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In Four Beakers

Kilala: Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby

September 25, 2016

Kilala has been in the North Burnaby neighbourhood for about 10 years now. After all that time, I finally came here for a visit with M. It is a small sushi bar, so it can get pretty busy around dinner time. The outside of the shop may not look like much but their sushi is delicious.

They started us off with some tea and even gave us a whole pot of it so we could refill it ourselves.

We started off with some nigiri to see how it compares to other places.

Tamago was nothing like other restaurants. I loved the layers of the egg and how it towered over the ball of sushi rice. M loved it and i think its so far his favourite tamago.

Hokkaido Scallop Nigiri was really fresh and the pieces of scallop were very plump.

Next was the Unagi Battera with eel on top of pressed sushi rice. I love the car on the unagi and its so flavourful. It’s a pricey item to order, but its so good.

Look at that. So So good!

Toro Sashimi comes with 7 pieces and it is nice and fatty. The chef really knows his stuff.

Assorted Nigiri comes with 14 pieces of sushi – 1/2 tekka maki, 1/2 kappa maki, and 8 nigiri selections from the chef. There is a little wasabi hidden under the sashimi, so watch out.

All of the nigiri were pretty delicious. My favourite were the tamago and saba. All the others were pretty standard.

Overall, it’s a nice hidden gem in North Burnaby for good Japanese sushi. The prices can be high for some items, but the quality is here. You won’t find too wide a selection for cooked food. It is mostly sushi rolls and raw items.

We Rate Kilala:

Address:
4749 Hastings Street, Burnaby

In Four Beakers

Peaked Pies: Aussie Meat Pies in Whistler

September 18, 2016

Peaked Pies in Whistler Village is a popular place to have a good ol’ Aussie Meat Pie. What makes them so popular is their beautiful looking ‘peaked pies’ topped with mashed potato, peas and gravy. I came with a few friends to indulge on their massive peaked pies.

The interior is pretty small and there aren’t a lot of seating. Most people ended up eating outside or getting it to go.

They have different pies available – traditional, chunky pepper steak, butter chicken, veggie, etc. Lots of pies to choose from.

Look at all those pies. On the outside, they all look the same.

They have an electronic ordering machine if you don’t want to line up at the counter. It’s super fast and easy to use.

Traditional Aussie Meat Pie which has ground beef, onions, and gravy. I also got it peaked for an extra $3.25, which adds mashed potato, mushy green peas and gravy on top. It’s so worth it. You can’t come here without getting it peaked.

All of us got it peaked. The savoury meaty mixture inside the flakey crust is made even better with the peas and mash. This is the ultimate comfort food.

We Rate Peaked Pies:

Address:
105-4369 Main Street, Whistler, BC

Website:
http://www.peakedpies.com/

In Four Beakers

Christine’s: Lunch at Whister Blackcomb

September 10, 2016

Christine’s is located inside the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler. They are a full service restaurant with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

At 1,860m/6,102ft above ground, it’s pretty interesting to see their challenges with getting the produce up on the mountain as well as adapting to the altitude changes to the taste of food. Head Chef Steve Ramey did a great job on the menu.

Interior

The interior is very modern with clean lines and cute light fixtures. In the summer time, you can hang out in their patio, or in the winter time, you can sit inside and enjoy the breathtaking views.

Photo Credit: Whistler Blackcomb

Drinks

Gin Royale Caesar has 2 oz of gin, Motts Clamato, horseradish, bean, spices, olive, pickled pepper, and a gin beef stick. A pretty awesome caesar and the beef stick is fun to gnaw on .

Elderflower Mimosa has Prosecco, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, and freshly squeeze orange juice. A nice start to the afternoon and elderflower works really well in a mimosa.

Watermelon Mimosa has Ruffino Prosecco, watermelon puree and agave nectar. The drink is very refreshing.

Amuse bouche

We all started with a amuse bouche to really kick off the lunch. A nice little touch to showcase the freshness of their ingredients.

Appetizers

Crispy Chickpea Falafel is paired with spiced yogurt, raw milk feta, dill, cucumber, and nigella seed. At first I wasn’t sure what to this of this dish, but I did enjoy the crunchy texture of the falafel.

Burrata has heirloom tomatoes, white balsamic, summer herbs, prosciutto, and grilled flatbread. Burrata is an awesome cheese as its is so silky.

Scallop Ceviche has lime, watermelon, sunflower, avocado, puffed rice and pickled onion. This was probably our favourite dish and you could really taste the fresh summer produce. It’s not your typical ceviche, so it was a nice twist.

BBQ Duck Salad has green papaya, black pepper, hoisin, sesame, citrus, and crispy taro. It had a decent amount of duck and it had a good flavour from the hoisin and sesame.

Entrees

Seared Albacore has asparagus, soft cooked egg, lemon ranch, and butter fried scallions. It has 3 pieces of the albacore tuna in an order. The tuna was lightly seared, so you can still taste the delicate tuna in the centre.

Charred 48 hour Shortrib has maple BBQ, jalapeno cheddar cornbread, marinated kale, bred and butter pickle. The cornbread was so good!

Slow Cooked Wild Salmon has soba noodles, scallion vinaigrette, pickled ginger, green apple, wild rice, and sesame. The salmon was cooked very well and it was a light dish compared to the shortribs.

Vietnamese Pork Burger has grilled cabbage, black pepper aioli, carrot, cucumber, smoked peanut and cilantro. It comes with a side of crisps. This was very flavourful and surprisingly one of our favour dishes. I know it doesn’t look like much compared to the other dishes, but the pork burger rocked it.

Overall, a good selection of food for lunch or dinner. It is more expensive than the other options up on the mountain, but if you are here for a special occasion, its nice to indulge. The views are nice and the service is great too.

We rate Christine’s:

Address:
Whistler Blackcomb, Whistler, BC

Website:
https://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/the-village/dining/christines-restaurant

In Chinese

Chuan Chu Ren Jia: Szechuan Cuisine in Burnaby

August 26, 2016

Chuan Chu Ren Jia is a Szechuan restaurant in South Burnaby on Kingsway. I’ve passed by this place so many times, but have never made a visit until now.

I was invited by the Chopstick Fest, a Chinese Cuisine Festival happening in October later this year to try out a few of their signature dishes.

Interior

The interior is pretty basic with Chinese decor and a few tables. It was pretty packed at dinner time and seems to be a local favourite.

They have large tables available for big groups, but just call ahead of time to make reservations.

Soup

Seaweed Spare rib soup was good and tasted pretty nutritious. This is the large size that 6 of us shared.

Appetizer

Sautéed Free Range Chicken with Chili was pretty good. Very flavourful and not too spicy. Try avoid eating the red chilis as those have a kick kick of spice to them.

Clear Noodles in Chili Sauce was pretty hard to pick up with chopsticks and forks. The noodles pick up most of the flavour from the sauce and the noodles themselves are tasteless.

Entree

Kung Pao Chicken is cooked with chilis, green/red pepper, peanuts and a delicious sauce. The chicken is tender and very flavourful. A good amount of spice to this dish, but it isn’t too intense.

Sauteed Pork with Chili pepper also has shaved jalapeños. It’s spicy, but I enjoyed the flavours.

Grilled Lamb with Cumin was very good. It reminded me of lamb skewers from other restaurants. I gobbled this plate right up.

Braised fish with hot sauce was the most spicy dish of the evening. The fish still had bones on it, so it was a bit difficult to pick out the bones. You definitely want to get a side of rice to go with this dish so it absorbs the hot sauce.

Overall, it was a pretty good dinner and the dishes were all delicious in their own way. If you love spicy food, you’ll enjoy this place. I would definitely come back again.

We rate Chuan Chu Ren Jia:

Address:
6408 Kingsway, Burnaby

In Brunch

Medina: Brunch in Downtown Vancouver

August 20, 2016

Medina has their new location for quite some time now, but I finally came for a visit. I arrived 15 minutes before opening and there were already tons of people lining up. I missed the first seating, but I was on the top of the list for the second seating. I waited about 40 mins and then got a seat. It didn’t bother me at all since I was busy playing Pokemon Go. There was a lure set, so I was happy catching.

Interior

There is bar seating and tables of 2’s and 4’s. It’s hard to get large groups in, so you might have to wait.

The interior is pretty near and hip. when you look out the window you’ll most likely see the other people lining up.

Drinks

They have teas, coffees, or mimosas to pair with a perfect brunch. I went with the cappuccino since I needed some caffeine for the morning.

Brunch

Paella has orzo, chorizo, seasonal veggies, grana padano, avocado, spicy charred tomato salsa and toped with a fried egg. A good hearty items for brunch.

Fricassee is a popular item here with braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, applewood smoked cheddar, veggies and grilled focaccia and 2 fried eggs.

Saumon Fume has a fried egg, smoked wild salmon cream cheese, avocado, arugula, sweetly drop peppers and artichoke salad on grilled ciabatta. This is one of my favourite items of the menu. I love their salmon cream cheese.

Waffles

Waffle with White chocolate pistachio rosewater is a must at Cafe Medina. You can’t leave here without tasting their waffles. We shared this among our friends.

Overall, a great brunch in Vancouver and it is immensely popular. They just have good food. It’s a must visit spot in town. I would highly recommend this place and you’ll want to arrive early for the first seating.

We Rate Medina:

Address:
780 Richards Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.medinacafe.com/

In Four Beakers

Hachibei: Authentic Japanese Food near South Cambie

August 12, 2016

Hachibei is a little hidden Japanese restaurant in South Cambie. I’ve been craving to try new places in town and I stumbled upon Hachibei. It was highly recommended by a few friends and I am a sucker for small authentic Japanese restaurants.

The space isn’t very large, but make reservations if you have a large group. Since it was only myself and 2 others, we took a chance.

Cold Sake comes in really cute glassware. The jug has a hold in the centre for putting ice in there so it stays nice and cold. The sake cups were very nice and seemed quite fragile.

Salmon Sashimi comes with 8 pieces and they use wild sockeye salmon. That colour is just beautiful and had a nice taste.

Ebi Sunomono was a good size with 2 pieces of shrimp. It came in a small bowl but it wasn’t too small. Nice flavour and served cold. Refreshing for a hot summers day.

Steamed clam with sake was their special for the day and ti comes with a delicious broth and 6 pieces of clams. Very delicious broth and nice big clams.

Chicken Karaage was crisp on the outside and flavourful. It came out a bit hot, so you want to cool it down before eating.

Deep-Fried Shishamo is smelt served with a creamy mayo sauce. Crisp on the outside and pretty delicious.

Battera is pickled mackerel sushi pressed into a rectangular shape. It seemed like there was ginger on top of the pickled mackerel too.

Chopped Scallop Roll had large chunks of scallops and tobiko inside. Very fresh and delicious.

Deep fried Oyster comes with salad and mashed potatoes on the plate. The 5 pieces of oysters were crisp on the outside and creamy in the centre. Very delicious and a good size.

It is also served with miso soup, rice, and pickled vegetables.A good wholesome meal for 1 person or can be shared among the group.

A nice accompaniment with the meal to balance out the deep-fried oysteres.

Overall, the food was great and was at a good price. The food was fresh and very delicious. I would come here again.

We Rate Hachibei:

Address:
778 West 16th Avenue, Vancouver

In Four Beakers

Maruyama: Handmade Udon in Vancouver

July 28, 2016

My coworkers and I are obsessed with Maruyama and their delicious Japanese food. A week after coming to have the omakase, we decided to come back to try some cheaper items off them menu since we can’t have another omakase. We would be broke.

Homemade Udon has assorted mushroom, wakame seaweed, and their delicious dashi broth. There is also pea shoots, green onions and tempura bits. It was a good size and I loved the handmade udon. The quality is definitely there.

Jumbo Prawn Tempura was an extra item. Very large and plump. It also comes with a tiny green bean tempura, which was interesting. Perhaps it was there to add a bit of colour.

Salmon nigiri was added just so I can a be a little bit more full. He automatically adds wasabi to this, so if you don’t like wasabi, make sure to let the server know. I totally forgot about it and the wasabi really punched me in the face.

Overall, a good 2nd visit and trying more of their cooked items.

We Rate Maruyama:

Address:
3883 Rupert Street, Vancouver

In Brunch

La Brasserie: Brunch is Back

July 17, 2016

Located in the heart of the West End, La Brasserie is a relaxed 35-seat restaurant that serves authentic Franco-German cuisine.

La Brasserie was one of my favourite brunch places and I was super sad that it closed down temporarily years ago.

William Wang purchased La Brasserie in January of 2015. Driven by his love for the restaurant and news that it was meant to close its doors indefinitely, Wang took over this small West End gem with hopes of renewing the quality and consistency it had previously been known for.

La Brasserie offers dinner daily and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The menu still has the same favourites and even the chef is the same.

Using high quality, locally sourced ingredients, all of the dishes served at La Brasserie are made to order. I love sitting by the bar since thats where all the action happens in the kitchen.

A good brunch starts with brewed coffee, sugar and milk. Free refills, so I always have at least 2 cups.

As I sipped on my coffee and chatted with CanucksGirl, we watched our brunch being put together. I always admire all the hard work that goes into the meal.

Chicken Mornay Crepes has pulled rotisserie chicken, mushroom, Mornay sauce, gruyére, and topped with salad. It’s a very rich and satisfying dish since I love cheese.

Suckling Pig and Eggs has confit potato, seasonal vegetables, poached eggs, and hollandaise. Another great dish and the suckling pig is very flavourful. Eggs poached perfectly.

Brasserie Burger has ground hanger steak, white cheddar, bacon, crispy onion, truffled aioli, and frites. It’s a classic item to order here and people always marvel at the amount of crispy onions they can stack on top. Also ask them for their house-made ketchup. The burger was so big that I had a hard time eating it, but tasted really good.

For those who are gluten-free or have dietary restrictions, they can make some adjustments to the menu, so you can have a good time.

Overall, the food was as good as before. I’ll be back for more.

We Rate La Brasserie:

Address:
1091 Davie Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.labrasserievancouver.com/

In Four Beakers

Maruyama: Omakase Nigiri Tasting

July 3, 2016

Maruyama has taken over the old Kimura location on Rupert Street. Chef Yoshiya Maruyama was the previous raw bar chef at Blue Water Cafe and has finally opened his own restaurant in East Vancouver.

When my friend told me about it, I got super excited because I love sushi. A few of us went to try their omakase nigiri tasting.

Interior

The space isn’t very large, there are 4 seats at the bar and a few tables on either side of the restaurant. Always best to make reservations.

Omakase Nigiri Tasting

We made reservations to sit at the bar so we could get a full experience and have a chat with the Chef.

They have 2 options for omakase nigiri tasting – $25 and $60 option. After consulting with the Chef, we decided to take the plunge and order the $60 tasting as it has more premium fish used in the set.

When the tasting begins, they ask you if you want wasabi on it or not. Half of the group went with wasabi and the other half went without. The omakase tasting isn’t for everyone as it only has a minimum of 7 pieces. Those with a large stomach might not get full.

Sanma is very soft and has lots of fat. It is brushed with a bit of sauce and covered in a shiso leaf.

This nigiri, I have no idea what it was. In my notes I wrote down “asa”, but I couldn’t find this type of fish online. Either way, it tasted really good.

Akaji was what I wrote down, but I think I miss heard so I have no idea what this is. It is encrusted in the chef’s secret kombu topping, which is kelp.

Isaki nigiri has a slightly chewy taste. Isaki is a grunt fish.

Tobiuo is a flying fish with a soft texture perfect for nigiri.

Tai also has a slight chewy texture but it is rich in flavour.

Scallop Nigiri has a few drop of yuzu and then sprinkled with a bit of sea salt.

Chutoro is a delicious tuna with higher fat content. Very delicious too.

Otoro is the most expensive cut of tuna taken from the lowest part of the belly next to the head. It’s high in fat and super flavourful.

Other Nigiri on the menu

Hokkaido Uni is an additional menu item and when the chef was telling us about it, we didn’t realize it was $19 each. He did warn us that it was expensive and no normal customer would order this and he makes little to no profit off this item.

He adds a speck of wasabi to the top and its ready to eat. The flavour of the uni was amazing, but it was really expensive. It’s an expensive ingredient, so it’s not for all.

Anago is sea eel and he torches it before it gets served. For $5.50, this nigiri was more easy on the wallet compared to the uni.

The flavour and look is unlike what you would find at most Japanese restaurants. It’s fresh and has an amazing taste. He uses his own secret sauce to add on top.

Matcha ice cream with red bean is how we ended out meal. This was part of the omakase, I think because we weren’t charged for it. or maybe it was because we spent so much.

Overall, it was a pretty expensive meal, but its nice to splurge once in a while. I find that the nigiri are his works of art and should really be enjoyed. You need a high level of appreciation for sushi to fully enjoy this experience.

We Rate Maruyama:

Address:
3883 Rupert Street, Vancouver

In Chinese

Golden Eats Seafood Restaurant: Chinese Restaurant on Kingsway

June 25, 2016

Golden Eats Seafood Restaurant is located on Kingsway close to Victoria Drive. They have been around for 2 years and I was surprised it was so clean and modern.

ChineseBites took us here to try a few of the signature items on their menu.

We started off the meal with their daily special soup with some veggies and meat. Once it arrived at the table, they helped us scoop it into each individual bowl.

A good way to start off the meal with refreshing soup.

XO Salted Egg Yolk Crab was so good! One of the better ones out there. The contrast between the XO sauce and the Salted Egg Yolk coating was addictive. I would definitely order this again.

Lobster with Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf came in a big container and it was all really good too. The lobster was cooked very well and the rice really soaked up the delicious lobster flavours.

Peking Duck has thin crisp slices of duck skin over lobster chips. Put in the hoisin sauce, scallions, and duck in the pancakes and just enjoy.

Lettuce Wrap has the diced duck meat stir fried mixture. They try to utilize the entire duck, so the rest of the meat goes in here.

You scoop some into the lettuce and eat away.

Pan Fried Black Cod with Soy Sauce has crisp skin on the outside and delicious fatty cod. All the dishes so far were pretty good. but this dish has some bones in it, so be careful.

Dark Vinegar Spareribs wasn’t that good in my opinion. It was really sticky and overly sweet. The meat was a bit tough too.

Soft Tofu Topped with Diced Seafood goes well with rice and is very soft in texture.

House Special Spicy Clams had a good amount of spice and the clams are still delicious.

Oxtail in red wine was ok, but it mostly tasted like sweet carrots.

Eel Hot Pot was pretty good as well. It has a good amount of chunky eel in it. What’s tough about the eel are the tiny bones inside.

Lamb Hot Pot was ok too. Good to have with rice.

Chicken with Sticky Rice is their signature dish here at Golden Eats and it needs to be ordered ahead of time. It has a nice crisp skin with delicious rice inside. The presentation of the dish didn’t look that great, but when you put it in your mouth, its really good.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Golden Eats Seafood Restaurant, I would come back here again. I wasn’t too into the hot pots or the spareribs, but everything else was really good.

We Rate Golden Eats Seafood Restaurant:

Address: 2141 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC

In Brunch

The Pointe at Wickaninnish Inn: Morning Brunch

May 13, 2016

The Pointe Restaurant is located inside the Wikaninnish Inn in Tofino BC. My friends and I came here for a long weekend trip and made this our early brunch spot. We didn’t stay at the Inn, but we heard to the food was really good and the views are stunning.

Wikaninnish Inn is an award winning Hotel and Resort and on the top of list on TripAdvisor.

There is complimentary parking in the lot, so just park your car and head on inside.

Once you are in the dining room, try to get a seat by one of their many windows.

Call ahead to make a reservation and put in that request. You’ll be glad you did since it’s a stunning view.

We were seated facing Chesterman Beach. In the morning, there wasn’t much action, but later in the day, you will see a lot of surfers picking up waves.

At the centre of the restaurant is an enclosed fire pit. Nice and cozy for the evening, but since it was the morning, we focused more on the view outside.

They come around to each table to offer their Juice of the Day. I think it was like a peach, berry and mango juice. Tasty way to begin the day.

Smoked Salmon Crepe with a side of bacon was what I ordered and I loved it. The dish was presented nicely and the smoked salmon, cream cheese, spinach and the touch of lemon butter was very delicious. I would definitely order this again.

I couldn’t resist getting bacon too. It cooked very until its crisp.

The Pointe Breakfast has 2 eggs, a crisp potato, tomato jam, toasted bread and you choice of either home-made sausage or bacon.

Back Bacon and Cheddar Eggs Benedict on english muffins. It also is topped with a hollandaise sauce. It is served with a potato rosti too. M added a side of sausage.

The eggs benny was poached to a perfect medium. All that gooey yolk oozed right out.

Duck Confit Eggs Benny was what my other friend ordered. She liked the balance between the tender duck confit and the accompanying salad.

Lamb Meatballs has confit tuna belly, cream cheese, celeriac, herbs, brioche croutons and fior di latte.

West Coast Clam Chowder has west side baby shrimp, bacon, corn, local fish, herbs and prawn oil.

Side of Sausages are so good. You can definitely taste the quality. Very fresh and flavourful.

Brioche French Toast has pear butter, poached pears, berries and oat streusel. If you have a slight sweet tooth in the mornings, you’ll enjoy this dish.

Overall, the food was delicious and can’t be missed when visiting Tofino. It is expensive, but it is expected since its located in Wickaninnish Inn. You’re paying for the service, food and the breathtaking views.

I’ll definitely be back for more in the future at The Pointe. My friends loved the food and it was a good way to start the day.

Our server was nice enough to give us a free map of the beaches in the area. She even told us a few of her favourite trails and beaches to visit.

After your meal, head down to the High Tide Beach Trail and walk along Chesterman Beach. It’s a good way to burn of some calories and enjoy more the the beach.

The beach is very peaceful and therapeutic to listen to the waves crash against the rocks and beach.

We Rate The Point Restaurant at Wickaninnish Inn:

Address:
500 Osprey Ln, Tofino, BC

Website:
http://www.wickinn.com/

In Brewery

Yellow Dog Brewing Co: Beer in Port Moody

April 30, 2016

Yellow Dog Brewing Co is a craft brewery located in Port Moody. This family-run brewery focuses on producing high quality locally crafted beer for everyone to enjoy. On a nice sunny day, you’ll see a lot of people handing out here with friends and even the whole family. You saw a lot of dogs and kids running around, which is great for parents that need a little break to enjoy a brew, but still have their kids at an arms length. Of course the kids can enjoy some root beer. I came here with a few foodie friends to see and taste all the cool breweries in this area.

You can stop to fill up a growler, have a flight or enjoy your favourite beer in a 12 oz or 28 oz glass.

we grabbed our drinks a decided to have a set right in front of their huge processing machines.

The beer flights are a good option if you want to try a variety of beers by having a little taste of each.

Take a Walk Wit
Sit and Stay ISBA
Go Fetch Saison
Play Dead IPA

All of them were really good and not too hoppy. Of all of them, my favourite was the Take a Walk Wit which has a light and citrus finish. Definitely great for a hot summers day.

I really enjoyed the beers and I found a few that I really enjoyed.

If you want to go outside, they have a bunch of picnic tables in the back.

Overall, a great place to unwind with friends. It’s a cool area in Port Moody too as there are 2 other breweries nearby. Twin Sails is next door and Moody Ales is a short distance away.

We Rate Yellow Dog Brewing Co:

Address:
2817 Murray Street, Port Coquitlam

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

In Food Carts

Tacofino Tofino: The Original Cantina on the West Coast

April 28, 2016

Tacofino has made waves in Vancouver with amazing fresh tacos and burritos. I’ve been to all of the Tacofino locations in Vancouver, but since I was in Tofino, I had to see where it all started.

West Coast tacos and burritos were screaming for us. The truck wasn’t open yet, but it already had a line up.

On the menu, you have burritos, tacos, gringas, drinks and soups.

Not sure what the menu means? There’s a little FAQ to help people navigate the menu.

The line up is pretty constant, but don’t be turned off by it, the food is worth it.

Choco-Banana Licuados is their milkshake and it has a good balance of the banana and chocolate. It’s a bit filling too, so M and I shared it so we could eat more food.

Tuna-Ta Taco has seared albacore tuna with wasabi-mayo, seaweed salad, and pickled ginger. Really delicious, but this will set you back $6.50 per taco. Expensive, but very delicious.

Fish Taco uses tempura ling cod with cabbage and fresh salsa on top.

Look at that crisp fish taco inside. Once you bite inside, you get the crunchiness of the cod and all that delicious salsa.

They also have different hot sauce on the table if you need an extra kick in your taco, put a few dashes in there.

The burritos are all wrapped up, so its easy to get it to go. We grabbed a few and took it back to our hotel.

Crispy Chicken Burrito reminded me of chicken karaage. It also has guac in it. I couldn’t say no to guacamole.

Fish burrito has that big chunk of cod inside. Delicious as well. One of the less heavier choices.

Pork Burrito was good as well. The pulled pork and those beans make it a very filling item to get.

Overall, the food is good and the burrito gets the best bang for your buck since you need at least 2 tacos to be full. You can still get the same good stuff in Vancouver, but if you haven’t had Tacofino before, give it a try. You really can’t go wrong with any items on the menu.

We Rate Tacofino:

Address:
1184 Pacific Rim Hwy,Tofino, BC

Website:
http://tacofino.com/

In Four Beakers

Wolf in the Fog: Essential Eats in Tofino

April 26, 2016

Wolf in the Fog is one of the best restaurants in Tofino and has dishes inspired by the oceans, forests and shoreline of our beautiful Tofino.

They were Canada’s Best New Restaurant in 2014 from enRoute Air Canada. Everyone passing through Tofino for vacation always makes a stop here for dinner. Even Neil Patrick Harris was here recently.

Make sure you make a reservation ahead of time to make sure you have a seat for dinner. I came here on a long weekend, so it was essential to have a reservation.

We were seated upstairs in their dining room. The bar has a large variety of liqueurs.

There is a cool art pieces made with broken surf boards. So perfect to represent Tofino.

Gingerbeer Shandy has pilsner, ginger beer and a lemon. A lighter fruitier alternative to a regular beer.

You can even spy on the kitchen to see the food coming out.

Fraser Valley Duck uses the smoked breast, blood orange, red quinoa, dried cherry, braised leg, mushrooms, and a black garlic jus. This is a larger shared plate. This was a very good dish! Addictive!

Moroccan Spiced Octopus has the tender octopus with chickpeas, peppers and tomatoes. I enjoyed the delicate octopus with the flavourful sauce.

Rare Albacore Tuna with confit pork, oyster mushrooms, nori and wasabi. You gotta order this dish. The tuna is fresh and that pork is to die for.

Charred squid and pork belly has Szechuan pepper, daikon and thai basil. Can’t go wrong with pork belly.

All the food was delicious. Fresh ingredients with great flavour. All the proteins were cooked so well. Mouth watering! If you’re in Tofino, give Wolf in the Fog a try!

We rate Wolf in the Fog:

Address:
150 4th St, Tofino, BC

Website:
http://www.wolfinthefog.com/

In Four Beakers

Wildside Grill: Local, Fresh, and Wild

April 25, 2016

Wildside Grill in Tofino gets their fish straight from the boat. Commercial fisherman Jeff Mikus and chef Jesse Blake are the minds behind Wildside Grill. Like many of the restaurants in Tofino, they source their ingredients locally, so you get high quality west coast cuisine.

The menu is quite large, so it was very hard to figure out what to order. I wanted it all. hahaha.

Breakfast Taco has 2 fried eggs, lettuce, avotillo, chipotle mayo, jack cheese in corn tortillas and topped with crude and lime. So good! Who would have thought these would go together. If you need some hangover food, this is it. The heaviness of the egg balances with the fresh avotillo.

Oyster Po Boy has panko fried oysters, lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, and a caesar dressing. it also comes with fries. Very fresh oysters and nice crunch in the panko crumbs. Fries were also very crisp.

Breakfast Ciabatta has 2 fried eggs, chorizo sausage, jack cheese patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, avotillo, smoked tomato relish on the toasted ciabatta bun. Another good breakfast item but it’s more cheesy and carb heavy.

Pulled Pork Poutine has smoked pork in BBQ sauce, cheese curds and gravy. Wow, this was so good. The pulled pork was tender and super flavourful.

Cod Club has panko crusted cod with lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, pink shrimp, sweet chili mayo and avotillo. The fries are served with it.

Smoked Salmon Chowder has local salmon smoked in house with mixed veggies and seafood in a creamy broth. It i topped with baby pink shrimp and dill. The chowder is a bit thin but it is very loaded with ingredients.

This is the large size and its pretty big. The half size is a lot better for an individual.

Overall, the food is very fresh and executed well. I’m glad we made a stop here to indulge on their comfort westcoast dishes. Don’t forget to save your receipt, so you can head over to Chocolate Tofino for 10% off gelato.

All the seating is outdoors on picnic benches, so don’t forget to bring a jacket.

We Rate Wildside Grill:

Address:
1180 Pacific Rim Hwy,Tofino, BC

Website:
http://www.wildsidegrill.com/

In Cafe

Tofino Coffee Company: Coffee on the Beach

April 22, 2016

When in Tofino, head to Tofino Coffee Company to get your caffeine fix. My friends and I were heading to go out for an early morning hike and then stroll around a few beaches. Caffeine is always a must.

The cafe was already packed in the morning with others needing a drink in the morning.

The interior is tiny, so there is only enough room for everyone to stand and wait for a drink. No space for any tables. Besides coffee, they have a few baked goods available.

They also have branded cups and beans too.

We just came in for coffee as that was our main mission.

I got a cappuccino was it was good. The espresso had a deep and strong flavour. The frothy milk on top had a good amount of bubbles.

From the cafe…to the beach. It was just nice taking in the beauty of the beaches as we sat on the rocks sipping on coffee. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We Rate Tofino Coffee Company:

Address:
12 – 650 Gibson St,Tofino, BC

Website:
http://www.tofinocoffeeroasting.com/

In Canadian

Chachi’s: Sandwiches at Metrotown

April 21, 2016

Chachi’s is the newest addition to the Metropolis food court in South Burnaby. They are originally from Calgary and now they have their first location in BC. There are plans to open 2 more locations at Crossiron Mills and Tsawwassen Mills.

Their mission is to make mall food better by crafting gourmet sandwiches with local ingredients. It’s great to see they are working with local suppliers like Arctic Meats, Valbella, Nossack, and Alberta Cheese. Their produce is also sourced from Yen Bros in Vancouver.

Spicy Mac n’ Cheese with Capicollo comes in 2 separate containers. You put the together when you’re ready to eat it.

Taking the first few bites, it was really good. The mac n’ cheese is very cheesy, plus the capicollo added the right amount of spice.

I would order this again.

Hot Philly Sandwich has rib steak, bell peppers, onion, jalapeno, provolone, garlic aioli and spicy mayo. This sandwich has a good amount of spiciness and not too overpowering. I love the amount of provolone in this.

Clubbin’ Sandwich has bacon, turkey, lettuce, tomato, cheddar, garlic aioli, and spicy mayo. Not as exciting as the other sandwiches, but still good.

Spicy Italian Sandwich has calabrese salami, cry-cured capicollo, jalapeno, jack cheese, garlic aioli, red pepper spread, red onion, lettuce, and tomato. M loved this.

Pork with Mac sandwich has pulled pork, sweet chili BBQ sauce, and then slathered with mac n’ cheese. This is total comfort food, but it would have been nice if the mac n’ cheese was spread evenly. You can see there was more mac n’ cheese on one side than the other. Other than that, it still tasted darn good.

Overall, it’s a nice new option at the food court at Metrotown. Although it is pricier than other options at the food court, it’s pretty darn delicious.

We Rate ChaChi’s:

Website:
http://www.chachis.ca/

Address:
4820 Kingsway, Burnaby

In Food Carts

Jiggers: Fish & Chips Truck in Ucluelet

April 12, 2016

The first thing we did in Ucluelet was to pay a visit to Jiggers Fish and Chips for lunch. They are known for their Fish and Chips with locally caught fish. With the ocean so close and great produce nearby, it’s a no brainer to use the freshest ingredients possible.

Do note they are cash only. My friends went to the closest Co-op grocery store and grabbed some gum and requested cash back. A good trick to avoid ATM fees.

Their Fish and Chips truck has a permanent spot on Peninsula Road near Bay Street. There are picnic tables inside and outside, so if it’s windy/rainy, you can head inside where there are rest rooms too.

There is also a large parking lot, so plenty of room for vehicles.

The catch of the day was cod. In addition to fish and chips, they have burgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, and chicken fingers.

My friends got the one piece fish and chips, it is also served with homecut fries, coleslaw, tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon.

The one piece is quite large and it looks more like 2 pieces.

My other friend got the one piece and it seriously looks like 2 pieces too.

This is the 2 piece Fish and Chips. M and I shared this since we weren’t too hungry. The 2 pieces look like 3 pieces. The tempura batter was nice and crisp with a tender and fluffy cod underneath. It was enough for M and I to share. The tartar sauce had a good taste too.

Make sure you spritz some of the malt or white vinegar on the fish and chips.

Big Jig Burger is their loaded burger with cheese, mushrooms, fried onions, bacon, all the veggies, and all the sauces. It is also served with fries. A big burger with all the fixings.

The homecut fries are crisp and I couldn’t stop eating them. I liked to spray some of the vinegar on them to add more flavour.

Overall, the prices are a tad high, but when you do get the food, the portions are large. Plus, where else are you going to get amazing fish and chips in Ukee? I will be back for my next trip to the Island. it definitely rivals even some places in Vancouver.

We Rate Jiggers:

Address:
1685 Peninsula Road, Ucluelet

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Jiggers-Fish-Chips-178163522220314/