence, the texture of the tuna was not compromised. It was sweet, soft and was accentuated by the surprise of spicy jalapenos. On to the 3rd appie, we had the Snapper Carpaccio with was dressed with
mustard soy. By now, it was expected to be fresh with a nice sheen and this did not disappoint. The fish was sweet and acted as a canvas for the flavourful dressing. The dressing was sweet as well while balanced with a slight bite from the mustard. Lastly, we had something they affectionately called Creamy Parts of Crab. Well, one look and what we really had was the "crab guts, brains or whatever you want to call that is in the head". Hey, that didn't phase us since that is probably the best part of a crab! And yes, there was some creamy parts combined with the usual textures which are slightly similar to an overcooked oyster. Flavorwise, it was sweet with a pleasing bitterness. Yum.

Our next course was the Tempura consisting of 2 tiger prawns, yam, green onions and shitake mushroom. Okay, I'm going to put myself out there and say that this was some of the best tempura I've ever had, especially the tiger prawns. They were perfectly cooked where there was a crunch and snap when I bit into them which released a wealth of flavour. The natural sweetness and prawn taste was very strong and I really didn't even need the dip. Furthermore, the batter was so very light and crisp. Perfect. For Viv's next course, she had the Fluffy Chili Prawn which was described as beer-battered
prawn served with organic fresh green and
delicious home-made creamy chili sauce & aioli dressing. These were indeed fluffy. Thankfully, that was expected since they weren't very crispy by the time the the sauce began to soak in. Otherwise, I would've wondered about a soggy fried item. The sauce was spicy as advertised. Not burn-your-mouth hot, but there was a kick. Once again, the prawns were very high-quality having a nice snap.

For our mains, Snake and I had a choice. He went for the Beef Rib Eye Steak while I had the other one being the Grilled BC Wild Sablefish. As described on the menu, Snake's ribeye was a 34
days dry-aged Pemberton Meadows Natural Beef
rib eye steak grilled with red miso butter sauce. Underneath the meat lay a wonderful mix of shitake and enoki mushrooms. The beef was super moist and tender with a good char on the outside. The miso sauce was sweet and silky. I liked the beef, but honestly, the Grilled BC Wild Sablefish was my personal favourite. Since it is such a forgiving fish due its high fat content, it really is hard to mess up a good piece of sablefish. However, I've seen it done and it ain't pretty. So I have to give them props for absolutely nailing the preparation here. The fish was beautiful with its seared skin and buttery appearance. As I dug into it with my fork, I knew I would love this dish. It was flaky, melt-in-my mouth and flavouful.

As for Viv, her menu had no choice of main, so she had to have the Honey Garlic Chicken Sautee. Described on the menu as Maple Hills
Farm chicken thigh sautéed with perfectly
matching honey garlic sauce, this was better than I expected. I love chicken, don't get me wrong. It is just that chicken can be boring sometimes due to the lack of inherent flavour. However, they corrected this by added plenty of pop in the cooking and the sauce. The chicken was moist and tender with a good sear. The sauce was luxurious, sweet and impactful. Despite this, I still loved my sablefish the best... But then again, she didn't have that choice! Onto our last course, Snake and I were presented with an assortment of Nigiri consisting of amaebi, hamachi, Spanish mackerel, sockeye salmon and uni. The sushi rice was on the chewier side, yet well done in our eyes. It had a nice bite with a pleasing flavour of its own. As you can clearly see in the picture, the raw seafood was high quality and well-prepared. Naturally sweet and with all the right textures, we were happy. Viv was presented with a 5 piece plate of nigiri as well. Hers included one piece each of tobiko, tuna, snapper, salmon and hamachi.

Snake Charmer ended up ordering 2 specialty rolls starting with the Dragon Roll. This was a pretty standard version consisting of BBQ eel,
lettuce and cucumber with avocado and tobiko on top. Finishing the roll, it was drizzled with sweet unagi sauce. We felt the roll was pretty solid and honestly, there is only so much one can say about a pretty common roll. The rice was good while the ingredients were top-notch. However, the sauce was pretty sweet and it was the predominant flavour. Her second roll was the Rainbow Roll which consisted of avocado, cucumber and real crab topped with slices of tuna, salmon, hamachi, ebi and white fish. Again, the same could be said about this roll where everything was fresh with the good sushi rice which in turn meant the roll was pretty good. I could taste the natural flavours of the ingredients more in this one since there was no heavily sweetened sauce like the dragon roll.

Curiously, Viv's less expensive tasting menu included a choice of ice cream for dessert while the more expensive dinner menu did not. I was pretty full, so I passed on dessert while Snake ordered the same Mango Ice Cream that Viv had. Well, not much to comment other than it was good mango ice cream that was smooth and had a mild mango flavour. I really should have ordered their creme brulee or something, but I was pretty stuffed. In the end, we were pleased with our meal and felt that the food warranted the higher prices. Although we didn't have the Omakase, the 2 tasting meals and Snake Charmer's a la carte choices gave us a good indication of what Zest is about.

The Good:
- Quality ingredients and careful preparation
- Cozy and classy room
- Attentive service

The Bad:
- It ain't cheap
- Room is cozy but the table configuration is kinda weird