Guest Blogger, Author at Foodology

In Sponsored Content

[Branded Content] What it Means for a Restaurant to be Michelin-Starred

December 16, 2019

Disclosure: This is an advertorial by LottoLand.

Being awarded a Michelin Star is no easy feat. It is the pinnacle of accolades for restaurants that even the very best establishments in the world revere. Currently, there are little under 3,000 restaurants of about one million worldwide with at least one Michelin star. Tokyo has a remarkable 230 of them with Paris following distantly with 123 stars, ahead of Kyoto (103) and Osaka (97). Canada still does not have any Michelin Star restaurants, but mostly because the Michelin testers are yet to evaluate any restaurant in the country.

So, what exactly is a Michelin Star and what value does it come with?

Understanding the Michelin Guide

Very few people have been able to wrap their heads around this famous rating system. Popular notion is that Michelin restaurants are overpriced and only serve the rich, but that’s not factual in the slightest. You can get a $5 meal in a restaurant with three Michelin stars. It is just that the better-equipped and staffed higher-end establishments are more likely to meet the Michelin requirements for a star. Good chefs are also significantly more expensive, and restaurants hiring them may be prompted to share some of these extra costs with the customer.

The Michelin Guide was started in 1900 by the Michelin tire company founders, Edouard and Andre. The two brothers were looking to provide drivers with a restaurant rating guide in a bid to make them drive more and require new sets of tires more frequently. It all started in France and gradually spread into other parts of Europe as the rather unconventional strategy seemed to pay off. The star system as it is known today was firmly established in 1936, five years after the introduction of the third star.

The Awarding of Michelin Stars

As you may already know, restaurants are given Michelin stars for achieving success at the highest level. A one-star-rated restaurant is extremely good but still a significant distance behind a two-star one. Three stars are only awarded to the best of the best, with excellence and consistence in food quality, use of quality ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, and value for money.

A rather interesting measure used in Michelin ratings is the ability of the chef to express their personality in the cuisine. This is widely regarded as creativity. It carries a lot of weight in evaluations, which is why traditional restaurants offering excellently prepared dishes do not receive Michelin awards if there is nothing “special” about their food.

The Michelin inspectors visit restaurants anonymously, and are not allowed to give public interviews. They are usually highly-experienced chefs with first-rate skills in culinary arts. They are also graduates of the mandatory Michelin Guide training held in France. Inspectors visit a restaurant severally before deciding if it is worthy of a Michelin award, and if yes, which one.

The fact that the ratings are assigned by certified former chefs is perhaps what makes the Michelin Guide a class apart from other popular rating systems. Yelp and Zagat, for instance, base their ratings on consumer feedback, which can be riddled with flaw and bias.

While the actual metrics used by the Michelin inspectors to award stars is still a secret, many believe that, besides food quality and consistency, service, décor, and ambiance count.

Here is what each of the three stars means, according to the Michelin Guide:

One star: A very good restaurant, with very high-standard food
Two stars: Great cooking and the cuisine is consistently high-quality
Three stars: Worth a special visit for their excellent cuisine and superb execution of distinctive dishes using the best ingredients.

Besides the typical 0-3 stars rating, Michelin also offers a fairly newer award called the Bib Gourmand to restaurants that have great combinations of quality and price. A restaurant in the typically expensive New York City, for instance, might receive this award for charging less than $40 for a two-course meal, plus dessert. The amount is capped €36 for a three-course meal in Europe.

The Rising Star is another special award given by Michelin. Candidates for it are restaurants that already have one or two stars and are being considered for an additional star the following year. Recently, this award was extended to cover star-less restaurants that are being considered for a Michelin rating in the future.

Conclusion

Michelin Stars are coveted for the fact that the bulk of the restaurants evaluated each year receive no rating at all. As an example, 500 restaurants were assessed in Chicago in 2014, and only 25 received a star. That is nothing to sniff at. The Michelin Guide homes in on the cuisine and conducts a comprehensive assessment on the food quality, much to the advantage of travellers who don’t know much about the local cuisine. If you are looking for the gold standard of restaurants in a city you are visiting, then the Michelin Guide is definitely worth a look.

In Brunch

Burdock & Co: Award Winning Brunch in Vancouver

September 30, 2019

Burdock & Co. is a great place to have brunch on the weekend with friends. They are a farm to table restaurant using organic BC ingredients. Andrea Carlson puts a lot of love into the dishes she creates. Meats are raised ethically, and they use locally produced ingredients. You’ll notice their dishes are more vegetable forward. If you have dietary instructions, there are vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian options.

Since opening its doors, Burdock & Co has collected a number of impressive awards and recognition. Most recently, they have been recognized in 2018 Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants, among the top 22 restaurants in British Columbia. They also won the Gold award for “Best Brunch” and “Best West Coast” at the 2018 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.

We were invited for a preview of their signature brunch items.

Brioche special with Peach

This is their grilled Brioche bread served with fresh peaches, yogurt, walnuts, mint and topped with honey. It was a very unique combination, yet all the flavours went very well together. This was a great sharing plate and was offered as a weekend special.

Vegan Avocado Smash

The avocado smash is served with a mix of roasted mushrooms, chili fried broccoli, smashed avocados, cashew curd (a purée of cashews), and you have an option of adding a poached egg.

I loved the addition of the mushrooms and you can really taste the quality and difference in the flavour of the eggs served here.

French Pancake

This was delicious and a great shareable treat for the table. I loved the flavour of this dish. They use seasonal fruit so the fruit used in this dish change from time to time depending on what’s available. This one was made with Corination grapes and topped with cream. It’s not your ordinary pancake. It has a light and moist texture with a maple flavour. Highly recommend.

Gluten Free Scone with Butter and Preserves

The gluten free scones with butter and preserves are a great add on to any dish. The scones are fresh and baked perfectly.

Gluten-Free Eggs Benny

The eggs benny is served with two eggs and topped with a lemon hollandaise. The eggs are on a gluten free scone with roasted potatoes and you can choose either smashed avocado or bacon. The scone was flavourful and baked very freshly. Very enjoyable dish and everything was just so darn fresh.

