Category

Seafood

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Fresh Ideas Start Here is a great local store to get fresh sustainable seafood in Burnaby and Kitsilano. They recently launched their sustainable poké bar with 6 different poke bowls or your can build your own. There isn’t space to eat in here, so it is all for take-out. I bought mine and headed home and has it for lunch.

The prices are higher, but you definitely get quality items in your bowl. All the fish is Oceanwise certified, which is really nice. I preferred to build my own bowl since I like to keep my poke as simple as possible.

Step 1: Pick your base
Japanese White Rice, Brown Rice, or Salad Mix

Step 2: Pick your fish
Wild BC Sockeye Salmon
Cooked West Coat Octopus
Pacific Yellowfin Tuna
Pacific Yellowfin Negitoro

Step 3: Pick your toppings
Salsa, cucumbers, seaweed salad, pickled red onion, Oshinko (pickled radish), kimchi, pickled ginger, imitation crab meat, sweet inari, masago, edamame, or Squid Salad.

Sauces:
Classic, spicy mayo, Korean Chili, or Thai style

Step 4: Pick your finish
Green onion, Furikake, fried onion or toasted sesame seeds.

All the ingredients looked really fresh and I couldn’t wait to dig in at home. I got a regular bowl and then a snack sized bowl.

Pacific Yellowfin Tuna

For the snack-sized bowl, it comes with one type of fish, 2 toppings and a finisher. I got the Pacific Yellowfin Tuna, seaweed salad, cucumber, furikake and the classic sauce on mixed greens.

Wild BC Sockeye Salmon and Pacific Yellowtail Negitoro

A regular bowl gets you 2 types of fish, 3 toppings and a finisher. I got the  Wild BC Sockeye Salmon, Pacific Yellowtail Negitoro, edamame, seaweed salad, tobiko, toasted sesame, brown rice and the classic sauce.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed the poké bowls and the toppings are simple and complimented the fish well so it still stands out. The best part about coming here for poké bowls is that you can also go shopping for good other seafood items if you want to make dinner.

We Rate FISH

Address:
#180 -7515 Market Crossing, Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://www.eatfish.ca/

During my 2nd trip to New York City, I had to come back again to eat from their lunch menu. I had an awesome time a few years ago, so I had to bring my friends. I’ve been to Morimoto Asia in Orlando, but it was more like Americanized Asian food.

Morimoto New York is my favourite so far, thus why I’m coming back again.

Interior

The interior is very nice and luxurious like you’re dining in a white tent because of the drapery.

The focal point of the dining room is their glass display in the middle of the room all lit up.

It’s so shiny and mesmerizing that you have to touch it.

Lunch menu

The lunch sets are a really good deal compared to their regular menu. You get pretty full off each box. I was eying the other table to see what they ordered before making my choice.

Uni Don

The uni don is an absolute stunner. It has grilled freshwater eel over a bed of sushi rice with cucumbers and green onions. It comes with a variety of pickles, green salad, and miso soup.

A very complete meal and I enjoyed every single bite. One of my favourite meals on this New York trip.

Angry Chicken

The angry chicken lunch set has shiso-cucumber pickles, citrus yogurt, and a roasted chili-miso sauce. It also comes with a variety of pickles, green salad, rice and miso soup.

The Washroom

Go to their washroom, it’s so beautiful like a piece of art. Very high tech and cleans your butt too.

We Rate Morimoto New York:  

Address:
88 10th Ave, New York

Website:
http://www.morimotonyc.com/

The first stop in New York when we got into the city was to get a bite of Luke’s Lobster for dinner in the financial district. They serve up sustainable seafood straight from the source and pair seafood with chowders and bisques, Maine-style sides, local desserts, natural sodas, and local microbrews. Luke’s Lobster first opened its doors in the East Village in 2009 and now has multiple locations across the country.

Interior

The decor is reminiscent of a dock or boats which matches with the seafood. Since it was late into the evening, there wasn’t anyone else here, so we had the whole place to ourselves.

