Foodology, Author at Foodology

In Richmond

TasteYVR: Sneak Peek into the New Food and Beverage Options at Vancouver International Airport

September 4, 2019

We travel through the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) several times a year and I always have to step back and appreciate it’s beauty. YVR is one of the top airports in the world and I am so proud to call Vancouver my home.

Early in 2019, YVR announced the revamp of their Food and Beverage program with more than 20 new food and beverage concepts opening over the next two years. They are bringing a balance of local and international brands that I am really excited for.

Recently, we were invited to TasteYVR, a public event hosted by YVR to showcase a few of the exciting eateries opening up.

Japadog

Japadog is a Vancouver staple. Since their humble start in 2005 on the street corner of Burrard and Smithe, their Japanese influenced hot dogs captivated the tastebuds of locals and visitors.

They currently have a stand outside the airport’s International Arrivals area as well as a store at the McArthur Glen Premium Outlets. In January of 2020, you can find Japadog with a new in-terminal location at the domestic terminal before security.

They will boast the same menu, but with the addition of their breakfast items like their mashed egg, and mini breakfast buns.

Stanley Park Taphouse

The Stanley Park Brewing legacy dates back to 1897 when their namesake brewery was established in Stanley Park. It’s a local favourite brewery and they have some amazing seasonal brews like the Sunsetter Peach Wheat Ale and Summer Hefe. You also can’t go wrong with their year round brews like the 1897 Amber Ale or the Day Trip WestCoast Lager.

Stanley Park Taphouse opened at YVR in December 2017 and has been a fun place to chill before flights at the Domestic Terminal.

Their menu features starters and share plates, big salads, or braised short rib burgers. You can pair those food items with a BC wine or a craft beer served exclusively at YVR.

Globe@YVR

Globe@YVR serves up Pacific Northwest cuisine with thoughtfully prepared dishes featuring the best of locally sourced, sustainably grown ingredients. Their menu rotates seasonally. They boast a solid afternoon tea, brunch, as well as lunch and dinner made with local seasonal ingredients by Executive Chef Nandaskishore Rangan. His style of cooking that is represented on the menu as he calls it ‘local and honest’, which I admire a lot.

They are located right outside the US departures inside the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. It’s a great place to unwind, dine, and watch the planes come in and out of their gates.

Did you know, if you spend a minimum of $30 at Globe@YVR, you get 3 hours of free parking at the airport.

Illycaffè

Illy serves up some pretty darn good coffee and known around the world. They are a third-generation family-owned coffee company from Trieste, Italy. Illycaffè is the first full-service, post-security airside location of the authentic Italian coffee bar in Canada. You can find them in the international section of the main terminal near gate D58.

Their menu includes fresh sandwiches, healthy snack cups and decadent baked goods paired with their coffees like espresso, latte and cappuccino, to illy Cold Brew and original specialty drinks.

Uno Gelato

James Coleridge, the man behind Uno Gelato is unofficially known as the Vancouver gelato king and former owner of Bella Gelateria. He has won countless International awards for his Gelato and has now open up his new venture – Uno Gelato. There are currently 3 Vancouver locations and they serve up to a dozen original gelato offerings every day featuring fresh, local and organic ingredients. They have partnered up with local companies like Avalon Dairy, Krause Berry Farms and Vancouver Island Salt Company to have their high quality products incorporated into the gelato.

Popular flavours at YVR include Salted Caramel, Mint Chocolate Chip, Lemon, New Fashioned Chocolate and Very Cherry.

Hudson Group / Joe & the Juice

If you’ve been to their airport and needed headphones, magazines, or snacks last minute, you know you’ve visited the Hudson Group. They are best known for travel essentials and convenience stores, bookstores, duty-free shops and branded specialty stores.

They will be introducing Joe & the Juice, a well known European coffee and juice concept. You can find Joe & the Juice in other cities in North America too. They will be located post-security in both the Domestic and Transborder Terminals serving up their signature organic coffee, fresh fruit and vegetable juices and sandwiches.

Pacific Farms Market

I absolutely love the idea of Pacific Farms Market as I’ve seen the operator – Tastes on the Fly operate Napa Farms Market out of San Francisco. For locals and visitors, you can get access to locally sourced and seasonal goods from the best producers in British Columbia.

Angie Quaale, owner and chef of Well Seasoned in Langley is curating their selection of food and beverages. She’s the perfect person to do so as she’s so engrained in all things local.

You’ll notice 49th Parallel, one of Vancouver’s favourite coffee producers will have products available, a selection of fresh baked goods from Purebread Bakery, local wines from the Okanagan, and much more.

This is planned for both the Domestic Terminal and International Terminal when you go past security. The opening dates are planned for Spring 2020 (Domestic Terminal) and Summer 2020 (International Terminal).

Sal y Limon

Sal y Limon is my personal favourite taco shop in Vancouver and I’ve been there more than a dozen times. They have a variety of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and other items that give locals and visitors a taste of Mexican street food. My go to order is always 4 tacos with avocado salsa and a horchata. It hits the spot.

Slated to open in October 2019, they are located past security of the Transborder Terminal.

Heritage Asian Eatery

Heritage Asian Eatery originally opened in Downtown Vancouver serving up contemporary Asian comfort food and then they opened their second location in Mount Pleasant. Now, they’ve taken on Vancouver International Airport serving up baos, rice bowls, and noodles that just hit the spot.

The ambiance is very casual and you order up front before you take a seat. You get the deep Asian flavours mixed with locally sourced ingredients and modern Western techniques.

You’ll find them at the Domestic Terminal past security.

The Dirty Apron

The Dirty Apron is an amazing space in the heart of Downtown Vancouver acting as a culinary hub for great food, products, and cooking classes. The location in YVR won’t have all that, but their amazing deli will serve their array of delicious sandwiches, nutritious and health-conscious meals and snacks, all featuring locally sourced, seasonal produce and meats. If you want an elevated soup and sandwich, this is the place to go.

They are slated to open Spring 2020 in the domestic terminal past security.

Final Thoughts

I love the new changes coming to the Vancouver International Airport as it gives visitors more food and drink options at the different terminals. It highlights a lot of great local restaurants and products as well as bringing some more familiar global options. It’s a good balance that will be much welcomed.

