May 2012

In Downtown

Pig on the Street: Bacon, Bacon, Bacon

May 15, 2012

Word on the Street is that Pig on The Street is finally open! Pig on the Street is one of the newest food trucks opening this Summer in Downtown Vancouver. They are located at the library new Mom’s Grilled Truck and Tacofino.

Instead of the usual truck-style, they have converted and old Volkswagon into a kitchen. It seems a bit crazy, but it seems to be working. Pig on the Street sells wraps with BACON..and pastries with BACON. I came here with StarbucksAddict for lunch to check out this food truck.

As you wait for your order, you are given a little wooden piggy with a pig-related pun. In this case, we got “Ham Solo” that references Han Solo from StarWars. Super creative and better than a boring number system.

Since it was a sunny bright day, we decided to eat our lunch outside on the steps of the Art Gallery. Everyone else was doing it, so it doesn’t seem too weird at all.

Cheddar and bacon twisty bread ($2) was pretty awesome. Theres a strip of bacon hidden inside. The ratio between the bread, cheddar and bacon was perfect! So addictive!

Southern Piggy ($8.95) has double smoked bacon, bourbon BBQ sauce, grilled peppers, corn, cheddar, chipotle mayo and greens.

Piggy Blues ($8.95) has double smoked bacon, grilled mushrooms, creamy blue cheese, caramelized onion mayo, greens.

The bacon was nice and thick and meshed really well with the mushrooms and blue cheese. I usually dislike blue cheese, but it wasn’t too pungent. If you are a bacon lover, you’ll definitely love these sandwiches.

Pig on the Street does face a bit of competition with other food trucks like Tacofino and Mom’s Grilled Cheese. Since there is such a large concentration of businesses around, I don’t think it would hurt their business at all. When I walked into the area, I just loved how there are so many options to choose from. You can come down with your coworkers and not be limited to just one truck.

Overall, I really enjoyed Pig on the Street! The food wasn’t too greasy and the ingredients really shine through. Plus, bacon is awesome. For the vegetarians, they do have meatless wraps too. Even though they have a small truck, they pack some serious flavour in the food! Don’t let their small size fool you!

Words of Wisdom:

Popular items can sell out super fast, so get here early
Under $10
Not too long of a wait
BACON!

We Rate Pig on the Street:

Location:
Howe and Robson (near Art Gallery)

Website:
http://www.pigonthestreet.com/

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In Bar and Grill

Rogue Kitchen & Wet Bar: Salad Drenched in Dressing

May 14, 2012

Rogue Kitchen & Wet Bar is located inside the Waterfront Skytrain Station. They serve a lot of different types of craft beers and other drinks. It’s a beautiful place to dine with coworkers and have a few drinks. I came with a few people to have dinner and chill.

Chicken Cobb Salad ($14.99) has chicken, avocado, roma tomato, rough chopped bacon, soft yolk egg, blue cheese, and ranch
dressing. The soft egg yolk was pretty awesome and delicious, but I felt the salad was way too dressed with the ranch sauce. It made the leaves less crisp. The chicken was good and tender.

Overall, I still prefer the burgers or sandwiches to get the best deal and it tastes good. The decor is really nice, but the service was quite bad. Our server disappeared for long periods of time and it was really hard to get her attention.

Words of Wisdom:

Rogue burger and Fries x3 recommended
Pay parking in adjacent lot
Large selection of drinks
Some items can be expensive
Beautiful decor
Located in Waterfront Station

We Rate Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar:
Address:

601 West Cordova Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.roguewetbar.com

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In Cafe

Mochikas Peruvian Cafe: Hidden Gem in a Car Wash

May 13, 2012

Mochikas Peruvian Cafe is hidden inside the Platinum Touch Autospa on Pine and West 5th. I drove by this place and I totally missed it because it really doesn’t stand out at all.

I came here with the Vancouver Gastronomical Brouhaha group to chow down on some Peruvian food. I’ve heard much about this place but never had the chance to come here till now.

The interior is quite small and so is their kitchen space. I find it amazing how they can do everything in such a small space. They can’t fit too many people in this space, but you will be ok with a group of 4 or 5 people.

Ceviche de Pescado ($13) has fish marinated in lime juice, rocoto sauce, garlic & Italian parsley served with sweet corn, toasted Peruvian corn, sweet potato & red onions.

Ceviche Mixto ($14) has fish, calamari, shrimp, octopus and mussels marinated in lime juice, rocoto sauce, garlic & Italian parsley served with sweet corn, toasted Peruvian corn, sweet potato & red onions. The sauce is very sour, which isn’t a bad thing since it’s what you need in a ceviche. I loved it.

Chupe de Mariscos (Small – $12) is a spicy, hearty seafood chowder with fish, clams, shrimp, calamari, mussels, cream, Aji Panca, smoke paprika, Peruvian oregano, rice & feta cheese. It looks spicy, but it wasn’t spicy at all. Highly recommended.

Yuca frita con chicharron is deep-fried pork belly and cassava root that’s like a potato. It’s a pretty delicious dish! The only issue was that the meat in the pork belly was a bit dry and tough.

Aji de Gallina ($12) has hand shredded chicken & potatoes in a creamy Peruvian yellow pepper & parmesan cheese sauce served with rice.

Overall, it can get quite pricey and the portions aren’t too large. The service did take a while between the dishes, so some people had to wait a while till their dish arrived. The food is definitely delicious regardless of the wait.

Words of Wisdom:

Pay parking on the street
Ceviche is awesome
Long waits for food
Small interior
Slightly pricey for the portions

We Rate Mochikas Peruvian Cafe:

Address:
1696 West 5th Avenue
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.mochikas.ca/cafe/

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In German

Old Bavaria Haus: Schnitzel in New Westminster

May 12, 2012

Old Bavaria Haus is a German restaurant in New Westminster that specializes in Schnitzel. The restaurant is located in an old 2 storey house and has been in business for many many years. It is known to be a local favorite especially for traditional German dishes.

M has a goal of going to all the German restaurants in the Lower Mainland to find the best schnitzel, so M, Scarface and I decided to start at Old Bavaria Haus since it’s the closest.

The interior is quite ornate and you do get a unique dining experience as you are actually in a house.

Warsteiner Beer is a German beer. It’s light, but has a bitter taste. What I disliked about it is how there is so much foam on top. More foam means less beer for me.

Complementary Garlic Bread is a good change from the usual bread. It is crunchy on the outside and has enough garlic spread to make each piece aromatic.

Spatzle “Jaeger Art” ($6.95) is composed of homemade German pasta with blackforest mushroom sauce. It was delicious! The pasta was very soft and light similar to gnocchi, but in strands. The mushroom sauce was very savory like gravy. We all enjoyed the dish and it was easily sharable between others at the table.

Schnitzel and Bratwurst ($18.95) has schnitzel topped with bratwurst served with peppercorn sauce. It also has sides of vegetables, potatoes and onions. M and Scarface enjoyed the taste of the meaty bratwurst, but thought the schnitzel was very similar to Japanese pork cutlet. Nonetheless, they thought the food here was good.

Schnitzel Cordon Bleu ($16.95) has stuffed with blackforest ham and swiss cheese in the schnitzel. It also has sides of vegetables, potatoes, and pickled onions.

When you cut into it, the cheese oozes out and you can see the layer of the pork and the ham. I enjoyed the cool combination.

Overall, the food was good, but it is quite expensive. Given the atmosphere and the service… you are paying for the ambiance. They have a large variety of Schnitzel with different variations. I probably wouldn’t come again if I randomly felt like schnitzel since the price point is quite higher than other places. People usually come here for special occasions.

Words of Wisdom:

Reservations highly recommended
Accommodates large groups (up to 60 people)
Appeals to an older crowd
Schnitzel is a must
Friendly service
Dining in a house

We Rate Old Bavaria Haus:
Address:
233 6th St
New Westminster, BC

Website:
http://www.oldbavariahaus.com/

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In Cafe

Mink Chocolates: Willy Wonka of Chocolates

May 11, 2012

Mink Chocolates has a chocolate cafe in Downtown Vancouver near the Convention Center. They have fondue, waffles, parfaits, drinks, and specialty chocolates.

Since it was my last day of work, I had to bring something awesome for my coworkers. Since I am usually strange, I thought I should bring some strange chocolate to the office.

It’s a great place to sit and chill as you have a coffee or desserts.

Open In Case of emergency ($6.25) has mint, bourbon with chocolate ganache inside a dark chocolate shell. I liked the texture and the rich chocolate taste, but I felt that it was quite hard tasting the mint and bourbon.

PB Wannabe ($6.25) has almond butter and grape jelly in milk chocolate. It really brings out the kid in you as it puts together the flavour combinations of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

No Grumpy ($6.25) has espresso in a dark chocolate bar. The chocolate does have a strong espresso taste and will definitely liven people up. If you love coffee, you’ll love this.

Overall, they are quite unique and I love their strange flavour combinations in their chocolates. It’s definitely a great place to bring friends or relative that are out of town! On the downside, it’s not cheap either. Each item is around $5, so it can add up.

Words of Wisdom:

Good Hot Chocolate
Lots of amazing chocolate bars
Makes good unique gifts
Is a bit expensive
Closest Skytrain: Burrard or Waterfront

We Rate Minks Chocolate:

Address:
863 W Hastings St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.minkchocolates.com/

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In Coquitlam

Soup Plus: Louisiana Poor Boy and Killer Mushroom Soup

May 10, 2012

Soup Plus is a little mom and pop restaurant in Coquitlam that sells sandwiches and soups. They attract mostly people in the area and aren’t well known outside of Coquitlam. I have passed by several times, but it is quite easy to miss.

One of my Twitter followers – Viola (@vyqchen) suggested I try out Soup Plus and recommended a few items to order. Since M wanted lunch, I thought we could try out Soup Plus and order the items Viola suggested.

Mushroom Soup (~$3) is very delicious and it is not even comparable to Campbells canned mushroom soups. It has tons of mushrooms and isn’t too creamy at all. I finished this bowl of soup pretty fast. I’m actually craving another bowl right now as I type this.

They have about 5 freshly made soups everyday, but I heard the mushroom soup is the most popular.

Louisiana Poor Boy Sandwich (~$5) has lettuce, tomatoes, pepper and meat covered in BBQ sauce between freshly made house bread. This was our favorite sandwich, the meat was tender and has a subtly spicy taste to it. In a way it reminded me of a sloppy joe.

Meatloaf sub (~$5) has tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, pepper and slices of meatloaf in between house bread. The meatloaf is delicious on its own, but when you eat it with everything else in the sandwich, it takes away from it’s taste and texture.

Overall, we loved the mushroom soup and the Louisiana Poor Boy Sandwich! Definitely take a visit for lunch if you are in the area. It’s a nice little family owned restaurant that has something delicious to offer. The service was good, but for some reason they wouldn’t let us tip them. I still have no idea why!

Words of Wisdom:

Free parking in front
Under $10
Highly Recommended: Mushroom soup and Louisiana Poor Boy Sandwich

We Rate Soup Plus:

Address:
1102 Austin Avenue
Coquitlam, BC

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In Four Beakers

Burger Heaven: Awesometastic Burgers in New Westminster

May 9, 2012

Burger Heaven is located in New Westminster and of course they specialize in burgers. They are known for their crazy and creative sandwiches. The interior is quite ugly and super outdated, but their sandwiches is what their customers rave about.

M and I decided to come here for lunch since we don’t live too far away from New West.

Insanity Burger ($16.14) is a swiss & bacon burger between two grilled mozza & cheddar cheese sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, red onions and sauce. You get your choice of salad or potato wedges as your side.

This sandwich is quite massive. I am also sure the calorie count is through the roof. M liked their large juicy patties, but it didn’t mesh too well with the two grilled cheese. He said the grilled cheese was quite bland and the cheese isn’t sharp enough.

Either way, it’s still a super huge sandwich and it’s definitely a challenge to eat.

The potato wedges were very crispy and golden brown. I love them more than Mcdonald’s fries.

Breakfast Burger ($13.69) is the 9th most popular item that is ordered. It contains a beef patty, mozzarella, fried egg, bacon and vegetables. I got a salad on the side since I felt guilty.

You can’t go wrong with bacon, cheese and egg in a burger! Plus, the bacon looked very delicious. The whole burger isn’t exactly breakfast food, but these are the perfect ingredients in a burger!

Once you put the two halfs together, the burger is huge. The beef patty is phenomenal! One this that M and I could agree on was the beef patty is really really good. I loved my sandwich!

You also get some tabasco if you want to spice up your burger!

Overall, I thought the sandwiches were good, but it can get quite expensive if you get more of their specialty burgers. I went at lunch and it wasn’t too busy, but I hear it can get packed for dinner. The interior is basically a shack, so don’t be too turned off by the place until you have had a bite.

Words of Wisdom:

Burgers are around $15
Top item is the BBQ Cheddar and Bacon Burger
Pay parking in front

We Rate Burger Heaven:

Address:
77 10th St
New Westminster, BC
Website:
http://www.burgerheaven.ca/

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In Sandwich

Between Two Buns: Poutine and Sandwiches

May 8, 2012

Between Two Buns is another sandwich shop that has opened up in Yaletown. All their sandwiches have very provocative names. Just think very pervertedly and you’ll know what I mean. The interior of the restaurant is very open, but doesn’t have too many seats, but it’s good if you do takeout.

LazySusan, KevKev, LiLi and I went before a school event to check out the place and grab some lunch. It was around noon and most of the tables were taken up.

All their items are around the $10 range. Their menu is small but you should be able to find something that suits your taste buds.

Poutine Special ($9) has cajun fries topped with seared tuna, avocado sauce, whole runny egg, and green onions.

This is a pretty awesome poutine since it’s quite hearty and it adds a bit of kick due to the sauces and hot spices. It’s not too hot, but is bearable.

Half Maniac Sandwich with side of fries and gravy ($9 +$1)

The Maniac sandwich has double smoked bacon, baby arugula, spicy marinara, asiago cheese, roasted garlic parmesan aoli, and an oven roasted tomato. I thought the sandwich tasted ok, but I felt like flavours could have stood out a bit more.

The fries and gravy were ok as well. The gravy is made from scratch so it is not very salty, but it didn’t have very much flavour to it.

This is the maniac sandwich in it’s full size.

Overall, the sandwiches are ok, but definitely not the best. As there are more and more sandwich shops opening up in Downtown, there is definitely some competition. I am sure they will perfect their menu and try new flavour combinations.

Words of Wisdom:

Delicious Poutine Specials
Around $10 for lunch
Close to Yaletown Skytrain on the Canada Line

We Rate Between Two Buns:

Address:
1271 Homer St
Vancouver, BC
Website:
http://www.betweentwobuns.ca/

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In Cafe

Apres-Midi Teahouse: Tea Lattes & Desserts

May 6, 2012

Apres – Midi Teahouse is a hidden teahouse in Gastown. It can be quite difficult to find since it’s not near any main roads. They specialize in tea. They also serve desserts and coffee.

HipsterGirl and I needed to kill some time before an event, so I decided to take her to Apres-Midi Teahouse. I have passed by a few times, but finally decided to check it out since I am a lover of tea.

It’s quite relaxing inside with the rustic brick walls and natural lighting. They have their main level with lots of seats.

They also have an upper level too that is also relaxing. You can spend lots of hours just catching up with friends or even doing some work.

Gastown Fog was what HispterGirl ordered. It wasn’t exactly like a London Fog since the tea they used was slightly different that earl grey. She still enjoyed it.

Matcha latte is bright and vibrant green. I asked it to be half-sweet and you can special request stuff done to it too. It was delicious and creamy!

Chocolate Mousse Cake comprised of mostly mouse, which was awesome . it was light and airy but packed full of chocolaty goodness.

Overall, we had a great time just chilling here. The teas and desserts are good, but it is a bit expensive. Each items is around $5, but considering that it’s in the Gastown area, it is fairly priced.

Words of Wisdom:

Spacious Interior
Yummy tea lattes and cakes!
Has Wifi

We Rate Apres-Midi Teahouse:
Address:
1 Gaoler’s Mews
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.apresmiditea.com/

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In Coquitlam

Kimbab Cheonguk: Awesome Korean Food Under $10

May 6, 2012

Kimbab Cheonguk is located near “Korea Town” on North Road. It’s a small restaurant known to the Korean community to have some amazing kim bab (Korean Sushi) and Al Bob (Fish stone rice). It is very affordable and has gained a lot of popularity over the years. Most of the customers are Korean, but the staff is always very nice.

I came with Mandu and KoreanGirl to just chow down and hang out.

It’s not very large, so you probably can’t come with too many people.

The menu has 20 items and isn’t too expensive. If you don’t know what is what…there are also images too.

Complementary side dishes arrive and you get pickled daikon and kimchi radish. It’s yummy, but the kimchi radish can be a bit spicy for some people.

Beef Broth comes complementary as well. Instead of hot tea, they give you this. It is a very delicious broth, but I have a feeling there may be a bit of MSG in it…but nonetheless I drank it anyways.

Tuna Kimbab ($3.50) is different that Japanese sushi since it does not have as much rice and has more filling. This roll has tuna, mayo, cucumbers, peppers and some other stuff. It’s one of our favorite rolls. The kimchi kimbab is good too.

Dduk Mandoo Gook ($7.99) is rice cake dumpling soup. It has a 3 dumplings, a good amount of rice cakes, egg, seaweed and green onions in a delicious broth. I quite enjoyed the dish and it was not spicy.

Dduk Ramen ($5.99) has rice cake, ramen noodles, fish cake, egg and vegetables in a spicy sauce. It’s quite spicy, so it’s not for everyone. It tastes good, but for myself, I had to keep on drinking water while eating it.

Al Bab ($7.99) is one of my favorite dishes here. There is seaweed, picked radish, tuna, fish roe, cabbage, carrots, and cheese in a hot stone bowl. They also give you 2 types to enhance the flavour too. Once this arrives at the table, you just mix everything together.

Overall, they have awesome Korean food. Not all the dishes are spicy, so it’s good for everyone. It’s cash and debit only, so no credit cards.

Words of Wisdom:

Highly Recommended: Al Bab, Fish Kimbab, Dduk Mandoo Gook
Under $10
Free parking and lots of space too
Good service even for non-Koreans

We Rate Kimbab Cheonguk:

Address:
3A-341 North Road
Coquitlam, BC

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In Culinary School

JJs Restaurant: Hidden Gem in Downtown For Lunch

May 6, 2012

JJ’s Restaurant is located in the Vancouver Community College’s Downtown Campus. They are open for both lunch and dinner. The restaurant gives their culinary students real experience with dealing with paying customers. The students do rotations so they get to experience how the back and the front of the house works.

On my very last day of work, I came here with a few coworkers to dine here. The menu is always great and affordable.

Complementary bread arrives at the table and you get a few varieties too.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad ($4) is always awesome to order if you love shrimps and avocados. Plus, it just looks so gorgeous. It’s highly recommended!

Charred Vancouver Island Octopus, chorizo and chick pea stew ($4) was quite enjoyable if you love an appetizer that is a bit hearty. It’s a good size for an appetizer too so you will still have room for your entrée.

Salmon, Prawn and Scallion cake ($4) comes with Thai lemongrass sauce.

Fragrant green Thai curry with chicken, basmati rice and mango chutney ($9) it also comes with a papadam cracker on the side too.

Lamb Cooked two ways ($10) has slow cooked leg of lamb and pan roasted loin with rosemary jus. It also has vegetables and a phyllo wrapped mashed potatoes. My coworker liked everything except for the orange looking thing.

Artichoke and Wild Mushroom Bolognaise ($8.50) has Tagliatelle Pasta that is a broader type of noodle. This is a vegetarian dish, but it’s so savory and delicious that you won’t realize it’s missing any meat.

Overall, this dining experience was good, I highly recommend it if you want something super delicious that won’t break your wallet. It’s a great place for office lunches.

Words of Wisdom:

Lunch is also super affordable!
Closest Skytrain – Stadium
Under $10
You’re missing out if you don’t visit this place!
Make reservations especially during the holidays!

We rate JJ’s Restaurant:

Address:
250 W Pender St
Vancouver, BC

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In Four Beakers

Alpha Sushi & Japanese Tapas: A Good Alternative

May 5, 2012

Alpha Sushi and Japanese Tapas is located in Yaletown and is quite popular even on weekday nights. It was empty at 5pm, but by 6pm it started to get quite packed. As you can gather by their name….they do have Japanese tapas and sushi.

CandiedZen and I decided to meet up after my last day of work to just catch up over food and drinks. My last visit was probably 5 years ago and I remember it being a delicious place.

South Pole ($5.75) has tequila, cassis, pineapple, and lychee.

Pint of Sapporo ($5) is something I must get when I have Japanese food. I find it the perfect pairing. It’s light and not too strong.

Tako Wasa ($4) is seasoned baby octopus with japanese horseradish. It is served with shrimp chips on the side. You would scoop the octopus onto the cracker and eat it. The shrimp cracker gives it a nice crunchy texture to go with the octopus. CandiedZen liked it with the shrimp cracker but I thought it was a bit strange since it’s usually paired with seaweed.

Mini Potato Croquette ($6) is a deep-fried potato with bits of beef. It has a side of fruity vegetable sauce. I liked the small size and its simple taste.

Tuna Garlic Pepper Sashimi ($9.50) is one of their popular items that they sell. It has black pepper and garlic flavoured seared fresh albacore tuna with ponzu sauce. It was good, but I felt there was a bit too much going on with the plate and drowns out the natural taste of the sashimi. If you love garlic, you’ll love this dish.

Dill Salmon Carpaccio ($8.75) has sliced dill salmon with capers, dressing and a side salad. There really wasn’t much dill to it except for the sprinkles of dry dill. It’s best enjoyed by taking a bit of everything and eating it.

Grilled Hokke-Mackerel ($8.75) is grilled salted hokke mackerel with ponzu sauce. They already remove the bones so it’s quite easy to eat. I enjoyed it with the ponzu sauce since the acidity from the sauce blended well.

Ebi Mayo Japon ($6.50) are deep-fried nobashi prawns in breaded panko crumb batter with tartar sauce. It was delicious!

Overall, it’s a great alternative to the other izakaya restaurants in town. Some items can be a hit or miss, but a majority of the items are pretty good. They have lots of specials and special drinks. To help make ordering a bit easier, they have a list of the most ordered items of the previous week. The service was quite attentive and the servers were helpful.

Words of Wisdom:

Most dishes under $10
Large variety in food and drink menu
Gets busy at peak hours even on weekdays
Ebi Mayo is highly recommended

We Rate Alpha Sushi & Japanese Tapas:

Address:
1099 Richards St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.plusalfa.com/

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In Bubble Tea

Flo Tea Room: Drinks and Toast Box

May 5, 2012

Flo Tea Room is located on Granville Street in the Marpole area. It’s been there for several year now and they would serve food similarly found at Hong Kong or Taiwanese Style Cafes.

FoodPunk, FoodQueen and I decided to grab some drinks and dessert here since we were in the area.

The interior is quite spacious with a few booth seats and standard tables.

Shakespeare’s Affair ($4.95)

Fire in Ice ($4.95)

Shrek ($4.95) has red bean on the bottom and matcha slush on top. It’s a very creative name since the drink is green and shrek is green. I did enjoy the drink, it wasn’t too sweet at all.

Honey Box Toast ($7.50) is a hallowed out chunk of bread and filled with toasted bread pieces topped with ice cream, fruit, Oreos and your choice of sauce. We got chocolate sauce on top.

I’ve seen so much hype over the Honey Box Toast and when I saw it on the menu, we just had to order it. It seemed quite popular at other restaurants too.

I wasn’t a big fan of this item since it was essentially toast but in a different form. I didn’t find the toppings to be very unique either. To make it a bit sweeter, I asked for a dish of condensed milk to add into it. Even though the honey box toast does look super cool, it’s not for everyone.

Overall, I may not have liked the box toast, but the service was pretty amazing. We probably spent 3 hours here and the servers were so nice and filled up our tea quite often. We never felt any pressure to leave. Great place to have some bubble tea and chat!

Words of Wisdom:

Parking in Rear
Large variety of drinks
Very attentive and friendly staff

We Rate Flo Tea Room:

Address:
7994 Granville St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.flotearoom.com/

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In Pub/Bar

Wings Tap and Grill: Cheap Wing Sundays

May 4, 2012

Wings Tap and Grill has a location in Newton Surrey and it was just packed on Sunday! Every Sunday they have wings and beer specials. It’s such a good deal that it’s hard to pass up! Wings are $0.47 each…. is use to be $0.39 but I guess they had to change their prices. Maybe it was a new thing a month ago because their Facebook page said it is $0.39. One thing that is mandatory is a drink purchase as well to get the cheaper wings.

The Social Media Network crew decided to hang out on Sundays for their wing special. We waited about an hour to get a table for 8.

Okanagan Spring Pale Ale is a good accompaniment with wings! It also has subtle hints of honey and citrus, so it’s not too bitter.

The Original Westcoaster has fresh lemon peels and cracked black pepper. I found the taste to be inconsistent with a few of my wings. Some had a nice subtle lemon taste, but then some other ones would be crazy sour and salty. It definitely confused me.

Chicago Salt & Pepper is just very simple, but you can’t go wrong with simple right? It’s always my favorite.

I chose all dry wings because I always hate getting sauce all over my hands when ordering other types of wings. I am able to eat the wings and still press the buttons on my cell phone. They also mixed both of the wings on a plate, so at times I would kinda forget what I would be eating until I bite into the wing.

Each person ordered about 20 wings each so we managed to fill up 2 of these metal bucket full of bones. Some people were better at cleaning the bones and some weren’t.

Overall, the wings were large than most of the other places in town. You will definitely get full from 20 wings and the beer is a good item to have and just chill with friends.

Words of Wisdom:

Long waits on Sunday due to Wings special
Wings special has a mandatory drink purchase and 10 wing per flavour minimum
They split the bill very easily and can split shared food too
A large variety of flavours for wings

We Rate Wings Tap and Grill:

Address:
7124 King George Highway
Surrey, BC

Website:
http://www.greatwings.ca/

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In Downtown

The Kaboom Box: Kaboom in a Box Dining Package Review

May 3, 2012

Foodology Disclaimer: VANEATS.ca approached me to try out their “Kaboom in a Box” dining package and write a review about it. I got a complementary dining package for myself and I brought along MeatLover to keep the review as unbiased as I could.

The Kaboom Box is a food cart near Granville and Robson street that sells amazing items with Oceanwise certified seafood. They try to be very sustainable and only use biodegradable and compostable packaging. I eat here once in a while and I always get the Oyster Po Boy. It steals my heart every single time.

The guys at VANEATS.ca is selling a dining package called ‘Kaboom in a Box’ where you get a sandwich, poutine and a drink for $8.50. You can choose one of two sandwiches – The World Famous Hot Smoked Salmon ‘Salmwich’ or The Gulf Island Fried Oyster Po’Boy.

Lines can be seen at lunch time, but food does come out quickly.

Since the cart is quite small, you can see everything they are doing. It’s kinda cool seeing them in action!

The Gulf Island Fried Oyster Po’Boy has fried panko breaded oysters with tartar sauce and coleslaw in a toasted bun. The oyster are delicious for all those seafood lovers out there. I find that with this sandwich, it can get quite messy as the coleslaw tends to fall out. Nonetheless, its fun to eat and the flavours of the oysters really shine through.

The World Famous Hot Smoked Salmon ‘Salmwich’ has locally sourced Oceanwise salmon that is smoked . It also has spicy mayo and a maple mustard slaw in a toasted whole wheat bun. My coworker ordered this and she said it was a bit dry on the edges, but it was moist and tender on the inside. She also said the toasted bun was a bit tough and dense. It definitely can make you full fast.

BC Poutine has crispy fries topped with a mushroom gravy and cheese curds. This was so delicious because I just love anything with mushrooms. It had a great savory taste and was a good addition to the meal.

For $8.50, the portions are quite good. you will definitely be full. It’s cheaper than some of the other options for lunch Downtown. You will definitely get full! If you haven’t tried Kaboom Box, I think it’s time you tried it. Grab your dining passes at VANEATS.ca before they run out.

Words of Wisdom:

BC Poutine is super good!
Sandwiches can be a bit messy to eat, so grab napkins
Great Lunch option to avoid sitting at restaurants
Close to Granville Skytrain Station

We Rate the Kaboom Box:

Located on:
Granville and Robson

Website:
http://www.thekaboombox.com/

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In Four Beakers

Catch 122: Lunch with Amazing Sandwiches

May 3, 2012

Catch 122 is a new restaurant that has opened up on Hastings Street in front of SFU Woodwards. They serve brunch on the weekends as well as breakfast and lunch on weekdays. As of May 2nd, they will be serving dinner! They are best known for their simple and delicious comfort food.

After a brunch experience, I came back with my coworkers on several occasions to have lunch at Catch 122. It was close to the office and they had enough space to accommodate us all.

Latte ($3.75) was good and needed especially when you need an extra boost of energy in the day.

Roasted Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese ($12) has a special Catch 122 BBQ sauce, caramelized red onion, coleslaw and Havarti cheese in a grilled panini. You get a side of fries, soup or salad. MeatLover chose their daily soup – creamy mushroom. She did enjoy it as well.

On another occasion, DesignGuru had the same item and it seemed quite consistent with the other visit. She enjoyed it and saw it as an awesome comfort food thats just perfect for lunch. It’s cheesy and meaty!

Duck Confit Sandwich ($11.95) has Yarrow Meadows duck leg confit, French dijon mustard, and arugula in a fresh-baked baguette. I chose the salad as my side. The baguette is nicely toasted, so when you bit into it, the sandwich makes a lovely “crunch” noise. The duck was tender and had lots of flavour.

My other coworker got the same sandwich, but with fries. She said the fries were pretty good.

British style Roasted Beef ($11.50) has slow roasted beef chuck roll, sauté mushroom, Swiss cheese, and horseradish cream in a grilled panini. I again got salad on the side. The horseradish cream was subtle, so it was not too overpowering. All the ingredients did go great together.

Salad Nicoise with Albacore tuna was one of their comfort food items for the day. It’s not on their regular menu as it was a featured item for that specific day. There are a bunch of ingredients on this salad with vibrant colors. DogLover said it tasted very good. The only turn off was the weird looking anchovy on top, it looked like a slug.

Spaghetti with spanish chorizo and tiger prawns in a tomato basil sauce ($14.50) was another comfort food of the day. MeatLover and DoubleL ordered this. They said it tasted good.

Chausson Pomme ($3.50) was an item we accidentally ordered, but it essentially tasted like an apple pie.

Overall, the lunch menu mostly has sandwiches, but they are some pretty delicious sandwiches. I’ve been here to lunch twice and it’s become one of my favorite places to eat! They have lots of seats inside and can accommodate big groups if you call ahead of time.

Words of Wisdom:

Brunch for Croque Madame and Crispy Duck Confit Salad
Lunch for Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Duck Confit Sandwich
Lots of seats
Great atmosphere to chill
Good service
Coffee is a must

We Rate Catch 122:

Address:
122 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.catch122.ca/

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In Downtown

ShuRaku Sake Bar and Bistro: Lunch Rush

May 2, 2012

ShuRaku Sake Bar and Bistro is on Granville street and Robson near the “clubbing district” in Downtown Vancouver. They serve Japanese Tapas and are open for lunch and dinner.

During lunch, they have a special lunch menu with a good array of items available. A few coworkers and I decided to head down and grab some lunch from here. It was the closest Izakaya-like place to our office, so we headed here.

It gets a bit busy during lunch, but you should be able to find a spot. They also have a small patio out in front as well.

Katsu Don ($8.25) has Pork cutlet and onions are cooked with egg and sweet soy sauce and placed on top of rice. Topped with green onions. HipsterGirl got quite full from this, but did enjoy it.

Lunch Box B ($10.95) has BBQ Beef Rib, Assorted Tempura, Green Salad, Rice & Miso Soup. The beef ribs were really tender and flavourful. Since there was so much rice, I took some of the beef rib sauce and put it onto the rice. It makes it more enjoyable. The tempura was crisp of the outside and the item inside was nicely cooked.

Lunch Box C ($9.95) has chicken Teriyaki, assorted Tempura, Green Salad, Rice & Miso Soup. MeatLover thought it was a well put together bento box.

Miso Soup comes with the 2 bento boxes. It is good and full of thinly slices green onions.

Overall, good lunch sets, but the wait took a long time! We spent a majority of our lunch hour waiting for the food to arrive. When it did arrive, we didn’t have much long to eat. If you do not have a long lunch break, don’t come here as you will be late.

Words of Wisdom: