Foodology
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Foodology

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In New Westminster

Shang Noodle House: Noodles and Dumplings in Metro Vancouver

Shang Noodle House has 2 locations, one in Richmond and another at Starlight Casino in New Westminster. It is a sister restaurant of Kirin and specializes in hand made noodles, dumplings, and classic Chinese dishes. We were invited to check out a few of their signature dishes and see how their food is made in the restaurant.

Interior

There are lots of seating inside for small to large groups. There is an open kitchen in the centre of the Starlight location, so you can see the chefs create your meal in front of you if you sit by the bar.

Behind the Scenes

Steamed Shanghai Pork Dumplings

These were made fresh, so its plenty hot. The skin was thin and the soup inside the dumpling was enjoyable.

Lobster bisque with spinach noodles

The broth is made with Atlantic lobsters and you can really taste it in the broth. They don’t take short cuts here. The depth of flavour is really good. The spinach in the noodles is what gives it the green colour, but I didn’t notice too much flavour, so it compliments the broth.

Roast Pork Belly

This long plate of pork belly is delicious. Crisp skin and layers of moist meat and yummy fat. I always have no willpower with this dish.

Pan Fried Pork and Veggie Dumplings

It comes 4 to an order and it is a big size. Inside it is filled with pork and aromatics.

Grilled Pork Jowl Meat

You can order this as a side dish. This particular portion was a bit on the lean side so the texture felt dry.

Squid Ink Pasta

The squid ink pasta is imported from Japan and the colour of the ink shows and give the noodles a dark grey colour. It is topped with bonito flakes and has shrimp, mussels, fish, tofu, broccoli and tomato on the sides.

Red Reishi Mushroom hand-pulled ramen

The broth is light but it has a lot of different mushrooms in the dish, 7 to be exact. If you are a mushroom lover, you’ll enjoy this dish. The noodles were well made with a good bite to them.

Mango Pudding

A classic Chinese dessert made of mango puree, mango chunks, gelatin and evaporated milk. It really brought me back to my childhood.

Durian Mochi

People usually have a love hate relationship with durian. Some say it stinks like rotting garbage and on the other spectrum they say it’s a fragrant ice cream. To me, I am indifferent to the taste. I personally think its like a sweet onion.

This is only available at the Richmond location. They serve this at Kirin at Starlight but it gets sold out very quickly.

Honey Green Tea pudding

Another good dessert. You really can’t go wrong with Chinese dessert as its always a good balance of taste and sweetness.

Brown sugar Milk Tea with pearls

To pair with the meal, you can have bubble tea. The brown sugar milk tea is one of things to order. It’s not too overly sweet.

Final Thoughts

If you’re craving something a little different, check out Shang Noodle House in Richmond or New Westminster. My favourite items were the roast pork belly, squid ink noodles, and durian mocha.

Website:
http://www.shangnoodlehouse.com/

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In Cafe

Bibble & Sip: Coffee and Creampuffs in New York

We were looking for a cafe to grab some coffee and we stumbled upon Bibble and Sip Bakery Cafe.  They make all of their items in-house from pastries to the syrups used to sweeten our drinks.

They are trained in French Confectionery and inspired by Asian flavours, even their savoury treats bring you the best of the East and West. They are best known for their big cream puffs and they sell out quickly. When we came here, all the the cream puffs were ready to be served. Noon is a pretty good time to come here.

Interior

The space is a decent size with a few chairs and tables. Most people grab items to go.

Matcha Cream Puff

The cream puffs are the best. It has a nice crispy exterior and inside there is lots of matcha cream. If you come here, you must get a cream puff. Highly recommended. You will not regret it.

Latte

A latte was my drink of choice as I needed some caffeine. It was pretty standard and no complaints here. It kept me awake for the morning of going around New York.

Melon Pan

The Melon pan is  filled with melon milk cream and has a crisp crust on the exterior. When biting into it, the bread was pretty dense and dry. It took away the delicate flavours of the melon. I wouldn’t get this again.

Final Thoughts

Come here for Coffee and the cream puffs when you are around the Times Square area. Even if you’re not in the area, it’s a good spot to visit for the ultimate cream puff.

We Rate Bibble & Sip: 

Address:
253 W 51st St, New York, NY

Website:
https://www.bibbleandsip.com

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In Cajun/Creole

The Holy Crab: Now Open For Lunch

The Holy Crab has recently launched their lunch menu with 10 new items, so if you don’t want seafood boil, you have more lunch friendly options without getting your hands too messy.

Interior

There are lots of seats and tables for small to large groups, but its always good to let them know ahead of time if you have a really big group.

Menu

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich is served with Cajun fries, which are delicious. Deep fried till golden brown and the cajun spice is so good. Inside the sandwich is grilled chicken, caramelized onion & mushroom, pickled coleslaw, arugula, and Cajun aioli all inside the soft ciabatta bun.

Crispy Fish Sandwich

The Cajun fries is served with this sandwich. This is similar to the other sandwich except it has crispy fried catfish, creamy coleslaw, arugula and a tartar sauce.