Website:
http://www.yvr.ca/tasteyvr

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Vancouver International Airport. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Vancouver International Airport.

In product

SodaStream My Only Bottle: 500ml Sparkling Water Bottle

September 3, 2019

I’ve been a SodaStream customer for a long time now and recently they launched their My Only Bottle – a smaller, 500mL version of their classic sparkling water bottle. I absolutely love this since I am one of the only people in my family that can chug sparkling water all day long. Especially when I was pregnant, I couldn’t have sugar because of gestational diabetes, so my go to drink was always sparkling water.

With the traditional 1 litre bottles, I can realistically only finish half of it at a time. Of course, I can save it for later.

The new My Only Bottle is perfect for those on the go who love sparkling water. Whether you are a student, mother, or whoever, you can now fizz up your water and bring it along with you. It’s a really good size too.

My Only Bottle is available in two models: Loop and Sport (featuring a convenient drinking spout). The one pictured in this article is the Loop.

The bottles are dishwasher-safe and UV-resistant build, so you can easily clean and store their bottle without hassle. Just throw it in the dishwasher with the rest of the dishes and cups.

You can find these at places where SodaStream products are sold. Plus it retails for about $15.99. I’ve been using My Only Bottle for a few weeks now and I love it. Did you know, owning just one reusable Sodastream bottle can reduce up to 2,000 plastic bottles each year?

In Cafe

[Sneak Peek] Fufú Café: Japanese Soufflé Pancakes in Vancouver

September 2, 2019

Fufú Café is going to be Vancouver’s first-ever all Japanese soufflé pancake cafe. There are other cafés and shops serving up different versions of soufflé pancakes, but Fufú Café will have a variety of them available from sweet to savoury.

They are just days away from Soft Opening, so watch out on social media to see when that is happening.

Grand Opening Special

They will have their grand opening on Saturday, September 7th, 2019 with a great promo where the first 50 customers will get a free classic soufflé pancake. After that, the classic soufflé pancake will be 50% off.

Interior

The whimsically designed 20-seat cafe is influenced by modern French-style aesthetics, highlighting soft and light pastels colours, artwork and textures.

It’s absolutely stunning and you’ll definitely get a few good photos here with your friends or family.

Mixed Berries Soda

There are a few different sodas on the menu and they are gorgeous. I went with the mixed berries soda as it’s in season and you can’t go wrong with berries. We have this a quick stir and patiently waited for our pancakes to be ready.

Their made-to-order Japanese soufflé pancakes each take about 15 to 20 minutes to make. I didn’t find the wait that long since having a good catch up session with a friend definitely last longer than that.

FuFú Classic Soufflé Pancake #1

There are 2 versions of the Classic. This one has 3 pieces of the Soufflé Pancake accompanied with butter, maple syrup, and “Fufú” icing sugar. I love seeing the 3 layers jiggle when you shake it slightly.

This is definitely classic and I love how it’s simple, yet it shows off the texture and flavour of the Soufflé Pancakes the most. The butter and maple syrup pair so well. This was one of my favourites.

FuFú Classic Soufflé Pancake #2

The second version also have 3 pieces, but it has sea salt mascarpone cheese whipped cream to accompany the Soufflé Pancakes. The sea salt mascarpone cheese whipped cream does have a good balance of saltiness and sweetness to pair with the pancakes.

Matcha Mochi

There are 2 pieces of Soufflé Pancake topped with shiratamako balls, housemade matcha sauce, matcha whipping cream, double chocolate raspberry ice cream, white chocolate flakes, and matcha flakes. The matcha whipping cream isn’t too intense and has the right amount of sweetness to pair with the pancakes. If you want more matcha flavour, the matcha sauce is more concentrated. They get their ice cream from Rocky Point Ice Cream and it’s pretty darn good.

Mixed Fresh Fruit

This has 2 pieces of Soufflé Pancake topped with mixed fresh fruit, classic whipped cream, dried raspberry flakes, and icing sugar. I love the dried raspberry flakes as it adds a nice crunch to the dish. This was my second favourite flavour as the whipped cream and fruit compliments the pancakes well without masking the texture or taste of the pancakes.

Lemon Crème Brûlée Soufflé Pancake

There are 2 stacked soufflé pancakes, house-made lemon crème brûlée sauce, lemon yogurt ice cream, with seasonal fruits. This was one of the sweeter options because of the lemon crème brûlée sauce but still well balanced in taste. I personally found that the lemon crème brûlée sauce did mask the taste of the soufflé pancake as it has stronger flavours. I really enjoyed the ice cream because it has a nice biscuit texture embedded in it. It is also supplied by Rocky Point Ice Cream.

Earl Grey Milk Tea & Tapioca Pearl

This is definitely a fun Soufflé Pancake topped with housemade earl grey tea sauce and tapioca pearl. This is another popular item on the menu. For me, I found the chewiness of the pearls and strong earl grey tea sauce overshadowed the Soufflé Pancake similar to other items on the menu. If you love bubble tea, you’ll really enjoy this.

Eggs Benedict

You can find their savoury soufflé pancakes on the menu on weekends from opening till 3pm. The eggs benedict has two poached eggs on top of soufflé pancakes, housemade hollandaise sauce, and your choice of local pork sausage or bacon, fresh organic greens salad. I got mine with bacon.

It is super creative since I would have never thought Soufflé Pancakes would be part of brunch. The eggs are poached perfectly with a silky hollandaise sauce. It doesn’t highlight the pancakes well, but it is a pretty well rounded breakfast and it tastes good.

Final Thoughts

They have a good sized menu and different items that either show off the Soufflé Pancake or their creativity with the sauces. When they open, they are definitely going to be really busy, so you’ll probably have to brave the line ups are peak hours until it settles.

It’s great to finally have a Soufflé Pancake shop open in Vancouver because these pancakes are just so good. I absolutely love the classic and the mixd fresh fruit Soufflé Pancakes.

