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Richmond

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Sungiven Foods has opened their latest location in Richmond, BC on Bridgeport. The Burnaby-based company has been expanding rapidly to give customers more options for high quality Asian produce and products at a good price. I’ve been a fan since they opened as they carry really fresh local and imported fruits and vegetables.

Their other current locations are in Vancouver, Burnaby, and White Rock. The next planned locations will be in South Surrey and North Vancouver.

We checked out Sungiven Foods in Richmond to check out the space and unique products they offer customers.

Covid Proticols

They monitor how many people come in and out of the stores. On weekdays it’s less busy, so no lines. On weekends when it’s busy, they will have a line to make sure everyone has room to socially distance themselves.

They provide hand sanitizer and sanitize the baskets too. I felt very safe here. You will notice there will be bunching of people that occurs at select areas in the store like freezer section, but with a but of patience, people will clear out.

Produce

The produce section is my favourite as you can find some unique imported fruits like Korean muscat grapes, Japanese Melon, and Passionfruit. I like their variety of Asian vegetables too. They all look very very fresh and well priced.

Snacks and Ramen

There are a decent amount of Asian snacks above the freezer section from chocolate to chips. There are some that ways ends up in my cart. hahaha.

Freezer Section

They boast a lot of hot pot items in their freezer section, so they have everything that you need. The quality is good, well priced, and many options.

Don’t forget to check out their selection of imported ice cream bars.

Kitchen

There is a hot food section, which looks remarkably clean and uncrowded.

Baby+

The Baby+ section is different than their other locations. I noticed they have a lot of imported products and essentials for babies. It’s not cheap, but it is convenient.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a nice addition to Richmond with more options for consumers. A lot of people call the Asian version of Trader Joes based on the large amount of their own branded items, plus the store has a very rustic look.

Address:
9771 Bridgeport Rd, Richmond, BC 

Website:
https://sungivenfoods.ca/

There’s a lot of small businesses popping up all over Instagram. I usually decline, but my friends highly recommended the different Food Affare dishes.

Leah of Food Affare is a Red Seal Certified Chef with up to date food safe certifications. All the dishes are created in her home, but I felt safe knowing she has extensive knowledge in the food industry. She started in the hotel industry specializing in Italian cuisine, but a few years ago, she took a step back to focus on balancing family life. She continued working as a chef in the school system, but itching to do something more her style.

With the pandemic, she got the chance to experiment with creating new dishes for friends and family. They nudged her to get Food Affare going and that how it was born.

Menu

How to Order and Pick Up

You can contact them via Direct Message on Instagram or email foodaffare@gmail.com. Then you let them know your details, order, and pick up date.

They do require an e-transfer ahead of the pick up.

Their pick up is Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Richmond near No 5 Road and Steveston.

Mushroom Ravioli

It is on Buerre Noisette with blistered tomatoes, parmesan petals, reduced wine couli, fried capers and olive oil. It’s a pretty solid ravioli dish. Love love love the mushrooms.

Mentaiko Kimchi Udon

The dish has pork belly, onsen egg, and topped with Katsuboshi and scallions. That onsen egg was so good. It adds extra creaminess to the udon.

Slowly Simmered Classic Beef Bolognese

I really enjoyed this dish a lot. So classic but executed very well. It is topped with shaved Regianno in Rigatoni pasta al dente. Great portion size too.

If you have kids, this will be a smash hit with them. My little kid enjoyed it a lot.

Final Thoughts

I would recommend eating it right when you get home for maximum enjoyment when the dish is warm and doesn’t need to be reheated. We had 3 dishes and we enjoyed them a lot. You can tell she doesn’t cut corners at all. Everything is fresh and very flavourful.

The prices are very fair, so it’s you are close to No 5 and Steveston, definitely check them out.

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/foodaffare/

With everything that has happened in 2020, I love when I see companies do good especially for those in need. I pass by my local food bank every week and it’s very sad to see my neighbours not having enough funds to make ends meet. With rising food prices and hours being cut, we need to find ways to be there for one another without judgement.

McArthurGlen Outlet in Vancouver has created a month long food festival called A Taste of McArthurGlen Food Festival with discounts and deals in October from 4pm – 8pm.

This festival is in support of Richmond Food Bank Society. Guests are invited to drop off non-perishable food items in designated blue bins.

Deals

  • Caffè Artigiano  
    • Enjoy 20% off our Pumpkin Spice Latte for participating guests from 4-8pm during the month of October
  • Bibo Pizzeria 
    • Enjoy 20% off your entire bill between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Food Folk Eatery 
    • “Buy One, Get One” including Poke bowls from Hula Poke, Salads from Dirtbelly and Sandwiches from Chachi’s between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Freshly Squeezed 
    • We would like to offer 25% off any drinks on our Bubble Tea Menu and Veggie Smoothies Menu from 4pm onwards
  • Hugo’s Churros
    •  Buy 1 Churro, get 1 free! between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Japadog 
    • Enjoy 40% off Kobe terimayo + Bombo (a bag of fries with your choice of flavour & medium size drink) between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Neptune Wonton Noodle 
    • Enjoy 15% off between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • Ryuu Japanese Kitchen 
    • Enjoy 15% off between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October
  • The Praguery
    •  New pumpkin spice chimney cake for October. Buy one, get one 50% off any item between 4pm – 8pm during the month of October

Website:
https://www.mcarthurglen.com/outlets/en/ca/designer-outlet-vancouver/whats-on/taste-of-mcarthurglen/

J Squared Ice Cream is the latest ice cream shop to open in Richmond. A lot of talk of their tea-based ice cream flavours really caught the attention of people all over the Lower Mainland. There really isn’t a lot of other places that have a range of flavours revolving around the love of tea.

We love tea, so we couldn’t wait to give it a try.

We were invited for a sneak peek before they open their doors on September 1, 2020.

Menu + Flavours

Taste Test

We got pints of the Shanghai fog, Thai milk tea, and Japanese black sesame. All three were very solid flavours and it’s so hard to go wrong with them. The texture was very smooth and creamy.

At the store, they do have waffle cones available if you’re eating it close by. We opted for pints so we can slowly enjoy at home.

Final Thoughts

They have been really busy since opening and are still working out some kinks. Their line of tea inspired ice cream is pretty good and we can’t to see what else they can create.

The selection of tea flavours are pretty solid and isn’t just Asian tea flavours. Pries are very fair and worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Address:
405-9100 Blundell Rd, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://jsquaredicecream.com/

Lady M New York has launched their new site ladym.ca to offer shipping to Canada, but it is very costly to Canadians at over $200 per crepe cake. It got Canadians really excited, but then Spiritea in Vancouver began offering Lady M cakes imported from New York by the slice or as a whole cake. You don’t need to spend over $200 to commit to a whole cake as you can now have it by the slice.

We were invited by Spiritea to try their Lady M Cakes to see how it compares.

Prices

  • Slice of Mille Crepe Cake ($19.50)
  • Whole Mille Crepe Cake ($225)

Signature Mille Crepe Cake

The quality was superb and not sure what their secret is to keeping it so fresh even though it was imported across the country. It is soft and fluffy with 20 paper thin crepes between their pastry cream. When you look at it, it’s really a work of art. If you’ve ever tried making these on your own, it tasks a lot of skill. This cake just melts in your mouth.

This is the top flavour as it’s what made them famous in the first place. Classic.

Matcha Mille Crepe Cake

This is another popular flavour that gets sold out quickly. Quality was good as well and if you’re a matcha lover, you gotta get this.

Final Thoughts

Overall, quality is fantastic and you can’t argue with that. The price is steep, but you can’t get a taste of Lady M without getting on a plane or ordering it from Lady M New York (the shipping is a pain).

It’s a luxury Mille Crepe Cake, so if you can afford $19.50 for a slice of cake, go for it.

Address:
4151 Hazelbridge Way Unit 1968, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://spiriteadrinks.com/

Chop Steakhouse & Bar’s Executive Chef Stephen Clark and Award-Winning Vancouver-based Chef Alex Chen have reunited to create the limited-time only Steak Masters menu, celebrating all things steak.

Chop is committed to steak excellence and combines the outstanding quality of 100% Canadian beef with modern culinary techniques to ensure each steak has as much flavour as possible and done perfectly time after time. Chef Stephen Clark and Chef Alex Chen have made sure these core principles are reflected in the Steak Masters menu.

This menu features four unique dishes and is available at Chop Richmond from February 27 until April 7, 2020 before moving across Canada to Chop restaurants in Edmonton, Greater Toronto Area, Regina, Calgary and Winnipeg later in the year. We were excited to see this menu kick off at Chop Richmond and we got an inside scoop on the delicious Steak Masters menu.

Behind the Scenes

At Chop Steakhouse, they’re committed to steak excellence – combining great, 100% Canadian beef with state-of-the-art technology that guarantees maximum flavour and perfection every time. In the kitchen, Chop’s skilled chefs craft all of their steaks with this beautiful Montague steakhouse broiler that can reach temperatures of over 900ºC to create the perfect crust and cook them way faster than any kitchen at home. This is one of many reasons why I love going out to steakhouses! Steaks just don’t taste the same at home. 

When their kitchen is slammed with orders, they use a grid system for the steaks to ensure they are cooked exactly to your preference.

Steak Tartare

The steak tartare is made with hand chopped Certified Angus Beef and served with a stack of house-made Russet potato chips. They use an aged top sirloin that is fresh cut so it doesn’t oxidize. According to Chef Stephen, a good indication of high quality meat is the bright red colour. This steak tartare appetizer is a great item to start the meal.

Sirloin Cap Picanha

This dish features an 8oz Smoked Sirloin Cap Steak, smothered in chimichurri and Brazilian spices and served with potatoes and broccolini. The chimichurri and Brazilian spices are brilliant and make the steak so flavourful. While the chefs recommend ordering  it medium rare, they’re happy to customize based on diner preferences. A good item to order all for yourself, but you can also share a few pieces if you feel inclined to.

Tomahawk for 2

If you are here celebrating something special or just excited about a night out, the tomahawk for 2 is a great deal. The massive 40oz rib eye has a black pepper crust and is served with a brandy peppercorn sauce, creamed corn, roasted baby potatoes and cauliflower. It is massive and can definitely serve more than 2 people depending on your appetite. Also, that creamed corn is fantastic!

The seasoning on the steak is simple, but the rib eye has so much natural flavour of its own which shines through. The Tomahawk is the star of this menu and a perfect example of how Chop celebrates steak.  When cooked with the Montague broiler, the texture and flavour of this beautiful rib eye really shines through and showcases Chop’s commitment to steak excellence – just thinking about it is making me salivate all over again!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

The last item on the Steak Masters menu is their Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. You gotta have dessert on the menu to complete the evening. It is a rum cake with caramelized pineapple, buttermilk gelato, candied pecans and a burnt rosemary marshmallow. A good way to end the meal and satisfy that sweet tooth.

Final Thoughts

Chef Stephen Clark and Chef Alex Chen did a great job on the Steak Masters menu – these four items are very refined and show off their love of steak. While the Steak Masters menu is not large, Chop offers plenty of other options, including steak, seafood, salads and more, soyou’re sure to find something for the whole family to enjoy!

Address:
10251 St Edwards Dr, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://chop.ca/steakmasters

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Chop Steakhouse. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Chop Steakhouse.

The Fish Man (渔人) is located on Alexandra Road and specializes in Szechuan style Chinese seafood made with Oceanwise seafood where possible. In 2019, their Stir Fry Spicy Clams won Critic’s Choice Award at the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

The menu boasts an array of seafood-forward dishes, then there are some BBQ items that round out the menu.

Bo Li, is the man behind The Fish Man (渔人) who used to run Li’s China Grill in Vancouver before selling the operation to new owners. Li is a talented young chef creating stellar Szechuan style dishes.

Interior

The space is large and clean. It’s still a fairly new restaurant and I love the modern yet rustic look of the space. Great for small to large parties.

The menu is very customizable and is meant to be eaten family style. You can find the full menu at the end of this article.

Geoduck Clam Sashimi

The Geoduck Clam is freshly prepared raw as sashimi and paired with salmon roe and seaweed. There is also soy sauce and wasabi on the side too. This was very fresh and we really enjoyed it as an appetizer.

Stir Fry Spicy Clams

This award winning dish was so good! A good amount of spice and had a depth of flavour. The clams have a good amount of meat and natural sweet taste that compliments the sauce.

This was one of my favourite dishes of the night.

Ginger Onion Razor Clams

The razor clams were fantastic and cooked perfectly. Razor Clams are a bit tricky to cook as it is easy to overcook and become chewy. There was none of that and they really know their seafood. Under the razor clams were bean sprouts.

Baked Beach Oyster

The beach oysters come 4 pieces to an order and we got it in a garlic and motoyaki sauce. Both flavours were delicious but I just love how meaty these beach oysters are.

BBQ Lamb Skewers

The lamb skewers were deliciously seasoned. It’s a good appetizer to add to your meal and pair with beer. The lamb was tender, nicely seasoned, and had a good hint of spice.

BBQ Beef Tongue

The beef tongue had a similar spice to the Lamb Skewers. It was very thin, but still tender and delicious.

Spicy Local Shrimp

The shrimp were a little bit small in size, but they were nice and sweet. Perhaps it’s just the season. The sauce was delicious and spicy. Pairs so well together.

Grilled Catfish

You cane have the catfish prepared any way you like. You can select your sauce and side items. Ours had black fungus, bean curd, and quail eggs.The cat fish was very crispy on the outside and enjoyable to eat in this hot pot.

The broth was nice and spicy. I couldn’t get enough of it. Very delicious.

Sour Cabbage Tilapia Fish

This dish may look intimidating with all the red peppers, but this was so flavourful. The first few bites were heavenly. I was surprised as it was tilapia but they were able to cook it so well in this hot pot.

You can drink the broth too and its delicious.

Steamed Green Ling Cod

This was great as well. They really can’t go wrong with any fish they cook. Just so succulent and cooked perfectly.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed all the dishes. Well executed and so much flavour. I really love spicy food that has a depth of flavour to it. The fish is really main feature and I like how there are many varieties to choose from. Their execution is great and know how to cook seafood very well.

I’ll definitely be back and the prices are not bad too. If you love Szechuan style food, you’ll enjoy The Fish Man (渔人). I was very impressed.

Address:
8391 Alexandra Rd #1170, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://the-fish-man.business.site/

Full Menu

This is the menu at the time of publication and is subject to change.

Gram Cafe & Pancakes is now open in Richmond serving up the popular souffle pancakes. People go nuts over these in Japan with long line ups for a taste of their fluffy pancakes.

There are 4 Gram Cafe & Pancakes set to open in Metro Vancouver – Robson Street, Kerrisdale, The Amazing Brentwood and Richmond. The Richmond location inside Aberdeen Mall is the first to open and we came during their soft opening to check out the space and the unique menu items. No date is set for the Grand Opening yet as they are still working out kinks.

Interior

The space is large and lots of space. If you are in a large group, it might be hard to get a spot unless you come early.

Kids

The seating is comfortable and the tables are spaced a distance from other tables, so if you bring in strollers, there is plently of room to move around.

There are also high chairs available inside. Changing tables are a short distance away and since it’s in Aberdeen Mall, there is changing tables outside.

We did notice a few kids dining here as well when we were here.

Menu

Premium Pancake Line Up

Something you might not know about Gram Cafe & Pancakes is that there is a line up for their Premium Pancakes. They are open 11am-9pm daily and serving three time slots of Premium Pancakes at 11am, 3pm, 6pm with 30 orders at each time slot.

As most guests want the premium pancakes instead of their regular items, you will need to go ahead of time to get a token and come at at the next time slot available.

It is suggested to come 1 hour to 1.5 hours in advance to get the token. Best to grab it, then walk around the mall until it’s your turn. Of course with more locations open, lines may die down.

Taste Test of Premium Pancake

We had our tokens on the table with ’08’ and ’09’, so we had to wait till they served the people ahead of us. It wasn’t a long wait once all the pancakes started coming out. The servers are quick and have to balance the pancakes very well so it doesn’t topple over. It’s very delicate.

Once it’s at the table, it should be eating very quickly within minutes as you can see it starts to deflate.

There are 3 premium soufflé pancakes stacked on top of each other with a scoop of butter and a small jug of syrup. There is also whipped cream on the side.

It has a good flavour with a bit of butter, syrup and whipped cream. It was a touch dense, so I wished it was a bit more airy. I haven’t been to their Japan locations, but some have said the ones in Japan are more airy than the ones here.

$16 for each dish is a bit steep, but it is slightly above par with other cafes in town that do something similar.

Cool Premium Pancake Take Out

If you absolutely have no patience to line up, they do offer a limited amount of Cool Premium Pancake for take out only. This takes their premium pancake, cut in half and filled with whipped cream for $3.75.

It’s much more affordable than the Premium Pancake which is $16 for 3 pancakes.

Taste Test of Cool Premium Pancake

It is served cold and the height of the pancake has deflated as some of the air has escaped as its not fresh off the griddle. It has a generous amount of whipped cream in the centre. Some say its too much whipped cream, but I do love whipped cream. It was alright.

Tiramisu Pancake

Between the three pancakes is mascarpone tiramisu cream, cocoa powder and a piece of milk chocolate. The pancakes are thinner and for this sweet pancake option, it is served cold. This makes sense as the other ingredients are cold and won’t melt because of the temperature.

That mascarpone tiramisu cream is really good and addictive.

Chili Bean Pancake

There are 3 pieces of pancakes with chili sauce, maple breakfast sausage, potatoes, salad, and cheddar cheese. This is your savoury dish and it’s interesting that they serve this as it give guests more options.

The chili had a nice kick of spice to it. I’m not a sweet and savoury person, so I didn’t gravitate towards this dish. The other people I dined with did enjoy it.

Chocolate Banana French Toast

This has their thick cut of french toast and topped with chocolate sauce and 4 slices of banana. There definitely could have more banana in this dish.

It was alright but nothing special.

Coffee

They have an assortment of drinks on the menu, but we went with coffee to pair with the pancakes. They do offer coffee in medium or dark roast.

Final Thoughts

It’s great that Gram Cafe & Pancakes has finally arrived in Vancouver with much anticipation. Plus, more locations to come in 2020.

They have some kinks to work out, but the location is great inside Aberdeen and diversified the soufflé pancake offerings in Metro Vancouver. I thought these were a touch dense and I would like a bit more fluffiness to them.

Address:
4151 Hazelbridge Way Unit1360, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://www.gramcanada.com/

Wushiland Boba just opened up in Richmond, BC and I was very confused what the hype was about. It wasn’t until I saw the 50嵐 logo as they are one of the best known bubble tea shops in Taiwan. I’m not sure why it’s 50嵐 in Taiwan and then in North America its Wushiland Boba. I am very confused, but I realized I was deceived. It’s a complicated story.

Is Wushiland Boba associated with 50嵐 in Taiwan?

After reaching out to Wushiland Boba Richmond, they did not provide an answer, so I decided to Google this and I could only find articles written in Chinese.

A company in China – 1點點 owns the ’50嵐’ brand in Mainland China, but has no affiliation to ’50嵐’ in Taiwan. Most people associate 50嵐 with the Taiwanese bubble tea brand and has been confused when Wushiland Boba opens in other countries. You can find more information in this article by KKNEWS. Thanks to my friend VanFoodies for helping me research as I can’t read Chinese.

Of course, I’m sure the owners of Wushiland Boba in Richmond are not intentional trying to deceive their customers. Regardless of this logo drama, it’s all about how Wushiland Boba’s bubble tea tastes.

**UPDATE**

Wushiland Boba Richmond finally got back to us regarding the name. They do claim they are affiliated with 50嵐 in Taiwan, but head office requires different regions to have a different name.

Interior

There is 0 seating and the space only allows for a maximum of 4 staff according to their permits. This place is grab and go, so no space to sit and enjoy the drinks. There are seats outside in the plaza, but in the winter, its a bit cold to sit outside.

You can see into the kitchen and it’s quite large and shiny since its new.

Menu

Ultimate Chew with Four Seasons Tea

The Ultimate Chew is essentially a trio of toppings – boba (larger), pearls (smaller), and coconut jelly. According to the staff member, four seasons tea is a particular type of tea from Taiwan.

The tea is a bit floral with hints of pineapple to the taste. It was alright, but nothing special.

Ultimate Chew with Black Tea Latte

I got the Ultimate Chew with black tea latte. It did look impressive with the milk layer suspended below with the tea on top. The told me to give it a mix before I drink it. I found that there were too many toppings inside that it took away from the drink itself. The coconut jelly changed the taste of it a bit. The black tea was was a bit fragrant like perfume and didn’t have the strong bold taste of black tea.

You can customize the sugar and ice levels similar to other bubble tea shops. I went with 50% ice and 30% sugar.

Final Thoughts

The bubble tea here was just alright, but I wouldn’t come here just for it. Plus, there are so many other bubble tea shops in the same plaza. I can’t even count them all because there are so many.

Address:
8338 Capstan Way #1228, Richmond, BC

Tiger Sugar has finally opened in Metro Vancouver specifically in Richmond. They originate from Taiwan and is best known for their brown sugar bubble tea beverages. I went to Taiwan earlier this year and it was pretty good. So, I had to see how it compares.

Their infamous tiger stripes from the brown sugar syrup on the side of the group has really caught everyone’s attention.

Interior

The space is small, but its mostly meant for people to grab the drink and take it to go. There are a few tables as well as seats near the window. There is a lot of floor space, but that is just meant for people to either line up or wait for their drink.

Menu

How to Drink Brown Sugar Boba Milk

Step 1: Take a photo

Step 2: Shake up and down 15 times.

Brown Sugar Boba and Pearl with Cream Mousse

I went with the one drink that had a bit of everything. I did shake it up around 15 times, but really who is counting as long as it’s mixed up well. You want to mix it up as as you want to mix the brown sugar into the milk so you don’t get a sip full of it during your first sip.

The boba and pearl that are large and small give the drink a nice texture. The milk and the mousse make the drink nice and creamy too. It was veyr enjoyable.

What I miss most is the Tiger Jelly, which is available in Taiwan when we were there. It is coffee jelly as give it a nice texture to the drink.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was good if you come earlier in the day while the ingredients are fresh. My friend came in the evening and the pearls were too mushy and sweet compared to the day time.

Address:
8291 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC

Vancouver International Airport is getting a face lift in their food and beverage program with 20 new eatery options this year. For the last 10 years, YVR has been voted the Best Airport in North America by the Skytrax World Airport Awards, which surveys of more than 13.5 million passengers from more than 100 countries. As Canada’s second busiest airport with 26.4 million passengers passing thorough last year, this means there are a lot of hungry guests to feed.

We’ve taken a lot of flights in and out of YVR and I generally tend to gravitate towards the same few eateries before boarding my flights. I’m really excited for this year as they are revamping the airport to incorporate more food and beverage choices. There is a lot of construction going on at YVR to make way for 20 new eateries opening up.

We were invited to check out 5 of the best eats around the airport – Sal Y Limon, Lift Bar and Grill, Joe and the Juice, Stanley Park Brewing, and Fairmont’s Globe@YVR.

Sal Y Limon

Sal Y Limon is a local favourite in Vancouver for their authentic Mexican cuisine. Their Kingsway and Fraser location is always packed with people hanging out with friends and family over tacos and horchata.

If you’re looking for tacos and a margarita at YVR, they have both! What I love about this space is that it doesn’t just serve food. There is a beautiful bar where you can have a nice drink before your flight. They have USB ports and outlets under the bar, so you can take out your phone and laptop to so some browsing. It’s pretty relaxing and we noticed a few people doing that.

Sal Y Limon is located past security of the Transborder Terminal (US).

Sal Y Limon Bar

Sal Y Limon Menu

Lift Bar and Grill

Lift Bar and Grill has their first location in Downtown Vancouver overlooking the beautiful waters of Coal Harbour. They are known for their local West Coast inspiration, artisanal cocktails and local brews that pair with the items on the menu.

Lift Bar and Grill at YVR is hiding behind the exquisite  114,000-litre aquarium at the International Terminal, which house a rich collection of marine life native to British Columbia in partnership with the Vancouver Aquarium. If you can’t get out of the terminal to sea the beautiful ocean, the sea will have to come to you.

There are lots of seats in here to just unwind before the flight. I really enjoyed the caesar with the plump prawn on top. If you’re looking for something light, sushi is a great option.

They also have more bar-style food like calamari and short ribs if you want something more heavy.

Joe and the Juice

Joe and the Juice is a well known International brand for smoothies and sandwiches that can be found all over North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Joe and the Juice actually originated from Denmark in 2002 and since then, over 300 locations have opened up. I remember seeing it at a bunch of locations in New York City and now it’s right at YVR in the domestic terminal. There will be another Joe and the Juice location later in the year at the US terminal.

This is the first Canadian location for Joe and the Juice. While you’re waiting at your gate and want something light, they have a wide variety of sandwich, juices, and smoothies.

Joe and the Juice Menu

Joe and the Juice Menu

Joe and the Juice Menu

Stanley Park Taphouse

Stanley Park Brewing has some exceptional beers like their Sunsetter Peach Wheat Ale, Windstorm West Coast Pale Ale, and 1897 Amber Ale. They have their Restaurant and Brewpub along the Beach Avenue entrance of Stanley Park featuring their beers and West Coast-inspired menu.

Inside YVR’s domestic terminal is the Stanley Park Taphouse that will give you a taste of what they have to offer without getting out of the airport. The space is bright, comfortable, and features a few comfort food options.

Whether you want a few nibbles are large dishes, they have a good amount to choose from. We really enjoyed their grilled cheese and tomato soup a lot. It was simple but just done very well. For something lighter, their poké bowls are really good as well.

If you want to try a bunch of their beers and can’t have a few pints to yourself, their flights are an excellent option where you can try 4 beers of your choice.

Fairmont Vancouver Airport

A lot of the new eateries are opening up after security, so if you actually don’t have a flight, you have less options. One of the best restaurants to dine at YVR before security is Globe@YVR inside the Fairmont Vancouver Airport.

If you’re just looking for a drink to relax a bit, their Jetsetter Lounge has daily live music and a great cocktail program.

Their menu boasts Pacific Northwest cuisine with thoughtfully prepared dishes featuring the best of locally sourced and sustainably grown ingredients. They are open for afternoon tea, brunch, as well as lunch and dinner service.

Don’t forget to get a taste of their Signature Beer Bread.  It is made with local BC honey and baked fresh from the oven. It’s a treat and we really love it.

A few crowd pleasing favourites are their Herbed Rack of Lamb and seared scallops. Can’t go wrong with that either.

Also, if you spend a minimum of $30 at Globe@YVR, you get 3 hours of free parking at YVR. How fantastic is that? Parking at the airport isn’t cheap, so that is just perfect to get free parking.

Pacific Farms Market

More to come

We just got a small peek of what has opened recently at YVR, but there is a lot more to come. Of course there is the famous Wahl Burgers coming to the US departures area in June, but there are a ton of local eats and drinks too that I’m excited for.

A few of my favourite local favourites opening up include – JapaDog, Hawksworth, Red Truck Beer, Whistler Brewing, Pacific Farms Market, Heritage Asian Eatery, and The Dirty Apron.

Heritage Asian Eatery

Dirty Apron

Final Thoughts

Seeing the first phases of changes at Vancouver International Airport for their food and beverage program was really exciting. It’s an excellent blend of local and international brands across all terminals. I absolutely love the balance and can’t wait for the other eateries to opening throughout 2020 and 2021.

When you’re at Vancouver International Airport, definitely check the website or directory to see what new has opened up.

Website:
http://www.yvr.ca/tasteyvr

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Vancouver International Airport. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Vancouver International Airport.

Harmony Bakery is a hidden gem in Richmond for their rice rolls and congee. Of course, they sell many types of Chinese baked good, but what is surprising is their freshly made rice rolls. There’s lots of rice rolls in Richmond, but there’s not many that blow your mind.

They are located inside the Central Square Plaza where Lido is also located.

Interior

The space only has 2 tables with 4 chairs. There is a counter on the right and more baked goods on the left. There’s not much to this place. They just do what they do best and bake goods.

Menu

Steamed Beef Rice Noodle

The steamed beef rice noodle is made to order and there is a good amount of beef inside and once you add some soy sauce over top, it’s fantastic. You can taste the difference. This was our favourite.

Steamed BBQ Pork Rice Noodle with Egg

Next, we had the steamed BBQ Pork Rice noodle and we added $1 extra to have it with a fried egg. This was pretty good as well. The rice noodles had a great texture and the bbq pork was good.

Steamed Shrimps Rice Noodle

The rice noodles were great like the other versions. This one was a bit more plain as the shrimp didn’t add too much flavour.

Preserved Egg and Pork Congee

They have a small and large size, but we just got a small size to share. It was decent congee and it paired really well with the rice noodles. It’s pretty cheap, so you might as well get it too.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we were very impressed by Harmony Bakery and their rice noodles with congee. If you’re in the area, its definitely worth the visit. Also, make sure you bring cash. Everything is super super affordable and cheap.

Address:
4231 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC

Yue Restaurant has been a staple in Richmond and best known for their Hong Kong–style dim sum along with Cantonese dishes for dinner. They have won countless awards from the Chinese Restaurant Awards to Vancouver Magazine Awards.

A few years ago, they relocated to Alexandra Road and the space is stunning with a decent amount of parking. During peak dining times, it might be a bit tricky to find parking.

We were invited to try a wide variety of items from their dim sum menu as well as some Chinese New Year specialties.

Interior

Th interior is large and there are lots of round tables in their main dining area as well as private areas.

Photo Credit: VanFoodies

Dim Sum menu

Award Winning Dishes

Yue Restaurant has 3 award winning dishes on the menu – Steamed Prawn Dumpling, Baked Durian Tart, and Singing Beef Brisket and Rice Rolls in Pot.

Steamed Prawn Dumpling 水晶蝦餃皇

In 2015, their steamed prawn dumplings won Chinese Restaurant Awards Social Media Choice for Best Steamed Prawn Dumpling. There are lots of prawns inside without too much filler and the rice skin in a good thickness. I love eating this with XO sauce or spicy sauce.

Baked Durian Tart 泰式榴槤撻

This isn’t a dish for everyone, but if you love durian, its a must. In 2016, this won Chinese Restaurant Awards Critics’ Choice for Best Durian Eggtart.

I actually don’t see this on the menu that often at other dim sum restaurants, so it was nice to see a baked durian tart on their menu. The tart had a nice crunch with the creamy filling.

Singing Beef Brisket and Rice Rolls in Pot 啫啫牛腩腸粉煲

Another winner in 2017 at the Chinese Restaurant Awards Critics’ Choice for Best Stewed Beef Brisket With Rice Roll. It was really good as well. The beef was tender and the rice rolls had great flavour.

Steamed Prawn and Spinach 柳葉鮮蝦菠菜餃

Each order comes with 3 dumplings per order. The exterior skin is green in colour due to the spinach. The prawn and the spinach inside was very delicious. Also excellent with XO sauce.

Steamed Spare Ribs with Pumpkin 金蒜南瓜蒸排骨

Can’t go wrong with juicy steamed spare ribs. A staple dish in Cantonese dim sum. It’s something my parents order every single time.

Steamed Pork Dumpling with Crab Roe 蟹籽切肉燒賣皇

Another classic dish that is a must. There is a good ratio of pork and shrimp in the mixture, plus not too fatty either.

Deep Fried Shrimp and Cheese Spring Roll 蒜香芝士春卷

There was a lot of shrimp in these big spring rolls. I was very surprised by the size. The exterior was very crispy and the shrimp filling had a nice bounce.

Pan Fried Turnip Cake 臘味煎蘿蔔糕

An order of turnip cake has 3 big pieces. You can also cut them in half so you have 6 if you want a smaller piece. I did find it was a tad salty.

Pan Fried Sticky Rice with Dried Seafood 老茶居鳳凰煎米雞

Hidden inside this thin omelette is the pan fried stick rice.

Baked BBQ Pork Bun 鮑粵軒焗餐包

Another great item is their baked BBQ Pork Bun. It has a good amount of delicious BBQ pork inside the delicate bun. Highly recommended.

Steamed Rice Rolls with Beef 香茜牛肉腸粉

Their rice rolls are unique here as the ingredients are spread throughout the roll rather in the centre like other restaurants. The beef version was pretty good. Just pour a bit of soy sauce on top to add extra flavour.

Steamed Rice Rolls with BBQ Pork and Corn 金粟叉燒腸粉

Similar with the beef rice roll, but this has the BBQ Pork and Corn. Also very delicious and generous amount of ingredients inside.

Steamed Rice Rolls with 3 Kinds of Mushroom 香素三菇腸粉

You’ll definitely want to add some soy sauce to this one aw well. It has a good amount of mushroom flavour and good for mushroom lovers.

Steamed Egg Yolk Bun 黑金流沙包

The buns are freshly steamed and had the hot egg yolk custard in the centre. Just be careful eating it as it can just squirt out. I actually like to rip it in half and then eat it. It takes some skill to do that, so don’t be to aggressive with the bun.

Baked Egg Tart with Milk Puff Pastry 酥皮焗鮮奶葡撻

This is a treat as well. I’m surprised this hasn’t won any awards. Very crisp flaky pastry on the outside and smooth egg custard in the centre. I also like how it’s smaller and bite size.

Pan Fried Vermicelli with Beef and Bitter Melon with Black Bean Sauce 豉汁涼瓜牛肉煎米粉

I’m not a fan of bitter melon, but some people are. It was a solid dish with different texture throughout the dish.

Pork Hock with Maggi Sauce 美極豬手

The pork hock is cut up into smaller pieces and isn’t too salty either.

Fried Squabs 紅燒乳鴿

The fried squabs were ok. It’s hard to beat the ones from Hong Kong. Lovely presentation, but I would have liked the skin to be a bit more crisp.

Pork Rib in Special Spicy Sauce 將軍過橋骨

This is one big pork rib and it reminds me of a bridge. This is one of the Chinese New Year Specialty dishes. Some parts of it were quite dry and not as tender as I would have liked. With the amount of spicy sauce, it was quite salty.

Deep Fried Bean Curd Sheets with Prawn and Chives

Not too oily and it has a good amount of filling inside.

Tao Jiao Peach Resin Cake

A fun little dessert to have all by yourself, but if you have to, you can share too. It’s not too sweet and its the perfect little bite to end the meal.

Lychee and Sweet Olive Jello

I also enjoy this type of dessert too. Not sweet and very floral tasting.

Chinese New Year Specialties

Yue Restaurant is offering Chinese New Year specials between Jan 20 and Feb 9, 2020 for dinner time.

Yue’s Appetizer

The appetizers has a variety of items from jelly fish, baby octopus, surf clams, smoked salmon and braised beef shank. It’s a good item to order during dinner as guests can snack on it.

Braised Dried Oysters and Dried Black Moss in Bean Sauce 

One of my favourite Chinese dishes. It’s so saucy and so good assuming you like black moss and oysters.

Final Thoughts

Overall, dim sum at Yue Restaurant was really good. I was pleasantly surprised and would definitely make a trip to dine again. You can’t go wrong with dim sum. We tried a lot of items and they were either average or exceeded our expectations.

Make sure you call ahead of time for a reservation as weekend dim sum rush can be a bit crazy.

Address:
110-8351 Alexandra Rd, Richmond, BC

AFURI Ramen + Dumpling is a popular ramen spot in Japan known for their yuzu shio ramen. They have officially opened their first Canadian location in Richmond near Lansdowne. I’m really excited to see it opening up in Vancouver as I completely missed it in Japan, but I did buy the instant noodle cups.

Expect to see line ups here at Afuri and hopefully the experience stays consistent as they have brought up staff from their Portland location to help with the launch. They use the same techniques in their cooking similar to their central kitchen at the foot of Afuri mountain.

We were invited for a media sneak preview to give you guys an inside look before they open on January 7, 2020.

Interior

The interior is nice, large and spacious. Very high ceilings as well.

Menu

The ramen and gyozas are all made fresh by hand everyday. You’ll find ramen, rice bowls, gyozas, and small plates on the menu.

There are also alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Ordering

To order, you have to use the kiosk machines like in Japan. It’s very nice to see all the menu and customization options on the screen. You can even sub your noodles for gluten-free noodles.

You can pay right at the machine too with debit or credit. Yes, they also take cash. I know some people will probably hate using these machines. My parents wouldn’t like it.

Table Numbers

Once you’re order is almost done at the kiosk, you need to input your table number so they know where to bring the food over to you.

Homemade Gingerale

This has fresh ginger syrup and it’s not too intense. Nice and refreshing to go with their menu.

Yuzu Limeade

This drink is made with fresh limes juice and a splash of yuzu. This was pretty tart and isn’t as subtle like the Homemade Gingerale.

Buta Gyoza

An order comes with 8 pieces and it’s nicely pan fried. Inside the gyoza are pork, green onion, ginger, garlic, cabbage, sesame oil, and so. I enjoyed it and its a great item to share among the table.

Karaage

This has marinated fried chicken thigh, yuzu kosho egg salad, fried shishito pepper, and lemon. We really enjoyed this small plate. It was really crisp and moist. Tons of flavour from the marination too.

Kakuni Pork Bun

In the bun is kakuni pork, sweet chili soy sauce, green onion, cucumber, and pickled ginger. A solid choice for a bun. The meat is tender and delicious but we did notice that the consistency of the buns were off. One Kakuni Pork Bun had a thick slab of pork and the second one we got was much thinner. Hopefully they correct this when they open their doors.

Soft Shell Crab Bun

In the steamed bun is soft shell crab, spicy mayo, kimchi, and cucumber. This was really really good! The crab has a lot of flavour and the kimchi works so well in this dish. Highly recommended.

Yuzu Shio

Their signature ramen has shio tare, chicken broth, yuzu, bamboo, egg, chashu pork, endive, fried garlic, and nori. The broth is pretty light and there is the yuzu tang in the broth which is they are best known for.

It wasn’t my personal favourite as I felt it was pretty bland and too light. According to my other friend, it is very very consistent with the location in Portland.

Tonkotsu shio

This has shio tare, pork broth, chashu pork, egg, black garlic oil, green onion, pickled ginger, kikurage mushroom, and sesame. We found it quite fatty at the top of the bowl and pretty bland. It didn’t leave a good feeling in our mouths.

The best part of the dish was the chashu pork.

Yuzu Tsuyu Tsukemen

Tsukemen is dipping noodles, so you dip the cold noodles in the concentrated broth. This dish also has chashu pork, egg, bamboo, yuzu juice, endive, green onion, nori, and yuzu soy tsuyu.

This was a pretty good dish compared to the other 2 we had. It is much saltier but you get the tart yuzu, the spices, and the depth of flavour.

Extra Side

You can order extra side to your ramen for an additional cost if you want a bit more to your dish. We tried a bit of everything but the chashu is the best.

Final Thoughts

It’s always great to have more well-known Ramen shops in Metro Vancouver. There is already a lot but it opens our palettes to the different varieties of ramen out there. It’s not all the same and each place has their unique twist. For Afuri, it’s that yuzu touch to their broth.

We did find many hits and misses, but we are pretty picky ramen eaters and have our personal preferences. We really enjoyed the gyoza and small plates a lot more than the ramen.

Address:
140-7971 Alderbridge Way, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://www.afuriramen.com/

CAVU Kitchen & Bar is located inside the Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond, BC and best known for their gourmet burgers and globally influenced main dishes. They have recently launched a new winter menu that is more hearty and heavy for the colder months. We were invited to check out a few of their signature dishes on this new menu.

Interior

The space is modern and looks like it was recently renovated. For a hotel restaurant, this was not bad at all. It has enough space for small to large groups.

Fried Chicken Basket

There are 2 types that you can choose from – regular or Nashville Hot Style. It is also served with a side of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, which delivers a bit of an acidic punch. Of the two types of chicken we tried, we found the Nashville Hot to be superior. It added more flavours and make it feel more moist and tender.

Mediterranean Labneh

This is a soft cheese spread with Arbequina olive il, dukkah, olives, rosemary and dipping bread. Very good flavour and a good item to share among the table.

Crispy Chilli Fried Squid and Prawns

There is togarashi spice, shishito pepper, green onion, yuzu aioli, chili oil, and sesame puff. It looked great but the flavours were lacking even though there were lots of ingredients that went into it.

The Baller

This has an 8oz beef patty, sautéed lobster, bernaise sauce, asparagus, arugula, dijonaise, and all between a brioche bun. The beef patty was a bit on the dry side and lacked seasoning. It was ok, but the baller effect fell a bit flat.

Le Big Mac n Cheese Burger

8oz beef patty, cheddar cheese, raclette cheese, bacon, and ketchup between the mac n cheese ‘bun’. The burger was the winner of the 2019 Le Burger Week racking up the most votes. This was a very unique burger and it is served with your side of soup, salad or fries.

The Mac n Cheese ‘bun’ is quite bland and the other ingredients don’t add too much flavour to it. We asked for some extra sauces to enhance it like their kimchi ketchup and chipotle aioli. Highly recommend asking for those sauces.

The best way to eat this burger is with a fork and knife as it’ll get messy.

Pan Seared Lois Lake Steelhead

The Pan Seared Lois Lake Steelhead is paired with braised leeks, saffron butter sauce, and rosti potatoes. It was delicious can’t can’t go wrong with a beautiful piece of salmon.

Cioppino

Inside the Cioppino is rockfish, mussels, squid, and prawns in spiced tomato broth. It is served with crusty bread on the side. The broth had a nice flavour and well spiced. Good sized pieces of seafood too.

Stout Braised Beef Shortrib

My favourite dish of the night was the Stout Braised Beef Shortrib. It has pomme pont neuf, steak mushrooms, peas and carrots, and a stout jus. The shortrib was very tender! All the ingredients worked well together.

Spiced Rum & Raisin Bread Pudding

This has bourbon vanilla ice cream, candied pecans, salted caramel and toasted marshmallow. This was a pretty good dessert and my favourite of the two.

Molten Chocolate Cake

This has a hazelnut ganache centre, custard ice cream, hazelnut crunch and gingersnap. I personally didn’t find the cake to have the ‘molten’ centre.

Final Thoughts

The new menu items are a hit and miss but you can’t go wrong with their starters and entrees. Their burgers are very very creative, but the taste just misses the mark. My favourites of the night were the spicy fried chicken basket, shortribs, and the bread pudding.

Address:
5911 Minoru Blvd, Richmond, BC

Website:
http://cavukitchenbar.com/

Goodbowl is located in Richmond inside Central at Garden City where the big Wal-Mart is located. They serve up healthy meal options where you can create your own bowls and juices.

There is a lot of fresh produce to pick from – kale, spinach, bok choy, pineapple, corn, beansprouts, celery, onions, carrot, cauliflower, red pepper, green bean, zucchini, and broccoli.

Great option for those who want something made fresh right in front of them.

Interior

There are a good amount of seats inside for sizes of groups of 1-4 people. You can definitely do more if you move around some tables.

Creating Your Own Bowl

Customize your bowl however you like it. It’s great to just pick and choose what you like or you can ask the staff for recommendations.

You can create your own bowl with a few simple steps:

  1. Select your size
  2. Pick veggies
  3. Pick your protein
  4. Pick your sauce

Each bowl comes with your choice of jasmine or harvest wild blend rice. You can also add noodles as a topping. Next, the protein. There is AAA certified angus beef, free run grain fed hormone free chicken, sakura pork or tofu. You can also add on items like egg, prawns or more meat for an extra charge.

As for the sauce, you can mix and match or pick one of their top five mixes.

Cooking it up

Once your bowl full of ingredients are picked out, they cook it on a very very hot surface. You can watch and smell it being prepared.

Beef Bowl with Lemongrass Ginger

Our first bowl was a beef bowl with lemongrass ginger with a bit of miso maple. Very flavourful and tasty. We enjoyed the ingredients inside that we picked out. You can taste the freshness of the ingredients.

Salad with Chicken

If you don’t want rice or noodle, you can turn it into a salad. It’s not on the menu but it’s possible. If you want more of a crunch to your bowl, this is also a great option.

Kid’s Size Tofu Bowl

They have kid size bowls as well, so we got a tofu bowl with coconut lime leaf, which the staff recommended. It was really good and reminded us of Thai Curry. It did need a touch more salt or sauce for our personal preferences.

Chicken Bowl with AJ’s Mix

The next bowl we got has chicken with the AJ’s Mix sauce. It was a bit spicy but overall still a bit bland, but you can always ask them for more sauce and adjust spicy levels.

Juice Flight

There are 4 juices that come in a fight. It’s a good way to try a variety of combinations.

  • Apple and Beet
  • Orange
  • Kale and Pear
  • Apple, Carrot and Pear

They have this big juicer machine where they push fruit through the machine and it comes out the spout on the other side. It seems pretty neat.

The juice flight is a good way to try many flavour combinations without committing to one juice.

Good Berry Smoothie

This has blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, orange, and low fat vanilla frozen yogurt. It has a great berry flavour.

Green Machine Smoothie

This smoothie has spinach, apple, kale, pineapple, banana, and low fat vanilla frozen yogurt. The spinach and the kale is balanced by the fruit, so its a pretty good smoothie. It leans more on the sweet side because of the fruits, but nonetheless very enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

It’s a good option in this complex if you’re looking for something healthier. It’s fully customizable and great for those with dietary restrictions. The prices are fair too.

In the complex that it’s located in, it is occupied by a lot of other restaurants, but this one is probably the healthiest.

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/goodbowlofficial/

JiangHu Taiwanese Pot & Wok Cuisines is located in Richmond serving up Taiwanese Pot & Wok dishes. This new concept brings together authentic Taiwanese pot dishes and creative stir fry cuisine to Vancouver.

We were glad to see a different type of Taiwanese restaurant that isn’t a bubble tea cafe or beef noodle shop. Don’t get me wrong, I love those places, but we wanted to see more diversity in Taiwanese cuisine and this is what we were looking for.

They meld distinctive Taiwanese flavours with modern culinary techniques and local produce that gives JiangHu it’s unique Vancouver twist. Plus, all the dishes are large and meant to be shared.

We were invited by JiangHu to check out a few of their signature dishes on the menu.

Interior

The space is bright, nice and modern. You’ll find smaller tables as well as larger ones for bigger groups.

They do accept reservations on their website via OpenTable for small to larger groups (20+). If you need anything specific, just give them a call.

Menu

Deluxe Seafood Platter

This is one of this signature dishes and it’s filled with fresh seafood like lobster, crab, clams, scallops, white shrimp, mussels, and seasonal veggies.

It’s a pretty huge portion served on a large plate that will just make your friends and family want to take a lot of photos. For $188, this serves about 4-6 people. When it arrives at the table, they tell you to heat on simmer for 5 minutes to incorporate the fresh seafood with the sauces.

There are 2 types of sauces you can choose from – spicy or beer steamed with garlic. The spice level can be adjusted to suit your spice tolerance from mild to very hot. The beer steamed with garlic is very fragrant.

The seafood platter was cooked very well and you can taste the freshness of the seafood. Our favourites were the crab and the lobster, but hard to go wrong with these items. The only thing that wasn’t up to par was the scallop vermicelli, which felt greasy and not as much flavour. Other than that, it’s a solid dish that is great for groups.

This also comes with a jug of Wintermelon Tea.

ShaoJiu Chicken Pot with Full Bottle of Wine

This was a very exciting dish as it was lit. When it’s set on fire, everyone in the restaurant notices. The chicken pot incorporates a lot of medicinal properties and ingredients. These items are stewed for over an hour.

With the inclusion of the full bottle of wine, it wasn’t too alcoholic at all. The chicken is really tender and flavourful. It’s balanced really well and the soup is also tasty. With this pot, you can always add on extra items to make it more full like veggies or other proteins. It’s a great item for the winter.

Stir Fried Lobster with Glutinous Oil Rice

This is another signature dish on their menu. Typically made with red sturgeon, they have replaced it with lobster to incorporate the freshness of the East Coast. They stir-fry sakura shrimp with steamed glutinous rice, then add sliced pork belly, mushrooms, scallions crisps, and then topped with sesame oil and soy sauce.

The dish was delicious and comforting. The lobster was also meaty and tender. The lotus leaf also gives a lot of flavour to this dish too.

Stir Fried Chicken Pot

The chicken is stir-fried with a variety of seasoning and spices to have a very aromatic and fragrant dish. It does pack a punch of spice, so its not for those who can’t tolerate spice, or you can ask them to make it less spicy.

Taiwanese Burgers

The Taiwanese Burgers are a bit on the pricy side as you get 2 for $14.95. The pork belly meat is marinated for 2 hours and then wrapped with gio bao and topped with peanut powder, pickled cabbage, coriander, and plum sauce. It was pretty delicious and the pork belly does melt in your mouth. Definitely one of the better ones we’ve had in Vancouver.

Stir-Fried Lamb and Vegetables with Satay Sauce

The sliced lamb meat is stir-fried with their house-made satay sauce and paired with the crisp dark green leaf. Another tasty dish but it does have a hint of spice to it too.

Taiwanese Oyster Pancake

The oyster pancake was delicious as there was a good balanced of oyster, cabbage, and eggs. They cake it really thin so it does get crispy. Very enjoyable.

Deep Fried Sweet Taro Ball

This was delicious. It is fried but not greasy or too sweet at all. A great dish that reminded us of Taiwan. It’s not at a lot of restaurants in Vancouver, but we just devoured these up.

Deep Fried Oysters

Another delicious dish. The oysters were plump and full of flavour It is also served with shrimp chips which is a nice touch.

Deep Fried Fish Skin with Egg Yolk

When you know, you know. Deep-fried fish skin is a huge trend right now, but rightly so because its so delicious. Tasty and crispy. Music to our ears every time we munch on these.

Popcorn Chicken with Fried Yam

This is a different take on Taiwanese popcorn chicken. It was a hit and miss depending on your tastebuds. Some could take the plum, some found it a bit hidden.

Octopus Beak Balls

This was really good. So tender, tasty and delicious. We haven’t seen this anywhere else in Vancouver! Highly recommended.

Grilled Pork Neck with Miso Sauce

They use pork jowl marinated in miso and other seasonings then BBQ on a low temperature. This was good and we liked the char from the BBQ as it caramelizes the sauce.

Final Thoughts

Overall, JiangHu Taiwanese Pot & Wok Cuisines really impressed us. All the dishes tasted great particularly their fried and stir fried dishes. Prices seem reasonable on the menu, but the bigger seafood dishes can be a bit pricey.

We will definitely be back as the Taiwanese flavours were well incorporated into the dishes.

Address:
Unit 100-7911 Alderbridge Way,Richmond BC

Website:
http://jianghu-cuisine.com

We travel through the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) several times a year and I always have to step back and appreciate it’s beauty. YVR is one of the top airports in the world and I am so proud to call Vancouver my home.

Early in 2019, YVR announced the revamp of their Food and Beverage program with more than 20 new food and beverage concepts opening over the next two years. They are bringing a balance of local and international brands that I am really excited for.

Recently, we were invited to TasteYVR, a public event hosted by YVR to showcase a few of the exciting eateries opening up.

Japadog

Japadog is a Vancouver staple. Since their humble start in 2005 on the street corner of Burrard and Smithe, their Japanese influenced hot dogs captivated the tastebuds of locals and visitors.

They currently have a stand outside the airport’s International Arrivals area as well as a store at the McArthur Glen Premium Outlets. In January of 2020, you can find Japadog with a new in-terminal location at the domestic terminal before security.

They will boast the same menu, but with the addition of their breakfast items like their mashed egg, and mini breakfast buns.

Stanley Park Taphouse

The Stanley Park Brewing legacy dates back to 1897 when their namesake brewery was established in Stanley Park. It’s a local favourite brewery and they have some amazing seasonal brews like the Sunsetter Peach Wheat Ale and Summer Hefe. You also can’t go wrong with their year round brews like the 1897 Amber Ale or the Day Trip WestCoast Lager.

Stanley Park Taphouse opened at YVR in December 2017 and has been a fun place to chill before flights at the Domestic Terminal.

Their menu features starters and share plates, big salads, or braised short rib burgers. You can pair those food items with a BC wine or a craft beer served exclusively at YVR.

Globe@YVR

Globe@YVR serves up Pacific Northwest cuisine with thoughtfully prepared dishes featuring the best of locally sourced, sustainably grown ingredients. Their menu rotates seasonally. They boast a solid afternoon tea, brunch, as well as lunch and dinner made with local seasonal ingredients by Executive Chef Nandaskishore Rangan. His style of cooking that is represented on the menu as he calls it ‘local and honest’, which I admire a lot.

They are located right outside the US departures inside the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. It’s a great place to unwind, dine, and watch the planes come in and out of their gates.

Did you know, if you spend a minimum of $30 at Globe@YVR, you get 3 hours of free parking at the airport.

Illycaffè

Illy serves up some pretty darn good coffee and known around the world. They are a third-generation family-owned coffee company from Trieste, Italy. Illycaffè is the first full-service, post-security airside location of the authentic Italian coffee bar in Canada.  You can find them in the international section of the main terminal near gate D58.

Their menu includes fresh sandwiches, healthy snack cups and decadent baked goods paired with their coffees like espresso, latte and cappuccino, to illy Cold Brew and original specialty drinks.

Uno Gelato

James Coleridge, the man behind Uno Gelato is unofficially known as the Vancouver gelato king and former owner of Bella Gelateria. He has won countless International awards for his Gelato and has now open up his new venture – Uno Gelato. There are currently 3 Vancouver locations and they serve up to a dozen original gelato offerings every day featuring fresh, local and organic ingredients. They have partnered up with local companies like Avalon Dairy, Krause Berry Farms and Vancouver Island Salt Company to have their high quality products incorporated into the gelato.

Popular flavours at YVR include Salted Caramel, Mint Chocolate Chip, Lemon, New Fashioned Chocolate and Very Cherry.

Hudson Group / Joe & the Juice

If you’ve been to their airport and needed headphones, magazines, or snacks last minute, you know you’ve visited the Hudson Group. They are best known for travel essentials and convenience stores, bookstores, duty-free shops and branded specialty stores.

They will be introducing Joe & the Juice, a well known European coffee and juice concept. You can find Joe & the Juice in other cities in North America too. They will be located post-security in both the Domestic and Transborder Terminals serving up their signature organic coffee, fresh fruit and vegetable juices and sandwiches.

Pacific Farms Market

I absolutely love the idea of Pacific Farms Market as I’ve seen the operator – Tastes on the Fly operate Napa Farms Market out of San Francisco. For locals and visitors, you can get access to locally sourced and seasonal goods from the best producers in British Columbia.

Angie Quaale, owner and chef of Well Seasoned in Langley is curating their selection of food and beverages. She’s the perfect person to do so as she’s so engrained in all things local.

You’ll notice 49th Parallel, one of Vancouver’s favourite coffee producers will have products available, a selection of fresh baked goods from Purebread Bakery, local wines from the Okanagan, and much more.

This is planned for both the Domestic Terminal and International Terminal when you go past security. The opening dates are planned for Spring 2020 (Domestic Terminal) and Summer 2020 (International Terminal).

Sal y Limon

Sal y Limon is my personal favourite taco shop in Vancouver and I’ve been there more than a dozen times. They have a variety of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and other items that give locals and visitors a taste of Mexican street food. My go to order is always 4 tacos with avocado salsa and a horchata. It hits the spot.

Slated to open in October 2019, they are located past security of the Transborder Terminal.

Heritage Asian Eatery

Heritage Asian Eatery originally opened in Downtown Vancouver serving up contemporary Asian comfort food and then they opened their second location in Mount Pleasant. Now, they’ve taken on Vancouver International Airport serving up baos, rice bowls, and noodles that just hit the spot.

The ambiance is very casual and you order up front before you take a seat. You get the deep Asian flavours mixed with locally sourced ingredients and modern Western techniques.

You’ll find them at the Domestic Terminal past security.

The Dirty Apron

The Dirty Apron is an amazing space in the heart of Downtown Vancouver acting as a culinary hub for great food, products, and cooking classes. The location in YVR won’t have all that, but their amazing deli will serve their array of delicious sandwiches, nutritious and health-conscious meals and snacks, all featuring locally sourced, seasonal produce and meats. If you want an elevated soup and sandwich, this is the place to go.

They are slated to open Spring 2020 in the domestic terminal past security.

Final Thoughts

I love the new changes coming to the Vancouver International Airport as it gives visitors more food and drink options at the different terminals. It highlights a lot of great local restaurants and products as well as bringing some more familiar global options. It’s a good balance that will be much welcomed.

Website:
http://www.yvr.ca/tasteyvr

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Vancouver International Airport. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Vancouver International Airport.