In British Columbia

2017 Healthy Chef Competition by BC Produce Marketing Association: Recap

March 31, 2017

The 18th Annual Healthy Chef Competition presented by BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA). The even is held to increase the awareness of the healthy aspects of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. I was invited this year as a media judge to attend this event.

Partnering with the BC Chef’s Association, they bring an evening of gourmet dining in which ten competing teams of chefs from the Lower Mainland’s restaurants, hotels and culinary centres offering up creative and savoury dishes.

The event is open to the public to purchase tickets and includes appetizers, dinner & dessert, the evening’s festivities and a swag box of goodies. This year, the room was packed with 500 people.

Everyone gets the some appetizer but depending on what entree and dessert card they get, it’s random. You can try trading cards with other people at the table.

Appetizer – Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait

Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait with smoked steelhead caviar, cured yolk and Old Bay Puffed Rice. It was a sizable portion to start the meal, but the mousse was slightly bitter.

Hyatt Regency Hotel

Smoked Duck Breast, Duck Confit Croquette, Duck & Fig Stuffed Blood Orange Tortellini.

EBO

Chicken Roulade with black truffle farce, ginger corn, corn puree, pickled cabbage, tokyo turnip, and spring onion foam.

Macerated Strawberries and Honey Pomelo with kiwi lime sorbet, almond biscuit, dill panna cotta, dehydrated meringue, and extra virgin olive oil.

Kids Bento Box. Butternut squash mac n cheese, homemade almond butter and jam, sesame teriyaki salmon, vegan chocolate and date mousse, and fruit terrine.

Vancouver Community College

Venison Loin Sous Vide with pickled mustard seed, lingon berry sauce, yukon potato pave, savoy cabbage, mushroom duxekke, king mushrooms, shallot jam, turnip celeriac puree, baby carrots, and french green beans.

Lemon custard sablee, ‘Golden’ milk chocolate mousse sphere, cocoa nib crumble, meringue and orange.

White Spot

Seafood Trio. Jumbo Atlantic Scallop on Sea Salted Sweet Potato Pie, Prawns Slow Cooked in Nori with Roasted Garlic Sun Choke puree. Jumbo Mussels in Saffron cream. Green pea and wasabi drizzle. Seasame honey baby carrots.

Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake with chocolate almond dacquoise, goat cheesecake, spicy basil honey, and blueberry coulis.

Gourmet Veggie Corndog with beet chips.

Executive Plaza Hotel Coquitlam – The Wild Fig

Blackened Duckling with rendered crispy skin, beet and potato pave, yam puree, white asparagus, slow braised shiitake mushrooms, asparagus sphere, date and cranberry port wine reduction, dehydrated grape tomato, savory flavoured caviar, and micro intense mix.

Duo Panacotta with rosewater coconut panacotta, earl grey pana cotta, candied sugar water crisp, fresh melon balls, mint macerated berries, pineapple and mango coulis, caviar and jelly noodle.

Mini Kiddie Plate with skinless duck stuffed white asparagus, cranberry sugar dust, vegetable bricks (carrots, beets, and pear), french bean bundles, yam puree and date/pear reduction.

Marriott Vancouver Airport – The American Grille

Awesome centrepiece for their table made out of vegetables.

Beet & Porcini crusted lamb rack with purple caulifower couscous, roasted carrot puree, spinach puree, medley of vegetables, umami jus and cumin tuile.

Rosemary infused Olive Oil Financier Cake with white chocolate mousse, apricot coulis, macerated berries, dark chocolate soil and beet meringue.

Kids Bento Box. Ratatouille with avocado mousse, root vegetable chips, and mango yogurt berry parfait.

Pretty Resort Estates – Sandpiper Resort

Gelderman Farms Pork Loin saltimbocca style, ratatouille, Harrison Mills Trio of Potato Pave, Rainbow carrot in spruce tip infused butter.

Dark Berry Muesli (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry apples, yogurt and oats) with Lemon Meringue, and Brule Granny Smith Apples.

Vancouver Island University

Poached Salmon, Fennel Cream Foam and House Made Sour Cabbage, Artichoke and oven dried tomato tart, pea puree scented with bay leaf, butternut squash, potato pave and roasted nut crumble, and roasted eggplant stuffed zucchini.

Vanilla coconut tapioca, tarragon lime, passion fruit foam, caramelized sweet potato, and candied radish.

Pan Roasted Whole Wheat Bannock, poached salmon, carrot, beet, cabbage, cucumber & apple, celery straws, hummus and raw fruit crumble.

Pint 405 Pub

(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)

Beach Grove Golf Club

(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)

Winners

Judges and the audience were able to vote for the best dishes for the evening. Here are the results.

Best Entree – Vancouver Community College
Best Dessert -Marriott Airport / The American Grille
Best Childen’s Entree – EBO
Best Table Showcase – Marriott Airport / The American Grille
People’s Choice – White Spot

It was a fun evening and there was lots of food. There was even enough for seconds at some of the booths. At the end of the night, we all got a swag bag and a produce box to enjoy the wonders of fresh BC produce.

Website: http://bcpma.com/about-us/events/healthy-chef-competition

In British Columbia

2017 Vancouver International Auto Show: Recap

March 30, 2017

I went to the 2017 Vancouver International Auto Show to get a look at a few of the new cars of 2017 and even sneak peeks of a few prototype 2018 models too from various car brands. I came as a guest of Ford Canada to check out their 2018 EcoSport, but that didn’t stop me from taking a look at some of the other areas of the show too.

There was so much to see, from everyday car to supercars. If you’re in the market for a new car in the near future or is a huge car enthusiast, you’ll definitely want to catch this show.

2018 Ford EcoSport

Ford Canada was debuting their 2018 Ford EcoSport, which will be available in late 2017. It is a compact SUV packed with technology that keeps us in touch with the world around us. I know for myself, I can’t live without my cellphone, so I value tech in a car. With our climate and the beautiful mountains surrounding Vancouver, having a compact SUV is very handy.

There’s not too much info on specs of the power, but hopefully it will be revealed soon.

There seems to be quite a trend of compact SUVs hitting the market, so it will be interesting to see how it compares.

2017 Ford GT

The 2017 Ford GT has finally arrived in BC redefining innovation in aerodynamics, EcoBoost and light-weighting. The 600+ horsepower EcoBoost engine and unique engineering features that make this a one of a kind supercar. It’s definitely intense and not for the everyday driver.

2018 Ford Mustang

2017 Honda Civic Type R Prototype

Honda Canada has their usual cars on display, but they were showing off the 2017 Honda Civic Type R. It is the most powerful, quickest, fastest and most agile Civic in the collection. It takes the body of the 5-door hatchback but with a 2.0-liter DOHC, direct-injected and turbocharged i-VTEC in-line 4-cylinder engine with peak ratings of 306 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 295 lb.-ft. of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. It is launching this Summer for around $40k.

Acura Precision Concept

Acura Canada was showing off their Precision Concept car and it is absolutely stunning. I love the style and shape as it is so modern yet futuristic at the same time.

Toyota Mirai Concept

Toyota Canada has their Mirai hydrogen-fueled car and only emits water vapour. How cool is that? The future is so close.

2018 Kia Stinger

2018 Kia Stinger will be available later in 2017. It is all-wheel drive with 365 horsepower twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6 engine with a max 376 lb.-ft. of torque.

Final Thoughts

There was definitely so many cars to see from so many manufacturers. I was pretty overwhelmed that I had no idea really where to start. I just started walking around aimlessly. The entry to the event isn’t too expensive, so it’s something nice to do if you are in Downtown Vancouver this weekend.

I was definitely eyeing a few cars that might be my next future purchase. It was good to see so many cars so you can get a look and somewhat feel of the cars.

If you’re looking for something more unique, they are a few higher end luxury car manufactures like Alfa Romero and Maserati to name a few.

Website: http://vancouverinternationalautoshow.com/

In British Columbia

2017 Spring PC Insiders Collection: Products and Recipes

March 29, 2017

Every season, Presidents Choice introduces new items as part of their PC Insiders Collection. As the rain and snow drag on, we are longing to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. While we wait for spring to arrive, many of us are looking for ways to bring the sunny days into our lives as early as possible. With the promise of warmer weather on the horizon, why not bring some new flavours into our lives with food.

Here are a few of the items I tried as part of the Spring 2017 PC Insiders Collection with some recipes too.

Harissa Pacific White Shrimp

This product had a bunch of frozen Pacific White Shrimp and a packet of Harissa sauce. I used this in the Harissa Shrimp Tagine with Herbed Couscous recipe for dinner. It’s quick to prepare and incorporate into any dish.

Harissa Shrimp Tagine with Herbed Couscous

I tried recreating a recipe from Presidents Choice, but since I couldn’t find all the ingredients, I made some slight changes.

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Ingredients:

1 pkg (340 g) Couscous
2 tbsp (25 mL) PC New World EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 each sweet red and yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (250 mL) drained canned chickpeas, rinsed
1 pkg (480 g) PC Pacific White Shrimp With A Lightly Spicy Harissa Sauce, thawed and shrimp patted dry
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup (125 mL) Green Olives stuffed with pepper, chopped
1/4 cup (50 mL) sliced natural (skin-on) almonds, toasted
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Cook couscous according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add red and yellow peppers, salt and black pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Add chickpeas; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Add shrimp; cook, stirring often, until pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add contents of sauce packet and 1/4 cup water; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; sprinkle with 2 tbsp cilantro.
Add olives, almonds, parsley and remaining 2 tbsp cilantro to couscous; stir to combine. Serve with shrimp mixture.

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PC Melt in the Middle Sustainably Sourced Cod Fish Cakes

The box comes with 2 pieces, so M and I had this for dinner. Good for households of 2 people or you can buy more. These cakes are golden-baked cod and potato cakes with a creamy lemon dill sauce centre. Don’t forget to buy a lemon to squeeze all over these.

Cod and Dill Fish Cakes with Spring Pea Salad

I made small changes to another PC recipe by adding some baby kale to the mix.

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Ingredients:

1 pkg (290 g) frozen PC Melt in the Middle Sustainably Sourced Cod Fish Cakes
1 pkg Baby Kale
1 pkg pea shoots
1 cup (250 mL) sugar snap peas
2/3 cup (150 mL) frozen PC Petits Pois Small Sweet Peas
2 tbsp (25 mL) PC New World EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon zest
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Pinch (0.5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
2 radishes, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place frozen fish cakes on baking sheet. Bake 30 to 32 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, bring small saucepan of water to a boil. Add snap peas and sweet peas; bring to a simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until chilled; set aside.
Whisk together oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add snap peas, sweet peas, radishes and baby kale, pea shoots; toss gently to coat. Serve with fish cakes.

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Soft-Baked Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These cookies weren’t as soft as I had imagined, but they still had a great taste. The mini milk chocolate-covered peanut butter cups and chopped roasted peanuts gave it a great texture. I love peanut butter, so I naturally enjoy these cookies.

You can also serve these with milk or turn them into an ice cream sandwich.

PC Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake with a Coconut and Cookie Crumb Crust

It starts with a crumb crust of vanilla cookie with toasted coconut flakes layered with rich, velvety vanilla cheesecake and topped with a final layer of smooth, subtle matcha-infused cheesecake. It would have been nice if there was more matcha in this dessert.

Final Thoughts

A few great items in the collection, but I forgot to take a photo of their Chorizo Mac and Cheese, which was so indulgent. A classic favourite comfort food with tender pasta shells tossed in a smooth and creamy jalapeño cheddar sauce along with crumbled chorizo sausage, diced tomatoes, garlic and spices. I took it to work and gobbled it up.

I took my time trying each item, found some things I loved and some not so much. If you’re ever at grocery store selling President’s Choice products, check these out.

Website: http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/whats-new.html

In product

Thirsty Buddha Sparkling Coconut Water in Cocktails

March 28, 2017

Thirsty Buddha has come up with their new Sparkling Coconut Water. It’s an alternative to carbonated beverages with electrolytes and lots of potassium.

If you like sparkling water and coconut water, it’s both in one can.

It’s comes in 3 flavours:

All-Natural
Pineapple
Watermelon

We tried all 3 flavours and I liked All-Natural the best for drinking straight up. It’s best when it’s ice cold. You can even try making some cocktails with it. I put together 2 simple cocktails with these drinks.

Sparkling Coconut Water, Lime and Rum

I chose to use a white rum to keep the colour clean. 4 ingredients and super easy to make. You don’t need a long list of fancy ingredients to have a good cocktail.

1.5 oz white rum
1/4 squeezed lime
4 oz sparkling coconut water
ice

Mix this all together and you have a very simple and delicious cocktail.

Pineapple, Sparkling Coconut Water, Lime and Vodka

Adding a nice fruity punch to your cocktails, the pineapple flavoured sparkling coconut water is a good simple drink as well. The pineapple sparkling coconut water pours clear, so adding a bit of pineapple juice adds flavour and colour.

1.5 oz white rum
1/4 squeezed lime
1.5 oz Pineapple Juice
4 oz sparkling coconut water
ice

I love to add tons of ice to my drinks to keep it cool. As the weather is getting slightly warmer, you gotta have some fruity cocktails.

Drinking it straight from the can or cocktail, it’s a good option to have sparkling coconut rather than pop as its a healthy spin to it without the empty calories. You can find the Thirsty Buddha Sparkling Coconut Water at most major grocery stores.

Website: https://www.buddhabrandscompany.com/

In Greek

The Greek by Anatoli: Happy Hour in Yaletown

March 27, 2017

The Greek by Anatoli in Yaletown has just introduced Happy Hour and we were given a sneak peek into what customers would have on the menu. Some dishes in this review aren’t the right sizing for happy hour and may be a bit smaller.

From Monday March 27 -31 2pm – 5pm, the Happy Hour food items will be only $2 and then they go back to regular price. A pretty good deal since you really can’t get anything for $2 these days.

The hours are a bit hard to make if you work 9-5 Downtown, other happy hour places end at 6pm.

They also have 12oz 1516 Lager for $4, Glass of Anatoli Meritage or Viognier for $6 or a Ouzo shot for $4. A good way to start the evening with some drinks and food.

Keftedes

These are traditional pan-fried meatballs served in tomato sauce. The meatballs were moist and full of flavour and the tomato sauce worked well.

Homous

There is chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley served with a side of pita bread. The portion is a little bit different than this image as they gave us more to share. A good item to fill up on and the homous is delicious.

Dolmathes

These are grape vine leaves stuffed with beef and rice, cooked in avgolemono broth which is a egg-lemon sauce. I love this stuff. It’s so good but I know some people don’t like it.

Spanakopita

This was everyone’s favourite. This portion is actually 2. It has spinach, feta and herbs, wrapped in filo and baked. It comes with a Tzatziki Sauce on the side. I loved every part of this dish from the flakey filo to that Tzatziki sauce.

“True Greek Pork” Souvlaki

The Souvlaki is served kalamaki style on pita bread with a side of tzatziki. It was really good, but then again when is pork not delicious? It was seasoned well, but had a slight toughness about them.

Calamari

It’s classic, crispy and served with a side of lemon and tzatziki. An item that will definitely be very popular. It was really good and I would order it again.

Greek Salad

This items isn’t on the happy hour menu, but sometimes you need veggies. It has fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, feta from Greece, capers and olives.

Mythos Beer

Mythos is a Greek Lager Beer. It is light, refreshing and pairs well with the food.

Anatoli Caesar

The caesar is garnished with a pickled bean, lime, a grilled prawn and a rim of salt and pepper. The drink looked great, but it needed more spice and heat to this drink. I like my caesars hot, but I could mostly taste vodka.

Karpouzi Watermelon Basil Mojito

Outside of the happy hour dishes and drinks, there were a few different items we tried like this Watermelon Mojito. Very refreshing and perfect for the warmer weather.

Final Thoughts

It was good to see what their happy menu has. Although it’s not extensive, it has a good amount of dishes that would keep customers happy. I do love good cheap food especially during happy hour.

We Rate The Greek by Anatoli:

Address:
1043 Mainland Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://thegreekbyanatoli.com/

In Gastown

Crab Park Chowdery: Clam Chowder and Soups in Gastown

March 26, 2017

Crab Park Chowdery is located in Gastown and they serve up chowders and different soups in a cup or a bread bowl. A little taste of Seattle up in Vancouver.

I came here with M after work to give some of their items a try.

Interior

The shop is very narrow and can’t fit too many people here. Really large groups wouldn’t fit here, but groups of 2 or 4, would fit so perfectly.

New England Clam Chowder

The most popular item here is the New England Clam Chowder. Hands down. There are lots of clams and ingredients packed inside. M loved every bite of it to go with the sourdough bowl.

Eat it with a spoon or dunk the bread from the top into the chowder.

Smokey Tomato

The smokey tomato soup was a bit thicker, but there is a layer of cheese between the bowl and the soup then topped with green onions.

It was a good smokey tomato soup, but the acidity of the soup with the sour dough wasn’t the optimal combination. This bowl was like a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup.

Sauces

There are a bunch of hot sauces at each table to spice up your soup or chowder.

Final Thoughts

Overall, a few of the soups are pretty solid. We also taste tested some other soups as well. They also have some chowders of the day that aren’t always on the menu.

A few of my favourites are:

New England Clam Chowder
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Mushroom Soup

We Rate Crab Park Chowdery:

Address:
221 Abbott Street, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/crabparkchowdery/

In Downtown

Earls Test Kitchen: Happy Hour in Downtown Vancouver

March 25, 2017

Earls Test Kitchen is the place to go for happy hour before watching a movie at night. What is different about this Earls is that it is a culinary playground to craft different dishes and drinks that may influence the other Earl’s menu in North America.

The place was packed and we wanted to come here to catch happy hour. All items are smaller versions of what on the regular menu, but cheaper.

They have this menu every day from 3:00pm – 6:00pm and 9:00pm – close.

Interior

The interior is nice and there are tons of tables. Best to come earlier for happy hour as it is very busy.

Rhino Beer

Sleeves are $3 and Pints are $5. I got the lager as I wanted something light and fruity to go with the meal.

Garlic Fries

The garlic fries were crispy, skinny and full of potent garlic flavour. The fries seemed oddly short.

Super Avocado Toast

There are 4 pieces to this order for $7. It is smashed avocado on olive oil toasted baguette, garnished with confit tomato, sriracha drizzle and radish. I enjoyed it as a nice bite to help fill me up.

Bigger Better Burger

This burger has vine ripened tomatoes, onion, lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise and mustard, on a freshly baked brioche bun. You can also add cheese or mushrooms to the burger. M went with cheese. It was an ok, burger but it wasn’t too outstanding. For $9, this was the burger only.

Baja Fish Taco

The crispy battered cod taco is topped with fresh cut salsa, cabbage slaw, on corn tortillas with a wedge of lime. It’s a pretty big size and for $3, it’s a good price.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good quick meal before the show. It’s funny how the servers can guess who is here for dinner before a movie. It’s just steps away from the theatre and the food is solid.

We Rate Earls Test Kitchen:

Address:
905 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://earls.ca/locations/test-kitchen

In Indian

India Bistro: Indian Cuisine in Vancouver

March 24, 2017

India Bistro is located on Davie Street and they have an all you can eat lunch buffet. I actually came here with a friend for dinner to try out a few different items from their menu. I love Indian food, but I don’t eat it as often as I do.

There is lots of paid parking outside on the street.

Interior

The restaurant has lots of tables and if you don’t have a reservation, you’ll be ok. It’s always best to have reservations just in case they get super busy. The interior has dark and has dim lighting.

The menu is pretty large and has a good amount of items on the menu. It’s easy to identify any vegetarian or gluten-free options here.

Mango Lassi

A classic drink made of yogurt and mangoes. They make it all fresh here and was delicious. Pairs well with the food here.

Fish Tikka

Fish Tikka was one of my favourite items of the meal. It has fish marinated in fresh ginger, garlic, Indian spices & char-broiled to perfection. It is also served with other veggies too.

The spices were aromatic and the inside of the fish was very moist. I would definitely order this again.

Indian Salad

This salad wasn’t what I expected. It has sliced onion, tomato, cucumber, lemon and green chilli. It was a bunch of chopped vegetables and I think I should of gotten the cucumber salad or buddha salad as it’s more of a traditional salad.

Papdi Chaat

It has thin crisp papdi topped with potatoes, yogurt, sweet and sour tamarind with mint chutney. This is a dish served cold, which was interesting and unique. When the papdi arrived at the table, it was n’t as crisp anymore due to the sauces.

Palak Paneer Naan

Instead of the usual naan, I wanted to try something a bit different. It has white leavened bread stuffed with spinach and cottage cheese. Delicious and it goes well on its own or dunked in curry.

Raita

It has homemade yogurt with cucumber, carrots and seasonings. It was delicious and paired really well with the naan.

Butter Chicken

A classic dish and it has pieces of boneless chicken breast. You can have different levels of spice in this and we got it medium. It had a nice kick and we could have definitely gotten it hot, but then again, I love my food really spicy.

Lamb Rogan Josh

This has lamb cooked with onions, garlic, ginger and traditional Indian herbs & spices. We got this at medium spice as well. Really good lamb dish and I enjoyed it.

Rice Pulao

To go with the curry, we had to order this. It has basmati rice cooked with cumin, onions & aromatic spices.

Gulabjamun

The dark brown round shaped cheese balls comes in a honey syrup. We got ours served warn and it was really delicious, but it is sweet because of the honey.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was really good here, but there were a few items I would pass up. The curries were delicious as well as the fish tikka. The location is great as it is in Downtown Vancouver. Good friendly staff and yummy food.

We Rate India Bistro:

Address:
1157 Davie Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://indiabistro.ca/

In Culinary School

VCC’s International Culinary Arts: Spring 2017 Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen

March 23, 2017

VCC’s International Culinary Arts students are bringing the Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen back to the VCC Broadway campus for spring of 2017 and runs until April 21st.

It’s one of the hottest tickets in town since it’s only $30 for 5 courses and $15 extra for wine pairings. Sadly, all tickets are already all sold out for all seatings. You definitely want to sign up for the mailing list to get an email when the next time they are having this again.

This was my 4th time being here and it’s always a delight seeing the hard work the students and chefs put into this program to help grow future chefs of tomorrow. Having these kinds of Chef’s Table gives the guest a unique dining experience outside of the restaurant environment.

The tables are set up in a ‘U’ shape and everyone gets a good view of their meal being put together. Some students put together dishes and some other students do the serving. As it was the first week of the Chef’s Table, I could see some students weren’t as experienced talking to guest and explaining what some of the drinks were.

Tuna cannelloni

To start the meal, there is a tuna cannelloni stuffed with Dungeness crab. It also has Side stripe prawns, cucumber, avocado, and truffled soy pearls.
Their paired it with the Invisibull Sauvignon Blanc. A good pairing as it has lime, green apple and white peach notes.

I love the light delicate seafood dish to start. I love every part of this dish especially the avocado puree. The textures of the different ingredients worked so well together.

Grilled Octopus

This dish also has chorizo, navy bean, olive, salsa romesco with some crisps on top. Heavier in spices, this dish followed nicely and the chorizo and salsa romesco tasted so good. A lot of my friends wished they could take this dish and put it on tacos.

The wine paired with this is the See Ya Later Ranch Riesling.

Puffed foie gras

The puffed foie gras comes with apricot puree, candied almonds and a honey bubble ready to be popped. This was a similar dish I had back in Summer of 2016 when they had the Chef’s table too. A nice revisit to one of the unique dishes from last time.

This was paired with the Conviction Pinot Noir “The Priest”.

Roasted beef Tenderloin

There were 2 delicious pieces of the roasted beef tenderloin, Oxtail, potato croquette, carrot, and Cipollini. It was a delicious hearty dish, great for the meat lovers.

It was paired with the Lost Inhibitions By Church & State.

White Chocolate and Strawberries

Lemon curd Ice cream, strawberries, and topped with coconut crisp. It was a good sized dessert and it was fun watching them make the dessert with liquid nitrogen.

It is paired with Grey Monk Reflection Muscat.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun time watching all the future chefs put each plate together carefully. This time around, there were some hiccups like an items accidentally being omitted from one person’s dish and somewhat awkward service, but they are all here to learn and every guest was very kinda and understanding.

The food is always great and instructors like Tobias MacDonald really pass on their amazing knowledge to the students.

Address: 1155 E Broadway, Vancouver

Website: http://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop–more/the-chefs-table-pop-up-kitchen/

In product

Limited Edition Firework Oreo is Coming Soon to Canada

March 22, 2017

Limited Edition Firework Oreo is coming to a grocery store near you. I was at the Grocery & Specialty Food West Convention and stumbled upon this new product. The rep confirmed that they are shipping to grocery stores quite soon just in time for Canada Day.

That means Canadians will expect to see these in grocery stores quite soon. They come in the standard 303 g packs. I’m sure if they will be in US stores as well.

The Oreo still uses the same ingredients but with the added popping candy embedded in the frosting. When you bite into them, you can start hearing the candy popping in your mouth. It is like my 2 favourite treats came together to make something amazing.

In product

Filet-O-Fish, Big Mac and McChicken Sauces Coming Soon to Canada

March 21, 2017

McDonald Sauces are coming to a grocery store near you. They are working with Heinz/Kraft to make this product available to all Canadians. Probably Americans too. I was at the Grocery & Specialty Food West Convention and stumbled upon this new product. I wasn’t able to try this product, but the rep did confirm that it tastes very identical to what they have in their sandwiches. I would have taken one, but it was locked inside a display case.

It sounded like these will be hitting shelves very soon and I am giddy with excitement. I can finally stop asking for an extra side of sauce to go with my fries. It will make all BBQs amazing this Summer.

There was a limited release of 10,000 bottles of Big Mac sauce that was given out in the United States, but perhaps that was a sneak peek at what would be coming soon. When these get released, I will be making sure I stock up on each flavour.

In Kensington

The Eastwood: Pub on Fraser Street

March 20, 2017

The Eastwood is a new restaurant on Fraser Street. They serve brunch and lunch, but we decided to come for a visit for dinner. The place got busy later in the evening with people coming here to enjoy the game, have some bites and of course beer.

Interior

As the sun goes down, the TV screen light up the space. It is a bit dim, but a lot of people were enjoying the different games playing on the screens. There was cheering whenever a favoured team would score a point. For me, I was really here for the food.

Drinks

Beer is a must to go with the pub-style food here. I got the Kronenbourg Blanc and a radler. Fruity and refreshing.

Dirty Sanchez Burger

This burger has a 6oz beef patty, Monterey Jack, Guacamole, pickled onion, pickled jalapeno, lettuce, tomato, garlic aioli and a pretzel bun. It comes with a salad or fries. Since we had ordered other fries, we went with a caesar salad.

