June 2014

In product

BC Spot Prawns: Sweet, Delicate Flavour and Firm Texture

June 12, 2014

Every year when it’s Spot Prawn season, my family and I go out to grab a few pounds of these tasty little critters. These are best known for their sweet, delicate flavour and firm texture.

You can tell they are Spot Prawns by their white stripes and white dots. The prices have increased this year close to $17 per pound. I remember a few years ago, they were $11 per pound.

For our family, we usually get around 1 – 4 pounds. Depending on the time of the season that you get them, they can have a range of tiny ones to gigantic ones. We usually go to T&T to buy them because it’s convenient and most of them are still alive when you buy them. You just need to ask them where the spot prawns are sourced from because it can be from BC, or it can be from the States.

The way we usually prepare them is just boiling them in water. Then serve with a spicy pepper infused soy sauce. It’s as simple as that. You can probably still find Spot Prawns now but it isn’t the peak of the season, so you should be looking at around $18-$20 per pound.

How did you find the 2014 Spot Prawn season?

In Bakery

SweetSalt: German Apple Custard Pie

June 11, 2014

I was at Urban Fare and I picked up a German Apple Custard Pie from Sweet Salt Bakery. Of all the samples I tried, I really took a liking to this pie. It was different and I’ve never had this type of pie before.

The look of the custard and the apple doesn’t look very appealing as it is pulling away from the apples. I’m not quite sure if that’s normal or not, but I was more fixated on the taste of the pie.

M enjoyed the pie as it is different from a regular pie. The crust was good and crunchy. A good pie always has a great crust. I found the apples to be delicious but I didn’t like the custard in the combination as it didn’t add much to the overall taste.

SweetSalt has a bakery on Fraser street, so they have a lot more treats besides German Apple Custard Pie.

Website: http://sweetsalt.ca/

In Fast Food

Tim Hortons: Kettle Chips

June 10, 2014

Tim Hortons recently released Kettle Chips. I found that it’s not a bad combination with their sandwiches. Sometimes you want that extra crunch in your meal. When I ordered it, it came out warm, which was a nice touch.

A small bag is $0.99 and a large one is $1.89.

They are probably not cooked on-site as they need to keep standards consistent through all their locations.

The kettle chips were alright but after a while, I thought their chips were a bit too salty. It’s probably a personal preference. I love chips and I always tend to finish the bag if it’s Miss Vickie’s or any other crunchy type of chips.

Nice addition to the menu if you like chips, but it’s not revolutionary different that what you see in the grocery stores.

Website: http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/menu/menu-products.html

In All You Can Eat

ORU: Breakfast Buffet with Benny Bar

June 9, 2014

Oru has a benny bar! Seeing that my friends and I have been on the hunt for the best Eggs Benny around Vancouver, we needed to make a stop here. When coming to Oru for breakfast/brunch, you have the option of ordering off the menu or partaking in the breakfast buffet.

Since the crab benny alone is $27 and the breakfast buffet is $33….we thought we might as well go for the buffet to get our moneys worth since drinks are also included.

The buffet includes house-made bacon, sausage, ham, breakfast wraps, sandwiches, build-your-own omelette, benny bar, potato hash, fruit, cheese, charcuterie, fresh pastries, parfait, cereals and a lot more.

It is only available on Saturday & Sunday from 11:30am – 2:00pm. There is no time limit, so you can stay the entire time.

Oru’s dining are is beautiful and it’s perfect for any special occasion or just a nice hangout with friends.

Each table had a beautiful rose and it really was a delight to see them using real flowers.

The benny bar, you can request eggs any way you like, build an omelette and of course choose your own eggs benny.

Crab Benny was a must since we wanted to get our money’s worth at the buffet. The english muffin is toasted and topped with crab meat, poached egg and hollandaise sauce.

You can order any amount of bennies you want. So, if you don’t want 2, you can just go for a singular one.

Crispy pork benny was my favourite. The pork belly was oozing with flavour and its delicious fat. Mmmm so good!

You can fill up on bread, lots of bread.

Many types of bread.

You have a large selection of cooked dishes.

There is french toast and waffles.

Bacon and sausages!

There is also smoked salmon cream cheese bagels. Beside it was also a pile of smoked salmon if you don’t want the carbs.

We grabbed a lot of protein on our plates.

Lots of meat!

Yummy.

Assorted cereals and toppings.

You have a fruit, cheese and meat section.

This was my favourite item from the fruit section, berries with chantilly cream. There’s blueberries. blackberries. strawberries and raspberries.

You can also order tea, coffee and juice. Their juices are freshly squeezed and really delicious. You can choose from apple, orange, grapefruit. and cranberry.

The service is really great and accommodating. They gave us little bottles of tabasco sauce and ketchup.

Many little pastries.

Croissants!

Sugar Buns!

I went for the almond croissant, chocolate croissant and some more smoked salmon.

Overall, we had a great experience at Oru. The food can be a hit or a miss, but you have a good selection. What made it a great experience was the service! Our server made sure we had everything and if there was something we were craving and they didn’t have it in the buffet, we would be able to make special requests to the kitchen. How amazing is that? My friend wanted plain donuts and they only had cinnamon powdered donuts, so the kitchen was able to make her a batch of plain donuts. When we thought only a few pieces would arrive at our table, we got 2 bowls of donuts! They were nice enough to let us pack it to go. I’m sure if you wanted a grilled cheese, you can ask them to make it.

We Rate Oru:

Address:
1038 Canada Pl
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.orucuisine.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=1038+Canada+Pl&sll=49.2884512,-123.1167542&sspn=0.0053744,0.0109864&t=m&hnear=1038+Canada+Pl,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6C&z=16″]

In Bakery

Basho Cafe: Lunch Times with Family

June 8, 2014

I came with my family to indulge in Basho’s delicious sweet treats. Previously, I came here with friends and it has always been a positive experience. The wait for a table was quite a while for a group of 5, but if you are able to endure a little bit of a wait or some here early, you’ll love this cozy cafe.

Sitting here with matcha lattes ($3.75) and a few treats that range from $1 to $3.

It’s a bit bitter without sugar, so you can add some to sweeten it up for taste.

Sesame brownie, red bean mochi, nut mochi, chocolate mochi are some treats they offer.

Earl Grey Tea ($2.85) and sesame brownie is what my sister ordered. The tea comes already steeped so you don’t have the bag sitting in it getting stronger and stronger.

Smoked Cheddar and Chive Scone was an item on the counter and it was SO good and addictive. I would highly recommend getting this.

Teri Pulled Pork with lunch set ($8 +$3) the pulled pork is delicious and tender and it comes over rice with a few veggies. Alternatively, you can get it as a salad. With the lunch set addition, you get soup, mini sweets, and a coup of tea. It was really good.

Tuna Tataki with lunch set ($9.5 +$3) is my favourite. It’s a light meal, healthy, and the perfect amount for a meal. The 3 treats are worth it too.

Overall, all the baked treats were good and none of them disappointed. It’s a cute cafe to just chill and catch up with friends over drinks and nibbles. Highly recommend this cafe!

We Rate Basho Cafe:

Address:
2007 E Hastings St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://bashocafe.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=2007+E+Hastings+St&sll=49.281216,-123.0634631&sspn=0.0053752,0.0109864&t=m&hnear=2007+E+Hastings+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5L+1T9&z=16 “]

In Bakery

PappaRotti: Coffee Buns

June 7, 2014

PappaRoti has made its way to Vancouver as the first location in Canada. The first store opened up in Malaysia in 2003 selling their signature roti buns. It was a hit and now they have over 400 locations around the world.

Their signature item is the roti bun, which has a sweet caramelized coffee cream on top. It is best paired with tea or coffee.

KoreanGirl and I have been on search for Coffee Buns in Vancouver. Before coming to PappaRoti, we had some at Coffee Bun and Cafe Joie.

PappaRoti was quite busy during the night at 7pm. It got increasingly busy as the night went on. A lot of people were eating catching up with friends, having a meeting or doing homework.

Their menu has coffee, tea, frappes, and smoothies.

Original Bun ($3.65) is twice baked and coated with their caramel coffee cream topping. The top was crispy and the inside was light and fluffy. Eat it right when it comes out of the oven because that is the best.

Dry Cappuccino ($3.50) is my favourite type of cappuccino as it has more foam. I don’t like it with too much milk. The coffee they use is created by JJ Bean, which I was surprised as PappaRotti is a chain. I thought it would be pretty standardized.

KoreanGirl ordered a Milk Tea, but whatever tea they used made it taste a bit weird.

They don’t have a large variety for food, but people mostly come here for the coffee, tea and coffee buns.

Overall, it’s a nice place to chill. There is lots of seating and the coffee is good.

We Rate PappaRotti:

Address:
1505 Robson St
Vancouver BC

Website:
http://papparoti.ca/

In Four Beakers

Ask For Luigi: Dining on Mothers Day

June 6, 2014

Ask For Luigi is located in Gastown and has pretty awesome fresh pasta. My sisters and I came here for Mothers Day and we were fortunate enough to get a reservation. We made the reservation a few weeks prior just to avoid disappointment. This is my second visit as I really enjoyed my first visit.

When we got there at 5:30pm, there was a large line up. A handful of people didn’t have reservations, so some of them were lucky to get a seat and other had to come back later in the evening.

I would try to get a reservation, if not, put your name down and just head to a close lounge/bar for a drink. A good option is the Alibi Room.

Beef Carpaccio ($14) was the special for the night and it had garlic chips, capers, and a few other ingredients. Sprinkle some lemon on top and its quite delicious.

Anchovies & Eggs ($9) comes with 4 slices of bread, and the eggs with anchovies.

It’s a pretty neat dish and strangely visually appealing. The egg with the soft creamy yolk, anchovies, and roe. Eggs on Egg!

Luigi’s Meatballs ($14) comes with 3 pieces and toasted bread. These were a good size and perfect for sharing around the table.

Risotto ($17) has asparagus and topped with a piece of smoked sablefish. I think this is the most beautiful risotto I have ever eaten. This was really good!

Pappardelle and Duck Ragu ($19) is always a hit. It’s not too salty and is also quite addictive. You must order this.

Gluten-Free Pasta with pancetta, chilies & tomato sauce was what my little sister ordered. She’s celiac, so we were glad they had the option on the menu. It was ok, but not as exciting as the other pasta dishes.

Tagliatelle, fennel sausage & rapin ($18) was another pasta we had and it was good too!

Olive Oil Cake ($8) has slices of candied oranges on the bottom and topped with ricotta cheese, basil and a drizzle of olive oil. It was delicious!

Overall, the whole family was very happy with all the dishes and they could not stop eating. For the best experience, I would suggest making reservations at 5:30pm for their first seating as the service is fast and won’t disappoint.

We Rate Ask for Luigi:

Address:
305 Alexander Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.askforluigi.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=305+Alexander+St&sll=49.2844485,-123.0976786&sspn=0.0053748,0.0109864&t=m&hnear=305+Alexander+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6A+1C4&z=16 “]

In Brunch

La Brasserie: Amazing Brunch in Vancouver

June 5, 2014

La Brasserie has been on my t0-eat list for a very long time. I came here for Brunch on a Sunday at 11am and they don’t take reservations. Brunch goes until 3pm, so have you have time to enjoy a taste of brunch. They serve Franco-German food and their brunch menu does look pretty delicious.

They also have a food truck, but obviously they sell different items.

I find that if you come right at 11am, you won’t have trouble finding a table as they can seat about 35 people. We decided to sit at the bar, but that turned out to be the best decision ever.

Usually 3 women can sit and chat forever, but when sitting at the bar facing the kitchen, you would not hear any of us talking to each other. We were too mesmerized looking at the chefs cook up a storm.

We decided on what to order by looking at what the chefs were creating rather than focusing on the menu.

French Press Coffee ($4) in what I needed to kick off the day. The coffee is freshly ground for the order and tasted really good.

Savoury Crepes ($14) has chicken, mushrooms, mornay sauce, and veggies on top. This is what I ordered. It’s not the most visually appealing dish, but I chose it because I love mornay sauce, mushrooms and chicken. It didn’t seem like it would disappoint. It was really good! It’s the type of dish I love. I would definitely order this again.

Roast Pork Neck & Eggs ($14) has poached eggs, potatoes, and hollandaise. TaiwaneseGirl really enjoyed hers and the egg was poached perfectly.

Brasserie Breakfast Poutine ($13) has poached egg, bacon, gravy, truffle oil, and hollandaise all slathered above the fries. CanuckGirl did enjoy it, but after awhile, she was sick of the fries as there were so many. This is perhaps a good item to share among the table rather than eat it individually.

One item that I really wanted to order was the Brasserie Burger. It looked amazing and it’s topped with a mountain of crispy onions. I haven’t been here for dinner yet, but so far, I love brunch here.

We Rate La Brasserie:

Address:
1091 Davie St
Vancouver BC

Website:
http://www.labrasserievancouver.com/

In product

Pure Leaf Iced Tea Review

June 4, 2014

I love drinking tea. I probably consume at least 5 cups of tea a day. When a package of Pure Leaf Iced Tea arrived in the mail, I was quite curious to see how I would enjoy it. I am quite picky with tea.

Pure Leaf just launched in Canada offering 3 different flavours – Lemon, Raspberry and unsweetened. Pepsi Co and Lipton are the creators behind the brand. What makes Pure Leaf stand out is that they claim to be the only bottle iced tea in Canada that is brewed with real tea leaves.

One by one, M and I tried them all and they did have a strong tea taste to each one. We tried the lemon flavour first and it was a sure hit! It wasn’t too sweet, which is great because with some other brands, it can be.

After drinking the lemon, switching to the unsweetened made it taste so boring. You notice the big change in taste. Unsweetened is good if you are accustomed to drinking straight tea. The second time around when I had the unsweetened first, I enjoyed it. But, that’s just me since I don’t like to add sugar to my drinks.

In the States, they have a lot more flavours – Sweetened Iced Tea, Extra Sweet Iced Tea, Peach Iced Tea, and Honey Green Tea.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PureLeaf

In Cafe

Cafe Joie: Coffee and Buns in South Burnaby

June 3, 2014

It’s about time there is a nice independent cafe near Metrotown. What more do you need than coffee and some yummy pastries with friends. KoreanGirl and I were killing time before dinner, so we headed to Cafe Joie for a snack. The cafe is very close to Metropolis at Metrotown. A few minutes walk and you would never expect a place like this to be in the area.

The interior is quite beautiful, spacious and adorable. It’s a great place to do some homework or just catch up with some friends.

Latte is so cute! KoreanGirl was impressed that they took the extra effort to make a little bear on top. The coffee tastes great as they use JJ Bean coffee. I would just come here for the latte art.

Cappuccino was what I ordered. Nice, strong, and delicious. A definite winner if you want to just slowly sip away and have some pastries with it.

Almond cookie was delicious!! I liked the texture and how it was crunchy. I had an obsession with pastries with nuts and almonds. Yum.

Original Coffee Bun that they have here was enjoyable! It’s uniformly shaped and has a coffee aroma from the crust on top. KoreanGirl liked this coffee bun the most compared to some other places in town.

They also have tons of macarons and a few cakes on display too. They also have shaved ice.

Overall, we enjoyed this cafe and would highly recommend it.

We Rate Cafe Joie:

Address:
110-6125 Sussex Ave
Burnaby BC

Website:
http://www.cafejoie.com/

In Happy Hour

The Flying Pig: Appy Hour

June 2, 2014

From 4pm till 6pm everyday, the Flying Pig has an Appy Hour menu. The menu isn’t very large, but you have a good amount of choices to choose from. You also have the regular menu to order from.

Appy Hour Menu:

Beet and Bresaola Salad $5
Local Artisan Cured Meat Selection $6
Shortrib Croquettes $5
Seared Chili-Rubbed Skirt Steak $5
Steamed Clams $6
Truffled Mac and Cheese $5
House Salmon Sampler $5

I came here after work with Korean Girl and Mandu to celebrate the end of the week.

The interior is a decent size and the two dining areas are separated by a bar. We sat on the left side of the restaurant on the high top tables.

Shortrib Croquettes ($5) comes with 4 pieces and a side of sriracha parmesan basil dip. It was really good and creamy inside.

Crispy Brussel Spouts ($6) were not on the appy hour menu, but you can order it as a regular side off the menu. It’s a good size for the price. The brussel sprouts is flavoured with lemon, parmesan and capers. Highly recommended.

Steamed Clams ($6) comes with its delicious broth and frites. The broth is yummy and its perfects to dunk those fries into.

Seared Chili-Rubbed Skirt Steak ($5) comes with frites as well. The skirt steak was done at a perfect medium rare and sliced up. The frites were crunchy and delicious but a tad salty.

Overall, the girls and I had a great time after work eating at flying pig and having a few beers. The prices were great and the food was good for the price. I will definitely be back.

We Rate The Flying Pig:

Address:
1168 Hamilton St
Vancouver BC

Website:
http://www.theflyingpigvan.com/

In Cafe

Continental Coffee: Independent Coffee Shop on Commercial Drive

June 1, 2014

I was walking down Commercial Drive and I saw Continental Coffee House, so I decided to stop here and grab a coffee. It was cool to see an independent coffee joint in the neighbourhood. The place was packed in the middle of the day with people having meeting, people hanging out with friends, and people doing homework. It’s been around for a long time since 1979. They have been voted one of the best independent coffee shop in Vancouver.

There is also a second location on Main Street, that opened on December 2012.