RomanJ, Author at Foodology

Palki Passion Dining Package Review

April 12, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: VANEATS.ca approached me to try out there “Palki” dinning package and write a review about it. I got a complementary package for myself and I brought along Abbytizer to keep the review as unbiased as I could. The review does not guarantee 100% similar service you might normally get from the restaurant.

Hello Internet! Abbytizer and I reviewed VANEATS latest dining package for “Palki Passion”. Palki serves up traditional Indian cuisine on Commercial Drive.

The dining package consist of a sample platter of various appetizers and main course meal.

Sample Platter consists of:

“Vegetable Samosa”, spiced vegetables stuffed in a savoury pastry.
“Lamb Barrah Kebob”, rack of lamb marinated with garlic, ginger and spices.
“Chicken Tikka”, tender piece of boneless chicken marinated with our special ingredients and grilled in the Tandoor.
“Tandoori Prawn”, jumbo prawn marinated and cooked in the Tandoor
“Murg Malai Tikka”, tender chicken marinated in sour cream and fresh spices from Tandoor.

Main Course consist of:

“Butter Chicken”, boneless chicken first broiled in the Tandoor and then cooked in a butter and cream sauce.
“Onion and Cilantro Naan”, Indian style onion and cilantro.

You can purchase the dinning package at VANEATS.ca for only $14 from April 11 to June 11, 2012.

The interior of the restaurant has a very nice modern look with Indian inspired decor. Upon walking into the restaurant, you are welcomed with the wonderful aroma of spices.

Lentil Wafer with Black Pepper Seeds. We found this mini appetizer to be delicious. The Lentil wafer is very crispy and after a while of eating, you definitely will taste the presence of the black pepper.

The sample platter comes on very hot sizzling hot plate.

Vegetable Samosa has spiced vegetables stuffed in a savoury pastry.
One samosa is cut into two halves. The samosa is well seasoned, is crispy and isn’t greasy like other samosas we’ve had.

Lamb Barrah Kebob is a rack of lamb marinated with garlic, ginger and spices then roasted in the Tandoor. The lamb was delicious. It was nicely grilled and juicy. The lamb does have a bit more spice compared to the other samplers.

Chicken Tikka has tender piece of boneless chicken marinated with Palki’s special ingredients and grilled in the Tandoor. Abbytizer enjoyed how juicy the chicken was. The tandoori seasoning was not overwhelming and the chicken had a nice char grilled flavour to them.

Tandoori Prawn has jumbo prawn marinated and cooked in the Tandoor. Abbytizer describes it to be perfectly cooked as the prawns were tender. The seasoning complemented the sweetness of the prawns.

Murg Malai Tikka has tender chicken marinated in sour cream and fresh spices from Tandoor. Abbytizer enjoyed the chicken, as it was moist and tasty. The grill and char on the chicken added to the overall flavour of this dish.

Along the side of the hot plate are grilled green bell peppers, which were delicious. The peppers have the taste of tandoori from the other dishes beside them.

Butter Chicken has boneless chicken first broiled in the Tandoor and then cooked in a butter and cream sauce. Abbytizer and I both agree that the butter chicken was delicious. Each piece of chicken was very tender. The sauce was delicious. Abbytizer thought that the sauce permeated the chicken so well. Palki’s butter chicken sauce is slightly different from other butter chicken sauces because it had a hint of sweet smokiness. The butter chicken was so delicious that Abbytizer cleaned out the serving dish with the onion and cilantro naan!

Onion and Cilantro Naan has Indian style onion and cilantro. Abbytizer describes it to be a great vehicle for carrying the butter chicken sauce. The naan was tasty in its own right, as it had onions and cilantro, which added little bursts of flavour with every bite.

Granvilla Island Pale Ale Beer ($3.75) The beer is quite refreshing on a sunny day.

The Peacock ($8.00) is made of kiwi, lime, lemon, blue curacao, melon liqueur and soda. Abbytizer describes to be a very refreshing cocktail. She enjoyed the sweetness of the kiwi and questioned if it truly was alcoholic! It was such a good drink she sipped on 2 Peacocks during our dining experience.

Spiked Mango Lassi ($6.75) is made up of mango, special yogurt with rum. Abbytizer describes it to be another great cocktail, especially if you like something that is creamy. The restaurant makes its own yogurt, which is used in this drink. They use fresh mango and mango pulp, and toss all the ingredients, including the rum, in a blender. The ends result is a fruity and enjoyable drink.

Mango Kulfi ($4.25) this is two scopes of rich Indian Mango Ice-cream. I found this dessert to be delicious; there is some sort of seasoning added to the ice cream, which gives it a chewy texture.

Gulab Jamon ($4.25) round sponge like cake in a honey syrup. Abbytizer describe it to be the dessert of choice, especially if you have a big sweet tooth like she does! The sponge cake balls were warm and soft. She especially enjoyed how they soaked up the honey syrup! The addition of toasted nuts gave the dessert a crunchy textural contrast.

Overall, Abbytizer and I both agree that the VANEATs dinning package of “Palki Passion” is worth the $14 dollars. The package is a wonderful way for anyone to get introduced to Indian cuisine. The servers were very friendly and answered any curious questions we had about the dishes. Abbytizer intends to return to Palki when she craves Indian food. When redeeming your package at the restaurant you can choose the degree of heat, ranging from very mild, to very spicy.

Words of Wisdom:

Drink Specials
Nice atmosphere with friendly servers
Can choose level of heat

We Rate Palki Indian Restaurant:

Address:
1130 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
Website:
palkirestaurant.com
Twitter:
@PalkiRestaurant

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In Three Beakers

Red Fish, Blue Fish: Awesome Tacones

April 3, 2012

Hello Internet! Roman J here with another review! I went to Victoria with Will, Maku, and Ralph. Any trip to Victoria isn’t complete without seafood. We tried the popular Fish and Chips joint called Red Fish, Blue Fish located in the harbor of Victoria.

When we arrived at Red Fish, Blue Fish the line was ridiculously long. My friends and I waited 45 minutes just to order, then we waited another 10 minute for our order to come out.

There is seating along the pier. People sit on top of upside-down plant pots. Further along the pier, there are stools to sit on and enjoy your meal.

BBQ wild Salmon Ravines Tacones ($5) has sweet smoked chili adobo, pea shoots, and lemon pickled onion. The tacones are delicious. The wild salmon is perfectly seasoned and the flavor just pours out of the fish. Also, the cabbage mixed with lemon-pickled onion adds a refreshing taste.

Chipotle Shrimp Ravines ($5) has million island dressing, pea shoots and lemon-pickled onions. The tacones are packed with shrimp and blends well with the cabbage. Due to the sauce there is a slight of kick of spice.

One Piece Salmon ($10). Maku had the salmon he described it to be juicy. The batter on the salmon is really thin and crispy.

Fish Poutine Add On ($2.50) This is worth it’s value, the fish poutine is huge and comes fully loaded with fries and a chowder chipotle sauce with a mayo base. The sauce has bits and pieces of fish. This sauce is really rich and makes this poutine very filling. I would recommend getting this dish, if you like mayo.

Overall, Red Fish, Blue Fish has a lot to offer in terms of Tacones. They have a large number of Seafood Tacones to choose from. The tacones I had here are probably the best I’ve ever had. I would recommend this place if you have the time to wait and stand in line, if not try another restaurant around the harbor.

Words of Wisdom

Long lines
Daily specials
Good portions sizes

We Rate Red Fish, Blue Fish:

Website:
http://www.redfish-bluefish.com/

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In Downtown

La Casita Botanas Dining Package Review

March 22, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: VANEATS.ca approached me to try out their “LA CASITA BOTANAS” dining package and write a review about it. I got a complementary dining package for myself and I brought along Abbytizer to keep the review as unbiased as I could. The review does not guarantee 100% similar service you might normally get from this restaurant

Hello Internet! Abbytizer and I reviewed VANEATS latest dining package for “LA CASITA BOTANAS!”. The dining package consists of a 5-course sharing platter.

“Chipotle Prawn”, grilled in butter, garlic, & La Casita’s special chipotle sauce
“Chicken Wings”, served with mole sauce on a bed of rice
“Quesadillas”, handmade folded tortillas with melted cheese and Mexican chorizo sausage
“Cabbage Salad”, served with avocado
“Super Nachos”, beef & bean salsa, cheese & veggies on fresh corn tortilla chips

You can purchase the dining package at VANEATS.ca for only $18 between March 21st and May 21st, 2012:

The interior of the restaurant has a very distinct Mexican feel to it, with piñatas hanging from the ceiling, and luchador masks displayed at the bar. An old black & white Mexican movie played from the TV, while Mexican music played throughout the restaurant.

Tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole. Casita’s guacamole was superfine and has a slight kick to it that increase with every bite. The salsa is very fine, and doesn’t have big chunks of tomato that many people may be accustomed to with a salsa.

The sharing platter is quite big, with the Super Nachos in the center and each of the other four courses are placed on the corners of the large plate.

In this corner we have the “Chipotle Prawn”, grilled in butter, garlic, & Casita’s special chipotle sauce. Abbytizer describes it to be quite spicy with a nice smoky flavour to accompany the heat. She thought that the prawns were cooked perfectly as they were very tender and also slightly sweet. Overall, the dish balanced nicely between spicy, smoky and sweet notes of flavour.

“Chicken Wings”, served with mole sauce on a bed of rice. Abbytizer describes the wings as being very tasty. She said she would eat anything with the mole sauce. She also thought that the rice was flavourful. The only downside to this dish was that the wings were very small and there were only 5 wings. We would have loved larger wings and more of them!

“Quesadillas”, handmade folded tortillas with melted cheese and Mexican chorizo sausage. The sausage within the quesadilla looked like ground beef. The quesadilla is small and has a delicious taste to of it. One thing that Abbytizer and I both noted was that the sausage was quite dry and would have benefited from a sauce, perhaps, sour cream, salsa or mole, just to give it more moisture.

“Cabbage Salad”, served with avocado. This salad has sliced tomatoes, orange peppers, purple onions, and is seasoned with lime. I found this salad to be refreshing and quite enjoyable. Each bite of the salad had a delicious crunch to it. Abbytizer also like the salad and enjoyed the textural contrast between the crisp cabbage and the smooth, creaminess of the avocados.

“Super Nachos”, beef & bean salsa, cheese & veggies on fresh corn tortilla chips. These Super Nachos are very good. The refried beans had a great flavour and made the nachos taste delicious.

Horchata ($3.25) is a sweet drink traditionally made of rice, and is flavoured with cinnamon and sugar. Abbytizer loved it and said that it takes the heat of the spicy dishes. She described it to taste like a “liquefied churro”. If you like churros you’ll love this drink.

Casita Sundae ($6.50) Two churros in vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and strawberry puree. I found the dessert to be delicious. The vanilla icecream and the strawberry puree blends perfectly with the cinnamon churoo. Abbytizer describes this dessert to be a sweet tooth’s dream. She enjoyed the crunchy churros and how the rich ice cream complemented it perfectly. The strawberry puree was a nice added flavour. It was a very good dessert, and Abbytizer would definitely have it again!

Overall, The “LA CASITA BOTANAS” dining package is worth its value, and all the dishes in the platter were muy delicioso. The platter is suitable for two to three and will get you satisfied. The platter is perfect for anyone who wants to try Mexican food and is curious to see what La Casita has to offer.

Words of Wisdom:

Free Wifi
Weekly Specials
Authentic Mexican Drinks

We Rate La Casita Botanas:

Address:
101 West Cordova St. Vancouver, BC V6B 1E1

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In Downtown

First ImPrestons Dining Package Review

February 29, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: VANEATS.ca approached me to try out their “First ImPreston’s” dining package and write a review about it. I got a complementary dining package for myself and I brought along Abbytizer to keep the review as unbiased as I could. The review does not guarantee 100% similar service you might normally get from this restaurant

Abbytizer and I have never been to Preston’s before. From the outside it looks like a very nice, sleek lounge for drinks. The VANEATS “First ImPreston’s” dining package can fully satisfy one person, but is minimal for two people to share.

The Preston’s Dinning Package consists of 5 dishes:

Appetizer

Dungeness Crab Cake
Preston’s Pulled Pork Poutine
Chicken Karrage

Entree

1/2 Rack of Baby Back Ribs

BC Halibut Wrapped in Double Smoked Bacon

Dessert

Maple and Double Smoked Bacon Creme Brulee

The interior of the restaurant is very modern. There is a wall with a cool graphic display that illuminates a pink light throughout the restaurant.

On the left: “Dungeness Crab Cake” with panko breading, tomato dressing, micro herb salad, and fried capers.

The Dungeness Crab Cake, Chicken Karrage, and the Pulled Pork Poutine come as a trio in an appetizer. The first one we tasted was the Dungeness Crab Cake. The texture of the crab cake is crunchy and it was perfectly warm throughout. Abbytizer and I both enjoyed this dish. Abbytizer described it as “packed with real crab meat, which made it very tasty. The sauce that came with it was a perfect match. She enjoyed the crunchy texture of the panko breading because it gave the crab cake a good bite. The only negative thing she had to say about this dish was that it was a little awkward to cut in half in the presentation it came in”.

The center: “Chicken Karaage“, is flash fried marinated chicken with garlic sake, served with spicy sambal lime aioli and miso cabbage slaw.

The chicken karrage was a let down. There was nothing special about the chicken; it was borderline dry and lacked flavour. Abbytizer stated that it needs more aioli sauce to accompany it. The coleslaw is sweet and tasty, but it wasn’t enough to save the dish.

To the Right: “Prestons Pulled Pork Poutine“, with crispy French fries, Quebec cheese curds, and Rickards Red Gravy.

Abbytizer and I both enjoyed this dish because this poutine was not like any other poutine we’ve had before. There is a distinct sweetness from the pork and sauce. The pork is really soft and tender and it blended perfectly with the gravy and the cheese. The fries were crispy and added a nice textural contrast to the dish.

The presentation of the appetizers is quite nice, but the portion size is very minimal for two hungry people. The appetizers would are just enough for one person.

Before we received our main dish, we were presented with a tiny pellet that holds a compressed cloth. When soaked in water the cloth expands, and when peeled a part, the cloth becomes bigger. The tiny pellet became a wet nap. This process was quite amusing to Abbytizer and I before we had our main meals.

“1/2 Rack of Baby Back Ribs“, with sweet hoisin & ginger glazed pork ribs, roasted fingerling potatoes and crunchy coleslaw.

This meal is very pleasing to the eyes. Abbytizer enjoyed it very much. She described the dish as savory and delicious. The sauce was so tasty, she nearly licked her plate clean! The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and the fingerling potatoes were perfectly seasoned with the right amount of salt. The coleslaw added a nice crisp contrast to the softness of the ribs. Overall, this entree was a winner!

“BC Halibut Wrapped in Double Smoked Bacon“, ($26) served with creamed leeks, quinoa and honey shallot j’us .

I ordered the Halibut to try the other entree offered in the “First ImPrestons” dining package. I never had quinoa before and the quinoa was delicious. The quinoa carried the flavor of the dish. The halibut, however, lacked flavor even though it was wrapped in bacon.

Green Tea Matcha Crème Brulee served with julienne slices of pickled granny smith. The restaurant made a mistake of giving us the green tea crème brulee instead of the maple and double smoked bacon crème brulee.

The green tea matcha crème bruelee was served in a tiny ramekin. However, it was packed with matcha goodness and was very enjoyable. The julienne slices of pickled granny smith apple have a distinct sour taste that is refreshing. People who don’t prefer sour tastes may not like the apples in this dish.

“Maple and Double Smoked Bacon Creme Brulee“, is a very interesting dish. It has a strong initial taste of bacon grease, and after a while of having it, you can taste the smokiness of the bacon. The top of the crème brulee is sweet and when broken and mixed with the crème, it tastes sweet and salty. Abbytizer described it as an acquired taste, especially for anyone who finds bacon as a very unusual dessert flavour.

Chocolate Brownie Sundae ($8) with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis.

Abbytizer enjoyed this dessert. She described the brownie as soft and moist, with a rich chocolate flavour. The raspberry coulis cut through the richness and sweetness of the brownie nicely, and the vanilla ice cream is a wonderful addition to the dessert. The portion of this dessert is large enough to be shared between two people.

The Chuck Norris ($9) with Beefeater Gin, Triple Sec, Lilet Blanca, fresh limejuice and Absinthe. This drink has a very strong initial taste of lime and a strong after taste that is a kick to the face. Who needs shots when you can drink a Chuck Norris.

Hot and Dirty ($9) This is a blend of Absolut Vanilla, Absinthe, lime juice, cordial and a dash of Bols Blue. Abbytizer found this drink to be pretty and potent. It was not as sweet as she anticipated it to be. Overall, a good cocktail.

Overall, one main entrée at Prestons cost just as much as the VANEATS dining package. The VANEATS “First ImPrestons” pass is great value for your buck, especially if you want to try out a restaurant with great food. However, the pass is suitable for one person, so if two of you are dining, you may want to order another appetizer or entree.

You can purchase the “First ImPrestons” Dinning Package at VANEATS.ca for $21 starting on February 29^th.

Words of Wisdom:

Large drink menu
Nice lounge area
Bathroom is outside the restaurant

We rate Prestons:

Address:
1177 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E

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In Mount Pleasant/Main Street

Fray: Restaurant on Fraser

February 28, 2012

Hello Internet! Abbytizer and I checked out a fun, new restaurant on Fraser Street called Fray. The restaurant prides itself on having its dishes made from locally sourced and fresh ingredients.

The inside of the restaurant is dimly lit, has interesting decor that includes luchador masks and poster art on its walls. The Fray also has vintage board games and an “adult activity sheet” that provides amusement while waiting for the food. The restaurant has a very causal, laid back feel.

Fray’s Famous F-Bombs ($7.95) are fresh figs wrapped in crispy, Fraser Valley bacon with a balsamic reduction. I personally do not like figs but this appetizer was sweet in the inside, and salty on the outside.

Abbytizer describes as an interesting contrast between the sweetness of the soft figs, and saltiness of the crisp bacon. I enjoyed the balsamic reduction; it cut through and complemented the other flavours quite nicely.

The Portobello Fries ($8.95) is a Jenga tower of breaded portobello strips lightly fried and served with truffle aioli sauce. I personally loved this dish. The mushrooms are so tender and the breading made them perfectly crisp on the outside. Abbytizer describes it:

These fries are a perfect alternative to ordinary french fries! I love mushrooms and the idea of cutting strips of Portobello, breading them and frying them is great! They are perfectly seasoned and the aioli dip that accompanies them is a great complement.

It’s so good that we ordered this appetizer TWICE! We had one before our entrees, and one after our entrees.

The Mint Julep ($5.60 for a single) consists of Maker’s Mark bourbon, mint and simple syrup, shaken.

Abbytizer ordered this and describes it to be very strong. A single of this drink is more than enough to get a decent buzz on.

The Berry Fizz ($5.50 for a single) is strawberry-infused vodka, cranberry juice, ginger ale and lime juice, shaken over ice. A very light strawberry and cranberry blend drink. You’re going to need a lot of these to feel it.

The Pan –Seared Salmon ($14.95) consists of West Coast wild salmon, pan-seared with light cream sauce, balsamic vinegar and gnocchi tapenade. Abbytizer describes this dish to be a disappointment as the fish was cooked a little longer than it should have been, which made it slightly dry. However, the gnocchi was quite tasty, and the saving grace of the entire dish was the delicious cream sauce.

The Fat Bastard Pork Belly ($15.95) is a thick wedge of local pork belly with apple peach compote, white balsamic chive reduction and fresh slaw. The pork belly was sweet and juicy in the inside. The outside was cooked right, leaving the outside of the pork skin to be crunchy. Each bite was sweet and enjoyable. Also, the fruits on the side were out of the ordinary, but made the meal enjoyable.

The Rustic Apple Tart ($7.95) is a puff pastry with vanilla ice cream. It is a very simple dessert with an enormous amount of apple flavor. We finished the apple tart before the ice cream!

Overall, this restaurant has a lot to offer, especially if you’re looking for vegetarian or potentially gluten-free options. The dishes are reasonably priced for modern, western cuisine. On certain nights, The Fray serves as a venue for different events. At the time we went, Abbytizer and I watched an amateur stand-up comedian contest. Needless to say, the food was better than some of the jokes told.

Words of Wisdom:

Free parking in front
Free WiFi
Mediocre service
The restaurant hosts special events after 9pm (variety show, trivia night, etc.) on certain nights.

We rate Fray

Address:
3980 Fraser Street
Vancouver, BC

Website: fray.me

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In Four Beakers

Yutaka: New Sushi Restaurant on Main Street

February 15, 2012

Hello Internet! Today Abbytizer and I checked out a new restaurant on Main Street called Yutaka. This restaurant opened late of last year and it hasn’t had a grand opening yet, just a “soft” opening. This restaurant is slowly becoming a neighborhood favorite. Abbytizer saw this restaurant on the bus and we decided to try it.

The inside of the restaurant has a simple modern touch to it.

Miso Soup ($1.25)– A standard miso that’s at a reasonable price.

Ebi sunomono ($3.25)– A standard small ebi sunomono but with a lot of baby shrimp which made it quite enjoyable.

Oysters ($2.50) We ordered two fresh oysters. The oysters we’re fine and nothing spectacular, Abbytizer and I have had better at other seafood restaurants.

Salmon Carpaccio ($8.50) – The salmon was fresh. The balsamic vinegar just blends perfectly with the salmon, making the salmon melt in your mouth. Abbytizer and I enjoyed this dish.

Age King Oyster Mushroom ($4.00) – Lightly breaded mushrooms seasoned with Tograhi, making the mushrooms have a delicious crispy crunchy taste. Also there is a slight kick of spice to each bite. Abbytizer and I devoured this dish. It’s totally worth its value and the size of portion is enough for two people.

Negitoro ($3.50) and Fire Roll ($10.50) – First of all the Negitoro was extremely fresh and melted in your mouth. This is probably one of the best negitoro rolls I’ve had in a while. Also this roll wasn’t on the menu, due to the soft opening the menu is not completely finished.

Fire Roll ($10.50)– The fire roll consist of 10 pieces loaded with scallops, salmon and tiny bitts of deep-fried bread with cream cheese in the middle. The fire roll is not spicy, but still delicious.

Ebi Filo ($5.00) – Filo is usually on Greek pastries but this restaurant has a modern take on spicy ebi mayo. This dish has the 3 pieces of deep-fried shrimp and covered in filo making this dish very flakey and crispy. This dish is delicious and the mayo sauce on the side compliments it perfectly.

Beef Tatakai ($8.00)– This dish was a big disappointment after already having some delicious dishes. The beef tataki was extreme cold, and not completely thawed out. Abbytizer’s first bite of this was literally ice-cold meat. We sent the dish back and the waitress took the dish off our bill.

Tropical Delight Lime ($5.50 -large, $3.50 -small) consisting of, guava, lychee, passion fruit and mango. The drink is very tangy and refreshing, the only thing is missing is rum or vodka.

Overall, despite the disappointing beef takaki, Abbytizer and I enjoyed every dish we had here. For a soft opening restaurant, that doesn’t have a completed menu, it has a lot to offer at a very reasonable price. I’ll definitely come back for the Age King Oyster Mushroom.

Words of Wisdom:

Friendly Staff
Weekly Specials
Lunch Special
Pick Up is available

We Rate Yutaka:

Address:

4148 Main Street
(Main & King Edward),
Vancouver, BC, Canada V5V 3P7

Website:
www.yutakacuisine.com

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In Downtown

The Teahouse: Perfect For Dates

January 29, 2012

Hello Internet! Romanj and Abbytizer review another restaurant. Today we review the Teahouse Restaurant located in Stanely Park. Abbytizer and I were at the Tea House for a group Christmas Party for the Holidays.

To start off, The Tea House is a high-class restaurant with beautiful interior decor and a view overlooking North Vancouver. It’s a perfect place for romantic dates or special occasions.

Since Abbytizer and I were here for a Christmas Party, the restaurant provided us with a group menu with a selection of Appetizers, Entrees and Desserts.

To start of our meal we had complimentary bread, which was delicious.

For Appetizers:

I ordered the Prawn Cocktail ($14), which were served on ice. The Prawns were large and delicious. The sauce provides an added spicy kick.

Abbytizer ordered the Teahouse mushrooms ($12), which consists of crab meat and cream cheese. Abbytizer describes it as:
“A friend suggested the Teahouse Mushrooms and it was a great suggestion! It was a simple dish, but it was extremely delicious. The crabmeat and cream cheese blended together very well, and the meatiness of the mushroom cap balanced out the creamy texture of the dish. Lastly, the balsamic glaze that was drizzled on top of it added the right amount of sweet and savoury flavours. This appetizer alone is reason enough to come back to Tea House!”

For Our Main Course:

I ordered the Roasted Chicken ($21) with micoise olives, tomato, pearl onion, and garlic confit. The chicken is delicious; it’s perfectly moist and tender. The mini tomatoes, olives and potatoes compliment the meal perfectly.

Abbytizer ordered the Roasted Sable Fish ($33) with miso marinade. Abbytizer describes her meal: “The Sable Fish was perfectly cooked and melted in my mouth like butter. The miso marinade complemented the fish with the right amount of sweetness. It was the first time that I had sable fish and this dish was so succulent, that I’ll be more likely to try other sable fish dishes in the future.”

For Dessert each of us had a dish Crème Brulee and Chocolate Milano Cake.

Abbytizer had the Crème Brulee ($8). The Crème Brule was good, but nothing exceptional. Personally, I would prefer the Chocolate Milano Cake to the Crème Brulee for dessert. The Chocolate Milano cake was so good!

I ordered the Chocolate Milano cake ($8), which consists of chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache on top with raspberry sauce on the side. This was delicious.

Overall, The Teahouse is a very nice restaurant with a delicious menu. This restaurant is perfect dates. However, I would not recommend this place for group gatherings, space is very limited as Abbytizer and I thought our group was squished together.

Words of Wisdom:

Free Parking after 6pm
Set Menu for Large Groups
Perfect for a Date

We rate The Teahouse:

Address:
610 Pipeline Rd, Stanley Park,
Vancouver, BC V6G 2M5, Canada

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In Japanese

Sushi Izumi: Food Court Sushi

January 15, 2012

Hello Internet! RomanJ here with another review. Today we check out the Sushi Izumi in the Metrotown food court. During the holidays I spent a lot of time in the mall shopping for gifts. To satisfy my sushi craving without having to leave the mall, I tried Sushi Izumi, which is right besides Nando’s Chicken. Sushi Izumi has a big selection of combos, rolls and dons to choose from.

I ordered the Maki Combo ($7.75), which consists of a Salmon Roll, a California Roll and a Tuna Roll with avocado. In addition to the combo, I also ordered a Salmon Sashimi ($6.95).

The Maki Combo: Salmon Roll, California roll and the Tuna roll we’re okay to begin when I started eating. As I started to devour the rolls, I notice that the sushi rice has a slight pale taste to it, affecting each roll with every bit leaving me not to enjoy my rolls.

The Salmon Sashimi was surprisingly adequate, it was not too cold or too warm and it wasn’t thawed out. I enjoyed the Salmon Sashimi over the rolls.

Overall, I would probably not go here for the sushi rolls and the best item on the menu from what I have tasted is the Sashimi.

Words of Advice

Don’t get the rolls
Always ask for more soy sauce (2 packs isn’t enough)
Busy during peak hours

We Rate Sushi Izumi:

Address:

4820 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC V5H

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In Japanese

Ogenki Sushi: Sushi on Main Street

December 10, 2011

Hello Internet! RomanJ, here with another Sushi Restaurant review. Today we explore Ogenki Sushi Restaurant in Vancouver

I have been to this restaurant before with Abbytizer. However, since my last visit the restaurant has changed. Ogenki Sushi has been divided into two restaurants in the same location. One side is called Ogenki Sushi and the other side is Ogenki Ramen. Today I tried out the Ogenki Sushi side of the restaurant.

Ogenki Sushi is in a very small area with modern décor.

Their menu has a list of specialty rolls that look delicious to try as well as other items.

Ebi Sunomo ($3.25) is a very standard delightful dish.

Salmon Sashmi ($9.25) and Cheese Lover’s Roll ($7.95)
The Cheese Lover’s roll is loaded with salmon, avocado, cucumber, cream cheese, smoked salmon and tobiko. This roll is very creamy and blends deliciously well in your mouth.

Salmon Sashimi was pretty standard, not too cold at all. The salmon sashimi felt like it was freshly cut.

Chirashi Don, ($10.95) is a bowl of assorted sashimi on top of sushi rice. The assorted sashimi ranges from, salmon, wild salmon, tuna, octopus, shrimp and tamago. The assorted sashimi tasted wonderful but the sushi rice on the bottom does not bring the whole bowl to justice.

Miso Soup comes complementary with any order of a Don.

Overall, this restaurant has a lot to offer in terms of Japanese cuisine offering Ramen and Sushi. The service was adequate and the specialty roll I tried was delicious. I would probably come back here again to try out the other specialty rolls and of course try the Ramen.

Words of Wisdom

Lunch and Dinner Specials
They serve Ramen and Sushi
Fresh Sushi

We Rate Ogenki Sushi:
Address:
4342 Main St
Vancouver, BC
Website:
http://www.ogenkisushi.ca/

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In Four Beakers

Kadoya Japanese Restaurant on Denman Street

July 13, 2011

Hello Internet! RomanJ here! Today we explore one of my favorite restaurants – Kadoya. Kadoya is a chain Japanese restaurant in the downtown core specializing in sushi rolls. One branch is located on Davie Street right beside the St. Paul’s hospital, which is always filled with hospital employees. The other one is Kadoya on Denman Street, right beside English Bay.

Right off the bat, Kadoya on Denman street is way bigger than the one on Davie Street and less busy. They also have the same menu! If you want to try new roles, this is the place to be. On their menu they have a section called Chef’s recommendations and there are over 15 rolls in the menu to choose from.

Abbytizer and I hit up Kadoya, so, as always we order a ton of food – King’s Roll, Maple Roll, Salmon Takai and the Roll Combo G.

Off the Chef’s Recommendation menu, I ordered the King’s Roll ($9.95) . What’s intriguing about this roll is that its comprised of prawn, wild salmon, onion, garlic, tobiko, and topped off with honey mustard. Who would have ever thought honey mustard would go so well with this roll. The honey mustard blended well with everything! Truly a roll to try! It’s out of ordinary and could say fit for a king.

Maple Roll ($8.95) is composed of salmon, cream cheese ( we love that cream cheese), smoked salmon. Anything cream cheese just melts so well with the salmon.

Salmon Taki ($12.00) has green salad, ponzu sauce, sprinkled with dried up garlic and green onion are so good. This dish is also pretty huge. The best value for your money! I could just order this meal, have a drink and I would be set.

Roll Combo G ($10.50) consists of spicy salmon, spicy tuna and california roll. This combo is worth the price and the spicy salmon is good.

The quality of food at Kadoya’s is good, anything off the chef’s recommendation menu has not disappointed me at all. My goal is to try all of the chef’s rolls.

Words of Wisdom:

Order a roll from the Chefs Recommendation Section
Kadoya’s on Denman is less busy that it’s sister restaurant on Davie Street
Near the beach, for a nice stroll after eating all that sushi

We Rate Kadoya Japanese Restaurant:

Address:

202 – 1184 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.kadoya.ca

In Downtown

Good Late Night Eats at “The Refinery”

June 24, 2011

Hello Internet! It’s Roman J here with another food post. Today I explore a hidden gem in downtown Vancouver. After attending the Bruno Mars concert with Abbytizer, we were on the hunt for quality food. Not just fast food or restaurant chain food but late night quality food. Walking down Granville street at 12am with several restaurants closed and only fast-food joints open, Abbytizer and I stumbled across this restaurant called the “The Refinery”.

This restaurant is hidden beside Sip Lounge. Abbytizer and I mistook it to be the upstairs of Sip Lounge, little did we know it was another restaurant. The Refinery has an upscale feel with hardwood floors, modern decor and a large bar. They also had a dj pumping electro music. The music wasn’t too loud, you could still have a conversation with the person next to you. With a name called “The Refinery” they have a large selection of wines and drinks. We ordered the beef salad, sopressata and arrancini balls.

The Sopressata ($14.00) is composed of Sicilian spicy salami, taleggio, roasted red pepper on flat bread. This is literally a rectangular mini pizza. The spicy salami was not that spicy. Both Abbytizer and I enjoyed this flat bread.

The Beef Salad ($12.00) is composed of beef tenderloin, arugula, tomatos and croutons with candied horseradish. The salad although small in size, was delicious. The beef with the dressing along with the leaves blended well together.

Arrrancini Balls ($12.00) is deep fried truffled risotto with tomato relish on top. They came in a set of 3. Abbytizer enjoyed every bite of this meal. The deep fried truffled risotto was hot and had a crunchy outside with a smooth texture inside.

For dessert we had Profiteroles ($8.00) with amaretto cream and chocolate sauce. Profilteroles are good in general, but what added that extra sweetness was the fresh chocolate sauce.

Abbytizer and I loved the food here. The service was good too! The server/bartender made abbytizer a personal drink off the menu which consisted of pineapple juice, vodka and other ingredient.

Overall, we would come back even the though the portions are a bit small. We recommend this place to anyone looking for a quality late night food.

Words of Advice:

Quality food, open late till 2am
Service is good
Small portions

We rate The Refinery:

Address:

1115 Granville St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.therefineryvancouver.com

In Japanese

Togo Sushi: Fast Food Sushi

May 15, 2011

Hello Internet! RomanJ here! This time we went to Togo Sushi inside Guildford Mall located in Surrey. I usually avoid going to Togo Sushi because I always dismiss it as a fast food sushi place for mall employees. However this time, my sister and I had a deep craving for sushi and we didn’t want to drive all the way to Vancouver. Since we were already in the mall doing errands, we decided to try Togo Sushi.

Togo Sushi in Guildford Mall is surprisingly nice. It’s brightly lit with dark wooden seats and nice décor setting the atmosphere. To order you have to go up to the counter, place your order then wait at your table with the number. The sushi arrives all together on a plate.

We ordered, assorted sashimi, Alaska Roll and a Maki combo consisting of: a California roll, dynamite roll and a tuna roll.

The Assorted Sashimi ($11.95) has some pretty big pieces of sashimi. Salmon sashimi was surprisingly not bad, however the Tuna sashimi was a big disappointment. The tuna was very cold, making us speculate that it was pre-cut and refrigerated.

The Maki combo ($8.75) was probably the best deal on the menu. The California roll is nothing spectacular but standard, the dynamite roll was surprisingly good; the tempura in the roll was fresh, and the Tuna roll was decent.

The Alaska Roll ($3.95) was extremely good, beyond my expectation from Togo. I believe the salmon covering the roll added the extra flavor to the roll.

Togo Sushi is a decent sushi place, where people can go to get a quick fix of sushi. It does have some decent rolls, however I would not go here looking to try new exotic rolls. Togo Sushi does cater for the people who are on the go and it’s decently price.

Words of Wisdom:

Maki Combo ($8.75) probably the best value on the menu
Fast food Sushi

We Rate ToGo Sushi:

Address:

2320 Guildford Town Centre
Surrey, BC

Website:
www.togosushi.ca

In Food Carts

Fasttrac Fusion Meals on Wheels: Skewers, Skewers, Skewers

May 13, 2011

Hello Internet! Roman J. We checked out one of the new food trucks called Fasttrac Fusion Meals on Wheels on 49^th and Cambie. It is literally right outside Langara’s Canada Line station. This food truck serves skewers, asian subs, and rice bowls.

It was like a mini night market, but you don’t have to travel to Richmond to get a taste of delectable street food.

Abbytizer, BactadThingUp, and I went to try out this food truck. We ordered a few skewers such as the fish ball skewer, curry skewer, beef skewer, lamb skewer, and the teriyaki chicken sub.

The Fish Ball Skewers (3 for $5) are extremely good and well priced. We had sauté skewers and curry fish balls. When we received our fish ball skewers they were fresh out of the pot, and very hot. The fish balls were soft and juicy when you bite into them. They just melt in your mouth!

The 2 Beef Skewers were tender and seasoned with sesame seeds. The lamb skewer was also tender. Abbytizer, BactadThingUp and I agree that the skewers were delicious.

Teriyaki Chicken Sub ($4.50) was ok. The bread was really thick, making it hard to taste the flavor of the lettuce, purple onions, and the chicken teriyaki. If the bread was less thick, I believe the sub would have tasted better.

Fast Track Fusion Meals on Wheels, is an excellent place to get Fish ball and skewers on the go. Plus, this is a meal that will not break the bank! Great for students, great for cheap people, great for anyone. I highly recommend getting any of the Skewers.

Words of Wisdom:

Best deal are the skewers, 3 for $5
Near Canada Line Station
Cheap and quick

We rate Fasttrac Fusion Meals on Wheels:

Address:

6450 Cambie St
Vancouver, BC

In Four Beakers

Clubhouse Sushi: Japanese Food

April 14, 2011

Hello Internet! RomanJ here.This time I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver with Abbytizer. Clubhouse Sushi is a family owned restaurant located in an industrial area close to the Olympic Village.

Abbytizer and I were hungry so we ordered a lot of food.

We ordered the Holy Dynamite Roll. The holy dynamite roll is a deep-fried roll with their house special sauce on the side. The house special sauce is a spicy, sweet, peanut looking sauce which adds that extra kick to the roll. The roll is extremely good and fresh.

Next on the list is the Club House Cream Cheese Roll, the roll consists of cream cheese, tempura, red pepper and cucumber. These ingredients give the roll a fresh crunch when you eat it.

Tuna Steak Ponzu was perfectly seared and it contrasted well with the lettuce, which provides that nice crunch to go along with the sour ponzu taste. This dish is delicious. The tuna just melts with the ponzu sauce in your mouth.

Marinate Salmon sashimi is marinated nicely with the spices. I can’t put the name of the spices, however both Abbytizer and I enjoyed this dish.

Abbytizer ordered a medium size Seafood Okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki dish took a long time for it to come our table but it is definitely worth the wait. The Seafood Okonomiyaki is composed of bite size pieces of salmon, tuna, prawn, squid; all mixed together in the cooked batter with Okonomi sauce on top. Each bite you can taste the distinct seafood blend with the Okonomi sauce.

To top off the night, we ordered the mango slushy drinks. The drinks were a good with that distinctive mango taste, a good way to end the feast.

Abyytizer and I come often to this restaurant. The owner and waitresses are really nice and friendly. We both love the flavors that each dish has and the portions are really satisfying.

Words of the Advice

Seafood Okonomiyaki takes a while for it to come out
Open late on weekdays till 11pm, and closes at 12am on Friday & Saturday
Walking distance to Canada Line

We Rate Clubhouse Sushi:

Address:

255 W 2nd Ave
Vancouver, BC V5Y

Website:
www.clubhouserestaurant.com

In Dessert

Dot. Desserts: A Parfait Bar

March 27, 2011

RomanJ here! Abbytizer and I decided to try out probably one of the only parfait bars in South Vancouver called, “Dot. Desserts”. The desert bar is somewhat hidden since the sign outside the dessert bar states “bubble house”, which is confusing for first time comers. The “Dot. Desserts” is only recognizable with their small sidewalk sign.

Dot. Desserts is a small dessert bar, with high 4 high tables and somewhat dim lighting. It has nicely displaced framed pictures on the wall. Plus, its a nice place to bring a date.

I ordered the Strawberry parfait, while Abbytizer ordered the Espresso parfait.

The Strawberry Parfait ($6.88) is delicious. The parfait consists of freshly cut strawberries on top of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, covered with whip cream and streaked strawberry sauce. The middle of the parfait consists of more ice cream with Vector Cereal (or could be corn flakes), adding a crunch to each every flavorful bit. At the bottom of the parfait is a sponge cake covered with mixture of melted ice cream and strawberry sauce. The Strawberry is outstanding and will fulfill anyone’s parfait cravings.

Abbytizer had the Espresso parfait, is made of chocolate moose, vanilla ice cream, with chocolate sauce on top. In the middle, sponge cake, a layer of cereal, chocolate sauce, mixed with more ice cream and espresso of course. The Espresso parfait was also delicious. The mixtures of flavors really melted together well.

Overall, we liked the parfaits at Dot. Desserts. They have variety of flavors to choose from. We’ll definitely come back to try out the other flavors.

Words of Wisdom:

Reasonably priced
They offer more than just parfaits: crepes, slush & milk tea drinks and subs

We rate Dots. Desserts:

Address:

5556 Cambie St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.dotdesserts.ca

In Japanese

Tokyo John Sushi

March 23, 2011

I’m RomanJ, a friend of DesignGirl and I’ll be talking about Tokyo John Sushi (located on Cambie and 33^rd Street). I stumbled upon this joint after traveling to one of my favorite sushi joints- “Club House Sushi” only to find out it was closed on Mondays.

On the search for a sushi joint on Cambie Street, I saw Tokyo John Sushi on the side of road, sticking out with it’s huge sign. I decide go in with Abbytizer to fulfill my sushi craving. Tokyo John Sushi is a very small sushi joint that has the standard sushi menu, however there are a few “house specials”.

I ordered the Ebi sunomono and Abbytizer orderd the miso soup, both were up to par with sushi joint standards. The ebi sunomono noodles were well cooked, reminiscent of the vermicelli noodles but thicker. The ebi sunomono also came with 2 pieces of large shrimp bigger than your standard AYCE sushi joint.

We ordered the California Roll with real crab, scallop & tobiko roll, Philadelphia roll, Boston roll and the tuna & salmon sashimi. California roll and the scallop & tobiko roll came out together and were presented in alternating rolls, same with the Boston roll and Philadelphia Roll

The California Roll with real crabmeat was a big disappointment to Abbytizer and myself. We were unable to distinguish the taste of the real crabmeat, also the roll was extremely cold meaning it could possible be pre-made.

The scallop & tobiko roll was good for what it was. The scallop had the right texture and taste, however it didn’t have that extra kick.

The Philadelphia roll and Boston roll (tuna and avocado) were decent rolls that satisfied the sushi urge, but nothing spectacular.

The Salmon & Tuna sashimi was a big let down. The salmon and tuna was frozen and not fresh, it was obvious that salmon was thawed. The Salmon and Tuna sashimi were both chewy, and did not melt in your mouth like fresh sashmi.

Tokyo John Sushi is a decent neighborhood sushi joint, however I would not go to great lengths to eat here.

Words of Wisdom: