Foodology
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In burger

A&W Canada: Mushroom Mozzarella Cheese and Egger Review

For a limited time only, A&W Canada is releasing their Mushroom mozzarella cheese and egger available all day as well as the mushroom mozzarella burger. It’s just the addition of the sauteed crimini mushrooms and slice of real mozzarella cheese, but who doesn’t love cheese and mushrooms together?

For mine, I also added a sausage patty to it too. The breakfast sandwich tasted good and not overly greasy or salty, which is a nice change. A solid item for breakfast if you’re hungry. It’s good that they use quality ingredients and is continually improving.

A&W has released similar versions in the past – Mushroom Mozza Burger. They have similar burgers back on the menu for a limited time too. This is similar to the breakfast sandwich but in a burger format with grilled onions.

Website:
http://www.aw.ca

 

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In Downtown

Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba: Japanese Noodles in Downtown Vancouver

Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba opened up in Downtown Vancouver right under BCIT Downtown Campus on Seymour Street. Japanese Chef Takuma Ishikawa created KOKORO mazesoba in Tokyo Japan in 2013 and soon expanded quickly around Japan. Ever since they opened in Vancouver, its sent the city in a frenzy over their mazesoba.

Mazesoba is literally translated as mixed noodle – a soupless ramen.

Interior

There are a good amount of seats, but I usually avoid the rush. If you want to get a seat around lunch, come at 12 or before then. For dinner, early is best around 5:30pm.

If you just want ice cream to go, you can order it at the counter and bypass the lineup. This would be great for the Summer.

Menu

Nika Mazesoba

This is their best seller mazesoba on the menu. It has slow-brased chashu, spicy minced park, raw egg yolk, minced garlic, green onion, seaweed flakes, saba fish, chives, and their multi-grain noodles which is made in house.

Zenbu Mazesoba

Zenbu Mazesoba is their chef’s special and it has a bit of everything. It has slow-braised pork chashu, spicy minced pork, raw egg yolk, seaweed, soft boiled egg, bamboo shoot, seaweed flakes, chives, green onion, minced garlic, saba fish, and their multi-grain noodles.

Don’t forget to get the free scoop of rice afterwards to soak up all the extra sauce.

Mentaiko Cream Mazesoba

There is mentaiko, slow-braised pork chashu, raw egg yolk, seaweed flakes, spinach, green onion, minced garlic, Japanese cream sauce, saba fish, and the multi-grain noodles. It was very delicious and there is plenty of sauce on the noodles and you’ll want the extra ball of rice to soak it all up.

Chicken Karaage

The pork gyozas are crisp and have a nice subtle ginger taste. A good side dish to go with your meal.

Pork Gyoza

The pork gyozas are crisp on the bottom. Very delicious and has a good mixture of pork and veggie.

Kokoro Yogurt Refresher

You can get this in passionfruit or peach flavours, but it is a very sweet drink.

Tokyo Iced Milk Tea

They also have milk tea which is brewed with 100% organic black tea.

Hokkaido Creme Cone

This sells in limited quantities as they can only make so many cones per day. It is made with organic milk soft serve ice cream made by their Japanese Nissei machine. It is delicious and the cookie cone is addictive. The only problem with it is that it melts fast and will start leaking out the bottom, so be careful when eating.

Fuji Cheese Cup Cake

The spoons are so cute as it’s shaped like a shovel. There is cheesecake, which is rich and delicious. On the bottom, there is a chocolate cookie crumb on the bottom to break up the taste.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the hype is real and their mazesoba is the start of the show. Drinks are mediocre, but the desserts and side dishes are good accompaniments. I didn’t have the ramen this time, but since Mazesoba is their specialty, you’ll want to go get that.

Address:
551 Seymour St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://menyakokoro.com/

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In Cafe

Hui Lau Shan: Now Open in Downtown Vancouver

It was late at night and my friends and I stumbled upon Hui Lau Shan open on Denman Street close to Robson Street. I have been anticipating their opening for a while as the first location in Kerrisdale is a bit far for me to get to.

Hui Lau Shan is a Hong Kong dessert maker that specializes in Mango desserts. If you’ve been to Hong Kong, it’s the place to cool off during the hot Summer with their mango drinks. They look like they are slowly expanding in Metro Vancouver with the next location inside the T&T Supermarket in Richmond.

Interior

The space is a decent size with a few tables for groups of 4ish. There seemed to be some people doing take out and some staying inside to eat and chit chat. My friends decided to stay a bit and enjoy the desserts while chit chatting.

After you put in your order, you get an electronic device that will signal you when your order is ready.

Menu 

Mango Romance

This is a popular item as it’s essentially a taster of 3 different dishes – mango pomelo sago, mango mochi and mango chewy ball. It’s full of mango goodness.

Mango Pomelo Sago

A classic item with mango puree, tapioca, mango pieces, and pomelo. You can devour this all yourself or share with a friend.

Final Thoughts

We got the 2 most popular items on the menu and it really took us back to Hong Kong. The mangoes were perfectly ripe with the right amount of tartness and sweetness. The size of the overall desserts could be a bit bigger for what you pay for but given the rising costs in Vancouver like rent, labour, and food costs, I can see why they charge higher prices in comparison to places in Asia.

The taste itself was good, but presentation could be a bit better as the mango chunks were hastily cut. It took then a while to create the desserts but given that it was their first day, they have some kinks to work out before they have their grand opening.

Nonetheless, they are in Vancouver and gives us more dessert options in Downtown Vancouver.

Address:
907 Denman St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.hlsvancouver.com/

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In Downtown

Wasabi Robson: Aburi, Sushi Rolls and Bento Boxes

Wasabi Robson is the newest sushi restaurant to open up in Downtown Vancouver at the Vancouver Public Library. I saw them on Instagram and wanted to make a visit as they make a few aburi-style sushi items on the menu as well as more affordable items like bento box sets, curry and udon. They seem to cater those who want a quick meal and those who want a bit more of an indulgence like aburi at lower prices.

Interior

They take reservations after 3pm, so I made one for my group of friends. The restaurant is half seating and half kitchen. The traffic fluctuated through the night but if you are in a larger group, reservations are best.

They are fairly new and have some kinks to work out. Service was very mediocre, so we were rarely given tea until we asked and also they didn’t clear the dishes or give us the bill. Also the abundance of fruit flies were very bothersome.

Menu

Crown Tart

The Crown Tart is made with scallop, wild salmon, tuna, avocado, sushi rice, and aburi sauce. Then topped with lemon slices and shrimp. It’s a good size and very delicious. You can have it by yourself or share with the table.

Wild Salmon Aburi Oshi

This comes with 6 pieces per order and it has flame-seared wild salmon sushi with their signature aburi sauce on top with a piece of jalapeño.

Saba Aburi Oshi

This has flame-seared mackerel sushi with their signature sauce on top. The saba is a salty mackerel that is always very delicious in aburi form. The sauce on top is different than the other aburi items.

Ebi Aburi Oshi

This has flame-seared shrimp sushi with their signature sauce on top. Another delicious item.

Gyoza

It comes with 5 pieces but we asked them to make it 6 pieces and added a dollar extra so it would be easier for the table to split as we were a party of 6. It was good but it would have been nice is there was some sauce or dip to go along with it like ponzu sauce.

Salmon Avocado Roll

This uses wild salmon and avocado rolled up in sushi rice. Perfectly ripe avocados and good quality wild salmon.

Final Thoughts

If you want a good inexpensive simple meal, the bento boxes are the way to go as they are just over $10. Good for a quick cheap lunch. For this visit, I went more the aburi items and they were good for the price.  The only things that bothered me were the service and cleanliness. Those are the two things they should really work on.

Their hours are limited as they aren’t open weekends and close early into the evenings on weekdays.

Address:
202-345 Robson St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.wasabirobson.com/

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In Cafe

Lot185 Cafe and Wine Bar in Downtown Vancouver

Lot185 is located inside the Vancouver Convention Centre West, closest to Jack Poole Plaza. They are a coffee bar by day and wine bar by night. They feature locally-roasted coffee by Moja Coffee, freshly baked pastries made in-house, and tapas with a full wine and beer menu.

The Vancouver Convention Centre has award-winning catering services and with similar staff, they operate out of the same kitchen using the freshest local and seasonal ingredients when possible. Whether you work in the area or are a convention attendee, you’ll have a good bite and sip here.

Cafe by Day

The cafe is great for a quick coffee and pastries in the morning. As most people are on the go, their lines go quickly. There are other cafés in the area, but sometimes it’s nice to try something different. Plus, their pastries are made in-house and are quite tasty.

Menu

Coffee and Pastries

Coffee, teas, and espresso based drinks are popular especially with the morning crowd. It’s best paired with their freshly baked daily pastries, paninis or breakfast sandwiches. You can get these items for lunch too.

