In Abbotsford

Old Abbey Ales: Craft Beer in Abbotsford

August 13, 2017

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/

In Abbotsford

Raven’s Brewing Company: Craft Brewery in Abbotsford

August 12, 2017

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/

In British Columbia

Going Across the Border with Modo

August 11, 2017

I have a corporate Modo account through my employer, but I recently got an individual account for personal trips in and out of town. I love how you can take their cars across the border and it’s a-ok. Their fleet insurance covers you to drive anywhere in Canada and the US. This definitely got my attention as I don’t like driving my own vehicle across the border because of wear and tear. When my foodie friends decided to go an impromptu trip to Seattle, Modo seemed like the perfect solution for our transportation. The pricing was very fair especially when insurance and gas (up to 200km) is covered.

Through the mobile app, I booked the 2015 Grey Nissan Vera Note, which is a 4-door hatchback with audio capabilities through an auxiliary cord, bluetooth, or USB. The best part is the rear-view camera, which not all cars in their fleet have. That rear-view camera really helped in a pinch especially when parallel parking.

We had it for an entire day and had no troubles with the vehicle. We filled up gas twice and since there is a Modo credit card inside, we had no problem using it at gas stations in Vancouver or Seattle.

You don’t have a traditional key for unlocking the vehicle, but you have your own fob that you scan over an electronic device over the reader and all the doors unlock. You don’t want to lose this fob.

Travel Tips with Modo:

Give yourself a bit of extra time before your trip to inspect your booked vehicle—inside and out.
Remove any items that don’t belong to you or the Modo car.

Overall, it was a great choice for a mini roadtrip, we will definitely use Modo again when we travel cross the border.

Website: http://modo.coop/

In Event

Celebrating 25 Years of Beretta Farm’s Good Food Journey

August 10, 2017

When I first received my invitation to this event, I honed in on two things: there would be an abundance of farm-to-table goodness & the suggested attire was “country chic.” I’m the girl who lined up an hour and a half for barbecue and I’m counting down the days until Boots & Hearts Country Music Festival, so this event could not have sounded more promising.

In honour of their 25th anniversary, Beretta Farms hosted a dinner at Wynchwood Barns, a historic streetcar facility that has been transformed into an arts and event space. As we approached the entrance, we were greeted by Priscilla, the whole roasted pig slowly spinning over the coals. Lucky for me (a carnivore), this event continued to impress with melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket, fresh cocktails and some classic Shania songs!

Since we were invited to learn about Beretta’s “Good Food Journey,” let me share their story with you. Beretta Farms is an organic meat producer based in Etobicoke, Ontario. Their founders, Mike and Cynthia Beretta, have been dedicated to producing healthy meat products since 1992, when they started their first farm as newlyweds in Huron Country. Today, they still own their 800 acre farm and they partner with other committed ranchers across the country. The best way for you to get a sense of what Beretta Farms is all about is to see for yourself below!

Here’s a snapshot of Beretta’s early years. They started off in Huron County but moved to a bigger farm in King City as demand grew, and they still operate the King City farm today.

Gingham + horseshoes = country, white flowers in mason jars = chic.

One of the talented chefs assembling a delicious pulled pork slider.

It’s like this event was tailor-made for me. I’m a gin girl through and through, and their signature cocktail was Beretta’s “Beef Eater” Gin with peach juice, sparkling water and fresh cranberries. They went down way too easy, but hey, cranberries are high in vitamin C!

This is their 12 hour smoked brisket with pear and cabbage slaw and a dab of Kozlik’s triple crunch mustard. It was fall apart tender and my favourite dish of the night. Let’s just say that the chef manning this station became very familiar with me…

These sliders were a bite-sized delight. They were served in a soft bun with pulled pork, caramelized onions and crunchy arugula. Why are miniature things so much more satisfying to eat?

Beretta’s team also prepared some Ocean Wise sustainable shrimp with a tequila lime chimichurri and red chili crème fraiche. These were a great contrast to the meat options.

Walter’s was serving their all natural craft Caesars at the event. While they were fine-looking Caesars, I didn’t try any as I don’t like the taste of Caesars in general. I know, it’s very unpatriotic of me.

