Foodology, Author at Foodology

In Brunch

[Sneak Peek] Ancora Waterfront Dining & Patio: Brunch, Lunch, and much more in Vancouver

August 9, 2019

Ancora Waterfront Dining & Patio is releasing their brunch menu and I’m pretty darn excited because this makes having a taste of Ancora more affordable and more people can get a taste of their Japanese and Peruvian inspired dishes.

During brunch hours at both False Creek and Ambleside locations, the lunch menu is also available if you choose to select some other items off that menu.

We were invited to check out the brunch menu and a few other features also available during brunch time.

Interior

We were dining at their Ambleside location and the space is stunning. They were able to take inspiration from fishing nets and other boating object and incorporate it into their space. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

Complimentary bread

I love complimentary bread! This was slices of brioche and focaccia with a hummus spread. It was pretty good and not the usual bread and butter.

[Brunch Menu]

Soft Shell Crab Taco

The soft shell crab taco is topped with mango salsa, harissa emulsion, seaweed, ikura, and micro greens. It sits on top of 2 grilled taco shells and a slice of lime.

I ordered this dish since I love soft shell crab it was good as the harissa emulsion added more depth to the taste of this dish.

Dungeness Crab Benny

The dungeness crab is served with Botanical greens, nori spiced baby potatoes, and a miso hollandaise. The eggs are poached perfectly, so when you cut into the egg, it runs. If you want it to be less runny, you can request it done however you like.

Forbidden Rice Peruvian Paella

One of their specialities at Ancora is paella. This brunch version has black cod croquettes, rocoto aioli and fried egg.

Flank Steak Burger

The burger is cooked medium rare and it also has rocoto aioli, aged cheddar, yucas bravas, and we added a fried egg to it. It’s not brunch without a fried gooey egg. Those yuca fries are so damn good. Super crisp!

[Lunch Menu]

The brunch menu isn’t extensive, but their lunch menu is also available to order from.

Spider Roll

Inside the roll has soft shell crab, masago and asparagus. There are 8 pieces to a roll and good for sharing among the table.

Sashimi

There is fresh sashimi on the table and we go the chef to decide what to add to ours. there is wild salmon and hamachi. Each order comes with 5 pieces each.

Ceviche Mixto

This bowl of delicious ceviche has mussels, scallops, shrimp, crispy squid, seaweed, and yam. I like the different textures of this bowl. There is acidity, there is sweetness and it really compliments the seafood.

Peruvian Style Paella

Their lunch paella is different than the brunch version. This has halibut, chorizo, corn, baby shrimp, and pico de gallo.

Donburi Rice Bowl

This beautiful dish has uni, wild salmon, marinated ikura, sushi rice, and acevichado sauce. There is ginger and wasabi on the side too.

Brussel Sprouts

If you want something extra with your meal, they offer sides. Can’t go wrong with the deep fried Brussel sprouts.

[Dessert]

Spiced Picarones

These are like mini donuts covered in candied pecans, and spiced syrup. Then it is served with lucuma ice cream. A good dessert to share. I loved the combination of spices and its not too sweet.

Suspiro de Chocolata

This has a plate of chocolate pot de creme, mazamorra morada, green apple, sweet cream and lime ice cream. This has mostly a dominate chocolate taste but the hints of apple paired well.

Pineapple and Corn

This has white chocolate mousse, roasted pineapple and corn meringue. Man, this dessert as good. The pineapple was very bright and vibrant. One of my favourite desserts.

The Nikkei

This has passion fruit, blonde chocolate mousse, lucuma, and sesame seeds. This was also really good! The passionfruit was pretty darn good! Another one of my favourite desserts.

Strawberry ‘Tea’

This has a base of cream cheese panna cotta, almond, and irigome hojicha jelly.

It’s the perfect time to get this as strawberries are in season. Sweet and delicious when paired with the panna cotta.

[Drinks]

Mimosa

A classic brunch beverage of champagne and orange juice. It was delicious but it could have used more champagne.

Chicha Morada

This is one of the mocktails and it has steeped purple corn, spices, and lime.

Latte

If you need caffeine like me, I got at latte.

Final Thoughts

The brunch menu is solid, but I do like having the option to choose from the lunch menu too. It definitely opens up more choices for more people to try different things. The dishes are great and I would highly recommend getting dessert.

If you have a big appetite, they also have their Prix-fixe lunch menu launch as well.

Address:
1351 Bellevue Ave, West Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.ancoradining.com/

In Fusion

TonTon Sushi: Japanese Korean Restaurant in Vancouver

August 8, 2019

Living in Vancouver, how can you not love seafood? There are over 615 sushi restaurants in Vancouver according to the Vancouver Sun. One of the most popular cuisines in Vancouver is Japanese and items like fresh sashimi, sushi rolls, and dons are what local and visitors can’t get enough of. We are very fortunate to be located right by the Pacific Ocean and have fresh seafood come in as well as imported goods as we have one of the biggest ports in Vancouver.

There are a lot of Japanese restaurants that have a Korean twist on their menu that differentiates them from others. Of course they have the popular items but use some Korean influenced ingredients which creates a new niche of Japanese cuisine. Somewhat like a low key Korean-Japanese fusion that people talk about but don’t really promote.

Ton Ton Sushi on Cambie Street is a great example. We were invited to check our a few of their signature dishes.

Interior

There are tables for small to large groups. Given the area, there were families dining here as well and lots of rooms for strollers to get between the seats. These are the little things I look for nowadays as I’ve become a parent.

Drunken Asari Sakamushi

This is sake-steamed clams and they are pretty good. The sake’s alcohol content is burned off as it cooks, which leaves a delicious both that pairs with the clams.

Crab Dip

This has mixed real snow crab and imitation crab with mayo and then baked with cheddar cheese. Was a bit strange and didn’t like this.

Takoyaki

Takoyaki is octopus pieces battered and cooked into a ball shape. It’s a classic Japanese street food and it’s pretty enjoyable. It is topped with katsu sauce, mayo and bonito flakes.

As there are multiple pieces, it’s a good item to share among the table.

Ebi Fry

Deep fried tempura shrimp with a dip is good to start the meal and share if you have a group. Crisp on the outside and delicious sweet shrimp inside.

Ton Ton Tower

Ton Ton Tower is made of a base of crab meat and then topped with salmon and tuna sashimi, as well as tobiko. Around the dish are garlic chips, capers and olive oil.

Salmon Sashimi

Very fresh and delicious. The prices are very fair here too.

Ame Ebi

The ame ebi, which are shrimp known for their sweet taste.

Unagi Hot Stone Stowl

This has a base of rice, BBQ unagi kizami nori, tamago and it’s served in a hot stone bowl. This is one of the more expensive items on the menu, but it is filling and easily shared.

Kimchi Mentaiko Udon

This has pan-fried udon with cod roe, kimchi and bacon, green onion, and bonito fish flakes. This was pretty tasty and the creaminess of the sauce went well with the acidity of the kimchi.

Tara Nabe

This has black cod, tofu and mushroom in soup. Very hearty dish and served in a boiling hot pot. It’s really great on a cold winters day.

Dragon Roll

The dragon roll is like a California roll but topped with unagi, avocado, sesame seeds and sauce. They even presented it like a dragon too.

