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In product

Six Ways to Use a Stand Mixer Beyond Baking

For the longest time, I’ve denied the fact that I needed a stand mixer. I always just told myself that I would get nice arm muscles from manually creaming sugar and butter together. Also making whipped cream was no problem with a whisk. That was then and this is now.

I love making sweet treats to share with family and friends, but I don’t necessarily have the time or energy to mix it all by hand now. With the Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5 Qt Stand Mixer, I made chocolate dipped matcha shortbread cookies using a recipe by Oh Sweet Day.

Besides the usual functions of baking cookies and bread, here are some ways to use your stand mixer beyond baking:

1. Shredding meat to make pulled pork

Strange but it’s true. Turn on the mixer until it is all shredded. I used to use 2 forks to shred pork or chicken, but now I don’t need to.

2. Whip those mashed potatoes

Once the potatoes are boiled, use the whisk and mix on medium until potatoes are completely mixed with no lumps. As you add items like butter, milk, and herbs, you can gradually increase the speed to make it fluffier. Alternatively, you can also make cauliflower puree too.

3. Egg-cellent idea

If you need to make devilled eggs or an egg salad in large batches for a party and you’re short on time, throw it into the mixer.

4. Meatballs, Meatloaf and Burgers

Mashing meat with your hands isn’t always comfortable, especially when you need to mix pork and beef together. There is also a meat grinder attachment that has a sausage stuffer kit. Sausage for days.

5. Guacamole

Making guacamole in small batches can be easily done with a fork, but if you need to make a big batch for a party, utilize the mixer to pulverize those avocados and mix in any extra items.

6. Homemade pasta by hand

Did you know, you can get attachments for the stand mixer such as the pasta extruder or the pasta roller & cutter? By utilizing the motor of the mixer, you’ll never have to buy pasta again. Fresh is always the best.

Those are just a few ideas to get your ideas flowing. If you have a stand mixer or considering getting one, it’s more versatile that it seems.

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In Buffet

H2 Rotisserie & Bar at The Westin Bayshore: Brunch Buffet

H2 Rotisserie & Bar at The Westin Bayshore features their signature Maple Hill Farms rotisserie chicken on their menu. They are located on the edge of Stanley Park right in Coal Harbour.

On weekends, you can indulge in a brunch buffet with the family with lots of selections featuring:

  • Build your own Harvest Buddha Bowls
  • Maple Hills Farms House Rotisserie Chicken Carvery Station
  • Rotisserie Prime Rib Carvery Station
  • Made to order French Toast Station

Whether you come here for a regular brunch buffet or their special holiday brunch buffet, they ready to impress guests for any occasion.

There are small to large tables to seat groups of many sizes. It’s best to make reservations just in case its a busy weekend and you want to be guaranteed a spot.

Carvery and French Toast Stations

This is the area to get prime rib, Maple Hills Farms House Rotisserie Chicken, and made to order french toast.

Build your own Harvest Buddha Bowls

You can make your own harvest buddha bowls with ingredients they have different types of greens, toppings, and dressings.

The selection

There is some good selection in the buffet such as free-range scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, waffles, smoked bacon, sausage links, breakfast potatoes, seasonal fruit & berries, fresh baked pastries, bagels, charcuterie, smoked and cured salmon, local cheese, dim sum and congee. Of course there is a lot more than just that list.

Sushi

Waffles

Eggs Benedict

Bacooooooon and Sausages

Pastries 

Smoked salmon and  assorted cheeses

Fruit and yogurt parfaits

Sweet Desserts

More Pastries

Whats on the plate

I grabbed a little bit of everything for my first plate. Gotta get a taste of everything before getting more.

Don’t forget the hot sauce, there are 4 kinds to choose from.

I love a good simple congee with fried shallots, ginger, mustard greens, and a Chinese donut. Also some fruit too on the side.

For dessert, I had to go with the desserts filled with mousse.

Candy Bar

There is a little candy bar with smarties, gummy bears, sour keys, and twizzlers that you can take with you in small bags.

I of course had to fill it up with a little bit of everything. Some sweets for the road.

Drinks

Freshly brewed Starbucks coffee and Tea Leaves Loose Leaf tea, and fresh juice come with the price of the buffet.

House made sodas

There are 4 kinds of house made sodas – Cherry + Vanilla, Citrus + Rosemary,  Strawberry + Basil, and  Spicy Ginger. I got the Citrus + Rosemary soda and it was refreshing. Probably would go very well with a hot Summers day.

Caesar Cart

During brunch, their caesar cart might make an appearance. A fresh caesar made right at your table. They will have these tableside Caesars for their Easter brunch buffet.

We got a sneak peek of it and got a little taste.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been to this buffet during the holidays and they have good value for what you pay for. Live music is also a bonus when dining here.

It’s pretty popular during major holidays for brunch, so make sure you check out their special buffet menus as well as make reservations in advanced.

Address:
1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver

Website:
https://h2restaurant.com

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In British Columbia

KFC Canada: Waffle Double Down Review

KFC Canada has introduced the Waffle Double Down, a creation made of a Belgium waffle, maple aioli sauce, and 2 Big Crunch chicken fillets. It is only available in Canada for a limited time only.

Waffle Double Down

This is a sweet and savoury handheld sandwich. Similar to chicken and waffles but no forks, knives and plates. Not everyone will love the taste, so you gotta know what your tastebuds enjoy. I don’t particularly like mixing sweet and savoury tastes in a meal, but my friend really enjoyed it.

There is a lot of chicken in this sandwich, so we got pretty full from this.

Price

At the particular location I went to in Vancouver, it is $8.99 for the sandwich only.

  • Combo – with fries, and 20oz drink =$9.99
  • Box Meal – with fries, individual side and 20oz drink = $10.99

Price may vary in other locations, but this sandwich definitely isn’t cheap.

History of the Double Down

The Double Down has been pretty popular in Canada since it launched in 2010 made with bacon, cheese, sauce, and the 2 pieces of chicken. Whenever KFC launches a new version of it, people go nuts. Back in 2012, they released the Zinger Double Down exclusive to Canada, which is the original double down, but spicy.

The Waffle Double Down is exclusive for Canada and it is perfectly Canadian with the strong maple taste of the aioli.

Website: http://www.kfc.ca/

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In product

Show Your Emotions with Lay’s Canada and NHL Superstars

Limited time NHL-themed Lay’s Bags are in grocery stores now in Classic, Ketchup, Dill Pickle, Sour Cream & Onion, Bar-B-Q, and Salt & Vinegar flavours.

Unleash your hockey emotions with these bags and make games more fun to watch when you’re at your own home or at your friends.

Besides the delicious chips inside the bag, you can head to showyouremotions.ca with your special code and enter for a chance to win exciting hockey prizes and get coached by Brent or Marc-Andre. Through a unique facial recognition technology, these superstars will ask fans to show their emotions and will coach them to show more so that they will be ready for game time.

Or you can also put the bag of Lay’s in front of your face like I did for fun.

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In British Columbia

19th Annual Healthy Chef Competition: Recap

The 19th Annual Healthy Chef Competition presented by BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA) is held to increase the awareness of incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables into your meal. I was invited again this year as a media judge to attend this event.

There were 500 people attending this competition to enjoy a mysterious 3 course meal, meeting local celebrities, and celebrating BC fruits and vegetables.

Cured Lois Lake Steelhead

Everyone started with the same appetizer created by Executive Chef Daniel Chiang of the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver.  It has spring greens, fingerling potatoes and apple salad. It has a bourbon maple gastrique and fried fish skin. A good start to the meal incorporating seasonal vegetables as well as local salmon.

For the entree and dessert, you are given a mysterious set of cards that assigns you your dishes. If there’s extras, you can go up for seconds, which is awesome.

Hyatt Regency Hotel

Dark Chocolate Crusted Venison Loin

Beef Tendon Crisp, Apple Potato Pave, Red Cabbage Puree, Pickled mushroom,  Stinging Nettle, Fried Sunchoke, Rosemary Oil and Juniper & Blueberry Jus.

BC Apple Dessert

Carrot Cake, Apple Mouse, Caramel, Meringue, Dehydrated Apple, Hazelnut Dust, and lemon Balm.

Carver’s Steakhouse & Lounge

Sous vide pork tenderloin

Applesauce puree and Classic Lyonnaise Potatoes

Crème caramel 

Mixed Berry compote

Sandpiper Resort Clubhouse

Salmon Wellington

 “Pacific Provider” Coho Salmon , delicate puff pastry filled with artichoke and parmesan farce, Fresh spinach and asparagus.

Accompanied by Lemon Dill Cream Sauce, Vegetable spaghetti & Little Potato Company Confit Baby Creamer potatoes.

Fruit Terrine

Red and green grapes, Gooseberries, Fresh strawberries, Lemoncello Chantilly cream, Black & Raspberry Coulis, and Coconut tuile.

White Spot

Twisted Surf & Turf  

24-hour Star Anise Pork Cheek and Pork Cheek Ragout finished with Summer Squash Preserve, Jasmine Smoked Peas with Dry Minted, Apple, Fondant Potato, Spiced Lotus Chip, Fresh Jumbo Scallop, Sweet Corn Sabayon, Pressed Celery, and Salmon Caviar.

Chocolate and Sweet Beet Torte

Hazelnut Sponge Cake with Chocolate Mousse and Roasted Beet Bavarian, and Torched Beet Root Meringues.

The Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island

Poached B.C. Farmed Salmon with Miso Glaze

Red Pepper and Fingerling Stir fry, Gingered Purple Yam, Wakame Pearls, Stuffed Carrot, Shiitake, and Brussels Sprouts.

Cocoa Barry White Chocolate Passion Fruit Cremeaux

Hazelnut Crunch and Fresh Fruit

Executive Plaza Hotel, The Wild Fig

Beet cured smoked sous vide pork loin

Pork loin cylinders, Fig and cream cheese beet pave, Polenta Yam, Dehydrated candied grape tomato, Fennel corn puree, Micro Intense greens, Pineapple, pear and apple brunoise, Chimichurri spears, Brussel Sprouts leaves, Blackened Mesh tuile, and Beet and berry ketchup.

Forbidden green apple surprise

Apple cinnamon compote, White Chocolate Mousse, Gelatin Condense milk, Macerated mint melon balls, Chocolate Shavings, Crispy Crunch, Pearl balls, Berry emulsion, and Mango Coulis.

Vancouver Community College 

Seafood Pot au Feu

Lobster Spot Prawn Globe, Seared Scallop, Corn & Chorizo Fritter, Carrot Terrine, Fresh Peas, a little potato, and Clear Fish Fume.

Pear Custard Bar

Pear Sorbet, Almond Crumble, Raspberry Fluid Gel, Tear Drop Meringue, and Apple Gastique.

 Delta Hotels Burnaby Conference Centre

Poached Swiss chard wrapped sockeye salmon

Sunchoke four ways, chips, salsa, puree, roasted sunflower sprouts, charred green onion soubise, buckwheat and barley tabbouleh, sea asparagus, and Little Potato Company purple potato chips.

Kid had a rough day

Charred corn and coconut ice cream, Beet brownie, Carrot beet yogurt mousse, Cocoa soil – quinoa, pumpkin seed, cocoa nibs, oats, dehydrated beets, Coconut tofu pebbles, and Puffed wild rice.

Beach Grove Golf Club

Dry aged CAB with red beets hummus

Green peppercorn sauce, yellow potato Terrine, Carrot marinated lemon oil, and Asparagus.

Apricot and Pistachio Delice

Apple caramel glaze, coconut gel, and Orange dash

Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel

Leek Ash Petite Tenderloin

Mushroom tarte, Little Potato salad, Celeriac spaghetti with cured egg yolk, and Red wine jus.

Textures of Carrots

Carrot yoghurt pancetta, Candied carrots, Microwave sponge, Carrot cake crumble, and Carrot gel.

Winners

Of all 20 dishes, here are the winners of the evening:

Best entrée:
 Executive Plaza Hotel, The Wild Fig
Beet cured smoked sous vide pork loin

Best Dessert:
 Vancouver Community College
Pear Custard Bar

People’s Choice Award:
Vancouver Community College

Best Table Showcase:
Marriott Vancouver Airport – American Grille

It was another great year at the Healthy Chef Competition. There was yet again lots of food, so if you didn’t like your first dish, you can get seconds from another table. At the end of the night, we all got a swag bag and a produce box to enjoy the wonders of fresh BC produce.

Looking forward to next year.

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

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In Malaysian

Rice and Noodle: Southeast Asian-inspired Dishes in Vancouver

Rice and Noodle serves up Southeast Asian inspired food in a convenient and affordable way on Robson Street right in the middle of Downtown Vancouver. All their dishes are MSG-free, made to order and highly customizable to your tastes. Their menu has rice dishes and noodle dishes where you can choose your own protein, spiciness level and any thing else extra you want in it.

You can also order online for pick up or you can get delivery through the different delivery services around town like Just Eat, Door Dash, UberEats, Foodora, Skip the Dishes, etc.

Interior

You order your meal at the counter in the back and then you can take a seat until they bring you over your order.

Laksa

The laksa soup is made with a coconut curry broth, rice noodle, broccoli, carrot, onion, tofu, zucchini, and then topped with bean sprouts, boiled egg, and cilantro. I really enjoyed this laksa as it had a good level of spice to the broth. I highly recommend this.

Tom Yum Soup

This has a lemongrass broth, prawns, rice noodle, cilantro mushroom, onion and tomato. It’s a little bit sour and a little bit spicy.

Panang Red Curry

This has red curry with basil, cauliflower and yam with rice. It has a hint of spice to it but not too much.

Creamy Peanut Stirfry

This has bean sprouts, carrot, onion, red pepper, spinach and then the rice.

Family Combo for 5

We got this combo for the rest of the dishes. It comes with all these 6 dishes for $50.

  • Pad Thai with Shrimp
  • Kung Pao Chicken
  • Mongolian Beef
  • Green Curry with Chicken
  • Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken
  • 5 Spring Rolls Thai

Pad Thai Shrimp

This dish has rice noodle, egg, tofu, bean sprouts, green onion, crushed peanuts, and prawns. Squeeze some lime on it and it’s ready to eat.

KungPao Chicken

On the plate is rice, chicken, green bean, onion, pineapple, red pepper, ginger, cashew, and spinach.

Mongolian Beef

This has beef, broccoli, bean sprouts, carrot, green bean, ginger, onion, red cabbage, water chestnut, and a mound of rice.

Green Curry with Chicken

Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken

I missed taking a picture of this, but I wasn’t a fan of this. It has fried rice, egg, carrot, green bean, onion, pineapple, red pepper and chicken.

Spring Rolls

One spring roll per person and it has a crisp and crunchy exterior.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I like how the dishes are highly customizable. You can switch up your protein options, spice level and add any extra items to it. For my own personal preferences, I love a little bit of spice instead of mild. I would choose 3 chili peppers next time.My favourite dish of the evening was the Laksa.

We Rate Rice and Noodle: 

Address:
1236 Robson St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://thericeandnoodle.com/

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In British Columbia

Starbucks: Crystal Ball Frappuccino

Starbucks is at it again creating interesting Frappuccinos. Of course I had to go to my closest Starbucks to grab one to try.

The Crystal Ball Frappuccino starts with a crème-based Frappuccino infused with peach flavour and turquoise sparkles that create an enchanting marbling effect. The magic happens when the peach-flavoured whipped cream is sprinkled with one of three coloured candy gems, each colour signifying a different fortune in vivid blue, green and purple.

The drink itself tasted like a fuzzy peach, not overly sweet, but a good amount where you can still enjoy it.

This is only available while supplies last in participating Starbucks stores in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

  • Blue Foretells Adventure
    Better pack a snack today. Maybe an umbrella.
  • Green Foretells Luck
    Wherever you go, good fortune will follow.
  • Purple Foretells Magic
    Wonder and enchantment are headed your way. Also owls.

I got purple, blue and green, so does that mean I get adventure, luck and magic in the future? I would love all 3 in my future.

Website: https://www.starbucks.ca/

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In Cocktails

Yaletown Cocktail Crawl by Vancouver Gourmet Tour: Recap

Vancouver Gourmet Tour held their Yaletown Cocktail Crawl a few weeks ago and they brought guests on a cocktail adventure in the trendy neighbourhood of Yaletown. We indulged on cocktail and food pairings at 3 of the best restaurants in Yaletown – House Special, Per Se Social Corner and Brix & Mortar within 3 hours.

The evening began at Xoxolat for a Prosecco toast with some snacks before we all split up into groups.

House Special: Stop #1

House Special is a local favourite specializing in modern Vietnamese Cuisine. At this location, we were able to choose from these 3 cocktails:

  • Matcha Do About Nothing
  • Kaffir Lime Collins
  • Lavender Baby No 2

These were paired with the Drunken Squid with Cucumber Salad.

Matcha Do About Nothing

This cocktail is made with their house-made lemon grass vodka, Sons of Vancouver Amaretto, and Matcha-infused honey syrup. I really enjoyed this as it was well-balanced.

Lavender Baby No 2

Mezcal, lavender syrup and egg whites are used in this cocktail. Love the bits of lavender on the top of the drink.

Per Se Social Corner: Stop 2

Per Se Social Corner is a blend of classic Italian kitchen and modern Spanish and Latin American tapas bar.  There were 2 drinks on the menu to choose from:

  • Gin Brusco
  • Hall of Fame

Both paired with the Wagyu Beef Carpaccio and caprese salad skewer.

The dining area is pretty nice. Since we all shared one long table, it was great to mingle with the other guests on the cocktail crawl too.

Gin Brusco

This a twist on a gin and sour. It has house-made Lambrusco, blackberry reduction, thyme, and lemon. This was my favourite cocktail of the evening. I was so surprised how good the ingredients were balanced. I would be happy having another one. Looks great too.

Hall of Fame

Consider this their version of a Manhattan 2.0. It has Wayne Gretzky whisky, elderflower liqueur, Fernet Blanca and orange peel.

Brix & Mortar: Stop 3

The last stop of the evening was at Brix & Mortar serving up modern Canadian cuisine in the 1912 heritage brick building.

At the bar, they were mixing up 2 different cocktails to choose from:

  • Big Flavours in Little China
  • Seyton’s Whispers

These were served with seared bacon wrapped scallop on peking duck fried risotto.

We sat right by the downstairs bar, so we got to see the bartenders in action creating all the cocktails.

Seyton’s Whispers

This cocktail is made with Grants sherry casked scotch, yellow chartreuse, fino sherry, organic cassis, and fresh lemon.

Big Flavours in Little China

I love this presentation in a cute Chinese take out box. It has Absolut mandarin vodka, lychee liquor, lemon, clove spiced pear, and plum bitters served over rocks.

Since it was the end of the evening, I started getting hungry, so I ordered a plate of mussels and we all got 20% off food on their regular menu.

Final Thoughts

My friend and I enjoyed the night a lot trying new cocktails and having a taste of each restaurant. We met some awesome people that were part of our group as tasted what Yaletown has to offer.

If you’re want to check out more cocktail crawls in Vancouver, check out vangourmettours.com.

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In Downtown

Assembli: Custom Pizza and Salad, One Flat Rate in Downtown Vancouver

Assembli has opened their newest location in Downtown Vancouver in the Oceanic Plaza Towers close to Burrard and Pender. They specialize in two things – custom-made salads and pizza. All for one flat price of $14 with any topping you desire. If you’re indecisive just like me, there are a few pre-selected options on the menu.

You won’t see any surprises on your bill for your salad or pizza. It’s very customizable to your taste, so if you hate onions or mushrooms, you’ll never have to see them again.

The ingredients they us are fresh-non-GMO, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and local and organic where possible.

Interior

There are a few tables and seating by the windows, but a lot of people end up getting it to go.

Menu

 

Order Online

If you’re in a rush, you can order your meal online to skip the line. Easy and simple if you have a very short lunch break.

Kale Caesar Salad with Chicken

This is one of their options and I added a protein, which doesn’t increase the price. In the bowl is kale, romaine, home-style croutons, parmesan, Caesar dressing and herb roast chicken.

Carne-Dian Pizza

This has seasoned ground beef, pepperoni, bacon, mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms, red onion, and spicy tomato sauce.

It goes right into their oven which is heated to 700 degrees to get this pizza nice and crisp. I really like the carne-dian as it is a meat-lovers pizza. Can’t go wrong with this unless you’re a vegetarian

Beer

If you’re looking for a drink, they have beer on the menu to pair with their pizza.

Final Thoughts

It’s a good addition to the Downtown area where a lot of financial buildings are. If you’re looking for quick, customizable meal options, here it is.

Address:
1066 West Hastings, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.assembli.ca/

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In New York

Anastasia the Broadway Music: Journey to the Past

This Broadway version of Anastasia transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman – Anastasia sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

When I knew I was going to New York, a lot of people recommended we attend the Anastasia musical on Broadway. Seeing that I am a huge fan of the Disney movie, I booked my tickets and counted down the days till I would be in New York. We arrived with our paper tickets in hand 30 minutes at Broadhurst Theatre before the show to begin lining up. We were in the area early, so we just decided to wait.

Lottery

Anastasia has lottery tickets for $42 through a daily digital lottery at www.anastasiabroadwaylottery.com . The lottery opens at midnight on the day of each performance. The lottery closes at 9am for matinees and 2pm for evening performances. It’s a good way to score cheap tickets.

Seats

The theatre is pretty small compared to the other large theatres in Times Square, so if you don’t get a close seat, don’t worry too much as each seat is pretty good. We got 3rd row in the balcony closer to the right side of the theatre.

The Show

The sets, costumes, and  score including favourites from the animated film – “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December”. They did include a few new songs, which I loved the addition. The show is a total of around 2 hours and 45 minutes.

I really enjoyed the show from beginning to end. I was so happy they removed all the supernatural elements that were in the animated film since it wouldn’t make sense to have a talking bat like Bartok as part of the storyline.

After the show

When you wait around after the show, the cast some out to meet the fans before heading home. It’s a great chance to get some picture, get an autograph, and even say hello. When I was here, I caught a glimpse of  Christy Altomare (Anya) and Derek Klena (Dmitry).

Final Thoughts

I absolutely loved this show and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting New York.

Website: https://www.anastasiabroadway.com

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In product

PC Pho Broth: Pho at Home

President’s Choice has created their own version of pho broth inspired by one of the most popular dishes in Vietnam. If you are inclined to make pho at home, you can now at the comfort of your own kitchen.