Surf and Turf Hash

You will find Cajun-lemon hashbrowns, sausages, tiger prawns, shrimp etouffee sauce, and a fried egg in this skillet. This item is a bit more on the brunch spectrum, but its a nice option.

Lobster Grilled Cheese

This is pure decadence with fresh lobster meat, melted mozzarella, dill & cheddar bechamel sauce,  lobster butter, and sweet panini bread. It is served with your choice of seafood chowder or seafood bisque. Super cheesy! Just look at all that cheese.

Shrimp Grilled Cheese

Similar to the above but with shrimp.

Fish and Chips

The delicious fish and chips is made of crispy battered catfish and served with tartar sauce, lemon wedge, Cajun fries and creamy coleslaw. I really liked the value of this lunch dish and it was very huge especially if you get 2 pieces. The catfish was moist and delicious. It’s hard to deny a huge plate of fish and chips.

Creamy Cajun Seafood Pasta

This dish has clams, mussels, crawfish, tiger prawns, and creamy tomato Cajun sauce, sauteed onions and mushrooms, and your choice of linguine or spaghetti. You can also customize the spice level to be mild, medium or spicy.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

There is tiger prawns, shrimp, house-made garlic pepper sauce, 63-degree poached egg, parmesan, and linguine or spaghetti. If you don’t want shrimp or prawns, you can substitute with chicken.

Dirty Rice

This was my favourite dish on the menu. There is clams, mussels, tiger prawns, calamari, catfish, and the home-made garlic pepper sauce. You can pay a bit extra to add on a fried egg.

Blackened catfish with etouffee on rice

This is huge. You can seriously just share it with another person. It has pan-seared catfish fillet, shrimp etouffee sauce, steamed vegetables and jasmine rice.

Seafood and Avocado Salad

This has layers of crab, shrimp, avocado, tomato, corn, and arugula with red apple dark balsamic and cranaberry pear white balsamic. Mix it all up together and you can enjoy. It’s one of the more healthier items on the menu.

Final Thoughts

They also have a kids menu if you have little ones with you. If you still want The Holy Crab’s regular seafood boil during lunch, they are still serving that too. The lunch menu gives great options if you’re working or strolling through the area of the West End. My favourites are the Dirty Rice, Fish & Chips, and the Garlic Shrimp Pasta.

Address:
1588 Robson St, Vancouver

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

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In product

4 Recipes to Make For Your Summer Party

Trying to figure out what to make for a Summer party is challenging, but President’s Choice is making it easier with a few recipes that will impress your friends and family. They have launched their newest PC Insiders Collection with a few key items that can elevate your party spread. Here are 4 recipes that are quick to put together – Vegetarian Eggplant Brioche Muffulettas, Triple Creamy Onion Dip, Garlic Herb Shrimp and Pesto Crostini, and Maple Chia Fresca.

Vegetarian Eggplant Brioche Muffulettas

Thin layers of tender grilled eggplant and zucchini stand in for the cold cuts traditionally found in this classic New Orleans sandwich. The trick to making the perfect muffuletta is letting the sandwich rest after it’s assembled – this gives the bread a chance to soak up the juices from the olive spread.

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Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 zucchini, halved crosswise and sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick strips
  • 1 Italian (purple) eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick rounds
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
  • 1 batch Green Olive Spread (see recipe, below)
  • 1 pkg (300 g) PC Brioche Buns (6 buns), split
  • 6 slices PC Sliced Provolone Cheese
  • 6 PC Black Label Grilled and Marinated Artichoke halves, sliced
  • 6 PC Whole Sweet Red Peppers, halved

Directions:

  1. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of zucchini and eggplant with oil and sprinkle with hot pepper flakes and salt, dividing evenly. Working in batches if necessary, grill, turning occasionally, until tender and grill-marked, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to large plate; let cool.
  2. Spread Green Olive Spread over cut sides of buns, dividing evenly. Layer cheese, zucchini, eggplant, artichokes and red peppers over bun bottoms, dividing evenly. Sandwich with bun tops. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Chef’s Tip: To serve these sandwiches warm, refrigerate for 2 hours as directed, then remove the plastic wrap and press in a panini press until golden and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.

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Creamy Triple Onion Dip

All parties need a good dip. Whether is be with a plate of fresh veggies, chips or crackers. Spend a little bit of time to create a homemade dip instead of purchasing something generic in stores.

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Makes: about 1-¼ cups
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ready in: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) plain spreadable cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) grated PC Splendido Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped fresh chives
  • 4 tsp (20 mL) PC Caramelized Onion Topping 6
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and black pepper

Directions:

  1. Whisk cream cheese with sour cream in small bowl until smooth.
  2. Stir in shallot, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 2 tbsp chives, 1 tbsp onion topping, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dish. Dollop remaining 1 tsp onion topping over top; swirl into cream cheese mixture using toothpick or tip of knife. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp chives.

Chef’s Tip: The cream cheese is easier to mix when it’s softened, so take it out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before making the dip to bring it to room temperature.

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Garlic Herb Shrimp and Pesto Crostini

These grilled crostini are ideal for backyard summer hangouts. You can prep the tomatoes and grill the baguette ahead of time, then toss the shrimp on the grill once everyone is ready to start snacking.