Oshi Sushi

There are many varieties of Oshi Sushi, which are pressed nigiri on the menu – Ebi, Salmon, Spicy Tuna, Saba, Hamachi, Unagi, etc.

Final Thoughts

Ton Ton Sushi is a solid restaurant in the area for Japanese food with a hint of Korean influence in their dishes. The prices are solid and it’s a good place for families to enjoy lunch or dinner if you’re close by the area.

Website:
4018 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://sushitonton.com/

In Downtown

Black Rice Izakaya: New Summer Items for 2019

August 6, 2019

Black Rice Izakaya is always innovating their menu and trying to use the freshest produce for the season. As it is now Summer, they’ve launched some new items to pair with the beautiful hot Vancouver weather.

We were invited to check out a few of these dishes.

Miso Ceviche

The miso ceviche is served with taro chips. It was a delicious dish that was fresh and light. The crisp texture of the taro chips paired well with the acidity of the ceviche.

Soy Chicken Karaage

This is Korean fried chicken and you can request it at different spice levels. We got mild and there was only a little spark of spice, so that was good for those who can’t handle spicy. The chicken is deep fried twice and its crisp and tastes great.

Ika Feast

The ika is cooked two ways – grilled and fried. The deep fried ika was delicious, which is essentially calamari. The grilled ika was very plump and grilled quite well so its tender with good depth of flavour. The sauces that accompany this dish was great to dunk into.

Spicy Cold Sashimi Soup

Spicy cold sashimi soup is Mul-hoi in Korean. It was served with sea bass today, but it can depend on Chef’s choice sashimi – The sea bass was so good as it was fresh and sweet. The soup base does have a kick of spice to it.

Pad Thai Yaki Soba

This is their version of Pad Thai and Yaki Soba combination. It leans more towards a Pad Thai, but with soba noodles. It was good but we still prefer the chew of Pad Thai noodles.

Final Thoughts

The new dishes as part of their Sumer menu is asian fusion for sure which is reminiscent of their other dishes on the menu. The dishes were food and worth a try and the sashimi is very fresh.

Address:
782 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.blackrice.ca/

In Event

Black Market Supper Club in South Surrey: Review

August 5, 2019

Black Market Supper Club is an exclusive dining experience in a secret supper club atmosphere located in South Surrey. This is hosted and prepared by a world class chef, but no identity has been revealed. Not even a hint. As they cook in the kitchen, they wear black masks to keep their identity a secret.

I have my hunches who this chef is, but lets’ just keep that mystery as it’s more fun that way.

Each dinner has a particular theme attached to it. The one we attended was honouring the 25 year Anniversary of The French Laundry. This is the Chefs rendition of some classic french laundry dishes from the restaurant.

We were invited to check out the supper club and see what it entails.

Arrival

72 hours before the dinner, we were given and email with instructions to prepare for the dinner. This included the instructions and what to do when we arrived.

It began at 7pm, but we were told to arrive at 6:45pm at the said location. We just walked in, mingled and found our seats.

The home is gorgeous and it made me have some envy.

BYOB

The dinner doesn’t have alcohol provided, so you have to bring your own booze. An email will arrive and it will suggest what types of wines to pair with the meal.

They poured sparkling and still waters, as well has tonic, soda and cola, as these are complimentary.

Bread Service

Dutch Cheese and Charcoal Gougères with 3 types of compound butters:

lemon shallot and herb compound butter
brown butter burnt onion
everything bagel

The gougères were delicious and I loved all the different types of butter. I really loved that everything bagel butter.

Truffle Custard

The truffle custard is served with a black truffle ragout in a beautiful and colourful egg shell. As you dig through the layers, you get a dominant truffle aroma and then the texture of the silky custard. I found it was a tad salty.

Lobster Pancake

The pancake is stuffed with lobster, chives and mascarpone. Then it is served with a brown butter and carrot puree. The chunks of lobster were a good size and cooked well. You can’t go wrong with that delicious puree either which adds great complimentary flavour.

Yabba Dabba Do

This dish has various components – a slice of wagyu beef, braised short rib, bone marrow stuffed inside a potato and chanterelle mushrooms.

This was the main dish of the evening and was very hearty and rich. The bone marrow just oozed out of the potato with all its liquid gold. The braised short rib was very tender and fell off the bone. As for the slice of wagyu, it was a bit inconsistent from plate to plate. My friend got the end piece, so it was hard to get the melt in our mouth feel if you have those pieces.

Chocolate Veloute

Under the chocolate veloute is a Dutch caramel cookie and cinnamon stick ice cream with an edible flower as a garnish.

I found the dessert pretty sweet and the Dutch caramel cookie really sticks to your teeth.

Final Thoughts

Overall, if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, this is definitely it. Each dinner is themed differently, so you can see which cuisine fits your tastebuds. The pacing of the dishes were very good as it started at 7pm and ended by 9:30ish depending how long you want to keep chatting.

With supper clubs, you’ll have a better time if you are mingling with the others at the table as it is communal seating. It’s not a place to have a quiet intimate meal, as these types of dinner are meant for you to meet others who have come to the dinner.

They haven’t revealed the next dinners yet, but you can email chef@blackmarketsupperclub.com to see what upcoming dinners are available and get your reservations.

Website:
https://blackmarketsupperclub.com

In chefs table

Glowbal’s Secret Chef’s Table: Secret Revealed

August 4, 2019

Glowbal Group has launched their inaugural Secret Chef’s Table, which I guess isn’t so secret now. This exclusive event brings diners to the basement of Glowbal Restaurant’s prep kitchen to enjoy an 8 course meal with wine pairings. It is a very intimate experience as there are only a handful of people dining around the table.

You can watch the chefs craft up the meal right in from of your eyes with a small group of foodies.

Pre-dinner cocktails and Bites

We gathered in the lounge and sipped on a cocktail and enjoyed some delicious appetizers before the fun began. We were all excited with anticipation as we didn’t know what to expect.

Glowbal’s Secret Chef’s Table

The official meal begins below.

Course 1: Scallop and Smoked Sablefish Crudo

This beautiful dish has the Scallop and Smoked Sablefish Crudo, ginger emulsion, watercress foam, and then a squeeze of the lime caviar from finger limes.

The acidity from the limes paired really well with the fish and the sauces in this dish.

They paired it with the Vanessa Vineyard Viognier 2018 from Okanagan, BC.

Course 2: Cured Arctic Char

They next course pairs cured arctic char with mandarin pudding, shiso bavarois, and a long cucumber gelée.

The arctic char was cured nicely and I wouldn’t have ever thought it would go well with cucumber or mango, but it did.

This was then paired with the Black Hills Rosé 2017 from Okanagan, BC.

Course 3: Lobster Ravioli

The lobster ravioli was more like three tasters in one dish. On the left there was the lobster tail with peas and fava beans.

In the centre of the plate was the ravioli with the most delicious sauces.

Then the last one is seared foie gras with a fried zucchini blossom. The foie gras is so rich and fatty, but really melts in your mouth. The sommolier paired a glass of Petit Guiraud Sauternes that went so well with the foie gras.

The wine paired with this dish was the Tantalus Blanc de Blanc 2016 from Okanagan, BC.

Course 4: Plum and Champagne Granite

For the next course, we got to see Ryan Gauthier, corporate executive chef for the Glowbal Collection create the Plum and Champagne Granite with a mixer and dry ice.

