Foodology, Author at Foodology

In Bar and Grill

The Copper Coil Still & Grill in Squamish: Review

June 24, 2017

It was a long weekend and a group of my friends headed up to Squamish to enjoy the awesome craft brewery scene and also indulge in some food that we can’t get in Vancouver. Squamish is about an hour away from Downtown Vancouver and they have a thriving community. We asked a few locals where to eat and they suggested Copper Coil for some cajun cuisine. Since long weekends are busy, we waited a bit before getting a seat outside on their patio. It’s a great patio as it faces The Chief.

We tried ordering their signature Cajun items on the menu, but they were all sold out and it was only 4:30pm. We all started with beers except for me since I needed to drive. The drinks came out promptly, but the food that we ordered would take a very very long time to come out. It turns out the kitchen was severely backed up with orders and couldn’t get them out in a timely manner. Majority of the items left to order were deep-fried so maybe they didn’t have enough room or man power to fry them all. It was close to the one hour mark when some of the items started coming out.

Smoked Brisket

We got Smoked sliced brisket, kale slaw, and chipotle mayo on two buttermilk biscuits. It also comes with a side of curly fries. This was the first item that arrived and we were a bit underwhelmed. $17 and it wasn’t that impressive when you get it on 2 buttermilk biscuits. The slices of brisket was a bit dry.

Platter O Plenty

This platter has a little bit of everything – Smoked Wings, Cajun Pickles, Popcorn Shrimp, and supposedly poutine. Our order came out at different times and they ran out of poutine too. So, no poutine for us. They substituted it with another bucket of popcorn shrimp.

All the items were pretty standard and deep-fried. Nothing very special about it. We originally wanted to order it to munch on as we ordered beer, but since it took so long this had to save some of us from our hangry selves.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we heard such great things about Copper Coil but our experience was far from that.I really wish I had more positive things to say. The servers were very apologetic and were able to cover all our drinks and give us 50% off the food we ordered. It’s too bad we weren’t able to have a great experience, but so many things went wrong in the kitchen.

We Rate Copper Coil:

Address:
37996 Cleveland Ave, Squamish, BC

Website:
http://thecoppercoil.com/

In Japanese

Black Rice Izakaya: Aburi, Teishoku and Flames

June 23, 2017

Black Rice Izakaya has recently added a few new items on the menu. It’s been a while since I made my last visit, but I was excited to see what else they were adding to the menu. I came with a few other foodies to see how those new items tasted.

Interior

The interior is dark and has a wooden rustic look. There are a good amount of tables for small to large groups. Definitely try to make reservations to secure your spot. They have an open kitchen, so you can sneak a peek inside if you want to see how their chefs put together their creations.

Teishoku Lunch Sets

Teishoku C Set has a dish of grilled miso zuke black cod steak with 3 pieces of assorted tempura, side of beef or chicken karaage, agedashi tofu, assorted oshinko, green salad, bowl of rice and miso soup. The price is right for this lunch set. It’s available on weekdays and weekends. Very affordable and very tasty. I would recommend any of these lunch sets.

Teishoku B Set has 6 pieces of torched Black Angus Nigiri, Maki hand roll, Agedashi Tofu, assorted Oshinko, Green Salad and Miso soup. The nigiri is delicious but make sure to eat it right away when its still warm. It’s a very hearty set and great for lunch.

Stone Grill Yakiniku

Gyu Katsu Set has rare cooked black angus steak cutlet. You cook the katsu a little bit more and enjoy it with the cabbage and sauces.

You can have this all to yourself, but the best way to enjoy this is sharing with friends and order a few other items.

Yakiniku Moriawase has 3 kinds Angus Beef and is a very interactive item to order. The cuts of the beef are very nice, but it will cost you around $38.50. As you can see from the marbling of the meat, they aren’t cheaping out on you. You have the super hot stone that quickly cooks the beef.

It was really good and it was fun cooking with friends at the table.

Aburi Hakozushi Platter

This platter takes about 20 minutes to prepare as there are quite a bit of work needed to create these. The set comes with 4 signature aburi – Aburi Salmon, Aburi Saba, Aburi Ebi and Aburi Scallop. The platter was ok, but I’m sure most people are wondering…how does this compare to Miku. It doesn’t. They do a decent job at recreating it, but it does fall short. With each item, there isn’t the depth of flavour in the sauce and the rice needs a bit more love. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good price for all of this and it tastes fine.

Aburi Salmon

Aburi Saba

Aburi Scallop

Aburi Ebi

Unagi Signature Roll

Their Unagi Signature Roll is on fire. Literally. It has prawn tempura, cucumber, tamago, set on fire with rum and herb fire. It is all covered in black rice and then lit. I really liked this roll for it’s entertainment factor as well as the taste of the unagi.

Black Mentaiko Signature Roll

Black Mentaiko Signature Roll has avocado, cream cheese, tuna tataki topped with deep-fried black cod and mentaiko mayo. It is also wrapped in black rice. It was a decent roll but not as tasty as the unagi signature roll.

Lollipop

Lollipop is a huge roll on a stick that looks like lollipop. It has sockeye, salmon, bell pepper, tamago, oshinko, cucumber, asparagus, avocado and spinach wrapped with shaved radish. The rice is thin and everything is packed inside.

Yaki Tofu

This is pan grilled tofu with their house sauce. It’s a pretty big slab of tofu topped with sprouts and onions.

Buta Kakuni

This is Soy Sauce Braised Pork Belly. It comes with 8 pieces to an order. You can’t go wrong with a plate of pork belly to share among the table.

Tebasaki Chicken Wings

This is their house sauce glazed chicken whole wings. It had a nice char to some of the pieces of extra flavour.

Sapporo Beer

The best type of beverage to go with their food is beer. They have a decent selection of beer but I always go with Sapporo. It’s light and refreshing.

Yuzu Ice Cream

They even have dessert – yuzu ice cream inside a jar topped with a caramelized lotus root. It had a tart taste as yuzu is like a sweet little oranges.

Final Thoughts

I was impressed this time around with their menu. Some hit but there are a few misses. I would definitely come back for the lunch sets as it’s a fantastic deal. Their dinner menu has a few fiery item added to it that make the dining experience interactive.

We Rate Black Rice Izakaya:

Address:
782 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC

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

In Late Night

Illumination Night Market: Sneak Peek

June 22, 2017

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Illumination Summer Night Market is located close to IKEA in Richmond. The different night markets at this location over the years keeps changing to compete with the other night markets in the Lower Mainland. There is a $3 entry fee with complimentary parking and family fun entertainment. But lets be real, everyone goes to the night market for Korean socks and all the different types of food. It runs until September 10th.

There are a handful of stalls selling jewelry, electronics, clothing, and other things here.

There’s a lot of cute areas to take photos with yourself, friends or family.

The area also has a bunch of lights surrounding the night market this the name – Illumination Summer Night Market.

Below are a few different food item you can check out the the Illumination Night Market. There are over 60 food stalls, so tons of food options. We only made it to 30 stalls.

Ice Cream Taiyaki

Gluten Skewers

Dragon Crepe

Mango Slush

Halal Skewers

Spicy Crawfish

Deep Fried Squid and Deep Fried Chicken Nuggest

Bubble Tea

Mocktails

More Skewers and Quail

Cheesy Potato

Dim Sum

Shaved Ice with fruit

Pork Fries

Chengdu Skewers

Chinese Escargot Rice Noodle

Potato Spirals

Bubble Waffles

Fruit Cups

Radish Cake

Salad

Pineapple Juice

Dumplings

Fruity Teas

Korean Bi Bim Bap in Cones

Fresh Watermelon Juice

Szechuan Jerky

Final Thoughts

There are lots of options here and there are less crowds compared to the other night markets. It’s a good location for those who have been to all the other night markets to find the tried and true types of night market eats. The food stalls here are a hit and miss, but I didn’t find any food item outstanding or very innovative. It’s good for families and there’s lots of opportunities to take photos.

Address:
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC

Website: https://www.summernightmarket.com/

In Fairview

Assembli: Build Your Own Pizza or Salad

June 21, 2017

Assembli is a new restaurant that lets you create your own pizza or salads at one set price rather than annoying add ons that will cost you. I was invited to come try a few of their creations to see how they differentiate themselves among the other restaurants in the area.

Interior

When you get here, you can walk up to the counter to put in your order and then pick up on the side.

You can watch them put your order together so there isn’t any secrets to what goes into your meal. They use fresh, non-GMO, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and local and organic when possible.

Pizza

You can create your own pizza or you can get choose their pre-built pizzas with suggested toppings. It’s a good option if you are particular about what item goes on your pizza.

Of all of the pizza’s, I really enjoyed the Smoke and Fire Pizza, which has pepperoni, smoked cheddar, mozzarella, banana peppers, red onion, and a spicy tomato sauce. I like it hot.

Salad

When it comes to salads, I like to create my own since I’m a bit particular about what I put in it. Similarly to the pizza, you can choose pre-built versions or create your own. If I had to choose one of their salads, it would be the O-Mega Braniac Salad with mixed greens, quinoa, cucumber, cabbage, blueberries, beets, avocado salsa, walnuts, seed mix, and glory dressing. Very filling and packed with great ingredients.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a place with build your own pizza or salad, check Assembli out on Cambie Street. It’s a pretty busy place for lunch as it’s unique in this neighbourhood. Imagine it like a Chipotle but for pizza and salad.

We Rate Assembli:

Address:
2325 Cambie St, Vancouver

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

In British Columbia

Dietary Restrictions Made Easy with Presidents Choice

June 20, 2017

With the amount of food sensitivities on the rise, how do you put together a meal to cater to friends and family members with gluten or dairy sensitivities? President’s Choice is dedicated to making entertaining easy for everyone, by offering simple ways to embrace favourite flavours and culinary trends – no matter your dietary needs. It hits pretty close to home as my sister is Celiac. I also can’t have too much dairy as my tummy gets a bit upset.

Pasta and Grains

We tried the PC Gluten-Free Four Cheese Tortellini it is stuffed with a delicate blend of ricotta, Parmesan, Romano and mozzarella cheeses, these tender, tasty bites of egg pasta are high in fibre and free of gluten.

Tortellini with arrabiata pasta sauce

Toss with creamy, tomato or olive oil-based sauces, pop into broth-based soups and stews, or serve with cocktail picks and creamy basil pesto dip as hors d’oeuvres. I tossed mine in arrabiata pasta sauce and topped with parmesan cheese. Besides Tortellini, they also have gluten-free pastas and corn couscous.

Sweet Treats

For those with a sweet tooth, they have gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, and even cake mix.

I taste tested the PC Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with my co-workers to get their input and they felt it was a bit hard and stale. Maybe some warm milk was needed to moisten the experience.

Dairy

How do they get the lactose out of cheese and sour cream? Either way, it’s a great option to have in stores now. So, I made a Lactose-Free breakfast nachos using their PC Lactose-Free Old Ceddar Cheese, PC Lactose-Free Swiss Cheese and their PC Lactose-Free Sour Cream.

Lactose-Free breakfast nachos

Best breakfast ever! Next time you’re at a store selling President’s Choice products, check out their food sensitivities collection for compromise-free entertaining at home. Happy cooking.

Website: http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/familypage/food-sensitivities.html

In British Columbia

Takis in Canada: Review

June 19, 2017

I was grocery shopping and I saw Takis at my local Safeway in Vancouver. We saw it at the end of the aisle near the milk section. It wasn’t even in the chip and snack aisle. I am so excited since it was only available in the US for the longest time, but it’s finally make it way to Canada. I’m not entirely sure which other grocery stores carry these, but keep your eyes open because I’m sure other stores will start carrying them soon. These are still made by Barcel, which is a Mexican producer of potato, tortilla chips, and other snack food.

There were 3 flavours from what I saw – Takis Fuego (Extreme), Takis Crunchy Fajitas (Zesty), and Takis Xplosion (Mild). They come in 2 sizes – 90g ($1.49) and 280g ($3.69) bags.

Takis Xplosion

If it’s your first time trying Takis, start mild and work your way up. The delicious tortilla chips are so good and the shape is pretty unique.

Takis Crunchy Fajitas

If you want to kick it up a little notch, they have Crunchy Fajitas.

Takis Fuego

Takis Fuego is my favourite. It’s not for those who are spice sensitive. It is delicious but it will leave your mouth scorched. If you love Flaming Hot Cheetos, you’ll love this.

In Car

2017 Ford Flex Limited: Review

June 18, 2017

We drove the 2017 Ford Flex to Squamish from Vancouver and we filled it up with a car full of people. The Flex can set up to 7 people in the car. We tested the car out in the city, off-road and on the highway to get a better feel of the vehicle.

Exterior

The Flex is quite boxy and reminds me of a modern station wagon. It’s long and wide to maximize the space to fit everything inside. The overall look of the Ford Flex has been unchanged except for a few tweaks here and there since it’s debut is 2009. The look is very distinct and will stand out from the crowd. Some people online have created memes to compare it to a toaster or tissue box.

The Limited trim includes lower tier options plus 19-inch wheels, xenon headlights, LED taillights, power-folding mirrors, automatic wipers, additional metallic exterior trim, upgraded wood interior trim, ambient interior lighting, a navigation system and a 12-speaker Sony audio system with HD radio.

There are lots of sensors around the car and a rear view camera to make parking a breeze. I find the sensors sensitive when an object really isn’t that close to the car. It can be good for some people.

Interior

Getting in and out of the vehicle is quite comfortable as the whole car sits low on the ground. With the boxy space, that means there is tons of space inside especially in all 3 rows of seating. Tall adults have no fear sitting in the rear seats.

The car is loaded with great tech features that will help make driving the Flex a breeze. With Sync 3, you can use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to have a better integrated experience with your cellphone. I love how easy it is to access calls, maps, music, and other items from my phone. A lot of the tech features really helps reduce the blind spots around the car.

There is 3 rows of seating and can accommodate 7 passengers with some extra leg and head room too.

The passengers can control the temperature and fans in the back. Also, there is an AC outlet in the back if you have things to plug in. A nifty feature that you don’t see too often.

When all the seats are up, there is still space to put a few bags and since the floor is lower, you can still fit quite an amount of things back there. When you start collapsing the seats, you have plenty of space to move around large objects.

There are electric buttons to help you configure the seats so you’re not straining your arms or back to adjust.

Drive

The engine has a 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 Engine that produces 287 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. Similarly with other cars, if you start adding in more passengers and cargo, the engine will definitely feel it and your gas tank too.

It handles well on tight corners and is responsive.

The ride while in town or on the highway is very comfortable for the driver and passengers. On the way back to Vancouver, everyone else fell asleep.

A cool feature is the keyless engine start and also, you can start the engine with the key fob before you’re in the car.

Final Thoughts

The Ford Flex isn’t a car for everyone.The fuel economy is an important drawback as a tank will definitely cost you. The price is a bit high for the Ford Flex, but if you’re looking for a spacious car to haul around your family and all their equipment across town or across the country, this might be the car for you.

Website: http://www.ford.ca/suvs-crossovers/flex/2017/

In Alaska

Totem Bight and Ketchikan City Tour: Review

June 17, 2017

We did an excursion at Ketchikan, Alaska and decided to go with the Totem Bight and Ketchikan City Tour through ShoreTrips. We booked it through our travel agent as she was able to get us a discount as we were booking other tours at other ports too – Juneau and Skagway.

Departure

We met by the huge rain gauge by the visitors centre right outside our cruise ship. Then, waited till our bus arrived to pick us up.

There was about 20 of us on the tour. We started off by driving through town and getting a better sense of the history and why certain walkways are built the way they are. Karen did an awesome job guiding us and she was very transparent and hilarious. You can tell she has a lot of passion for Ketchikan and making sure we had a good time.

Here Comes the Rain

We had an option to either continue to Totem Bight or head to Potlatch Park just next door. It was raining a lot so Karen left it up to the tour to decide what we wanted. She gave us a list of pros and cons and left it to us. We quickly decided that we would go to Potlatch Park instead since it had more indoor areas, more to see and also a few washrooms.

Potlatch Park

Potlatch Park was built on the old fishing grounds of the Tlingit Natives of Southeast Alaska, just 10 miles north of the quaint Alaskan town of Ketchikan.

We were taken on an awe-inspiring trip back to the 19th century as we explored a the fully recreated Native Alaskan village, including 5 tribal homes and beautifully carved totems.

It’s nice to just wander around the area and take in the beautiful views.

We also walk shortly in the forest and its so lush green.

Lots of good photo ops too.

Carving Centre

The carving centre has 2 totem poles that are currently being carved. It’s pretty cool to see them this close and also the tools and techniques used to create these.

Tribal Homes

The homes are absolutely stunning. The design is pretty awesome as they can be taken apart and moved if needed. No nails, just beams that slot into one another.

Antique Car Museum

There is also a Antique Car Museum, including a 1934 Ford Coupe and 1924 Stanley Steamer. If you are a car fan, you’ll love this little area.

Alaska Totem Trading Shop

At the end of the Potlatch Park, there is a shop where you can purchase any souvenirs. There’s a little bit of everything here.

Antique Museum

Inside the trading shop is also an Antiques museum, where they show off their display of extremely rare Antique Firearms.

One of the cooler pieces are their gatling guns.

Back to Town

As we drove back to town, Karen pointed out some great areas of town and even helped us catch a glimpse of some bald eagles hanging around. We really appreciated how spectacular of a tour guide she was. She then dropped us off at the dock where our cruise ship is located at. We still had plenty of time after the tour to walk around town.

In British Columbia

Starbucks: Ombre Pink, Matcha Lemonade, Violet Refresher

June 16, 2017

Starbucks has launched 3 new drinks this week and as a bonus, if you purchase them, $0.25 cents goes towards a great cause – Born This Way Foundation to empower young people to be braver and kinder. We definitely need more of that in the world. Participating locations are promoting the Ombre Pink Starbucks Refresher, Matcha Lemonade, and Violet Starbucks Refresher. As Summer is almost upon us, these would be great drinks to pair with the hot heat.

Ombre Pink Starbucks Refresher

This is a light, fruity Cool Lime Starbucks Refreshers Beverage with Coconut Beverage, a splash of Teavana Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea and a lime wheel, for a bright burst of hibiscus notes. You can notice the ombre and the liquids have different densities. Upon first taste, it reminded me of a pink popsicle.

Matcha Lemonade

It uses their finely ground Teavana matcha green tea combined with crisp lemonade then shaken with ice to create a refreshingly sweet, delicious drink that’s a delightfully vibrant green colour. Of the bunch, this one was my favourite. The lemonade is the dominate taste in this.

Violet Starbucks Refresher

This has sweet blackberries and tart hibiscus in their Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers Beverage swirled together with creamy coconut milk and ice, creating refreshing sips.

Lady Gaga + Born This Way Foundation: Cups of Kindness

To benefit Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, Starbucks will donate $0.25 US for each Ombré Pink Starbucks Refreshers, Matcha Lemonade and Violet Starbucks Refreshers beverage sold from participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada to the Born This Way Foundation to empower young people to be braver and kinder. This goes on from June 13 till June 19th 2017. Starbucks will make a minimum donation of $250,000 US, but the more the better.

Website: https://www.starbucks.ca/

In Gastown

Orchard and the Sea: Cider House and Restaurant in Gastown

June 15, 2017

My friend and I love wandering town to find unique places to eat and drink. We wandered deep into Gastown and stumbled upon Orchard & the Sea, which is a Cider House and Restaurant every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at Birds & the Beets.

They are committed to serving the best ciders from local and international producers, paired with expertly hand-crafted small plates.

Cider Flight

I got a flight since I love trying a variety of drinks to see what my tastebuds are in-tune for. Plus, I never have that much cider, so I wanted to try different types.

Shacksbury Cider Basque: a still, extra dry, and unfiltered cider. This was an interesting cider since it had a funky taste. You’ll find grapefruit rind, spice and apple cellar muskiness.
Twin Islands Cider Boat Days: An off-dry blend of apples harvested from trees on Pender, Mayne and Samuel Island, as well as Vancouver Island and Worrenberg Farms in Keremeos. A partial wild fermented cider aged 6 months in their cellar.
Scenic Road Cider Co Razz: This was my favourite of the bunch. It has a hint of sweetness as it is made exclusively with local dessert apples and raspberries. Their craft ciders from Kelowna are hand blended in small batches.

Final Thoughts

Orchard and the Sea is a cool place to hang out after work on the weekend to have a bite and some craft cider. There isn’t really anything like it in Vancouver, but it’s great to see the variety of local and international Ciders.

We rate Orchard and the Sea:

Address:
55 Powell St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.orchardandthesea.ca/

In travel

GlassesShop: Reno Rectangle Glasses Clip-on Review

June 14, 2017

I was contacted by GlassesShop.com to try out some of their sunglasses. Since I wear glasses on a day to day basis, I have a hard time getting good looking sunglasses or clip-ons that are stylish. Browsing on their site, I decided to go with their Reno Rectangle glasses with blue clip-ons. I took my time using these prescription sunglasses as I wanted to give a wholesome review on them. I took them to Vegas, Alaska, and around town in Vancouver. A big shout out to Natalie De Los Santos, who took these amazing photos of me and the sunglasses.

Coupon code: “GSHOT50″ for 50% off for all eyeglasses and sunglasses with free lenses only with the exception of sales frames.

When just looking at the glasses on the website, I was a little afraid if they would be heavy and thick because I have a pretty high prescription. I’m blind as a bat and I refuse to wear contact lenses, so you can see my hesitation. When the glasses arrived in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised. They were stylish with and without the clip-ons.

They clip on with magnets on the corner of the glasses, so it’s very easy to transform the glasses. In Vancouver, we have a lot of similar competitors for online glasses, but what I liked about these sunglasses are that it’s not branded and pretty unique to what everyone else has. Plus, it’s cheap in price. The quality of the frames and lenses are pretty good for what you pay for. It comes with a case and a cleaning cloth too. The only critique would be the packaging in which the glasses come in because it looks like a sketchy box from China, but no worries, all the contents inside the box look great.

They also have another version of the glasses in green and brown too, which also look great. I am very happy with these sunglasses and would recommend them.

Website: https://www.glassesshop.com

In Alaska

5 steps to boarding a cruise at Canada Place

June 12, 2017

Here are a few things I learned about before boarding my cruise at Canada Place. It was my first cruise so I didn’t know what to expect. Hopefully, this will help you mentally prepare you for where to go. Our boarding began at 12pm, so we made sure to arrive earlier so we could settle down and not wait in large lines to get on board.

Head to Cruise Ship Level of Canada Place

You can either drive to this area or you can walk to this level from the Convention Centre East. Just follow the signs.

Baggage Drop off

Fill in your luggage tag and give them to the staff and they will make sure it gets to your room. It’s easier to do this as they will need to scan your bag for any prohibited items.

Cruise Check in

This is where you grab your cruise map and room keys. It’s best to check in with your cabin mates.

Security and US Customs and Border Protection

This is where you will be officially passing the border so you don’t have to do it at another port. It’s very efficient. As a Canadian, we put our passport and information into the computers, pass it to a border guard and then we were done.

Boarding

Have you room key in hand as this is your primary card to get around. It is your room key, ID and also your credit card. As we got on board, they greeted us and showed us to our rooms.

It was an easy process to go through and there are tons of people helping us get where we needed to go. As there were 2 cruise ships leaving that day, I was impressed by how organized they were. I hope this has helped you demystify how to board a cruise at Canada Place.

More information: http://www.portvancouver.com/cruise/passenger-information/

In Chinese

Pidgin: Prix-Fixe Tasting Menu

June 11, 2017

PiDGiN has always been a place I wanted to check out. I went with a friend to try their prix-fixe tasting menu for $55 per person, but there was an awesome voucher on TravelZoo for the 7 course dining for 2 people at $66, so I purchased it to save a little bit of money.

Interior

The interior is hip and cozy. The lighting is dim but it sets the atmosphere.

Happy Hour

Since it was happy hour, drinks were on special, so I grabbed Tiger, which is an Asian Lager. Good and crisp to pair with the dishes.

Daily pickles

Some daily pickles were carrot, onions and cucumbers. Nice to much on as we waited for the other dishes.

Oyster shot

This also has apple, cucumber granite, and a horseradish dashi. AN interesting combination of flavours.

Spring salad

The salad comes with marinated tofu, onsen egg and wasabi yogurt. A good refreshing salad before the other dishes arrived.

Mantou bread

This dish has 3 pieces of mantou bread with bayildi, miso, eggplant, onion, and tomato.

Cultivated Mushrooms

This is topped with a delicious ramen egg, soy yuzu brown butter, and onion puree. If you love mushrooms, you’ll love this dish. The mushrooms just soak up all that delicious butter.

Spring Salmon

This dish has clams, maitake mushrooms, sesame butter, and tobiko. The salmon is perfectly cooked with more mushrooms and the yummy calms.

Beef Striploin

Topped with broccolini, spinach gomae, and some local wasabi. The wasabi was freshly grated and not as potent as the ones in tubes. The dish was ok but the gomae was on the salty side.

Chai Panna Cotta

The dessert was ok but I didn’t really take a liking to it.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good 7-course meal between myself and my friend. The dishes were well thought out, there is lots of food between 2 people.

We Rate PiDGiN:

Address:
350 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.pidginvancouver.com/

In Alaska

Lido Market: Buffet Lunch at Holland America Volendam

June 10, 2017

Day 1 on Holland America Volendam and we checked-in at noon and had a lot of spare time until the ship started leaving Canada Place in Vancouver. Our next 7 days, we would be embarking on a journey to Alaska.

Interior

We headed to Lido Market for a buffet lunch as some of us started getting hungry.

You seat yourself and find a table. Since we had 10 people in our party, we had to find a few tables close to each other.

Food Stations

As we walked through the different stations, there is a cheese station, salad station, sandwiches, different entrees, carvery, sushi, desserts, beverages and other things. There is really a little bit of everything here.

The staff are very friendly, but you’ll need a bit of patience waiting in like for them to serve you.

Buffet Style

I find this a nice place to chill at since you can basically wander in any time to get water, tea or coffee.

Depending on their hours, they may have a reduced amount of stations available to get food from. As this was the first restaurant we went to, we ate a lot to try to get a sense of this restaurant.

All of the food here was very so-so. Some items were salty, other were too sweet, but other wise, lots of food available.

It’s kinda what happens when food is made en mass.

We learned pretty quickly that we shouldn’t over indulge ourselves. There are other lunch options like Dive-In, The Dining Room, and Pinnacle Grill that I personally find better on the ship. On the contrary, if you love variety, Lido Market definitely has that. Dining here is complimentary and part of your cruise package, so you really aren’t losing out.

In Alaska

The Dining Room on Holland America Volendam: Day 1

June 9, 2017

On our first dinner at The Dining Room on Holland America Volendam for our 7 day Alaskan Cruise, we were seated at 5:30pm for a group of 10. This dining experience is complimentary and included with the cruise.

We ended up being 15 minutes late for our seating since we got a bit confused on the boat.

We got to choose a starter, main and dessert. But nothing stops you from ordering as many dishes as you want. They can also cater to food allergies if they know ahead of time. My sister has celiac disease and they were able to recommend some gluten-free dishes and had gluten-free bread available. Our server – Edy would be the same server for us the entire time here until the end of the cruise.

Bread and Butter

Appetizers

Prosciutto and Caponata with smoked olive oil and sundried tomato bread stick. This is a nice start and well balanced.

My relatives had the French Onion Soup “Les Halles” with Gruyere cheese crouton, but all of them said it was too salty.

Seared Scallops was a recommended dish and the most popular ordered item. It also has bacon, tomato, avocado puree and vanilla-scented vinaigrette.

Mains

Chicken, Papaya and Avocado salad with lime juice, walnut oil vinaigrette, watercress and walnuts. A pretty basic salad, but one of the healthier options.

Smoked Chicken Breast Ballotine with Orange Bourbon sauce with celeriac and roasted brussel sprouts. The chicken breast ballotine was so gross. Very dry and not appetizing at all. After eating half of the dish, I found a hair in the dish. I was very disgusted, so I told the server and asked for a new one.

Beef Short Rib Stroganoff with egg parsley noodles, turnips and carrots was great. This was my second entrée as the first one was pretty damn bad.

Grilled Steelhead Salmon with Ginger-cilantro Pesto with basmati rice, sautéed swiss chard, and garlic cherry tomatoes. A good dish as per my sister.

Dessert

We put in our dessert order last and there are so many choices.

Sliced fruit is a healthy dessert option compared to the others.

Viennese apple strudel was what my mom ordered.

Crème Brulee was a gluten-free option. My sister said it was good but the portion was generous.

Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake was ok. A bit sweet and I didn’t like it topped with mini marshmallows.

Triple Berry Alaskan Tart comes as a small bite and some lime-scented diplomat cream.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the dishes can be hit or miss, but since there aren’t restrictions on how much you can order, you can keep on ordering until you find something you like. Just try not to over order and waste too much food. A few extra items like alcohol and coffee costs extra but they make it known that its extra.

In product

Doritos HeatWave: BBQ and then Heat

June 2, 2017

Doritos HeatWave is a new limited edition chip that is now in grocery stores across the country. What I find interesting about the chip is that it starts of with a bold BBQ flavour and then the heat kicks in a bit later in the back of your mouth. The spice isn’t very intense but there is a tingle.

With Summer just around the corner, I can definitely see myself enjoying a bag of these at a party. If you love Doritos, you’ll love this flavour too. The taste of the underlying chip is so nostalgic to me since I loved Doritos since I was a kid.

Check it out if you see it at one of the major grocery stores and grab it before it’s gone.

Website: https://www.doritos.ca

In Brewery

Backcountry Brewing in Squamish

June 1, 2017

Backcountry Brewing in Squamish is another craft brewery that just opened up in April of 2017. They join the great craft brewery scene in Squamish as the 3rd craft brewery here.

Tasting Room

The tasting room has a very good size and very homey inside. It was pretty busy here on the weekend around 3pm. All the tables and the bar seats were occupied.

The beer was flowing and lots of pizza was being consumed here.

Flights

I got a flight and I had the Squamish Lagger, Ridgerunner Pilsner, and the Trailbreaker Pale ale. I got them to choose the lighter less hoppy beers. All 3 were delicious.

Oyama Sausage

The juicy Oyama Sausage is wrapped in pizza dough and there are some pickles on the side. The pizza dough was deliciously crisp and the sausage inside was super delicious.

Soppresetta Pizza

The pizza has soppressetta salami, kalamata olives, confit garlic, onion, chili, and cream sauce.

I love the thin crust and it’s so crunchy. A good amount of toppings and I love the subtle spicy kick from the salami.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we really loved our experience here. The beer is great and also the food is really spot on. I’ll definitely be back.

We Rate Backcountry Brewing:

Address:
405-1201 Commercial Way, Squamish, BC

Website: https://www.backcountrybrewing.com/

In Brewery

A Frame Brewing Company in Squamish

May 31, 2017

A Frame Brewing Company is one of the newer breweries in Squamish. The space has a cozy, family friendly, casual tasting room & craft brewery.

We drove up to Squamish just for a day to check out the craft brewery scene. Their outdoor patio was just a few weeks away from being completed.

Flight

As usual, I got a flight of beer so I could try a few varieties like the Christina Lake Vienna Lager, Okanagan Lake Cream Ale, Elfin Lakes Belgian Ale, and the Trout Lake Single Hop ESB. All of them were pretty good and perfect for the Summer weather. Super refreshing on a hot day like when we visited.

It’s an awesome place to stop by for a local or a tourist. You get to taste their amazing beer brewed right here and if you love it, you can even grab a growler.

We Rate A Frame Brewing Co:

Address:
38927 Queens Way #1, Squamish

Website: http://www.aframebrewing.com/