Wine Bar by Night

The Wine Bar is open in the evenings from 4pm till 9pm. They have a selection of local and international wines and beers. On the menu are small tapa-style dishes to accompany the drinks. Always good to have nibbles and drinks.

Menu

Small Bites

The menu focuses on their Neapolitan-style pizza that have a thin crust with simple ingredients. They have 3 different varieties – funghi blanca, prosciutto e rucola, and margherita.

The other items are small bites that are meant for sharing like their charcuteries with different meats and cheeses.

Serrano ham and marinated olives 

Manchego cheese and roasted red pepper bikinis

They even have a few homemade dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth.  This is their Tart Au Citron with a vanilla crust, lemon curd, and toasted whipped marshmallow. They also have a few other desserts for those who are into chocolate and other fruity flavours.

Final Thoughts

As Lot185 is inside the convention centre, it is hard to spot from the outside despite the signs.

The wine bar is a great place for people finishing conferences and are looking for a comfortable and chill space to hang out.

Address:
78-1055 Canada Place
(next to Jack Poole Plaza)

Website:
http://lot185.com/

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In Downtown

Dining on Aeroplan Diamond status #withaeroplan

We were recently taken behind-the-scenes of a what dining with Aeroplan is like for Diamond Status cardholders. As part of an appreciation dinner, cardholders were treated with a special dining experience hosted at the Vancouver Club. The food was prepared by chefs and sustainable seafood advocates Rick Moonen, Barton Seaver and Ned Bell, and wine pairings by DJ Kearney.

This Vancouver event was the first of three appreciation dinners with the next two being in Montreal and Toronto.

The night started with cocktails and appetizers. We were soon whisked away to the dining area, where we enjoyed a beautiful four-course meal made with sustainability and our ocean’s offering in mind.

All three chefs and the sommelier of the night were on hand to entertain us and tell the story of how the dishes came to be and why the specific wine was chosen.

First Course

The first course by Chef Rick Moonen was a crudo of Hawaiian Kanpachi with ginger, turmeric, chili, lime caviar, and tangerine oil – paired with a Tantalus Old Vine Riesling 2015. The dish was fresh and the flavours worked extremely well together. Although the ingredients may sound strong, the tastes were harmonious and refreshing.

The old vine riesling was our favourite wine of the night – a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.

Second Course

The second course by Chef Barton Seaver was dungeness crab salad with Windsett Bibbs lettus, heirloom tomatoes, eggs, and sauce louis – paired with a Coolshanagh Chardonnay 2016. Another delicious dish and fantastic wine pairing. The chardonnay was lighter bodied and was a perfect match for the crab.

Third Course

The third course by Chef Ned Bell was West Creek Coho Salmon with Chilliwack corn, late summer squash succotash, cashew cream & crumble, and a spicy peach vinaigrette – paired with the Unsworth Pinot Noir 2016.

The succotash, cashew cream, and vinaigrette made this dish playful and each bite just slightly different. The ingredients were seasonal and you could tell how the dish told the story of the near end-of-summer season in B.C.

The lighter-bodied, fruity, slightly earthy and smoother pinot noir was a perfect match for this lightly seared salmon.

Dessert

And the fourth course, dessert, was one of our favourites! It was an organic milk chocolate and kelp mousse with smoked sea salt caramel, salmon berries, and tonka bean foam – paired with the Quails’ Gate Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2017 dessert wine.

The mousse wasn’t overly sweet and allowed you to really taste how the chocolate interacted with the other flavours on the dish. The dessert wine was also delicious – not overly sweet and well balanced, with flavours of apricot, peach, and floral notes.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we had a fantastic time dining #withaeroplan! We also learned lots about how to pair seafood with wine and the importance of making sustainable choices in our eating habits.

If you’re not an Aeroplan member, you can sign up free online. You can earn sufficient eligible miles to reach Aeroplan status and enjoy the benefits like this the following year, so be sure to keep an eye on your earnings. We personally use our miles to redeem for travel perks like flights and hotels.

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In Cafe

Faubourg: Lavender Tea, Lavender Latte, Lavender Pastries and More

Are you a fan of lavender? Faubourg in Vancouver has launched their lavender collection containing  new items that will tempt lavender lovers. Through these new items, they are taking guests to the lavender fields of Provence France. If you love lavender, you definitely want to check out these treats and drinks.

As we came here for a tasting, all the pastries we tried were sample sizes and do not represent the normal portion sizes.

Lavender and Strawberry Pastry

This has lavender honey and sage mousse paired with a sweet strawberry gelee and a lavender vanilla sponge cake.

Blueberry and Lavender Opera Cake

It has layers of blueberry infused almond sponge cake, blueberry jam, lavender ganache, finished with a blueberry gelée.

Lavender Earl Grey Macaron

Macaron infused with lavender and earl grey.

Blueberry and Lavender Chausson

This flakey pastry is filled with a blueberry and lavender jam.

Lavender Black Tea Latte

Lavender Latte

Final Thoughts

The introduction of all these lavender items are actually really delicious. My two favourite items were the lavender latte and the blueberry and lavender opera cake. The other items were good too, but if I had to choose one drink and one treat, those would be it. You can find these new menu items in their lavender collection at all locations – West Vancouver, Downtown, and Kerrisdale.

Address:
769 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://faubourg.com/

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In Dessert

Perverted Ice Cream: Not so Sexy Ice Cream in Vancouver

Perverted Ice Cream is the latest dessert shop to open up in Downtown Vancouver. They are known for their stylish black and white brand with creative ice cream combinations on their menu. I was Downtown with my friends and we decided to stop here for a sweet treat to the end of the night.

Interior

The space is really small, so it’s all grab and go. There is a very very tiny waiting area with merchandise you can purchase.

Some of the items here are cheeky, but still not too perverted.

Matcha Macho Man

This has cream and chocolate swirl soft serve, Mondo matcha, coconut crumble, and black chocolate wafer in a naked cone. It’s essentially a dressed up twist cone. The flavour combination was ok.

Cocoa-Dependency

There is chocolate soft serve, chocolate sauce, and chocolate pieces all in a naked cone. This is a go to for the chocolate lovers out there.

Beg For S’more

This has chocolate soft serve, cocoa, chocolate sauce, graham cracker, and toasted marshmallow.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the flavours were decadent, but the ice cream cones really didn’t wow me. It wasn’t perverted or X Rated enough for my liking. Their marketing and branding are great but felt like it fell through when we ate the ice cream.

Address:
797 Thurlow St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://pervertedicecream.com/

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In Downtown

Ramen Taka: Ramen Challenge in Vancouver

Ramen Taka aka Ramen Takanotsume is launching their Giga Ramen Challenge on June 1st and it’s not for the faint of heart. I came to watch my friend Maggie attempt this challenge and wow…it’s not easy. In 30 minutes, you must finish the whole bowl unassisted. There is the equivalent of 5 bowls of ramen in there. If you fail, you pay the price of 4 bowls. For example, if you got the Shoyu, that is $11.95 x 4, which is $47.80. If you are victorious, it’s free.

She loves a challenge, so she was drawn to it right away. Make sure you reserve ahead of time to ensure they have time to put it together.

Giga Ramen Challenge

The big bowl of ramen start off with their delicious broth that is topped with their delicious seasoned Hokkaido lard. You can choose shoyu, shio or miso as your broth. Their broth os made with a mixture of pork bones, veggies, and seafood simmered for many hours to be able to get a deep flavour in the broth.

Maggie went with the Dragon’s Dewdrop Shoyu Ramen for the challenge as it’s lightest of the flavours and she felt like she had a better chance of finishing it.

As they built the Giga Ramen, it kept getting bigger and bigger. It’s crazy how much goes into this.

Even the staff were curious about their first competitor and wondered if she could do it all.

Regular Sized Ramen

This is the regular size, so it’s a good portion for those who aren’t up for the challenge. I got the Dragon’s Dewdrop Shoyu Ramen too as it was recommended for first timers. The piece of chashu and seaweed were huge as it sits on the side of the bowl, and the egg, black fugus, green onions and bamboo shoots accompany the delicious noodles and broth. I was surprised by the broth and how good it tasted for a shoyu based broth. I do like my broths more fatty, so it’s definitely not for everyone. It is also piping hot as, so you need to wait a bit before digging in.

BEGIN THE GIGA RAMEN CHALLENGE

This in comparison to the regular bowl is colossal as it is 5 times larger. I won’t spoil the outcomes if Maggie finished it or not, but you can read her blog here. She also has a video, so you can watch every detail of sweat.

Are you ready for the Giga Ramen Challenge?

Faceboook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/ramentaka.ca/

Address:
841 Bidwell St, Vancouver, BC

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In Downtown

Kurumucho: Japanese Taco Shop in Vancouver

Kurumucho is a Japanese Taco Shop in Vancouver. M and I wanted to grab a bite before seeing a movie, so we decided to come here for some of their unique tacos. The menu looks very healthy, so it is one of the better options in the area.

Interior

The shop is small and very narrow. There are many seats but its suited for groups of 2 or 4.

Menu

Spider Sushi Taco

There is a whole soft shell crab in this tempura seaweed taco shell. There is also multigrain sushi rice, avocado, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts and their aurora sauce. It was pretty good with different textures and not heavy at all.

Soy Garlic Salmon Sushi Taco

In this tempura seaweed taco shell is wild sockeye salmon, multigrain sushi rice, avocado, cucumber, spring salad mix, soy garlic sauce, sesame seeds and nori on top. The quality of the salmon was really good and the taco overall had clean flavours. I enjoyed it.

Pork Brisket Kakuni Taco

This taco is a bit different as it’s on a tortilla wrap. There is pork brisket, spring lettuce mix, avocado, cayenne pepper, cilantro, Jalapeño, tomato, onion, pickled ginger, and a mustard garlic sauce. They highly recommended their taco and it was good.

Chicken Breast Karaage

We shared this dish and it was also delicious. It has the deep fried chicken breast with tonkatsu mayo. On the bottom of the bowl is spring lettuce mix. The chicken was surprisingly moist for chicken breast.

Beets Marble Ice Cream

This ice cream caught our eye and we had to get it. It has coconut milk, soy milk, cane sugar, beets, coconut oil, salt, guar gum, vanilla powder, vanilla extract and lemon juice. It is organic, vegan and gluten-free. We were pleasantly surprised.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food at Kurumucho was delicious. I like how there are a lot of items on the menu that cater to those who are vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free. The sushi tacos are unique and they do a good job creating those tempura seaweed shells.

We Rate Kurumucho: 

Address:
985 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC

Website: https://www.kurumucho.com/

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In Cocktails

Dublin Calling Rooftop is Now Open on Granville Street

Dublin Calling is a Irish Pub and Kitchen on Granville Street. They recently launched their rooftop patio for the Summer for guests to gather over drinks, food and savour all the sunshine that will come our way. The the main floor, they have a lot of games like skee ball, darts, pool, ping pong and TV screens for the ultimate party setting. Check out our previous article about the space.

Rooftop

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Just head upstairs to the 3rd floor and you’ll find the rooftop. There are 2 bars  to get your drink on and also lots of high tops and booth seating for seat small to large groups.

They can seat up to 283 people in this space and is open until 2am.

‘

It’s one of Granville Streets only roof-top patios, so you’ll get lots of natural light if you want to kick back and relax after work.

Drinks

They have lots of drinks on tap, cocktails, caesars, and even margaritas in buckets.

This is such a cute idea since I don’t know who’s has ever drank an alcoholic drink out of a child’s pail. It definitely caught the attention of many people on the rooftop. Slowly everyone started getting this too.

Address:
900 Granville St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://dublincalling.com/vancouver/

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In Downtown

Assembli: Custom Pizza and Salad, One Flat Rate in Downtown Vancouver

Assembli has opened their newest location in Downtown Vancouver in the Oceanic Plaza Towers close to Burrard and Pender. They specialize in two things – custom-made salads and pizza. All for one flat price of $14 with any topping you desire. If you’re indecisive just like me, there are a few pre-selected options on the menu.

You won’t see any surprises on your bill for your salad or pizza. It’s very customizable to your taste, so if you hate onions or mushrooms, you’ll never have to see them again.

The ingredients they us are fresh-non-GMO, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and local and organic where possible.

Interior

There are a few tables and seating by the windows, but a lot of people end up getting it to go.

Menu

 

Order Online

If you’re in a rush, you can order your meal online to skip the line. Easy and simple if you have a very short lunch break.

Kale Caesar Salad with Chicken

This is one of their options and I added a protein, which doesn’t increase the price. In the bowl is kale, romaine, home-style croutons, parmesan, Caesar dressing and herb roast chicken.

Carne-Dian Pizza

This has seasoned ground beef, pepperoni, bacon, mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms, red onion, and spicy tomato sauce.

It goes right into their oven which is heated to 700 degrees to get this pizza nice and crisp. I really like the carne-dian as it is a meat-lovers pizza. Can’t go wrong with this unless you’re a vegetarian

Beer

If you’re looking for a drink, they have beer on the menu to pair with their pizza.

Final Thoughts

It’s a good addition to the Downtown area where a lot of financial buildings are. If you’re looking for quick, customizable meal options, here it is.

Address:
1066 West Hastings, Vancouver

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

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In Downtown

Vancouver International Wine Festival: International Tasting Room 2018

One of our most anticipated wine events of the year is the Vancouver International Wine Festival and specifically, our favourite event is the International Tasting Room event. Featuring 173 wineries from a total of 16 countries with tickets ranging from $79 to $95, it’s at an approachable price point especially with so many choices to choose from.

A look inside the International Tasting Room

The room is divided into two sections with one dedicated on the featured region and the other dedicated to wines from other countries. Bread, crackers, cheese and many other snacks are also available throughout the session between the two areas. Featured countries for 2018 were Spain & Portugal.

The event is always well organized, so you won’t run into situations where tables run out of wine or people are dashing madly to fill their glasses.

Famous for their reds, Spain & Portugal boasts beautiful, rich, and bold reds at some very affordable prices.

Our Favourites

A few of our favourite discoveries this year included:

We can’t wait for next year’s featured region, California!

Website: https://vanwinefest.ca/

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In Cocktails

Science of Cocktails 2018: 1500 Attendees Raising $276,695

Science World’s Science of Cocktails returned for its 3rd year this February and it was just as dazzling as the years before. Yes it is a fundraiser, but don’t expect a stuffy gathering of the elite with crab cakes, standing tables and polite applause. In Vancouver, we do it our way. Like other annual city favorites, it’s where people gather to watch artists of their respective crafts pour their hearts out (into our cups) for a great time out.

It was a sold out house of 1500 and raised $276,695 to support the Science World Class Field Trip Bursary, which allows kids from underserved schools an opportunity to go on a free class field trip to Science World. Remember staring up at the giant twinkling disco ball that is Science World while your teachers counted you?

Help bring memories to more kids at next year’s event on Feburary 7, 2019. Tickets will start at $125. Note that you can get a tax receipt when you purchase a ticket too. Sign up to be notified when they go on sale: https://www.scienceworld.ca/cocktails/tickets.

As for what to expect, this year 35 new creative cocktails headlined this year, all different from 2017, with 11 food stations run by local favorites like Pidgin, Bao Down the Donnelly Group and more. Don’t let the cute cups fool you, trust the safety goggles, these drinks mean business.

Last year I took my time and listened to all the science, like how they made a boulevardier as an ice cream . This year we tried to conquer the whole circuit before the night ran out. Whatever your pace, this is a night is perfect cocktail lovers.

My favorite this year was “The Mystique” with Hendricks gin, Fentiman’s tonic water, Ms Better’s Bitters green strawberry bitters, lime juice and butterfly pea flower ice cubes. I’m a sucker for anything with butterfly pea.

If molecular caviar yuzu pearls is not “science” enough for you, guests have the freedom to roam around and enjoy all the little wonders, experiments and exhibits that make up Science World too.

Detailed Old Fashioned with Lot 40 using titration

Muddling liquid nitrogen to make a Nitro Margarita

The Perfect Gin & Tonic with a basil edible “toothpaste”. Sounds really weird, but is very tasty.

Salted Rob Roy with salted caramel sauce featuring liquid nitrogen encapsulation.

Smoked Rosemary Caesar

 

Cubano of Havana Club rum, honey, bitters and sous vide bananas.

 

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In American

Cocktails and Canapés at The Victor

“To the victor belong the spoils.” After arriving on the sixth-floor rooftop, I already felt like a winner about to enjoy my prize. The evening was elevated with spectacular views of BC Place, a water feature, and ambient lights. The Victor is located at Parq, Vancouver’s newest casino with two luxury hotels. The Victor is one of four restaurants at this entertainment destination, and is cleverly named to reflect the “spoils,” or wins, guests may experience while they stay, dine or play at Parq.

The Victor offers the ultimate dining experience with it’s classic North American steak and seafood menu.

The meat carving station, fresh seafood and sushi bar, salad station and dessert bar were impressive to say the least. Since the restaurant boasts its steak and seafood, I quickly navigated to these areas, after picking up a little bubbly.

The meat carving station had striploin steak that was perfectly seared to a medium-rare. It was tender, moist and oh-so flavourful! Grainy mustard and chimichurri were served as complementary accompaniments to this cut of beef. This is definitely a must-try!

The fresh seafood bar made my eyes widen in excitement, when I saw crab legs, oysters and clams on display. The sushi bar was impressive as well. The rectangular dishes of various nigiri and rolls looked elevated. I am usually skeptical of a restaurant that offers both steak and sushi, but I was impressed with the quality of sushi at the restaurant.

There was a lovely and enticing dessert bar, which showcased some items on their menu, plus candy.

The dessert that stood out amongst the rest was the Crème Brûlée Donut. It is a creme-filled puff topped with hardened caramel, which is reminiscent of sugar that is torched on top of a traditional crème brûlée. It was sweet, creamy and oh-so indulgent!

The food wasn’t the only impressive thing about The Victor. The restaurant staff were very friendly and hospitable. I talked to a few and asked what they liked on the menu. Their responses were so passionate, I could tell that they really liked what they recommended! I found out that the really good sushi wasn’t out that night, so I will make a return visit just to try the Hamachi Nobu Style.

The restaurant is adjacent to a lounge, which is a great space for cocktails and convo with great company. It’s a lux space to wait, have a drink, and look out the window to enjoy the city view.

If you’re looking for a delicious cut of steak, fresh seafood, and an elevated space for cocktails, make your way to The Victor, Vancouver’s newest dining destination.

Address:
39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.parqvancouver.com/restaurants/the-victor/

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In Downtown

Ancora Waterfront Dining & Patio: Pescatarian Tasting Menu

Ancora Waterfront Dining & Patio just released their Pescatarian Tasting menu from February 19 till March 31. The menu has 5 Peruvian-Japanese fusion dishes by executive chef Ricardo Valverde.

I personally love tasting menus as it gives you a glimpse into the chef mind and see more creativity than on a regular menu. Plus, the ingredients that go into the dishes are fresh and in season. Plus, you might discover a new favourite dish.

Pisco Sour is the national drink of Peru and we got a little taste before the meal.

Amuse

This taster has lobster bisque, coconut espuma and crispy quinoa. This had a strong and flavourful lobster taste. A good way to kick off this pescatarian menu.

Causa Mixta

This has a selection of shell fish like scallops, white fish, shrimp, and mussels. There is also yam, nori and acevichado sauce.

This is paired with Seastar Stella Maris 2014 from Pender Island, BC. It is a blend of Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris.

Matane shrimp risotto

This dish has cauliflower, hazelnuts, preserved lemon and thyme. The dish was delicious and the texture was very nice. The hazelnut was an interesting element added to the dish but I loved it. The preserved lemon added a good amount of tanginess and the thyme and lemon flavouring went well together. All the flavours in this dish really complimented each other.

This is paired with the Prima Volta Chardonnay 2015 from the Okanagan Valley.

Aji panca glazed sablefish

The sablefish is paired with quinoa crackling, kale gomae, and smoked potato puree on daikon. The sablefish was cooked perfectly and the flakiness it was melt in your mouth. I enjoyed every bite of this dish.

This is paired with the Kettle Valley Reserve Pinot Noir 2013 from Okanagan Valley.

Picarones

Picarones are like a lighter version of a donut.

This is a Peruvian classic with pecans, fig syrup and Lucuma ice cream which tasted like delicious gingerbread. The flavours tied well together and was a joy to finish the meal on this sweet note.

This is paired with the Late Harvest Sperling 2014 from the Okanagan Valley. Great to see all the local BC wines paired with the menu picked by their sommelier team.

Final Thoughts

For $59 per person or $99 with wine pairings, it’s a good price and you will be leaving satisfied.

Address:
1600 Howe St #2, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.ancoradining.com

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In Dineout

BlackBird Pub House: $20 Dine Out Vancouver Menu

This year’s Donnelly Group Dine Out Vancouver menus blend new food program highlights with a number of fresh dishes created by the culinary team. With hearty entrees, satisfying vegetarian options, and tempting desserts-all made-from-scratch-Donnelly Group is proud to offer delicious, value-packed $20 Dine Out menus. Donnelly Group’s culinary team Alvin Pillay, Sarah Stewart, and Chris Stewart have put their stamp on menus which are built around a core group of 14 dishes, mixed and matched to create unique offerings with multiple options at each location.

I went to dine at BlackBird Pub House near Burrard and Dunsmuir with my husband with the added wine pairings too.

This special menu goes on from January 19th till February 4th 2018.

Interior

The space is large and super packed during happy hour, but if you come after 6:30pm, it’s not as crazy.

Kale Caesar

The kale caesar has green apple, garlic croutons, and pumpkin seeds. A good portion for the first course and the dressing is light which I enjoyed a lot. It is paired with Summerhill ‘alive’ organic white from the Okanagan. It was delicious and I liked how the green apple played off notes from the wine.

The BC VQA wine suggestions are from Bar & Beverage Director Trevor Kallies, and this year, each selection is available singly and in different sized pours for sipping, sampling, and sharing.

Cauliflower & Brie Soup

The soup had a hearty depth of flavour with a base of charred lemon yogurt. This was paired with the Gehringer Cabernet Merlot.

Brisket Cavatappi

There is tomato, oregano, olives and grana padano. It’s a pretty big portion with a big chunk of tender shredded brisket. Very comforting and not overly complicated. The only ingredient that threw me off a little bit were the olives.

This dish is paired with Tinhorn Creek Merlot which goes well with the sauce.

Spicy Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

On top is the sweet potato mash with bourbon bbq gravy and on the bottom is the spicy lamb. It was interesting to see it some in a pot since it’s not really a shepherd’s pie.

This was paired with Adega Malbec.

Chocolate Praline Bar

It has peanut butter in the centre and topped with sweet cream and bits of peanuts.

It is pair with the Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, which pairs really well with the dessert. My husband loved it as it has a palate of citrus, baking spices and toffee framed by notes of vanilla and oak.

Coconut Panna Cotta

The coconut panna cotta is topped with peach compote and candied ginger. Along with 2 ginger cookies. This portion was larger than the chocolate praline bar and there’s quite a bit to it.

I had it with the Monkey Shoulder, a blend of three Speyside Single Malts aged in ex-bourbon casks which impart a smooth and mellow vanilla flavour into the whisky with hints of zesty orange, honey and spiced oak.

Final Thoughts

For a $20 3-course set meal, this was pretty good and affordable. If you get the pairings, it will definitely be a lot more than you imagined, but you don’t have to pair with every single dish. All the dishes were good except, the Spicy Lamb Shepherd’s Pie. The best dish of the night was the coconut panna cotta.

We rate BlackBird: 

Address:
905 Dunsmuir St, Vancouver

Website:
http://donnellygroup.ca/the-blackbird

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In Bar and Grill

Dublin Calling: New Party Pub and Kitchen on Granville Strip

There’s a new Irish Pub in Downtown Vancouver and it has taken over the former Ceili’s location. It is Dublin Calling and it has opened its second location in Canada right on the Granville Strip. The first location opened in Toronto in 2015 and has been successful. Dublin Calling will be your new go-to spot to watch the big game and kick back with a few beers and Irish-inspired pub grub with a modern twist. Roman and I checked the place out and here’s a recap of what to expect.

Interior

 

Dublin Calling’s space is large enough to have a group event. There are plenty of TV screens so you can catch the game. In between appetizers, you can enjoy pool, ping pong or darts. We noticed some people lingering in the corner by an arcade game and quickly realized it was a Super Shot Basketball arcade. Roman and I enjoyed challenging each other on it, as we both tried to gain a high score. Too bad we didn’t make any bets since I scored more baskets between the two of us!

Food

We had no expectations for the food as we know that pub food is pretty much standard in terms of what is offered. However, Dublin Calling pleasantly surprised us with what they had. In addition to trying the Shepherd’s Pie Bites, we tried the Roast Beef Stuffed Yorkshire Pudding (with mashed potatoes), Mini Sliders, Fish & Chips and Forest Mushroom Pizza. The Irish-inspired pub grub was tasty. The modern twist was found in dishes like the Pulled-Pork & Mango Pizza. First of all, you don’t expect pizza at an Irish pub. Second of all, I would have never thought to combine pulled-pork and mango together. The savouriness of the pork was complimented well by the sweetness of the mango. It was unexpected, but it was good! We also really liked the Shepherd’s Pie Bites. Can’t go wrong with deep-fried mini Shepherd’s Pie with Guinness bacon cheese sauce! It was the perfect appetizer in a place like this.

Shepherd’s Pie Bites

Roast Beef Stuffed Yorkshire Pudding with Mashed Potatoes

Pulled-Pork & Mango Pizza

You’re sure to be entertained with all the games, TV screens and tasty bites that Dublin Calling has to offer. Just looking for a place to drink? They have a variety of beer on tap too. With the holidays around the corner, this spot is sure to be bustling with work parties and get-togethers. If your looking for a casual spot for a fun night with friends, Dublin Calling is the place.

   

Website:
https://dublincalling.com/vancouver/

Address:
900 Granville St, Vancouver, BC

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