This was meant to be the palate cleanser, which removes the previous tastes from your mouth and opening them up for the next set of dishes. It was really good and was like a sorbet but more melted. You could really taste the bubbles from the champagne.

It was then paired with the Beringer Chardonnary 2016 from Napa Valley, California. I was surprised that there was a pairing with this too.

Course 5: Seated Japanese Wagyu

The beautifully seared wagyu also has compressed honeydew, smoked purple potato, brussel sprouts, mini carrots and a black truffle croquette explosion. The black truffle croquette just oozed as you cut into it. The A5 wagyu melted in our mouth too. I had to eat this slowly to really enjoy all the favours and textures at play.

This is paired with the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite ‘Legende R’ 2015 from Modoc, France.

Course 6: Smoked Pancetta Wrapped Lamb Loin

This dish has lamb cheeks, wild mushrooms, and bell pepper succo. Delicious lamb and very flavourful!

This was paired with the Arinzano ‘Hacienda de Arinzano’ 2014 from Rioja, Spain.

Course 7: Venison Loin

The venison loin is plated with beet & blueberry crumbs, fennel purée, roasted dates, and a red current foam. Beautifully seared on the outside and also very good.

This was paired with the Treana 2015 from Paso Robles, California.

Course 8: Jivara Chocolate Mousse

To end the night with the Jivara Chocolate Mousse was perfect. On the plate was also feuilletine, caramel, and gold. You have the crunch from the chocolate sculpture and then the smooth mousse inside.

It was paired with the Burrowing Owl ‘Coruja’ from Oliver, BC.

Petit Fours

Could you consider this the 9th course? It definitely felt like it. These were bite-sized treats to end the meal.

How to get access?

Sign up for their mailing list and get emails to events like the Secret Chef’s Table. You won’t know when the next one will be, but keep an eye out in your inbox and act fast when you see it.

Final Thoughts

It was a great evening spent in the basement prep kitchen of Glowbal enjoying great company and treated to such an exquisite meal. It’s not everyday you get this sort of exclusive treatment.

I was very impressed as it shows a different side of the Glowbal Group and their talented staff can pull off a Chef’s Table that hit the spot. The wine pairings were spot on with varieties from all over the world. The sommelier impressed guests with his wealth of knowledge and elegant pouring techniques.

The pacing of the meal was very on track as the dishes would come one after another with good spacing between each dish. We definitely all left full.

If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary and unique, this is it.

Website:
https://www.glowbalgroup.com/

In Brunch

Yew: Brunch in Downtown Vancouver

August 3, 2019

Who doesn’t love a good brunch. You can now get brunch at Yew Seafood and Bar on the weekends from 11:30am – 2:30pm.

They recently launched their 3 course brunch deal, so you can try more items on the menu. Just add $20 to any brunch entree to receive an appetizer, dessert, and a coffee or juice. That is one awesome deal and you’ll end up feeling stuffed.

Their new revamped menu has a good variety and we were invited to check it out.

Mimosa

Brunch isn’t complete without a mimosa. A mix of freshly squeezed orange juice and champagne definitely gets the weekend started.

Latte

I had to get a latte too because I get very little sleep in between taking care of an infant and of course blogging, so I was in need of some caffeine.

Brioche French Toast

The brioche french toast comes with 3 pieces and topped with charred cinnamon syrup, and candied hazelnuts.

Gluten Free Pancakes

There are 3 pancakes on the plate topped with 70% Chocolate, Banana, and Peanut Butter Powder. A good portion size as an appetizer. I liked the darkness of the chocolate and it pairs so well with banana and the peanut butter powder.

Belgian Waffle

There are 2 cute little waffles with black pepper mascarpone, and cardamom honey candied lemon.

House Made Granola Parfait

This beautiful bowl has a base of Greek yoghurt, seasonal fruit compote, and fresh berries. It’s so good to get this now as raspberry, blueberries, and raspberries are in season. Very filling even though it is an appetizer.

Croque Madame

Between two slices of toast is the shaved ham, gruyere cheese, and topped with more gruyere cheese and a fried egg. It was served with fries to complete this entree. It was cheesy and delicious.

Crab Hash

There are two poached eggs, dungeness crab, roasted potatoes, wilted spinach, charred cherry tomatoes, Nduja, and a Mornay sauce. The egg was poached perfectly and was very soft. You can always request your eggs to be poached well if you don’t like it runny.

Southern Fried Chicken

This is served on a cornbread waffle, maple glaze, smoked onion aioli, and compressed jalapeño. The fried chicken was moist and crisp on the outside and the compressed jalapeño just gives it an added kick to the dish.

Pineapple Carpaccio

This a plate of thinly slices pineapples with crème fraîche sorbet, and caramalized rosemary.

Chocoholic

There is liquid chocolate mousse and Baileys ice cream. It’s like a trio of chocolate on this dish. Great for chocolate lovers and that mousse is pretty amazing.

Hidden Garden

Inside the glass is yogurt panna cotta, green tea sponge, chocolate soil, edible flower, and cherry smoke. This dessert is mesmerizing. There’s definitely a lot going on in this dessert.

YEW Hazelnut Rocher 2.0

This has praline Chocolate Mousse, Liquid Caramel, and Hazelnut Ice Cream Flambé. This dessert is so fun! It is set on fire! The dessert is definitely reminiscent of a Ferrero Rocher.

Final Thoughts

Brunch at Yew was pretty good and the prices are fair. It’s a killer deal that they have for the 3 course brunch and you’ll be leaving stuffed.

Yew has always delivered great meals that are west coast inspired and with lots of variety.

Address:
791 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.yewseafood.com/

In Downtown

Showcase Restaurant and Bar: Fresh, Local and Social

August 1, 2019

Showcase Restaurant inside the Vancouver Marriott Downtown has launched a new menu and concept. The menu offers new sharing plates which highlight everything local that is Vancouver. It features fresh, seasonal west coast flavours by Chef Westley Feist.

I’ve dined many times at Showcase restaurant and the food is solid.

Interior

There are lots of seats inside, a few booths, and a private room. They also take reservations too.

House Made Sourdough

The bread is cut up into slices and served with their rooftop bayleaf honey with whipped butter. Who knew honey and butter would go so well together. Very delicious!

Salt Roasted Beets and Burrata

This is served with frisée, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and cracked pepper. One of my favourite dishes of the evening. That burrata is so good and makes you not want to share it with the table.

Sous Vide Pork belly

It is paired with charred scallion purée, gai lan, sesame and chilli threads. The pork belly was tender and flavour, plus the purée worked really well with this dish.

Grilled Pacific Humbolt Squid

It is served with romesco sauce, watercress, fennel, charred lemon vinaigrette, and pine nuts. The squid was tender and easy to chew apart.

Seared Oceanwise Scallops

The scallops were served with ajo blanco, caramelized cauliflower, and Calabrian chili. The scallops were seared nicely and the caramelized cauliflower was tasty.

Haida Gwaii Halibut

The halibut sits on top of ricotta gnocchi, Sole Food Street farms veggies, herb vinaigrette, and crispy onions. It was good to see different textures in this dish but I did feel like the halibut was a bit dry.

16 oz Ribeye Steak

They steak has peppercorn jus, cipollini onions, and puffed beef tendon. I think this was cooked medium, but I would have preferred medium rare. The puffed beef tendon was a nice addition to the dish for added texture.

Oven Roasted Baby Carrots

The carrots have a gochujang mirin glaze, hazelnuts, and topped with Barnston Island peashoots. A good sharing plate to make sure everyone gets some tasty carrots.

Glazed Japanese Eggplant

The eggplant is paired with soy butter, crispy shallots, and sambal sauce.

Japanese Cotton Cheese Cake

To finish off the night, this fluffy cheese cake has pink grapefruit, yogurt cremeux, and white chocolate puffed rice. I was surprised to see this on the menu but it was good.

Strawberry + Rhubarb Caramelized Puff Pastry

This has pickled rhubarb, strawberry puree, and vanilla whipped cream as well. I didn’t take a liking to this as the strawberries were quite tart.

Final Thoughts

I love the transformation of the menu and the dishes are more sharable, so you can do it family style and try a bit of everything rather than having the traditional plate to yourself.

My favourites were the Salt Roasted Beets and Burrata, Seared Oceanwise Scallops, Grilled Pacific Humbolt Squid, and Sous Vide Pork belly.

Address:
1122 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.showcaserestaurant.com/

In Downtown

[Review] Brewery and The Beast: Hottest Ticket in Vancouver

July 30, 2019

Roasted Lamb: smoked berry salsa, huitlacoche tortilla served by el Santo

Brewery and The Beast is back for 2019 and it is essentially a sustainable meat festival, where you can eat and drink to your hearts content. The focus of the festival is food sustainability. Their aim is to educate and inform guests of the importance of being a conscientious consumer.

By knowing where your food comes from, and where they can be purchased, it helps empower more people to asked crucial questions about what they’re eating. Brewery and The Beast wants to keep our local and regional food systems thriving while continually supporting the local restaurant and food & beverage industry.

This year, Brewery and The Beast was sold out in 10 minutes! It was the hottest ticket in town. As the ticket is inclusive of all drinks and food, it’s a great afternoon spent outdoors.

We were invited this year to check out Brewery and The Beast and see some of the new additions.

Confit Pork Jowl: baby Yorkshire pudding, Granny Smith apple sauce, Green Hill Cider jus served by The Cascade Room

Eat + Drink

There was so much to eat and drink!! The menu was revealed on the website a day before and I was shooook. There was about 74 items or so. 3 hours to eat 74 items would be very impressive if someone actually finished all that.

Pork and Octopus Kushiyaki: pickled sole food vegetables, Sichuan chili oil served by Showcase Restaurant

Everywhere we went, there were grills on high with meat sizzling away. The aroma was just intoxicating and smelled so good.

Every bite was really delicious and there was a lot of variety. From ribs, to tacos, to sliders, and a lot more.

Beef Kabob: tabbouleh Butter, pickled turnips served by Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

The line ups were long at some stalls, but it went by very quickly. Our strategy was to go to one booth, grab the food, and then eat it in line at the next booth.

Pork Jowl Kushiyaki: charcoal and gochujang sauce, crispy shallots and cilantro gremolata served by PidGin

You can find Vancouver’s best chefs at Brewery and the Beast. So many familiar faces if you follow the scene.

Porchetta with ember roasted potatoes & salsa verde by Chef Bruce Kalman

Besides consuming food, it was fun watching all the chefs crafting up something tasty. A lot of meat just roasting away. I was mesmerized by it all.

Pulled Rotisserie Chicken Taco: served by H2 Rotisserie & Bar

Texas Brisket: coleslaw, homemade pickles and St Louis ribs served by The Yale Saloon

Crispy Chicken Skin Double Down: jalapeño queso, pickles, shredded lettuce, fancy sauce served by Juke Fried Chicken

Honey Harissa Chicken Hearts: black pepper ranch served by Homer Street Cafe and Bar

In the hot hot sun, we needed to cool off and there were many ways to do so. There were shaded area, a misting area, but there were some other stations serving up drinks and desserts.

Ice Cream Sandwiches served by Mister Artisan Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream, Maple, Double Smoked Bacon & Walnut Granola:
served by Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship Foundation

Fresh Local Fruit : served by BerryMobile Fruit Distribution, Inc.

Halibut over Fire

Chef Charlotte Langley was on-site cooking entire BC and MSC-certified halibut over a live fire – a first for this previously meat-centric festival. There is more than just beef and pork at this festival.

At the Whole Foods booth, they made halibut tacos with fresh salsa with the large fish that was cooked by the open fire.

Duck Giblet Yakitori: heart, gizzard, liver, leeks served by Ugly Dumpling

Get your Grill on

If you walk about some of the booths, there are a few grills that are actually up for sale and used once just for the festival.

Grilled Beef Cheek: bing cherry chimichurri served by Burdock & Co. Restaurant

The Kerrisdale Lumber and Co. was on site showing off the Napoleon Pro Cart Grill and Napoleon Prestige 500 Stainless Steel use at Brewery and the Beast. You can even purchase the ones used in the festival for a great discount. Perhaps you can create some of your favourite items on these.

Shopping

If you wanted to do some shopping, Brewery and the Beast has a bunch of merchandise that can be picked up like their branded T-Shirt and Cups.

Filson, a top mens’ retailer had their pop up shop with some really nice items.

Pop up shop by top mens’ retailer, Filson

Entertainment

The Electric Timber Company is a collective of musicians brought together by myriad musical influences, from roots and rock to blues and bluegrass. Along with other guests, they kept the crowd entertained.

As we needed to escape the sun for a little bit, we listened to the tunes and enjoyed some beer and meats.

Roasted Leg of Lamb Slider: graham masala cauliflower slaw, fluffy sesame bun served by Timber

Final Thoughts

It was a really fun day and I enjoyed it with my friends drinking and eating. You get a lot for the price you pay for, so spent the entire 3 hours here and just eat away at all the food stalls if you can.

Grilled Octopus and Sausage: served by La Quercia

Keep an eye out on social media or join their mailing list to see when tickets come out for 2020. It’s definitely an event you don’t want to miss. You definitely want to act fast so you won’t be disappointed.

Website:
https://breweryandthebeast.com/

In product

PYUR Vodka Soda: All Natural Soda Review

July 29, 2019

PYUR is a flavoured vodka soda brand that is taking a health conscious approach to the ready to drink beverage market which has zero carbs, zero sugar and zero preservatives with all natural flavours.

It’s a great beverage to have at any party as it’s very easy and clean to drink.

PYUR comes in a 6 pack and a mix pack of 12 355ml cans with 3 flavours – lime, raspberry, and peach. These packs can be found at liquor stores and select private liquor stores in BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

We were sent a pack of PYUR Vodka Soda to try.

Taste Test

Of course, there are other vodka sodas in the market already – Nude and Nutrl that also have very similar look and flavours. Also from Vancouver, BC too.

Compared to the other brands, PYUR has 4.5% alcohol content, which is 0.5% less alcohol. We found this difference helps cut out the bitter aftertaste from the vodka. We also noticed because there is a bit less alcohol, this is 90 calories instead of 100 calories from other brands.

Of the 3 flavours, lime and peach were our favourites. Lime is such a classic flavour that you can’t go wrong with. Peach was refreshing and tasted good. Raspberry leaves a lot to be desired as the taste was very artificial and left a bad aftertaste in our mouths.

We would stick with lime and peach flavours. This was like drinking La Croix, or other flavoured sparkling water brands but adding some vodka into the mix. It was a good alternative if you want to sip on something easy but not having too much alcohol.

#PYURInspiration

PYUR stands for Power Your Unique Reality and their goal is to help people live their best lives and to create an inspiring community that spreads a positive message. With so much going on in the world, sometimes it’s just nice to hear great things that others are doing to make the world a better place.

They have created a challenge called #PYURInspiration and focuses on highlighting women in the community that motivate and are admired by others.

Since becoming a mom earlier this year, I have immense admiration for women everywhere. A shout out to my mom and mother-in-law for raising such great children and supporting the next generation. Spending a lot more family time during my maternity leave has brought us closer together and given me a few extra pair of hands to take care of Baby E. They go the extra mile and never say no to anything.

Without them, going through postpartum depression would have been a lot more difficult. I really had some good day, blah days, and bad days. Motherhood has been a challenge but I wouldn’t change a thing.

Final Thoughts

With the hot summer which is hitting Vancouver now, I definitely prefer a drink that isn’t sugary as it makes me thirstier. If you’re looking to try something new and haven’t tried vodka sodas before, definitely check it out.

Website:
https://www.pyurvodkasoda.com/

In Bubble Tea

Weekend Tea: Fruit Teas in South Burnaby

July 28, 2019

Weekend Tea is the latest cafe to open up in South Burnaby. They specialize in fruit-based drinks that are unique to this cafe.

There are a lot of bubble tea shops that have opened up on Kingsway recently, but they hone their craft of brewing fresh fruit teas.

Interior

The seating area is gorgeous with their garden wall and makes for great photos. There are a few seats for small groups but you can always push seats and tables together if you have more people.

Lychee Fruit Tea

There are bits of lychee, jelly, and the tea. The lychee and jelly bits added great texture. Very refreshing for the summer weather. Not too sweet either. We haven’t has lychee in a long time, so having this really brought us back to our childhoods.

Grape Yogurt

This was our favourite item! It has layers of grape slush with yogurt and then jelly bits inside. Surprisingly very good and the flavour of the grape really shined through. Remember to mix this drink so you incorporate the layers.

Yuan Yang (Coffee Milk Tea)

You can see the layer of milk tea and the coffee on top. Mix this up and then enjoy. The coffee was nice, strong and paired well with the milk tea. The coffee is more of the dominant flavour unlike the coffee milk tea you would find at Hong Kong style cafes.

Zang Mango

The Zang Mango has mango jam, mango bits, fresh milk, and cheese foam. Mix this up really well to incorporate the flavours. At first, it seemed like the weirdest combination, but we couldn’t stop sipping at it. The sweetness from the mango, and the salt from the cheese foam worked.

Golden Kiwi Fruit Tea

They use a whole golden kiwi in this drink as well as lime to balance the sweetness. It’s great that they use these kiwis rather than the green kiwi. The golden kiwi is sweeter and not as tart, which goes well in a fruit tea.

Pineapple Passionfruit Fruit Tea

This one is topped with salty cheese foam to compliment the sweetness of the fruits. I personally felt this was sweeter than the other drinks as pineapple and passionfruit are generally more sweet compared to other fruits.

Grapefruit Fruit Tea

The grapefruit fruit tea was very refreshing and loved the bits of grapefruit. Grapefruit and tea go very well together.

Assorted Fruit Tea

This is a drink you can find at other bubble tea shops in town and I just had to see how it stacks with the competition. It was well balanced and at regular sweetness, it wasn’t too sweet at all.

Honey Dew Yogurt

There are the layers of honey dew slush, yogurt and bits of jelly in the drink. Who knew honey dew and yogurt would go well together? Yet again, I was intrigued. If you love honey dew, you’ll enjoy this.

Brown Sugar Milk

There are pearls, brown sugar and fresh milk. After we mixed this drink up, we felt like it was too sweet. Not a fan of this one.

Final Thoughts

Overall, their fruit drinks are good for the hot summer weather. They don’t specialize in milk teas here, but the fruit teas are good especially the ones with yogurt. You can add pearls to your drink, but they suggest having it normal so you can get the true flavour of the drink that they intended it to taste. Some of the drinks do take some time to make, so when it’s busy, you might be waiting a bit.

Our favourites were the grape yogurt, zang mango, lychee fruit tea and coffee milk tea.

Address:
#101-5021, Kingsway, Burnaby, BC

In Gastown

Tuc Craft Kitchen: Comfort Food in Gastown

July 27, 2019

Tuc Craft Kitchen opened in Gastown in 2013 and has been serving up their delicious take on comfort food. They pride themselves on serving rustic, seasonal, farm-to-table fare paired with a carefully curated list of New & Old World wines, inventive cocktails, and local craft beer.

We were invited to check out a few of their new Summer menu items.

Interior

I love the space. It’s so rustic and casual. There are 2 levels inside, so if you have a large private party, there is an area upstairs.

If you closely look at the walls, Guy Fieri was here.

Powell St. Swizzle

This drink has Odd Society Oaken gin, Odd Society bittersweet vermouth, Rootside ginger beer, lime and bitters. Very refreshing drink.

Flower of Algernon

This is made of Odd Society Wallflower gin, St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, lavender, grapefruit and lemon. A good combination of flavours especially the elderflower and lavender.

Wines

They have a great wine program at Tuc featuring New and Old World wines. Colin Ross is the Wine Director and Co-owner of Tuc and he can help you pair the perfect wines with your dishes.

Baked Ricotta

This dish has house-made ricotta, warm olives, sheep’s milk parmesan, and bread. Never thought you would bake ricotta and serve it as an appetizer. A good item to share among the table and nibble on before the rest of the meal arrives.

They pair this with the Sperling Vinyards ‘Vision’ 15, which is a Charonnay from the Okanagan Valley.

Sunset Salad

This salad has baby shrimp, strawberries, greens, lemon vinaigrette, and a carrot lime puree. Who knew shrimp and strawberries would go well together? I am a huge fan of shrimp so I enjoyed it in the salad even thought it has a bit of a slimy texture. There is a sweetness in the shrimp so it makes sense.

They pair this with the Culmina ‘Saignée Rosé ’17, a Meritage blend from Golden Mile Bench, BC.

Togarashi Ahi Tuna

This dish has seared Ahi Tuna, tumeric and garlic infused rice noodles, seasonal veggies, and a cilantro dressing. The togarshi on the ahi tuna was delicious! There was a lot of rice noodle that comes in this dish. Good to an individual to eat or even shared among the table.

They pair this with the Bella ‘Buddha’s Blend’ Sparkling Rose ’18, a Gamay and Chardonnary from Okanagan Valley, BC.

Ribs ‘n Fries

The Ribs ‘n Fries has orange and jalapeño glazed side ribs, curly yam fries, and a red slaw. That orange and jalapeño glaze was delicious on the ribs. The curly yam fries were good too.

They pair this with the Anarchist ‘Mayhem’ ’16, a Merlot from Osoyoos, BC.

Lentil Hash Mole Verde

This is a vegetarian black lentils, sweet peas, roasted mushrooms, corn, pea greens. Very filling and the sweetness of the corn and peas pair well with the lentils.

They pair this with the Herdade do Esporão Monte Velho ’16 from Alentejano, PT.

