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Bandidas Taqueria has been on Commercial Drive for a long time serving up vegetarian Mexican-inspired cuisine. It’s been a while since my last visit, but it was nice to see they have expanded their space to have more guests.  We came on a weekend and its was pretty busy.

Interior

Lots of tables inside for small to large groups. They don’t take reservations so it’s first come, first serve.

Chips, Salsa and Guacamole

To start off the brunch, we had this to munch on before getting our other dishes. Loved how the dishes were overflowing with salsa and guac.

Breakfast Tacos

There is 3 handmade corn tortillas topped with scrambled eggs, black beans, caramelized onions, roasted tomato salsa, cheese, and sour cream, and served with purple cabbage. I added guacamole for $1.50 extra.

Breakfast Burrito

This has scrambled free-range eggs, pinto beans, roasted tomato salsa, cheese, and sour cream wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla and grilled. Then, you can get this baked with cheese on top. We added roasted yam and potato hash for $2.50 extra.

Ronny Russell Burrito

This has roasted yams, guacamole, black beans, salsa verde, purple cabbage, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Baked and with added cheese too. These burritos are very filling.

Horace “Lefty” Burrito

This has spicy Mexican corn mix, pinto beans, fresh jalapeños, cheese, fresh-cut tomato salsa, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. This is also baked and added cheese on top.

Beer

They have a range of local beers on tap. I got a beer and my friends ordered the East Van Radler with Driftwood’s Fat Tug IPA and freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice.

Mimosa

Weekend brunch time calls for mimosas. It comes in a small mason jar, but it’s a good match for brunch here.

Horchata

For something non-alcoholic, they have horchata, which is a Mexican drink made with rice and is flavoured with cinnamon and sweetened with sugar.

Final Thoughts

We Rate Bandidas Taqueria

Address:
2781 Commercial Dr, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.bandidastaqueria.com

Taste of Yaletown is back for it’s 13th year, a popular community-based event that invites the public to try a variety of dishes from 26 restaurants in the Yaletown area from now till October 27th. Chefs create a 3 course menu themed around pairing and sharing at prices of $25, $35, and $45.

Hapa Izakaya is participating again with a $25 set menu where you can choose 3 different dishes. They specialize in modern Japanese cuisine and all their dishes are easily sharable. It’s a fun spot to hang out with friends and have a few bites and drinks.

First Course

Beef Tataki

The AAA beef slices are thin and lightly seared. It is topped with soy barbecue sauce, garlic chips, onion, and green onions.

Ahi Tuna Yukke

This has ahi tuna tartare, quail egg, pine nuts, shiso, and crispy seaweed for wrapping. The tuna is very fresh and delicious when mixed with the quail egg.

Agebidashi Vegetables

This dish has eggplant, shishito peppers and daikon radish in a soy-mirin vegan dashi.

Second Course

Chicken Nanban

fried chicken thigh, daikon tartar sauce

Crispy Panko-Fried Scallops

fried scallops, jalapeno mango mayo, lotus root chips

 

Foil Grilled Tofu and Mushrooms

The mushrooms and tofu is marinated in vegan dashi with yuzu cooked in foil.

Third Course

Hambagu Steak

This dish has ground AAA Angus beef, minced daikon, ponzu, shiso, and garlic chips on a skillet. The steak was so juicy that when I just into it, the juices just shot out from the inside.

Aburi Saba Sushi

This dish has 8 pieces of the torched pressed mackerel sushi with sansho pepper. One of my favourite items.

Vegetable Poke Bowl

This bowl has avocado, beets, butternut squash, inari tofu strips, sweet soy dressing, and sushi rice. It was an interesting dish for those who love vegetables. A good option for vegetarians who still want to enjoy the menu.

Drinks

Drinks aren’t included in the set menu, but it’s a good addition to the meal. Some of the drink we had with our meal were:

  • Virgin Hello Kitty: Strawberry purée, Calpico, soda
  • Enter the Dragon: Bacardi Oakheart, dragon fruit, agave syrup, lime, ginger beer
  • Large Sake
  • Red Dragons

Final Thoughts

If you’re coming here with a few friends, I would suggest getting a few of the set menus and ordering different dishes to share with everyone. The choices on the menu caters to those who are vegetarians and those who aren’t. I like Hapa Izakaya for a good night out on the town with friends.

We Rate Hapa Izakaya

Address:
1193 Hamilton St, Vancouver

Website:
http://hapaizakaya.com/

Taste of Yaletown is back for it’s 13th year, a popular community-based event that invites the public to try a variety of dishes from 26 restaurants in the Yaletown area from now till October 27th. Chefs create a 3 course menu themed around pairing and sharing at prices of $25, $35, and $45.

The Keg Steakhouse and Bar is participating again with a $45 set menu where you can choose 1 appetizer, entree and dessert. The food is always consistent at The Keg and it’s a favourite. I’ve dined at the Keg several times and set menus like these gives you a chance to try a bit of everything.

Appetizers

Keg Caesar Salad

This has romaine lettuce, aged parmesan cheese, croutons and the Kegs creamy dressing. This is my appetizer of choice since it’s a good balance with the entree and dessert.

Baked Garlic Shrimp

Shrimp is baked in this vessel with garlic, herbs, and cheese. These is bread served on the side to eat it together.

Wild Mushroom Soup

This big bowl of soup is decent and it’s good for a cold Fall weather.

Entree

Sirloin Oscar

This gluten-free dish has 8oz of sirloin topped with shrimp, scallops, asparagus, and Béarnaise sauce drizzled on top. On the side there is baked potato. If you love seafood and steak, you’ll like this.

Prime Rib

A classic and popular dish amongst guests. The prime rib is 14oz and best served medium rare. On the plate, these is also horseradish, red wine herb jus, and garlic mashed potato. You can substitute for different sides too.

Peppercorn New York Steak

The peppercorn crusted striploin is 12oz served with your choice of sides and a whisky sauce. My favourite sides is the mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon

This is another gluten-free dish with the salmon and pistachio sitting on top of garlic mashed potatoes, bacon sautéed Brussels sprouts, and maple butter.

Dessert

Billy Miner Pie

Another classic dessert and one of my favourites. The is mocha ice cream on a chocolate crust with hot fudge, caramel and almonds. Try asking them for extra almonds because I love the added texture.

Cheesecake

This cheesecake thick and creamy, with a Bing cherry topping and a graham cracker crust.

Spanish Coffee

If cake and pie isn’t your thing, they have boozy coffee to end the night. There is brandy, dark cacao and coffee with whipped cream.

Final Thoughts

If you want to try a bit of everything on the menu, I would suggest you and your friends get different dishes and share it all. Also steaks are best medium rare. It’s a lot of food for the $45 set menu and you will be bursting at the seams.

We Rate The Keg Steakhouse

Address:
1011 Mainland St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.kegsteakhouse.com

Lao Shan Dong has handmade noodles in Burnaby near Metropolis at Metrotown. My husband was in search of Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup, so he looked up this shop to go to on the weekend. They are known for the cheap inexpensive food, but it is cash only, so make sure you have some cash on hand. I didn’t mind going since I still haven’t made a visit until now.

Interior

The interior isn’t anything special, it’s just a large area with tables and chairs. You can tell this has been here for some time as the decor is a touch dated, but people really just come here for the food.

Menu

Tea

When you sit down, they give you a big pot of tea and some cups. I love it when the bring the whole tea pot since I guzzle tea like crazy.

Braised Beef Flank and Tendon with Noodle in Soup

We got the small bowl and it was a very good size. We have no idea how anyone else could do a large. If you’re super hungry, definitely do the large. M liked the chewyness of the noodles, tendons and beef flank. The flank was more on the lean side, so it’s not tender and fatty.

Mmmmmm…. noodles!

Sour Mustard Greens and Shredded Pork with bean thread in soup

I wanted to try something different and I am a fan of sour mustard greens, so I gravitated to this dish. The broth was very clean tasting and not too rich. I love a hot bowl of soupy noodles when the cold Fall weather has arrived.

Boiled Pork and Veggie Dumplings

We got the small size with 10 pieces, but there is the larger option with 15 pieces. Easily sharable with small or large groups. Since it was just M and I, we split them with our small sized noodles. The perfect amount.

Final Thoughts

Lao Shan Dong doesn’t have the best Taiwanese Beef Noodles in town, but it is well priced and has a very homemade taste to it.

We Rate Lao Shan Dong

Address:
4887 Kingsway, Burnaby

November Dessert is a Chinese dessert shop located on Grimer Street in Burnaby. This street has a lot of dessert shops and cafes opening up in the last few months and locals are noticing. I’ve heard of November Desserts but haven’t made a visit until they asked me to come for a visit to try some of their different dishes. If you’ve heard of Scorpio M in Richmond, they moved their operations here, changed the name and the menu is very similar to what they had before.

Interior

The interior is large and can fit small to large groups. They have utilized the beautiful grey brick walls and incorporated some beautiful Chinese decor that gives it a unique look.

Menu

Their regular menu has different soupy desserts, pancakes, and limited drinks. They also have a beautiful afternoon tea set, but you need to order 24 hours in advance. You wouldn’t know they had it unless you look at their social media accounts. I missed out on the tea set since I didn’t reserve ahead of time, so we stuck to the regular menu.

It was hard to figure out how each item on the menu differentiated itself from another, so I had to get my mom to translate some parts of the menu since I can’t read Chinese.