Here’s one of their many desserts. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a food blogger-worthy photo of the mini vanilla cupcakes and the flaky strawberry jam tarts but they were as good to eat as this cake was to look at.

I left the event happy and stuffed and with a heavy goody bag in tow. While the bag contained many culinary treats, my favourite item was Beretta’s own beef jerky. Man, I can never touch another piece of jerky from the gas station again.

I’d like to give a big shout out to Beretta Kitchens. This is Beretta’s “farm-to-fork” catering company and they did an incredible job. They definitely set the bar very high for the next few events I attend. If you want to experience a taste of Beretta yourself, you can find their products at retailers across the country.

Website: https://berettafarms.com/

In Brunch

Rocko’s Diner: Archie Themed Milkshakes and Burgers

August 9, 2017

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/

In Dessert

Summer’s Ice Cream: Fresh, Homemade Ice Cream Since 1984

August 8, 2017

Summer’s Ice Cream Shop in Yorkville invited me to try their ice cream the other week and since I consider ice cream a major food group, I obviously obliged!

Summer’s Store front

Summer’s is a family-owned ice cream shop that’s been making homemade ice cream since 1984. Tucked away on Yorkville Avenue, it’s a great place to catch a break from the Toronto heat (and stilettoed ladies with tiny dogs). They have 24 flavours that are made in small batches daily. Since the shop was crammed with customers, it was difficult to take a photo of all their offerings. Instead, I decided to include a preview of their top flavours along with a recommendation of the type of person I think would enjoy them…

I apologize for the photos, they don’t have the most blogger-friendly lighting. For the full list of flavours, check out their website.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie: this is their most popular flavour, it has homemade brownies and rich fudge in Summer’s signature chocolate ice cream.

Pairs well with: that friend that never disappoints. They’re always down to grab beers, they actually carry cash, and they pick you up when you’re down (in life, beer pong, etc.)

Birthday Cake: chunks of real birthday cake swirled in vanilla ice cream

Pairs well with: that gal/guy that LOVES red velvet. And probably Taylor Swift.

Toronto Pothole: Almonds, marshmallows, peanuts, chocolate chunks

Pairs well with: the life of the party. Whether it’s keg stands or spontaneous karaoke, this person is full of surprises that will leave you with a stomach ache from laughing too hard (or drinking too much).

This girl is stressing hard about picking a flavour…

Yes…I was being judged by many passersby as I attempted to take this shot. Do it for the Gram right? That English butter toffee swirl though…

I tried a scoop of their Almond Butter Toffee in a freshly made waffle cone. The ice cream was made up of a creamy almond base with bits of toffee, crunchy almonds, and an English butter toffee swirl. It was very delicious. I wish I took the time to savour it but unfortunately I had to gobble it quickly as it was melting in the 27 degree heat. I don’t know what this choice says about my personality, but please feel free to slide your psychoanalyses into my DMs.

If you need a break from the boujee-ness of Yorkville, I recommended stopping by Summer’s Ice Cream. I rode the TTC in sweltering heat to try a scoop and I’d do it again. If you knew me and my low tolerance for the Toronto transit system, then you’ll know that means Summer’s is worth it. And if you’re unable to come by the store, their pints are sold at several retailers across Ontario like Loblaws, Sobey’s and Rabba’s. The Summer’s team was kind enough to let me take home a pint of their Pistachio ice cream. It reminded me of marzipan and was very tasty with some shaved coconut and berries.

Whoops I wasn’t able to take a picture of my delicious homemade sundae – the aesthetics weren’t “right” (which means I ate it before I could take a picture, sorry I’m only human).

Address:
101 Yorkville Ave, Toronto, ON

Website: https://www.summersicecream.com/

In Event

Richmond Night Market 2017: What We Ate

August 7, 2017

I went with a few of my foodie friends to the Richmond Night Market and we tried to find some of the most delicious items here. With over 100 food stalls, we only made a tiny dent in comparison to the 500+ food options here. We had grand ambitions, but failed miserably, we are only human. Here are all the stalls we went to.

Chef James Xin Jiang Man BBQ

A familiar stall for those who have been at the Richmond Night Market for several years. They specialize in grilled skewers – lamb, beef, chicken, honey garlic prawns, and a few more types. It’s our favourite place to get the best skewers at this years Richmond Night Market.

Your skewers are freshly prepared, but waiting is no problem as it’s really fun watching them work.

We even made him recreate his signature pose with all the delicious skewers. Spicy lamb, beef and chicken are my go-to favourites. Highly recommended.

Sippy Tea

Sippy tea is super cute as it’s served in a customized ziplock bag…or shall we call it siplock bag? Anyways, inside these bags are iced tea and coffee mix with different flavours your can choose from. It’s a popular drink to have in Hong Kong called Yuenyeung. We got the black tea, jasmine and raspberry-rose flavours. I am a purist, so the classic black tea and jasmine tea is a good choice.

Tabetai Tacos

If you know Cooking with Ben from Instagram, he has opened up 2 stalls at the Richmond Night Market – Ohana Poke and Tabetai Tacos. We went to Tabetai Tacos for their Kakuni (pork belly), Gyutan (beef tongue) and Soft Shell Crab tacos.

Gyutan (beef tongue) taco has a lot of the tender flavourful meat. Usually The taco is pretty hefty, so there are so great texture in here.

Kakuni (pork belly) Taco has sliced apples to balance out the fattiness from the pork belly.

Soft Shell Crab tacos was the hit of the 3 tacos. A healthy portion and love the meatiness of the crab and the crisp batter.

Mamak La

Mac and Cheese Roti with Bacon and Jalapeño comes with 4 pieces to an order. The mac and cheese reminded me of Kraft dinner, but it was amplified by the jalapeño and the put in between thin sheets of grilled roti.

Coco Bomb has Fresh Coco Shell Sorbet Ice Cream. I went with one scoop as I wanted to make sure I had room for all the other stalls. It is then topped with pineapple, corn flakes and chocolate syrup.

Mango Yummy

Sherman went with a classic mango sago pomelo drink. If you’ve been to past night markets or have been to their store, you know they have pretty awesome refreshing drinks.

Soft Serve with Golden Leaf

Turning something basic into a luxury ice cream is what Maggi was eyeing.

Teppan Bossam

Get a taste of Korean pork belly from Teppan Bossam. It is topped with more sauce, sesame seeds, green onions and served with kimchi on the side.

Hand Made Senbei

This famous Japanese street food is from Enoshima, Kamakura. They create this large cracker using high pressure to cook the seafood into this form. There is no oil and its not deep fried.

Bao Bar Sweets

EatwithMao got their favourite soy milk ice cream with chinese donut.

Rain Drop

The raindrop cake has 2 beautiful edible flowers embedded inside. It is served with a sprinkling of soybean powder called kinako and a sweet syrup. There really isn’t a lot of taste to the raindrop cake as it’s just agar.

Final Thoughts

I love the night market in Richmond, but it is definitely crowded closer to 9pm. When we came here at 7pm, it wasn’t too too busy, but line ups to get inside were long. It’s the place to be this Summer, if you are a food lover. Of all the night markets in Vancouver, this one is the largest and most lively. Make sure to bring cash to avoid extra charges using their ATMs.

Address:
8351 River Rd, Richmond, BC

Website: http://richmondnightmarket.com/

In Alaska

Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska

August 6, 2017

When we were making a port stop at Juneau, Alaska, we decided to go on a guided tour to go whale watching and view Mendenhall Glacier. Our travel agent was able to book us on 3 excursions for a good rate. We went with Dolphin Jet Boat Tours to enjoy the next few hours as they show us the beauty of Juneau.

Meeting

We left downtown Juneau from the tram area on a bus driven by a local tour guide on a scenic drive through Juneau out to Auke Bay for the jet boats. The ride is around 30 minutes long.

Whale Watching Adventure

Our captain and naturalist led the way on a search for whales in Favorite Channel, Stephens Passage, Lynn Canal and Saginaw Channel.

They have binoculars so you can better see the humpbacks, killer whales, Dall’s porpoise, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, bald eagles, and towering mountains. Most people ended up looking with their bare eyes or through their cameras.

With the growing abundance of whales in the area and their ease with the small boats, you are bound to see many.

The easiest way to spot wales is when they take a breath and spray water up in the air. We saw a handful of wales, and a ton of seals and sea lions.

The captain takes the time to help you get the best shots, he was able to get up close and personal with the wildlife within safe boundaries.

Included in the price of the tour are onboard refreshments including Coke products, bottled water, coffee and hot chocolate, and a small snack of locally-caught Alaskan salmon spread on a bagel.

The bagel was super hard and not enjoyable.

Mendenhall Glacier

Right after the whale watching, we were given another ride to the Mendenhall Glaciers, which is 1 of 38 glaciers flowing from the massive 1,500-square-mile ice field.

Besides seeing the glacier, you can either go to the Nugget Creek Falls or Photo Point Trail. We barely had enough time to complete the Nugget Creek Falls, so we ended up just going to Photo Point Trail and taking a lot of photos to make it back to the bus on time.

The whole area is beautiful and it’s worth a visit here. There’s wildlife around the area, so we had to be careful because there was a group of bears roaming around.

With the gradually rising temperatures, the glacier is receding, so it isn’t as lush and glorious as before.

Final Thoughts

Juneau is beautiful when you explore outside of their small downtown area. You’ll definitely want to spend some time catching the views. It’s so much better than staying in the city.

In appetizer

Soy Stained Devilled Eggs and Dungeness Crab from Egg Farmers of Canada’s Chef Ambassador Trevor Bird

August 4, 2017

Egg Farmers of Canada invited me to an evening celebrating local eating. While food trends may come and go, eggs are always in style and in season. And, to celebrate the bounty of Canadian produce, Egg Farmers of Canada’s Chef Ambassadors have come together to create a sophisticated menu pairing eggs with regional ingredients from across the country. Chef Trevor Bird put together an Soy Stained Devilled Eggs and Dungeness Crab and it was amazing. Best devilled egg I’ve ever had. The success of this recipe also depends on what kind of eggs you use, I personally love Born 3 Eggs or Country Golden Yolk Free Range Eggs.

Soy Stained Devilled Eggs and Dungeness Crab

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves 8

Soy Stained Eggs:

4 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) soy sauce
1 cup (250 mL) rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) Sriracha sauce

Boil water; place eggs in water and cook for 12 minutes. Remove and chill in ice bath.
Peel eggs. Place eggs in soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Sriracha sauce and let sit in refrigerator for 2 days. Remove and cut in half.

Dungeness Crab Filling:

4 egg yolks (removed from soy stained eggs)
4 green onions, grilled and sliced plus extra for garnish
1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil
1 tsp (5 mL) rice wine vinegar
4 tsp (20 mL) mayonnaise
1 squeeze lime juice
4 tsp (20mL) crab, picked
1 pinch salt

Mix all ingredients together and fill in the stained egg halves.
Top with a slice of grilled green onion.

In British Columbia

Sustainability at Ford Through Food By-Products

August 3, 2017

Food by-products, oversupply and other biomaterials are getting a second life in Ford vehicles. This is more important than ever as the world is changing and we only have one planet and scarce resources.

We were invited to see first hand how they are using soy beans, rice hulls, wheat straw, coconut and cellulose in their current Ford vehicles. What goes into a vehicle at the beginning of its lifecycle and what comes out of it at the end of production contributes greatly to its environmental friendliness.

Currently in Vehicles

Soybeans

As much as I love soy it surprised me that since 2011, all Ford vehicles built in North America have soy foam in their seat cushions and backs. This saves an estimated 2.3 million kilograms of petroleum per year.

Rice Hulls

Rice is a staple in many diets, but what do you do with the fibrous rice hull after? In 2014, Ford introduced a new composite plastic material reinforced with rice hulls in the wire harness of the Ford F-150.

Wheat Straw

Wheat straw-reinforced plastic is used in the storage bins of the Ford Flex – the world’s first application of this material. The use of wheat straw-reinforced plastics in the Flex reduces our petroleum usage by
some 9,000 kilograms and our CO2 emissions by about 13,600 kilograms annually.

Coconut

Coconut coir, made from coconut husks, is used in the trunk mats of some vehicles, including the Ford Focus Electric.

Cellulose

This material is being used to replace fibreglass reinforcement in the centre console. The material reduces weight by approximately 6%. It also has a smaller carbon footprint than the glass-fibre-reinforced plastic it replaces, in part because it takes less time and energy to mold cellulose- reinforced parts than traditional glass-fibre-reinforced plastics.

Being Tested

Sugar Cane

Sugar cane–based plastic has been made into interior fabrics and is being tested for durability and performance.

Tomatoes

Ford is collaborating with the H.J. Heinz Company to explore using tomato fibre, a byproduct of ketchup production, to develop a more sustainable bio-plastic material in vehicles. Ford researchers are
testing the material’s durability for potential use in vehicle wiring brackets and storage bins.

Corn

Agricultural corn by-product can be processed into plastic parts, fabrics, fibres or films. Ford is currently testing the product for potential uses in carpeting, upholstery and interior trim.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a fast-growing grass—up to 4 cm per hour—that is being researched for potential uses in veneers and as filler material.

Algae

Algae is a promising sustainable material being researched by Ford. It grows very quickly, replicating up to four times per hour, and has a high per acre yield when compared to other crops.

Final Thoughts

It’s pretty awesome to see Ford using all these food by-products to incorporate into different parts of their vehicles. It’s innovative to hear and see it all being put into action. It keeps these food items from being wasted even though they are mighty tasty. Hopefully other car companies follow suit too.

More info: http://blog.ford.ca/take-closer-look-whats-ford-vehicle/

In Cafe

3 Quarters Full Cafe: Sweet Treats and Taiwanese Cuisine

August 2, 2017

I have a soft spot for Taiwanese comfort food, and 3 Quarters Full provides just that. Roman and I attended the Media Tasting for the cafe’s updated menu.

The spread of cakes, sandwiches and teas definitely ramped up our appetites and the first item that drew my attention was the pyramid of Pineapple Cakes. These rectangular-shaped pastries are filled with a pineapple filling that is thick and jam-like. The exterior is buttery like shortbread. The Pineapple Cake at 3 Quarters Full was so good, I couldn’t eat just one!

Roman particularly enjoyed the Crispy Pork Sandwich, which is a typical Taiwanese breakfast item according to owner, Kaiyu. This sandwich had shredded pork, sliced cucumbers, and a fried egg which were alternately in between not two, but 3 pieces of bread. The pork was tasty, and the sliced cucumbers added crunch. The fried egg tied the sandwich together by providing creaminess from its runny yolk.

Behind a glass window with the 3 Quarters Full logo, kitchen staff assembled Pork Baos for the attendees. Each bao, which is a steamed bun, was put together with care and had meaty and fatty portions of pork. The bao pillowy soft and the pork was tasty. I’m not a fan of thick pieces of pork fat, but the bao benefited from it because it made it deliciously moist. The pork fat enhanced the flavour of the meaty pork portion, and made the bao savoury.

A fave Taiwanese comfort food of mine is salt and pepper chicken, and the version at 3 Quarters Full is called Basil Popcorn Chicken. The deep fried basil added a delicious, subtle flavour.

To finish off the tasting, Roman and I tried two different types of cakes. One was a Naidong Roll, and the other was a Japanese-style Cheesecake. We tried the Naidong Roll in Taro and Strawberry. This cake consists of a spongey exterior, with a creamy and custard-like center. As for the cheesecake, it is less dense and not as creamy as regular cheesecake.

The cakes were delicious, and paired well with the Sea Salt Coffee. The coffee’s flavour reminded me of salted caramel, but not as sweet. I enjoyed its creaminess, and the touch of salt that finishes off a sip.

The next time you’re walking around the West End, be sure to pop into the cafe. If you’re craving a sweet treat or a savoury bite, 3 Quarters Full has something for you.

Address:
1789 Comox St, Vancouver

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/3quartersfullcafe/

In Downtown

Yui Japanese Bistro: Chefs Reg and Ping introduces new menu

August 1, 2017

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: