Mount Pleasant/Main Street Archives - Page 2 of 8

In Mexican

La Taqueria: New Location on Main Street

April 4, 2018

La Taqueria recently opened their 6th location on Main Street just off Broadway. I am ecstatic. Main Street is easily one of my favourite areas to go bar and food hopping. Quality gems all around, huge variation and just the perfect level of crowded. Add one of the best taco joints in Vancouver to the mix and Main Street pretty much has all the favourite “casual-frivolous” hang out options that could satisfy any crowd. Cocktail bars, breweries, local coffee, west coast, pho, all day breakfast, pizza, shawarma, dim sum, tiki and now authentic tacos.

Their new location has a different vibe from the Hastings and Cambie locations. The bright yellow, pink and cyan everything has been traded for high ceilings, steel plates and industrial lighting. As for the food, all the same classics prepared as it always has. Now with nachos. I’ll have one of everything please.

Their menu features 8 meat taco options, 4 veggie taco options, 3 seafood options on 6” flour tortillas, nachos, tortilla soup and churros. Every taco is delicious, you can’t go wrong.

My favourites are the cachete (braised beef cheeks, imagine pulled pork but beef), rajas con crema (sweet corn with a kick of poblano pepper), mole (chocolate mole stewed chicken) and the atun (seared tuna with wasabi mayo). Mole always confuses me by its description as a chocolate sauce. It’s made of unsweetened chocolate or dark chocolate so while just a tiniest bit sweet, the only way I can describe it is complex and savoury. In their taco it reminds me of the flavours of Taiwanese pork floss.

Pictured above is the beer battered prawn taco on 6” tortilla. It’s very satisfying.

We were lucky to be invited to their grand opening where the house was filled to the edges. With the live music and the excited bellies, I felt transported to a busy bar in San Francisco’s Mission District on a Saturday night.

La Taqueria’s bar featured 3 cocktails for the night. A classic margarita, a paloma and a mezcal negroni. If you’re looking for something strong, go for the negroni. It’s made with a kiss of fire and appropriately garnished with a lightning bolt shaped orange peel.

A night out only gets betters when you add tacos. Currently they open from 11 am to 9 pm every day except Sunday when they open at noon.

Address:
2521 Main St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.lataqueria.com/

In Bubble Tea

Sharetea: Bubble Tea and TorDa in Vancovuer

March 6, 2018

Sharetea opened their latest location on Cambie Street close to Broadway-City Hall Skytrain on the Canada Line. They started in 1992 in Taipei serving black tea and pearl milk tea. Since then Sharetea has opened over 450 stores in 18 countries. We came here to try a few of their signature drinks as well as their TorDa treats.

Interior

There are a few tables inside to sit with group if you are lucky enough to snag a table. They do offer free wifi too.Most people grab their drinks to go.

There is free parking in the underground.

Black Pearl TorDa

Inside is filled with Sharetea’s black tea custard and the chewy pearls. It has an interesting texture as it’s mostly the squishy pearls. The black tea is subtle.

Tuna Cheese TorDa with Honey Mustard

This is their savoury creation stuffed with tuna, cheese and honey mustard. It’s like a savoury sandwich waffle.

Red Bean Torda

In this one, there is custard and red bean, which is a great combination if you enjoy red bean.

Mango Green Milk Tea with Pearls

We is made with 50% sugar and less ice, which they recommend.

Oolong Milk Tea with Herb Jelly

We got this with 50% sugar and less ice which is recommended. One of my favourites.

Hawaii Fruit Tea

It is made with 50% sugar and less ice.It’s a good item if you love fruity teas. Great for a nice hot summer.

Hokkaido Pearl Milk Tea

We got this with 80% sugar with less ice. I like the depth of the Hokkaido milk tea and the pearl gives the drink a chewy texture as you drink.

Okinawa Pearl Milk Tea

Similar to the other ones, it has80% less sugar and less ice. This black tea is slightly different, but enjoy able as well. I am a huge black tea fan, so any milk tea is good.

Coffee Creama

It is recommended 50% sugar and less ice. I’m not a fan of coffee types of bubble tea, but if you do love coffee, this could be an option.

Taro QQ

For taro fan, you’ll enjoy this yummy taro drink. Decent flavour and taste.

Final Thoughts

Overall, lots of varieties of bubble tea to choose from and I love how you can customize ice and sugar levels to cater to your tastes. With the addition of the TorDa on the menu, it’s a delicious snack to pair with bubble tea.

We Rate Sharetea:

Address:
2828 Cambie St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.1992sharetea.com/

In Cafe

Milano Coffee Wins Two Gold Medals at International Coffee Tasting Awards

January 26, 2018

Master roaster and co-owner of Milano Coffee, Brian Turko, is celebrating after being awarded two gold medals for their espresso blends – Silk Lili and Concept #9 at the prestigious International Coffee Tasting Awards in the category of Non-Italian Blends or Single Origins Beans for espresso.

This international competition is organized by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters and was held in Guangzhou, China. Of the 162 coffees, 39 gold medals were awarded to coffees from Italy, Canada, China, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand. Milano‘s coffees were the sole winners from Canada. A great win indeed!

The additions of Silk Lili and Concept #9 to Milano’s previous gold wins for blends – La Futura, Butter, Velvet, Miscela Royale, Nuovo, Lucky 13, Cognac, Suave Rico, New Italian and Franks brings Milano’s grand tally to twelve gold medals in six years – which is no small feat. All the award-winners are available under Milano’s Espresso Master’s Reserve line.

You can have it as an espresso shot or incorporated into any espresso-based beverage. I tried both Silk Lili and Concept #9 as espresso shots to taste the subtle differences between each blend and I gravitated towards the Silk Lili. When it came to have a latte, the Concept #9 espresso blend was great.

If you are ever passing by a Milano Coffee in Vancouver, remember to give the Silk Lili and Concept #9 espresso blends a try.

In Italian

Savio Volpe: The Famiglia 5 Course Meal

December 20, 2017

We headed to Savio Volpe for an early holiday dinner with the family. Since we had over 6 people, we had to order the family-style dinner for $55 per person. I’ve heard lots about Savio Volpe and I’ve been very curious, so by trying the family-style dinner, we would trying a majority of the dishes here, which I didn’t mind at all.

Interior

In the evening, the dining room is dimly lit and it has a very cozy atmosphere.

We sat at the rear of the restaurant, so we had a fun time watching them in the kitchen cook away.

Breadsticks

As our starters arrived, we got some ridiculously long breadsticks. We actually had a lot of fun eating these.

Prosciutto di Parma, apple, and Grana

This dish has our first appetizer. A simple dish, but the simple ingredients are paired well together. The salty and sweet combination works.

White anchovy, leeks, soft boiled egg, olives

This dish was interesting and we all felt like the mayo on the base of this dish was too much. It was so creamy and thick that it over powered the other ingredients.

Kale, lemon pepper dressing, romano, pangrattato

The salads started arriving and this was my favourite. If you need to order a salad, this is pretty damn tasty. Highly recommended.

Farro, squash, chickpeas, dates, pine nuts, ricotta salata

There is a lot of good textures in this dish. Very hearty and filling dish.

Mezzaluna, ricotta, wild mushrooms

The mushrooms in this dish was delicious. The pasta itself was ok, but nothing exciting.

Cavatelli with brussel sprouts and pangratatto

The cavatelli was pretty hard in texture and we all thought it was pretty mediocre.

Roast Suckling Pig

A beautiful dish with salsa verde, pork belly, egg and crackling. Beautiful presentation but I felt the suckling pig was a bit tough and dry.

Duck

With our group of 7, they cut the duck into 6 pieces when they should have cut it into 7. We let the server know, but he told us to share. Fair enough, so thats what we did. Later on they did send us over a plate with 1 extra piece.

Smashed root vegetables

This was one of the sides to share with the group.

Grilled broccolini

The broccolini was pretty scorched on some pieces. Both sides that arrived were not very impressive.

Cannoli, ricotta, citrus, cocoa, hazelnuts

This cannoli was a bit hard to share with the group, but we made it work. Good crisp cannoli shell and the filling was equally as good.

Chocolate tart, olive oil, sea salt, pinenuts

This chocolate tart was delicious. Very smooth and full of chocolate goodness. My favourite of the two desserts.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m glad we tried the dinner family-style to try a lot of dishes. Unfortunately, a lot of the dishes really didn’t stand out. I’ve heard lots about their pasta, but both of the ones we got were not up to par. My favourite dish was the kale salad and the chocolate tart. For $55 per person, it wasn’t bad at all since we were all full, but it didn’t impress us enough to return.

We Rate Savio Volpe:

Address:
615 Kingsway, Vancouver

Website: http://www.saviovolpe.com/

In burger

Bells and Whistles: Brew Pub and Eatery on Fraser Street

October 5, 2017

Bells and Whistles on Fraser near Kingsway opens up today and we were given a quick preview of their space and menu. I’ve passed by a few times and I was eagerly awaiting their opening since I love beer and food. The neighbourhood is definitely changing and its great to see new options. They have 18 craft beers on tap – local and international, 5 types of soft serve ice cream, and 6 types of burgers in addition to other items.

Interior

I love the interior design and they got it spot on to really cater to their clientele. There are lots of tables, so they can easily seat small to large groups.

There are longer picnic style tables and with the large screen, you can watch different sports games.

They have 3 arcade games by the washroom – skee ball and basketball. 2 of the best retro games.

Beer and Cocktails
Four Winds x Bells and Whistles

Fours Winds collaborated with Bells and Whistles to create this hoppy ale which is dry-hopped with Denali & Galaxy. A good beer to try that is exclusive to this location.

Southern Belle

This cocktail ha Southern Comfort, iced tea, lemon and club soda. The drink is shaken and the strained over fresh ice. It was a very well balanced drink and since I could drink a ton of iced tea, it was a great alcoholic version.

Purple Haze

This cocktail is mad with Absolut vodka, blueberry juice, Averna, lime and served frozen with an umbrella.

Snacks and Starters

Pimento Cheese Dip

The pimento cheese dip is served with thin pretzel chips, grainy mustard and tiny pickles. Pimento cheese us very comforting but the pretzel chips were pretty fragile when I spread the dip on top. The consistency of the dip is smooth compared to how it is normally made at home, its chunky. A different twist that they put on it.

Fries

Fries are served with an herb aioli. We thought it was a bit unnecessary that they seasoned the fries in addition to having the aioli sauce as it provided enough added flavour.

KFC

This isn’t your normal Kentucky Fried Chicken, it is Korean Fried Cauliflower served with pickled cucumber, green onion and cilantro. If you aren’t a cauliflower fan, you can have it with chicken instead.

Onion Rings

These onion rings are pretty good and is served with tangy honey mustard. Crispy on the outside and the onion is cooked well.

Ahi Tuna Poke

Their ahi tuna poke has green onions, cilantro, cucumber, black and white sesame seeds, and avocado. You get a good portion of tortilla chip too. It’s decent and its a lighter option compared to the other items on the menu. I can never say no to ahi tuna.

Burgers

The Classic

The classic burger has aged cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and their secret sauce. It is served with fries or you can substitute with onion rings, garlic fries, or caesar salad for an extra charge. Their patty is hand-formed and made with a mixture of short rib, brisket, and chuck. They also have gluten-free buns too.

Fat Stevens Sandwich

You will find inside this bun beer-brined chicken, gravy, mayo and crispy fried onions. Really comforting and reminded me of Thanksgiving but with chicken.

The All Day Breakfast

This beast of a burger has maple sausage pork patty, American cheese hash browns, secret sauce and a fried egg. Super comforting and rich. You will really want a beer to go with this.

Soft Serve

Troy Tulo-Whiskey

This has original custard, whiskey caramel, roasted pecans, peach jam, and ice tea crystals. I found the soft serve very soft that it looked melted. Maybe they were having an off night with their machine.

Aaron Fudge

This has their twist soft serve, oreo chunks, strawberry sauce, fudge sauce, rainbow sparkles and marshmallows.

Coco Crisp

There is chocolate sauce, Skor bar crumble, white chocolate and pretzels sprinkled on top. Of the 3 soft serves, I liked this one compared to the other 2.

Twin Sails Stout Float

You have their original soft serve custard with a pour of their Twin Sails stout or porter depending on what that have on tap. If you are a beer lover, you’ll enjoy this combination.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m happy that Bells and Whistles has joined the Fraserhood neighbourhood and this type of venue was needed to have a great time with friends over beer, cocktails, and wine paired with comforting food. Plus, how can you say no to skee ball and basketball.

We Rate Bells and Whistles:

Address:
3296 Fraser St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.bellsandwhistlesyvr.ca/

In Bubble Tea

Boba Essence: Bubble Tea near Olympic Village

August 22, 2017

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

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

Interior

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

Regular Milk Tea

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

Strawberry Watermelon Slush

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

Final Thoughts

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

We Rate Boba Essence:

Address:
68 E 1st Ave, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.bobaessence.ca/

In Mount Pleasant/Main Street

The Arbor: Vegetarian Restaurant on Main Street

August 16, 2017

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

Interior

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

Fried Oyster

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

Southern fried artichoke sandwich

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

Mac n’ Cheese

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

Final Thoughts

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

We rate The Arbor:

Address:
3941 Main Street, Vancouver

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

In Brewery

Main Street Brewing: Craft Beer in Mount Pleasant

July 31, 2017

Main Street Brewing is a bit off Main Street on E 7th Ave. You can fill up your growlers or enjoy an array of their beers. I’ve been here a few times and it’s a nice popular place to hang out over food and drinks. This was our last stop of the night, so we made the most of it.

Beer Flights

For my flight, I chose – Fruit Bomb (kettle sour), Saison 7, Nurse Night, and Main Street Pilsner. All 4 were great, I did like the selection as I am more into the less hoppy beers as usual.

Food

They have a good amount of food here from their kitchen and at the bar. They have 3 different types of pepperoni sticks, chips, sandwiches, wraps, salads, wings, nachos, charcuterie, pretzels, and various dips. The prices definitely vary, but they have a good selection.

Spicy Pepperoni was what I had first. I love getting pepperoni sticks at breweries. It has a good amount of spice to pair with the beers.

Hummus Dip Plate is made fresh with garlic confit, jalapeño garlic, roasted red pepper and fresh lemon, Served with naan bread. There was a good ratio of bread to dip.

Final Thoughts

Overall, a good brewery to check out if you’re in the area and you need a place to chill at over beer and some nibbles.

We Rate Main Street Brewing Company:

Address:
261 E 7th Ave, Vancouver

Website:
http://mainstreetbrewingcompany.com/

In Brewery

R&B Brewing: Craft Beer in Mount Pleasant

July 30, 2017

R&B Brewing is located in Mount Pleasant and has been around since 1997. I came here with a few friends to try out their beer and enjoy the afternoon. Vancouver has a great craft brewery scene and R&B Brewing is one of many near Main Street.

Interior

There are lots of seats indoors, but there is a little patio out front.

There is a large line up of beers on tap. All 12 to be exact.

To pair off with the beer, they have a few snack options as well as pizza. We weren’t hungry to have pizza, so we snacked.

Kettle Chips and Dip

I got a basket of kettle chips with dip to go with all our flights of beer. Something to munch on so we could continue to drink beer. It was perfect as we needed something salty and crunchy.

Beer Flights

My flight consisted of Tod Creek Cider, Howe Sound Lager, Belgian Table beer and a Hefeweizen. They also poured me an extra Belgian Amber Ale. A normal flight comes with 4. All of them were ok, but nothing really stood out from the menu. I chose beers that were more on the light end and less hoppy. Thats usually the type of beers that I enjoy so, they are low in IBU.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good place to chill in between other breweries for the afternoon. A good range of beer options but the food options here could be a bit better.

We Rate R&B Brewing:

Address:
54 East 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.randbbrewing.com/

In Cafe

Starbucks Reserve Coffee Bar Now in Vancouver

May 9, 2017

Did you know the first Starbucks store in Canada opened at the Waterfront Skytrain Station in 1987? Starbucks is celebrating 30 years in Vancouver by opening the doors to its renovated Mount Pleasant location – its first Western Canada store to feature an experiential Reserve coffee bar. We were given a sneak peek before the official opening.

This elevated coffee experience encourages customers to immerse themselves in various brewing methods, and witness the expert craftsmanship that goes into each cup of coffee.

With seating surrounding the experience bar, customers have a front row view to the theatrics of these up-level brewing methods, including Siphon and Clover brewing techniques, and the smooth pour of Starbucks new Nitro Draft. Seriously, so much fun watching them.

Interior

This location was designed to be a favourite destination for this vibrant neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. Brick walls and concrete floors contrasted with golden blonde oak and walnut, warm the space creating a comfortable and conversational atmosphere.

The space showcases sketches and photography of the flagship Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle, as well as artwork by local artist – Diane Nelson of Brandon Johnson Art & Design. The woodwork was all hand crafted by a local millworker and the loose furniture was primarily produced by a local furniture shop, celebrating local Vancouver talent and connecting with the community.

Siphon Brewing

Siphon brewing method brings out the intense flavours of the coffee. This uses halogen lights or butane flames to produce heat for boiling water and the movement of coffee through chambers. Vapor pressure pushes water upward to brew coffee in the top glass globe, then filtered coffee cascades back down into a glass carafe. This process makes a rewarding cup for those who enjoy well-defined flavours dominating the coffee.

We tried the Rwanda Abakundakawa and the Malawi Sable Farms with the Siphon brewing and it really brought out the flavour of both coffees.

Pour over coffee with Chemex

For a rich-bodied and flavourful cup of brewed coffee, you can use the Chemex method. This combines elegance and function using a pour over method with a glass decanter. Ground coffee is immersed in hot water for all or most of the brew, and then filtered at the end. The Chemex amplifies the coffee’s body but produces the cleanest cup with complex flavors, meaning, no single characteristic will dominate and will eventually wash away clean.

Starbucks Reserve Beverages

You can find some unique items here outside of the regular menu and the reserve coffee. They can make Iced Hazelnut Bianco Latte, Iced Dark Chocolate Mocha and a House Affogato. This location really has it all if you really want to be immersed in the Starbucks experience.

Nitro Cold Brew

Nitro Cold Brew is Starbucks’ take on its signature Cold Brew, infused with nitrogen for a smooth, creamy texture. It is cold right out of the tap so it is served without ice and is unsweetened to highlight the flavour the cold brewing process brings out in the coffee.

I’ve had this before and it’s really good but a grande really gives me the jitters afterwards.

House Affogato

One large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a shot of espresso is freaking delicious.

If you’re ever looking for something to cool you down in the Summer, this is it.

The classics

The reserve bar area is only half the experience, the other half has all their regular items too. Lattes, black coffee, cappuccinos, frappuccinos…it’s all still here.

Final Thoughts

Adding to the elevated experience, all partners are Coffee Masters or currently working on their designation. This designation is the highest level of coffee education for Starbucks where baristas have perfected their craft through coursework and exploration of all Starbucks coffees and are awarded the honour of wearing the black apron. I loved the experience here because it’s like coffee lovers meeting other coffee lovers.

It’s more than just a cup of coffee as you really get immersed in the Starbucks experience. I left learning a lot more about coffee. Seriously, there are so many ways of brewing coffee. If you’re looking for a unique Starbucks to hang out at and you have some time, definitely come here.

Address:
2980 Main Street, Vancouver

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

In Cafe

Passion8 Dessert Cafe: Shaved Ice in Vancouver

May 4, 2017

Passion8 Dessert Cafe on Cambie Street is a hot spot for shaved ice, drinks and other treats. I came here after dinner with some foodie friends to give this a try since they all heard that I haven’t been here yet. We were 10 minutes away and we called ahead to see how busy it was here. It wasn’t too busy yet, so they were able to set aside a table for 5. Definitely nice of them to do so.

Interior

You order up at the counter and then you find a seat. There are a few tables in the cafe, but when it’s super busy, you’ll be waiting a little bit. The interior is nice and a good place to chill with friends over desserts.

Maldive Latte

There are 3 distinct layers to this drink – espresso, milk, and some blue liquid. You then stir it up and enjoy.

Honey Cream Cheese Toastery

We got the Honey Cream Cheese Toastery. it has delicious flakey layers like a croissant. Very buttery but super delicious. Very unique kinda like a cronut on toast.

Real Tiramisu Milk Shaved Ice

This has a slab of tiramisu on top of the milk shaved ice topped with cocoa powder and chocolate bits. There is also a container of espresso to pour over all of it. I really like this and would order again to share with friends.

Matchacha Milk Shaved Ice

The milk shaved ice is topped with Japanese matcha powder, mochi, red bean, almonds and a dehydrated orange. This is another one of their popular flavours. It was good, but since I love chocolate, I naturally gravitated towards to tiramisu instead.

Final Thoughts

Overall, there’s a good variety of desserts and drinks here. You definitely want to come early or call ahead to see if there is a line up. The shaved ice is delicious.

We Rate Passion8:

Address:
3010 Cambie Street, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.passion8cafe.com

In American

Monarch Burger at The American in Vancouver

May 3, 2017

Monarch Burger is a completely made from scratch burger restaurant. They are currently operating out of the American on Main St. close to Torafuku, Pizza Farina, and Campagnolo. I tagged along with a friend for their opening night to try these burgers. I am a huge fan of the Dirty Burger at Campagnolo Upstairs, which was originally create by Robert Belcham. When I heard Robert was starting up Monarch Burger, I had to see if the burgers held up to it’s name. They have a happy hour special where you can get a beer and burger for only $12 during 5 – 7pm.

Interior

The space is huge and there are 150 seats in The American. There’s a live DJ, pool tables, foosball, skeeball, and other arcade games. This is the ultimate place to hang out with your friends over some drinks…and now some burgers too.

The mid part of the restaurant has long tables to fit a lot of people. One one side of the restaurant, there is booth seating if you want to be in a more private seating area.

On the other side, there is a whole line up of pinball machines.

There are so many pinball games to play and they are $1 per play, which isn’t too bad, so make sure you bring some spare change.

Familar pinball games like Game of Thrones, Star Trek and Simpsons can be found.

Great for novices and experts. Lights. Lights. Lights.

We even saw a skeeball machine.

Monarch Burger

The menu is pretty simple. Choose your burger and put any add-ons and sides. This place has bar service, so you need to go to the bar to order your drinks and food.

Once you put in your order, they give you a number. Once it’s ready, they will bring out all the food.

Gotta add some drinks to the mix. We went with something lighter instead of cocktails, so we had beer and cider.

Cheeseburger

We got the cheeseburger and it comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles and their secret special sauce. Their beef is sourced from local farmers who pasture raise and tend their animals with care. They then age the beef for 45 days, grind it fresh daily and hand form every burger. It came to the table very greasy and the cheese was just everywhere. This was definitely a messy burger to eat. The patty was more cooked compared to the Dirty Burger at Campagnolo Upstairs. It was a solid burger but it still doesn’t out do Campagnolo Upstairs.

Double Cheeseburger

Go big or go home. We got the double cheeseburger with an egg and bacon. The fried egg was cooked thoroughly, so there wasn’t as much drippage. Similar with the first burger we had, it was very greasy and you needed a handful of napkins to keep somewhat clean.

Poutine

The poutine was decent but it was a bit heavy handed on the salt.

Kale Caesar Salad

This was delicious. The croutons were airy and crisp. The kale was lightly dressed and topped with parm to give it more dimension. I really enjoyed this and it pairs with the burger nicely.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the burgers could have been less greasy and heavy. I appreciate the use of good fresh ingredients, but it didn’t hit the mark this time. I still prefer Campagnolo Upstairs for their Dirty Burger. The one thing that stood out to me was the Kale Caesar Salad. I still love The American for their awesome space with all the games around the venue.

We Rate Monarch Burger:

Address:
928 Main St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.monarchburger.com/

In Bubble Tea

Teapressu: Bubble Tea Shop on Wheels in Vancouver

April 8, 2017

Teapressu is a mobile trailer that sells bubble tea drinks on the go. I was passing by with a friend and had to make a U-Turn to get here. I’ve never seen a bubble tea food truck, so we had to come here for a visit.

They have hot and cold drinks available. What I like most is their ability to customize your drinks by selecting the sweetness level and ice level. Similar to some other bubble tea shop around town.

There is no bubble tea shop near my work area, so I was really excited to check this place out.

Grass Jelly Milk Tea with half sweetness and minimal ice. It was really good. I usually order this when I go to a new place to see how it compares. They made a great milk tea and I would recommend this place. The grass jelly is delicious as well.

My friend got the cold honey lemon with no sweetness. Very brave, but she’s on a pretty minimal sugar diet. She did say she enjoyed it.

Red Bean Matcha Milk Tea is what a few people recommended to me. They suggested 100% sweetness to counteract the matcha as it is slightly bitter. It was good but I still really enjoyed their milk tea. Does that make me basic?

Final Thoughts

I gotta say, I did really enjoy their bubble tea. If you see them around town, definitely give them a try. I would highly recommend their milk teas. You can taste the difference in the teas and ingredients they use.

We Rate Teapressu:

Address:
Varied

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Teapressu-1674957589488689/

In Culinary School

VCC’s International Culinary Arts: Spring 2017 Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen

March 23, 2017

VCC’s International Culinary Arts students are bringing the Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen back to the VCC Broadway campus for spring of 2017 and runs until April 21st.

It’s one of the hottest tickets in town since it’s only $30 for 5 courses and $15 extra for wine pairings. Sadly, all tickets are already all sold out for all seatings. You definitely want to sign up for the mailing list to get an email when the next time they are having this again.

This was my 4th time being here and it’s always a delight seeing the hard work the students and chefs put into this program to help grow future chefs of tomorrow. Having these kinds of Chef’s Table gives the guest a unique dining experience outside of the restaurant environment.

The tables are set up in a ‘U’ shape and everyone gets a good view of their meal being put together. Some students put together dishes and some other students do the serving. As it was the first week of the Chef’s Table, I could see some students weren’t as experienced talking to guest and explaining what some of the drinks were.

Tuna cannelloni

To start the meal, there is a tuna cannelloni stuffed with Dungeness crab. It also has Side stripe prawns, cucumber, avocado, and truffled soy pearls.
Their paired it with the Invisibull Sauvignon Blanc. A good pairing as it has lime, green apple and white peach notes.

I love the light delicate seafood dish to start. I love every part of this dish especially the avocado puree. The textures of the different ingredients worked so well together.

Grilled Octopus

This dish also has chorizo, navy bean, olive, salsa romesco with some crisps on top. Heavier in spices, this dish followed nicely and the chorizo and salsa romesco tasted so good. A lot of my friends wished they could take this dish and put it on tacos.

The wine paired with this is the See Ya Later Ranch Riesling.

Puffed foie gras

The puffed foie gras comes with apricot puree, candied almonds and a honey bubble ready to be popped. This was a similar dish I had back in Summer of 2016 when they had the Chef’s table too. A nice revisit to one of the unique dishes from last time.

This was paired with the Conviction Pinot Noir “The Priest”.

Roasted beef Tenderloin

There were 2 delicious pieces of the roasted beef tenderloin, Oxtail, potato croquette, carrot, and Cipollini. It was a delicious hearty dish, great for the meat lovers.

It was paired with the Lost Inhibitions By Church & State.

White Chocolate and Strawberries

Lemon curd Ice cream, strawberries, and topped with coconut crisp. It was a good sized dessert and it was fun watching them make the dessert with liquid nitrogen.

It is paired with Grey Monk Reflection Muscat.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun time watching all the future chefs put each plate together carefully. This time around, there were some hiccups like an items accidentally being omitted from one person’s dish and somewhat awkward service, but they are all here to learn and every guest was very kinda and understanding.

The food is always great and instructors like Tobias MacDonald really pass on their amazing knowledge to the students.

Address: 1155 E Broadway, Vancouver

Website: http://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop–more/the-chefs-table-pop-up-kitchen/

In Filipino

Siga-Siga’s Filipino Food in Vancouver

March 18, 2017

Siga-Siga’s Filipino Food is located near Broadway and Fraser. We were going to a nearby restaurant and saw a sign for their ‘To Die For’ Wings. How could we not? Might as well go on an impromptu eating adventure.

They are a small hole in the wall restaurant with one person working.

Interior

It is a very small shop and has no public washroom, which was odd.

Wings

10 wings for $5.99 and made to order were a bit on the smaller side, but went well with the sauce that was at the table. It had a nice acidity to it that it matched with the wings.

I wouldn’t die for these wings, but they were ok.

BBQ Chicken Leg

One item the owner suggested was the BBQ Chicken leg with garlic rice and a side of salad. The BBQ leg was delicious and flavourful. The garlic rice needed a bit more salt for the flavour to shine through. We added some of the vinegar sauce to it and it was so good.

Potato and Tomato Stuffed Squid

The tomato and potato stuffed squid had a nice char on the outside and was packed full of veggies. The quid was a bit chewy.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was meh, but the prices were really good.

We Rate Siga-Siga’s:

Address:
650 East Broadway, Vancouver

In Cafe

Mikan Cafe: Japanese Pasta and Poutine

March 17, 2017

Mikan Cafe is the sister restaurant of Cafe de L’Orangerie. They have poutine, Japanse spaghetti, sandwiches and other items on the menu. This cafe use to be called Jean Talon, but they changed up their menu and has a new name.

Interior

The interior is cozy and has a few tables inside. The days that I’ve been here, it’s been a bit quiet. I’ve never had to make reservations here. The staff are very nice and helpful.

Poutine with Mikan Style Beef Stew

The crispy fries is topped with beef stew and cheese curds. We got a smaller order and it was a good size for 3 people to share. The fries are really crispy and I like how it’s not soggy at all.

Masago Creamy Spaghetti

This popular spaghetti has squid, mushroom, asparagus, roe, and cream. It was very delicious and I love the use of the Japanese ingredients that meld with pasta.

Strawberry Cream Roll

A great way to end the meal is by getting some of the desserts. The strawberry cream roll is light and fluffy.

Final Thoughts:

I love the addition of Japanese pasta on the menu. If you love Cafe de L’Orangerie, you’ll love Mikan Cafe, plus it’s not very busy. I love this location as I don’t have to travel so far to get their delicious pasta.

We Rate Mikan Cafe:

Address:
670 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website: http://mikancafe.cafedelorangerie.ca/

In Fast Food

Tim Hortons: Churro Donuts and Tim Bits Review

February 4, 2017

Tim Hortons in Canada has just released the Churro donut and Churro Tim Bits for a limited time only.

Churro Donut

The churro donut is filled with caramel and then the outside is coated in sugar and cinnamon. The shape is similar to a honey cruller.

Very decadent donut, but its best warm. I also found that the caramel filling wasn’t evenly distributed, it was mostly just on 25% of the donut.

Compared to the honey cruller, I still love it better than the churro donut.

Roll Up the Rim

The churro donut and churro Tim Bits are a nice surprise on their menu since they just brought back the Roll Up the Rim contest. Sadly, I didn’t win this time, but perhaps next time. In the past, I usually win more coffees.

Website:
http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.php

In Brunch

Fable Diner: Brunchfast in Vancouver

January 30, 2017

Fable Diner opened last year and they took over the space of Reno’s, which was previously a diner. It is located at the Lee Building at the corner of Main and Broadway. I enjoyed their first restaurant – Fable, so I really wanted to come here for brunch to try their interpretation of diner food.

Interior

The interior is completely renovated and it doesn’t have much resemblance to the old Reno’s Diner. It’s beautiful. There are lots of booth seating, bar seating and a few smaller tables.

West Coast Toast

West Coast Toast has avocado, smoked fish, fresh horseradish, and salad. I added an egg on top for a little extra. I love the avocado and the smoked fish. Very fresh. The egg was poached perfectly too.

Benny

Fried Chicken Benny is served on a scone and draped with hollandaise. It is also served with potato rosti. Of the different bennies on the menu, this seemed to be the most popular among guests. The chicken is super crisp and moist.

Heuvos Rancheros

Heuvos Rancheros has refried beans, avocado, eggs, pasilla sauce, cilantro, and pico de gallo.

All Day Breakfast Plate

All-Day Breakfast Plate has eggs, bacon or sausage, potatoes, toast and jam. A very hearty breakfast with everything you need.

Coffee

Coffee is definitely a must. Their coffee comes with free refills, which is always nice.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was an awesome brunch experience. It was busy on the weekend, but the waits weren’t too crazy. We waited about 15 minutes for a table, but that was ok since a few friends were running behind. The food was great as well as the service.

We Rate Fable Diner:

Address:
151 E Broadway, Vancouver

Website:
http://fablediner.com/