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In product

Lays: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Review

The Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper flavour Lays chip didn’t make it to the finals of the Lay’s Do Us A Flavour this year in America, but they released the flavour as a Wal-Mart exclusive. Essentially, that means they were 4th place. Thats pretty amazing to have such a cool flavour hit the shelves.

It’s on the regular chip, which is a bit disappointing, since the kettle cooked chip has a great texture. The flavours of the chip reminded me of a smokey sour cream and onion. It wasn’t very pleasant at all. I think there was a good reason why it was a runner up. Would I get the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper chip again? Nope.

Website: https://www.dousaflavor.com/

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In Cafe

Say Hey Cafe in Chinatown

Say Hey Cafe is also another newer addition to Chinatown. Lots of eateries popping up in the evolving Chinatown neighbourhood. They specialize in sandwiches and they draw in a lunch crowd. I came with a few of my friends during lunch to check them out and see what they offer.

Interior

The cafe is very narrow and there are only a few tables. Not bad with how they set up the space.

Menu

They have a few staple items on their menu and 4 different daily specials.

Super Hero Special

This changes up daily, but where we were here, it had turkey sausage gumbo, sweet potato corn, turbo spread, corn chips, arugula and terragon aioli.

Meatball Hoagie

This is one of their most popular items on the menu. It has house made meatballs with provolone, pickled Serrano chilis, arugula, and chili aioli. There are 4 meatballs in this hoagie and they were super delicious and you can taste the difference. If it’s your first time here, you’ll probably want to order this too.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good lunch and filling, but it is pretty pricey as it’s over $10.

We Rate Say Hey Cafe: 

Address:
156 E Pender St, Vancouver

Website:
http://sayheycafe.ca/

Say Hey Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Cafe

Half Fool: Juice, Smoothies and Coffee in Chinatown

Half Fool is a boutique and general store, which also serves smoothies, juices and coffee. A little bit of everything here. They are located in Chinatown and since I’ve passed by quite a few times, I thought I should come here for a visit with my friend.

Boutique

At the font of the store, you’ll find a bunch of their different nicknacks. Take you time browsing because you might miss some cool unique gifts like, card, artisan cosmetics, jewelry, and other things.

General Store

As you move deeper in the store, you’ll find some great products beautifully places on shelves.

Beverage Bar

At the back of the store, you’ll find them serving up, smoothies, juices and coffee. There are some baked goods to purchase here too.

Cappuccino

I ordered a Cappuccino as that’s my usual drink at any coffee shop. It was good and kept me awake for the rest of the afternoon.

No 1 Smoothie

My friend got smoothie No 1, which has mango, kale, spinach, celery, ginger, tumeric, cayenne, and orange juice. My friend enjoyed it and noted the tumeric is pretty prominent.

Final Thoughts

A good addition to the Chinatown neighbourhood. Stop by to grab a drink and browse their shop for some pretty cool gifts.

We Rate Half Fool: 

Address:
18 E Pender St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/halffoolyvr/

Half Fool Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Brewery

Granville Island Brewing Small Batch Series

Granville Island Brewing is a popular brewery in the heart of the city to enjoy a beer and some bites. We were invited to sample a few of their current Small Batch creations – Japanese Biere de Garde, So-Cal Style IPA, BC Bitter and Gose with Peach. I love our local craft beer scene and admire the dedication to push the boundaries of beer creativity.

Gose with Peach

This sour brew has an equal balance of fruit and tart. They take the traditional German Gose and infuse ripe fruit notes from peaches that round out a subtle tartness. So light and crisp, which is perfect for the Summer.

BC Bitter

To put a twist to a traditional English Bitter, they incorporated local BC ingredients to add a BC flair. Nugget and Chinook hops from Lillooet balance with Pilsner malt from Armstrong for a slightly hoppy, bready summer beer.

This was paired with their salmon pot pie made with delicious Canadian cheddar and cured ham. It was so good and I wish this was on their regular menu. A good pairing and I really liked the BC Bitter beer.

So-Cal Style IPA

I’m usually not a fan of IPAs, but the big bold hops is balanced with citrus and grapefruit notes. An interesting brew that combines the dose of West Coast hops with a California brightness.

A deep-fried chicken donut bite with cilantro aioli, pickled cabbage, and topped with a maple syrup drizzle. Holy, the donut bite was freaking amazing and I could have eaten a whole box of them.

Japanese Biere de Garde

At 9.5%, this did pack a punch compared to the other two. It is a farmhouse ale where East meets West. Rice, Japanese Sorachi Ace, hops and Belgian saison yeasts create a heady mix of pickle, pepper and clove notes atop a strong, light ale body.

This was paired with the avocado beef tartare with a poached quail egg on top. Poached eggs are always my weakness but I’ve never seen a poached quail egg.

Final Thoughts

It was great to try a few beers from their Small Batch Series. If you’re ever in the area or see these beers at the liquor store, give them a try.

Website: http://www.gib.ca/

Address:
1441 Cartwright St, Vancouver

Granville Island Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Happy Hour

Curve Lounge at River Rock Casino Resort: Happy Hour

Curve Lounge at River Rock Casino Resort has live music, drinks and tapas every Monday – Friday between 2pm and 5pm for their Happy Hour. All dishes are $6, which is pretty awesome. We were invited to give their happy hour menu a taste.

Patio

The patio is really nice to enjoy the rest of the Summer, have drinks, food and enjoy great times with friends. I didn’t realize they had such a great space behind the lounge. The open field and the view of the marina. Since it’s close to the path way of planes landing at the airport, you can spot all the different types of plan zooming by.

Happy Hour

Cheese fondue

The cheese fondue has bread sticks on one side and then root vegetables on the other. A rich dish to have in the Summer time, but if you have a craving for cheese, this will satisfy them.

Chicken wings

Crispy chicken wings with salt and pepper for taste. It’s no happy hour without wings. Of all the wing flavours, I really like salt and pepper as it keeps your fingers clean compared to saucy ones.

Avocado bruschetta

It’s a really good size for $6. It is topped with greens and tomatoes. You can squirt some lemon on top too to give it more acidity.

Inari pocket

A twist on a Japanese classic with lots of ingredients stuffed inside. I personally thought it was ok, but it didn’t really stand out compared to some of the other dishes.

Jalapeno popper

The Jalapeno popper sits on top of a slaw in a small cute jar. A good snack and the ooey gooey cheese is hiding inside ready for you to munch away.

Wild rice tobouli

To pair with this, there is shrimp, octopus and seared tuna. The quality is so-so as I can tell it was pre-frozen, but it’s only $6. This dish is one of the healthier dishes of the happy hour menu.

Baked artichoke dip

This is really satisfying to eat and who doesn’t love chips and an awesome dip. I really enjoyed this.

Flatbread

They have 3 different kinds of flatbread – Veronese flatbread, Frutti di mare flatbread and Pugliese flatbread. They were all decent, crispy edges and filling.

House Made Sweets

They also have desserts for $5 or 3 for $12.

Unicorn cake

This beautifully colourful dessert has almond genoise, raspberry yogurt mousse, lemon curd, and chantilly cream.

Dark Chocolate Bombe

Blood orange cardamom cremeux and a dark chocolate mousse. A fruity compliment to the chocolate based dessert.

Chilled mango cheesecake

This has vanilla shortbread on the bottom and topped with the dome shaped mango panna cotta. It’s really good, I was pretty surprised with the fragrant mango taste.

Pina colada Mousse

You will find coconut mousse, pineapple gelée, and rum coconut dacquoise.

Final Thoughts

The $6 Happy Hour menu is pretty good and if you’re in the area, definitely check it out. The patio is very relaxing and the live music is a plus. Since it is Monday to Friday from 2pm to 5pm, it’s pretty hard to make it if you’re not in the area.

We Rate Curve Lounge:

Address:
8811 River Rd, Richmond

Website: 
http://www.riverrock.com/dining/curve/

Curve - River Rock Casino Resort Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In product

Lays: Crispy Taco, Everything Bagel, and Fried Green Tomato

Lay’s has their Do Us A Flavour contest and this year they have chosen Crispy Taco, Everything Bagel and Fried Green Tomato as their finalists. While I was in Seattle, I made sure I bought one of each flavour to bring back to Canada to taste test. I personally find this very fun and seeing the look on people’s face as they try each one.

Everything Bagel

The Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese is on a kettle cooked chip. We loved the texture of the chip, but the flavour didn’t remind us of an everything bagel. It was like pepper with a mild sour cream. It’s a tough flavour to emulate.

Crispy Taco

A good idea and it reminded me of taco seasoning sprinkled on the chips. After having the other two type of chips, the original texture of the chip doesn’t have a satisfying snap to it. M loved it regardless but I disagree.

Fried Green Tomato

I’ve never had a fried green tomato before, so I have no idea if it compares. I loved the texture of the wavy chips and something about the flavour really drew me in. It’s super hard to explain what it tastes like but I really enjoyed it compared to the other two. I would consider buying this again.

Final Thoughts

I personally think they was one clear winner and that was the Fried Green Tomato. All of them were super unique, but the difference it chip type played a factor too. Have you tried all three yet?

Website: https://www.dousaflavor.com/

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In Lebanese

Paramount Fine Foods: Lebanese Restaurant in Vancouver

Paramount Fine Foods on Robson street is a chain restaurant that recently opened in Vancouver and specializes in Lebanese cuisine. I passed by several times and there always seems to be long line ups during peak hours. So, I came with a few foodie friends to check this place out after work.

Interior

The interior isn’t too large but there are tables great for groups of 2’s or 4’s. There are some large tables but you probably gotta wait.

Mezza Plate

This trio has their hummus, moutabbal, and tabbouleh. Getting this was a good way to try all three appetizers. The hummus has chickpea paste, tahini paste drizzles with olive oil. The moutabbal has grilled eggplant, blended with tahini sauce with some olive oil. Tabbouleh is made of finely chopped tomatoes, parsley, onion, and other stuff. A good way to start the meal and its good to have it with the complimentary bread.

Musakaa

This has eggplant, green and red peppers, onions, chickpeas mixed with homemade tomato sauce. It was ok, but nothing about it really stood out to me.

Labneh with Zaatar Manakeesh

This was recommended to us by our server and it has creamy yogurt and zaatar, which is a thyme and sesame mix. It was interesting, but none of us liked zaatar and yogurt for the topping.

Mini Mixed Grilled Plate

It is served with rice, hummus, spicy bread, garlic sauce, grilled vegetables and the chicken shish tawouk skewer, beef striploin skewer, and kafta skewers. It’s a good item to get if you want to try all the meats to taste which one is the best. We personally found the chicken was the best of the bunch.

Tabliyah Saj Chicken Shawarma

It is served on a wooden board with fries, pickles, turnips and garlic sauce. There are shredded pieces of chicken wrapped in their freshly baked thin Saj bread. It’s so good dipped in the garlic sauce. I would get this again.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was great to try Paramount Fine Food to see what all the hype is about, but some dishes that we got were hit and misses. They have unique items here that other Lebanese restaurants in Vancouver don’t have.

We Rate Paramount Fine Foods: 

Address:
560 Robson St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.paramountfinefoodsbc.com/

Paramount Fine Foods Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Car

2017 Buick Encore Sport Touring: Small Luxury SUV

The 2017 Buick Encore Sport Touring is a modern subcompact crossover. I’ve been obsessed with this type of car this year as it’s a good size vehicle for roaming around the city or going on an adventure. With parking spots getting smaller and smaller in the downtown core, you don’t have to worry about figuring out if you’ll fit in the small spots. I tested out this vehicle for the week to get a feel for the pros and cons of the Buick Encore.

Exterior

The side profile of the vehicle isn’t bulky at all. With it’s small size, it has impressive maneuverability and handling in city traffic and crowded parking lots. A big plus if you drive in and out of the city core.

With this model of Encore, you’ll notice the rear sport spoiler that gives it a bit of an edge.

The metal likes on the outside give it nice sleek feel. Also, 18″ Midnight Silver aluminum alloy wheels and fog lamps come with this model. Very handy when drive outside of the city.

Interior

The interior is sleek with the dark and metal accents like the exterior. With the Buick Encore Sport Touring model, it comes with the Remote Keyless Entry which not only starts the engine, but also turns on the rear-window defogger and heated outside mirrors automatically, if needed. A very nice feature.

The rear seats are a bit narrow, so if you are tall, it will be a little uncomfortable.

There is a hidden cup holder in the middle console to store drinks because sometimes vehicles lack them.

The rear seats do fold nice and flat when you’re moving large pieces of cargo. I never really need to use this feature unless I’m buying furniture.

On the downside, they significantly reduce the amount the front seats can move and recline back if folded all the way down.

If you have the rear seats folded up or laying flat, you do have ample amount of cargo room, but still not the same amount of space compared to larger SUVs.

Technology

One big plus for the 2017 Buick Encore is the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is now standard. I live off my iPhone and it helps bring my personal preferences into the car. It changes the functionality of the 8-inch colour touchscreen with maps, music and phone a huge win. With the laws in Canada, going hands-free is so much easier and prevent you from accidentally breaking the law.

In terms of other technology, the safety package is good to have as it gives you side blind zone alert and rear cross-traffic alert. One point of improvement would be the quality of the rear vision camera, it was blurry and not as crisp compared to others. They have also received a five-star overall rating for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Drive

Driving the Buick Encore was very smooth when going through the flat city roads and some bumpy roads. It takes corners with ease and rides comfortably over uneven pavement thanks to its stable suspension.

With the1.4L/153-hp/177-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4 engine, I did feel the engine could be more powerful especially going up hills. Once you start filling up the vehicle with more people and cargo, the base engine struggles to accelerate. There is an engine upgrade if you want more power and torque to deliver better acceleration to easily get up to highway and passing speeds.

Final Thoughts

The 2017 Buick Encore is an excellent subcompact SUV. It’s good for those who are young and style-conscious buyers who want to escape the city on weekend trips or those who want their next upgrade from a sedan to an SUV without the large size of a traditional SUV. At first it reminded me of the Chevrolet Trax as it had similar pros and cons, but the Encore has a few more luxury features and a higher price tag. If you’re in the market for a compact SUV, definitely add the Buick Encore to the list.

Website: http://www.buick.ca/encore-luxury-small-crossover.html

 

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In Event

Crave the Heights: Delicious eats from August 16 to 30

Crave the Heights is back from August 16 to 30 with eateries crafting up full set menus, special appetizer deals, Happy Hour features, and after-dinner dessert selections for neighbours, visitors, and foodies to enjoy. I love the Heights and have lived in Burnaby for my entire life. The area has evolved and  lots have great restaurants have opened up in the last few years.  The full list of 2017 participating restaurants are:

  • The Pear Tree
  • La Villetta
  • Cristos Greek Taverna
  • Chad Thai
  • Butcher’s Block BBQ
  • The Gray Olive Cafeteria
  • Jane’s at the Heights
  • Caffe Divano
  • Chez Christophe
  • Glenburn Soda Fountain

I went to check out a few of these places on the list for Crave the Heights.

Glenburn Soda Fountain

Glenburn Soda Fountain has four cocktail themed treats that is only available for Crave the Heights. Whether you come earlier in the day or late at night, it’s always Happy Hour here.

This is the Cold War sundae made with vanilla ice cream, Kahlua, chocolate sauce, white chocolate ganache and chocolate pearls. The other sundaes are Mai Tai Fine, Derby Delight and Whole Lotta Cool. If you’re not into boozy sundaes, you can still indulge in their regular menu. Their milk shakes are always my favourite.

Butchers Block BBQ

Butcher’s Block BBQ has a special where you get free cornbread, iced tea, or lemonade with the purchase of any regular BBQ Platter. I got the 2 meat platter with beef brisket and pulled pork. It is also served with coleslaw and fries. We went with the free iced tea to pair with it. The BBQ was pretty good.

Gray Olive Cafeteria

Gray Olive Cafeteria is one of the newer restaurants in the neighbourhood specializing in breakfast, brunch and lunch. They are not open for dinner, but they have been plenty busy since opening. For Crave the Heights, you can find their Pork Belly Bao with a nice succulent piece of pork belly, sesame mayo, radish kimchi, green onion, and cilantro. The other feature – Fried Chicken Bao has a delicious piece of fried chicken, korean pickles, and chogochujang.

Final Thoughts

There is definitely lots to see and eat in Burnaby Heights. There’s more awesome eateries than what I included, but definitely check out what they are offering on their website. You definitely want to check out some of these menu items before August 30th.

Website: http://www.burnabyheights.com/events/crave/

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In Bubble Tea

Boba Essence: Bubble Tea near Olympic Village

Boba Essence is a new Bubble Tea shop that opened up near Olympic Village. My friend knows I love bubble tea, so she thought of me when she heard about this place. Of course, I made sure to stop by during my lunch break to give it a try. It’s located right by Mario’s Gelati.

The exterior doesn’t look like much and you’ll probably pass by it without noticing they are here, so you gotta pay attention and look for their logo inside.

Interior

The interior is very small, so there is no seating. Everyone got their drinks to go. You can order at the counter or you can order from their website to pick up or schedule your order to pick up later in the future.

Menu

There is a decent amount of bubble tea options listed on their menu.

Regular Milk Tea

I got their regular milk tea with grass jelly and had it less sweet. It was ok, but it would be better if they used different tea bases to give more of a variety to the menu.

Strawberry Watermelon Slush

They did use fresh watermelon, but the taste of the strawberry was more artificial that we would have liked. The pearls were on the sweet side too.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to have a bubble tea shop in the area as there really are no options close by. The bubble teas that we tried were so-so in my opinion. With the amount of bubble tea shops in town, this would definitely not be on the top of my list.

We Rate Boba Essence: 

Address:
68 E 1st Ave, Vancouver, BC

Website: 
https://www.bobaessence.ca/

Boba Essence Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Bubble Tea

The Tea of Brightness (TTOB): Bubble Tea in Vancouver

The Tea of Brightness or TTOB is a Bubble Tea Cafe from Taiwan. There’s really not much I could really find online, but their cute menu items drew me in. I was with a few friends in the area and we made it a mission to give this place a try.

Menu

You will mostly find bubble tea drinks and bubble waffles on the menu.

Princess Milk Tea

The Princess Milk Tea was really the main reason why I wanted to come here. I thought it was initially latte art, but it turns out it’s a marshmallow. SUPER CUTE. MEOW. The milk tea wasn’t very good, but them again, I’ve had a lot of milk teas in my life time, so I’ve become a milk tea snob. I could taste the powdered milk and I really don’t like that taste.

Three Flavoured Bubble Waffle

The 3 flavours are original, chocolate and matcha. We didn’t take a liking to the matcha flavour as it seemed super artificial. The original and chocolate are very good. Where else are you going to find a 3 flavoured bubble waffle? It’s pretty unique but it’s too bad the matcha didn’t stand out.

Final Thoughts

The basic milk tea was definitely lacking, but since I didn’t try any other drinks, I can’t comment on the other drinks. At any new bubble tea shop, I always get the basic milk tea as it’s a basic sign if the shop is good or not. The aesthetic of the princess milk tea was great but the flavour and taste was lacking.

We Rate TTOB: 

Address:
3318 Cambie Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.ttob.com.tw/

The Tea of Brightness TTOB Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Cajun/Creole

Captains Boil Cambie: Cajun Seafood Boil

The Captain’s Boil has just opened on Cambie Street serving up delicious cajun seafood boil. They have open a few locations in Vancouver in the last year. Definitely expanding quickly. We were invited to check out the space and a few of their popular items to order.

Crawfish

Crawfish are essentially like mini lobster. To eat this, you have to take off the head, peel off the shell and eat the meat inside. I personally don’t like crawfish compared to all the other types of seafood available because its a lot of work to get a little bit of meat.

Clams

Clams are delicious especially with the roasted garlic and melted butter. Naturally sweet and very delicious. Also, easy to eat as you pick the met from between the shells.

Mussels

The mussels were very plump and meaty size. I enjoyed them with the sauces. I would recommend this too.

Snow Crab Legs

They do say crabs are like the spiders of the sea, but don’t let their spikey legs scare you. Inside is succulent sweet crab flesh. It will take a bit of work to get into it, but it’s not too difficult.

Lobster

They get lobster shipped in daily for freshness and it’s good. It’s best paired with the secret Captain’s Boil sauce. The tail is the meatiest part and the best part. The claws are meaty too but the taste is slightly different.

Okra and Corn

You need some veggies to balance the seafood heavy meal. Okra is something I personally like but some people may not like it due to its slimey texture. The corn is amazing especially during the summer as it’s in season and so sweet.

Cajun Seafood Fried Rice

This was a hit and miss with the table. If you’re looking for something extra on the side to have with the meal, this might be good. I personally don’t like rice too much.

Fries

How can you go wrong with a basket of fries?

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s fun to have cajun seafood in a while especially with a table full of people. Getting your hands dirty with bibs and gloves on is super fun. Be sure to check to market price of some of the seafood before coming here so you know what to expect in terms of pricing.

We Rate The Captain’s Boil: 

Address:
3250 Cambie St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.thecaptainsboil.com/

The Captain's Boil Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Bellingham

Taco Bell: Breakfast Crunchwrap

Heading to Seattle, we made a stop at Taco Bell in the States for breakfast. It was a long weekend, so we waited at the border and got very hungry. We were browsing a few food options and saw the Breakfast Crunchwrap. They don’t have this in Canada, so we made it a mission to devour this.

Interior

Since it was the morning at 7am, this place was empty. Not a soul in sight except for us and the staff. The breakfast menu looked glorious and we honestly wanted to order everything but we knew we had to control ourselves as we were going to have a long day of eating.

Breakfast Crunchwrap

The breakfast crunchwrap comes in bacon, sausage, or steak. It also has egg, real cheddar cheese, and a full hash brown patty in a very hexagonal, handheld breakfast. I went with the bacon and it wasn’t that great since it was bacon bits. The other girls got sausage patties and it seemed like a better option. Either way, we all still enjoyed it. Canada needs this. Please bring this to Canada.

Sauce

I tried all the sauces from Diablo, Fire, Hot and Mild. I enjoyed the all, but Fire was my favourite of them all. Give them a try and add it to your breakfast crunchwrap.

Final Thoughts

I always get jealous that the states has cooler fast food creations than we do in Canada. Usually it comes out in the States and then finally gets released. Oh well, at least we can always travel and eat ALL the food.

Address:
1297 E Sunset Dr, Bellingham, WA

Website:
https://www.tacobell.com/

Taco Bell Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Filipino

Epic Grill Silogs: Philippine Cuisine in New Westminster

Epic Grill Silogs is located in New Westminster near Queensborough Landing by the outlet shops. Hidden away in the residential area is this Filipino restaurant specializing in silogs and sansrival.

Interior

The space is large and can fit small to large groups. It was definitely busy when we came here. There was a long line up to get a table and an even longer wait to get your order. We waited a very very long time…because we were determined to try the silogs.

Ube Milkshake

Ube is a purple yam that has a bright lavender colour. I don’t believe they use real ube as there is the dried ube sprinkled on top.

Sago At Gulaman

This is a sweet Filipino drink that is good for the Summer. It is made with brown sugar, tapioca and other types of jellies. Even when it was mixed around, it was still pretty sweet for our liking.

Calamansi

Calamansi are little limes from the Philippines. Imagine this as like Filipino lemonade.

Crispy Pata

Crispy Pata is a deep-fried pork hock with a delicious sauce that goes with it. It’s very very decadent but oh so good. The crisp skin with the succulent meat was addictive.

Silogs

We got a 3 meat silog with Pusit Silog (Dried squid), Lechon Silog (Crispy pork belly), and Tosi Silog (pork). It is served with garlic rice and 2 eggs.

We got another with Long Silog (Sweet sausage), Bang Silog (Boneless Milkfish), and Corned Silog (corned beef). Of all 3, I liked the corned beef the most.

Biya Silog (Dried Sole Fish), Lumpia Silog, and Tap Silog (Beef) was the next 3 meat silog that we ordered. It was interesting to try the sole fish, but it was pretty dry and crisp.

Final Thoughts

It’s a pretty unique place to have a lot of silog options all in one place. We tried 9 different meats, but next time, we would just get our silogs with just 1 type of protein as it’s a lot cheaper and we know our favourite meats. The wait time was a bit long for our order, which was annoying, so next time we will definitely come earlier.

We Rate Epic Grill Silogs: 

Address:
538 Ewen Ave, New Westminster

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/EpicSilogsGrill/

Epic Grill Silogs Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Mount Pleasant/Main Street

The Arbor: Vegetarian Restaurant on Main Street

The Arbor is a vegetarian restaurant located on Main street created by the minds behind The Acorn. My friend and I decided to come here for dinner to check it out as it was pretty busy, but they still had a few tables left. They don’t do reservations, so its first come, first serve.

Interior

The space is very small and cozy, but there is a patio outside which is great for the Summer. They’ve really tried to maximize the space.

Fried Oyster

BC oyster mushrooms is lightly battered and deep-fried. There is a creamy dill sauce on the side to dunk them into. The batter was very crisp, but after eating a lot of them,

Southern fried artichoke sandwich

There is fried artichoke, eggplant bacon, avocado mousse, spicy mayo, cheddar cheese, and jalapeño pepper in a ciabatta bun. Surprisingly, a pretty good sandwich was good flavour and texture.

Mac n’ Cheese

It has orecchiette pasta, broccoli and cheddar cheese. Then it is topped with arugula and served in a cast iron pan. It was cheesy and delicious. Highly recommended.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a good addition to Main Street with more vegetarian options that are tasty. You could have easily fooled me with this food. No meat, no problem.

We rate The Arbor: 

Address:
3941 Main Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.thearborrestaurant.ca/

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

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In Chinese

Neptune Chinese Kitchen at Hard Casino in Coquitlam

Neptune Chinese Kitchen recently opened at Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam. There are currently 12 restaurants under the Neptune Restaurant Group. You’ll notice they have expanded quite quickly in the last few years. You’ll find an array of Chinese dishes here from dim sum, noodles, to their seafood specialties.

Interior

The interior is newly renovated and much brighter than the restaurant that was here previously. It’s a large space and can fit small to large groups here.

Dim Sum

Pork Sui Mai with Fish Roe

This comes with 4 pieces to a steamer. The sui mai is a mix of shrimp and pork. This was ok, but I felt it was missing something.

Shrimp Spring Roll

The shrimp spring roll has 5 pieces cut in half. It is deep-fried until golden brown. Pretty standard.

Shrimp Dumpling

Shrimp dumplings had a good bounce to them. You should ask them for some hot sauce to go with it. Our dumplings seemed like it was steamed a bit too long, so the skin separated from the dumpling.

Creamy Egg Yolk Custard Bun

So delicious! If you’re here for dim sum, you should order this. Sweet and creamy.

Lunch and Dinner

Minced Fish and Pumpkin Congee

Congee definitely hits the spot and it’s my sort of comfort food. They have 13 kinds of congee. I’ve never had minced fish and pumpkin in congee, but it was good.

Chilled Spicy Shrimp

The shrimp were delicious and was a good start to the meal as an appetizer. A good amount of spice that isn’t too spicy at all.

Wonton Noodle in Soup

A simple items to get for lunch if it’s just for 1. You get 5 wontons and some broccoli with the noodles. and broth.

Curry Seafood Chow Mein

The curry sauce and the seafood was good but the noodles oddly looked red under all of that. The sauce is a tad sweet.

Steam Lobster with Sticky Rice in a Bamboo Steamer

Always a good dish and it’s weird to see the lobster stares at you. The sticky rice sits on the bottom on the steamer wrapped in leaves. Then the delicious lobster is on top.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

A good classic fried rice dish that has a bit of everything. Can’t go wrong with this.

Crab with Salty Egg

I really enjoyed this dish. The salty egg on the outside of the shell was so addictive that I wanted to lick it all off. The crab was cooked well and the meat was naturally sweet.

Sticky Rice on Crispy Chicken

This was a well liked dished among the table. The skin was beautifully rendered so it was crispy and not fatty at all. A lot of prep went into this to really debone a chicken to create this. I would definitely order this again.

Neptune Signature Ribs

A good portion of the ribs that are saucy and sweet.

Final Thoughts

Overall, some items were average but it’s still a good addition to the neighbourhood as there needs to be more Chinese restaurants. Whether you come here for dim sum, lunch or dinner, you don’t have to travel too far.

We Rate Neptune Chinese Restaurant: 

Address:
2080 United Boulevard, Coquitlam

Website:
http://www.neptunechinesekitchen.com/

Neptune Chinese Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In British Columbia

McDonalds Canada: 67¢ hamburgers on August 16th

To celebrate 50-years of McDonald’s in Canada, guests from coast-to-coast can enjoy a classic hamburger, at a classic price – in recognition of its 1967 birthday.

McDonald’s is serving $0.67 hamburgers on August 16th from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in every restaurant across Canada, while supplies last! Limit 3 per customer.

Over the last 50 years, McDonald’s Canada has been a place where people, families and communities have come together to share many moments. While it has already been a busy year of celebrations, with the introduction of All-Day Breakfast Selections and launch of McDelivery, this special 67¢ hamburger offer tops things off.

Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/

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In Abbotsford

Old Abbey Ales: Craft Beer in Abbotsford

Old Abbey Ales was on our list of craft breweries in Abbotsford. We made this one of our last stops before heading back home. When with my foodie friends, craft beer is always a must.

Tasting Room

The tasting room is a good size and able to fit small to large groups. Just order your drink up at the bar and find a seat. Similar to other craft breweries, it’s like a big warehouse.

Beer Flights

I ordered a flight of 4 and I got the Purple Drank, Sour Raspberry, Beets by Steve and Pineapple Express. They are very creative with their drinks and has a mainstays sections and experimental section. I love it because there are lots of items you won’t find anywhere else. All of these were sours, so if you are a fan of sours, you’ll love them. All of them had very unique flavours and its worth a try.

Final Thoughts

Overall, they have a large variety of beers on the menu, but all of us were really drawn towards their unique, seasonal, and experimental flavours. Might as well give them a try. Check out Old Abbey Ales when you’re in Abbotsford.

We Rate Old Abbey Ales: 

Address:
30321 Fraser Hwy #1a, Abbotsford

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

Old Abbey Ales Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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