Website:
http://fufusoufflepancake.ca

Address:
266 West Broadway, Vancouver BC

In product

Hot Ones x 88rising: Dragon in the Clouds Hot Sauce Review

September 1, 2019

We are huge fans of First We Feast’s Hot Ones videos on Youtube and there is something about watching people hurt themselves eating spice wings while being interviewed. Their first episode aired in March 2015 and after 9 seasons, they are still going strong and introducing amazing hot sauce varieties in the market.

Recently, Hot Ones and 88rising, a popular hip-hop collective have joined forces to create a limited edition hot sauce called ‘Dragon in the Clouds’. The sauce was teased in Season 2 of Feast Mansion. They use flavours of Sichuan peppercorn, sambal, ghost peppers, vinegar, yuzu, mustard, and fresh garlic to induce an intense heat experience. They do claim this is one of the hottest hot sauces they have ever created.

When we saw the sauce drop, the 4oz bottle originally sold the bottles for $30 each, but then suddenly dropped to $25 on 88nightmarket.com. We initially thought this was a bit strange, but we got refunded the difference right away. Shipping to Canada is possible but it is a bit expensive, so we opted to ship it to our mailbox in the US and make a trip out of it.

When it arrived, it comes in a small black cardboard box with the 4oz. ‘Dragon in the Clouds’ inside. The design is beautiful.

We went to Popeyes and tried this on their Mac n Cheese and fried chicken to taste test the ‘Dragon in the Clouds’ hot sauce. It’s a very hot sauce, so a dab is good enough! We poured a bunch in our Mac n Cheese and it was instant regret.

At first, the mix of aromatics can be tasted with the yuzu and vinegar standing out. Then, the heat from the sambal, ghost pepper, and Szechuan peppercorn hits you. It got hot real fast!! We’ve tried the Last Dab and the Dragon in the Clouds felt much hotter. In terms of scoville heat units, they don’t mention what the numbers are, so it’s hard to say if the Last Dab or Dragon in the Clouds is hotter definitively.

The 4oz bottle will last us for a while unlike the other Hot Ones sauces in our collection.

In British Columbia

Pizza Hut delivers Cinnabon Mini Rolls with your Pizza in Canada

August 29, 2019

Pizza Hut Canada and Cinnabon are finally collaborating in Canada after a successful launch of Cinnabon Mini Rolls to Pizza Hut menus across the United States. Sometimes all the fun things happen in the States first and then finally to Canada.

Cinnabon has locations in Ontario and Nova Scotia, but not in the other Provinces of Canada. There are other competitors in the space, but it’s now your chance to get some Cinnabon.

Crafted By Cinnabon Mini Rolls are delivered warm to your front door and include 10 mini cinnamon rolls made with Cinnabon Makara cinnamon swirls, topped with a lot of Cinnabon signature cream cheese frosting.

It may not look like much when you open the box, but once you get the first bite of those cinnamon rolls, it’s a really nice sweet treat after having pizza. Because the rolls are mini and slathered with frosting, they aren’t dry at all. It’s like a warm hug.

This is only available for a limited time until end of September, so order your Pizza Hut pizza and Cinnabon Mini Rolls before its all gone.

They currently have the Cinnabon Mini Rolls Bundle for $24.99, which includes a medium pizza, boneless chicken, and 10 mini cinnamon rolls. You can make modifications to your order as well. What we ended up doing was getting a medium meat lovers pizza with stuffed crust because that’s an Iconic Pizza Hut Pizza. We remember it so vividly from our childhood. Then we got the honey BBQ boneless chicken, the mini rolls, and added on a few cans of Dr. Pepper.

We ate all this and watched Netflix. Dinner made easy.

In British Columbia

Starbucks Canada: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Review

August 27, 2019

Starbucks is at it again and celebrating the arrival of Fall with pumpkin spiced everything. I really love the fall and the foliage is changing, its a good temperature for a light jacket, and of course there’s Halloween and my birthday.

The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is perfect for those who love a coffee-forward version that isn’t too milky and sweet. I’ve had the famous PSL but I alway found it too sweet so half sweet was always my option. Did you know, it was launched in 2003, so it’s been around for the last 16 years?!

They started developing the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew in 2019 and came up with 10 different iterations until they picked the one that’s launching today. They combined the strong cold brew with the pumpkin spices that surprisingly work really well together. You get the hit of the pumpkin spiced cream and then the boldness of the cold brew. It goes down smooth and not too sweet at all.

Fall 2019 Line Up

Pumpkin Spice Latte (returning favourite)
Celebrating its sixteenth year, the PSL is made with real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, for a taste of the season with each sip. The official beverage of Fall is handcrafted with espresso and steamed milk and topped off with whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin spice topping.

Salted Caramel Mocha (returning favourite)
A seasonal favourite, the Salted Caramel Mocha blends mocha sauce and toffee nut syrup, combined with espresso and milk, and finished with whipped cream, caramel drizzle and Sea Salt Sugar topping.

Cardamom Latte (returning favourite)
Espresso and steamed milk, sweetened with Classic syrup, crafted together and topped with Cardamom Spice sugar.

Pumpkin Scone (returning favourite)
Flavoured with pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and cinnamon, topped with a sweet icing and drizzle.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin (returning favourite)
Our perfectly spiced pumpkin muffin topped with sweet cream cheese and a sprinkling of chopped, caramelized pepitas for a delightful balance of salty and sweet.

Pumpkin Loaf (returning favourite)
A gently spiced bread with pumpkin flavours and pepitas.

Starbucks VIA Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte
Made with high quality arabica beans and a smooth and creamy combination of real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Just tear open a packet, add hot water, wait 10 seconds and stir. No coffee machine or grinder needed!

2019 Thanksgiving Blend
Dark chocolate and subtle spices, featuring notes of sage. Inspired by the warmth of the season and gatherings big or small, this year we celebrate a thoughtful new recipe.

In BBQ

Heritage Asian Eatery on Broadway Launches Chinese BBQ Menu

August 21, 2019

Heritage Asian Eatery is best known for their take on modern Asian comfort food and a signature menu of Far East-inspired fare such as baos, rice bowls, dumplings and noodles.

They are pivoting their menu to offer new Chinese BBQ items exclusively at their Broadway location including its own Heritage BBQ chicken recipe, soy chicken, BBQ duck, and BBQ Pork.

All they’re missing are roast pork and pork sausages. Either way, having 4 options is better than no options given the area. There really aren’t any Chinese BBQ options near Vancouver City Hall area.

The new menu is best eaten family-style, but if you want your own portion, they have the BBQ meats on rice.

We were invited to check out their new Chinese BBQ Menu.

Heritage Chicken

This is their signature item on the menu. I liked how the chicken was moist on the inside and the outer skin was thin and full of flavour. Very enjoyable. You can order this as a half or whole chicken, but unfortunately no individual portion on rice. Recommended.

Soy Chicken

The soy chicken was impressive as well with thin skin but the flavour penetrated into the chicken. Very moist as well. Highly recommended.

BBQ Duck

The BBQ duck has a nice flavour but I felt like the fat between the meat and skin could have been rendered better as a few pieces would have quite a bit of fat. This is served with plum sauce.

BBQ Pork

The BBQ pork is quite meaty, but I thought the the caramelization of the sauce surrounding the pork could have been better. It’s decent but not the best I’ve had.

Chili Wonton

The prawn wontons are served with chili and vinegar. This was really good and I like the amount of prawns in the wontons. That chili sauce is so good. We wanted them to jar it up and sell because we loved it so much. Highly recommended.

Crispy Wonton

These are golden prawn wontons and it is served with their house sauce. Great texture and it is very crispy on the outside and the soft bouncy prawns inside were yum. Highly Recommended.

Fried Edamame

I didn’t like the sweet and salty seasoning on the edamame and would have just preferred boil and salted. I totally understand their twist to fry it, but didn’t work out for me.

Wonton Soup

There is a few prawn wontons in the broth. It’s a good side dish if you want soup with your meal. It is large enough to share with a few people if you just want a taste.

Five Spice Chicken Wings

These are gluten-free chicken rubbed with their signature five spice dry rub. I wasn’t a fan of the coating around the wings and the red chili flakes were very potent for the pieces on top. It was a bit heavy handed.

Pork and Chive Dumpling

These are pan-fried pork and chive dumplings. These were ok, but I wished there was more filling.

Gai Lan

The gai lan is steamed and topped with crispy garlic and sauce. Sometimes you just need veggies as part of the meal and its a great portion.

Spicy Tofu

The tofu is crispy and served with their version of spicy gochujang sauce. That sauce is really nice and goes so well with the tofu. It is spicy, so I love the extra kick of heat to it. Highly recommended.

Milk Custard

They have seasonal toppings on their milk custard and it can be coffee, tapioca or a special. When we were here today, they had their brown sugar tapioca topping. It sounded very intriguing as you see the layer of milk custard on the bottom and the brown sugar tapioca on top. I wanted to like it but I felt the tapioca and brown sugar took away from the milk custard. It masked the taste of it so it had an overwhelming taste of the sugary syrup.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the addition of the Chinese BBQ meats is brilliant because this area needs something like this. Whether you are eating the items family-style or just getting your own portion on rice, it definitely fulfills those cravings. There is enough variety on the menu with the sides and share plates that you can craft an excellent meal.

They also do delivery and pick up, so if you’re looking for a quick lunch and don’t want to go outside, you can get it straight to your door.

Address:
382 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.eatheritage.ca

In Bubble Tea

Xing Fu Tang: Brown Sugar Pearl Milk and Other Bubble Tea Drinks in Coquitlam

August 19, 2019

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Xing Fu Tang is a Taiwanese Brand of bubble tea shop that specializes in Brown Sugar Pearl Milk. They make their stir fried brown sugar pearls in front of their customers to ensure freshness. If you’re a fan of Xing Fu Tang, they bring in the same key ingredients from Taiwanese suppliers to ensure the drinks are consistent like the ones found in Asia.

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Xing Fu Tang has opened their latest location in Coquitlam. This is the fifth location in Metro Vancouver and the other locations are on Cambie, Marpole, Kingsway, Richmond, and now Coquitlam. It’s much closer to those living away from the city. This particular location is different than the others as the owners of this franchise are there daily to ensure quality is consistent.

They are best known for their signature Brown Sugar Pearl Milk, but there is definitely more on their menu than that. We were invited to give their menu a taste test.

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Interior

The space is small, so there are only 4 stools to sit on. Most people get their drinks to grab and go. As it is located under an apartment building, there is limited parking around the shop.

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Fortune Telling

In the store, you’ll find long red wooden sticks and a large drawer hung on the wall. This isn’t decoration as this is meant to tell your fortune.

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You start by randomly picking a red stick and it will tell you which numbered drawer to open to select your fortune.

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If you don’t read Chinese, this might be a little difficult, but the staff can help you if needed.

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I thought the fortunes were a bit funny and the English translation and the Chinese fortune does vary a bit.

My fortune tells me that my husband isn’t enough and I need to keep on searching. My husband’s fortune says his dream person is in love with him and it’s time for him to move to the next level. I think these fortunes are meant for single people. Do note that I can’t read Chinese, so I am basing this off the English.

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Brown Sugar Pearl Milk

This is their most popular item on the menu and it is the flagship drink that made this chain famous. This starts with the stir fried brown sugar pearls, milk, cheesy foam, and then brulee on top.

Stir this a few times to mix all the ingredients together, so you’re not just slurping up all the brown sugar in the first sip. The ratio of brown sugar and milk was good. Not too sweet at all. The cream foam on top adds a rich mouthfeel to the drink. The pearls are soft and chewy.

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Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea

If you are looking for the signature drink with tea, it’s on the menu too. This doesn’t have the foam and brulee on top. You’ll want to stir this up very well to incorporate the flavours.

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Bunny Jelly Mango Smoothie

The rabbit panna cotta jelly on top is so cute as it sits above the mango smoothie and pink strawberry pearls. It’s so sad when you have to stab the straw through the bunny. Or you could just eat the bunny first or push it aside. The drink has a strong and sweet mango flavour perhaps from the mango syrup.

This is another popular item because how can you resist the bunny?

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Soda and Homemade Jelly

This drink is beautiful with the blue soda and two big pink jelly balls. It’s very pleasing to the eyes but when we drink it, it reminds us of a refreshing soda like Sprite. The jelly just adds texture to it.

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Strawberry Pearl Milk

There are layers of pink strawberry pearls, milk and strawberry puree on top. When you mix this all together, it combines the layers together. The drink reminded me of strawberry pocky. My least favourite on the menu as I felt it was too sweet.

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Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte

This is another popular drink on the menu and the gradient of colours is nice. You have to mix up very well.

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Grapefruit Green Tea

Grapefruit green tea is refreshing compared to the brown sugar beverages on the menu. The grapefruit definitely stands out and pairs well with the green tea. We enjoyed this.

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Lemon Green Tea

The lemon green tea was great as well and refreshing like the other fruit tea beverages.

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Lemon Black Tea

A refreshing drink that isn’t too sweet. It was pretty good and I just wished there was more as it was more clean in taste.

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Matcha Pearl Milk

This drink reminds me of the Italian flag because of the layers of green matcha, milk, and pink strawberry pearls. The drink is on the sweeter side and is like a matcha latte.

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Brown Sugar Pearl and Herbal Jelly Milk

With this drink, I liked both the textures of the herbal jelly and the pearls. As for the brown sugar milk, it takes similar to the others.

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Final Thoughts

We tried 11 drinks on the menu and the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk definitely stands out. It’s definitely not for everyone but if you’re craving brown sugar drinks, this might be it.

Their other top drinks like Brown Sugar Pearl and Herbal Jelly Milk, Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte, and Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea all have brown sugar, which makes sense why they’re popular and have similar tastes.

We were impressed by the fresh fruit teas as well. Something that we wouldn’t normally get, but on a hot day, it’s quite refreshing.

Address:
1-1180 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, BC

Website:
https://www.xingfutang.ca/

In product

Miss Vickie’s Signatures Chip: Review

August 18, 2019

Miss Vickie’s has gone gourmet and launched Miss Vickies Signatures in 3 flavours – Apple Cider Vinaigrette & Shallots, Hickory Smoked Salt, and Citrus & Black Peppercorn.

“This new collection of Miss Vickie’s Signatures potato chips delivers a unique sensorial taste experience with modern ingredients”, according to their website.

This new look for these line of chips were very intriguing, so we had to grab each flavour to taste test. We’ve been huge fans of Miss Vickie’s original line because of the texture of the kettle cooked chips. I remember it was one of my go-to chip brands whenever I would go to the vending machine by our school cafeteria.

When I brought these home, my husband was also so curious about the flavour combinations and was surprised how the packaging is dark and moody unlike their colourful packaging.

Citrus & Black Peppercorn

I wouldn’t have thought these 2 ingredients go together. You can the fresh citrus as the first aroma, then the layers of the peppercorn. What really stood out was the classic texture of Miss Vickie’s kettle cooked chips that have a beautiful crunch that’s music to your ears.

My husband felt like it tasted like hand soap that has a citrus scent.

Hickory Smoked Salt

You get a strong aroma of the hickory smoke. Imagine hickory sticks, but in a full chip format but much smokier. All you can smell is the hickory.

Yet again, the texture was great.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette & Shallots

This was the third flavour in the collection. The apple cider vinaigrette stood out as the dominant taste. For me, it was a bit strong and the shallots didn’t shine at all.

I personally don’t like apple cider vinegar, so this flavour wasn’t for me.

Final Thoughts

Overall, you can’t go wrong with the classic texture of Miss Vickie’s chips. The flavours are unique but I still like the other Miss Vickie’s flavours more.

As Miss Vickie’s Signatures Chips are only available for a limited time only, who knows how long these will be on store shelves.

Website:
https://www.missvickies.ca

In British Columbia

Tim Hortons: Beyond Meat Burger Review

August 16, 2019

After the release of Tim Horton‘s Beyond Meat Breakfast menu, they are now releasing Beyond Meat Burgers on the menu, which are 100% Plant-based burger patties.

Tim Hortons has has different sandwiches on their menu, but this is a first time seeing burgers on the menu. Odd, but we were intrigued to see how it stacks up with A&W as they were the first to launch Beyond Meat burgers in the fast food industry in Canada. Then White Spot created their own versions too. Now, Tim Hortons is jumping on this opportunity too.

Beyond Burger

In the burger is the beyond meat patty, shredded lettuce, tomato mayo, ketchup and a slice of cheese.

The beyond meat patty was thick but pretty dry. I also didn’t like the bun as it as thick and dense. Might have been better if it was toasted.

BBQ Beyond Burger

This is the other version of the burgers but with BBQ sauce. They didn’t add much BBQ sauce to it, so not a very bold taste of BBQ in each bite. The sauce was mostly in the centre.

Other than that, same critiques about the patty and bun.

Final Thoughts

These 2 Beyond Meat Burgers were disappointing and you could probably make better ones at home. Nothing about the spices or seasoning is unique to Tim Hortons. Unlike A&W, they have their own unique blend of spices that permeate through the beyond meat patty.

Nonetheless, it still give options to Tim Hortons customers who are in their stores and would like lunch options that are vegetarian friendly.

Website:
https://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/menu/beyond-meat.php

In British Columbia

Panago’s Beyond Meat Italian Sausage Pizzas: Review

August 15, 2019

Panago has been expanding their plant based pizza options on their menu. We noticed they are now offering Beyond Meat Italian Sausage on a few of their newer pizzas.

It’s a great options if you have a pizza party or an office party and you need some vegetarian and lactose-free options.

We decided to order these for dinner and give this a taste test.

Plant-based Beyond Summer BBQ

This pizza has BBQ sauce, Beyond Meat Italian sausage crumble, red onions, roasted corn medley seasoned with onions, red & green peppers, jalapeño peppers, and dairy-free Daiya cheese.

The Beyond Meat Italian sausage crumble has a good texture and it can be easily mistaken as sausage. If you’re not lactose intolerant, the Daiya cheese has a very gummy processed taste that didn’t sit well for us and couldn’t get past it’s texture.

Beyond Summer BBQ

This version without the Daiya has BBQ sauce, Beyond Meat Italian sausage crumble, red onions, roasted corn medley seasoned with onions, red & green peppers, jalapeño peppers, and mozzarella.

It’s so much better with mozzarella! You can taste the strong BBQ taste emanating from every bite. There is sweetness from the corn and the jalapeño gives it a kick of spice.

Final Thoughts

It’s great that Panago is giving more options for their customers were dietary restrictions. Since pizza is a common item found at parties, customizing for those who are lactose intolerant or vegetarian is easier now.

As a meat eater, I would definitely stay away from the Daiya, but their Beyond Meat Italian sausage crumble passes the test.

Website:
https://www.panago.com

In British Columbia

Tim Hortons: Omelette Bites Review

August 14, 2019

Tim Hortons has launched omelette bites on their menu and it comes in 3 flavours – Jalapeño & Cheddar, Bacon & Cheese, and Spinach & Egg White.

They have recently launched a lot of new items on the menu and seems to be straying away from what they know best.

I was just passing by and saw the omelette bites, so I just had to see how it compares to Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites. At first glance, it was weird that the omelette bites come in a burger box and it’s quite a lot of packaging being wasted.

Jalapeño & Cheddar

The Jalapeño & Cheddar omelette bites had the most flavour, but it was also the most salty of the three options. The taste of the Jalapeño & Cheddar is strong and you can taste all the spices.

Bacon & Cheese

You can see the specks of bacon and cheese in these omelette bites. It has a mild smokey flavour to it, but was a tad dense even when warmed up.

Spinach & Egg White

The healthier of the three options is the spinach and egg white omelette bites. It is also the most bland, but it’s still an option for those who don’t want egg yolks.

Final Thoughts

If you’re at Tim Hortons and want some more options, this could be it. These were ok, but did I love them? No. It’s definitely lacking something but could be enhanced with hot sauce if you can find some around.

Starbucks Egg Bites are still better than Tim Hortons Omelette Bites.

I’ll still stick to my honey crueller.

Website:
https://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.php

In Downtown

[Sneak Peek] TWG Tea Salon & Boutique: Moon Route Tea Mooncake Collection for Mid-Autumn Festival

August 13, 2019

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in Vancouver Moon Route Tea Mooncake Collection for the mid-Autumn festival, a harvest festival celebrated by the Chinese. It is usually celebrated eating mooncakes and having dinner with loved ones.

This year, TWG has several traditional mooncakes as well as snowskin mooncakes, which as infused with the luxurious TWG Teas.

You can find theses at TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in Vancouver from August 9 till September 13, 2019.

We were invited for a sneak peek of the Moon Route Tea Mooncake Collection.

Moon Route Tea

This tea pairs well with all the tea-infused traditional and snowskin mooncakes in the collection. This is a subtle and creamy blend of green tea and red fruits. It is accented by a sweet note of rare citrus which lingers on the palate.

Traditional Mooncakes

The traditional mooncakes are contemporary while maintaining the integrity of what a baked mooncake should be. These are more dense and sweeter than the snowskin mooncakes.

There are 4 types to this collection – Constellation, Jewel, Harvest, and Moonlight.

Constellation

This has a golden crust, a smooth and elegant brown lotus filling infused with Singapore Breakfast Tea. There is roasted melon seeds and an embedded salted egg yolk inside the filling. This was definitely the most classic out of the four types.

Jewel

This mooncakes has their Chocolate Tea infused in the brown lotus paste and sprinkled with chocolate chips and crumble. Then, it is wrapped in a baked chocolate crust.

Of the four traditional mooncakes, Jewel was our favourite. It was sweet and delicious. We loved how it has melted pieces of chocolate throughout the mooncake.

Harvest

This unique mooncake has a black crust with Mistral Tea and lemongrass infused white lotus filling, and strawberry almond paste centre.

Moonlight

The last traditional mooncake has white lotus paste infused with Matcha, and a Amarena cherry centre.

Snowskin Mooncakes

Snowskin mooncakes are a modern approach that appeals to the younger demographic. It makes for an icy cold dessert at the end of a meal.

There are also 4 types to this set – Pure, Blossom, Illumination, and Serenity.

Pure

This one has a white snowskin covering white lotus paste infused with Moon Route Tea and a lotus cream centre.

Blossom

This bright orange snowskin mooncake has Geisha Blossom Tea infused white lotus filling and a peach confit in a white chocolate centre.

We really enjoyed this one.

Illumination

This black mooncake has a brown lotus paste infused with Earl Grey Fortune and an orange lotus cream centre. We really enjoyed this too.

Serenity

This yellow snowskin mooncake has Lemon Bush Tea infused brown lotus filling and a centre of tangy lemon lotus cream.

Final Thoughts

The Moon Route Tea Mooncake Collection for Mid-Autumn Festival sets are perfect to give to family and friends to celebrate this great occasion. If you’re looking for something unique, this is it.

Of the eight mooncakes, we really enjoyed Jewel, Blossom, and Illumination.

Address:
1070 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://twgtea.com/

In British Columbia

Pirate Pak Day Featuring Adult Pirate Pak Menu for 10 and Over

August 12, 2019

Pirate Pak Day is back on Wednesday August 14th! For every Adult and Kids Pirate Pak and select entrees that sell on this day, White Spot will make a $2 donation to the Zajac Ranch for Children. It’s a great cause since it’s a summer camp that brings joy to children and young adults with serious medical conditions.

Over the years, over $780,776 for the Zajac Ranch has been raised to give kids an awesome summer camp experience they’ll never forget.

We were invited for a sneak peek of this year’s Pirate Pak offerings.

Adult Pirate Pak Options

If you’re over 10 year old, there are a number of Adult Pirate Pak options that will sure fill you up. There’s definitely more than the standard Kids Pirate Pak options.

All Adult Pirate Paks come with creamy coleslaw, endless Kennebec fries plus a soft drink, our famous chocolate coin and a scoop of ice cream.

The Legendary Burger

The traditional ¼ lb. 100% fresh Canadian beef burger with their signature Triple “O” sauce & a pickle on top. You can add Jack or Cheddar cheese, or crispy bacon, or sautéed mushrooms for an additional charge.