I love eating pho and I never considered making it at home because it is quite labour intensive making your own broth. This PC pho broth has rich beef, sweet Asian spices, savoury onion, warming ginger and fish sauce. You can then top it with rice noodles, fresh herbs and vegetables for a classic pho, or use it to cook rice and infuse the grains with extra flavour. You’re not limited to it’s intended uses.

To enhance the broth, we cooked all the beef and beef ball with a bit more salt in the broth before assembling. With the addition of Thai red peppers, lime, basil and beansprouts, we really made this meal complete. You can also have a bit of sriracha sauce or hoisin sauce to dip your meet into. I really liked cracking the red chilis and adding it into my bowl of pho as it adds an extra kick of heat to balance the flavours. Not everyone likes Thai red peppers as they are very spicy.

You can find the Pho broth at most stores that carry President’s Choice items. It retails for $1.99 for 900ml. They also sell Tom Yum and Ramen broth too.

Website: https://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/products/productlisting/pc-pho-broth.html

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In Italian

The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar: Now Open in Langley

The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar is now open in Walnut Grove, Langley. This is the first Italian concept restaurant for Joseph Richard Group (JRG), whose other establishments include 14 public houses and three S+L Kitchen & Bar restaurants. It’s a good addition to the area as there aren’t that many options in this area.

The menu was designed by JRG Director of Culinary Operations Matthew Stowe (Top Chef Canada winner) and the JRG Culinary team comprised of Executive Chef Andy Slinn, Corporate Chef David Jorge (MasterChef Canada winner) as well as the Chef of The Italian, Jason Harper. They also have vegetarian and gluten-free menus for those with dietary restrictions.

We were invited for a VIP tasting to get a feel for their restaurant concept a few days before their grand opening.

Interior

The 180-seat restaurant has some booth seating as well as tables for small to large groups. The interior is dim with dark coloured furniture. It makes for a cozy intimate atmosphere. There is a long bar on the other side of the restaurant if you want to see all the action from the bartenders.

Drinks

To pair with Italian food, they have a range of drinks on the menu like wine, cocktails, beers and non-alcoholic options.

Antipasti

We started the evening with the antipasti, which has carefully selected local and Italian meats and cheeses, marinated artichokes, olives, eggplant caponata, Italian crackers and toasted focaccia. They have a cheese menu dedicated to different styles of cheeses too.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

There are 3 plump slow cooked house made meatballs, San Marzano tomato sauce, seasoned ricotta, Grana Padano, and fresh basil.

The Beehive Pizza

This unique pizza has spicy Calabrian salami, honey, mozzarella, Grana Padano, San Marzano tomato sauce. The honey is definitely different as I’ve never had honey on pizza till now.

Vongole

The pasta is linguine, local garlic, fresh manila clams, white wine, parsley, and Calabrian chili.

Braised Shortrib Pappardelle

This has San Marzano tomato sauce, wilted baby arugula, and Grana Padano.

Local Butternut Squash Ravioli

Brown butter sauce, house made ravioli, roasted mushrooms, caramelized squash, and Grana Padano. Of all the pasta dishes we tried, this one was my favourite.

Tiramisu Sphere

This is one exciting dessert on the menu, You will find lady finger cookies, vanilla mascarpone cream, and bitter chocolate crumble. They pour espresso anglaise over the chocolate shell until the chocolate melts to reveal the ingredients inside.

Nonna’s Lemon Tart

This deconstructed lemon tart has lemon custard, coconut crumble, vanilla bean gelato, meringue, and basil. A tart refreshing dessert option.

Final Thoughts

The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar is open seven days a week for dinner only (5pm to midnight), with plans to open for lunch within the first few months. My favourite dish was the Local Butternut Squash Ravioli and the tiramisu sphere is fun and interactive. I wouldn’t drive very far to go eat at The Italian, but it’s a good addition to the neighbourhood to give people more options. I would recommend getting a bunch of dishes to share family-style.

Address:
20330 88 Ave, Langley, BC

Website:
http://www.jrg.ca/establishment/italian-osteria-cheese-bar/

 

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In Brunch

Big Flat Pancake Co.: Breakfast in Port Coquitlam

The Big Flat Pancake Co. has just opened up in Coquitlam serving up breakfast daily from 8am till 2:30pm. A friend told me about this place and we decided to come to this mom and pop breakfast joint to start off the weekend. We got here early in the morning and there was already a line. News spread fast about this place and it’s good to see this addition in the neighbourhood.

Interior

The interior is clean and pretty standard with tables everywhere for small to large groups. For large groups, its best to arrive earlier to beat the rush.

They don’t take reservations, so it is first come first serve. There is a big chalkboard with the wait list, so you’ll always know if you’re next.

Menu

Coffee

The day doesn’t begin until I’ve had some coffee. I got some coffee to accompany our breakfast adventures.

The Hipster Hash Big Flat Pancakes

The big flat pancake is topped with a dish of hashbrowns, country ham, back bacon, and turkey bacon tossed with peppers, onions, corn, tomato, avocado, hollandaise and a golden egg. The ingredients in the hash were ok but it didn’t really standout too much except the egg and avocado.

Farmhouse Waffles

This has country ham and 2 eggs done any way you like. I went with sunny side up. The egg yolks were nice and golden, but the waffle was ok. It is served with maple syrup and butter too.

Tater Tots

The tater tots were nice and golden. You have a choice between fire roasted salsa or pesto. We went with the pesto and it was a great combination as you wouldn’t have thought dunking tater tots into pesto. The downside is that this particular pesto the taste lingered for a long time even after the meal.

3 Cheese Omelete

It is served with toast, fresh fruit and in-house fire roasted salsa.

Four Berry Cheesecake

To end off the breakfast, we got this four berry cheesecake big flat pancake. It has a compote of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. It is them served with cream cheese whip and graham crackers. We just spread everything over the pancake and ate it up quickly. I would say it was my favourite item out of all the dishes we ordered.

Final Thoughts

I found a lot of them items were mediocre, but for the area, there aren’t a lot of breakfast options close by. I wouldn’t travel far to come here, but if I was in the area and wanted breakfast, it’s a consideration.

We Rate Big Flat Pancake Co: 

Address:
2020 Oxford Connector, Port Coquitlam, BC

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

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In Four Beakers

Fresh Ideas Start Here: Sustainable Poké Bar

Fresh Ideas Start Here is a great local store to get fresh sustainable seafood in Burnaby and Kitsilano. They recently launched their sustainable poké bar with 6 different poke bowls or your can build your own. There isn’t space to eat in here, so it is all for take-out. I bought mine and headed home and has it for lunch.

The prices are higher, but you definitely get quality items in your bowl. All the fish is Oceanwise certified, which is really nice. I preferred to build my own bowl since I like to keep my poke as simple as possible.

Step 1: Pick your base
Japanese White Rice, Brown Rice, or Salad Mix

Step 2: Pick your fish
Wild BC Sockeye Salmon
Cooked West Coat Octopus
Pacific Yellowfin Tuna
Pacific Yellowfin Negitoro

Step 3: Pick your toppings
Salsa, cucumbers, seaweed salad, pickled red onion, Oshinko (pickled radish), kimchi, pickled ginger, imitation crab meat, sweet inari, masago, edamame, or Squid Salad.

Sauces:
Classic, spicy mayo, Korean Chili, or Thai style

Step 4: Pick your finish
Green onion, Furikake, fried onion or toasted sesame seeds.

All the ingredients looked really fresh and I couldn’t wait to dig in at home. I got a regular bowl and then a snack sized bowl.

Pacific Yellowfin Tuna

For the snack-sized bowl, it comes with one type of fish, 2 toppings and a finisher. I got the Pacific Yellowfin Tuna, seaweed salad, cucumber, furikake and the classic sauce on mixed greens.

Wild BC Sockeye Salmon and Pacific Yellowtail Negitoro

A regular bowl gets you 2 types of fish, 3 toppings and a finisher. I got the  Wild BC Sockeye Salmon, Pacific Yellowtail Negitoro, edamame, seaweed salad, tobiko, toasted sesame, brown rice and the classic sauce.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed the poké bowls and the toppings are simple and complimented the fish well so it still stands out. The best part about coming here for poké bowls is that you can also go shopping for good other seafood items if you want to make dinner.

We Rate FISH: 

Address:
#180 -7515 Market Crossing, Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://www.eatfish.ca/

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In product

PC 100% Cricket Powder: Sustainable Protein Alternative

President’s Choice launch their 100% Cricket Powder as a protein alternative in their PC’s Insiders Collection this Spring. I was really curious when I saw this as it’s still faux pas in North America to eat insects.

Why Cricket Powder?

What a lot of people don’t realize is that crickets are a nutritious, versatile food option that is high in protein, magnesium, iron and vitamin B12.

Besides being nutritious, they require less land to produce, uses up less resources like water, and produces less CO2 compared to farming cows. Definitely very sustainable especially when 80% of the world’s population incorporates insects into their diet.

Inside the Package

Inside each pouch is 113g of ground up crickets farmed locally in Canada.  The finely ground cricket powder has a mild malty and earthy taste. You can create smoothies, sauces, chili, curries and baking batters with the cricket powder if you want to add extra nutritional value.

Make a Smoothie

I used half a tablespoon of it in my berry smoothie with almond milk. It’s quick to make and you can throw in any frozen fruits that you have in the fridge.

Check out this recipe for Strawberry Banana Cricket Powder Smoothies using only 5 ingredients.

Where to buy

The PC 100% Cricket powder retails for $13.99 and can be found at stores where PC products are sold.

Website: https://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/products/productlisting/pc-100-cricket-powder.html

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In product

KitKat Canada: Caramel Crisp Review

The third new flavour of KitKat to hit Canadian grocery stores is the Caramel Crisp.The other two are Cookie Crumble and Hazelnut Crunch.

It comes in a pouch with 7 mini bars and retails for  $5.39. So that works out to be $0.77 per mini bar. A little steep, but I wanted to try it.

Bits of crunchy caramel are embedded in the milk chocolate exterior. You’ll get a delightful texture that adds to the wafers in the centre.

It has a good amount of sweetness even with the added caramel.

There are 2 more flavours that they also released at the same time – Cookie Crumble and Hazelnut Crunch.

You can find more of my KitKat review here.

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In Commercial Drive / Grandview

Via Tevere: Neopolitan Pizza and Italian Cuisine in Vancouver

Via Tevere is a Neopolitan Pizzeria in Vancouver close to Commercial Drive. I’ve heard they have some good pizza and it’s taken us a long time to come here for dinner. If you ask Vancouverites where is the place to have the best pizza in Vancouver, this place is probably on that list. We came here for Valentines Day unplanned as our original plan was to cook dinner…but both of us didn’t feel like cooking. As we passed by Via Tevere, we couldn’t help but park and see if we could get a seat. There are no reservations, so it is walk-in only. Luckily for us, it was still early and there were a few spots left.

Interior

There are a good amount of seats and a bar in the dining area. The pizza oven is in the back and there are a few seats there so you can see them make all the pizza.

Menu

Drinks

They have a bunch of ciders, beer, wine and spirits on the menu, but we had some Apple Cider to go with our meal.

Polpette della Nonna

These homemade meatballs in tomato sauce are delicious. You order it by piece but I would highly recommend it. It is so moist and the tomato sauce is so addictive.

Pasta del Giorno

Their pasta dish changes daily, so you’ll have to ask the serve what is on the menu. The day we were here, it had mushrooms and it tasted great.

Margherita Al Pomodoro

We went with the classic Margherita pizza as its a good way to see if they can make this delicious and they sure did. The pizza was thin and had a crispy crust with spots of char from the oven.

Tris di Dolci

This is the trio of their 3 dessserts, which is great to share between us. Since I love to try a bit of everything, we had to get this.

Graffe con Nutella 

This is handmade Neapolitan fritters dusted with sugar and cinnamon and lastly drizzled with Nutella. Essentially, it was like a Nutella donut.

Tiramisu

This Italian Classic has layers of coffee drenched lady fingers with Mascarpone cream It is then topped with cocoa powder. It has 2 layers of lady fingers and 2 more layers of cream.

Torta Caprese

This rich chocolate cake is made with roasted almonds and walnuts with a hint of orange. This is flourless and gluten free if you have dietary restrictions. It was pretty good and it also reminded me of nutella because of the nuts.

Baci Chocolates are given at the end of the meal and these Italian chocolates are made with hazelnuts, chocolate and sealed with a love note. A good ending to the meal.

Final Thoughts

The meal was great and we left happy with our stomaches full. We’ll definitely be back. You must order the meatballs as well as the pizza here.

We Rate Via Tevere: 

Address:
1190 Victoria Dr, Vancouver

Website:
http://viateverepizzeria.com/

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In product

KitKat Canada: Cookie Crumble Review

Another new flavour of KitKat to hit Canadian grocery stores is the Cookie Crumble. It comes in a pouch with 7 mini bars and retails for  $5.39. So that works out to be $0.77 per mini bar. A little steep, but I wanted to try it.

Cookie Crumble

The cookie bits can be seen embedded in the milk chocolate, so when you open the package, you can see it.

When you bite into it, it gives an extra crunch. Plus, since it is a mini bar, you don’t have to feel so guilty eating the whole thing.

There are 2 more flavours that they also released at the same time – Hazelnut Crunch and Caramel Crisp.

You can find more of my KitKat review here.

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