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Makes: 12 to 15 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (250 mL) PC Axiany Cherry Tomatoes (about half 255 g pkg), chopped
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil, plus additional for oiling grill
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh basil
  • Pinch (0.5 mL) salt
  • Half baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch/5 mm thick rounds (12 to 15 slices)
  • 1 pkg (340 g) frozen PC Garlic & Herb Grilling Raw Butterflied Shrimp
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) PC Pesto

Directions:

  1. Stir together tomatoes, 1 tbsp oil, basil and salt in small bowl. Set aside.
  2. Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush both sides of baguette slices with remaining 1 tbsp oil, dividing evenly. Arrange in single layer on grill. Cook, turning once, until grill-marked, about 4 minutes. Transfer to large plate. Set aside.
  3. Brush grill with oil. Arrange frozen shrimp, shell side down, in single layer on grill. Close lid and cook over medium heat, turning halfway through cooking time, until opaque throughout and shells are pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to separate large plate; remove and discard shells.
  4. Spread pesto over top of baguette, dividing evenly. Top with shrimp and tomato mixture, dividing evenly.

Chef’s Tip: No barbecue? Arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil; bake in 400°F (200°C) oven, flipping baguette once, until crispy and light golden, about 6 minutes. Set aside. Arrange shrimp, shell side down, in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; bake in 450°F (230°C) oven until opaque throughout and shells are pink, 10 to 12 minutes.

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Maple Chia Fresca

Need a unique refreshing drink to go with your party? Try this Maple Chia Fresca which is non-alcoholic. Chia seeds develop a gelatinous coating when soaked, giving this speckled mocktail a unique yet satisfying texture. Give the drink a good shake before serving.

[tabs tab1=” Maple Chia Fresca”]

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Makes: 2 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (500 mL) PC Organics Maple Water
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) PC Organics Black Chia Seed
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) PC Organics 100% Pure Maple Syrup
  • Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Directions:

  1. Combine maple water and chia seeds in 2-cup (500 mL) jar with tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour.
  2. Add lemon juice and maple syrup; cover and shake to combine. Divide among serving glasses. Garnish with mint sprigs (if using).

Tip: Try lime juice instead of lemon juice and adjust the sweetness by adding more or less maple syrup.

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Don’t forget the dessert

For the hot Summer weather, don’t forget the dessert. I really loved the PC SKYR Lactose-free Superfruit yogurt bar and the PC Rocky Road Scoop Shop Bar.

Check out the newest items in the PC Insiders Collection as it’s easy on the wallet and tastes great. For more recipes check out presidentschoice.ca.

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In Car

2018 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid Elite: Review

The 2018 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid Elite is a full size luxury sedan which has gotten a large cosmetic update for this year. The diamond pentagon grille, LED lights, and reshaped hood gives this vehicle its aesthetic beauty.

We tested it for a week in the rainy Vancouver weather to get a good feel for the vehicle for the west coast weather conditions.

Hybrid

It’s great that this is a hybrid vehicle, but it surprisingly wasn’t very fuel-efficient at all. Seems a bit backwards since I didn’t drive very much in a week but got through half a tank. The vehicle really excels on the highway giving it a very powerful drive especially on sport mode.

Technology

Despite the updated exterior, the technology seems dated when it comes to software. The omission of the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were missed, but they were able to add the stylish Head-Up Display, which projects a digital speedometer as well as turn-by-turn navigation directions, which is very handy.

With the surround view camera system, parking sensors, and dimmable mirrors, it felt very safe driving around town during the day and night. One of my pet peeves are cars with insanely bright lights, so with the dimmable mirrors, it helps prevent the light piercing into my eyes at night.

Spacious Interior

As a full-sized sedan, you get plenty of leg room in the front row and the back seats.

There is also ventilation and seat warmers for the back seat. It’s important for passengers to be comfortable for short to long rides.

I always find the seat warmers a joy for back seat passengers to play with. Their eyes just instantly light up as they have buttons to push.

Final Thoughts

 

If you’re thinking you’ll save gas money by purchasing the 2018 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid Elite, you may not depending on how you drive. Since the vehicle is a full size sedan, it is very comfortable for the driver and passengers. Plus, the safety features are great.

Website: https://www.acura.ca/rlx

 

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In Home

2018 Summer Patio Inspiration by PC Home

It’s never too soon to plan for patio weather. As it is getting slightly warmer across Canada, Summer will pounce on us quite quickly before we know it. To give you some patio inspiration, Real Canadian Superstore will be carrying their various collections of PC Home products to deck out your place to have a festive party.

Tropical Toucan Collection

To give the feeling of the tropics, there are colours of greens, oranges, and yellows that give it a nice complementary look. Imagine having a nice margarita in these cups.

Desert Spring Collection

Dessert Spring is another nice collection with pink and green colours. Imagine cacti, birds and foliage. I also love all the little pineapple decor. Who doesn’t love a good tropical pineapple?

Moroccan Escape Collection

Escape into a new place with these Moroccan inspired dish ware. The patterns on the dishes would looks so good with traditional dishes like tagine, chicken marrakesh, and couscous.

