Foodology
Author

Foodology

Browsing
In British Columbia

Home For Dinner with Ronald McDonald House

Looking to do some good this Summer around the dinner table with friends and family?

Home for Dinner is a community fundraising initiative, which encourages locals to embrace the tradition of connecting with family around the dinner table by hosting a dining event in their home, or at their favourite restaurant. Hosts who cook a meal can suggest guests forego bringing wine or hostess gifts, and instead contribute a donation. Those who choose to implement “Home for Dinner” at a restaurant can treat their nearest and dearest to a decadent meal and request guests donate funds as a thank-you for their generosity.

Each donation will ensure a family can continue to share meals and moments together at Ronald McDonald House BC while their child receives life- saving medical treatment.

How to get involved

  1. Sign Up
    Visit www.rmhbc.ca/home-for dinner to set up a personalized fundraising page and access supporting materials that can help make your event a success
  2. Get Planning
    Planning a home-cooked meal or a dine-out event at your favourite restaurant and invite your favourite people to participate
  3. Do Your Thing
    Host your dining event and collect donations
  4. Make a Difference
    The funds raised will ensure a family can continue to share meals and moments together at Ronald McDonald House BC while their child receives life-saving medical treatment.

Since 1983, Ronald McDonald House BC has been providing accommodation for seriously ill children and their families. At such tough times, a simple meal together can mean everything.

For other ways of helping Ronald McDonald House BC, visit their website for more information.

https://rmhbc.ca/

by
Read More
In product

Lay’s Canada: StrEATS of the World

Lay’s Canada has introduced a line of limited edition chips –  StrEATS of the World featuring Grilled Cheese, Pizza and Taco flavours. I found these at my local grocery store, but only in the smaller 66g snack size bags. They are available now until October, so get them quick before its gone.

The 3 flavours seemed very typical as other chip companies have tried these flavours before. Either way, new limited edition flavours are still fun to try.

Grilled Cheese

Apparently, this is an ‘iconic’ street food of Canada served with a side of tomato dip. I don’t think so, but that’s what they decided to create. When you open up the bag, you can smell a smokey cheese aroma, but the ketchup isn’t really there.

Back in 2013, Lay’s Canada launched the Do Us a Flavour contest and Grilled Cheese and Ketchup was one of the finalists. I believe the tastes are different even though the description is similar.

Pizza

The pizza was fragrant and you can really taste the tomato and oregano. Of the 3 this was my favourite as it was the most similar to the real thing.

Taco

I had high hopes for this flavour but I tasted a subtle hints of tex mex seasoning with stronger notes of lettuce. It was weird and this was my least favourite of them.

Lays USA launched a similar version in 2017 called Crispy Taco, but the flavours are also different with mostly tex mex seasoning.

Final Thoughts

The 3 flavours were interesting, but of the three, only the pizza was good in my opinion. All the other ones just weren’t appetizing or close enough to the real thing. It’s definitely hard to replicate flavours into a chip format.

Website:
https://www.lays.ca/

by
Read More
In Burnaby Central

Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake at Metropolis at Metrotown

Uncle Tetsu is best known around the world for their famous Japanese Cheesecakes. They opened up at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, BC and there are always long line ups even though it has been open for a few months.  Be prepared for a line up from anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

This is their 6th location in Canada but first in British Columbia. The rest are in Ontario.

As you get closer in line, you can see the workers putting together all the cakes and confections. The demand is very high that they can’t pump out the cheesecakes fast enough, but that’s ok since that means it will be very fresh. I went to another location in Honolulu that wasn’t busy and the quality wasn’t good at all.

Uncle Tetsu’s Cheesecake

These 7 inch cheesecakes are a must and made by hand every day. Because of the long line, these are always fresh, so it comes very warm. Even when we got home, it was still nice and warm.

I was a bit skeptical about Uncle Tetsu, but upon having a slice, I would see the allure of the soft and fluffy cheesecake. It’s flavourful and you must have more than one slice.

Honey Madeleine

Honey Madelines are another item that they sell at this location. It is a moist and buttery cupcake with a subtle sweet honey taste. They recommend you pop it into the microwave for 15 seconds to warm it up.

Final Thoughts

The Cheesecakes and Honey Madelines are delicious, but the only thing that throw me off are the wait times. It is slowly decreasing, but waiting around 1 hour is too much for me. Thankfully my mom was nice enough to share with me her bounty from Uncle Tetsu. If you can get your hands on the cheesecakes, it is very delicious.

Address:
4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://uncletetsu-ca.com/

by
Read More
In Dim Sum

Fisherman’s Terrace Seafood Restaurant: Dim Sum Madness in Richmond

Going for dim sum on a long weekend is crazy. You need to book ahead of time to ensure you get a seat. Even with a reservation, you’ll have to wait. It’s definitely no guarantee. The family and I headed to Fisherman’s Terrace and there was definitely along line up of people waiting to have their name be called. We arrived early for our reservation and waited patiently. Since we have a very common last name – Chan, there was another group that took our table which turn out also had a party of 5 too. They really should be relying on the phone numbers that were given.

Nonetheless, the manger sorted it out and got us a table soon after.

Interior

The space is large and they have tons of tables here for large groups. It’s always a family affair here.

We waited a while to eat, so we ordered a lot for 5 people. The results of ordering when you’re hangry.

Shrimp Dumplings

An order comes in 4 pieces in a bamboo steamer. There are pieces of shrimp inside the rice skin. Very delicious and I like to eat it with XO Sauce or hot sauce.

Pork and Shrimp Dumpling

Another classic dim sum with a mixture of pork and shrimp. There are good sized pieces of shrimp and there isn’t too much fat mixed in.

Bean Curd Rolls

Inside of the bean curd is a pork mixture and it is delicious. It has 3 pieces but it is cut up so there are 6 pieces.

Shredded Chicken Salad

This dish is served cold and has some deep fried wonton crisps, shredded chicken, and veggies. There is a prominent sesame oil taste to it too.

Pan Fried Stuffed Eggplant with Shrimp Paste

There are 3 pieces and they cut it up in half to share with more people around the table. The eggplant is deliciously tender and the shrimp paste is good too.

Beef Rice Roll

There are 3 rolls to the order cut up into pieces as well. It is served with a soy sauce and it is delicious, I like how the beef is mixed with water chestnuts to give it a nice crunchy texture.

Deep Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings

There are 4 pieces cut in half, so a total of 8 pieces. It is deep fried till a nice golden brown on the outside and filled with a savoury pork filling, which is delicious.

E-Fu Noodles with Spinach

We got the noodles off their other menu and you can tell its a lot larger than the other dishes. The noodles were soft and tender with a nice savoury taste.

Deep Fried Chinese Donut in Rice Roll

This is served with a hoisin and sesame sauces. The donut was a bit dry this time around

Braised Duck and Tofu Curd

Another dish from their regular menu of duck and tofu curd. If you have some rice, it goes well with it.

Assorted Veggie and Mushrooms

We needed some vegetables in our meal, so we oreded this with some peas, cabbage, broccoli and mixed mushrooms.

Durian Mochi

Durian mochi isn’t for everyone as some love it and others hate it with a passion. It’s soft and fluffy in texture, but some may think it stinks like skunk. I personally think it’s more like a sweet onion.

Final Thoughts

We definitely ordered a lot for 5 people, but thats what happens when we’re hungry. We totally had enough for left overs for the rest of the day. Fisherman’s Terrace is busy on weekends, the food quality and prices are fair. Don’t forget to make reservations.

Address:
4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC

by
Read More
In Fusion

Kosoo Restaurant: $30 Lunch Set for Two in Vancouver

Kosoo Resaurant is serving up their Kosoo Set Course for $15 per person. There’s not a lot of options where you can get such a diverse amount of dishes for just $15. We were excited to give this set course a try to see if it’s worth the price.

Interior

There are a good amount of tables inside for small to large groups. If you’re in a large group, it’s best to make a reservation in advance for big groups.

Kosoo Set Menu

The best deal on their menu is their lunch course set for minimum 2 people. It’s a lot of food, but for $15 per person, it’s very good. It comes with:

  • Tuna Tataki
  • Mushroom salad
  • Ball trio
  • Kosoo Taco
  • Japchae
  • Dduk Galbi
  • 24 hour pork belly, miso marinated pork belly with salad and pickle
  • Mackerel
  • Korean Miso Soup
  • Kimchi
  • Matcha Creme Brûlée

11 dishes for $30 isn’t bad at all.  You get to try a variety of food with a diverse taste profile. Some items on the menu may change based on availability and seasonality.

Kimchi

Kimchi is a staple in Korean cuisines and you usually find it on the dining table. It is a spicy fermented cabbage that tastes sour and spicy.

24 hour Pork Belly and Dduk Galbi

On the left is the miso marinated pork belly with corn, jalapeno and pickle on top. Very tasty but would have been better it if was more tender.

On the right is the Dduk Galbi, which is traditional Korean oven roasted sweet ground beef with a house dressing, pickled onion and jalapeños. This tasted good but was a bit sweet.

Tuna Tataki and Ball Trio

Lightly seared tuna is paired with a sesame dressing and green onions. The ball trio were nicely fried, with a nice kick of spice to it.

Japchae

Japchae is a classic Korean dish made with stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables. It was delicious.

Korean Miso Soup

Korean Miso Soup is made with soybean paste, with mixed veggies, tofu, and beef. It had a good comforting depth of flavour but was borderline salty.

Mushroom salad

The mushroom salad is made of a bed of greens, cherry tomatoes, 3 kinds of mushrooms, feta cheese and a balsamic dressing. A refreshing dish to go with the rest of the meal and it was good.

Kosoo Taco

This has beef with a sweet & spicy sauce, lettuce, and onion on a French crêpe as the soft taco shell. Oddly enough, this was good and kinda tasted like a Big Mac.

Grilled Mackerel

The mackerel is salted and then grilled. Not too fishy and has a good amount of fish fat to it.

Matcha Creme Brûlée

The meal ends with a Matcha Creme Brûlée served in a ceramic dish with a cute spoon.

Final Thoughts

Overall the set was worth it for $15 per person and some dishes were a hit and miss, but mostly still very positive. If you’re looking for a lunch set like this, we recommend making your way down here to Kosoo to get a taste of their Korean and French fusion dishes.

Address:
832 Cardero Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.kosoorestaurant.ca/

by
Read More
In British Columbia

Vita Unsweetened Teas: Chrysanthemum, Roasted Brown Rice, and Dong Ding Oolong Review

The summer is here and what better way to cold down that with some tea.

Vita Soy has added 3 new cold brewed Vita Unsweetened Teas in Canada. They come in:

  • Chrysanthemum
  • Roasted Brown Rice
  • Dong Ding Oolong

These are healthier alternative to other drinks that are sweetened with sugar. With unsweetened drinks, it keeps you hydrated and not wanting to grab water to cleanse your mouth.

Unsweetened Dong Ding Oolong Tea

This was really good and had the deep roasted flavour of the Ding Dong Oolong. It has a clean after taste and I really enjoyed this.

Unsweetened Roasted Brown Rice Tea

This was another one of my favourites. The roasted brown rice tea had a nice nutty flavour and it was delicious. I really liked this one too.

Unsweetened Chrysanthemum Tea

I didn’t take a liking to the chrysanthemum tea as it was more floral compared to the other 2. I preferred the sweet version of chrysanthemum tea, but it’s up to you what your preference is.

There’s more

There are already 2 pre-existing flavours you can find in stores too – Unsweetened Jasmine Tea and Unsweetened Green Tea. The Unsweetened Jasmine Tea is staying as part of the series but the Unsweetened Green Tea is being discontinued even though you may see it in stores.

Where to Buy

You can find the 3 new flavours and the 2 pre-existing flavours in Canada. I went to T&T Supermarket and saw they all stocked on the shelves. Mostly likely if you got to any major Asian grocery store that sells Vita Soy products, you might find them there too.

Website:
http://vitasoy-usa.com/

by
Read More
In Cafe

Nana’s Green Tea: Matcha Drinks and Soft Serve in Waikiki

Inside Yokocho Gourmet Alley in Waikiki is Nana’s Green Tea, a Japanese Tea House that specializes in tea-based drinks and desserts. Vancouver has one opening up very soon, but when we were in Waikiki, we had to come for a treat and enjoy the air conditioning inside the building.

At first the shop was a bit hard to find, but we eventually found it in the centre with the fake cherry blossoms.

Iced Uji Cha

This green tea is iced and isn’t sweet, which is great because it was refreshing and went well with the sweet soft serve. I highly recommend it if you want something to cool down from the hot Waikiki weather.

Hojicha Soft Serve with Warabimochi

My friend ordered the hojicha soft serve in a cone and you can eat it with a spoon. Great depth of tea flavour in the soft serve and that warabimochi went so well with it.

Matcha Soft Serve Sundae

This has the matcha soft serve with red bean, rice flour dumplings and warabimochi. Great combinations of flavours and textures that don’t overshadow the matcha soft serve.

Final Thoughts

I really liked Nana’s in Waikiki and happy now that it’s open in Vancouver as well. You really can’t go wrong with Japanese soft serve ice cream. It’s great for the Summer and Winter. hahaha. If you’re ever in Waikiki, make sure to stop by for a taste of Japan.

Address:
2250 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI

Website:
http://www.nanasgreentea.com/

by
Read More
In Bubble Tea

Gong Cha: Bubble Tea in Joyce-Collingwood Neighbourhood

Gong Cha opened the newest location in the Joyce area on Tyne Street across from Safeway. The other locations are in Downtown Vancouver by the Vancouver Public Library and in Richmond. It’s good that it’s finally a little bit closer to Burnaby.

During their grand opening weekend, we went to get $2 bubble tea with milk foam as that was their promotion. Since we live close by, we knew we should come here early before they open at 12pm.

Interior

The interior is a decent size with a few tables to sit and enjoy the drinks. Most people did take out as it was really busy on opening day with line ups out the door. If you come here at non-peak times, you should be able to get a spot.

Green Tea with Milk Foam

I went with the green tea with milk foam for my drink with 50% sweetness and 30% ice. I want to be able to taste the tea without it being masked by the sweetness of too much sugar. The milk foam is a bit salty which is a nice balance surprisingly.

It was good and I enjoyed it.

Black Tea with Milk Foam

The black tea with milk foam was the most popular of the series from what I saw other people ordering. The above has pearls and is 30% sweet.

This one is regular sweetness and ice levels for the black tea with milk foam. When it comes to the combination of sugar and ice levels, its all based off personal preference.

Final Thoughts

It’s good to have more bubble tea options in the area especially Gong Cha, which is well known for their drinks all around the world. We only had the milk foam series, but they have more to offer that just that. There is classic milk tea to fruity drinks.

Address:
5712 Tyne St, Vancouver BC

Website:
http://gongchacanada.com/

by
Read More
In Saskatoon

Remai Modern Art Gallery in Saskatoon: Review

Remai Modern Art Gallery is a newly established museum of modern and contemporary art in Saskatoon. When we were visiting town for a few days, a lot of friends and locals told us we needed to come here to check out the space as well as the Pablo Picasso exhibit.

We got our tickets at the main level and was $12 for general admission.

Four Times Sol LeWitt UpsideDown, Version Point to Point

When you walk in, there are a lot of seating areas and a beautiful installation by Haegue Yang called “Four Times Sol LeWitt UpsideDown, Version Point to Point”. It’s huge and made of Venetian blinds, which is an awesome material to use.

Untitled Curtain 7

This is located on the third floor by Daniel Steegmann Mangrané. It is a curtain made out of aluminum and the shape was quite unique. It looks great, so make sure to walk through it.

Lucky Charms

One of my favourite installations was by Pae White titled “Lucky Charms”. The neon lights are presented in fun shapes and its illuminating the stairwell.

Pablo Picasso

When we were here, Pablo Picasso linocut prints were on display and it gave visitors a glimpse of one of his many passions – bull fighting.

At the age of 70, Picasso began working in the linocut technique, creating posters for bull-fights in Vallauris, France.

Jimmie Durham: At the Center of the Universe

Jimmie Durham has a detailed eye for materials and textures that go into his art pieces. He has an interesting approach to putting pieces together that speak to the complexities of historical narratives and notions of authenticity.

Whether it be an old shirt, pipes, rocks, or a tire, these all the equal weight and he bends them into a way that it gets incorporated into his work.

It’s simple yet complex with a bit of humour in some pieces.

As they say, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Final Thoughts

Those were a few of the exhibits that we saw at Remai Modern Art Gallery in Saskatoon. $12 is not a bad price to pay for entry, but the Art Gallery isn’t as large as I would have expected. It is 11,582-square-metres, so not as big in comparison to the ones in Vancouver and Toronto. On the plus side, there are some good artists and pieces curated as part of their exhibits.

Address:
102 Spadina Crescent E, Saskatoon, SK

Website:
https://remaimodern.org/

by
Read More
In Edmonton

Bündok: Amazing Dinner in Edmonton

Bündok is located in Downtown Edmonton and we were recommended by a few people to come here for dinner. It’s hard to define what type of cuisine it is, but it feels like elevated hip farm-to-table cuisine.

Interior

The interior is nice and classy. Since we came during a heatwave, there wasn’t any Air Conditioning inside. It was a bit toasty.

Menu

The menu changes daily, so what I had when I dined may be different depending on what ingredients are in season. I like how they keep their produce and products as fresh as possible. The menu has a variety of meat, veggies, and seafood options, which is great for people with various dietary restrictions.

Pea Shoots

We started with a salad, which is comprised of pea shoots, snow peas, English peas, mint, grilled croutons, and topped with olive oil, and Parmesan. It was a very light and refreshing salad to start the meal off. You can really taste the freshness of the peas.

Sea Bream Crudo

This dish was highly recommended by our server. It has sea bream crudo, thai basil, citrus, chilli, olive oil, and apple. A good balance of sweetness and acidity. Delicious!

Grilled Asparagus

This has grilled asparagus, deep fried egg, and cured egg yolk. Who knew egg and asparagus would go so well together.

Gnocchi Parisienne

The gnocchi parisienne has mushrooms, green garlic, and breadcrumbs. This was my favourite dish of the evening. The gnocchi were so soft like pillows. Probably one of the top pasta dishes I’ve had in my life. I highly recommend this dish.

Final Thoughts


Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Bündok! The dishes did not disappoint and a majority of the dishes were drool worthy. They definitely put a lot of thought into the menu and use the best ingredients possible. If you are ever in Edmonton, add Bündok to your eating list.

Address:
10228 104 St NW, Edmonton, AB

Website:
http://www.bundokyeg.com/

by
Read More
In Buffet

New India Buffet: Largest Indian Buffet in Vancouver

New India Buffet is located in Vancouver and they have a large buffet with over 70 items and it’s all you can eat. They aren’t the largest Indian Buffet in the Lower Mainland, but they have a good variety of curries. They even have vegetarian and vegan dishes, which is great to suit those with different dietary needs. The prices are fair with dinner prices around $20.

If you don’t want to dine in, they have take out options too for pick up and delivery. There are some free parking spots for the restaurant but there are still ample 2 hour free parking on side streets.

Interior

The interior can seat up to 200 people and has tables for small to large groups. This used to be an Earls, so their interior is nice. They even have a really large bar if you want to watch the game or have a drink.

Drinks

Starting the night off with mango lassi is a great start. It is a traditional Indian yogurt drink and its a way to cool yourself down from any spicy curries. It isn’t included in the buffet as its an extra $4.95.

The Buffet

They definitely don’t boast as much variety as Flaming Tandoori in Delta- Surrey but they have a good range of curries that are really the star of the show.

There is an area for salads to get you started before diving into the richer items on the menu.

Crispy veggie pakoras is a classic item on the menu that you must grab a piece of. They also have french fries, samosa, and spring rolls if you want something else thats deep-fried.

Curries go great with naan or rice. Both great options.

Don’t forget the dessert like the Gulab Jamun, which are milk balls dipped in honey syrup.

What’s on the plate?

A proper buffet requires many trips back to the buffet line to try new things and each time, you discover something new.

Our favourite items of the evening was the naan, butter chicken, lamb curry, fish curry, egg curry, mutter paneer, chicken Manchurian and tandoori chicken. Also, don’t forget to get come Papadom, which are these thin, crisp, disc-shaped crackers. Crazy addictive.

As it’s a buffet, there is endless amounts that you can try. The only thing that may hold you back is your stomach space. hahaha.

Tandoori chicken

There is another menu where you can order specialty items like the Tandoori Chicken served on a sizzling plate. The chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices, then cooked in a hot clay oven.

Final Thoughts

There are some good options if you want a buffet or not. Prices are fair and it’s good they can seat up to 200 people for any occasion.

Address:
901 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://newindiabuffet.com/

by
Read More
In Dessert

Rostizado: Dessert in Edmonton

Rostizado is a Modern Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Edmonton. I was recommended to come here late at night for dessert. I love desserts and have a little sweet tooth for churros.

Flan de Queso

This is a Mexican caramel custard folded with cream cheese and garnished with shaved almonds. Very delicious, silky smooth and rich. It might be a tad sweet for some people, but still enjoyable.

Churros

This is fried Mexican dough coated with sugar and cinnamon. It is served with salted pasilla milk chocolate and dulce de leche sauces. Freshly made and highly recommended! Easily sharable among the table too.

Final Thoughts

Overall, even though we came here for just desserts, we had a good time chatting and enjoying good desserts. If you’re here for dinner, make sure not to skip out on dessert.

Address:
10359 104 Street #102, Edmonton, AB

Website:
http://www.rostizado.com/

by
Read More
In Edmonton

Farrow Sandwiches: Lunch in Edmonton

Farrow Sandwiches is located in the Garneau neighbourhood of Edmonton. I stopped here for lunch to grab and sandwich and drink since I heard it was a must when in town.

They have another location in Ritchie.

Interior

The space is pretty small and there are only a few seats by the window and outside. A lot of people did take out as it is pretty hot inside in the Summer.

Grick Middle Sandwich

This has Four Whistle Farms fried egg, bacon, smoked cheddar, rosemary aioli and arugula. The sandwich was good. The bun was very soft and the fried egg and bacon were balanced by the arugula.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the quick lunch I had was good. They also have freshly baked donuts too, but I didn’t have space for it this time.

Address:
8422 109 St NW, Edmonton, AB

Website:
http://farrowsandwiches.ca/

by
Read More
In Noodles

Banh Mi Tres Bon: Vietnamese Cuisine in Richmond

Banh Mi Tres Bon is a new restaurant in Richmond by the Walmart Super Centre. I’ve heard lots about this place, so I decided to come here after work to grab some dinner with M before we went home. We don’t spend a lot of time in Richmond, but when we do, it’s for eating.

Interior

The space isn’t too large but can fit small to large groups if you come at non-peak hours. On a weekday, it did start getting busy later in the evening. There were other couples and families coming here.

Menu

Savoury Mini Crepes

This comes in a hot cast iron pan and has 7 pieces of mini crepes. This is one of their popular dishes. There is a jar of fish sauce that you pour into each slot and it starts steaming up due to the heat. As much as it looks great in a photo, I didn’t really like the taste of it as the fish sauce wasn’t the best pairing in my opinion.

Vietnamese Fresh Soy Milk

This soy milk is very unique and seems like it is infused with pandan, which was very nice and subtle.

Phở Très Bon

I got the beef tenderloin and meatball noodle soup. The broth was very clear and delicious with depths of flavour. There is even a piece of decadent bone marrow too. There were a lot of jalapeños but it wasn’t too spicy.

There is lime, bean sprouts, and basil on the side on this cute boat. You can add it to the pho to add more flavour to it.

Bánh Mì Jambon-house special

This has Vietnamese ham & braised pork belly. The bun is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Delicious flavours.

Butter Garlic Chicken Wings

We also ordered some crispy chicken wings. Nice and crispy. It comes super hot and right from the fryer, so you’ll want to wait for it to cool down.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with the food here and we’ll definitely be back for more pho and banh mi.

Address:
4720 Mcclelland Road #1840, Richmond, BC

Website:
http://www.banhmitresbon.ca/

by
Read More
In Cleaning

Easily Cleaning the Bathtub with Scotch-Brite Shower Scrubber

I never thought I would have so much enjoyment writing reviews about cleaning products, but I’ve been doing a lot of Spring Cleaning and wanted to share some of my favourite products. I hate cleaning the bathroom the most, so I’ve been delaying the bathtub for quite some time now. Because I wear glasses, I’ve been ignoring the grimy issue for a while. But, I couldn’t keep a blind eye on it any longer, so off to the store I went. When looking for the perfect cleaning product, I know I didn’t want to be on my hands and knees scrubbing away. So, when I saw the Scotch-Brite Shower Scrubber, I knew it would be a good product to clean the tub with ease so I didn’t have to bend over and have a back ache later on.

What does the Scotch-Brite Shower Scrubber include?

The brush was $9.99 and comes with one non-scratch scrubber and handle. The handle extends to 3 feet, so it’s a good length for the bathtub or shower.

You probably want some sort of cleaning fluid to go with it. I grabbed whatever was in the house, so I grabbed a can of scrubbing bubbles. Not the most eco friendly option, but you can alternatively equal parts of water and vinegar. Or just plain shampoo too.

Keeping the Stick Extended

At first, it was hard to figure out how to keep the stick extended as you’re washing the tub. I thought it was broken until it was suggested that I extend it and then twist firmly. That seemed to do the trick and didn’t collapse anymore.

Results

It did a pretty good job and was clean in a few minutes. It was pretty gross before but I’m glad that it’s now clean. I can probably use the scrubber for several uses and wouldn’t need to be replaced any time soon. I made sure to dry the scrubber before putting it away so nothing grows on it.

 

by
Read More
In BBQ

MEAT: Classic BBQ Smokehouse in Edmonton

MEAT is a smokehouse in Edmonton and has been quite popular for their classic BBQ items, sides and drinks. They are located on Whyte Avenue and it’s a great happening neighbourhood with lots going on.

Interior

The interior is large and there are lots of communal tables for small to large groups. They don’t take reservations but they have seats on the patio and indoors.

Menu

House Salad

We ordered the house salad to start to balance the rest of the meaty meal. It has mixed greens, pecans, goat cheese, tomatoes, and a light dressing. A good item to lighten the meal.

The Spread

All the other items that we ordered came in a platter – garlic fries, fried chicken, half rack of ribs and a pound of beef brisket.

Don’t forget to use their sauces on the side to enhance the flavour.

Beef Brisket

This was beautiful and when it came out it was nice and tender. One of the better items we ordered.

Fried Chicken

The fried chicken was subpar. Our pieces were dry and quite salty. They definitely need to work on this.

Garlic Fries

The garlic fries had a good amount of garlic incorporated into it. It was crisp and had a crunch when you bite down.

BBQ Ribs

The ribs were meaty and delicious with a good amount of smoke and flavour.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the BBQ here was ok. After eating all the items, we could tell all the items were pretty salty and needed better balance of flavour. Of course salt is an essential ingredient of BBQ but there needs to be a good balance. The texture of the pork and beef were good, but the chicken really needs some work. With all the good reviews, the biggest issue for us was the salt levels.

Address:
8216 104 St NW, Edmonton, AB

Website:
http://www.meatfordinner.com

by
Read More
In Car

Driving the 2018 Buick Enclave Avenir in Edmonton

We drove around Edmonton, Alberta for 3.5 days in and out of the city to explore sights, sounds and of course eats with the 2018 Buick Enclave Avenir. It’s a little larger than vehicles I normally drive but I always love to get outside of my comfort zone to experience a wide range of vehicle options. It can seat up to 7 people in the car with adjustable seating configuration to have more or less storage in the trunk.

We drove around the city and into Elk Island National Park about 40 minutes away from Edmonton to go find some bison in their natural habitat.

Sleek Interior

I love the interior and it has such a luxurious feel. The leather, the wood, and the chrome accents. As we both got into the car, we were very impressed with the look and feel. This full-sized SUV has it all to make you feel comfortable.

Passenger Seating

The 3rd row of seating is a little bit narrow, so a full sized adult will have trouble sitting in that row. It’s best for people under 5”0 or children.

The 2nd row is very spacious and the arm rest make sitting comfortable. Best for adults to be in the front and second rows.

 

Lots of USB Charging Ports

There are plenty of USB charging portlets in the vehicle, 2 in the back, 2 in the middle and 2 in the front row. Paired with the wifi network in the car, no one will be complaining about keeping connected to the internet or dying phones. It’s pretty awesome.

Whether you’re on a short trip or a longer road trip, you’re all set.

 

Smart Entertainment System

I’m not a fan of the default entertainment system, but with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, plug in your phone and the whole dashboard changes to suits you needs – navigation, calls, texts, Spotify, etc.

Safety and Visibility

I felt very confident that I could get in and out of any parking spot with ease. The front and rear facing cameras, with the 360 camera view made the areas surrounding the vehicle easy to see so you can judge how much distance you have between other cars, people or other objects.

Parallel parking in tight spots usually makes me nervous but I think I actually became a better driver having the cameras around to help me see and judge distance.

With that being said, you can’t say the same about other vehicles on the road. On the last day of our trip, another vehicle in our hotel parking lot decided to scruff up a side of our rear bumper. A sad end to our trip, but we did everything possible to prevent such a situation.

 Final Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed the 2018 Buick Enclave Avenir. It handled well on paved roads and even off road at Elk Island National Park. Being inside the vehicle was very comfortable and looks very stylish. I was so proud to show this off to my friend and introducing her to features that you wouldn’t find common in older vehicles.

If you’re looking for an upgrade for a full-sized SUV that gives you a feeling of luxury, comfort and reliability, definitely take a look into the Buick Enclave. I would highly recommend you check this out with a test drive.

Website:
https://www.buick.ca/enclave-large-luxury-crossover.html

by
Read More
In Hot Pot

Mr. Black Restaurant 黑桑: Meal Sets, Hot Pots, and Drinks in Richmond

Mr Black is a newer restaurant located in Aberdeen Centre Mall serving up Japanese and Taiwanese inspired tapas and meal sets. Mr Black is a little hard to find but it’s right above H Mart on the 2nd floor of the mall. They occupy the previous space of Guu Richmond.

We were invited to give a few of their dishes a try.

Interior

The interior is mostly black and concrete, so it has an industrial look to it. There is enough seating for small to large groups. If you want to see where all the action is at, the bar seats look directly into the open kitchen.

Menu

Strawberry Sparkling Water

This is made with sparkling water and real strawberry puree. You can even see the seeds and pieces of strawberry flesh on the bottom of the cup. Very refreshing for the summer.

Calpis

Their version of Calpis isn’t as sweet as the ones you find in stores. Pretty good.

Fried Diced Blackened Wagyu Beef

What is unique about Mr Black is that some menu items are black to play off the name of the restaurant. This wagyu beef is coated in their secret coating and what makes it so black is charcoal. It is served with shredded cabbage. This dish reminded me of lumps of coal but a delicious kind. It is topped off with come chili peppers to balance out the taste.

Fried Chicken

This fried chicken was really good! The chicken is moist on the inside and the skin and batter were so flavourful. Highly recommended.

Salmon and Mentaiko Korokke

These balls are a pretty good size. It has a potato and salmon mixture surrounding the mentaiko inside. When we were eating it, the salmon felt a bit lost as well as the mentaiko. We did like it overall with the wasabi mayo. The exterior was crisp and the middle was predominantly tasting of fluffy potatoes.

Hokkaido Milk Chicken Hot Pot

This was one of my favourite dishes, it has chicken, imitation crab, mushrooms, tofu, egg, and cabbage in the milky broth. It was very comforting an comes with a bowl of rice and slice of grapefruit. Highly recommended.

Halibut

The deep fried halibut is covered in a bread crumb crust and served with shredded cabbage, soup, rice and salad. A pretty well rounded meal.

Cheesy Mapo Curry Pork

This new items is one of their specials. It has rice, mapo curry sauce, deep fried pork cutlet filled with cheese in the centre and also some picked veggies. The dish also comes with soup and pieces of grapefruit.

As they cut up the pork katsu ahead of time, the cheese already oozes out, so there really isn’t that much inside as you can see.

Wagyu Beef

You get about 100g of wagyu beef that has been deep fried but still pink in the centre. There is also a hot black stone that you can continue grilling your wagyu beef. It is served with rice, soup and salad.

This dish was ok but I didn’t feel like the quality of the wagyu could really shine through.

Earl Grey Creme Brulee

This creme brulee is hiding under all this fruit. Great to showcase what fruits are in season. I really enjoyed it and it had a good amount of earl grey flavour.

Fried Banana

There were 4 pieces of fried banana with chocolate inside too. It was really crisp on the outside like a crisp wonton wrapper. It is also paired with a bunch of seasonal fruit too.

Duo Layer Mousse of Coconut and Soy Milk

This is served up in a skinny bottle and when you look inside, you can see the two different layers of coconut and soy milk mousse. The flavours were good and went well together, but the container was hard to eat from.

Final Thoughts

Overall, some dishes were hits and some misses. The ones I really enjoyed was the Hokkaido Milk Chicken Hot Pot, Fried Chicken, and Halibut. Those a good items to have for either lunch or dinner.

Address:
2790-4151 Hazelbridge Way
Richmond, BC

Website:
https://www.mrblackrestaurant.com/

by
Read More
Load More