Seafood Étouffée

This has BC mussels & manila clams, prawns, squid, creole tomato sauce, and dirty rice. There is a good amount of seafood in this dish and the spices incorporated into this dish were delicious.

This is paired with the Maetierra Atlantis ’17 from Rías Baixas, ES.

Lemon Pudding Cake

Last but not least, the lemon pudding cake was amazing. It is topped with strawberries, Chantilly cream, fried basil and lemon zest. The cake was soft, moist and full of great flavour. It’s not on the menu, but it really needs to be on the menu.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food is pretty good and you are sure to find comfort in these dishes. The dishes aren’t too heavy for the summer and they try to use seasonal ingredients in the dishes so you get a taste of what summer has to offer.

Address:
60 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.tuccraftkitchen.com

In Bubble Tea

[Sneak Peek] BlackBall opens in Richmond

July 26, 2019

BlackBall is an International Taiwanese Dessert Chain showcasing a menu of authentic Taiwanese desserts and drinks prepared with quality ingredients.

The extensive menu features the award-winning BlackBall Grass Jelly, “Xian Cao”, known for its silky smooth texture and healthy benefits. BlackBall has redefined the classic dessert by pairing it with a variety of toppings that reflects the most authentic taste of Asia.

Founded in 2006 in Taipei, Taiwan, by the Tang brothers, BlackBall has also been rapidly expanding and franchising around the world in the last few years. The international Taiwanese dessert chain has over 100 locations around the world.

This is the first location in BC and second in Canada. The first opened up in Toronto

We were invited for a sneak peek before it opens up to the public.

Interior

There are 2 levels to the shop and very high ceilings. Good for small to large groups.

Membership

Instead of membership cards, they have a small key chain is for regular membership. You can use it to collect points and redeem for free desserts and other perks.

VIP Membership

If you noticed, their menu has 2 prices – VIP member and non-VIP. If you’re a fan of Black Ball, you can purchase a VIP membership by prepaying a certain amount to your account to get discounted prices on all items on the menu.

You get the bigger black fuzzy keychain and you can show it every time to pay and get the discounted price. The membership is worth it if you plan on making multiple visits here as you need to prepay a balance on your account.

BlackBall Grass Jelly

This has a base of the grass jelly ice as the base, then topped with Yam Q, Taro Q, peanuts, red bean, Konjac jelly / agar (Brown sugar flavour konjac jelly), and then a creamer for grass jelly from Taiwan.

The grass jelly has an herbal taste but it balanced out with all the items in the bowl.

BlackBall Supreme

BlackBall Supreme is the ultimate item to share with a few friends. You get a bit of everything in this bowl and is a good size for 3-4 people.

The ultimate dessert here! Just look at that!

Regular Balls vs Q Balls

Some dishes come with both Taro and Yam Balls as well as Taro Q and Yam Q, but what’s the difference you ask?

Q balls contain 95% real taro/yam and regular balls contain 75% taro/yam to give it a chewier texture.

Agar Aiyu Jelly

If you’re looking for something that’s not grass jelly, they have aiyu jelly. This bowl has aloe vera, taro ball, yam ball, wintermelon flavour ice, aiyu jelly, crystal pearls, and coconut jelly.

Aiyu jelly is made from a plant unique to Taiwan and tastes sweet and fruity. It really matches with the items in the bowl and perfect for the summer.

Forest Matcha Ice

This comes with matcha jelly, matcha pudding made with milk, matcha, sesame mini ball, taro mini ball and rice balls.

The sesame mini balls were really good and we highly recommend it as a topping.

Shaved ice contains Matcha syrup, condensed milk, and shaved ice.

Waffles with Fresh Fruit and Cream

There are 2 liege waffles topped with strawberries, chocolate tubes, condensed milk and a scoop of ice cream. The other one has chocolate sauce, bananas, vanilla ice cream on the liege waffles.

Something different if you’re with friends but don’t want the other desserts.

Drinks

Besides desserts, they have a variety of drinks on the menu too. They come in medium size and large size. The ones pictured here are medium.

Fresh Milk with Purple Rice and mini sesame balls (Secret Menu Item)

Final Thoughts

A lot of people will compare BlackBall with MeetFresh, but what stands out from this place is the ability to customize what is in your bowl. Choose your base, toppings, and served hot, warm, cold or iced. They are so many toppings choices on the menu too.

Address:
1061 – 8300 Capstan Way, Richmond, BC

Website:
http://blackballdesserts.ca

In Chinese

HQ Chinese Skillet (川味坊): Szechuan Spicy Cuisine on North Road

July 22, 2019

HQ Chinese Skillet is located on North Road and Lougheed Highway inside the same plaza as Insadong. We passed by and noticed it was new, so we decided to come here for lunch with family.

The dishes that they have are Szechuan style, so they use a lot of spicy peppers in their cooking. I was excited once I saw the menu since there isn’t that many Szechuan cuisine in the neighbourhood.

Interior

It is bright inside with lots of tables for groups. There is booth seating as well as larger tables. We also noticed that their wok is so powerful that it can be heard from the dining area.

Stir Fried Pork Slices with Pepper

This dish arrived at the table and it didn’t look like the image on the menu. What looked like green pepper on the menu was jalapeño in the dish. When we ordered it, the staff said it wasn’t very spicy at all.

The pork slices had great flavour but once you eat too much of the jalapeño, the spice really adds up.

Stir Fried Lamb with Cumin

The lamb was tender and the spices were really good with this dish. Can’t go wrong with lamb and cumin.

Cauliflower Dry Pot

There is Taiwanese Cauliflower in this dish and there were also pork slices, onions, red peppers, green peppers, dry chilis, and Szechuan peppercorns. Very aromatic dish with the chilis but those Szechuan peppercorns really numb your tongue.

Beef Fried Rice

The fried rice went well with the other dishes as it was the only non-spicy dish we ordered.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was good and you need to be able to handle your spice. I found the food very delicious and great for the Burquitlam area. The prices are a very fair and all the dishes are meant to be shared. If you come here at lunch, they do have some good lunch specials for individuals.

I would come back but probably not with those who can’t handle spicy dishes.

Address:
204-403 North Rd, Coquitlam, BC

Website:
https://www.hqchineseskillet.com/

In Fusion

Blossom Dim Sum & Grill: Happy Hour in Downtown Vancouver

July 21, 2019

Blossom Dim Sum & Grill is Robson Street’s newest social hub and a gathering spot for a sit-down meal or some small bites and drinks on the patio.

They just launched their happy hour menu, which happens everyday at 3-5pm and 10pm to midnight.

We were invited to give their happy hour menu a try.

Interior

This space is huge and they have done wonders decorating this place from head to toe. You can have small to really large groups at Blossom.

The decor is very fun and Asian inspired.

They have more casual dining by the sushi bar, patio, dining room & a private room as well.

White Sangria

On the happy hour menu is also their sangria. It’s perfect for the Summer weather.

Vegetable Spring Roll

There are 6 pieces per order (3 cut into halves). Crisp on the outside and savoury on the inside. For $3.50, it’s a pretty good price.

Pork Dumping , Napa Cabbage

There are 3 pieces per order. These are very big dumplings using fresh ingredients. When you bite into them, there is some juice inside but doesn’t leak.

Olives

An ingredient you don’t normally find in Chinese cooking. It comes in a variety of Italian and Spanish Olives. It’s served warm in olive oil.

Edamame

These are steamed soy beans tossed in smoked salt. It’s good to nibble on throughout the meal.

Potato Chips

The potato chops are house fried with spicy Asian ketchup. These were like rotato you would find at the night market but in chip format. Pretty good deal for $3.50 on the happy hour menu.

Crispy Prawn Dumplings

There are 3 pieces to an order and it came with a dip too. A good texture of the deep-fried dumpling skin and the delicious salty prawn meat inside.

Crispy California Roll

The California roll has crab meat and avocado inside the deep fried rice roll. Delicious and great to share with a group.

Spicy Albacore Tuna Tartare

There is wasabi soy, avocado, mixed greens, serreno, and Sichuan spicy mayo. It was delicious and it had a kick of wasabi that travels up the nose.

Lotus Korean Spicy Tuna

This dish may not look like much but the lotus chip wrap with the spicy Korean sauce was really delicious. Not too spicy and was one of our favourite dishes.

Fish Pate

The fish pate is served with rice crackers. It was very interesting to see it this way as it reminded us of a crab dip.

Smoked Salmon

This is house smoked and served with creme fraiche, capers, chilli oil and baguette. Together the items worked together to make a 2 bite treat.

The texture of the smoked salmon is a bit different and chunky.

Beef Tartare

This is made of hand cut tenderloin, mustard and herbs. It is then served with potato chips. This was decent.

Lobster Leg Fries

Now that’s something I haven’t heard of before but it makes sense! You get a good amount for only $6.50.

Final Thoughts

The happy hour menu is truly East meets West. You have a lot of fusion dishes that you would not normally see. We enjoyed the lobster fries, potato chips, crispy California roll, and lotus Korean spicy tuna.

If you want to get a taste of what Blossom has to offer, check out Happy Hour as its very affordable. They also don’t use MSG in all dishes. Items are between $3.5 and $6.5. The dishes are meant to be shared, which is great for groups.

With their beautiful interior, its good to grab a drink and some nibbles to catch up with friends.

Address:
808 Bute St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1Y4

Website:
https://blossomdimsum.com/

In Kensington

Shiok: Singaporean Cuisine in Vancouver

July 20, 2019

Shiok is in the middle of their soft opening serving up Singaporean Cuisine in Vancouver. I’ve heard lots about Shiok, so I decided to come for a visit with friends.

It was pretty busy on a weekend in the evening. We came at 5:30pm and it filled up very quickly.

Ordering

You have to order up at the counter before sitting down. If you’re lucky, there wont be a wait for a table. They will give you a number and keep that to put on your table.

After you put in your order, grab water, napkins and utensils to your table. It’s pretty much self-serve.

when your order is ready, they will deliver it to your table.

Interior

You order at the counter and then find a seat in the dining area. If it’s your first time visiting, it’s pretty confusing at first. We came with a baby and 4 adults, the seating was a sit cramped but we could have easily left the stroller in the car.

Drinks

Kopi-C and Teh-C was what we ordered. The one on the left is the coffee with condensed milk and the other is Singaporean tea with condensed milk.

Both were good and paired well with the meal.

Chicken Wings

Crispy deep fried prawn-spiced chicken wings were pretty good. Nice and crisp. A good item to share among the table. There were 6 pieces.

Satay

An order has 4 sticks of beef or chicken skewers served with their peanut sauce. We got half beef and half chicken in our order. The satay skewers were thin and not very appealing. I would have paid more to get larger skewers.

Tau Pok

There are 6 tofu puffs stuffed with beansprouts and cucumbers, served with sweet and spicy rojak sauce. It’s a one bite appetizer and we thought it was ok.

Roti Prata

The Roti Prata is served with chicken curry gravy for dipping. I really enjoyed this dish. Very well done and the chicken curry gravy is delicious.

Laksa

This is Singapore’s version of Laksa. You can get these with white or yellow noodles. We went with yellow, but mix is an option too. I thought this dish was so-so.

Boneless Chicken Rice

The traditional Singaporean take on Hainanese chicken rice. The portion was small and the chicken wasn’t very flavourful and was bland.

Mee Siam

This has sweet, sour, and mildly spicy rice vermicelli topped with shrimp, tofu puffs, and egg served in a tamarind-base gravy. The was an interesting dish but it was a miss as we didn’t like the tamarind gravy as it tasted like fermented bean paste.

Nyonya Chicken Curry

Delicately fragrant Peranakan coconut chicken curry. It was a bit hard to eat it with the bones. It has 2 pieces of chicken and a potato in the curry.

It’s a good size for one person but definitely too hard to split among the table.

Beef Rendang

This dish has slow-cooked spicy curried coconut beef served with rice. This dish was really delicious and we enjoyed it.

Clean Up

Once you’re done with your meal, you have to clear and sort all your dishes, cups and utensils. We had a lot so we made multiple trips to the bins.

Final Thoughts

The prices on the menu are really good until you actually see the portion size. I could easily eat two entrees and an appetizer on my own. My friends ended up sharing everything family style. Dishes were very hit and miss for our personal tastes.

They definitely have a few things to work out as they are still in their soft opening phase. I love how its family run and operated, a lot of people seem to love this place, but sadly it didn’t work out for us.

Address:
1716 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5N 2S4

Website:
https://shiok.ca/

In Commercial Drive / Grandview

Marcello Ristorante and Pizzeria on Commercial Drive: Review

July 19, 2019

Marcello Ristorante and Pizzeria is an iconic restaurant on Commercial Drive for over 20 years with Chef Marcello being the first to bring handmade pasta to Vancouver.

Commercial Drive aka Little Italy is a bustling part of town with great eateries and local shops for many many blocks. You can always find superb espressos, gelato, pizza and pasta on this street.

We were invited by Marcello Ristorante to get a taste of the different items on the menu.

Interior

They have a lot of indoor seating as well as some limited patio seats for small groups. Inside, they can seat a lot of people, but some of the tables are situated close to each other. I would suggest putting in a reservation to suit your needs. We had a stroller with us, so they made sure there was space.

Latte

I got a latte since I really needed some caffeine for the day.

Shirley Temple

They can make non-alcoholic drinks that aren’t on the menu. When I asked for a Shirley Temple, they had no issues making it at all. If you have a request, definitely ask the staff and they’ll try to make it happen if they have the ingredients on hand.

Frittura di calamari

This is deep fried baby squid and it comes in a huge portion. It is served with a slice of bread and tzatziki. They had a light crisp exterior and was pretty delicious. Don’t forget to squeeze the lemon all over for more of a citrus tang.

Caprese

The caprese has tomato, bocconcini, onion and capers with a light dressing. It is also served with a slice of bread too. It’s a good size for a group of 4 as there are 4 pieces. It’s not what I imagined, but perhaps its their own twist to a traditional caprese.

Ai quattro formaggi Gnocchi

This gnocchi is sautéed with 4 cheeses and broiled till it’s cheesy. The gnocchi is soft and fluffy, when paired with the cheese, its so good! I really enjoyed this.

Lasagna

The lasagna is prepared from scratch and baked in a ceramic dish. There are layers of spinach, noodles and meat sauce topped with bechamel. It is served with a side of bread. A good portion for one person, but we shared it among the table. It was delicious as well.

Funghi con Tartufo

This Fungi con Tartufo has a blend of cheese, mushroom, and truffle. This was really good. These 3 ingredients just meld so well together. Highly recommended.

Marcello

Their signature pizza named after Marcello has tomato sauce, mozzarella, anchovies, black olives, capers, and onion. It’s not a pizza for everyone as these pungent ingredients aren’t for all. You have the saltiness from the anchovies, while the olives are bitter and nutty.

We wanted to give this a try but didn’t jive with our taste buds.

Marscapone Cream

This essentially is Tiramisu in a cup. It’s very rich and decadent.

Panna Cotta

The panna cotta was a joy to eat. It was very smooth and went well with the cherries and whipped cream. Of the two desserts, we really enjoyed this.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a nice visit to Marcello Ristorante and Pizzeria as it’s been a staple in Little Italy for over 20 years. A few items that were a hit and miss, but we love the frittura di calamari, ai quattro formaggi gnocchi, funghi con tartufo, and the panna cotta.

Address:
1404 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://marcellopizzeria.com/

In Canadian

Globe@YVR: Dinner with a View at Fairmont Vancouver Airport

July 18, 2019

Fairmont Vancouver Airport has their dining area – Globe@YVR and they always have a rotating seasonal menu to keep their dishes as fresh and as local as possible. Did you know, if you spend a minimum of $30, you get 3 hours of free parking at the airport. Thats awesome because it isn’t cheap to park at the airport.

We are back again to try a few items for the Summer menu. To take note, our appetizers and desserts are served differently than that they are normally served, but you can ask the server to make you something like that if you want.

If you sit by the window, you get a great view of the planes going to and leaving their gates. My friend and I were sitting here reminiscing about past trips and thinking about future ones. We even had a thought…what if we just finished dinner and spontaneously bought a cheap ticket somewhere. Great thoughts but spontaneity would have to wait as I have a 5 month year old at home.

Pomegranate Palmer

I went with a non-alcoholic beverage – Pomegranate Palmer made of iced tea, lemonade, and pomegranate juice. Very good and refreshing. The dominate taste is of the iced tea and sweetened up and given more dimension by the lemonade and pomegranate.

Pomegranate Paloma

My friend went with the Pomegranate Paloma and it was made of 1oz casamigos reposado tequila, 1/2 oz cointreau, pomegranate, and fresh grapefruit and lemon. She really enjoyed it.

Signature Beer Bread

You can add this to the start of your meal and it’s really delicious. It is made with local honey and baked fresh from the oven. It’s a treat and we really liked it. We had to come back again for this.

It is served piping hot and you have to slather on the butter covered in pollen.

Appetizer Platter

They gave us a tasting of their appetizers by turning it into a platter. It was a nice way of trying everything without having full portions. If you want something similar, let the server know.

Fresh Shucked Oysters use pacific north west oyster and it was topped with caviar. It was an interesting change to have it with caviar as the salty eggs pop in your mouth as you eat the oyster.

Diver Scallops were served with apple and celeriac slaw, pickled blueberry, and bee pollen. Very well cooked with a nice sear on the outside.

Pan Seared Foie Gras is served on sweet pickled plums, and brioche toast, with cognac jus. Loved the buttery taste with the texture of the brioche toast.

Prosciutto di Parma has anna’s burrata, figs, aged balsamic, and local greens. So damn good. My favourite of the items on the plate.

16oz Bone-In Rib Eye

The 16oz Bone-In Rib Eye has pomme purée, grilled marchetto farm asparagus, and natural jus. It was made to a medium rare and super delicious. It was more medium rare closer to the bone, but some parts were more cooked like the lobe of the rib eye.

1/2 Lobster

We added 1/2 lobster to the steak. There is lemon, butter and an aioli sauce for you to dunk the meat into.

The first time I had lobster here, it was delicious and had a nice bounce to the flesh. This time around, it was overcooked.

Herbed Rack of Lamb

The Herb rack of lamb is sous vide, so it is super tender and juicy. It is served with eggplant, dauphinoise potato, and thyme jus.

Dessert Platter

What a good way to get a taste of their desserts than with a platter. It’s not on the menu, but ask your server.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar

It is decadent with nice textures. It is topped with passionfruit pearls to balance the rich chocolate. Our favourite dessert on the platter.

Mango Mousse Cake

It has three layers of mango mousse and then cake in between. A good ratio of mousse and cake. The mango is strong but not too overpowering.

Final Thoughts

It was good to try a few more items on the menu. I like that there is free 3 hour parking with $30 purchase as it’s easy to spend that amount here. There is a good selection of West Coast cuisine and it’s just relaxing to come here before your flight or during a layover to treat yourself.

For more dishes and what we thought, go here for our previous dining experience.

Address:
Vancouver International Airport, 3111 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://www.fairmont.com/vancouver-airport-richmond/

In German

Deutsches Haus (Vancouver Alpen Club): German Cuisine in Vancouver

July 16, 2019

I’ve passed by Vancouver Alpen Club numerous times and I’ve always been curious about Deutsches Haus, which is located inside in the lower level.

We love German cuisine and have been to a few restaurant in Vancouver. Our friend is German and wanted to find some good authentic German cuisine, so I suggested we go to Deutsches Haus.

Interior

The interior is definitely dated and has an old smell to it as well. We did see many people make reservations for dinner time and it was busy by 7pm on a weekend. They have small to large tables and can fit a lot of people.

Krombacher Pils

You can get this in 300ml, 500ml, or a pitcher. We went with the 300ml and it was delicious!

Pretzel

This was fresh from the oven and it definitely was because it was piping hot. Good texture and size, but we wanted some more salt sprinkled on top.

Feast for Four

Since there were 4 of us, it made sense to get the platter for 4 so we can try a bit of everything and get a feel for this restaurant.

This comes with 1 full size oven roasted pork hock, 4 schnitzel, 4 Bavarian meatloaf, and assorted sausages. It is then served with spatzle, red cabbage and sauerkraut.

When it arrived at the table, it was definitely enough for 4…perhaps even 5 people.

The roasted pork hock was crisp on the exterior and so tender and flavourful on the inside. This was my favourite item on the platter.

It is also very oily, so it’s hard to eat a lot of it.

The schnitzel was quite a good portion size too, delicious as well when paired with the mushroom gravy.

It was my first time having Bavarian meatloaf and it was like a soft spongey spam. It definitely took more getting used to.

The sausages were good too but I wished there were more of it. The red cabbage and sauerkraut was very authentic according to our German friend.

The spätzle is an egg noodle dumpling an it accompanied the platter well. Pour some of the mushroom gravy or the other sauce and it’s great.

Black Forest Cake

I’ve had Black Forest Cake a lot when I was a kid, so I have been avoiding it for a very long time. Their Black Forest Cake has layers of chocolate cake, cream, and cherries. We liked the fact that they didn’t use the canned Maraschino Cherries.

Apple Strudel

This came piping hot our from the oven and served with whipped cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Final Thoughts

Overall, pretty good German food from Deutsches Haus. The schnitzel and the roasted pork hock were my favourite items on the menu. It was good to try the platter to taste as much as we could since it was our first visit.

Next time, I would come back for a plate of Schnitzel.

Address:
4875 Victoria Dr, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.vacbc.ca/