Menu

Luke’s Trio

Luke’s Trio give you a sampling of each roll. You get 1/2 lobster roll, 1/2 crab roll, and 1/2 shrimp roll.

The sizes are pretty small, so if you eat them all, you’ll definitely need a few extra items to go along with your meal. The lobster roll was good but it was gobbled up as quickly as it took to prepare the meal.

The crab roll is filled with Jonah Crab and it subtly sweet and delicious.

The shrimp roll uses North Atlantic Shrimp between the toasted bun. Naturally sweet and enjoyable as well.

Lobster Mac & Cheese

This has pasta shells in a creamy, mascarpone-cheddar blend with tender chunks of lobster, topped with garlic herb breadcrumbs. The lobster was buried under all the breadcrumbs and pasta, so there as a bit of digging to be done to ind the pieces of lobster. It was good but the size was also a bit small.

Clam Chowder

This is a New England- style clam chowder. We got a small size to share between the two of us. Warm, hearty and enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was delicious and fresh, but it was a bit pricey for what we’re used to. It can get expensive if you want to get full. I would recommend coming here for a snack rather than a full meal.

We Rate Luke’s Lobster

Address:
26 S. William St, near Broad, New York

Website:
https://www.lukeslobster.com  

Kungfu Fish specializes in a variety of baked fish and seafood dishes served in hot pots with traditional spicy (and mild) flavours from Sichuan, China. They have over 40 locations in China, USA and Canada. Recently, their latest location is in Richmond inside Aberdeen on the 2nd floor.

Their grand opening is on January 7th and they are having a week of specials, so check the out.

Interior

The space inside is very large and is great for groups. There are even 2 private rooms if you want to have more private and intimate dining experience. I love those red doors as they are styled to look like vaults.

Each table has their own service bell, so you can call the servers whenever you need something.

Appetizers

We started with a few different appetizers to begin as we waiting for the main course.

Kungfu Peanuts

Very crunchy and I love the texture with the hint of heat from the peppers.

Bobo Chicken

One of the popular appetizers is Bobo chicken, which has chicken in chili oil. Very delicious and I enjoyed the subtle heat.

Garlic Grilled Scallops

Definitely no shortage of garlic here. Each piece has one scallop and its loaded with garlic. Normally there are 4 pieces per order.

Garlic Grilled Prawns

The prawns are pretty large and cooked well, so it’s still succulent and juicy. Normally, there are 2 pieces per order.

Garlic Grilled Eggplant

This meal definitely had enough garlic to ward off vampires, but it balances well with the items that it sits on top of. The eggplant was cut in a unique was so it lay flat.

Kungfu Sausage

 

The sausage is spicy and it is cut thinly. Not my favourite item, so next time I would pass on it.

Fish Hot Pot

The 3 different dish hot pots arrived and is very customizable.

  1. Choose your fish:
    Professor Swal (3 pieces)
    Madam Halibut (2lbs)
    Top Secret Sea Cod (2lbs)
  2. Choose your soup base:
    Sichuan Peppercorn
    Chopped Chili
    Hot Pot Tofu
    Pattan Pepper
    Pickled Cabbage
    Tomato
  3. Add ons:
    Fungus, glass noodles, bean curd, bean sprouts, brocolli, lotus roots, vermicelli, rice cake, enoki, sliced potatoes, cabbage, konjak,udon, aged tofu, squid rings, lobster ball, tripe, fish tofu, quail egg, crab sticks, luncheon meat or fish balls.

This were the fish and soup combinations we had that paired pretty well:

  • Professor Swai (basa fish) with Pickled Cabbage
  • Madam Halibut with Sichuan Peppercorn
  • Top Secret Sea Cod with Chopped Chili

The halibut and cod are by far my favourite of the three fish options. Each pot can easily feed 4-6 people and if you need more food, you can add other toppings into it.

Dessert

They have glass jelly with syrup and raisins. Simple and good way to end the meal. Compliments the spicy hot pot.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food here is pretty good and we were surprised at how much fish you get per pot. If you have a group of friends, you can easily share one and then add a few items to it to round it out.

Address:
2788-4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC

Website:
http://www.kungfu-fish.com/

I have an addiction of smoked salmon and when my friend told me about Russ & Daughters in New York, we had to go. You can go to their shop, cafe or the Jewish Museum to get a taste of their awesome food, but we opted to go to the original shop on East Houston Street.

They are purveyors of the highest quality smoked fish, caviar, baked goods, and specialty foods in New York City. Since 1914, this landmark New York City institution has been owned and operated by four generations of the Russ family. Russ & Daughters has continued to provide the tastes and traditions of a true New York experience from the same spot on East Houston Street for more than a century. With the constant line of locals and tourists, that isn’t wrong at all.

Interior

We came early in the morning on the weekend and we were just glad there wasn’t a line out the door as it’s pretty chilly in the winter. When we got inside, we grabbed a number and waited out turn.

They have a lot of things to buy in their display case as well as around the shop. Since we were visiting, we were eyeing the different types of smoked salmon for our bagels.

A lot of people recommend the Gaspe Nova as it is mild and the pure, fresh North Atlantic taste and satiny texture will be savoured by any palate.

It took a little bit to get past the line and order. The staff take their time and don’t rush past each person to get through the queue.

My Creation

I made mine with:

  • Everything Bagel toasted
  • Gaspe Nova Salmon
  • Cream cheese with scallion
  • Onions
  • Capers

It was one of the most expensive lox bagels I’ve ever had at $13, but it was the best lox bagel I’ve had in my life. The quality of the ingredients really shine through. So damn good.

We Rate Russ & Daughters

Address:
179 E Houston St, New York

Websitehttp://shop.russanddaughters.com/

Atlas Steak + Fish is the new restaurant inside the Grand Villa Casino and Hotel in Burnaby. It has taken the old location of EBO and is a modern twist on the iconic North American steakhouse.

They selecting fine ingredients, explore global flavours, showcase unique cooking techniques, and engage through table-side service. These are all elements that speak to their commitment in crafting a truly distinctive dining experience in Burnaby.

Interior

The dining space is very nice and great for any occasion. They even have a private room with lots of seats if you want something more cozy and intimate for your group.

El Diablo

Start the night off with an electrifying cocktail. It has Sauza Silver Tequila, Crème de Cassis, fresh lime juice, and Ginger Ale presented with sparks of fire using cinnamon. From the name of the cocktail, you would think it would be spicy, but this was such a refreshing cocktail. We really enjoyed it.

Agua de Valencia

This yummy drink has dry English gin, fine orange liqueur and orange.

Lobster Bisque

At the centre of the bisque is a seared scallop and roe. The broth had a lot of depth and essence of the lobster. It may not look that great, but it was delicious.

Steak Tartar

This has hand minced tenderloin, miso mustard, pickled daikon quail’s egg, and gnocco fritto. Mix the ingredients together and then eat.

Steaks and Mains

Only the top percentage of Alberta Angus Reserve Beef and U.S.D.A Prime make the ATLAS cut and are selected for dishes. Sourcing from North America’s top producers, they seek out the ultimate commitment to quality and stewardship to ensure the best in marbling, tenderness, and flavour. The steaks are hand-butchered from the top breeds, hand-selected, and aged before being prepared in our mesquite-fired Josper oven.

Chili Ribbed Cowboy Rib Steak

With got the steak done medium rare without the chili rub. The steak was very tender and it was 16oz, so it wasn’t small at all.

There were some leftovers, but we were happy to have it for another meal.

Tomahawk Pork Chop

This has snake river farms kurobuta pork chop, smoked pork belly and apple relish with warm potato salad. It was suggested that we order this as medium. This was recommended by the staff and it was also tender and delicious. We enjoyed the pairing of the apple relish on top.

Whipped Brie Mashed Potato

We got this on the side to share and it was so smooth and fluffy. Who knew brie and mashed potatoes would be so good together. Highly recommended.

Roasted Wild Mushrooms

Ultimate savoury side dish to share for the table. I enjoyed the variety of mushrooms in this.  Another winner.