The burger had a nice kick from the jalapeno, but I felt the ration between the bun and patty were a bit off.

Fraser Fries

This is their house fries with bacon, sundried tomatoes, herbs and garlic. The fries were nicely fried and was crisp on the exterior. You can get ketchup or other aioli dips to go with it. We got ours with a garlic aioli.

Mussels Vino Blanco

It has a full pound of mussels, white wine, butter, shallots, garlic, parsley and served with grilled bread and fries. The mussels are Ocean Wise certified mussels. The broth was delicious and enjoyable to dunk the bread of fries into.

Tuna Poke

The tuna poke is made of mango salsa, avocado, ahi tuna, sesame seeds, herb chili oil and green onion on top of the tortilla chips. The delicate flavours of the poke didn’t go too well with the tortilla chips.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to finally have a pub in the area to watch the game and enjoy some beer and bites. Some items on the menu is a hit and miss, but there is a good selection of pub favourites that will appeal to customers.

We Rate The Eastwood:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheEastwoodVan

Address:
4245 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC

In British Columbia

Starbucks Canada: Spring Cups are here

March 19, 2017

Starbucks Canada is celebrating the season with its first-ever spring hot beverage cup, available now at Starbucks stores across Canada for a limited time.

Each tall, grande and venti size gets its own cheerful colour and will have either a blank circle or something pre-drawn depending on what the store has in stock.

I drew a cat on my Venti cup and my friend grew a lady on her Tall cup for St. Patricks Day. We aren’t the best drawers, but we found it really fun customizing the outside of our cups. A few people were asking us where we went to get drinks, so its an awesome conversation starter.

My Earl Grey Tea Latte has never been so bright and purrr-fect.

The cups are available in participating stores for just a few days, so get one to welcome the season while you can.

Website: https://www.starbucks.ca/

In Filipino

Siga-Siga’s Filipino Food in Vancouver

March 18, 2017

Siga-Siga’s Filipino Food is located near Broadway and Fraser. We were going to a nearby restaurant and saw a sign for their ‘To Die For’ Wings. How could we not? Might as well go on an impromptu eating adventure.

They are a small hole in the wall restaurant with one person working.

Interior

It is a very small shop and has no public washroom, which was odd.

Wings

10 wings for $5.99 and made to order were a bit on the smaller side, but went well with the sauce that was at the table. It had a nice acidity to it that it matched with the wings.

I wouldn’t die for these wings, but they were ok.

BBQ Chicken Leg

One item the owner suggested was the BBQ Chicken leg with garlic rice and a side of salad. The BBQ leg was delicious and flavourful. The garlic rice needed a bit more salt for the flavour to shine through. We added some of the vinegar sauce to it and it was so good.

Potato and Tomato Stuffed Squid

The tomato and potato stuffed squid had a nice char on the outside and was packed full of veggies. The quid was a bit chewy.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was meh, but the prices were really good.

We Rate Siga-Siga’s:

Address:
650 East Broadway, Vancouver

In Cafe

Mikan Cafe: Japanese Pasta and Poutine

March 17, 2017

Mikan Cafe is the sister restaurant of Cafe de L’Orangerie. They have poutine, Japanse spaghetti, sandwiches and other items on the menu. This cafe use to be called Jean Talon, but they changed up their menu and has a new name.

Interior

The interior is cozy and has a few tables inside. The days that I’ve been here, it’s been a bit quiet. I’ve never had to make reservations here. The staff are very nice and helpful.

Poutine with Mikan Style Beef Stew

The crispy fries is topped with beef stew and cheese curds. We got a smaller order and it was a good size for 3 people to share. The fries are really crispy and I like how it’s not soggy at all.

Masago Creamy Spaghetti

This popular spaghetti has squid, mushroom, asparagus, roe, and cream. It was very delicious and I love the use of the Japanese ingredients that meld with pasta.

Strawberry Cream Roll

A great way to end the meal is by getting some of the desserts. The strawberry cream roll is light and fluffy.

Final Thoughts:

I love the addition of Japanese pasta on the menu. If you love Cafe de L’Orangerie, you’ll love Mikan Cafe, plus it’s not very busy. I love this location as I don’t have to travel so far to get their delicious pasta.

We Rate Mikan Cafe:

Address:
670 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website: http://mikancafe.cafedelorangerie.ca/

In Langley

Ban Chok Dee: Thai Food in Langley

March 16, 2017

Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine is a restaurant in Langley. I was shopping in the area and needed to find a place for dinner with the family.

I’ve heard lots about this place and I wanted to give it a try. It’s a bit far from where I live, so it was a perfect time to visit to see how it compares to places in Downtown Vancouver.

Interior

The interior was ok with a few Thai pictures around the restaurant. You can make reservations, but we just walked in without reservations and there was plenty of seats.

Stuffed Chicken Wings

The chicken wings are marinated with Thai spices and stuffed with sautéed shredded vegetables, vermicelli noodles, egg, ginger and garlic steamed and then fried to a golden crisp and served with sweet chili peanut sauce. There are 2 pieces to an order. The wings were really packed with the filling, so you can taste a lot of the egg and noodles.

Papaya Salad

This has shredded green papaya with lime juice, cherry tomato, green bean, roasted peanut and fresh chili served with sticky rice and two grilled prawns on a skewer. A great presentation in a clear glass cup but it made it a bit hard to scoop onto a plate to share. Other than that, the flavours were really good and had a good balance.

Chicken Satay

These are chicken skewers marinated in traditional Thai spices, broiled and served with peanut and cucumber plum sauce. It comes with 4 pieces per order. The chicken was surprisingly moist and the sauce was really good. I’d definitely order this again.

Pad Thai

Their Pad Thai has pan-fried rice noodles in tamarind sauce, with chicken or prawns, egg, tofu, green onions, bean sprouts, topped with ground peanuts. We got it with prawns. It was good but I felt it was a touch sweet.

Red Curry

We got this with beef. The curry has red curry paste, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, red and green bell peppers, lime leaves and sweet basil leaves. Slightly watery, but the flavour was nice.
We rate Ban Chok Dee:
Address:
20563 Douglas Crescent, Langley, BC
Website:
http://banchokdee.com/

In Brunch

Eggslut: Breakfast Sandwiches in Vegas

March 15, 2017

While in Vegas, I always have to try to eat as much as I can. One go-to place for breakfast is Eggslut in the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Eggslut originated from Los Angeles and there are a few other location in the states.

On a Friday, I wandered down to Eggslut to get a taste of their breakfast sandwiches and there was already a line at 10am.

The line looked long, but I waited about 10 minutes before putting in my order. Waiting for the food wasn’t too bad.

There is minimal seating, so if you are in a large group, you’ll be out of luck getting a seat. If you are insistent about getting a seat, you’ll just have to wait. The turnaround time is quite quick.

Sausage, Egg and cheese sandwich

This was delicious and perfect for the morning. The sausage patty had lots of flavour and wasn’t too salty. A good balance of ingredients. The egg yolk was slightly runny, so when I bit into the sandwich, I got it all over my shirt. Napkins are definitely needed.

Fresh Pressed Orange Juice

What better way to balance out all the food I’ve been having in Vegas with some fresh orange juice. A good pairing with the sandwiches here, but I wish there was more pulp in their juice.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed it and I wish I had more than one sandwich. I’ll definitely be back next time. There’s a good amount of choices on their menu and it’s a quick meal.

We Rate Eggslut:

Address:
The Cosmopolitan Of Las Vegas, Level 2

Website: https://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/restaurants/eggslut

In British Columbia

KFC Canada: Behind the Scenes

March 14, 2017

When I saw that KFC Canada was opening its doors and let customers behind the counter with the world’s first KFC Cooking School, I signed up right away and paid my “tuition fee” of $5. The downside was that it was all the way in Abbotsford, about a 1 hour drive from Vancouver. Either way, I am a huge fast food fan and I had to see how they create their chicken from start to finish.

Although KFC franchises around the world have allowed customers and fans behind the scenes in the past, letting the public cook their own meals is a KFC world-first. Everything was revealed except their 11 herbs and spices.

Not only is the chicken served at KFC restaurants 100% real, Canadian farm-raised chicken, but every single piece is hand-breaded and cooked with pride by real KFC cooks.

They even have a picture in their dining room with the spices and herbs, but its still a secret and locked up in a vault. Crazy, but it’s their signature flavour.

We started by suiting up in apron and hair nets. Not the most flattering, but food safety is #1 priority to keep customers and staff safe.

We were introduced to their packing area where the put all the meals together. It was cool to be up close to such industrial machines at a fast food restaurant.

In the past six months, every KFC cook went through recommitment training to ensure that they continue to take the care to hand-bread every piece of chicken, just the way KFC founder Colonel Sanders did in 1952.

They first take the pre-portioned chicken from the fridge and begin inspecting them before dunking it into the cold water.

It goes into the cold water to help coat each piece of chicken. They make sure there are no more air bubble in the batch.

Next, they dredge it in their flavour and 11 herb and spice blend, then then place it on the frying rack in a strategic way so each piece cooks perfectly.