Rice Congee

This is my kind of comfort food. It is an elevated version of Chinese congee and they have put their own twist to this classic item. They have mushroom XO, salted almond, smoked shoyu, and yuzu kombu.

Crispy Fried Chicken

The fried chicken is served with potato pickle mayo, dill powder, and a poached egg.

Fettucini with Pork and Fennel Ragout

The Fettucini with Pork and Fennel Ragout has shaved anise, and fennel pollen. Ingredients that you wouldn’t normally see in a pasta dish but it works.

Final Thoughts

Overall, you can taste the quality of the ingredients within each of the dishes. We love how they use each of the ingredients to create such amazing, fresh, flavourful dishes. I would highly recommend Burdock and Co I can’t wait to go back, nor can we wait till their cookbook to be released.

If you’re looking for a brunch place to check out in Vancouver, head to Burdock and Co.

Address:
2702 Main St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.burdockandco.com/

In British Columbia

Jugo Juice: New Mocha Protein, Jugo Java, and Mango Lime Chia Pudding

January 12, 2019

As we are headed into the New Year, Jugo Juice has decided to add three new healthy, no-sugar added limited edition items to their winter menu – Mocha Protein smoothie, Jugo Java and Mango Lime Chia Pudding.

The two new beverages – Mocha Protein smoothie and Jugo Java are both coffee-based smoothies which can give you that extra boost of energy.

Mocha Protein

This beverage comes in two sizes, the snack size and the original size. For you chocolate lovers this drink is delicious, it tastes like a chunky monkey with hints of coffee but surprisingly it’s actually healthy!

Ingredients: coffee, dates, banana, unsweetened chocolate almond milk, and chocolate whey protein powder.

Jugo Java

This beverage is also available in both the snack size and original. If you like coconut, this is your drink! The drink was fruity, with a hint of tropical notes.

Ingredients: cold brew coffee, banana, dates, coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk

Mango Lime Chia Pudding

This new grab and go snack is delicious and convenient, it’s great for a breakfast or pick me up healthy snack. It’s packed with great flavours, it’s not too sweet and it’s topped with Terra Breads granola.

Ingredients: chia seeds, coconut milk, mangos, lime juice and orange juice, terra breads granola

Final Thoughts

Overall, both drinks were good, I preferred the Mocha Protein Smoothie more because I love chocolate and I feel this would make for a good post-work out treat. The Mango Lime Chia Pudding is great if you’re looking for a healthy snack.

Also, for the month of February, Jugo Juice has brought back their Jugo Pass to help you continue your healthy resolutions. The cost is $20 per pass and you can get it in-store while quantities last or at shop.jugojuice.com. This allows you get purchase any size smoothie for $2 + tax per day from February 1-20, 2019.

For more information it can be found on www.jugojuice.com

In Abbotsford

How to Eat Local in the Fraser Valley

May 18, 2018

Article and photos by Natalie Green.

We went on a road trip with Angie Quaale (@AngieQuaale) in anticipation of her book release Eating Local in the Fraser Valley. We were taken to 6 great locations in the Fraser Valley, specifically Langley and Abbotsford for a food lover’s road trip. We spent the day visiting these great locations:

Dead Frog Brewery: Latest Craft brewery to open up in Langley
Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store: This is a foodie’s paradise for all things gourmet
Milner Valley Cheese: Fresh goat cheese produced on the farm
Fraser Valley Cider Company: Traditional craft cider made in small batches using local BC apples
Maan Farms: Fresh farm market, hayride and more.
Mt. Lehman Winery: One of most stunning views in the entire Fraser Valley

Here is a recap of the day and when you’re in the Fraser Valley, definitely check these places out.

Dead Frog Brewery

Dead Frog Brewery is currently relocating from their Aldergrove location to continue serving up craft beer in small artisan batches. They are set to open up very soon and when it’s open, there will be gourmet food and community events set up.

Well Seasoned

Well Seasoned is a gourmet food store with gadgets, cookware, and food products fit for all foodies. When strolling through the store, you’ll find something interested in every corner. I bought pesto noodles, edamame corn chips and was very tempted to buy wine cheddar.

Angie made us black corn, black bean salsa and her bacon beer beans, recipes that is in her upcoming book –Eating Local in the Fraser Valley. The book is not only a recipe book, but a guide book to eating and being inspired by the Fraser Valley producers we have here.

Each recipe is tied down to a location and sometimes a season. The book is locally focused and explores the relationship between the producers featured in the book and the land. The food community is growing in Fraser Valley, as costs are more accommodating out in the country and makes for a quaint atmosphere.

Milner Valley Cheese

Milner Valley Cheese in Langley is a fifth generation family farm in Langley, who tries to do different things with their agriculture. They have 80 goats and follow a natural cycle of production. Did you know, in 2018 177 babies were born on this farm?

Memorable items to check out here are the goat milk gelato, which is very delicious. Creamy and smooth, it does not taste sharp or gamey. I would suggest having the hazelnut goat milk gelato. I also bought a make-your-own-cheese kit here ($39.95) and I am very excited to try the results of my own cheese. If only I had a cooler! Bring one and load up on cheese, milk and fresh lamb.

Fraser Valley Cider Company

Fraser Valley Cider Company creates traditional craft cider made in small batches using local BC apples.

Rachel Bolongaro gave us a tour and tasting of their ciders and shared some history on how they became to be. She had a long 20 year career as an engineer and was looking for a career change to challenge herself some more. After taking a cider making course, it clicked and Fraser Valley Cider Company was born. Three years into operations, they have produced over 30,000 litres of delicious cider.

They are family friendly as they have soda flights and a large field by the patio to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. They are also allow dogs and provide treats for them. The furniture on the patio was up-cycled by Rachel and looks great. My favourite ciders hands down were the soft, sweet, smooth Rosy cider and the crisp, quenching Elderflower cider.

