May 2016

In New Westminster

Sugar Mountain Catering: Private Dining Experience

May 31, 2016

Sugar Mountain Catering was testing out their Private Dining Experience at Arundel Mansion in New Westminster.

They found that there is a need for intimate and cozy venues without sharing the space with other restaurant patrons.

Sugar Mountain Catering has discovered Arundel Mansion for small groups in the heart of downtown New Westminster. The space is very reasonably priced and comes with a fully equipped 40-seat restaurant, kitchen and bar, as well as an upstairs suite and kitchenette. They invited us for sneak preview of what guests would experience for a 8-course dinner.

The decor seemed French inspired and has a lot of old vintage photos and posters. We have no idea who were in those photos, but it gave an old spooky charm to the place. Even finding the washroom was an adventure.

As we waited for other guests to arrive, we got a glass of Prosecco.

As an Amuse Bouche, we got cured roma tomato and basil encrusted chevre crostini with 25 year aceto balsamico. It was a nice touch that they drizzled the balsamic right in front of you.

A good 2 bite starter to start the meal. The crostini was crisp and the items on top were enjoyed.

Maple Hills Farm free range chicken consomme with vermouth, local spring morels, foie gras, mirepoix vegetables and pate feuilletee.

You break open the top of the puff pastry to get to the soup below. The soup had a thin consistency and served piping hot.

Braised Fraser Valley beef cheek and bone marrow custard with Italian parsley, fleur de sel, pink Himalayan salt, glace viande and grilled brushetta. This was one of my favourite dishes. When you scoop up the custard, the beef cheek lays inside and its so tender. I just wished there were more brushetta.

Fresh picked Dungeness crabmeat with chilled-grilled spring asparagus Pemberton Valley fingerling potatoes and a grain mustard vinaigrette. The dish was served in a fun martini glass. The crabmeat was sweet and was enjoyable, but I did find a small bit of shell in my glass.

Gulf Island pink shrimp perogies with truffle butter, wild sockeye belly bacon, ikura caviar and sour cream.I found that they shrimp filling inside was a bit small and the skin was thick.

Nori wrapped tempura ahi with shiso oil, uni cream and ponzu daikon sprouts. The tempura and nori was limp and soggy. The ahi tuna needed a little dash of salt to bring out more flavour since it was pretty bland.

Poached fillet of smoked wild BC sablefish, Fanny Boy oyster, brandade gratin, fennel, bacon and rosemary infused veloute.

The sablefish did have a few bones in it, so I had to be careful not to injest them. Other than that, the sablefish tasted good.

The Palette Cleanser between these courses was Lychee Ginger Ice. Nice and refreshing.

Roast rack of Salt Spring Island lamb with Chianti syrup, sauteed fiddleheads and roasted spring vegetable couscous en cocotte. The lamb was cooked to a medium rare making it juicy and tender.

Belgian chocolate-raspberry pot de creme was my favourite of the dessert trio. You can’t go wrong as it’s so smooth and I love chocolate.

Cashew and cardamom spiced love cake with coconut ice cream was ok but still couldn’t compare to the pot de creme.

Jackfruit tarte tatin was hard for me to eat. I wasn’t into the flavours.

It was a good experience but it did take some time for each dish to come out. With the limited space and equipment in the kitchen, I can see how it would be hard to put out all the dishes in a quick manner. In total, we dined for 3 hours and it did feel like the dinner dragged on for some time.

Some dishes were a hit and some were a miss. They have been one of the top wedding and event caterers in the Lower Mainland and this is an interesting new private dining concept they are trying out. I’m sure they will make some tweaks to the execution.

Website: http://www.sugarmountaincatering.com

In British Columbia

Wanderoot Craft Cider: Review

May 30, 2016

Wanderoot Craft Cider is a new product available in BC, Alberta and Ontario since April 2016. It is a new product from Molson Canadian.

It is sparkly, medium-sweet and full of juicy Canadian apple flavours. It reminds me of apple juice, so it is very easy to drink. At 5.1%, I could easily get drunk off this.

Cider is always great to drink during the hot summer. This particular cider pairs well with pork or soft creamy cheeses like brie and camembert.

With more and more companies breaking into the Craft Cider market, it’s pretty interesting to see.

Website: http://wanderoot.ca/

In All You Can Eat

River Rock Buffet: Surf and Turf Night

May 29, 2016

The Buffet at the River Rock Casino in Richmond has Surf and Turf Night on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 5pm. They do not take reservations and can get very busy around 6 and 7pm. Always best to arrive early.

For $39.95 per adult, it’s not a bad price.

They can seat up to 260 people at one time but it is packed during peak times with hungry people wanting all you can eat. Their dishes are inspired by West Coast cuisine.

Since I was leaving on vacation soon, we had to celebrate Mother’s Day earlier. Not a bad thing since it is cheaper.

The line was super long that it flowed out of the lobby.

The staff were pretty good about treating their guests well. They brought lemonade to those who were thirsty.

We got seated about waiting in line for 1.5 hours. We did have a larger group, so it was harder for them to seat us.

Once we sat down, staff came over to take our drink order. Then it was off to scavenge for food in the buffet area.

Crab, clams, prawns and mussels

This should be the first area you go to if you are a seafood lover. The quality is pretty good for a buffet. You gotta get your money’s worth.

The staff are pretty good about making sure that it doesn’t get empty. When I was here, it was always fully stocked.

If you aren’t into cold seafood, they have hot versions near the back. There is cooked salmon, clams, mussel, prawns, and crab legs.

On my first round, I got a little bit of all the seafood. Between the cold and hot crab legs, I enjoyed the cold ones a lot more since it was easier to get the meat out of the shell. With the hot ones, the meat doesn’t slide out very well from the shell and also your hands get more oily.

The other clams, mussels and shrimp were good. I liked the hot and cold ones equally.

On round 2, I went with all cold seafood since it was easier to eat with my hands. I’m a savage when it comes to eating seafood at a buffet.

Roast Carving Station

At the roast carving station, you will find prime rib, ham, and roast chicken,

I grabbed a bit of prime rib and it was pretty good. Nice and fatty with some pink in the centre. Of course, I had to get some fruit and veggies to balance all the seafood and meat I was eating.

You can also get prime rib that is a bit more well done.

Sushi Station

At the sushi station, you will find sushi rolls and sashimi. The items didn’t look that great, so I decided to spend my calories on more crab.

Dessert

The main dessert area has a lot of little cakes. Many kinds, so it might be hard to choose.

Drinks

You can also grab pop and juice. Behind the machines are taps for filtered water and sparkling water.

Ice Cream

Behind the Pepsi and drink machines, there is ICE CREAM and POPSICLES! A lot of people seem to miss seeing these since its a bit hidden.

Double Chocolate Sundae is a good way to end the meal.

Overall, not a bad buffet at all. If you love seafood, you’ll have a good time eating all the crabs, prawns, clams, and mussels. Of course, it still doesn’t compare to the buffets in Vegas, but at least we have something.

We Rate The Buffet:

Address:
8811 River Rd
Richmond, BC

Website:
http://www.riverrock.com/dining/the-buffet.aspx

In Culinary School

VCC Chef’s Table: Pop-up Kitchen

May 28, 2016

Vancouver Community College has brought back their popular – VCC Chef’s Table for the Summer until June 30 at the Downtown Campus. I am a huge fan of dining at culinary art schools as the food is cheap, tastes great and it helps train our future chefs.

Chef Hamid Salimian shares his knowledge and expertise with a new generation of chefs as an instructor in the VCC Culinary Arts program. He did an awesome job crafting the menu with the students.

This pop-up style restaurant is located in the Bistro on the 2nd floor. Just walk up the stairs and it’s on your right.

Guests are seated while the students use modern techniques to create a 5 course set menu before your eyes for $30 or $45 with wine pairings.

It’s a small space, so I think there were 5 tables. All reservations are gone, but be sure to check back in the Fall for their next Chef’s Table series.

The menu rotates every 2 weeks and its a surprise what you will be served.

If you don’t want to do the wine pairings, they have cocktails and other beverages they can prepare for you.

The first course is the Puffed Foie Gras with an apricot puree, candied almond, and rose water honey bubble. It is paired with Grey Monk Odyssey Brut Rose 2012.

The texture was very delicate and tasted so good. We popped the honey bubble and mixed it into the puffed foie gras.

Cavatelli and Lobster has NextJen gluten-free cavatelli, lobster, sweet onion, parmesan, and lobster foam. It was paired with the Fern Walk Sauvignon Blanc 2014.

The lobster was cooked perfectly and the lobster foam was so addictive.

Roasted Squab has sour cherry, red beet, brown butter vinaigrette and topped with greens. It is paired with a Sumac Ridge Pinot Noir 2015.

The squab was tender and full of flavour, but I wish the piece of squab was larger.

24 hour Short Rib has popcorn sweetbreads, hen of the woods, and potato. It is paired with a Red Rooster Hen House Ruffled Wine.

This was our favourite dish of the night. Short rib was tender, potato puree was additive, and we could eat a whole bucket of those little popcorn sweetbreads.

Chocolate Bar has hazelnuts, milk chocolate, and salted caramel ice cream. It is paired with a See Ya Later Ranch Gewurztraminer 2014.

It was so good! The dense chocolate bar and the salted caramel ice cream was a match made in heaven.

It was so much fun seeing all the students create the dishes right in front of our eyes. All the dishes came at a good pace and it was a great experience. For $30 for 5 dishes, it is worth the price. You get a good amount of food, but if you are a big eater, you might not be completely full.

I would come back again in a heartbeat for their VCC Chef’s Table.

Address:
250 West Pender Street, Vancouver‎

Website:
http://www.vcc.ca/international/about/news-and-events/events/article/the-chefs-table-pop-up-kitchen-april-19—june-30.html

In Cafe

17°C Dessert Cafe: Melon Icy and Light Bulb Drinks

May 27, 2016

17°C Dessert Cafe is the newest dessert shop to open up in Metro Vancouver. They were slammed last weekend because they offered 50% off for their grand opening. Crazy good deal, but I decided not to go since I would rather be at home relaxing over the long weekend. Luckily ChineseBites invited a few of us to try their signature items later in the week.

2 items that are unique to this cafe are their melon ball shaved ice and their light bulb drinks. Once you see the pictures, you’ll be tempted to pay a visit.

Anything with a crown is their featured item – Watermelon Icy, Honey Dew Icy and the Fruit Boat. They also have smoothies, yogurt and other asian desserts. They are constantly making tweaks to their menu.

Cantaloupe Icy has cantaloupe balls and berry juicy balls on top of shaved ice and more cantaloupe balls. We had to carefully remove the balls so they don’t accidentally fall off. They also give you a container of condensed milk to pour on top.

At $14.99, it is a bit pricey, but you’re paying for all the labour it takes to scoop out all those melon balls.

The berry juicy balls or whatever you call it was very sweet, so it took away from the natural sweetness of the cantaloupe. Even though it looks awesome with the juicy balls, it didn’t mesh well. the juicy balls remind me of the ones you get at Pinkberry.

I think I would have just preferred everything except those juicy balls. It’s a fun item to share with friends.

The Watermelon Icy is their top-selling item. Refreshing watermelon balls with almond, pocky, ice cream, shaved ice and condensed milk. The almond didn’t add much to the taste, but more of a decorative piece between the melon balls. The fruit is very fresh and naturally sweet.

Pineapple Icy has shaved ice in the centre, juicy balls, some sort of berry gummy and topped with ice cream. It’s definitely not as grand-looking as the melon balls, but pineapple is delicious. Also, due to its shape, there wasn’t a lot of shaved ice inside.

The drinks come in 2 sizes, regular and large. We got all of our drinks in the large size, even though they look small. I should have put in my hand for scale but I was preoccupied getting a photo.

Passionfruit, Red Pomegranate, Lemon and Kiwi light bulbs. They tasted unnaturally sweet especially the red pomegranate as it reminded me of cotton candy. Very unique concept of having the drinks in lightbulbs, but none of the flavours really impressed me.

As they are still new, they have a few kinks to work out. Very photogenic desserts and drinks, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come have this. I’ve noticed some inconsistencies in what other people were ordering too, so I’m sure they are tweaking it as they get more feedback from customers.

We Rate 17°C Dessert Cafe:

Address:
2229 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC

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

In Tofino

Tofino: Tonquin Trail

May 26, 2016

Tonquin Trail in Tofino was recommended to us by a local for a quick easy trail with a nice view of the beach. Since we ate a huge brunch, we needed to burn off the calories on a short walk.

We followed the signs until we were at the designated parking lot.

Everyone parked their cars on the gravel field that was close to the entrance of the trail. This particular parking lot is by the Community Centre.

All the information is located on the board. We headed to the beach as it is a shorter trail. If you want to do the full trail, it is about 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete.

Follow the gravel path and you will eventually find your way. Data services can be spotty depending on your cellular provider. I am with Rogers and there was no 3G or LTE.

The trail has gradual inclines and declines, but not too tough.

The next sign you will see helps direct you to the beach rather than the another parking lot. Just head left.

Closer to the beach, you will see a set of stairs that goes down right to the beach.

Tonquin Beach looked decent, but because of the clouds, it wasn’t as impressive. If you get a perfect sunny day, you’ll be having a great time basking in the sun.

The Maze Lookout is a short distance away. You’ll want to climb up on top to take some panoramic photos. Cool little structure on this beach.

It was nice to be in Tofino and just take a short break from the small town, sit on the rocks and just relax.

Sometimes its good to just take in the natural beauty of nature.

Website: http://tonquintrail.ca/

In Hotel Review

Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet: Review

May 25, 2016

Black Rock Oceanfront Resort is located in Ucluelet between the Wild Pacific Trail and Big Beach. My friends and I came here for the long weekend to relax and unwind. The Pacific Rim Whale Festival was happening at the same time in March, so there was plenty of things to do in the area.

The resort is 40km away from Tofino, which is around a 35-40 minute drive. It’s not too bad as it is a really nice drive and tons of hikes and viewpoints along the way. Just make sure you get an park pass for Pacific Rim National Park so you can park and enjoy the sights.

Checking in

Photo Credit: Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

We checked into the lobby at 4pm and got our keys to our room. The staff were very friendly and knowledgable. If you had questions on where to go or dine nearby, just go ask them.

Dining

Photo Credit: Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

Black Rock has 2 dining areas you can check out – Fetch and Float Lounge.

Fetch is a 90 seat oceanfront restaurant that over looks the Pacific Ocean. Every seat has a spectacular view of the surrounding view.

Float Lounge is their more casual dining atmosphere. You still get a nice view if you sit right by the windows. They do not take reservations, so its first come first serve. It is cheaper than Fetch and has a good amount of West Coast dishes that will tickle your taste buds like the seaside bowl, Surf n’ Turf Steak Sandwich, and the Smoked Seafood Chowder.

Spa and Amenities

Photo Credit: Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

Drift Spa is an award-winning spa and won Top 20 Spa in North America from Spas of America in 2015. They have an extensive menu of rejuvenating and restorative body and skin treatments including, massage, facials, manicures, pedicures, hydrotherapy, body scrubs, wraps, soaks, and hot stone treatments.

I looked into RMT services but since they don’t have a dedicated RMT team, they contract it out, so book in advance to make sure you have a spot.

Amenities

All guests get access to public outdoor hot tubs, plunge pool and fitness centre.

Adjoining Trail Suites

My friends and I stayed in the Two Bedroom Adjoining Trail Suites which combines their One Bedroom Trail Suite and Studio Trail Suite to create a larger space, suitable for up to 6 people.

Studio Trail Suite

The one side of the suite is a Studio Trail Suite which features a king size bed and kitchenette. This is suitable for 2 – 4 people as it has a king size bed plus a seating area with a double pullout couch.

The kitchenettes in this suite are fully equipped for four people with dishwasher, 2-burner stovetop, combination microwave/convection oven and small refrigerator.

My friends stayed on this side and they did like it. The only critique was the window separating the washroom and the studio. Since it is a sliding window, you can easily play pranks on each other…not that we did that or anything.

The bathrooms have heated slate flooring, soaker tub, and a shower with a rain shower head. Everything was clean and we had no issues.

One Bedroom Trail Suite

On the other side of the suite is a separate living room with a pull out double couch bed, flat screen tv, gas fireplace and a dining table. This also fits 4 people as well. You can also step outside to the balcony to look at the views outside. We didn’t get much of a view as it was covered up with large trees. We could see a little bit of the Big Beach and smaller trails.

There is cable and wireless access, but some of the channels were limited. Wifi was a bit slow.

Since I have my data plan on my phone with Rogers, there was no LTE or 3G. Most of the time it didn’t work. My other friends that were on the TELUS network had no problems at all. I really relied on the Wifi at the resort.

The separate bedroom has a king size bed, a small flat screen TV and a closet. You can step outside on the balcony from the bedroom too.

The flat screen TV was pretty tiny, but most of the time we were out in the living room watching movies or shows.

The bedroom also has a window connecting to the bathroom. You can hear everything that goes on in the washroom.

The bathroom is very spacious and a lot larger than the studio suite. There are 2 sinks and the shower might have been bit larger.

Most of the time was spent in the living room/kitchen. We brought with us some snack and drinks for the evenings when we play board games.

The dining table has 4 chairs, so it have have a group of 8, you will need to find other ways for them to sit.

A nice relaxing time with a group of great friends.

Wild Pacific Trail

Wild Pacific Trail is on the right side of the Resort. You will want to take a stroll around the area to catch some gorgeous views. It’s definitely worth it.

You’ll need to walk through the parking lot past some stairs and you will see a path.

Walk towards to ocean and the scenic views will be there.

There are a few benches where you can just sit and take in all the beauty.

How could you not love this stunning view? We had a great time staying at the resort and there is definitely a good amount of things to do around here. We loved the area so much that we are going to plan another visit to Ucluelet/Tofino next year!

Address:
596 Marine Drive
Ucluelet, BC

Website:
http://www.blackrockresort.com/

In travel

Ucluelet: Big Beach

May 24, 2016

We were staying at Black Rock Resort and waiting for our room to be ready. We arrived super early, but we were all exhausted after the long drive from Vancouver. To kill some time in Ucluelet until we could go to our room, we headed to Big Beach, which is right beside the resort.

We parked out car of the side of the road and walked down to the beach. Big Beach is is the largest public beach destination in the Ucluelet with a picnic shelter, some picnic tables, a playground and washrooms.

Big Beach is situated in a large bay with a good-sized beach. The bay is backed by rock outcroppings and jagged cliffs providing a natural shelter from the winds.

The beach is, both, pebble and sand. Low tides reveal tidal pools and more wet sand. The beach shoreline is always lined with piles of driftwood logs thrown a shore by the west coast storms which batter the coastline every winter.

There were a good amount of families here. Some were having a BBQ and others just stopped for a nice short visit to the beach – running around and throwing rocks into the water.

We on the other hand had decided to just sit on the rocks and enjoy some drinks.

Or you can grab a beer, but since public drinking is illegal in Canada, just be discrete about it.

The waves crashing on the rocks were fun to watch.

If you’re looking for a picnic or BBQ spot right by the beach, you definitely want to take your family here.

In travel

Ucluelet Lighthouse Loop: Wild Pacific Trail

May 23, 2016

When in Ucluelet, you have to pay a visit to Lighthouse loop, which is part of the Wild Pacific Trail.

It only takes around 30 minutes to 45 minutes to complete the 2.6km loop. Plus, the views are phenomenal.

You start the walk right near the lighthouse and walk clockwise on the trail. They encourage everyone to stay on the path, but the views are so gorgeous when you’re a lot closer to the water.

You have to take caution when walking on the rocks since it is jagged and sharp. If you are in high heels for some reason, you definitely don’t want to be walking on the rocks.

A lot of selfies and scenic shots are taken here. You are basically staring into the pacific ocean and there won’t be land for thousands of miles.

Even listening to the waves crash upon the rocks was so therapeutic.

There are benches and lookout points throughout the trail, so make sure you stop and take a lot of photos before continuing .

If you’re in the area or staying in Tofino, you’ll have to make a stop to come out here.

You won’t regret the beautiful sights and its a way to get some easy exercise done.

In Cafe

The Drive Coffee Bar: Coffee and Beer

May 22, 2016

The Drive Coffee bar is located right near 1st Avenue and Commercial Drive. I came here for their Grand Opening/1 Year Anniversary Party to check out what they offer. Strange combination to have a Grand Opening and 1 Year Anniversary party, but I guess that works. Any excuse is a good excuse to have a party. With the abundance of coffee shops just a few blocks away, I was curious to see how it would perform compared to the other established coffee shops on the same street.

The Commercial Drive Coffee Company are a local producer of roasted coffee beans and sell that at several retailers around town. They took that business and decided to create a coffee bar showcasing their different types of coffee beans.

They have coffee and tea based drinks. They also offer hot chocolate for kids too.

Iced Latte is served in a clear pint glass and I love seeing the contrast between the milk and the coffee. A great drink for a hot summer.

Latte with a leaf latte art on top. The latte was well-balanced and was a bit on the stronger side, which I like.

Of course, coffee is a main staple at any coffee shop on commercial drive, but they try to set themselves apart by offering Parallel 49 beers on tap.

If you ever wanted a beer instead of coffee, it’s definitely an option here.

They also sell Cartem Donuts here too. How can you say no to an earl grey donut?

Overall, they have good coffee and many other items to offer customers.

We Rate The Drive Coffee Bar:

Address:
1670 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

Website:
http://thedrivecoffee.com/

In Chinese

Chen’s Shanghai Kitchen: Shanghainese Food in Richmond

May 21, 2016

Chen’s Shanghai Restaurant has been around for quite some time now. My last visit was back in 2013 with a few foodie friends to chow down on their XLBs. This time, I’ve returned with the ChineseBites crew to try out a lot more items off their menu.

The restaurant decor isn’t fancy, but people just come here for the Shanghainese food. There are lots of large round tables for large groups.

We started off with the Deluxe Appetizer Platter, which was Jelly Pork, Smoked Pomfret in Sweet Brown Sauce, Mixed Malantou with Sliced Dried Bean Curd, Jellyfish with Green Onion Oil, and the Shanghai Style Marinated Bran Dough.

All typical items that appear in these grand platters. The Mixed Malantou with Sliced Dried Bean Curd needed a bit more salt or sesame oil to bring out more flavour.

Their famous Xiao Long Bao (XLB) are steam pork buns. They were large, had a nice thin skin, but could have used a bit more soup inside.

Shanghai Style Spring Rolls, Radish Pastry and Baked Pastry with Beef all came on one platter. All of the items were nice and crisp. Of the 3, my favourite was the radish pastry.

Sticky Rice Roll with Pork Floss and Pan Fried Pork Dumplings also came together on one plate, but I’m sure normally it’s not.

The pan-fried pork dumpling has a thick skin, so it takes away from the enjoyment of the dumpling.

The Sticky Rice Roll with Pork Floss was very one dimensional. it would be better if there was something else to go with this.

House Special Wonton and Chicken Hotpot was really good and you can see the whole chicken right in the pot. I thought it was well balanced and delicious.

Crab with Edamame and Rice Cake in House Special Sauce had a delicious sauce covering all those rice cakes. The rice cakes were gobbled up very quickly, but getting at those crab legs were difficult since the sauce makes holding on to the legs slippery.

House Special Spicy Lobster was easier to get at the meat inside. I liked the amount of spice and it worked very well.

Pork Spareribs with Brown Vinegar Sauce was very tough. I had a hard time biting off the meat around the bones. The sauce was also very sticky and sweet.

Tea Smoked Chicken was good. Lots of smoky flavour seeped into the skin and meat. I liked it.

Deep Fried Breaded Fish with Grounded Seaweed was ok, I have found that other restaurant prepare this dish a bit better. It seemed limp and soggy. The batter could have used a bit more salt too.

Tiger Prawns and Eggplant in Hot Garlic Sauce Hot Pot was a good dish, but I think we needed some rice on the side to go with it as it had a good amount of sauce. If you do order this dish, grab some rice.

House Special Spicy Beef had a good amount of kick to this dish. The beef was tender, but a bit oily.

Beijing Style Pork Slices with Wraps was a fun dish to have. You put a little bit of everything in the wrap and eat it. The pork had a nice flavour and balanced with the cucumber slice.

House Special Crispy Noodle was very crispy. They really weren’t kidding. There wasn’t enough sauce to soften up the noodles. It was like eating a stir fry with a brick of ramen underneath.

Egg White Puff Stuffed with Red Bean Paste was ok, but I didn’t really take a liking to it. I just don’t really like sweet and savoury things mixing together like this.

Overall, some dishes were hits and some were misses. You definitely need to know what their specialties are before coming to dine here. The XLBs, Beijing Style Pork Slices with Wraps, Salty Soy Milk, and Deep Fried Man Tou.

We Rate Chen’s Shanghai Restaurant:

Address:
8095 Park Rd
Richmond, BC

Website: http://www.chensshanghaikitchen.com/

In Japanese

Jean Talon: Japanese Style Poutine in Vancouver

May 19, 2016

Jean Talon Poutinerie is a Japanese-style Poutine Bar located in Vancouver. They are the sister restaurant of Cafe de L’Orangerie near Marine Drive, which serves awesome Japanese-style pasta.

Since I love Cafe de L’Orangerie, I wanted to go to Jean Talon for the longest time. It wasn’t until Sherman and I were looking for a restaurant that we both haven’t been to so I suggested going to Jean Talon. We’ve been to several thousand restaurants since we started blogging, but there are still so many restaurants to check out in the city.

The decor is simple and they have a bunch of draft beers and wines to go with their food. Great for a late night snack since they close at 10/11pm depending on the day of the week. They are closed on Tuesday.

Poutine with beef stew sauce had some super crispy fries topped with their beef stew. The fries were so crispy that it didn’t go limp until the next day. Even with the hot beef stew on top, the fries stayed crisp. This is great since I hate when fries go limp and mushy.

I loved the texture of the fries since it added a nice crunch to it.

Katsu Sandwich with a side of poutine. A good item to order if you want to try more than just poutine.

The pork inside was a bit dry as you can see. The taste of it was fine, but the bun was a bit too bready.

We got the classic poutine sauce and it has onions, mushrooms and curds. I did enjoy it. The curds were squeaky when it rubs against your molars.

Japanese Curry with Hamburger had a good amount of curry that coats every grain of rice on that plate. The sauce was nice, but I didn’t enjoy the hamburger, which was a beef/pork combo as it had a lot of onions in it. Seemed a bit overpowering.

Overall, the style is different than other poutineries, but if you love Japanese food, you might like this place. I would come back for a poutine and beer late at night.

We Rate Jean Talon:

Address:
670 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://jeantalon.cafedelorangerie.ca/

In Three Beakers

Shelter Restaurant: Dinner in Tofino

May 16, 2016

Shelter Restaurant in Tofino is a popular spot for dinner. It was highly recommended by a few friends to check out when I was here for the long weekend. I made reservations a month in advance since I knew it would be crazy if I waited a few days prior to the trip to make the call. When it comes to food, I make sure I can try to get reservations where possible.

On the day of, there was a long wait to get inside, but luckily we just walked right in with reservations.

Shelter is best known for their fresh locally sourced food that represents the West Coast.

The interior is rustic and very cozy. A real fireplace can be seen burning in the main dining area.

M was a bit fancy and had Pinot Noir to go with his meal. We were on vacation, so a glass of wine was perfect to unwind.

We started off with the Crispy Deep Fried Brussel Sprouts. A good appetizer and was plenty for a group of 4.

Anything deep-fried is delicious!

Vancouver Island Oysters is served with the Chef’s cocktail sauce, horseradish and a wedge of lemon. If you love oysters, you’ll love these local oysters.

Shelter Pizza has roasted mushrooms, caramelized onion, double smoked bacon, mozzarella, truffle, and grana padano cheese.

Roasted Peach Country Lamb Sirloin has Yukon gold potato gnocchi, cauliflower puree, wilted kale and a caper dijon jus.

The lamb was tender and so full of flavour. M really enjoyed it. He wished there was more since he ate this way too fast.

Tofino Surf Bowl has your choice of local wild salmon or marinated free-run chicken with steamed vegetables, teriyaki sauce, basmati and wild rice, spicy yogurt and cilantro. Definitely a very healthy option and can be made gluten-free.

This is on their casual fare menu, so it has a lot of fresh vegetables and the price wasn’t bad at all. The bowl was so big, I had to save half of it for a snack the following day.

Pacific Lingcod Burger with lingcod fillet, basil-mint coleslaw, lettuce, tomato, mayo and an onion ring. Good size for a burger. Look at that fillet of lingcod.

With their casual fare menu and the regular dinner menu. there are enough items to suit those with different expectations for price points and palates. They can also accommodate allergies and dietary preferences.

We Rate Shelter Restaurant:

Address:
601 Campbell Street, Tofino,BC

Website:
http://www.shelterrestaurant.com/

In Brunch

The Pointe at Wickaninnish Inn: Morning Brunch

May 13, 2016

The Pointe Restaurant is located inside the Wikaninnish Inn in Tofino BC. My friends and I came here for a long weekend trip and made this our early brunch spot. We didn’t stay at the Inn, but we heard to the food was really good and the views are stunning.

Wikaninnish Inn is an award winning Hotel and Resort and on the top of list on TripAdvisor.

There is complimentary parking in the lot, so just park your car and head on inside.

Once you are in the dining room, try to get a seat by one of their many windows.

Call ahead to make a reservation and put in that request. You’ll be glad you did since it’s a stunning view.

We were seated facing Chesterman Beach. In the morning, there wasn’t much action, but later in the day, you will see a lot of surfers picking up waves.

At the centre of the restaurant is an enclosed fire pit. Nice and cozy for the evening, but since it was the morning, we focused more on the view outside.

They come around to each table to offer their Juice of the Day. I think it was like a peach, berry and mango juice. Tasty way to begin the day.

Smoked Salmon Crepe with a side of bacon was what I ordered and I loved it. The dish was presented nicely and the smoked salmon, cream cheese, spinach and the touch of lemon butter was very delicious. I would definitely order this again.

I couldn’t resist getting bacon too. It cooked very until its crisp.

The Pointe Breakfast has 2 eggs, a crisp potato, tomato jam, toasted bread and you choice of either home-made sausage or bacon.

Back Bacon and Cheddar Eggs Benedict on english muffins. It also is topped with a hollandaise sauce. It is served with a potato rosti too. M added a side of sausage.

The eggs benny was poached to a perfect medium. All that gooey yolk oozed right out.

Duck Confit Eggs Benny was what my other friend ordered. She liked the balance between the tender duck confit and the accompanying salad.

Lamb Meatballs has confit tuna belly, cream cheese, celeriac, herbs, brioche croutons and fior di latte.

West Coast Clam Chowder has west side baby shrimp, bacon, corn, local fish, herbs and prawn oil.

Side of Sausages are so good. You can definitely taste the quality. Very fresh and flavourful.

Brioche French Toast has pear butter, poached pears, berries and oat streusel. If you have a slight sweet tooth in the mornings, you’ll enjoy this dish.

Overall, the food was delicious and can’t be missed when visiting Tofino. It is expensive, but it is expected since its located in Wickaninnish Inn. You’re paying for the service, food and the breathtaking views.

I’ll definitely be back for more in the future at The Pointe. My friends loved the food and it was a good way to start the day.

Our server was nice enough to give us a free map of the beaches in the area. She even told us a few of her favourite trails and beaches to visit.

After your meal, head down to the High Tide Beach Trail and walk along Chesterman Beach. It’s a good way to burn of some calories and enjoy more the the beach.

The beach is very peaceful and therapeutic to listen to the waves crash against the rocks and beach.

We Rate The Point Restaurant at Wickaninnish Inn:

Address:
500 Osprey Ln, Tofino, BC

Website:
http://www.wickinn.com/

In Dessert

SOBO: West Coast Cuisine in Tofino

May 10, 2016

SOBO is an award-winning restaurant in Tofino, BC. They serve food for all palates including vegan and gluten-free dishes. I first heard of SOBO when I saw Lynn Crawford was visiting for her show – The Great Canadian Cookbook. In 2003, they were named one of the top 10 Canadian restaurants in En Route magazine.

When we were paying a visit to Tofino, we knew we couldn’t miss eating here.

We came here for lunch and it was packed. We waited about 20 minutes for a table of 6.

Tofino Brewing Co Blonde Ale was really good! Light, refreshing and a sweet citrus finish. Just thinking about this beer makes me want to go back to visit the brewery.

Crispy Shrimp Cakes has west coast shrimp, sautéed onions, peppers, herbs, and sweet mustard sauce. It comes with 2 pieces. Crispy exterior wtih the sweet delicious shrimp inside.

Classic White Pizza has ricotta spinach nettle base, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, fresh mozzarella, toasted kale with parmigiano-reggiano and fresh arugula. Good flavours and the crisp kale was a nice touch.

Exotic Mushroom Pizza has a San Marzano tomato base, caramelized onions, shiitake, portobello, goat cheese, mozzarella, herbed pesto with parmigiano-reggiano and fresh arugula.

Tofu pocket has sushi rice, wasabi mayo, avocado, sprouts, sesame with smoked tuna. The taste was clean and simple. If you need a 2 bites appetizer, this is it.

Cup of Smoked wild fish chowder has spicy wild salmon and a cream dill broth. Very delicious and hearty, but it was very spicy.

Breakfast sandwich has smoked tuna bacon, cream biscuit, fried egg, aged white cheddar, avocado mayo, jalapeños, with a side of fresh fruit. It is a very filling item to eat.

Don’t forget about dessert! It’s very tempting especially late at night. Since the popular dessert places close early, we came back to SOBO on another day to have some ice cream sandwiches.

The ice cream sandwiches are located in their fridges by the main entrance.

We were all so excited to give it a try.

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Sandwich was so good. Just comforting since I would always have ice cream sandwiches as a treat when I was a kid.

Strawberry Chocolate Flake Ice Cream Sandwich has nice bits of strawberry embedded inside. The 2 chocolate cookies housing the ice cream were good too. We were really amazing that the cookies were still crisp.

Overall, SOBO has a good range of options for lunch and has some great desserts. Even though they have it to go, just grab it and eat it outside or on the beach.

We Rate SOBO:

Address:
311 Neill St, Tofino, BC

Website:
http://www.sobo.ca/

In product

Mad Jack: Hard Root Beer & Ginger Ale Lager

May 9, 2016

Mad Jack joins Molson Coors Canada’s line of flavoured malt beverages. It combines the classic tastes of root beer and ginger ale that we know and love with its bold malt flavour.

They also have their Apple Lager, but I didn’t get a chance to taste that.

Premium Ginger Mad Jack is a combination of Ginger Ale and Beer.

It is golden yellow in colour and has medium carbonation. For the first few sips, it has a sweet ginger taste but kinda reminded me of a cooler. It’s good for people who like sweeter drinks that don’t have a hoppy after taste.

Premium Hard Root Beer Mad Jack has a medium carbonation and has an amber colour to it when poured. It has notes of vanilla with cinnamon and sweet caramel. You definitely know it’s a root beer. In a sense, its like a grown up root beer with that 5% alcohol.

This isn’t a drink for all. As a beer lover, I didn’t take a particular liking to either of the drinks. I think this would have a been a drink I would have liked more when I first started drinking, but after my tastebuds got used to drinking beer, I prefer more light effervescent beer.

Mad Jack is good for those who like a sweeter beverage with an alcoholic kick on a Summer’s day.

http://www.madjack.ca/

In British Columbia

A&W Canada: Spicy Habanero Chicken Burger

May 6, 2016

A new sandwich from A&W Canada caught my eye – Spicy Habanero Chicken Burger. I made M go get me a burger as we were having a lazy day and didn’t want to cook ourselves lunch.

I always find A&W has some pretty good limited-time only burgers. All of they ones I’ve tasted in the last few years were not disappointing at all. They know how to put a good fast food burger together.

Inside, you will find breaded boneless chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, and the spicy red jalapeno aoili. At first taste, it had a good amount of spice that I really liked. The spicy kick is a lot better than most fast food restaurants as it was still enjoyable.

It’s not too spicy, so don’t expect full on habanero intense heat.

As a side note, I see they now use French’s Ketchup packets. Great to see Canadian companies working with other Canadian companies.

Website: https://www.aw.ca/

In Chinatown

Treasure Green Tea Company: Tea Shop in Chinatown

May 5, 2016

Treasure Green Tea Company is a hidden gem located right in Chinatown across the street from Phnom Penh. Olivia is a second generation tea master that now runs the shop. The shop was established in 1981 by Olivia’s father as the first authentic Chinese tea shop in Vancouver.

I stopped here with my coworkers to grab an iced oolong tea with orange peel. It was a hot day and we wanted something unique.

One sip and I was hooked. It was not too sweet and was just so well balanced. Originally, I was the only one that wanted one and suddenly everyone else had to order one too.

The iced tea flavours change often, but its really good.

They also sell a lot of loose leaf teas. From small 50g pouches to larger ones that will last you a while. They have a few cheap options, but then there are a good amount of premium teas that will cost you quite a bit. I love asian teas! A good way to taste test the teas and learn more is to book a tea tasting with Olivia.

Address:
227 East Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://treasuregreen.com