Drinks

I started with the milk tea, they use oolong tea as their base, but when they mix it together with the milk it’s eerily frothy, perhaps they use powdered milk, which I really do not like.

Mango and Durian Pancakes

The pancakes are wrapped like little packages. The skin is thin and is filled with whipped cream and the chosen fruit inside.

Durian

The durian pancake has a good chunk of fruit inside and all the durian lovers will enjoy it. It’s an acquired taste, so you will either love or hate it. I’m more on the neutral level since it taste like onions to me, but everyone’s experience if different.

Mango

Mango is a classic and a hit with everyone unless you are allergic to mangos. One of my favourite items to get here.

Snow Ice with Chopped Strawberry

We also added taro mochi, grass jelly, and papaya. I love this bowl since it has the cute little polar bear in the centre. I really enjoyed the toppings and the snowy ice flavoured with a bit of condensed milk.

It’s a good item to share with friends and you chat away and pick at this.

Mango and Black Sticky Rice with Homemade shaved ice

The shaved ice was milky, which was enjoyable. It is  topped off with 2 large scoops of black sticky rice and chopped mangos. This was ok, but not that special.

Mango, kiwi, homemade riceball with homemade shaved ice

 

Final Thoughts

They have improved their desserts since they were Scorpio M, but with the tough competition of dessert cafes in the area, it’s hard to stand out since there is another cafe doing similar desserts. The space here is quiet, so we did notice some people studying here.

We Rate November Dessert

Address:
5358 Grimmer St, Burnaby

Website:
http://mdessert.ca/en/

We were invited to Longtail Kitchen and Freebird Chicken at the River Market in New Westminster to try delicious creations by Chef Justin Cheung and Chef Angus An. Their other sister restaurants are Maenam Restaurant and Fat Mao Noodles. The items in the photos aren’t 100% representative of how it will be served as the serving sizes have been modified for our dinner.

Longtail Kitchen

This restaurant is named after the iconic water taxis of Thailand. Longtail Kitchen has Thai-style comfort food. I’ve come here several times for their famous wings and other dishes.

They also have a wall of different products to purchase.

Thai Iced Tea

This is my favourite drink to get at any restaurant that serves it. Delicious depth of tea flavour with the creamy milk and touch of sweetness.

Steel & Oak Beers

If you love local beers, they serve a variety of beers from Steel & Oak. The brewery is even close by.

Mango Pok Pok Slushy

Pok Pok is a restaurant in Portland and they sell their drinking vinegars. They even take the vinegars and turn the into slushies.

Crispy Chicken Wings

Their famous chicken wings are delicious. Very crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.

Sticky Chicken Wings

If you like getting messy, their sticky chicken wings are a delight too. Lots of flavour in the sauce that coats the crisp skin. The skin stays crisp even with the coating of sauce.

Mama Cheung’s Laksa

The laksa has a kick of spice to the broth, but it is pretty clean and not too rich.

Bicol Express

This popular Filipino dish has pork belly, peppers, and green beans and a delicious sauce with a base of coconut milk.

Duck Yolk Butter Prawns

The prawns were flavourful but the duck yolk wasn’t too strong. Perhaps an extra pinch of salt would enhance them.

Shaking Beef Tenderloin

This dish was delicious and the beef was super tender. Great paired with a side of rice.

Freebird Chicken

The newer addition to River Market is Freebird Chicken, an Asian-style rotisserie chicken shack. They serve flavourful free-range, hormone-free chickens with sides of rice, soup, and salads.

Khao Man Gai

This is Hai Nan chicken and it comes with soup and chicken rice. The chicken is poached and there is a bunch of different sauce that pair with it. I personally like the classic ginger and green onions.

Tumeric Fried Chicken

The fried chicken was super crispy and they use NextJen Gluten-Free flour in their batter mix. You would have never thought this was gluten-free, but it is.

Tom Yum Spiced Fried Cauliflower

If you’re in need of more vegetables in your meal, this dish was a good accompaniment.

Tom Yum Spiced Fried Brussel Sprouts

Vegetables are great deep fried and spiced with Tom Yum.

Rotisserie Chicken

If you’re looking for another type of chicken, they have rotisserie chicken. Tasty skin and moist inside.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I loved this introduction to some of the newer items on the menu since I usually order the same thing.

Address:
810 Quayside Dr, New Westminster

I love Frank’s Red Hot Sauce as it always reminds me of spicy buffalo wings. When I was cooking dinner one evening, I combined a few items that I already had in the fridge and pantry to create this dish. It’s a quick pasta dish to make under 30 minutes.

[tabs tab1=”Recipe” ]

[tab id=1]

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz Rotini Pasta
  • 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
  • 1/4 chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Chicken
  • 1/2 cup Blue Cheese Dressing

Direction:

  1. Heat a pot over medium heat
  2. Add plain greek yogurt, Franks Red hot sauce, chicken broth and blue cheese dressing. Mix until well combined.
  3. Add in shredded chicken.
  4. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.
  5. In the meantime, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, add to the  sauce and stir to combine.

[/tab]

[/tabs]

Sugarfina has launched their Sanrio ❤ Sugarfina Collection and it is every kids dream. As a late 80’s kid, I remember watching Hello Kitty and her twin sister – Mimmy going on crazy adventures. Gudetama is a new addition, but who doesn’t love the lazy egg.

There are 7 different kids in the collection:

  • Hello Kitty’s Mama’s Apple Pie Gummies
  • Hello Kitty Bow Tie Gummies
  • Keroppi Donut Pond Jelly Beans
  • My Melody Sweet Pearls
  • Badtz-Maru Mischievous Pops
  • Gudetama Lazy Gummy Eggs
  • Chococat Chocolate Caramels

Each individual box retails for $10.45, but they also have 2 different collector bento box sets $24.95 and $39.35. Definitely more premium that your regular candy. These are best given as gifts to really impress that certain somebody.

 

3 Pieces Pop-Up Candy Bento Box

You can mix and match what types of flavours are inside. I got mine with Hello Kitty Mama’s Apple Pie Gummies, Badtzmaru Mischievious Pops and Keroppi Donut Pond Jelly Beans.

I love how they really pack the gummies in the boxes and its all so organized. Of the bunch, I really enjoy the gummies. Very fruity and flavourful. The Keroppi Donut Pond Jelly Beans has a sweet, tart key lime flavour. The Badtzmaru Mischievious Pops lived up to it’s name as it is crunchy chocolate filled with popping candy inside.

Address:
799 Robson St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.sugarfina.ca

Bells and Whistles on Fraser near Kingsway opens up today and we were given a quick preview of their space and menu. I’ve passed by a few times and I was eagerly awaiting their opening since I love beer and food. The neighbourhood is definitely changing and its great to see new options. They have 18 craft beers on tap – local and international, 5 types of soft serve ice cream, and 6 types of burgers in addition to other items.

Interior

I love the interior design and they got it spot on to really cater to their clientele. There are lots of tables, so they can easily seat small to large groups.

There are longer picnic style tables and with the large screen, you can watch different sports games.

They have 3 arcade games by the washroom – skee ball and basketball. 2 of the best retro games.

Menu

Beer and Cocktails
Four Winds x Bells and Whistles

Fours Winds collaborated with Bells and Whistles to create this hoppy ale which is dry-hopped with Denali & Galaxy. A good beer to try that is exclusive to this location.

Southern Belle

This cocktail ha Southern Comfort, iced tea, lemon and club soda. The drink is shaken and the strained over fresh ice. It was a very well balanced drink and since I could drink a ton of iced tea, it was a great alcoholic version.

Purple Haze

This cocktail is mad with Absolut vodka, blueberry juice, Averna, lime and served frozen with an umbrella.

Snacks and Starters

Pimento Cheese Dip

The pimento cheese dip is served with thin pretzel chips, grainy mustard and tiny pickles. Pimento cheese us very comforting but the pretzel chips were pretty fragile when I spread the dip on top. The consistency of the dip is smooth compared to how it is normally made at home, its chunky. A different twist that they put on it.

Fries

Fries are served with an herb aioli. We thought it was a bit unnecessary that they seasoned the fries in addition to having the aioli sauce as it provided enough added flavour.

KFC

This isn’t your normal Kentucky Fried Chicken, it is Korean Fried Cauliflower served with pickled cucumber, green onion and cilantro. If you aren’t a cauliflower fan, you can have it with chicken instead.

Onion Rings

These onion rings are pretty good and is served with tangy honey mustard. Crispy on the outside and the onion is cooked well.

Ahi Tuna Poke

Their ahi tuna poke has green onions, cilantro, cucumber, black and white sesame seeds, and avocado. You get a good portion of tortilla chip too. It’s decent and its a lighter option compared to the other items on the menu. I can never say no to ahi tuna.

Burgers

The Classic

The classic burger has aged cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and their secret sauce. It is served with fries or you can substitute with onion rings, garlic fries, or caesar salad for an extra charge. Their patty is hand-formed and made with a mixture of short rib, brisket, and chuck. They also have gluten-free buns too.

Fat Stevens Sandwich

You will find inside this bun beer-brined chicken, gravy, mayo and crispy fried onions. Really comforting and reminded me of Thanksgiving but with chicken.

The All Day Breakfast

This beast of a burger has maple sausage pork patty, American cheese hash browns, secret sauce and a fried egg. Super comforting and rich. You will really want a beer to go with this.

Soft Serve

Troy Tulo-Whiskey

This has original custard, whiskey caramel, roasted pecans, peach jam, and ice tea crystals. I found the soft serve very soft that it looked melted. Maybe they were having an off night with their machine.

Aaron Fudge

This has their twist soft serve, oreo chunks, strawberry sauce, fudge sauce, rainbow sparkles and marshmallows.

Coco Crisp

There is chocolate sauce, Skor bar crumble, white chocolate and pretzels sprinkled on top. Of the 3 soft serves, I liked this one compared to the other 2.

Twin Sails Stout Float

You have their original soft serve custard with a pour of their Twin Sails stout or porter depending on what that have on tap. If you are a beer lover, you’ll enjoy this combination.

Final Thoughts         

Overall, I’m happy that Bells and Whistles has joined the Fraserhood neighbourhood  and this type of venue was needed to have a great time with friends over beer, cocktails, and wine paired with comforting food. Plus, how can you say no to skee ball and basketball.

We Rate Bells and Whistles

Address:
3296 Fraser St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.bellsandwhistlesyvr.ca/

With a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving dinner, it can cost anywhere from $250 to over $350 on average. My family and I have a huge thanksgiving dinner every year and it definitely is not cheap. With costs going up each year, there is an easy way to see coupons and deals from your local stores all in one place. This Thanksgiving, be thankful for cost savings this year with YP Grocery.

The YP Grocery App is free and the digital grocery experience allows consumers to create shareable grocery lists, browse the best deals from your favourite stores, keep all your loyalty cards in a virtual holder, and more. You can find 500+ flyers from 6,000+ stores across Canada, syndicating all the best deals from stores you already shop at, right to your phone. Definitely easy to manage shared grocery lists, compare prices, price match, and find deals and coupons to save on your grocery bill.

Based on a case study that tracked deals on ingredients for a typical turkey dinner over a one week period, dinner hosts can save over 25% on their groceries just by using the YP Grocery app. For a $337 dinner, this could save shoppers up to $86 at the same stores where they already shop.

Start planning your Thanksgiving meal for this long weekend and begin saving at your local grocery stores.

Download now: https://grocery.yellowpages.ca/

Rad Tea Room is in the Granville Skytrain serving up premium bubble tea and drinks made of loose leaf teas. I’ve been keeping an eye out when this would open since it’s always nice to have another option in the area. My friend told me that they opened and we decided to check it out. Imagine it as a hidden gem as it’s hiding in the skytrain station and they actually have some pretty good bubble tea.

Interior

The interior is clean, nice and quiet too. On their menu, they have bubble teas, smoothies, milk tea caps, matcha lattes, tea mocktails and cold brewed teas.

They have a large table in the front if you want to have a big group of friends. Alternatively, there are some seats for smaller groups in the back.

Milk Tea with Pearls

There’s so many versions of milk tea you can create and customize. I personally love the roasted oolong milk tea with pearls. Since the normal sugar levels are lower than most places, I keep it regular sugar and less ice.

Another feature of Rad Tea is that you can ask for almond or soy milk. Great for those who are lactose or vegan to be able to enjoy bubble tea like everyone else.

Cold Brew Pu’er Tea

They don’t serve coffee, but they do have cold brew teas. Today, they had the Pu’er Tea, which is a strong black tea. I love my black teas and this was good to have a good dose of caffeine.

Winter Melon Tea Cap

Another drink I also really enjoyed was the Winter Melon Tea Cap. It has a good balance of flavour and sweetness compared to other places. If you are a fan of Winter Melon, I would highly recommend their version at Rad Tea.

Strawberry Tea Mocktail

If you are looking for something a bit different, they have strawberry inflused tea mocktails with pearls if you want.

Matcha Tea Cap

They use ceremonial grade matcha, so it is deeper in colour and has a stronger matcha taste. I use it at home for drinks too and it’s definitely not for everyone.

Waffles

If you feel like you want something to nibble on, they have waffles served with different sauces for an additional charge. There is Salted Caramel, Lavender Chocolate, Matcha Cream or Dark Chocolate. Our group was torn between the lavender chocolate or the matcha cream. I personally prefer the matcha cream as it isn’t too sweet. The waffle itself was meh since the sauces stood out a bite more.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for an independently owned bubble tea shop outside of all the Taiwanese chains, use loose leaf tea, and has milk alternatives like soy and almond milk, Rad Tea Room is definitely a place you should check out. The location is a bit hidden in Granville Skytrain, but enter through the Dunsmuir Street entrance and you’ll find it at the bottom of the stirs on the right. I’m a tea lover, so what really attracted me in the first place was their good taste in teas and how they balance the sweetness of the bubble tea.

We Rate Rad Tea Room: 

Address:
80-678 Dunsmuir Street, (The Granville Station – Dunsmuir Exit)

Website: https://www.radtearoom.com

Rad Tea Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Choices Markets is a BC owned and operated grocer focused on delivering high quality, organic, natural, and specialty foods. I wanted to challenge myself to purchase only BC grown produce and products made in BC. Since my local farmers market isn’t open on Sunday, Choices Markets is a good option to find a plethora of local products.

What I like about their produce section is that they label were the produce comes from. You won’t have a hard time knowing if it’s from Canada or the US. Choices has gained recognition as an advocate of supporting the great number of BC dedicated food producers.

My Grocery Haul

A lot of people thinking buying local and organic will cost you, but if you look out for sales and know whats in season, it can help cut down in costs. Since it is the Fall, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, apples, and many other items are in season. I found looking for packaged products made in BC a lot harder since it’s not always evident from the packaging. Luckily, I noticed a few great items in store since I always have an eye open in the BC food scene. Wize Monkey Coffee Leaf TeaSpread em’ Kitchens DipsRoyals Kombucha, and Better With Ice Cream are a few local products that are gaining quite a buzz lately.

My Dinner

Here is what I made with a few of the items I picked up at Choices Markets. Deliciously tender rack of lamb, potatoes, green beans and tomatoes. A simple healthy meal and I cooked everything in one pan in the oven. We are pretty lucky living in BC since we do have some great farmers growing a diverse amount of crops and raising different types of animals.

Websitehttps://www.choicesmarkets.com

 

Changing lifestyles are redefining the way that we eat. Sometimes at work, having lots of meetings and large projects makes taking a lunch break pretty difficult. 40% of Canadians use snacks as meal replacements throughout the day instead of having a full nutritious meal.

Health, convenience, ease of use, variety and portability are all important attributes that consumers are looking for in their snack foods. Here are 5 smart snacks to munch on during the day, so you don’t need to reach for chips.

1. Yogurt and berries

If you’re looking to up the nutritional value of your snacks, go for nonfat Greek yogurt. A one 8-ounce serving contains more protein and less sodium, sugar and carbohydrates than regular yogurt. Top it off with some berries for some added natural sweetness.

2. Bananas

Not only are bananas a good source of potassium, they’re an easy option for when you’re on the go. Throw one into your bag and munch away as you type away on your computer.

3. Pistachios

Pistachios, a member of the cashew family have an exterior shell and take longer to eat, encouraging snackers to slow down and be more conscious of what they’ve consumed thus snackers may consume less calories. Plus, they taste great.

4. Hummus

Chickpeas are a source of iron, just half a cup contains 2mg. You can make your own or save time and purchase it from the store.

5. Snap peas

Snap peas are a crunchy and sweet treat, not to mention low in calories. You can munch on them on their own or you can even dunk it in hummus.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas of snacks to eat when on the go. Do you have any other healthy snacks you like to eat?

 

The Gray Olive Cafeteria in Burnaby Heights is a hotspot for brunch on the weekends. I’ve come here quite a bit for brunch and every time, it’s consistent and very delicious. Plus, it’s just minutes away from place.

Interior

The space isn’t large as it’s pretty narrow. It’s pretty hard to fit large groups in here unless you go really early or wait for a while. I usually like to come here around 10am since after than. lines start to form. If you are a group of 2, waits are never that long.

If there is a wait, put your name and number on the list and take a stroll in the neighbourhood. They will call you when your table is ready.

Latte and Iced Coffee

Coffee is best to have in the morning if you love to be caffeinated. If you like it hot or iced, you can’t go wrong pairing it with brunch items.

Thai Iced Tea

They also have 2 versions of Thai Iced Tea, one with half & half and then another with coconut cream. Both of them are super damn good and I’ve had it several times.

Chicken & Waffles

A little bit pricey, but you have 2 fried boneless thighs, waffle, spicy Korean ketchup, maple syrup, and whipped brown butter. The waffles are well made, crisp on the outside a fluffy inside. The thighs we juicy and so delicious.

The Kitchen Sink

This has 2 eggs, sauteed veg, green onions, sausage, bacon, cheese, the g.o. potatoes. A little bit of everything in this bowl and it’s filling.

Pork Belly Breaky Sandwich

This sandwich has a thick cut of pork belly, egg, arugula, chives, chili marinated tomatoes, toasted sesame mayo, and a burger bun. The egg is supposed to be marbled egg, but my friend got it cooked through.

G.O. Potatoes

The side of G.O. Potatoes with the smoked shallot aioli is a must. Those potatoes are crispy and addictive.

Avocado Toast

The avocado toast has mashed avocado on sourdough and topped with oven roasted tomatoes, and balsamic reduction.

Final Thought

Overall, ever since my first bite, I’ve been hooked and have taken so many of my other friends here. A great weekend spot for brunch and I’ll be back.

We Rate The Gray Olive

Address:
4190 Hastings Street, Burnaby

Website:
http://www.thegrayolive.com/

The Gray Olive Cafeteria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Chevrolet has introduced an all-new 2018 Equinox, a five-passenger compact crossover made in Canada. Compared to the previous years model, it is lighter, leaner, and more responsive. I took the Equinox out around the city, the subburbs, zooming along the highways, and into the middle of nowhere. I packed the car with my friends to explore the Othello Tunnels just outside of Hope.

Exterior

From the side, it is a bit boxy, but it help maximize the height of the vehicle and trunk space. There are some slight curves on the side panel of the car and the share of the windows to create an illusion of a sleeker look. It’s hard to see in the white, but it shows more in the other colours.

The hands-free power liftgate is an awesome feature too. When you have your hands full, use the simple motion of your foot to open the trunk. A gentle motion is all you need. Great if you have your hands full with while grocery shopping.

Interior

The interior was very roomy and everyone had ample amount of space. No complaints from any passenger. If you’re tall, you’ll have no problem at all.

The backseats can fold flat with a pull of a lever to increase the size of the cargo area to move large objects.

The sun roof was very large and let in a good amount of light. We occasionally closed it if it got too sunny. Heated seats and a remote starter are standard on all trims of the Equinox.

In the back seats, you have adjustable air vents, an outlet and USB ports. Great features to give control back to the passengers and also charge their phones.

Technology

Technology is increasingly becoming very important when considering purchasing a vehicle. As a smartphone user, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are crucial for me personally. It helps keep some preferences through your phone and makes the dashboard easier to use. Another great feature about Chevrolet vehicles is the OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot that it can provide your passengers access to wifi on their devices. Imagine a car ride where your kids will be entertaining themselves rather than screaming their heads off.

You can charge your phones through the USB ports or their is wireless charging for some devices.

The Premier trim includes such features like dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, power windows, door locks and liftgate, power heated outside mirrors, rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-zone alert and rear-view camera. Definitely no shortage of technology packed in the Equinox. My favourite feature is the surround vision, so it’s easier to park your car virtually anywhere that fits. You get a bird’s eye view of the vehicle due to the system that’s made up of 4 cameras – the standard rear vision camera, a forward-looking camera in the front grille and two on the sides of the vehicle. I didn’t have any more anxiety parking in smaller spots. I had a lot of fun showing off the tech features to my friends onboard.

Drive

There are 3 engines to choose from including a fuel-efficient diesel. Their’s definitely some customization you can do to make it work for you. I found the ride smooth over most road surfaces. You can also engage AWD with a touch of a button to improve traction on icy or snowy roads.

As I was driving in the city and on the highway, the engine was smooth and lively. No problem on inclines or declines.

It was very fuel efficient and didn’t burn through gas like crazy.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, it is packed full of technology to keep you safe, the ride is smooth and comfortable, and has good fuel economy. If you are looking for a compact crossover, give this a try and see how it compares. I personally loved it.

Websitehttp://www.chevrolet.ca/equinox-fuel-efficient-suv.html

The Union is an industrial-chic hub serving creative cocktails and Pan-Asian eats. They have happy hour and weekly features, so my coworkers and I like coming here for celebrations and farewells. Many good late nights have been had here. They have happy hour drink specials and their weekly features. On Wednesday, you get Wings and Beer for $15. Wings and normally $15, so it’s essentially getting a free beer.

Interior

There are long tables for large groups and smaller tables for a more intimate atmosphere.

Menu

  

Indian Masala Wings

These are dry wings using their house curry spices. The exterior is crunchy, but the amount of spices is a bit overwhelming. I tried some of there people’s wings like the Street Hawker Thai and it was delicious.

Beer

With the weekly Wednesday deal, you can choose to have the wings with any Main St Brewing beer. I went with the Main Street Saison No. 7. It has a blend of three Saison yeasts. Light in colour with a golden haze, this Saison shows through with fruity esters, pepper and citrus notes. One of my favourite beers.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a decent place to go to in Chinatown to have some eats and drinks with friends. It is a bit pricey for some items, but it’s a good atmosphere and the service is pretty good.

We Rate The Union:35rating

Address:
219 Union St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
 http://theunionvancouver.ca/

The Union Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Mid Autumn Festival is upon us on October 6th, 2017 and I absolutely love spending the time with family and friends. One iconic treat from this festival are the mooncakes. This year, TWG Tea narrates the story of the constellation with the Lotus Jade Tea Mooncake Collection, a rich and enduring assortment of patisseries set to inspire and intrigue any epicurean this mid-autumn festival. They have their handcrafted tea-infused traditional and snowskin mooncakes.

TWG Tea Traditional Mooncakes

These luxurious mooncakes are great if you want something unique and to impress your guests. These definitely aren’t your ordinary mooncakes and is really for a special occasion.

Daydream: Wrapped in a baked bold red crust, this surprising TWG Tea mooncake features a blueberry inflected white lotus paste complemented by a unique almond and blueberry purée heart infused with Red Balloon Tea.

Cerise: Encased in a golden crust, this exclusive TWG Tea mooncake boasts a white chocolate & crunchy coconut heart with Amarena cherry surrounded by a brown lotus paste infused with Pu-erh 2000.

Sunset: Wrapped in a golden baked crust, this exclusive TWG Tea mooncake showcases an aromatic Matcha almond paste centre cradled by a red bean paste scattered with melon seeds.

Constellation: This iconic signature of the mid-autumn festival holds within a golden crust a smooth and elegant Singapore Breakfast Tea infused brown lotus filling, a scattering of roasted melon seeds and an embedded salted egg yolk heart. A timeless favourite.

TWG Tea Snowskin Mooncakes

If you’re looking for an icy treat that is outside of the traditional mooncakes, this will get your sweet tooth going. This is definitely more modern.

Moonlight: Decked in jade green snowskin, this mooncake features a lustrous Lotus Jade Tea infused mousseline which cradles a white chocolate heart filled with a sweet Nashi pear marmalade.

Blossom: Emanating the warm glow of a lantern, this brilliant orange snowskin mooncake conceals a Geisha Blossom Tea infused mousseline contrasted by tangy apricot marmalade encased in a white chocolate heart.

Pure: An ethereal satin white snowskin mooncake encases a smooth dark chocolate mousse inflected with the fruity and flowery notes of 1837 White Tea, revealing a heart of tangy blackcurrant marmalade and white chocolate.

Illumination: Concealed in a black snowskin, this exquisite mooncake reveals a brilliant composition of a light, nutty praline infused with 1837 Black Tea and an oriental burst of glowing orange marmalade in a white chocolate heart.

Mid-Autumn Tea Service

If you aren’t looking for gift sets, they have a special mid-autumn tea service for $58 per person with a minimum of 2 people. You get your choice of hot or cold TWG tea, a selection of canapes and your choice of moon cake.

If you’re ever had their teas before, they are very high quality and has   good depth to the flavours. You can always ask them to recommend you a tea based off the mooncake you chose or what teas you usually enjoy.

Such a fancy way to be served mooncakes. Cut and served in small sections.

The canapes pictured here are a bit different, but you’ll get:

  • Miso maple sablefish infused with caramel tea
  • Chinese pork tamale infused with Lotus Jade tea
  • Laksa lobster bisque infused with Earl Grey Pu-Erh
  • Japanese savoury pancake with green onion and cabbage infused with Lung Ching
  • Imperial Lapsang Souchong infused chicken cone

All there canapes here are pretty damn delicious.

Final Thoughts

My favourites among the collections are – Constellation mooncake and the moonlight snowskin mooncake. The mooncakes are pricey, so they are very luxurious and premium. Good for those who you want to impress.

Address:
1070 W Georgia St, Vancouver

Website:
https://vansingdg.com/

TWG Tea Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

I love travelling around the world and I am proud to call myself a Canadian. In such a globalized world, it’s always a bit hard to tell where everyone is from. Here are a few fun stylish ways to show your Canadian pride without sticking a maple leaf or Canadian Flag on your backpack.

Baseball Caps

Wearing your city’s sports team on a baseball cap is very popular. I was just at the airport and saw so many people sporting their favourite team. Coming from Vancouver, we don’t have a Basketball team, but back in the day, we had the Vancouver Grizzlies. I got my had at Lids as they have a huge variety of hats and other apparel.

The Stripes

These 4 stripes are so iconic to Canada’s history through the Hudson’s Bay Company. The four traditional colours (green, red, yellow, and indigo) were simply colours that were popular and easily produced using good colourfast dyes at the time that the multistripe blanket was introduced around 1800. These four colours are sometimes known as Queen Anne’s colours, since they first became popular during her reign (1702–1714). These colours are still engrained in products at HBC and it’s quite popular.

A post shared by Hudson’s Bay (@hudsonsbay) on

Travel Tags

N/A Stock Company creates these stylish travel tags where you can attach it to your luggage, backpack, duffle bag or even your keys. I love this simple design as it’s not too flashy and those who understand airport codes will know where you’re from. I put them on my carry on bag and I liked that no matter where I go, I can proudly show I’m Canadian.

How do you like to show your Canadian pride? Let us know in the comments below.