Bacon Cheddar Burger

The ¼ lb.100% fresh Canadian beef burger with crispy bacon, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion & their secret Triple “O” sauce.

We ordered this and it was pretty delicious! Big thick pieces of bacon and the patty was juicy too. We upgraded our fries to Sweet Potato Fries and it sure hit the spot. To finish off, we had chocolate ice cream to go with this.

BC Chicken Burger

A Chargrilled fresh BC chicken breast, Cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion & their secret Triple “O” sauce.

Brie and Mushroom Veggie Burger

A crispy veggie burger with brie, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, mayo, arugula, tomato and balsamic glaze.

The White Spot Club

This has fresh turkey breast, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo and chili sauce on your choice of toasted white, multigrain or sourdough.

The Spot’s Fish and Chips

This has two pieces of our crispy tempura battered cod. You can add extra pieces for an extra charge.

Dippin’ Chicken

There are crispy breaded chicken tenders with dip.

Nat’s Original Beef Dip

Slow-roasted and tender Certified Angus Beef piled high on garlic panini bread. Served with au jus. You can load up your dip with Jack cheese, sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions for an extra charge.

I got the loaded beef dip and subbed the fries for zoo sticks. It comes with a lot of zoo sticks, but there were pretty darn good.

Final Thoughts

The meals were quite large and perfect for an adult appetite. It’s fun feeling like a kid again, enjoying the company of your family, and supporting a great cause like Zajac Ranch for Children. Their goal this year is to help 400 kids saddle up and ride this season, make 800 dips in the water and toast 1300 marshmallows by the campfire.

Pirate Pak Day is Wednesday August 14th, 2019, so make sure to head to White Spot early with the family to have a great meal.

Website:
https://whitespot.ca/piratepakday

In British Columbia

McDonald Classics Remastered: Review

August 10, 2019

McDonald’s Canada is finally changing the way they cook and serve their classic beef burgers. It’s been a long time coming as the method hasn’t changed in a long time.

The improvements:

100 per cent Canadian beef patties now cooked in smaller batches for hotter and juicier beef
Storage changes for fresher and crisper produce
Onions added directly on the patties on the grill to intensify flavour
More of our legendary Mac Sauce applied on Big Macs
New bun recipes for warmer buns

You can taste the changes if you order items like the Big Mac, cheeseburger and Quarter Pounder.

Taste Test

We ordered all 3 items – Big Mac, Quarter Pounder and Cheeseburger to see if we could tell the difference. Right away, it’s hard to tell the difference in the quality if you’re not a regular customer ordering any of these items.

We couldn’t tell the difference for the cheeseburger and big mac as we don’t get it that often. As for the Quarter Pounder, it is something my husband gets when he goes to McDonalds. He noticed the nicer pieces of onions and the juicer beef patty.

For all three items, we did notice the changes to the softer buns, which looks and tastes better.

Overall, very hard to tell the changes to the burgers, but it’s still a welcomed change.

In Brunch

[Sneak Peek] Ancora Waterfront Dining & Patio: Brunch, Lunch, and much more in Vancouver

August 9, 2019

Ancora Waterfront Dining & Patio is releasing their brunch menu and I’m pretty darn excited because this makes having a taste of Ancora more affordable and more people can get a taste of their Japanese and Peruvian inspired dishes.

During brunch hours at both False Creek and Ambleside locations, the lunch menu is also available if you choose to select some other items off that menu.

We were invited to check out the brunch menu and a few other features also available during brunch time.

Interior

We were dining at their Ambleside location and the space is stunning. They were able to take inspiration from fishing nets and other boating object and incorporate it into their space. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

Complimentary bread

I love complimentary bread! This was slices of brioche and focaccia with a hummus spread. It was pretty good and not the usual bread and butter.

[Brunch Menu]

Soft Shell Crab Taco

The soft shell crab taco is topped with mango salsa, harissa emulsion, seaweed, ikura, and micro greens. It sits on top of 2 grilled taco shells and a slice of lime.

I ordered this dish since I love soft shell crab it was good as the harissa emulsion added more depth to the taste of this dish.

Dungeness Crab Benny

The dungeness crab is served with Botanical greens, nori spiced baby potatoes, and a miso hollandaise. The eggs are poached perfectly, so when you cut into the egg, it runs. If you want it to be less runny, you can request it done however you like.

Forbidden Rice Peruvian Paella

One of their specialities at Ancora is paella. This brunch version has black cod croquettes, rocoto aioli and fried egg.

Flank Steak Burger

The burger is cooked medium rare and it also has rocoto aioli, aged cheddar, yucas bravas, and we added a fried egg to it. It’s not brunch without a fried gooey egg. Those yuca fries are so damn good. Super crisp!

[Lunch Menu]

The brunch menu isn’t extensive, but their lunch menu is also available to order from.

Spider Roll

Inside the roll has soft shell crab, masago and asparagus. There are 8 pieces to a roll and good for sharing among the table.

Sashimi

There is fresh sashimi on the table and we go the chef to decide what to add to ours. there is wild salmon and hamachi. Each order comes with 5 pieces each.

Ceviche Mixto

This bowl of delicious ceviche has mussels, scallops, shrimp, crispy squid, seaweed, and yam. I like the different textures of this bowl. There is acidity, there is sweetness and it really compliments the seafood.

Peruvian Style Paella

Their lunch paella is different than the brunch version. This has halibut, chorizo, corn, baby shrimp, and pico de gallo.

Donburi Rice Bowl

This beautiful dish has uni, wild salmon, marinated ikura, sushi rice, and acevichado sauce. There is ginger and wasabi on the side too.

Brussel Sprouts

If you want something extra with your meal, they offer sides. Can’t go wrong with the deep fried Brussel sprouts.

[Dessert]

Spiced Picarones

These are like mini donuts covered in candied pecans, and spiced syrup. Then it is served with lucuma ice cream. A good dessert to share. I loved the combination of spices and its not too sweet.

Suspiro de Chocolata

This has a plate of chocolate pot de creme, mazamorra morada, green apple, sweet cream and lime ice cream. This has mostly a dominate chocolate taste but the hints of apple paired well.

Pineapple and Corn

This has white chocolate mousse, roasted pineapple and corn meringue. Man, this dessert as good. The pineapple was very bright and vibrant. One of my favourite desserts.

The Nikkei

This has passion fruit, blonde chocolate mousse, lucuma, and sesame seeds. This was also really good! The passionfruit was pretty darn good! Another one of my favourite desserts.

Strawberry ‘Tea’

This has a base of cream cheese panna cotta, almond, and irigome hojicha jelly.

It’s the perfect time to get this as strawberries are in season. Sweet and delicious when paired with the panna cotta.

[Drinks]

Mimosa

A classic brunch beverage of champagne and orange juice. It was delicious but it could have used more champagne.

Chicha Morada

This is one of the mocktails and it has steeped purple corn, spices, and lime.

Latte

If you need caffeine like me, I got at latte.

Final Thoughts

The brunch menu is solid, but I do like having the option to choose from the lunch menu too. It definitely opens up more choices for more people to try different things. The dishes are great and I would highly recommend getting dessert.

If you have a big appetite, they also have their Prix-fixe lunch menu launch as well.

Address:
1351 Bellevue Ave, West Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.ancoradining.com/

In Fusion

TonTon Sushi: Japanese Korean Restaurant in Vancouver

August 8, 2019

Living in Vancouver, how can you not love seafood? There are over 615 sushi restaurants in Vancouver according to the Vancouver Sun. One of the most popular cuisines in Vancouver is Japanese and items like fresh sashimi, sushi rolls, and dons are what local and visitors can’t get enough of. We are very fortunate to be located right by the Pacific Ocean and have fresh seafood come in as well as imported goods as we have one of the biggest ports in Vancouver.

There are a lot of Japanese restaurants that have a Korean twist on their menu that differentiates them from others. Of course they have the popular items but use some Korean influenced ingredients which creates a new niche of Japanese cuisine. Somewhat like a low key Korean-Japanese fusion that people talk about but don’t really promote.

Ton Ton Sushi on Cambie Street is a great example. We were invited to check our a few of their signature dishes.

Interior

There are tables for small to large groups. Given the area, there were families dining here as well and lots of rooms for strollers to get between the seats. These are the little things I look for nowadays as I’ve become a parent.

Drunken Asari Sakamushi

This is sake-steamed clams and they are pretty good. The sake’s alcohol content is burned off as it cooks, which leaves a delicious both that pairs with the clams.

Crab Dip

This has mixed real snow crab and imitation crab with mayo and then baked with cheddar cheese. Was a bit strange and didn’t like this.

Takoyaki

Takoyaki is octopus pieces battered and cooked into a ball shape. It’s a classic Japanese street food and it’s pretty enjoyable. It is topped with katsu sauce, mayo and bonito flakes.

As there are multiple pieces, it’s a good item to share among the table.

Ebi Fry

Deep fried tempura shrimp with a dip is good to start the meal and share if you have a group. Crisp on the outside and delicious sweet shrimp inside.

Ton Ton Tower

Ton Ton Tower is made of a base of crab meat and then topped with salmon and tuna sashimi, as well as tobiko. Around the dish are garlic chips, capers and olive oil.

Salmon Sashimi

Very fresh and delicious. The prices are very fair here too.

Ame Ebi

The ame ebi, which are shrimp known for their sweet taste.

Unagi Hot Stone Stowl

This has a base of rice, BBQ unagi kizami nori, tamago and it’s served in a hot stone bowl. This is one of the more expensive items on the menu, but it is filling and easily shared.

Kimchi Mentaiko Udon

This has pan-fried udon with cod roe, kimchi and bacon, green onion, and bonito fish flakes. This was pretty tasty and the creaminess of the sauce went well with the acidity of the kimchi.

Tara Nabe

This has black cod, tofu and mushroom in soup. Very hearty dish and served in a boiling hot pot. It’s really great on a cold winters day.

Dragon Roll

The dragon roll is like a California roll but topped with unagi, avocado, sesame seeds and sauce. They even presented it like a dragon too.

Oshi Sushi

There are many varieties of Oshi Sushi, which are pressed nigiri on the menu – Ebi, Salmon, Spicy Tuna, Saba, Hamachi, Unagi, etc.

Final Thoughts

Ton Ton Sushi is a solid restaurant in the area for Japanese food with a hint of Korean influence in their dishes. The prices are solid and it’s a good place for families to enjoy lunch or dinner if you’re close by the area.

Website:
4018 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://sushitonton.com/

In Downtown

Black Rice Izakaya: New Summer Items for 2019

August 6, 2019

Black Rice Izakaya is always innovating their menu and trying to use the freshest produce for the season. As it is now Summer, they’ve launched some new items to pair with the beautiful hot Vancouver weather.

We were invited to check out a few of these dishes.

Miso Ceviche

The miso ceviche is served with taro chips. It was a delicious dish that was fresh and light. The crisp texture of the taro chips paired well with the acidity of the ceviche.

Soy Chicken Karaage

This is Korean fried chicken and you can request it at different spice levels. We got mild and there was only a little spark of spice, so that was good for those who can’t handle spicy. The chicken is deep fried twice and its crisp and tastes great.

Ika Feast

The ika is cooked two ways – grilled and fried. The deep fried ika was delicious, which is essentially calamari. The grilled ika was very plump and grilled quite well so its tender with good depth of flavour. The sauces that accompany this dish was great to dunk into.

Spicy Cold Sashimi Soup

Spicy cold sashimi soup is Mul-hoi in Korean. It was served with sea bass today, but it can depend on Chef’s choice sashimi – The sea bass was so good as it was fresh and sweet. The soup base does have a kick of spice to it.

Pad Thai Yaki Soba

This is their version of Pad Thai and Yaki Soba combination. It leans more towards a Pad Thai, but with soba noodles. It was good but we still prefer the chew of Pad Thai noodles.

Final Thoughts

The new dishes as part of their Sumer menu is asian fusion for sure which is reminiscent of their other dishes on the menu. The dishes were food and worth a try and the sashimi is very fresh.

Address:
782 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.blackrice.ca/