Salted Caramel Creme Brulee

It comes in a mason jar with the torched sugar on top. It is served with chocolate dipped biscotti. A good comforting classic dessert.

Baked Alaska

If you’re looking for something unique, try the baked Alaska that is flambed tableside. How cool is that? It’s a dinner and a little show.

The layers are made of raspberry coconut ice cream, lemon sorbet, orange vanilla cake, and italian meringue.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we enjoyed the experience and it’s something that Burnaby is lacking. They bring some exciting dishes that aren’t easy to find in the area. I would recommend Atlas for intimate dinners for special occasions.

We Rate Atlas Steakhouse and Fish

Address:
4331 Dominion St, Burnaby

Website:
http://atlassteakandfish.com/

The Captain’s Boil is now open in Coquitlam serving up delicious Cajun seafood boil. This is their 4th location in British Columbia with a few more locations opening up in 2018 across Canada.

Interior

There’e a lot of seating for guests in small to large groups. It has a nice nautical theme inside with imagery of seafood, wooden walls and the blue fabric on the booth seats.

Seafood

To start, you pick the seafood you want, then the flavour of it:

  • Cajun
  • Garlic Sauce
  • Lemon Pepper
  • Captain’s Boil (Combination of all 3)

Then you pick the amount of heat you want with it:

  • Non-spicy
  • Mild
  • Medium
  • Fire

On the table, there was shrimp, clams, and mussels. There was also fries, cajun seafood rice, corn and broccoli.

There’s something fun about having food toss on the table and eating with your hands. You get a ‘hands on’ experience on getting down and dirty with your seafood. But don’t worry, you get bids so your clothes stay nice and clean.

Final Thoughts

It’s good to have the addition of The Captain’s Boil in the area as there isn’t anything similar in Coquitlam. It can definitely get busy, so go when it’s not peak time or try to get reservations.

Address:
1111 Ponderosa St, Coquitlam

Websitehttps://www.thecaptainsboil.com/

Hulu Poké is now open at Pacific Centre in Downtown Vancouver serving up Hawaiian-inspired poké bowls and tostadas. There has been a surge of poke shops opening up around the Lower Mainland and there’s no stopping them. Vancouverites love their seafood and clean flavours.

They have 9 different types of pre-built Hula Bowls, so you can’t customize them like other shops. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as those who are indecisive don’t have to think so hard. Those who are picky, may not like these pre-built options.

Menu

Hula Bowls

All hula bowls have a base of rice and yuzu kale. There are 6 Hula Bowls and 2 Vege Bowl options on the menu.

  • Tiki with Togarashi Spicy Tuna
  • Bahamian with Coconut Rockfish
  • Lei with Togarashi Salmon
  • Koko with Gochujang Salmon
  • Ancho with Ancho Rockfish
  • Nikkei with Citrus Ahi Tuna
  • Cali Veg with Miso Ginger Tofu
  • Sweet Potato with Ancho Sweet Potato

If you don’t like cilantro of red chili peppers, you should tell them ahead of time.

 

Tiki

This has ahi tuna in togarashi mayo, cucumber, green onion, red chili, edamame, crispy onions, black sesame, hijiki, and cilantro.

Bahamian

This has rockfish, coconut and pineapple salsas, edamame, red pepper, green onion, jalapeno, coconut flakes and cilantro. This reminded me of a Hawaiian pizza of poke.

Koko

This has spicy gochujang salmon, carrots, white onion, avocado, cucumber, kimchi, furikake, black sesame, cilantro, and a miso ginger vinaigrette on the bed of yuzu kale and rice.

Ancho

There is rockfish in an ancho crema tossed in avocado, jicama slaw, green onion, red pepper, chili oil, cilantro and crispy onions.

Lei

This has salmon in togarashi mayo, cucumber, avocado, red pepper, green onion, red pepper strings, spicy peas and furikake. One of my favourites.

Nikkei

This has ahi tuna in peruvian citrus sauce, avocado, white onion, red thai chili, grapefruit, togarashi sprinkle, crunchy peas, black sesame seeds, tossed with wasabi lemon crema. One of my favourites too.

Cali Veg

There is the miso ginger tofu, snow peas, red pepper, avocado, carrots, black sesame seeds, red pepper string, hijiki, and picked cucumber. Apparently, this was a popular dish among vegans.

Sweet Potato

This has sweet potato, ancho crema, jicama slaw, green onion, red pepper, chili oil, cilantro and crispy onions.

Wai-Tais

There are 2 different Wai-Tais, which as fruit-infused coconut waters. There is strawberry hibiscus and pineapple lime. I gravitated towards the pineapple line and it was refreshing with poké.

Kombucha

They have 2 house-made Kombucha – Mint Mojito and Ginger Hibiscus. I had some of the Mint Mojito and it was delicious. It wasn’t too intense compared to some other kombucha I’ve had before.

Lava

This drink has DeVille Coffee poured over coconut milk. It was an interesting drink, but a bit heavy for my tastes

Plantain Chips

If you are looking for something on the go, they have plantain chips that are a bit salty and a bit spicy.

Pineapple

The dried sugared pineapple half coated in a sugar and dipped with coconut. There are 2 pieces to a package.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Hula Poké isn’t for everyone. If you like more control of what goes into your bowl, this isn’t the place for you. For those who aren’t picky and like a good healthy quick meal in a food court, this is your place. It’s refreshing to have a poké shop at Pacific Centre to give customer better options. Even though they have only been open for a few days, it’s really popular for those visiting the Pacific Centre food court.

We Rate Hula Poke:

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

Address:
Food Court, 701 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

The Holy Crab in Downtown Vancouver has the Monster Roll Challenge where guests are invited to devour their 36-inch seafood roll in 5 minutes or less. It weighs a whopping 6 pounds. If you are defeated, you have to pay $75 plus tax. I was up for the challenge and so was Maggi, so we rolled up our sleeves to destroy this monster. This is only available until November 30, 2017.

The Monster Roll

Inside, you’ll find crab, shrimp, calamari, soft shell crab, fish finger, onion, garlic, mushroom, bell peppers, mayo, and your choice of Cajun sauce (mild, medium, spicy, or holy moly). We went with mild because I didn’t want to suffer the consequences the following day.

36 inches is the size of 3 Subway footlongs, so that means we had to eat 1.5 foot longs or 18 inches each.When we watched them assemble this, we felt very confident we could finish. Once they started adding more and more on top, we could see why this really isn’t an easy challenge.

The Rules

  1. Be the fastest team of 2 to finish a 36-inch seafood roll and place your names and time on our leaderboard – 1st place will win a $300 GIFT CARD to The Holy Crab!
  2. The seafood roll will be cut in half for every team. Time starts at the same time for both of you, and you and your teammate are responsible for eating your own half (no helping each other).
  3. The cost of the Monster Roll is $75 (tax excluded). Names and time will be recorded when your team finishes the roll.
  4. BONUS – If your team finishes the seafood roll in 5 minutes, your team gets the roll for FREE and receives a $25 gift card to The Holy Crab for your next visit.
  5. Unlimited water and/or soft drinks are provided (must let staff know before the competition starts).
  6. Only 5 Monster Rolls available per day – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED (no reservations). Available every day during opening hours.
  7. The team with the fastest time on our leaderboard by Nov. 30 will be the grand prize winner and names will be announced on Dec 1st.

Let’s Eat

We started off at a good pace, but soon we realized it was more that we could handle. My strategy was to go for all the good stuff first by eating the seafood, then the bread. At first it had a good taste since I love seafood and if it’s crispy and deep-fried, I’m so into it. At the 4 minute mark, I really started to feel it and I didn’t like the mixture of all the sauces. After 10 minutes, we threw in the towel. I easily demolished the seafood and still had a good amount of bread left.

Maggi on the other hand almost demolished the bread and has some seafood leftover. The hardest part was the richness of the lobster oil soaked in the vegetables, then the added sauces inside. I may have thrown up a little bit afterwards.

Address:
1588 Robson St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.theholycrab.ca/

Sushi Bar Maumi is located on Davie Street in Vancouver and specializes in nigiri sushi for his omakase menu. Reservations are required, so they will not take walk-ins. Omakase is $75 per person and if you want to order more, you can do so after the 10 pieces.

They try to give customers an authentic and memorable sushi bar experience. Since there are only 2 seatings per evening with 10 seats each. There are a few rules you need to follow in order to have a good time with other guests. Make sure you read their website in it’s entirety.

It’s definitely not cheap, but it’s an experience watching Chef Maumi Ozaki create each piece of nigiri and eating such delicious simple flavours. Just make sure you follow his rules.

Green Tea

As we sat down for our 6pm seating, we were given a pot of green tea to sip on through out our meal. Since I am a tea guzzler, they did refill everyone’s pots during the evening.

Suzuki – Japanese Sea Bass

The first piece was suzuki nigiri, which is a Japanese Sea Bass. It has a good mouthfeel and chef puts a brush of sauce on top for added flavour.

Surume Ika – Japanese Flying Squid

Ika is usually tough, but the chef cuts it slightly with a criss-cross to break apart the connective tissue. The sauce that is brushed on top collects in these slots and holds a good amount of flavour.

Aji – Japanese Horse Mackerel

The flesh is more pinkish compared to the others. It is topped with ginger and scallions. It has a delicate and sweet flavour.

Kuruma Ebi – Japanese Tiger Prawn

One of the more expensive nigiri at Maumi, if you want more, it will cost you $18 per piece. The head is removed to be used in the miso soup later in the evening. It is sweet and full of umami taste.

Shima Aji – Stripped Jack

The flesh is more white and milder in flavour. Still a good piece of nigiri.

Hokkaido Bafun Uni – Sea Urchin

The uni is harvested at peak season and it topped with a small bit of ginger. The uni is sweet, briny, and creamy.

Miso Soup

Up next was miso soup made with the prawn heads. It came pipping hot, but very delicious soup which was so warming.

Nama Hotate – Fresh Scallop

The scallop was sliced thinly and draped on top of the sushi rice. Fresh, subtly sweet and has a soft texture.

Medium Fatty Bluefin Tuna marinated in special soy sauce

This was a joy to eat. So damn good!

Saba – Mackerel

One of my favourites as it has firm flesh and its rich and fatty with yummy flavours.

Anago – BBQ Sea Eel

This was the last item of our omakase was the anago. It was nice an hot covered in this delicious sauce.

Hon Maguro O-Toro – Fatty Bluefin Tuna

Almost everyone ordered this at the end. It will cost you $12 per piece but you have to try it once. It’s really good and it melts in your mouth.

Sanma – Pike Mackerel

We ordered this because everyone else did as well. They seem to know what they were ordering, so we followed along. It was fatty and rich similar to saba. This is served with ginger and scallions on top.

Ikura – Salmon Roe

This is like little dragon balls. The roe are salty and it’s fun to pop them in your mouth.

Tamago

This is handmade egg omelette with fish, prawns, mountain potato and dashi. It had a sweet finish to the taste and served cold.

Final Thoughts

This was a fun experience to eat at a sushi bar served by Chef Maumi Ozaki. The food is great, but we did have to order a few more pieces after the omakase to get full. You have to be a fan of nigiri to fully enjoy the experience. One person dining just ate the fish on top and left all their rice. Our bill between us was over $200, so you need to be here for a special occasion.

We Rate Sushi Bar Maumi:

Address:
1226 Bute St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.sushibarmaumi.ca/

The Dockside Restaurant on Granville Island is a place locals and tourist love to come to for the views and the fresh seafood options on the menu. They like to keep their menu seasonal, so they have recently launched a few items on their menu to reflect the Fall season and use the freshest produce possible.

Interior

The main dining area is very nice with lots of windows, comfortable seating, and views of False Creek.

Super Food Buddha Bowl

This has organic quinoa, farro, wehani rice, house-pickled vegetables, heirloom tomatoes, romaine hearts, and a citrus vinaigrette. A good items to have to taste the fresh produce of the Fall. The hearty grains are delicious too.

Warm Fall Harvest Kale Salad

This has a medley of roasted root vegetables, Okanagan honey crisp apples, buttermilk dressing, and grana padano. We have delicious local apples, so this plate highlight more of the farms close by. The texture of the crisp root vegetables contrasts well with the kale.

Two Rivers Meats Grilled Beef Tenderloin (6oz)

This dish has AAA beef, potato yam pavé, butternut squash purée, red wine thyme jus, seasonal organic vegetables, and preserved cherry-basil compound butter. Having the beef medium rare is the best way to have this served.

Braised Lamb Shank

The tender lamb shank sits on top of Israeli cous cous, butternut squash, Okanagan plum jus, dukkah, and seasonal organic vegetables.

Forno Roasted Salmon

This has lemongrass-soy marinated Oceanwise salmon, pistachio mash, bell pepper aioli, and seasonal organic vegetables. The salmon was cooked nicely and the marination of the lemongrass-soy flavour.

Grilled Haida Gwaii Halibut

The halibut sits on lemon-herb spaetzle, dungeness crab bisque, house pickled and roasted organic vegetables. I enjoyed the combination of the spaetzle and halibut. A good combination as an entree.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

The sticky toffee pudding has spiced caramel sauce, rum and vanilla gelato on top. Such a lovely treat to end the meal.

Coconut Milk Cheesecake

This dessert has passion fruit chia seed glaze, honey toasted nuts and candied coconut chips. It is gluten-free, which is a good option for those with dietary restrictions.

Final Thoughts

Dockside Restaurant is a solid place to go to in Vancouver. The location is right on Granville Island and they do have lots to do in the area. My favourite dishes was the Grilled Haida Gwaii Halibut.

We Rate Dockside Restaurant

Address:
253 Johnston St, Vancouver

Website:
http://docksidevancouver.com/

Hogtown Pub and Oysters in Toronto is located in the Little Italy neighbourhood. I was meeting up with my friend Flo for a pre dinner meal while I was in town. Always good to catch up with friends over appies and drinks. They are a local favourite and have locally sourced produce where possible. You will also find a good amount of local craft beers on their menu too.

Interior

The restaurant is pretty narrow and has a good pub feel with all the picture frames on the walls and the booth style seating. Good for small to large groups.

Drinks

My friend got a ginger ale and I got Stiegl grapefruit radler, which is delicious, light and sweet. A good Summer drink.

Oysters

We got a dozen oysters for $30 and I thought it was a bit mediocre. If you’ve ever had a fresh West Coast Oyster, these didn’t compare. I think these were from the East Coast and it has more salty notes to the taste. If you love oysters, they do have some specials throughout the week if you want to save.

You can add some sauce to the oyster to give it some added taste. My personal favourite is always a drop of tabasco sauce.

Mussels

Mussels sauced with either white wine and garlic, zesty tomato or green curry. We went with white wine and garlic sauce and it was pretty delicious. There is toasted bread served with it too. The mussels inside the shells were pretty small sizes.

Sauteed Octopus

This dish has tender octopus served with chorizo sausage, purple fingerling potatoes and rapini tossed with their secret octosauce. It was a good dish that I really enjoyed.

Final Thoughts

Being from the West Coast in Vancouver, the seafood doesn’t compare, but since Toronto is far from either coast, I hear that local do love this place. Perhaps I just have higher standards since its readily available to me. It’s still a nice place to chill over drinks and bites with friends.

We rate Hogtown Pub & Oysters: 

Address:
633 College St, Toronto

Website:
http://www.thehogtownpub.com/

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

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

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

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/

Yui Japanese Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Pokerrito has opened their second location on Hornby and Nelson. They serve up Hawaiian poké with a Japanese twist in burritos, bowls, and salads. I was watching Wonder Woman with friends and we needed quick bite to eat before the show. We love eating on this street since so many other restaurants have popped up in this area.

Interior

The space is larger than their original Dunsmuir location. It has a similar look as well. All that matters is the food right? As long as both locations are consistent.

Menu

I think most things are the same here, but I did notice the addition of Soft Peaks ice cream, which is interesting. Their signature combinations were slightly different with 2 new ones – Hawaiian Classic and Secret Beach. I love how they have sustainable seafood that is Ocean Wise certified.

Poké Bowls

Hawaiian Classic has marinated ahi tuna green onion, romaine lettuce, lemon, seaweed salad, and sesame seeds. It was supposed to have edible flowers in it, but I guess they ran out of them. Instead, they put sprouts on top. I got it as a bowl with a salad base. I really prefer this combination without all the other toppings as you can really appreciate the marinated ahi tuna without other strong conflicting flavours. When I usually customize my poké bowls in the past, I would load it with anything that would make bowl worth it.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s good to see they are expanding, but there is another poké shop located right next door, so it should be interesting competition. All my other friends ordered poke bowls with a mix of rice and salad as the base. Then, they added their favourite toppings. Love how it’s highly customizable for all taste buds.

We Rate Pokerrito

Website:
http://www.pokerrito.ca/

Address:
991 Hornby Street, Vancouver

Websitehttp://www.pokerrito.ca/

Pokerrito Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Captain’s Boil held a pirate-themed party on Toronto’s Tall Ship Kajima to celebrate the launch of their new Lobster Roll and Lobster Bisque. The ship was docked at downtown Harbourfront and attracted a lot of attention with its pirate flag, loud music and Instagram-worthy lobster pool floaties. As soon as we boarded the ship, we were greeted by an elaborate seafood spread. There were huge pots of shrimp, crawfish, king crab and of course, lobsters, displayed grandly like floral centerpieces at a wedding.  There was also a photobooth with crustacean and Captain Jack Sparrow-themed props which many people (me included) took part in. Within an hour, the boat was filled with hungry bloggers, many dressed in their best sailor stripes.

Spotted: a king crab trying to photobomb and take attention away from the evening’s guest of honour: the lobster

Warning: several lobster rolls were harmed during the making of this photo.

While the ship and décor were fun and engaging, more importantly, the lobster rolls lived up to the hype. Large chunks of fresh lobster were tucked in between a toasted buttery bun, with crisp lettuce and a slice of bacon for good measure. We weren’t the only ones that inhaled our lobster rolls as quickly as we grabbed them. As soon as the servers emerged from below deck, they would be swarmed by hungry bloggers. If you couldn’t elbow your way to the front, you would be left hungry, disappointed and lobster roll-less. Good thing we made friends with one of the servers who kept us happily supplied with plenty of rolls.

This cocktail went really well with the lobster – there was also a lemonade soju and a mixed berry option.

After an ungodly amount of rolls were consumed, (it’s embarrassing how many we had, all in the name of “research”), we washed them down with some refreshing mango & passionfruit soju.

One of the brave servers on deck (no one wants to tell food bloggers that they have to wait a few minutes until the next round of food)

Mmm…

Next we tried the lobster bisque. They were served in small cups that made it way too easy to shoot down, one after the other. The bisque was delicious, savoury and creamy, but balanced with a tangy spice, similar to the Cajun and Asian flavours found in the famous Captain’s Boil sauce. Every serving of bisque had a chunk of lobster. The bisque was definitely tastier than other bisques or chowders I’ve tried, as those can be too heavy on the cream and potatoes with not enough seafood flavour.

To sum it all up, here’s what I have to say: I was lucky enough to experience fresh Nova Scotian lobster last summer and with the sea breeze (ok fine, the Lake Ontario wind) blowing and the fresh delicious seafood, it (almost) felt like I was back in Halifax! Since we Torontonians don’t have the luxury of local lobster, I suggest hurrying down to the nearest Captain’s Boil if you want a similar seaside-like experience.

The Lobster Rolls and Lobster Bisque launch July 15th. Downtown Toronto is home to three Captain’s Boil locations, with 16 restaurants in Ontario.

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