Micro Mosaic Collection

This beautiful collection take you to Greece with the striking blue and turquoise colours to visually cool you for the hot summers ahead. The coral, octopus, and fish look great.

Dessert Ikat Collection

To contrast the cool micro mosaic collection is the Desert Ikat with its warm tones and patterns that bring you to Egypt. Imagine just serving up a delicious exotic meal with these dishware.

Canadiana Home Collection

With Canada Day around the corner, PC Home has a range of pure Canadiana items to deck out your space for July 1 or if you’re heading out to the cottage or cabin and want an all-Canadian look. From retro coolers, cute camp mugs to lanterns, these items scream Canadian pride.

BBQ Cleaning Essentials

Like many BBQ owners like myself, I can’t wait to fire up the grill and start cooking outside again. We love flipping burgers, grilling veggies, and cooking smokies.

Cleaning the grill is the aftermath of a good evening. They sell 3 different brushes to replace the dangerous metal bristles that might fall out. One is made out of pumice stone, the other is wood and the last one is an interwoven steel mesh brush.

Final Thoughts

I personally love the dish ware that are part of the different collections. It gives you variety if you want to have cooler or warmer tones to you Summer BBQ on the patio. The dishes make your food pop with extra colour. My favourite are the micro mosaic and Tropical Toucan collections.

You can find these new PC Home items at your local Real Canadian Superstore in the coming months. Keep an eye open so you can add some colour to your Summer.

Website: https://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca/

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In French

Kosoo Restaurant: French and Korean Fusion Cuisine in Vancouver

Kosoo Resaurant is a fusion restaurant using typical Korean and Japanese ingredients with French cooking techniques. A very interesting flavour combination but can work well together. The restaurant is located by Cardero and Robson Street in the West End of Downtown Vancouver. They are open for lunch and dinner.

Interior

There are a good amount of tables inside for small to large groups. If you’re in a large group, its best to make a reservation in advance for big groups.

Kosoo Set Menu

The best deal on their menu is their lunch course set for minimum 2 people. It’s a lot of food, but for $15 per person, it’s very good. It comes with:

  • Oyster
  • Mushroom salad
  • Bibimbob balls
  • Kosoo Taco
  • Japchae
  • Sweet and spicy assorted sashimi salad
  • 24 hour pork belly, miso marinated pork belly with salad and pickle
  • Mackerel
  • Beef Soy Bean Paste Soup
  • Kimchi
  • Matcha Creme Brûlée

Caprese

This beautiful dish has tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and a bed of pesto sauce. Very good way to start off the meal, but isn’t what you would normally think would be on the menu.

Tartare Sampler

The sampler comes with beef, tuna and salmon tartare. A good way to taste all three tartares on the menu. I really enjoyed it.

Toro Sashimi

Toro is the deliciously fatty portion of the tuna belly. It’s rich fat content gives it a melt in your mouth texture. The toro is wrapped up in a rose. Just unravel it and eat it with some wasabi and soy sauce.

Gomae

This dish has sauteed spinach sitting a top of a sesame seed dressing. It’s a little bit Japanese and a little bit Korean.

Spicy Tuna Roll

On the base is a California roll topped with seared tuna and jalapeños drizzled with spicy mayo and their secret sauce.

Unagi Roll

This also has a base of California roll but has variations of eel (unagi) and avocado.

For both the rolls, I thought it was ok. Nothing special, but if you’re here and craving sushi, you have options here.

Cheese Chicken Galbi

This is one of their signature dishes and it’s quite popular. It has chicken galbi in the centre with veggies. On the side, there is corn with yam puree and mozzarella cheese.

Tomato Mussel Stew

It has fresh mussels in a broth of Korean spices, prawns and other aromatics. I didn’t really like the taste of the dish as it was salty, fishy and sour all at the same time.

Gambas

This dish has extra virgin olive oil, garlic mussels and prawns. Mussels were on the small side.

Spicy Popeye Gyoza

The crispy gyozas have a spinach cream cheese and prawn inside the crispy wrap.

Drinks

There is beer, wine, cake, soju, and other spirits on the menu. They have recently added Sangria to their menu. They have a Red Wine Bloody Berry and White Wine Fresh Citrus sangrias.

Good for a hot Summer’s day. Fruity, refreshing and sweet.

Final Thoughts

Overall, a unique concept that fuses a variety of cuisines but is predominantly Korean. Their best dishes are those signature dishes like the cheese chicken galbi.

Address:
832 Cardero Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.kosoorestaurant.ca/

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In product

Snickers Almond Review

Snickers Almond has been one of the newer candy bars on store shelves in Canada.

In the United States, Mars Bar was discontinued in 2000 and relaunched with the Snickers Almond Bar. For Canadians, the same change did not happen, so there are Mars Bars and Snickers Almonds up north.

Inside the bar is nougat, caramel, almonds covered in a rich milk chocolate. It was a good change to the original Snickers but I wished they had more almonds inside as it is one of my favourite nuts. There is a lot of caramel inside, so be prepared for it to stick on your teeth.

Website: https://www.snickers.com/Product/Almond 

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In Cafe

Yandoux Patisserie: Desserts in Olympic Village

Yandoux Patisserie is a new dessert shop and serves tea sets as well. I’ve passed by several times since I work in the area and was always curious. A lot of people stop by to pick up a few treats for home, but if you have time, they have their tea set for $48 per person. All their other individual cakes are around $6 per piece.

Interior

The space isn’t too large but has a clean minimalist look. A good space to hang out with a bunch of friends.

Matcha Opera Cake

This has layers of matcha sponge cake, chocolate, marshmallows and topped with a strawberry. It has a strong matcha flavour and the chocolate compliments it nicely.

Orange Blossom

There is a layer of pistachio sponge, almond sponge cake, pistachio ganache, and vanilla cremeux and orange cream. I enjoyed this.

Rouge

This tasty cake has mascarpone, cheesecake, raspberry and a lychee coulis. Highly recommended too. A few bites and you’ll devour it all.

Egg

This cute little egg is made of greek yogurt for the egg white, mixed fruit curd for the yolk and a base of almond sponge with whipped ganache for the nest.

We had to cut inside to see if the centre looks just like an egg and sure enough it was perfect. It was delicious and I like the tang from the greek yogurt with the fruit curd.

Le Petit Prince

Le Petit Prince is based off the classic book. I happen to be a huge fan, so I was mesmerized by the dessert made of Tahiti vanilla mousse, rum, and a passion fruit curd. The exterior has a vibrant blue colour and sprinkles of edible stars.

I’ve noticed a bit of inconsistency for this batch of Le Petit Prince. Some pictures I’ve seen online has more of a dark blue with white speckles that make it more of a galaxy. This one was more blue/purple. Other than the look of it, it still tasted good.

Final Thoughts

It’s good to have a cute dessert shop in the Olympic Village area as there aren’t many options in the neighbourhood unless you travel deeper into Downtown Vancouver. The taste of the dessert were good and their cakes change up so you won’t really know exactly what they have until you arrive.

Address:
1731 Manitoba St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.yandoux.com/

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In product

Suntory Clear milk tea and lemon tea

Suntory released their line of Premium Morning Tea in Japan and has gotten a lot of people wondering how they were able to turn milk tea and lemon tea clear.

I found these at Konbinya, a Japanese grocery store in Vancouver. These bottles did not have any English translation for the ingredients, so I had a few friends translate so we weren’t just ingesting chemicals. It seems to have a lot of different types of sugar.

Milk Black Tea

As our mind were messing with us, we decided to close our eyes to get a better sense of how this tastes. Upon the first few sips, it really strangely did taste like milk tea. The aroma of the assam tea leaves used in this drink was subtle as it was overpowered by the taste of sugar. It was like sugar water. I tested this with a few people in the office and no one liked it.

It sure if fun giving this a try, but you won’t be grabbing for a second bottle.

Lemon Tea

Suntory launched the clear milk tea first. As they were developing the product, they worked to address concerns from customers who felt the appearance of flavoured water looked like juice and seemed too child-like as it sat on their desk. Thus, this clear lemon tea was born.

I preferred this taste over the milk tea as the acidity of the citrus taste paired better with the sugar. It is made with Lipton tea leaves.

Overall, it was fun to try, but no one would repurchase these to drink.

Website: 
https://www.suntory.com/

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In Four Beakers

Restaurant Yugo: French and Japanese Fusion on Main Street

Restaurant Yugo just opened up on Main Street serving up a fusion of Japanese and French cuisine. If you’re a fan of their sister restaurant – Kitchen by Yugo on Denman Street, you’ll enjoy this too. I came after work with a few friends for dinner to chat over food and drinks.

Interior

The space is beautiful and seats small to large groups. They have a portion of the restaurant for reservations and some saved for walk-ins. We loved the atmosphere and the service from their staff.

Menu

Drinks

We had to start off the weekend with some drinks, so I got an Asahi Super Dry beer. I enjoy refreshing beer to go with this type of cuisine. My friends went with their Osamanthus cocktail which has tangerine peel infused gin, honey, osmanthus and lemon juice. They loved this cocktail and would highly recommend it.

Spicy Fish Tartar

This appetizer has crispy cheese sushi rice cake on the bottom, topped with avocado, spicy fish tartar, tobiko and green onions. On the plate is also quail egg and unagi sauce. You take the quail egg and drape the egg yolk all over the tartar. A fun appetizer to share and start off this dinner.

Gindara

This dish has a beautifully grilled black cod marinated in maple syrup and soy sauce. It is then served with fried soba noodles, kale and yuzu foam. The black cod has delicate and well balanced with the salty soy sauce and sweet maple.

Scallops Risotto

This dish has Hokkaido scallops, black truffle, mushrooms, ikura honey ricotta, bonito flakes and fried leeks. This is one of the most popular dishes to get here and it lives up to that reputation. So good and so comforting.

Sakura Cheese Cake

This 4 layer cake is perfect for the spring as the cherry blossoms are blooming around town. There is cherry blossom jam and green tea cookie crumbs. It is sweet and subtle sakura flavour.

Matcha Mille Crepes

Layers of paper-thin matcha crepes with red beans in the middle. It is then topped with more matcha powder on top. I really liked this dessert as crepes are awesome and when you turn that into a cake with whipped cream, its a good thing.

Homemade Ice Cream

Two scoops of ice cream all dressed up. If you’re looking for something simple, this is an option.

 Final Thoughts

Overall, we were all pleasantly surprised with the combination of Japanese and French flavours. It’s a great addition to the area where there isn’t this style of food. Dinner is slightly more expensive, but they are also open for lunch too with cheaper options.

We Rate Restaurant Yugo: 

Address:
4265 Main St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://restaurantyugo.com/

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In product

Purchasing Dairy Products Strengthens the Canadian Economy

Dairy has been a staple in our household since I was a child. Every morning before school, my mom would make sure my sisters and I woke up on time, brushed our teeth, combed our hair, packed our bags and ate. Since we were lazy kids, waking up was the hardest part of this routine. In order to speed up the process, she made sure to heat up a glass of warm milk ahead of time so it would be ready. She also made sure we finished every last drop so we wouldn’t get hungry before recess break.

A lot has changed since then and as we are getting older, understanding where our food comes from is a top priority. With so many options in grocery store shelves, how do we know where our money is being spent?

Agropur

Agropur is a Canadian Dairy Cooperative owned by 3,290 farmers and brings in more than 6 billion dollars in sales based off the unique cooperative business model of sharing wealth between its members. As the members pool their resources together, they are able to generate and share wealth to help keep their farm sustainable for years to come. As there are increasingly more competition among the worldwide dairy industry, there is definitely strength in numbers to stay competitive in the industry.

There are a lot of Canadian companies use the cooperative model – MEC, The Co-operators, and Home Hardware to name a few. I personally work for a financial cooperative and have seen first hand how money is reinvested back into the community.

Natrel, iögo, and OKA

Agropur uses the milk to create the wide range of dairy products and the strong brands that many Canadians love, such as Natrel, iögo, and OKA. You can find these products at most grocery stores across Canada. Dairy is so versatile that there are so many ways to use it. If you are lactose intolerant, Natrel makes lactose-free milk, butter and ice cream too.

Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is every kids dream of ooey gooey cheese sandwiched between delicious toasted pieces of bread. I sliced up some OKA cheese and put in deli meats in the centre for a nice bite. I put some mustard on the side for an added tang.

Yogurt Bowls

Yogurt bowls are easy to put together. You pour ïogo yogurt into the bowl and top with your favourite items. I like to add berries, granola, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds for extra texture.

Charcuterie plates

Be the best dinner host by putting together a charcuterie board with cheese, meats, fruits, crisps and pickled items. I used OKA cheese to pair with the salty deli meats. Looks really fancy, but is a breeze to assemble.

How can you help?

Next time when you are browsing the grocery store aisles, take a look at the packaging and see who makes these dairy products. If you see the Agropur logo on items such as Natrel, iögo, and OKA, you will know the purchase of that particular items goes back into the Canadian economy to help our farmers across Canada.

Website: http://www.agropurpride.com/pride/

This blog post was sponsored by Agropur but the opinions are all my own.

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In Car

2018 Honda Accord Touring: Review

Vancouver has pretty mild weather most of the year, but once a year there happens to be a surprise snow storm that paralyzes the city. We drove the 2018 Honda Accord Touring around the city in both sunny, rainy, and snowy conditions.

Heads Up Display

One of the new features is the Head Ups Display (HUD), which places important information in the driver’s line of sight. It can display navigation directions, speed, incoming calls, and any warnings. At first, this feature was a bit distracting, but I loved it the most for navigation so I wouldn’t miss a turn.

You can make adjustments on the left panel using the HUD button to adjust position.

You still have your normal dashboard if you decide not to use the HUD.

Blind Spot Indicators

Being able to quickly see if anything is in the blind spot is a blessing just in case there is a smaller car or even a cyclist. Being aware of your surroundings is key.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Even though Honda has their own satellite linked navigation system, I much prefer the Apple CarPlay feature to sync items on my phone to the dashboard like my music, any calls and Apple maps. Just plug in the phone and let it do its magic.

There is also wireless charging in the front console if you want to charge any devices that have the capability.

Roomy Interior

Besides being a driver, I also enjoy being a passenger to get an overall feel of the car. With the Honda Accord, space has never been a problem. Since the car itself is a bit longer than the Civic, it gives extra leg room in the back seats for added comfort.

There is also ventilation, charging ports and heated seats too. Now thats comfort.

Drive

The Accord was comfortable to drive. It has a powerful engine to go up any steep hills as well as going fast on the highways or slowly through city congestion.

There is a sport mode button if you want extra power. There are also steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. For city driving, you can turn on Econ mode to save a little extra on gas without compromise to the feel of the car.

Final Thoughts

I only covered a small fraction of feature of the 2018 Honda Accord Touring, but I was impressed with it’s capability and it’s packed full of features to give you comfort and safety when on the road in any conditions. I always felt safe when in the city and the suburbs.

Website: https://www.honda.ca/accord_sedan

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In Chinese

Chi Men 吃面: Lanzhou noodle soup in Vancouver

Chi Men 吃面 specializes in Lanzhou noodle soup on the West End in Downtown Vancouver.  What makes it Lanzhou noodles are the hand pulled noodles of various thicknesses. I wasn’t planning on coming here for dinner with friends but their decor caught our attention.

Interior

I really love the murals of noodle slurpers and it shows what the restaurant is all about. The space isn’t very large, but has enough spots for smaller group. Since it was a cold rainy night, it wasn’t very busy.

Menu

Charcoal BBQ Wings

Each order of chicken wings comes with 4 pieces. The taste of the charcoal penetrated deep into the chicken wings.

Traditional Beef Noodle Soup

The broth is clear and not super strong. You can add some chilli oil to add an extra kick of flavour. There are slices of beef, daikon, greens, and a lot of noodles. They didn’t have a lot of noodle options even though it was listed on the menu, so this is the 1.5mm noodles.

Soy Bean Paste Noodle

The soybean paste noodles has  noodles topped with soy bean paste, tomatoes, beef, egg, cucumber and green onions. This also has the 1.5mm noodles. My friend found this dish a bit bland and needed more flavour.

Chilli Sauce Noodle

This is a dry noodle dish and it has beef, chilli sauce, mustard greens and green onions. I got this with 1.5mm noodles as it was recommended by the staff. The chilli sauce did pack a little punch. This is one of their most popular items on the menu.   

Final Thoughts

The food was good but we wished there were more varieties on the menu for noodle thickness as there should have been 7. The top items to get here is the traditional beef noodle soup and chilli sauce noodle. The prices here are a little higher than what you expect, but given the area, its ok.

We Rate Chi Men: 

Address:
1120 Denman Street, Vancouver BC

Website:
http://chi-men.ca/menu

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In product

M&M’s Canada: Crunchy Espresso, Crunchy Raspberry and Crunchy Mint

M&M’s released three new limited edition flavours – Crunchy Espresso, Crunchy Raspberry and Crunchy Mint.  The best part is you get to vote for your favourite flavour once a day until May 25th. They launched this in the US, but now Canadians get to be part of the fun too.

Each new flavour is made with dark chocolate and wrapped in the signature colourful crispy shell with a unique chocolatey crunch in every bite. The Crunchy Raspberry variety has a regular rice crisp centre, and the Crunchy Espresso and Crunchy Mint varieties has a cocoa rice crisp centre.

Crunchy Raspberry

Inside the package are 3 different colours – red, brown and cream colour but essentially all have the same raspberry flavour. The raspberry flavour pairs well with the chocolate.

Crunchy Mint

In the package is brown, light green and a vibrant green colour. These reminded me of thin mints from the Girl Guides. I could definitely eat a bowl of these.

Crunchy Espresso

The last flavour comes in dark brown, light brown and cream. Espresso goes well with dark chocolate and you can’t go wrong with this combination.

Vote for your favourite flavour

All three flavours compliment the crisp centre and dark chocolate. I have my favourite and perhaps you do too.

You can vote by uploading or taking a selfie at flavourvote.mms.com, adding stickers to the photo representing your favourite flavour, and submitting to their website. If you are camera shy, you can simply select your favourite flavour on the website. You can also share your thoughts on social media like Twitter and Instagram with #VoteCrunchyEspresso, #VoteCrunchyRaspberry or #VoteCrunchyMint.

The flavour with the most votes will be announced in August 2018 and will become part of their regular M&M’s line up, available at stores nationwide for 18 months.

Can’t wait to see which one will be the winner.

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In Cafe

Sulmida: Korean Shaved Ice Desserts in Vancouver

Sulmida is a Korean dessert cafe specializing in bingsu or better known as shaved ice. They have other locations in Burnaby and Richmond. This particular one is in Vancouver on the West End on Denman Street close to Robson.

I came here on a weekday with some friends after dinner.

Interior

The space is pretty large compared to other locations, so there are plenty of tables to enjoy your dessert and drinks.

Choco Brownie Bingsu

In the bowl, it is filled with layers of sweet milky shaved ice and the chocolate mixture. Then topped with vanilla ice cream, brownies, and the choco ‘soil’.

Mango Banana Bingsu

As mangoes are in season now, this is very popular, It has mango puree, mango chunks, banana, almonds, and vanilla ice cream.

Green Tea Bingsu

All of the bingu are so cute with the addition of the almond bunny ears. This green tea version has red bean right under the vanilla ice cream.

Final Thoughts

All the bingsu were good, but it took them a very long time for them to be created. Our drinks that we ordered took a long time too.

We Rate Sulmida: 

Address:
780 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC

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In Squamish

A Day in and around Squamish, BC: Sights, Drinks and Eats

Squamish is one of the top 52 places to go in the world according to The New York Times and I’m so lucky to have it located about an hour away from Vancouver. A lot of people like to spend the afternoon here before heading to Whistler. I love visiting because of the beautiful nature and hidden food and brewery scene.

The scenic drive along the Sea to Sky Highway is breathtaking with many stops along the way. The most popular places to go hike is the Stawamus Chief, which can take 3 -6 hours but not meant for everyone. The Sea to Sky Gondola is a fun experience going up to walk the suspension bridge as well as watching the scenery when its a nice sunny day.

I on the other hand love to take it easy and experience what the locals love to do.

Getting around: Drive

The best way to get to Squamish and the surrounding areas is to drive. There are no Ubers or Lyft in British Columbia. You can take a Greyhound bus from Vancouver to Squamish, but as restaurants and attractions are spread apart, the easier way to get around efficiently is driving.

Coffee Stop: Counterpart Coffee

Counterpart Coffee is a small-batch coffee roastery but they have a coffee bar tucked away in the complex that they are located inside. It is easily missed, but when you find it, you’ll love their coffee to get you started for the day. I enjoyed their lattes.

Brunch: Fergie’s Cafe

Fergie’s Cafe is a local and tourist favourite for their benny’s and caesars. There is a reason why they have been voted Best Breakfast for the past few years. So delicious.

Short Hike: Bandywine Falls

30 minutes north of Squamish is Brandwine Falls Provincial Park featuring a 70m gorgeous waterfall. It is a short and easy hike to get to the falls. There are also picnic areas if you want to sit around and enjoy your own snacks.

Sights: Tantalus Look Out

On the way back from Brandywine Falls, make sure to stop at Tantalus Lookout for views of the mountains and river. It also has a good view of Squamish from far away. Very easy to park and take in the sights.

Lunch: Kululu Cafe

Kululu Cafe has caught the attention of local and visitors even though they haven’t been open for very long. They serve delicious Japanese cuisine with fresh and simple flavours that taste awesome. Their rice bowls and noodle soups are delicious. I highly recommend the tuna trio bowl which has toro, tuna and spicy tuna on top of rice.

Tasting: Gillespie’s Fine Spirits

Gillespie’s Fine Spirits is a small batch distillery in Squamish. We came for a tour and tasting to see what they were all about. John and Kelly started Gillespie’s to create a greener, more sustainable business model for distilling alcohol. Check out their tasting room on Wednesday to Saturday to sample their variety of spirits. They also have their cocktail lounge open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night for Craft Cocktails made with local ingredients.

Brewery: Backcountry Brewing

Backcountry Brewing in Squamish is a craft brewery that opened in 2017. They join the great craft brewery scene in Squamish as the 3rd craft brewery here. They serve up beer flights so you can try the array of beers they create. They have a stellar food menu as well and their pizzas are really popular.

Late Night Eats: Mag’s 99

Mag’s 99 is a Fried Chicken and Mexican Cantina in Squamish just on the highway. A popular spot for a quick bite of fried chicken and chimichangas. People love coming here after drinking or if they want something fast and cheap.

Sights: Porteau Cove

Porteau Cove Provincial park is beautiful right at dusk. As there is minimal light pollution, it makes it great for stargazing if you are passing by on a clear night. If you are a scuba diver, they are open for recreational diving. Under the water, you can see reefs and sunken treasures.

Looking for more recommendations?

If you want more recommendations to see what else to do in and around Squamish, check out Tourism Squamish as they have tons of recommendations for the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Website: http://www.exploresquamish.com/

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In Brunch

S+L Kitchen and Bar: Brunch in Langley

S+L Kitchen and Bar is a casual upscale restaurant by the Joseph Richard Group (JRG) bringing unique locally inspired dishes to their customers. They have craft cocktails, craft beer and an expansive wine list. Their menu is designed and inspired by Chef Matthew Stowe (Top Chef Canada winner and JRG Director of Culinary Operations) and David Jorge (MasterChef Canada winner and JRG Corporate Chef).

We were in the area and decided to come here for brunch on the weekend.

Interior

You will find a chic industrial look to the interior with the white, black and wooden look.

Mimosa

Brunch is great with mimosas and when we were here it was only $3, which is a great deal.

Coffee

I got a coffee with cream and sugar which was slightly more expensive than the mimosa. Nonetheless, I needed coffee in the morning.

Forest Mushroom and Goat Cheese Omelette

This has a three egg omelette, roasted mushrooms, and goat cheese. It has baby kale and crispy potatoes for the sides.  The omelette was decent and the goat cheese and mushrooms are a great pairing.

Avocado Toast

This has avocado on top of grilled sourdough bread with a sunny side up egg, oven dried tomatoes, and balsamic glaze. It has baby kale salad and crispy potatoes on the side.

Fried Mac & Cheese

We shared Mac and Cheese sticks that comes with 4 pieces and a bowl of San Marzano tomato sauce. Inside the Mac and Cheese sticks are filled with aged cheddar and American cheese. It was good to share this as it was very rich.

Chocolate Sphere

This fun dessert has a chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberries, inside a milk chocolate sphere with candied walnuts. A house-made creme anglaise poured table side to reveal the deliciousness inside. A good way to end this meal with this fun dessert.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a good brunch option in Langley as your choices are limited in this city. I wouldn’t drive too far to come here, but since it I was in the neighbourhood, we decided to come here for brunch and try it out.

We Rate S+L Kitchen and Bar: 

Address:
8398 200 St, Langley Twp, BC

Website:
http://www.jrg.ca/establishment/sl-kitchen-bar/sl-kitchen-bar-langley/

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