Maan Farms & Winery

Maan Farms & Winery has unique events happening all the time on their farm. Have you ever seen goat yoga video online? They do goat yoga and you can do warrior pose right in front of real live goats. During Halloween, they even have the scariest corn maze according to DailyHive.

They are a family run business and Mama Maan knows how to shows guests a good time. As soon as we arrived, we were treated to sangria, samosas and a fun hayride.

When we returned, we had delicious butter chicken, chickpea curry, jasmine rice, madras spices, yogurt, fresh roti, hot sauces, and blueberry pies.

They’re all about making the farm an experience for people of all ages. Children can see the critters, adults can enjoy goat yoga and wine, and foodies can enjoy the selection of fresh and local produce or their country kitchen.

Mt. Lehman Winery

The last stop was Mt. Lehman Winery in Abbotsford. We had a wine tasting of their different varieties, but the ones that were memorable to me were the 2014 Cabernet Libre and the 2016 Pinot Noir.

The 2016 Pinot Noir had a spiced taste that was not too bold and I would like to pair it with some home-cooked salmon in the future.

I was impressed by the cellar– the string lights were not on, but my photographer mind bookmarked this place if I wanted to do photos for a wedding.

Stunning views of the winery and it’s the best view of the Fraser Valley with all the acres of farm land and mountains in the backdrop.

Not shabby with a glass in hand too.

Final Thoughts

A day trip around the Fraser Valley for a foodie adventure is wonderful and doesn’t take too long to get to. It’s about 45 minutes to 1 hour away from Downtown Vancouver, so with the weather being super gorgeous, you’ll definitely want to visit. There is lots to see and do in the area.

For more Fraser Valley inspiration, check out Angie’s book – Eating Local in the Fraser Valley.

In Japanese

Kinton Ramen: Ramen in Korea Town

May 9, 2014

Located in Toronto’s Korea Town (near Christie Station), Kinton Ramen is easy to spot. There are two floors at this location — ground floor is for dining and the above floor is an Izakaya (Japanese pub/bar).

The place was quite full when Huhu and I arrive but we got seats at the high table in less than 2 minutes. (If you’re willing to wait, I would try to get a lower table at the back because I had a hard time settling into the high chair).

I love eating out at Japanese places since I’ve found a liking towards draft Sapporo. Huhu and I cheered on a better week ahead (it was Sunday night). The pint of Sapporo ($5.80) tasted good as usual. I just wished there was a thin layer of foam at the top.

The menu was designed so you work from top to bottom.

pick broth base (pork or chicken)
pick flavour
pick noodle
pick meat
pick additional/optional toppings.

I had pork base shoyu ramen with thin noodles and pork belly. I found the meat more fattening than I would have liked (I preferred the meat from Santoukou near Younge x Dundas Square). Because of the fat from the meat, my broth had lots of pork fat floating around. If you discount the floating fat, the broth itself had clean taste to it. To be honest, there wasn’t anything special. Just a normal bowl of ramen. The portion was big — I couldn’t finish it all.

Huhu had pork base spicy garlic ramen with thin noodles and pork belly. As the name suggests, this bowl is very very garlic-y and spicy. If you’re on a date, try to get something else!

It was difficult to have a conversation with my friend there because the music was so loud. But at least I liked their playlist.

We Rate Kinton Ramen:

Address:
668 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON, Canada M6G 1L2

Website:
http://kintonramen.com/

In Korean

Miss Korea: Eat and Drink like a Korean

May 5, 2014

Miss Korea is a Korean bar/restaurant that sells lunch, dinner, and drinks. It is located near Yonge x Bloor Streets in Toronto, which is not too far from the 2 universities (U of T and Ryerson). The interior has a hybrid look of old and modern feel. It’s clean and good for a small group of friends to hang out (you can also host a bigger party upstairs). I’ve noticed university students and young professionals frequent this place often.

After window shopping and walking around the Yorkville area on a nice Sunday evening, Bunny-Bunny and I (Fabo) went to Miss Korea to grab a bite and a couple of drinks.

When we were there, it was only about 6-7pm so the place was quite empty. At one point we were the only customers there, which I liked. Miss Korea is usually more crowded around 9pm and onwards as it’s a good place to drink beer/soju/rice wine and eat snacks with your friends.

After looking through their menu, we decided to get something from their combo menu plus a main to satisfy our Korean food cravings. We ordered 4 bottles of beer and oden soup from their combo menu. Oden soup was tasty, but perhaps because of MSG. We depleted the soup before eating all the fish cakes.

Don’t have a picture, but we got 2 bottles of Coors Light and 2 bottles of Keith. There also were imported beers on the menu, but those weren’t part of the combo menu (I wanted Sapporo, but oh wells).

We also ordered bulgogi dolsot to share. It comes with a separate spicy sauce (gochoojang) to mix with.

It was my first time visiting Miss Korea during dinner time as I usually went for drinks. Going there during dinner time was actually not bad because you can enjoy a quiet conversation with your friends. If you are too lazy to travel all the way to Christie or North York for a Korean food, and if you want a casual place to meet up with friends, I would recommend you to give this place a try.

We Rate Miss Korea:

Address:
687 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON

Website:
www.misskorea.ca

In Chinese

Ken’s Chinese Restaurant: Signature Dishes

September 28, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: ChineseBites.com approached us to try a few signature dishes at Ken’s Chinese Restaurant. Although the meal was complimentary, the views and opinions expressed are entirely our own.

In early August, Foodology.ca headed out to Kingsway with the regular ChineseBites crew (Raymond, Sherman, Rick, Kevin, Janice and Romina) to try a few signature dishes at Ken’s Chinese Restaurant. The first dish our merry little crew dug into was the Lobster with Konyaku Hotpot. This was a great way to kick start the meal as we were all quite hungry and the lobster was cooked perfectly. I was not entirely sure why this warranted CRA recognition as I have had better lobster in Vancouver but the dish was still quite good. The lobster meat was very tender and flavorful and the portion was quite generous.

The second dish we dug into was Golden Dungeness Crab. This dish was interesting in that it is a standard fried crab dish but coated in an egg yolk coating. Personally, I prefer my crab prepared differently but this dish was actually pretty good. You could definitely taste the richness of the egg yolk along with a subtle saltiness which complimented the crab meat well.

The third dish we tried was a plate of Free Range Chicken. I really liked this dish as the chicken was very fresh and prepared very well. The skin was slightly rubbery but tasty and the actual white meat was very moist and delicious. I could have eaten this plain or with rice, served with a side of ginger. Note: We didn’t end up ordering any bowls of white rice as we ordered a lot of food already.

Our fourth dish is not something I usually order at a Chinese restaurant but still turned out quite delicious: Grilled Rack of Lamb w/ Black Pepper Sauce. I am a big fan of lamb so I ended up loving this dish, the meat was moist and well cooked with a beautiful grill top sear. The black pepper sauce was quite strong but went boldly with the strong red meat.

The fifth dish we tried was the Stewed Pork Hock w/ Peanuts. This is definitely something I could see my parents ordering as it was definitely very traditional home cooking. The dark soy definitely lent a deep, rich flavor profile to this dish and the long stew successfully made the meat tender. Due to the high heat, the peanuts were soft but not mushy which I appreciated.

The sixth dish we had was the Stewed Oxtail. I was excited to try this as I had just tried a delicious oxtail ramen the night before but was pretty disappointed with this dish. The meat was nowhere near as tender as I would have liked. Technically being a stew type dish. I definitely would have liked to see the meat falling off the bone. The included vegetables were also not that flavorful so overall, a pretty disappointing offering.

Thankfully, after the disappointing stew, our seventh dish was a delicious Stewed Pork Belly. When this dish first arrived at the table, I was a little concerned at the huge layer of fatty tissue but after taking my first bite, I was in love. The pork belly was prepared so perfectly that the cut literally dissolved on my tongue. The rich dark sauce was delicious and actually made me want to eat the accompanying broccoli. Overall, one of my favorite dishes of the evening and something I would definitely order again.

Our eighth dish was quite simply Ox Tongue. I cannot recall who ordered this but I very rarely eat this type of delicacy so was a little apprehensive. My first bite into my ox tongue made all my worries vanish as the meat was actually very good! I really dislike dishes like liver and was expecting the ox tongue to be of a similar consistency but it was much better. Again, the dark sauce helped a lot and seemingly goes well with anything served at Ken’s.

The ninth and tenth dishes of the evening were Four Seasons Green Beans and Salmon Roe Fried Rice. I just want to note here that by this point in the meal, I was beyond full. The heavy meat based meal definitely took its toll on my gastronomic prowess. I tried a couple green beans and a small bowl of fried rice but could not really fully enjoy either. From what I remember, the salmon roe rice was decent but not altogether flavorful. I believe the intent was for the rice to be somewhat bland to support the heavily flavored main dishes. The green beans were firm and you could definitely taste the garlic and shredded pork seasoning with every bite.

To wrap up with a few final thoughts, there was a lot of food served and other than one clear miss, the food really was very good. Our dinner definitely was dominated by meat entrees but it was clear that Ken’s can do a variety of dishes very well. On a return visit with a smaller group, I would definitely go for a few bowls of plain white rice and a couple meat dishes. The lobster and crab dishes were good but there are definitely better places for similar dishes but the meat dishes were definitely very strong.

Words of Wisdom:

Definitely go for the rich Pork Belly with a few bowls of white rice
Skip the Oxtail Stew but give the Grilled Rack of Lamp a try
Go with friends/family that love meat, you will not be disappointed

We Rate Ken’s Chinese Restaurant:

Address:
1097 Kingsway
Vancouver, BC, Canada
604-873-6338

Website:
http://www.kenschineserestaurant.com/

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In Chinese

Fatty Cow Hot Pot: Signature Dishes

August 19, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: ChineseBites.com approached us to have dinner at Fatty Cow Hot Pot. Although the meal was complimentary, the views and opinions expressed are entirely our own.

On July 19th, I headed back to Victoria Street along with Raymond, Sherman, Rick, Kevin, Janice and Romina to have dinner at Fatty Cow Hot Pot. Widely acknowledged as one of, if not THE best hot pot in the city, I was eager to compare Fatty Cow to some of the better Chinese hot pot experiences I have had around Vancouver and abroad.

From the outside, Fatty Cow looks like your typical humble Chinese restaurant, however, the interior is a much different story. Boasting a smart, modern aesthetic with Asian elemental flair, I was very surprised at how clean and attractive the entire area was. I am quite used to enjoying hot pot in some pretty run down dives so this beautiful seating area was a pleasant surprise.

Anyone that is familiar with how hot pot works knows that the most important aspect of the experience is the broth. Singularly used to cook the various ingredients, the foundation or base flavor set of the entire meal is dictated by the broth used. For this particular outing, we had two pots going with a home-style peanut satay broth and a Fatty Cow ‘Hot and Spicy’ broth. Both broths were quite strong but personally I loved the spicy variation better. Seemingly anything we put into the spicy pot came out tasting delicious from thin strips of meat to seafood and veggies. Those with delicate palettes or aversion to spicy food may find the spicy broth a bit too much but I thought it was just perfect.

One of my favorite dishes of the night was a plate piled high with deep fried fish skin. A very simple dish but delicious nevertheless. The skin was perfectly crispy and flavorful, almost like the prawn crackers served with Peking duck.

Throughout the evening, it was very apparent that all the ingredients were extremely fresh. In addition to the marvelous seafood, I also really enjoyed the plentiful plates of thinly sliced meat. When added to the spicy broth, the meat became infused with flavor and when cooked properly, came out extremely tender. I cannot recall how many plates of meat we ended up polishing off but it was definitely very delicious. Note: Be sure not to cook the meat for too long however, as they are quite thin and do not require that long in the boiling broth.

A rare miss of the evening came in the form of the diced cubes of beef. Unlike the thin strips that cooked quickly and were eaten even quicker, these cubes were extremely chewy and difficult to get through. I definitely recommend sticking with the plates of sliced beef over these cubes as diners may find the thick form factor a bit difficult to manage.

You can never have hot pot without some form of fish balls! All three varieties of this fan favorite were exceedingly fresh and tender. The fish balls were well formed and constructed with zero filler content which lead to exceptional taste and flavor infusion.

Although the guys at the table had ‘conveniently’ forgotten to order any vegetables, one of the ladies with us ordered this basket of beautifully fresh veggies. Just like everything else, the vegetables were very fresh and definitely were a nice respite from the heavy seafood/meat experience we were engaged in for about 1.5hrs.

Two of the dishes we were served were special order and not part of the regular hot pot price. First, a Fatty Cow Giant Scallop served on a half shell! This scallop was simply massive and many of us at the table were gawking at the size of each serving. Although it cost extra, it definitely was worth it in my opinion as the scallop meat was delicious and the sheer size was amazing. I will definitely order this again on a return visit.

The second special dish we were given was lobster! Now, lobster can be quite expensive which is why it is understandable that this is not part of the normal hot pot package. The lobster was very fresh and sweet and really made for a luxurious hot pot. I sometimes order crab with hot pot but two entire lobsters is very uncommon. I think we were all very appreciative of the special offering at the tail end of the meal as it really capped the meal off nicely.

To wrap up with a few final thoughts, there are many hot pot restaurants in Vancouver but very few of them are actually any good. As iterated earlier, the keys to a good hot pot experience are 1) amazing broth and 2) fresh ingredients. It is clear after this dining experience that Fatty Cow has both in spades. I was personally very impressed with the aesthetic appeal and overall cleanliness of the interior as well as the very high quality of fresh seafood and other produce. After this experience, I have no reservations about stating that Fatty Cow may be the best hot pot establishment in the lower mainland. I will definitely be back soon with either family or friends, especially once Vancouver starts getting cold again.

Words of Wisdom:

Go with the spicy broth, your taste buds will thank you
The diced beef cubes were a bit tough, definitely go with the thinner slice sets
Enjoy with larger parties, hot pot is a social event!

We Rate Fatty Cow Hot Pot Restaurant:

Address:
5108 Victoria Dr.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
(604) 568-6630

Website:

http://www.fattycowhotpot.com/

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In Japanese

Kibo Restaurant and Lounge: New Restaurant in Yaletown

August 13, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: We were approached by the owner of Kibo Restaurant & Lounge to preview a few dishes. Although the meal was complimentary, the views and opinions expressed are entirely our own.

On July 26th, Foodology.ca was invited out to Yaletown along with Raymond, Sherman, Rick, Kevin, Janice, Romina and Grace to have dinner at Kibo Restaurant and Lounge. As a new addition to the Yaletown area, we were eager to see how Kibo intended to approach Japanese fusion cuisine and at what level of quality.

To start the meal off, we were served negitoro on thinly toasted pieces of bread. The fatty tuna with chopped green onion was fresh and went well with the toasted bread. A nice start to the meal.

The first main dish of the evening was the Kibo Sashimi Platter. Served on a bed of crushed ice with distinct sauces for each fish type, I found the cuts of sashimi quite fresh and inherently flavorful. As a bit of a sashimi purist however, I would have liked to see the actual sauces served separately but overall a pretty good offering.

The next two dishes that came together were the Kibo Salad and Beef Carpaccio. The salad was very fresh and quite sweet with a generous allotment of mango. Salad lovers will love the fresh greens which are complimented well by fresh cuts of tuna, salmon and creamy avocado. I felt the sauce was applied a little too liberally but wasn’t that bad in small portions.

The beef carpaccio was served with a cheese based, wasabi dressing that received mixed feelings from me. I enjoyed the subtle hit of the wasabi with each bite but the cheese component kind of threw me. The beef itself was sliced nicely and tasted wonderful but the sauce may have been better if it had been kept slightly more simple.

The chikuwa cheese dish looked amazing but ended up just tasting alright. The fish cake was quite tender but the actual batter was not as crispy as I would have liked. Again, the addition of cheese to this dish was slightly puzzling to me as it did not really strengthen the overall dish.

One of the most visually stunning dishes of the evening had to be the plate of Assorted Nigiri Sushi. Unfortunately, due to the large group I was in, I only got to taste 1/2 of one piece of nigiri so I cannot competently review this dish in its entirety. The 1/2 piece of tuna sushi I tried was nice but I will have to return to Kibo in the future to properly review this entire dish.

The next two hot kitchen items that followed the sushi plate were both very good. To be quite honest, you can rarely go wrong with short ribs and bacon wrapped ebi. The ribs were tender and very tasty and same for the shrimp skewers. The bacon itself was not that crispy but quite fatty which really infused the ebi with that smoky, bacon flavor. Overall, two very good kitchen items to order along with sushi.

To follow the above two meat dishes came 4 or 5 different specialty sushi rolls. These were intentionally ordered to showcase Kibo’s creativity with the traditional sushi format. First up was the Hamilton Roll which is basically a standard dynamite roll with slices of sashimi on top. I really like dynamite rolls and prawn tempura/sashimi in general so this roll was an easy favorite for me.

The next roll was the Volcano Roll which was probably the most visually/texturally unique roll of the evening. The fairly traditional roll was deep-fried and then sliced which cased the entire outer surface in a crispy, tempura type shell. The actual layer was not as crispy as I thought it would be but still a very interesting take on a sushi roll.

The third roll we tried was the Caterpillar Roll which again was basically a dynamite roll but with avocado and unagi on top. This roll definitely felt very luxurious with the creamy avocado and super tender unagi. I actually really liked this roll regardless of its bizarre name.

The fourth roll we tried was the Philadelphia Roll. As you may have guessed, this roll is named as such because it has cream cheese inside. For the sushi purists out there, this is definitely one of the more progressive fusion rolls out there. Similar to the salmon cream cheese roll at Kamei Royale, you will either love or hate this roll. I thought it was ok but generally I am not a fan of cheese in sushi.

The fifth and final roll of the night was the aptly named Mango Roll. Essentially a dynamite roll with mango, this roll was pleasantly sweet but the mango unfortunately made the rice a little bit soggy. An interesting roll but one I would not order again. Many of Kibo’s specialty rolls seem to simply be standard rolls with something on top which was a little disappointing to me. For a professed Japanese Fusion restaurant, I would have liked to see significantly more innovation in the menu.

At this point in the meal, there was a small lull in service so I actually thought the dinner was over. Amazingly enough, not only was the meal not over but there were 4 more dishes to be had! I was quite full at this point in the evening so this may have impacted my desire to eat further. That said, I really enjoyed the Grilled Sablefish and Kibo Beef dishes. The Sablefish was very tender and flaky and prepared very simply on a bed of vegetables. The beef was very moist and flavorful, infused with a great sauce. Unfortunately I found the Australian Rack of Lamb to be dry and generally unappetizing. We were all a little baffled why this was being served at Kibo as it didn’t seem very good or Asian in any way.

The last dish of the evening turned out to be one of the best dishes of the evening! Served in a traditional Japanese tea pot, the Kibo Seafood Dobin was a beautiful pure, clean broth infused with a variety of fish, mussels, clams etc. Somebody remarked that the broth would make for an amazing hot pot and I have to agree. Although I was only able to sample a small cup, the broth was simply amazing and refreshing. A fantastic end to a very long and generously endowed meal.

To wrap up with a few final thoughts, I was quite tough on Kibo in the above review but I genuinely did enjoy the experience. As the establishment is so new, I felt obligated to be brutally honest so that they can continue to refine their menu and get better as they find their identity in the Yaletown area. So close to the much heralded Aburi giant Minami, Kibo definitely has their work cut out for them even though their prices are markedly more affordable. I enjoyed many of the dishes I tried and can definitely see potential and room to improve in many others.

Words of Wisdom:

For hot dishes, you can not go wrong with the short ribs and bacon wrapped ebi
A large assortment of sushi rolls but many are hit and miss
Seafood dobin is amazing and a must try!

We Rate Kibo Restaurant & Lounge:

Address:
1261 Hamilton St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
V6B 5P6

Website:
http://kibolounge.com/

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In Chinese

Golden Swan Restaurant: Signature Dishes

July 22, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: ChineseBites.com approached us to try a few signature dishes at Golden Swan. Although the meal was complimentary, the views and opinions expressed are entirely our own.

Last week, I headed out to Victoria Street along with Sherman, Rick and Kevin to try a few signature dishes at the Golden Swan Restaurant. The first dish we tried was the Golden Swan Appetizer Platter (五福拼盤). A very common offering, this opening dish was quite well done. The prawns, bean curd wrapped mushrooms and meats were tasty and definitely whet the appetite for the subsequent dishes. Portion wise, this dish is good for 5-6 diners. For larger parties ie 8-10, you will probably want to order two. Great presentation and good base flavors, a very familiar and welcome start to dinner.

The second dish was the Soft Tofu in Japanese Style (千頁滑豆腐). First off, the name was a little confusing as we were not quite sure what the Japanese element was but that aside, a pleasant dish. The tofu was very soft and well complimented by the sauce and diced vegetables. I think this dish would go very well with a few bowls of white rice. Vegetarians will definitely want to consider this as a light entrée over the meat platter above.

The third dish was the Sauteed Geoduck and Scallops with Sweet Peas (帶子象拔蚌炒蜜磄). For those not familiar with Geoduck, this dish will definitely be an interesting experience. The geoduck was tender but a little rubbery. That said, the highlight of the plate was definitely the large scallops and fresh sweet peas. Again, with a bowl of white rice, the tofu dish above and this seafood offering could be a light dinner unto themselves. Even though I am not a huge fan of geoduck in general, the scallops and vegetables were prepared well.

The fourth dish was the Sauteed Beef Tenderloin with Chayote in Black Pepper Sauce (黑椒合掌瓜炒牛柳粒). I felt the pan tossed beef was decent though I would have liked to see the beef a little bit more tender. The black pepper sauce was good and definitely appreciated as the prominent flavor profile as chayote tends to be rather bland. Personally, I could have done without the pieces of strawberry as they were served somewhat mushy and the sweetness was not really complimentary to the overall dish.

The fifth dish was a deep ceramic pot of House Special Salty Chicken (秘製鹽焗雞). This turned out to be one of my favorite dishes of the evening. The chicken was salty, tender and very clean. There was absolutely no oil residue which left the skin very crisp and crackling. The serving size was quite large and easily accommodated the six of us at the table. With a bowl of noodles or rice, this chicken can very competently stand as a primary entrée.

The sixth dish was an Egg white custard w/Almond milk (天鵝杏汁炒奶). Unfortunately, this dish was by definitely a “miss” in terms of taste and presentation. The white custard was extremely bland and not very appetizing. Visually, the dish was not very engaging so I ended up only taking a small spoonful to try. Although technically it did not taste that bad, I personally would not order this again. I strongly feel a dominant ingredient needs to be added to give this dish some semblance of flavor and structure.

The seventh dish was Angel Hair with Tiger Prawn (天使干燒大売蝦). This dish was an interesting ‘fusion’ attempt, combining the very popular Italian pasta ‘Capelli d’angelo’ or Angel Hair pasta with a very popular sambal prawn component. Overall, this dish was simple but very appetizing. The excess sauce from the prawn went very well with the pasta and almost made for an Asian spaghetti of sorts. I would have liked to see the prawn sauce with a bit of heat but to be fair, it was quite good as it was.

The eight dish was a large bamboo steamer of Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp with Rice on Lotus Leaf (荷香珍珠海龍皇). This large seafood dish was very generous, packed full of lobster, scallops, shrink and rice. Flavor wise, it was pretty good though the rice was a slightly dry/hard for me. Overall, the seafood was prepared very well and the portion was quite dense. A good signature or showcase dish for those wanting a bit of everything.

The ninth dish was actually one of two desserts we received, a Baked Tapioca Pudding (西米焗布甸). Those familiar with Asian cuisine will definitely recognize this dessert dish as it is very common in any Chinese restaurant. Having eaten this baked pudding dish literally hundreds of times, I can say this is definitely one of the better offerings in Vancouver. The pudding inside is not overly sweet and the top crust being slightly thicker than normal, almost like an almond cookie. Although I was quite full from the meal, I actually reached for seconds of this great dessert. A very pleasant end to a good meal.

The tenth and final dish of the evening was a plate of Durian Rolls (飄香榴連酥). For anyone familiar with what durian is, I do not think I need to say that there are few ‘fruits’ in this world more polarizing. Honestly speaking, you either love it or you hate it. Due to the very strong smell and thick, almost meat like texture of the fruit, durian is not exactly a universally embraced dessert ingredient. That said, I personally love durian and found these rolls to be pretty great. The actual flavor of the durian is not overpowering but it is definitely present. The pastry is flaky and fresh and with the durian infusion, is a very unique pastry you have to try at least once.

To wrap up with a few final thoughts, I felt the evening was a fairly strong showing by Golden Swan. Although there were one or two misses, the majority of the signature dishes we tried were quite good. With good presentation and simple, traditional seafood dishes, eating at Golden Swan will definitely feel like a very familiar experience to those well versed in Chinese cuisine. For those just starting out and wanting to learn more, I think this restaurant is a pretty safe choice for a solid orientation. I didn’t find anything startlingly innovative or new but for the food they do make, they do it quite well.

Words of Wisdom:

Anything with prawns, scallops etc. is a pretty safe bet
For vegetarians, there are several rather tasty selections to be had
Nothing ground breaking but traditional fare prepared well and at fair prices

We Rate Golden Swan Restaurant:

Address:
5380 Victoria Dr.
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Website:

http://www.goldenswanrestaurant.com/

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In Chinatown

Phnom Penh: Visit #2

March 14, 2011

When DesignGirl told me that we were meeting up with MadamMilton, BaguetteGirl, and DermaMan for Vietnamese food, I thought we were just going to get pho. Boy, was I mistaken! We headed to Phnom Penh, where the menu items are as diverse as our pronunciations for the restaurant name.

Phnom Penh is tucked away in Chinatown, and its tasty treasures are masked behind its ordinary exterior and red and white sign board. But inside the restaurant, things were hustlin’ and bustlin’. DesignGirl had dined here previously, so she knew all the right things to order.

With most meals, you get complementary soup, sprouts and hot sauce.

We started off with the Rice Special A – a Vietnamese hodpodge of rice, grilled chicken, Vietnamese ham, egg, and sides of lettuce. This reminded me a bit of Korean bibimbap, as you have to get a little bit of everything and mix the rice all up in it. I drizzled a bit of their mild vinegar over my bowl, and it sure was delish! DermaMan said that this was his favorite dish of the day.

We then ventured onwards to try the phnom papaya salad, which BaguetteGirl ordered since she loves papayas. I couldn’t quite taste the papaya here, as it felt more like radish. It consisted of ‘papaya’, peanuts, hot peppers, shrimp, and mint. It was definitely refreshing and crispy, but because it was so rainy and cold outside, it was more difficult for me to appreciate a cold dish.

Up next was the phnom 2 noodle. The “2” in the name is for the two types of noodles in this bowl. Upon a first glance, you would think this was another ordinary bowl of pho, but it sure wasn’t! The broth was not msg-ridden compared to other pho places, and the noodles were delicate and cooked perfectly. There was also shrimp and other Vietnamese hams and meats in it. You can eat this with the side of bean sprouts they brought. I liked this dish so much, I had two bowls.

What’s a trip to Phnom Penh without ordering their famous wings? Each table in the restaurant had an order of their wings, which were tossed in chilli pepper flakes and came with a side dipping sauce that was slightly tart and peppery. Wow! I was so surprised when I bit into this chicken – it was moist, and juicy, but incredibly flavorful, especially with the dip. I will definitely order this again.

Finally, the moment we were all waiting for arrived: the butter beef. The butter beef is akin to a beef carpaccio in that it features raw beef (slightly cooked around the edges) in a mild soy like sauce, overlaid with ample cilantro and peanuts. This was an incredible mélange of flavors and textures. MadamMilton was very skeptical about eating raw beef and kept telling us she was waiting for “20 minutes to pass” to see if any one of us would rush to the bathroom. None of us did and she gobbled down the butter beef happily.

By then, we were stuffed. DermaMan had ordered a moomooshake, which was a strawberry iced milk shake. It looked very…cold, so I didn’t not sample it. But everyone else that tried it liked it quite a bit.

DesignGirl also ordered an iced Vietnamese coffee, while I got a hot Vietnamese coffee. The Vietnamese coffee came in an espress drip tin, and a cup with condensed milk (your creamer + sugar, essentially). It was so delicious and rich! However, the caffeine concentration in this drink really messed me up and I was dizzy and had heart arrhythmia for the rest of the day.

Phnom Penh is located in Chinatown. We left around 2pm, and the restaurant was still packed and had line ups for lunch diners.

Words of Wisdom:

Very busy during peak hours…line up for sure!
Marinated Butter beef, Chicken Wings, Deep fried squid!!! Order it now!
Metered parking on street
Kinda sketch looking area….near chinatown

We Rate Phnom Penh:

Address:

244 E Georgia St
Vancouver, BC

In Kitsilano

The Naam

August 12, 2010

Vancouver sleeps early. It’s pretty difficult to find an eatery that serves food after 11pm. The Naam is one of the few; it’s open 24-hours, 7 days a week. After our night scuba lesson, Batman and I were famished, and met up with DesignGirl to indulge in some midnight snacking (more like, food-hoarding).

Even at midnight, the Naam is brimming with business, mostly from starving students. We pulled up a few seats near the back as courtyard dining was not available at such a late hour, but the dim lighting and deep foliage that lined the courtyard made it irresistibly romantic. You’ll find an eclectic group of diners here – everything from lululemon-wearing yogis to blockbuster celebrities such as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Jessica Biel. The appeal of the Naam rests in its simplicity – the Naam serves up huge portions of simple, warm, comfort food. Hempwear and dreadlocks are common. Oh, and did I mention that it’s completely vegetarian? But even the most meaty meateaters go gaga for the Naam.

DesignGirl opted for the Buddha’s Feast – and it is what it sounds like – a heaping plate of stir fried vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, tofu, peppers, zucchini, beets, carrots) atop organic brown rice. The veggies are meant to be jumbled together and post-mixing, we arrive at a dish that’s undeniably delectable. The vegetables are crisp and well-cooked, the tofu is flavour-bountiful, and the brown rice is soft and savory.

Batman’s quite affectionate about avocados, and ordered the cashews and avocado enchilada, which came with a side salad. His dish arrived piping out, with guacamole gushing below a tortilla coated in melted cheese. Batman’s verdict “avocado, beans, and other hippy vegan veggie stuff (which is good for you) baked inside cheese. Need I say more? The salad was interesting too.” Personally, I found the enchilada to be too heavy on the avocado – a few spoons would have satisfied me, but eating a whole enchilada was just too rich. The side salad had your standard greens, tomatoes, and sprouts. The dressing was their homemade ‘miso-gravy’ dressing – light and different, without the usual acidic zing of a vinaigrette.

Batman also ordered a beer – the Deadfrog Brown Ale: “The deadfrog brown ale is not dead at all. It was hoppy and jumping all over the place! Settling down with this refreshing beer made me feel grateful to be alive and well. (I think he was just happy to have alcohol) For me, it’s not as consistently drinkable as a lager or pale ale, but I enjoyed the glass of this acquired taste. It made me feel like a froggin’ King.”

I finished everything off with a large carrot juice – which by the looks of it, did not come in a very large glass – and with this being The Naam, I knew it was freshly squeezed.

The service was horrible, I’ve could’ve friven home, planted and harvested my own carrots for juice, with the time it took them to take out order.

For huge portions of organic veggie eats that will fool even the most clever carnivore, The Naam is your best bet – especially for those late night cravings.

We rate The Naam:

Check out their website: http://www.thenaam.com/naam/

In Brunch

Cafe Medina: Lunch of Champions

August 5, 2010

Fricassee was on my mind. I heard that the best fricassee in town was at Café Medina, so I called up DesignGirl for a taste quest. Sitting on Beatty Street, Café Medina thrives adjacent to its classy Belgium nighttime counterpart, Chambar. When we arrived, the cafe was bustling with alfresco diners relishing in the summer sun and Café Medina’s renowned Belgium waffles.

While waiting for a lunchtime seat, we were startled by a “Hellloo there!” behind us. I realized then that this was a warm welcome from our host and server – there are no apron-donning busboys, or penguin waiters (the classic black and white look) here! Medina’s servers are warm and casual – blending well with the clientele and truly lending the café an ‘at home’ feel.

I have a fresh-squeezed juice addiction and needed my fix that afternoon! For an eatery that prides itself on brunch items, Café Medina surprisingly does not offer freshly-squeezed juice. Nonetheless, I settled for a “just as awesome” OJ, upon our server’s recommendation, while DesignGirl opted for a vanilla latte, after deliberating between chocolate, vanilla, or raspberry caramel. My OJ arrived – although lacking the subtlety of fresh OJ – and still tasted smooth and saccharine. Anal Beads DesignGirl’s latte came oddly in a glass juice cup, but she said that the coffee tasted so delightful and looked so pretty that it wouldn’t have mattered if it arrived in an egg shell! Her coffee came with leafy latte art, and after sneaking a few sips, I concurred that it indeed was a luscious latte. The menu also has a wide selection of mimosas and beers.

Café Medina’s menu has extensive breakfast, lunch, and brunch options, ranging from the classic omelet to exotic paella. We saw that there were two items served all day – the fricassee and the saumon fume (smoked salmon). Without hesitating, we decided that these two must have been the most popular to allow for its AM-to-PM availability.

My fricassee arrived with two fried eggs (I love runny yolks!) and verdant arugula greens covering the roasted potatoes, braised short ribs, caramelized onions, apple, and chedder cheese beneath. The fricassee is meant to be mixed to allow the juiciness of the ribs and the smokiness of the cheese to mingle with the succulent onions, and crispy greens and apple bits. The side of focaccia bread came unadorned of any herbs – warm backed Italian bread that perfectly complemented the firework of flavors from the fricassee, without taking way from it. The fricassee is a breakfast item, but I recommend selecting it for either brunch or lunch. I found it to be a very heavy breakfast-eat due to its large quantity and overabundance of meat, and would wish for more applewood chedder.

DesignGirl’s saumon fume was served as an open-faced ciabatta sandwich, with smoked-salmon, caper cream cheese, and fried egg on one side, and arugula pepperdew and artichoke salad on the other. The two sides of the sandwich offered contrasting textures and tastes – the cold smoked salmon mixed well with the warm runny yolk of the fried egg, creating a richer feel upon the palate; the arugula and artichoke salad held a an acidic vinaigrette and offered a light zest and freshness.

Even with our stomachs satisfied, we couldn’t pass up the chance to sample Café Medina’s fresh Belgium waffles, especially with their aroma wafting through the café corridors. The waffles come with a variety of toppings – everything from dark chocolate to yoghurt to white chocolate pistachio rosewater. Our waffle arrived daintily dusted with confectioner’s sugar and a side of white chocolate pistachio rosewater topping. At first, I thought the name was just a fancy tag, but upon digging and dipping into our topping, we could really taste the smoothness of the white chocolate, the nuttiness of the pistachio, and the softness of rosewater – what a surprise! The waffles were not overly sweet and were the perfect ending to a delectable lunch.

Cafe Medina’s varied menu provides an amazing array of choices at a reasonable fare (most items range between $10-$16). They also offer grab-and-go coffee/tea and impeccable service.

We rated Cafe Media: