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In Four Beakers

Rajio Japanese Public House: Osaka-Style Japanese Izakaya in Vancouver

It’s been 3 years since my last visit to Rajio Japanese Public House and I remember a lot of great nights here but I’m glad I’ve come back for more of their Osaka-style dishes.

Interior

The interior is fun and gives you a mix of traditional and modern feels. The space isn’t very large, but there are a decent number of tables.

Rajio’s Famous Fruit Punch

Their cute punch is served in a fresh watermelon or pineapple. Great for the Summer or what you need a smile on your face.

You cab have it with alcohol or without to customize your experience.

Beer

My favourite beverage to pair with Japanese food is beer as it helps cut the grease off some fried items. Plus, I love how light and refreshing it is.

Craft Ginger Ale

They have their original ginger ale recipe with freshly grated ginger, lime, lemon, and sweet brown sugar. It’s definitely different than the ginger ale at the stores since it has an extra kick of ginger balanced by the brown sugar.

Super Rib Steak

This $38 hug 2lb beef rib steak comes with sharp wasabi and a garlic soy sauce. I’ve always ordered their huge steaks before and they are a joy to eat. It is best to be shared among the table. Super tender and medium rare.

Modern Yaki

This is a featured dish, so it’s not on their permanent menu. It is a combination of Osaka Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba. I liked the concept, but the execution wasn’t ideal. As the dish cooled off, the okonomiyaki portion of it peeled off from the yakisoba hiding underneath. It was also quite rich and heavy compared to some other items that we had.

“Uni Bonara” Sea Urchin Carbonara

This was delicious item with the creamy udon paired with the fresh uni and the ikura. I enjoyed it and it was a good twist on an udon dish.

Y Mommy’s Assorted Oden

I love oden as it’s a warm bowl of comfort. There were so many items in this bowl with a bit of karashi, which is a spicy mustard. Put a little bit in as it really transforms the broth. Add more if you love the stingy wasabi-like feeling.

Chef’s Choice Sashimi

You can choose between 7 or 9 different types of sashimi chosen by the chef. It changes seasonally, but you can always ask ahead what you’ll get.

Hot Stone Crab Bibimbap

In the hot stone bibimbap bowl, there is snowcrab, crab miso, ikura, julienned omelet, shiso and scallions with a drizzle of their original sauce and a bit of ginger.

Kushikatsu

These skewers are Rajio’s signature skewers from Osaka. We got an assorted set with a mix of veggies and meat. One of my favourites are the shiitake mushroom, lotus root and eggplant.

Aburi Shime-Saba Sushi

There is delicious cured mackerel with Hokkaido kelp and vinegar is lightly seared and drizzled with a sesame mustard soy. Delicious and I love the taste of mackerel.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the atmosphere at Rajio is lively and fun. The food at Rajio is solid except for a few small misses in certain dishes.

We Rate Rajio:

Address:
3763 W. 10th Ave.
Vancouver, BC

Facebook:
http://www.rajiopublichouse.com/

Rajio Public House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Cafe

Saemaul: Rice Dessert Cafe in Coquitlam

Saemaul is a rice dessert cafe in Coquitlam. It is hidden away in a strange looking plaza. They specialize in rice-based desserts and I was pretty excited to give this place a try since they have more than just rice cake. My foodie friends invited me to tag along to take a few things off their menu.

Interior

The interior is simple with lots of tables and chairs. Since they are pretty new, this place wasn’t very busy on a weekday. It’s still a well kept secret.

Menu

Jolly Pong Shake

This sweet milky drink is topped with Jolly Pong rice puffs. It reminded us of milk and ice cream because of it’s thick-ish texture.

Injeolmi Snow Ice Flake

Injeolmi is essentially rice cake with roasted soybean flour. They also paired it with red bean in this snow ice flake. They also have other flavours too, so if you aren’t into injeolmi, there is chocolate, mango, strawberry, coffee and classic red bean.

Dipping Chocolate Fondue with Rice Cakes and Fruit

This cute interactive dessert has 2 different kinds of rice cake. One has different layers of colour like a rainbow and the other has more tough like regular rice cakes. Then you also have strawberries, kiwi and bananas.

Homemade Rice Flour Waffles

My favourite item of the night were these homemade rice flour waffles. It took them a long time to perfect the recipe but it’s is nothing I’ve ever had before. It’s super crisp and crunchy. I would definitely order this again.

Rice Cake Churros

The rice cakes are dusted with sugar and cinnamon. It was decent but you didn’t need this many churros to satisfy your cravings.

Rice Roll Cakes

There was the matcha rice roll cake and strawberry rice roll cake. You can tell it’s made of rice flour as the texture was more dense.

Red Bean Mochi

This was good! It’s delicious when it’s made fresh. It has a pillowy soft texture with the red bean hiding inside.

Rice Cheese Cake

I enjoyed this dessert too. It has a rice flour crust and I didn’t notice it too much. I just kept eating it and would order this again.

Overall, some desserts were a hit and miss, but there are definitely a few gems like the waffles.

We Rate Saemaul Cafe:

Address:
B-901 Lougheed Highway, Coquitlam

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

Saemaul Rice Dessert Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Abbotsford

Field House Brewing: Brewery in Abbotsford

Field House Brewing is in Abbotsford and they have quite a craft brewery scene here. There is a good selection of their beer on tap, so our friends wanted to give it a try as we were in the area.

Interior

The interior is very rustic with lots of wood accents like it’s a cabin.

Beer Flight

I got a flight of the lighter and less hoppy beers that they had.

Sour Wheat Gose is a 16th century German salted sour wheat ale. Soured with lactobacillus, the tartness of this Gose is balanced by the addition of coriander and elderflower and brewed with salt, hand-harvested by Vancouver Island Salt Company. It has a good balance that is salty, sweet and citrusy.

Dutch Pale Ale is the Dutch answer to the Belgian Pale Ale, mellow in malt and bitters, but finishes with a hint of new world hops.

Dutch Sour Wit is a witbier brewed with dried orange peel and coriander. The soured with their house lacto yeast culture and dry-hopped to compliment the flavour. This sour beer was pretty good.

Light Saison was one of my favourite here. It is a bit fruity, floral and a tad spicy.

Final Thoughts

It’s a pretty busy brewery and their sour beers are good. If you’re around Abbotsford, definitely check them out, drink some beers and have a few bites here.

We Rate Field House Brewing:

Address:
2281 W Railway St, Abbotsford

Website:
https://fieldhousebrewing.com

Field House Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Brunch

Hilltop Cafe Diner: Breakfast in Langley

Hilltop Diner has been around for the past 68 years in Langley. Family-owned and has been serving diner classics to all their customers. Sherman has told me several times to go here and finally, after all those year, I finally went with a few friends. They have have been feature on You Gotta Eat here and also, a few celebrities have made visits here too.

Interior

I love the 1940’s diner look of this place. There are only a handful of places that have kept this unique charm. We waited a little bit and get seated. If you’re in a rush, you won’t want to come here as it’s not quick service diner food.

Coffee

Coffee is a must if you are a coffee drinker. You’ll make waiting a little while for your food, so you’ll want this to sip on it.

Bacon Benny

My friend got the bacon benny and loved their crisp thick cut bacon, hollandaise sauce and the pan fried potatoes.

Hilltop Breakfast

You get 3 eggs, any style, farmer sausage, baked beans, you choice of toast and a huge serving of hash browns. If you are hungry, you’ll want Hilltop’s biggest breakfast.

Silver Dollar Griddle Pancakes

If you want some mini pancakes, they have them too. Serves with butter and syrup.

Tex Mex Omelette

This big omelette is filled with sauteed peppers, homemade sausage, seasoning and a manly handful of Tex Mex cheese, all held together with three farm fresh eggs. It is served with toast and pan fried potatoes. It was really good and hit the spot.

Hot Sauce

We asked them for some hot sauce and they came out with 3 different kinds for us to try. It’s a local hot sauce from the Okanagan and it’s pretty delicious. We really liked their ‘darn hot’ sauce.

Overall, we really liked this place. The big downside is that the wait for food is long, but the quality of food is great and satisfying. Everyone is very nice and we felt right at home.

We Rate Hilltop Diner: 

Address:
23904 Fraser Hwy, Langley

Website:
http://www.hilltopdiner.ca/

Hilltop Diner Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In 24 hours

Hi Five Baked and Fried Chicken: 24 Hours

Hi Five Baked and Fried Chicken is a 24 hour shop offering locals fried chicken, sandwiches and nuggets anytime of the day. We came here after a long day and wanted to check this place out after hearing about it. With Duffin’s and Church’s Chicken also open 24 hours, we wanted to see how they ranked.

Interior

When you get inside, you order at the counter and then there are a few tables to eat. It kinda reminds me of Church’s chicken since you can see right into the kitchen where they make the chicken.

Fried Chicken

I went for a 3 piece combo with a pop and potato wedges. It came with 2 thighs and a leg. I got 2 original flavours and 1 spicy just to see how it is.

I got 2 thighs and the size of the two I got were inconsistent. One was a good size and the other was pretty small.

I find that the chicken tasted pretty oily and left a heavy taste in our mouths. It was decent, but it didn’t hit the mark when we compared it with the other choices out there.

The potato wedges were ok. Crisp and fresh out of the frier and lots of spices encrusted around it. They gave you a good amount in the box, but I didn’t really care much for it.

Overall, it was a bit below average and with the other 24 hour fried chicken places around, it doesn’t stand out too much.

We Rate Hi Five Chicken: 

Address:
203 SE Marine Dr, Vancouver

Website:
http://hifive24.com/

Hi Five 24 – Baked and Fried Chicken Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Cafe

Say Hey Cafe in Chinatown

Say Hey Cafe is also another newer addition to Chinatown. Lots of eateries popping up in the evolving Chinatown neighbourhood. They specialize in sandwiches and they draw in a lunch crowd. I came with a few of my friends during lunch to check them out and see what they offer.

Interior

The cafe is very narrow and there are only a few tables. Not bad with how they set up the space.

Menu

They have a few staple items on their menu and 4 different daily specials.

Super Hero Special

This changes up daily, but where we were here, it had turkey sausage gumbo, sweet potato corn, turbo spread, corn chips, arugula and terragon aioli.

Meatball Hoagie

This is one of their most popular items on the menu. It has house made meatballs with provolone, pickled Serrano chilis, arugula, and chili aioli. There are 4 meatballs in this hoagie and they were super delicious and you can taste the difference. If it’s your first time here, you’ll probably want to order this too.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good lunch and filling, but it is pretty pricey as it’s over $10.

We Rate Say Hey Cafe: 

Address:
156 E Pender St, Vancouver

Website:
http://sayheycafe.ca/

Say Hey Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Cafe

Half Fool: Juice, Smoothies and Coffee in Chinatown

Half Fool is a boutique and general store, which also serves smoothies, juices and coffee. A little bit of everything here. They are located in Chinatown and since I’ve passed by quite a few times, I thought I should come here for a visit with my friend.

Boutique

At the font of the store, you’ll find a bunch of their different nicknacks. Take you time browsing because you might miss some cool unique gifts like, card, artisan cosmetics, jewelry, and other things.

General Store

As you move deeper in the store, you’ll find some great products beautifully places on shelves.

Beverage Bar

At the back of the store, you’ll find them serving up, smoothies, juices and coffee. There are some baked goods to purchase here too.

Cappuccino

I ordered a Cappuccino as that’s my usual drink at any coffee shop. It was good and kept me awake for the rest of the afternoon.

No 1 Smoothie

My friend got smoothie No 1, which has mango, kale, spinach, celery, ginger, tumeric, cayenne, and orange juice. My friend enjoyed it and noted the tumeric is pretty prominent.

Final Thoughts

A good addition to the Chinatown neighbourhood. Stop by to grab a drink and browse their shop for some pretty cool gifts.

We Rate Half Fool: 

Address:
18 E Pender St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/halffoolyvr/

Half Fool Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Happy Hour

Curve Lounge at River Rock Casino Resort: Happy Hour

Curve Lounge at River Rock Casino Resort has live music, drinks and tapas every Monday – Friday between 2pm and 5pm for their Happy Hour. All dishes are $6, which is pretty awesome. We were invited to give their happy hour menu a taste.

Patio

The patio is really nice to enjoy the rest of the Summer, have drinks, food and enjoy great times with friends. I didn’t realize they had such a great space behind the lounge. The open field and the view of the marina. Since it’s close to the path way of planes landing at the airport, you can spot all the different types of plan zooming by.

Happy Hour

Cheese fondue

The cheese fondue has bread sticks on one side and then root vegetables on the other. A rich dish to have in the Summer time, but if you have a craving for cheese, this will satisfy them.

Chicken wings

Crispy chicken wings with salt and pepper for taste. It’s no happy hour without wings. Of all the wing flavours, I really like salt and pepper as it keeps your fingers clean compared to saucy ones.

Avocado bruschetta

It’s a really good size for $6. It is topped with greens and tomatoes. You can squirt some lemon on top too to give it more acidity.

Inari pocket

A twist on a Japanese classic with lots of ingredients stuffed inside. I personally thought it was ok, but it didn’t really stand out compared to some of the other dishes.

Jalapeno popper

The Jalapeno popper sits on top of a slaw in a small cute jar. A good snack and the ooey gooey cheese is hiding inside ready for you to munch away.

Wild rice tobouli

To pair with this, there is shrimp, octopus and seared tuna. The quality is so-so as I can tell it was pre-frozen, but it’s only $6. This dish is one of the healthier dishes of the happy hour menu.

Baked artichoke dip

This is really satisfying to eat and who doesn’t love chips and an awesome dip. I really enjoyed this.

Flatbread

They have 3 different kinds of flatbread – Veronese flatbread, Frutti di mare flatbread and Pugliese flatbread. They were all decent, crispy edges and filling.

House Made Sweets

They also have desserts for $5 or 3 for $12.

Unicorn cake

This beautifully colourful dessert has almond genoise, raspberry yogurt mousse, lemon curd, and chantilly cream.

Dark Chocolate Bombe

Blood orange cardamom cremeux and a dark chocolate mousse. A fruity compliment to the chocolate based dessert.

Chilled mango cheesecake

This has vanilla shortbread on the bottom and topped with the dome shaped mango panna cotta. It’s really good, I was pretty surprised with the fragrant mango taste.

Pina colada Mousse

You will find coconut mousse, pineapple gelée, and rum coconut dacquoise.

Final Thoughts

The $6 Happy Hour menu is pretty good and if you’re in the area, definitely check it out. The patio is very relaxing and the live music is a plus. Since it is Monday to Friday from 2pm to 5pm, it’s pretty hard to make it if you’re not in the area.

We Rate Curve Lounge:

Address:
8811 River Rd, Richmond

Website: 
http://www.riverrock.com/dining/curve/

Curve - River Rock Casino Resort Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Lebanese

Paramount Fine Foods: Lebanese Restaurant in Vancouver

Paramount Fine Foods on Robson street is a chain restaurant that recently opened in Vancouver and specializes in Lebanese cuisine. I passed by several times and there always seems to be long line ups during peak hours. So, I came with a few foodie friends to check this place out after work.

Interior

The interior isn’t too large but there are tables great for groups of 2’s or 4’s. There are some large tables but you probably gotta wait.

Mezza Plate

This trio has their hummus, moutabbal, and tabbouleh. Getting this was a good way to try all three appetizers. The hummus has chickpea paste, tahini paste drizzles with olive oil. The moutabbal has grilled eggplant, blended with tahini sauce with some olive oil. Tabbouleh is made of finely chopped tomatoes, parsley, onion, and other stuff. A good way to start the meal and its good to have it with the complimentary bread.

Musakaa

This has eggplant, green and red peppers, onions, chickpeas mixed with homemade tomato sauce. It was ok, but nothing about it really stood out to me.

Labneh with Zaatar Manakeesh

This was recommended to us by our server and it has creamy yogurt and zaatar, which is a thyme and sesame mix. It was interesting, but none of us liked zaatar and yogurt for the topping.

Mini Mixed Grilled Plate

It is served with rice, hummus, spicy bread, garlic sauce, grilled vegetables and the chicken shish tawouk skewer, beef striploin skewer, and kafta skewers. It’s a good item to get if you want to try all the meats to taste which one is the best. We personally found the chicken was the best of the bunch.

Tabliyah Saj Chicken Shawarma

It is served on a wooden board with fries, pickles, turnips and garlic sauce. There are shredded pieces of chicken wrapped in their freshly baked thin Saj bread. It’s so good dipped in the garlic sauce. I would get this again.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was great to try Paramount Fine Food to see what all the hype is about, but some dishes that we got were hit and misses. They have unique items here that other Lebanese restaurants in Vancouver don’t have.

We Rate Paramount Fine Foods: 

Address:
560 Robson St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.paramountfinefoodsbc.com/

Paramount Fine Foods Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Bubble Tea

The Tea of Brightness (TTOB): Bubble Tea in Vancouver

The Tea of Brightness or TTOB is a Bubble Tea Cafe from Taiwan. There’s really not much I could really find online, but their cute menu items drew me in. I was with a few friends in the area and we made it a mission to give this place a try.

Menu

You will mostly find bubble tea drinks and bubble waffles on the menu.

Princess Milk Tea

The Princess Milk Tea was really the main reason why I wanted to come here. I thought it was initially latte art, but it turns out it’s a marshmallow. SUPER CUTE. MEOW. The milk tea wasn’t very good, but them again, I’ve had a lot of milk teas in my life time, so I’ve become a milk tea snob. I could taste the powdered milk and I really don’t like that taste.

Three Flavoured Bubble Waffle

The 3 flavours are original, chocolate and matcha. We didn’t take a liking to the matcha flavour as it seemed super artificial. The original and chocolate are very good. Where else are you going to find a 3 flavoured bubble waffle? It’s pretty unique but it’s too bad the matcha didn’t stand out.

Final Thoughts

The basic milk tea was definitely lacking, but since I didn’t try any other drinks, I can’t comment on the other drinks. At any new bubble tea shop, I always get the basic milk tea as it’s a basic sign if the shop is good or not. The aesthetic of the princess milk tea was great but the flavour and taste was lacking.

We Rate TTOB: 

Address:
3318 Cambie Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.ttob.com.tw/

The Tea of Brightness TTOB Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Cajun/Creole

Captains Boil Cambie: Cajun Seafood Boil

The Captain’s Boil has just opened on Cambie Street serving up delicious cajun seafood boil. They have open a few locations in Vancouver in the last year. Definitely expanding quickly. We were invited to check out the space and a few of their popular items to order.

Crawfish

Crawfish are essentially like mini lobster. To eat this, you have to take off the head, peel off the shell and eat the meat inside. I personally don’t like crawfish compared to all the other types of seafood available because its a lot of work to get a little bit of meat.

Clams

Clams are delicious especially with the roasted garlic and melted butter. Naturally sweet and very delicious. Also, easy to eat as you pick the met from between the shells.

Mussels

The mussels were very plump and meaty size. I enjoyed them with the sauces. I would recommend this too.

Snow Crab Legs

They do say crabs are like the spiders of the sea, but don’t let their spikey legs scare you. Inside is succulent sweet crab flesh. It will take a bit of work to get into it, but it’s not too difficult.

Lobster

They get lobster shipped in daily for freshness and it’s good. It’s best paired with the secret Captain’s Boil sauce. The tail is the meatiest part and the best part. The claws are meaty too but the taste is slightly different.

Okra and Corn

You need some veggies to balance the seafood heavy meal. Okra is something I personally like but some people may not like it due to its slimey texture. The corn is amazing especially during the summer as it’s in season and so sweet.

Cajun Seafood Fried Rice

This was a hit and miss with the table. If you’re looking for something extra on the side to have with the meal, this might be good. I personally don’t like rice too much.

Fries

How can you go wrong with a basket of fries?

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s fun to have cajun seafood in a while especially with a table full of people. Getting your hands dirty with bibs and gloves on is super fun. Be sure to check to market price of some of the seafood before coming here so you know what to expect in terms of pricing.

We Rate The Captain’s Boil: 

Address:
3250 Cambie St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.thecaptainsboil.com/

The Captain's Boil Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Filipino

Epic Grill Silogs: Philippine Cuisine in New Westminster

Epic Grill Silogs is located in New Westminster near Queensborough Landing by the outlet shops. Hidden away in the residential area is this Filipino restaurant specializing in silogs and sansrival.

Interior

The space is large and can fit small to large groups. It was definitely busy when we came here. There was a long line up to get a table and an even longer wait to get your order. We waited a very very long time…because we were determined to try the silogs.

Ube Milkshake

Ube is a purple yam that has a bright lavender colour. I don’t believe they use real ube as there is the dried ube sprinkled on top.

Sago At Gulaman

This is a sweet Filipino drink that is good for the Summer. It is made with brown sugar, tapioca and other types of jellies. Even when it was mixed around, it was still pretty sweet for our liking.

Calamansi

Calamansi are little limes from the Philippines. Imagine this as like Filipino lemonade.

Crispy Pata

Crispy Pata is a deep-fried pork hock with a delicious sauce that goes with it. It’s very very decadent but oh so good. The crisp skin with the succulent meat was addictive.

Silogs

We got a 3 meat silog with Pusit Silog (Dried squid), Lechon Silog (Crispy pork belly), and Tosi Silog (pork). It is served with garlic rice and 2 eggs.

We got another with Long Silog (Sweet sausage), Bang Silog (Boneless Milkfish), and Corned Silog (corned beef). Of all 3, I liked the corned beef the most.

Biya Silog (Dried Sole Fish), Lumpia Silog, and Tap Silog (Beef) was the next 3 meat silog that we ordered. It was interesting to try the sole fish, but it was pretty dry and crisp.

Final Thoughts

It’s a pretty unique place to have a lot of silog options all in one place. We tried 9 different meats, but next time, we would just get our silogs with just 1 type of protein as it’s a lot cheaper and we know our favourite meats. The wait time was a bit long for our order, which was annoying, so next time we will definitely come earlier.

We Rate Epic Grill Silogs: 

Address:
538 Ewen Ave, New Westminster

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/EpicSilogsGrill/

Epic Grill Silogs Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Mount Pleasant/Main Street

The Arbor: Vegetarian Restaurant on Main Street

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

Interior

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

Fried Oyster

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

Southern fried artichoke sandwich

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

Mac n’ Cheese

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

Final Thoughts

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

We rate The Arbor: 

Address:
3941 Main Street, Vancouver

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

The Arbor Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Chinese

Neptune Chinese Kitchen at Hard Casino in Coquitlam

Neptune Chinese Kitchen recently opened at Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam. There are currently 12 restaurants under the Neptune Restaurant Group. You’ll notice they have expanded quite quickly in the last few years. You’ll find an array of Chinese dishes here from dim sum, noodles, to their seafood specialties.

Interior

The interior is newly renovated and much brighter than the restaurant that was here previously. It’s a large space and can fit small to large groups here.

Dim Sum

Pork Sui Mai with Fish Roe

This comes with 4 pieces to a steamer. The sui mai is a mix of shrimp and pork. This was ok, but I felt it was missing something.

Shrimp Spring Roll

The shrimp spring roll has 5 pieces cut in half. It is deep-fried until golden brown. Pretty standard.

Shrimp Dumpling

Shrimp dumplings had a good bounce to them. You should ask them for some hot sauce to go with it. Our dumplings seemed like it was steamed a bit too long, so the skin separated from the dumpling.

Creamy Egg Yolk Custard Bun

So delicious! If you’re here for dim sum, you should order this. Sweet and creamy.

Lunch and Dinner

Minced Fish and Pumpkin Congee

Congee definitely hits the spot and it’s my sort of comfort food. They have 13 kinds of congee. I’ve never had minced fish and pumpkin in congee, but it was good.

Chilled Spicy Shrimp

The shrimp were delicious and was a good start to the meal as an appetizer. A good amount of spice that isn’t too spicy at all.

Wonton Noodle in Soup

A simple items to get for lunch if it’s just for 1. You get 5 wontons and some broccoli with the noodles. and broth.

Curry Seafood Chow Mein

The curry sauce and the seafood was good but the noodles oddly looked red under all of that. The sauce is a tad sweet.

Steam Lobster with Sticky Rice in a Bamboo Steamer

Always a good dish and it’s weird to see the lobster stares at you. The sticky rice sits on the bottom on the steamer wrapped in leaves. Then the delicious lobster is on top.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

A good classic fried rice dish that has a bit of everything. Can’t go wrong with this.

Crab with Salty Egg

I really enjoyed this dish. The salty egg on the outside of the shell was so addictive that I wanted to lick it all off. The crab was cooked well and the meat was naturally sweet.

Sticky Rice on Crispy Chicken

This was a well liked dished among the table. The skin was beautifully rendered so it was crispy and not fatty at all. A lot of prep went into this to really debone a chicken to create this. I would definitely order this again.

Neptune Signature Ribs

A good portion of the ribs that are saucy and sweet.

Final Thoughts

Overall, some items were average but it’s still a good addition to the neighbourhood as there needs to be more Chinese restaurants. Whether you come here for dim sum, lunch or dinner, you don’t have to travel too far.

We Rate Neptune Chinese Restaurant: 

Address:
2080 United Boulevard, Coquitlam

Website:
http://www.neptunechinesekitchen.com/

Neptune Chinese Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Abbotsford

Old Abbey Ales: Craft Beer in Abbotsford

Old Abbey Ales was on our list of craft breweries in Abbotsford. We made this one of our last stops before heading back home. When with my foodie friends, craft beer is always a must.

Tasting Room

The tasting room is a good size and able to fit small to large groups. Just order your drink up at the bar and find a seat. Similar to other craft breweries, it’s like a big warehouse.

Beer Flights

I ordered a flight of 4 and I got the Purple Drank, Sour Raspberry, Beets by Steve and Pineapple Express. They are very creative with their drinks and has a mainstays sections and experimental section. I love it because there are lots of items you won’t find anywhere else. All of these were sours, so if you are a fan of sours, you’ll love them. All of them had very unique flavours and its worth a try.

Final Thoughts

Overall, they have a large variety of beers on the menu, but all of us were really drawn towards their unique, seasonal, and experimental flavours. Might as well give them a try. Check out Old Abbey Ales when you’re in Abbotsford.

We Rate Old Abbey Ales: 

Address:
30321 Fraser Hwy #1a, Abbotsford

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

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In Abbotsford

Raven’s Brewing Company: Craft Brewery in Abbotsford

We were in Abbotsford for the weekend doing a mini getaway from Vancouver. We were heading to Castle Fun Park but needed beer to finish off the day. Raven’s Brewing Company was on the list of suggested breweries, so we stopped by for a flight and some of their delicious radlers. Who doesn’t love craft beer?

I got a flight with 2 samples with the Dark Mild, Grapefruit Radler, Raspberry Hefeweizen, and Sumas Mountain Lager. Of the bunch, the Raspeberry Hefeweizen and Grapefruit Radler stood out. Sweet and refreshing for the hot summer weather.

M got a sleeve of Grapefruit Radler as he loves sweet radlers. After he finished this, we came back to buy a growler of this to share with friends.

Final Thoughts

It’s nice to check out other breweries outside of Vancouver. There are good options in Abbotsford. If you’re in the area, check it out.

We Rate Ravens Brewing Company: 

Address:
2485 Townline Rd, Abbotsford

Website:
http://www.ravens.beer/

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In Brunch

Rocko’s Diner: Archie Themed Milkshakes and Burgers

Rocko’s Diner is a 24 hours diner and is best know for bring in the pilot episode of Riverdale. Since we were passing by Mission, BC, we decided to make a stop for breakfast before heading to Castle Fun Park. They are one of the last free standing diners in BC. Still, they are family owned and operated and take a great sense of pride in being a successful independent restaurant.

Interior

Once you take a glance here, you know it looks like Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe with all the booth seating on both sides. The red neon sign up above at night makes this place look perfect. During the day, the sign doesn’t have a large effect.

Archie/Riverdale Inspired Menu Items

On the menu, you’ll find a few items that are inspired by the show/comic book series. You can go for their milkshakes or the J Jones Burger. Very fitting for the characters. We didn’t end up getting these items as we were all craving their breakfast items.

Coffee

Coffee is an excellent way to start the day. We always get coffee at a diner, plus refills are great.

Disco Fries

The Disco Fries has onion rings and fries covered with mozzarella and cheddar smothered in gravy. A great item to share among the table. Plus, onion rings and gravy work well together.

Eggs Bennie

This classic dish has poached eggs, smoked ham, Hollandaise served on a grilled English muffin and a side of hash browns.

Black Rock Bennie

This has Grilled English muffin topped with crispy bacon, grilled tomatoes and hollandaise sauce. It is served with hash browns on the side. This was ok, but not that great. A bit expensive for what you get.

Rockos Skillet

You have your choice of Rocko’s Corn Beef, kubasa, bacon, ham, or sausage. Everyone got it with their corn beef. It is served with sautéed mushrooms, onions, melted cheese, green onions, hash browns and topped with 2 eggs. There is also toast on the side too.

Garden Omelette

This omelette has mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, white onions and cheese. It is served with toast and hashbrowns.

Final Thoughts

Cool diner to go to but the food is sub par and is a bit pricey for what you get. It was nice to come here for the nostalgia and being where the Riverdale cast shot on episode, but the food isn’t that great.

We Rate Rocko’s Diner: 

Address:
32786 Lougheed Hwy, Mission

Website:
http://www.rockosdiner.com/

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In Downtown

Yui Japanese Bistro: Chefs Reg and Ping introduces new menu

Yui Japanese Bistro is launching new items on their menu this month and we were invited to give these items a try. I love dining here as its like a secret hidden gem in Downtown. They hide inside a business building on West Georgia Street and Bute Street. Chefs Reg and Ping are the faces behind these awesome creations and they put their own creative twist to each dish.

Yui Tart

The Yui Tart is made with layers of tuna with garlic dill sauce, salmon flakes, chef special sauce, tempura bites, imitation crab meat, cucumber, flying fish roe, and of course it’s torched on top. The dill stands out in this dish but it matches well with the salmon and tuna. Plus, anything with the torched sauce it magical.

Tai Oshi

This has tai, sesame leaf, crispy shiitake, red pepper thread, and the Chef special spicy sauce. I really enjoyed it as it has just enough to slightly tingle the tongue, not that spicy at all. The ingredients meld amazingly.

Smoke salmon delight

This roll has tuna, chopped jalapeño, avocado, smoke salmon, wasabi mayo, mango salsa, and alfalfa sprout. The jalapeño and the mango salsa counteract and essentially cancel each other out. It was a decent roll, but I felt like it was a bit basic compared to the flavour profile of the other dishes here.

Aburi tuna nigiri

They start off by searing the tuna on a super hot grill. Then they slice it up super thin, then top it off with wasabi and pickle sweet onion on top. A good combination of the ingredients, simple but really helps the tuna shine.

Aburi tai

This nigiri has tai and then topped with a strawberry salsa on top. I thought it was ok as I didn’t like the sweetness from the strawberry. I don’t really like savoury food with any sweetness.

Salmon Oshi

This is a staple item on the menu and it’s a must order item. Highly recommended as the salmon, special sauce, pepper and jalapeño melt in your mouth. Best thing ever.

Final Thoughts

Their menu is expanding and it’s great to see that. The food is great and I love the cozy atmosphere. It reminds me of dining in Japan as they have great hidden restaurants in random parts of the city.

We Rate Yui Japanese Bistro: 

Address:
1185 W Georgia St, Unit 102, Vancouver

Website:
http://eatatyui.com/

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