Foodology
Author

Foodology

Browsing
In Chinese

Flower and Horse in Spring: Yunnan Cuisine

Flower and Horse in Spring is a new restaurant serving Yunnan Cuisine with their signature ‘crossing the bridge’ rice noodles. The legend of the noodles comes from the Yunnan Province where a scholar was studying for the imperial exams and his wife would make a long walk crossing a bridge to bring him his midday meal. The meal consisted of hot chicken soup with a layer of oil to keep the meal warm. She would carry the ingredients separately and combine them together when she gave him the noodles until he passed his exam.

This story was passed down from generation to generation inspiring the creation of the noodles that symbolizes the wifes love for the scholar.

Interior

We passed by this place as it looked quite different from the outside. Looking at the menu and seeing this place was packed, we decided to line up. It was a 15 minute wait but the food smelled good.

The bright decorations really reminded my friend of China. She definitely felt nostalgia.

Traditional Crossing the Bridge Noodles

I ordered A5, the first overall pick according to the menu. Not sure what that means, but I felt most of the menu was lost in translation. This set has crispy pork, prawn, kelp, squid, marinated pork, fish, spam, corn, chives, bean curd, quail egg, yunnan pickle, tomato, carrot, bean sprout, parsley, and green onion.

There are instructions at the table on how to put together the noodles, but I learned quickly that I was so hangry that I can’t follow instructions.

It says:

  1. Beat the quail egg
  2. Coat the sliced raw meat with egg and place into the boiling soup
  3. Add cooked meat to soup
  4. Put Veggies into the soup
  5. Add rice noodle to the soup

We just dumped all the meat in first to cook it while the soup is hot. We then put in the rest of the veggies to cook. Then lastly, we throw in the noodles.

Once all the items were put together, it looked and tasted good. I wish it had more spice, but there was some chili oil that you can add a kick to the noodles.

Rice Noodle with sauteed pork sauce

The dish has a soup on the side too. The egg on top was delicious. The menu said the sauteed pork sauce was spicy, but it really wasn’t.

Noodles with with house special braised pork sauce in soup

It also has with shitake mushroom, bean curd sheet, bean spouts, chives, and other stuff. The menu had a big HOT warming on this item, but my friend said it wasn’t very spicy.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a great experience to try something a bit different in the city. The ‘crossing the bridge’ noodles were delicious and I’ll be back. It’s a small space and they don’t do reservations, so make sure to come earlier or have a bit of patience waiting.

We Rate Flower and Horse in Spring: 

Address:
1741 Robson St, Vancouver

Flower and Horse in Spring Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by
Read More
In Cafe

Cactus Club Cafe: Lunch and Dessert in Coal Harbour

Cactus Club Cafe in Coal Harbour near the Vancouver Convention Centre is their most beautiful location. It’s always packed and has a great view if you reserve a table near their window overlooking Coal Harbour.

I came here for lunch with a few friends to food and of course dessert.

All the Cactus Club Cafe locations across Canada from April 4 – 10, they will be donating $1 from every dessert sold to Make a Wish Foundation. They help support children living with life threatening conditions. The Sweet Dreams Dessert week will be helping 13 year old Morgan to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with her family.

Rain Coast Greens

This has fresh greens, grilled chicken breast, avocado, tomatoes, feta, spicy pecans, cucumber, egg, and a lemon-thyme vinaigrette.

Baja Fish Tacos

It has beer battered ocean wise lingcod, shredded cabbage, chipotle aioli, fire roasted tomato salsa, pickled red onions, and jalapeño peppers. Instead of fries, I substituted it with a salad. This was a filling meal and the beer battered lingcod was a good size.

Grilled Tuna Club

This has ocean wise rare-seared albacore, tarragon tartar, bacon, cilantro, pickled ginger, and ciabatta. It is served with fries on the side.

Chicken Tacos

These have mexican-style braised chicken, avocado, lettuce, pickled radish, onions and jalapeños, feta, sour cream, cilantro, and sea salted fries. There are 3 tacos that come with this dish.

Key Lime Pie

Has lots of freshly squeezed key limes in the pie with a graham cracker crust and hand whipped cream. It was very good and had the right amount of tang.

Chocolate Lava Cake

The delicious molten dark chocolate cake is served with raspberry coulis, and tahitian vanilla ice cream.

This was my favourite dessert as it is so gooey and rich. It hits the spot for those chocolate lovers out there. We gobbled this up so quickly.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bar

The crunch bar is served with tahitian vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and a few crunchy chocolate pearls. It was pretty sweet and dense. It’s a very popular dessert, but I wouldn’t be able to eat the whole thing. Sharing is great with this dessert.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good lunch with friends and trying their different desserts. The food is solid and consistent.

We Rate Cactus Club: 

Address:
1085 Canada Place, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.cactusclubcafe.com

Cactus Club Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by
Read More
In Commercial Drive / Grandview

77K Freeze: Nitrogen Ice Cream on Commercial Drive

77k Freeze is a new nitrogen ice cream shop that just opened on Commercial Drive. I came with a friend for a sneak peek of their shop before their grand opening. They are named after the low boiling point of liquid nitrogen – 77 Kelvins.

The owners, which are scientists discovered the joy of using liquid nitrogen to make frozen desserts while doing cryogenic experiments. They created a Cryogenic Control Unit to control the liquid nitrogen for making ice cream.

Interior

The interior is all white with snowflake decorations and blue accents to give the space a cool atmosphere.

There are seats out front, but they also have this lounge area that can be booked for events.

It’s great if you want to host an ice cream party or some gathering.

Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

You can create your own ice cream selecting the base, flavours, toppings and sweeteners. Or, they also have a few creations of their own creations like Snowflake, Oh Canada, Blueberry Pine, and Vancouver Red Velvet.

When you choose what you want, they start mixing it up and thats when the liquid nitrogen works its magic.

I tried a few of their flavours but I really enjoyed the Oh Canada with the milk base, a bit of maple to sweeten it and it has crunchy bacon bits and poppy seeds. I loved the crunchy texture of the whole ice cream, but at $8 for their signature flavours, the price needs a bit of work as it’s very expensive compared to the other shops in town.

As they just opened, they have some kinks to work out, but hopefully with more customers giving feedback, they will improve.

Website:
http://www.77kfreeze.ca/

Address:
2240 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

77K Freeze Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by
Read More
In Car

2017 Honda Civic Hatchback LX: Review

This week we got to try out Honda’s new Civic Hatchback series! After a long hiatus, the hatchback trim has finally come back to the Civic line. I was a huge fan of the 2001 Honda Si-R hatchback, so I was very excited to see a refreshed hatchback look come to Canada!

The model that we had was the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback LX, which is the lowest trim.

Exterior

Although I adore hatchbacks, I did not particularly like the gaudiness of the 2017 Honda Hatchback LX. Some people do not like the 10th generation of Civics for its hyped up sporty look and chrome, but I actually think it looks like the best one Honda’s ever made.

However, that sentiment did not carry over for me on the Hatchback version. The use of fake plastic vents in the front and back just feel cheap and fake. I would hang my head in shame if any car enthusiast comes closer to check out the Honda Hatchback.

I do like the spoiler and the nice TURBO written on the back windshield. It brings a nice retro feel to the car. I miss the Turbo vinyl on the back bottom doors that the 2016 Honda Civic Touring I reviewed last year had.

I also like the front grill of the car. It feels adequately fierce and angry. There are no LED headlights in this trim, which I think is both aesthetically pleasing and important for better visibility for driving.

Interior

This being the LX, lowest trim for the 2017 Honda Hatchback, it was not chock full of features I was accustomed to my reviews. There was no auto unlocking, no push button start, no flappy pedal gear box for Auto CVT, and no leather. There was also no right merge camera, which I thought was a strange omission as even the Fit had that.

The rearview camera is the same across all the Hondas I’ve seen. When it gets particularly stormy outside, the camera lens can get very muddled, losing its viability.

There is no sunroof in the Honda Hatchback LX, the higher tiers have a full panoramic moonroof.

The fully digital speedometer display and Apple Car Play is always great. However, I don’t know if it was because of the LX trim, but there were some weird issues with connecting my phone with this Car Play. One time I crashed the Honda display system fully.

I think it’s ridiculous that Honda would give you Apple Car Play/Android Auto but no onboard navigation system!

The lack of leather was okay, the stitching was slightly sporty. The leather steering wheel was not the smooth leather in higher tiers and felt like my 2012 Civic’s steering wheel.

Like all hatchbacks, this has a slightly bigger trunk than the sedan version. Not crazy enough to replace an SUV or pickup truck, but definitely more than an average sedan.

Drive

 

The 2017 Honda Hatchback LX is a joy to drive. The lowest trim comes standard with a 174hp turbocharged engine, that you have to pay $2,000 more for the Honda Civic Coupe.

It was a joy to drive this Civic. the engine was fun to punch and the turns were very accurate and on point. Going back to my normal Honda Civic 2012, it felt like turning a semi-truck in comparison.

Like all Honda’s the engine was gas efficient when it had to be.

Final Thoughts

I think the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback LX highlights the amount of features you get at a higher trim for only $8,000 more. For $8,000 more you get:

  • Navigation system
  • Auto unlock keyless entry
  • Push button start
  • 6 more horsepower engine
  • Chrome dual exhausts
  • Premium leather steering wheel
  • Better climate control
  • LED Headlights
  • Leather seats
  • Heated Rear Seats
  • Auto-dimming rearview mirror
  • Power seats
  • 18″ dark aluminum wheels
  • Power moonroof
  • Smarter windshield wipers
  • Blindspot display
  • ETC.

I listed all the things that are a huge bonus for me. $8,000 for all of that and more is a steal in my opinion and still less than $30,000. I’d gladly take the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Touring instead, please.

So where does that leave us? I think this is a great starting car and trim for a high school student or a university student’s first car. It’s cheaper and it’s fake plastic vents might appeal to that demographic.

Otherwise, I like my hatchbacks to have all-wheel drive. Unfortunately, the Honda Civic Hatchback does not have that option. I think that shows you that this Hatchback is not in the same rugged competition with the Subaru Impreza, rather it is just for city folk who want a hatchback look and added convenience of a slightly bigger trunk.

Regardless, you still get a premium driving feel buying this car and I just can’t wait for the true Type-R to come to Canada. Here is a glimpse of what it looks like.

http://www.honda.ca/civic_hatchback

by
Read More
In British Columbia

SPUD Weekly Staples Box Review

I’ve heard of SPUD for a long time now, a local online grocery store for Metro Vancouver with fresh, local, and organic grocery options. My fridge was empty leading up the the weekend and I saw a great deal to purchase their weekly staples box filled with goodies for $39.99 and free delivery. It contains over $65 worth of their customer’s favourite weekly staples.

[information]$20 off your first order of $50 or more. Coupon code: “CRVAN-CHADIF“.

  • Must be first time customer, one new customer per household.

[/information]

Since we are a 2 person household, this would last us longer than a week with what came in the box, plus we don’t always eat dinner everyday at home.

Delivery

They did Sunday delivery to my city, so it was nice to have it arrive on the weekend. You don’t have to be home to receive the package, but I was home anyways. They knock to check if you are home, but if you’re not, they can leave it at the front door, back door or whatever your instructions are.

The Package

My first order came in a large box, but you can also have them deliver it in plastic bins in order to be less wasteful.

Everything was inside and it was insulated with ice packs and dry ice to keep everything cool until you are ready to open it.

Unboxing the Produce

Inside the box, there was:

  • Apples, Gala (local organic) – 4 Medium Apples
  • Bananas (organic) – 6 Bananas
  • Broccoli (organic) – 1 Bunch (~1.5lbs)
  • Carrots, Bunched (organic) – 1 Bunch
  • Cucumbers, Long English Cukes
  • Lettuce, Romaine (organic) – 1 Head
  • Organic 2% Milk – 2 L jug
  • Organic Eggs – Large – 1 dozen
  • Organic Valencia Orange Juice – 1.75L
  • Pears, Danjou (organic) – 2 Medium Pears
  • Unmedicated Free Run Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts –  350 – 600g
  • Wild Onion & Yogurt Potato Chips – 150g

The produce was fresh, in good shape and tasted good. As they are organic, these fruits don’t come cheap. The apples and pears were a fair medium size as well.

There are still stickers on it so it’s easy to identify them. Some fruit is local and some is imported like the organic bananas since bananas aren’t local to the West Coast of Canada.

All the items were perfect staples for the fridge. Beautiful carrots with the tops still intact. You can cook with them or make vegetable stock.

The organic and omega-3 rich eggs were great and I usually get organic free range eggs anyways and they taste a lot more amazing than regular eggs. Something I can’t go back on because we eat so many eggs.

Avalon Organic 2% Milk and Happy Planet Organic Valencia Orange were 2 drinks that came with the package. Very tasty local products, but the orange juice taste pretty tart to me.

One item that I really value the most is quality of meat. The chicken breast that arrived from MapleHill Farms are raised without antibiotics, not fed animal by-products and grain and vegetable fed.

Final Thoughts

This was a good start to seeing the quality of the produce from SPUD. I loved the service and although it is pricier, you know you are getting good quality items from them.

The Weekly Staples Box would be an awesome item for any busy mom to keep the fridge stocked with the essentials.

http://www.spud.ca/

by
Read More
In Downtown

Masaladobo: Indian Mexican Cantina in Downtown Vancouver

Masaladobo is a Indian Mexican Cantina in Downtown Vancouver. This fusion cuisine is almost entirely gluten and dairy free, which is great for those with dietary restrictions. They now bringing healthy and delicious food to those who need a quick bite in the area.

The skytrain is just located a few steps away, which is very convenient for those taking the Canada Line.

Interior

The interior is fun, casual and full of colour. During peak hours, you order at the counter, but for other times, they can serve you at your table instead of going up.

There are lots of tables inside, so there shouldn’t be a problem finding a table.

Tacones

Tacos rolled up into a cone shape for easy eating. It has roti-taco-handroll hybrid red shred, masaladobo (spicy sweet indo salsa), raita verde, in a plancha tortilla, which is all gluten-free on corn tostada.

There are many kinds you can order but we tried the ginger duck kebabs and it has a very unique taste, which blends Indian and Mexican flavours together. The OceanWise options are great too with wild salmon pekora or the seared albacore & shrimp kebab.

Blackened tuna tikka taki

This has dry tikka spice and the albacore tuna is seared lightly. The item is on their Cantina Menu, where on Monday to Friday, it’s 2 for 1 from 2pm to closing. A good deal and it tastes great.

Masaladobo bowl

Masaladobo bowl with added ginger duck kebabs also has golden basmati and sofrito-coconut gravy with fresh greens , pickles and masaladobo.

Margaritas on Tap

They have margaritas on tap. It’s not a party without margaritas. A great item to have after work or sometime closer to the Summer during the hot months.

Indian Cola

A unique non-alcoholic beverage with all the syrups made in-house. It’s very different that your average soda.

If you want something stronger, they definitely have that too. Try a shot of tequila and a fresh-pressed juice chaser.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a unique concept mixing Indian and Mexican flavours. You won’t find a lot of red meat on the menu besides duck, but if you have dietary restrictions, they cater well to those people that are dairy-free or gluten-free, and vegetarians.

We Rate Masaladobo: 

Address:
433 Granville Street, Vancouver

Website: 
http://www.masaladobo.com/

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

by
Read More
In product

Smartfood Popcorn Gouda and Chive Review

Smartfood Popcorn has introduced a new flavour into the mix – Gouda & Chive. There are 5 other existing flavours, but the other popular ones are White Cheddar and Jalapeno Cheddar. Check out my past review on the other flavours.

We like to keep our popcorn close to the couch so it’s in easy reaching distance of the couch for movie nights or a regular evening with Netflix.

This new cheesy treat brings together the creamy flavour of Gouda and Chives into the world of popcorn.

Upon the first few handfuls, the gouda really stand out and then the chives hits you subtly. The popc.orn still has the same consistency as the other popcorn

It’s a nice addition to the line, but I still really love White Cheddar since I’ve eaten it for so many years that it’s just nostalgic to have it. What do you think of the new Gouda and Chive flavour?

Website: http://www.smartfoodpopcorn.ca/products/smartfood%C2%AE-gouda-chive

by
Read More
In British Columbia

2017 Healthy Chef Competition by BC Produce Marketing Association: Recap

The 18th Annual Healthy Chef Competition presented by BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA). The even is held to increase the awareness of the healthy aspects of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. I was invited this year as a media judge to attend this event.

Partnering with the BC Chef’s Association, they bring an evening of gourmet dining in which ten competing teams of chefs from the Lower Mainland’s restaurants, hotels and culinary centres offering up creative and savoury dishes.

The event is open to the public to purchase tickets and includes appetizers, dinner & dessert, the evening’s festivities and a swag box of goodies. This year, the room was packed with 500 people.

Everyone gets the some appetizer but depending on what entree and dessert card they get, it’s random. You can try trading cards with other people at the table.

Appetizer – Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait

Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait with smoked steelhead caviar, cured yolk and Old Bay Puffed Rice. It was a sizable portion to start the meal, but the mousse was slightly bitter.

Hyatt Regency Hotel

Smoked Duck Breast, Duck Confit Croquette, Duck & Fig Stuffed Blood Orange Tortellini.

EBO

Chicken Roulade with black truffle farce, ginger corn, corn puree, pickled cabbage, tokyo turnip, and spring onion foam.

Macerated Strawberries and Honey Pomelo with kiwi lime sorbet, almond biscuit, dill panna cotta, dehydrated meringue, and extra virgin olive oil.

Kids Bento Box. Butternut squash mac n cheese, homemade almond butter and jam, sesame teriyaki salmon, vegan chocolate and date mousse, and fruit terrine.

Vancouver Community College

Venison Loin Sous Vide with pickled mustard seed, lingon berry sauce, yukon potato pave, savoy cabbage, mushroom duxekke, king mushrooms, shallot jam, turnip celeriac puree, baby carrots, and french green beans.

Lemon custard sablee, ‘Golden’ milk chocolate mousse sphere, cocoa nib crumble, meringue and orange.

White Spot

Seafood Trio. Jumbo Atlantic Scallop on Sea Salted Sweet Potato Pie, Prawns Slow Cooked in Nori with Roasted Garlic Sun Choke puree. Jumbo Mussels in Saffron cream. Green pea and wasabi drizzle. Seasame honey baby carrots.

Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake with chocolate almond dacquoise, goat cheesecake, spicy basil honey, and blueberry coulis.

Gourmet Veggie Corndog with beet chips.

Executive Plaza Hotel Coquitlam – The Wild Fig

Blackened Duckling with rendered crispy skin, beet and potato pave, yam puree, white asparagus, slow braised shiitake mushrooms, asparagus sphere, date and cranberry port wine reduction, dehydrated grape tomato, savory flavoured caviar, and micro intense mix.

Duo Panacotta with rosewater coconut panacotta, earl grey pana cotta, candied sugar water crisp, fresh melon balls, mint macerated berries, pineapple and mango coulis, caviar and jelly noodle.

Mini Kiddie Plate with skinless duck stuffed white asparagus, cranberry sugar dust, vegetable bricks (carrots, beets, and pear), french bean bundles, yam puree and date/pear reduction.

Marriott Vancouver Airport – The American Grille

Awesome centrepiece for their table made out of vegetables.

Beet & Porcini crusted lamb rack with purple caulifower couscous, roasted carrot puree, spinach puree, medley of vegetables, umami jus and cumin tuile.

Rosemary infused Olive Oil Financier Cake with white chocolate mousse, apricot coulis, macerated berries, dark chocolate soil and beet meringue.

Kids Bento Box. Ratatouille with avocado mousse, root vegetable chips, and mango yogurt berry parfait.

Pretty Resort Estates – Sandpiper Resort

Gelderman Farms Pork Loin saltimbocca style, ratatouille, Harrison Mills Trio of Potato Pave, Rainbow carrot in spruce tip infused butter.

Dark Berry Muesli (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry apples, yogurt and oats) with Lemon Meringue, and Brule Granny Smith Apples.

Vancouver Island University

Poached Salmon, Fennel Cream Foam and House Made Sour Cabbage, Artichoke and oven dried tomato tart, pea puree scented with bay leaf, butternut squash, potato pave and roasted nut crumble, and roasted eggplant stuffed zucchini.

Vanilla coconut tapioca, tarragon lime, passion fruit foam, caramelized sweet potato, and candied radish.

Pan Roasted Whole Wheat Bannock, poached salmon, carrot, beet, cabbage, cucumber & apple, celery straws, hummus and raw fruit crumble.

Pint 405 Pub

(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)

Beach Grove Golf Club

(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)

  

Winners

Judges and the audience were able to vote for the best dishes for the evening. Here are the results.

  • Best Entree – Vancouver Community College
  • Best Dessert -Marriott Airport / The American Grille
  • Best Childen’s Entree – EBO
  • Best Table Showcase – Marriott Airport / The American Grille
  • People’s Choice – White Spot

It was a fun evening and there was lots of food. There was even enough for seconds at some of the booths. At the end of the night, we all got a swag bag and a produce box to enjoy the wonders of fresh BC produce.

Website: http://bcpma.com/about-us/events/healthy-chef-competition

by
Read More
In British Columbia

2017 Vancouver International Auto Show: Recap

I went to the 2017 Vancouver International Auto Show to get a look at a few of the new cars of 2017 and even sneak peeks of a few prototype 2018 models too from various car brands. I came as a guest of Ford Canada to check out their 2018 EcoSport, but that didn’t stop me from taking a look at some of the other areas of the show too.

There was so much to see, from everyday car to supercars. If you’re in the market for a new car in the near future or is a huge car enthusiast, you’ll definitely want to catch this show.

2018 Ford EcoSport

Ford Canada was debuting their 2018 Ford EcoSport, which will be available in late 2017. It is a compact SUV packed with technology that keeps us in touch with the world around us. I know for myself, I can’t live without my cellphone, so I value tech in a car. With our climate and the beautiful mountains surrounding Vancouver, having a compact SUV is very handy.

There’s not too much info on specs of the power, but hopefully it will be revealed soon.

There seems to be quite a trend of compact SUVs hitting the market, so it will be interesting to see how it compares.

2017 Ford GT

The 2017 Ford GT has finally arrived in BC redefining innovation in aerodynamics, EcoBoost and light-weighting. The 600+ horsepower EcoBoost engine and unique engineering features that make this a one of a kind supercar. It’s definitely intense and not for the everyday driver.

2018 Ford Mustang

2017 Honda Civic Type R Prototype

Honda Canada has their usual cars on display, but they were showing off the 2017 Honda Civic Type R. It is the most powerful, quickest, fastest and most agile Civic  in the collection. It takes the body of the 5-door hatchback but with a 2.0-liter DOHC, direct-injected and turbocharged i-VTEC in-line 4-cylinder engine with peak ratings of 306 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 295 lb.-ft. of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. It is launching this Summer for around $40k.

Acura Precision Concept

Acura Canada was showing off their Precision Concept car and it is absolutely stunning. I love the style and shape as it is so modern yet futuristic at the same time.

Toyota Mirai Concept

Toyota Canada has their Mirai hydrogen-fueled car and only emits water vapour. How cool is that? The future is so close.

2018 Kia Stinger


2018 Kia Stinger will be available later in 2017. It is all-wheel drive with 365 horsepower twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6 engine with a max 376 lb.-ft. of torque.

Final Thoughts

There was definitely so many cars to see from so many manufacturers. I was pretty overwhelmed that I had no idea really where to start. I just started walking around aimlessly. The entry to the event isn’t too expensive, so it’s  something nice to do if you are in Downtown Vancouver this weekend.

I was definitely eyeing a few cars that might be my next future purchase. It was good to see so many cars so you can get a look and somewhat feel of the cars.

If you’re looking for something more unique, they are a few higher end luxury car manufactures like Alfa Romero and Maserati to name a few.

Website: http://vancouverinternationalautoshow.com/

by
Read More
In British Columbia

2017 Spring PC Insiders Collection: Products and Recipes

Every season, Presidents Choice introduces new items as part of their PC Insiders Collection. As the rain and snow drag on, we are longing to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. While we wait for spring to arrive, many of us are looking for ways to bring the sunny days into our lives as early as possible. With the promise of warmer weather on the horizon, why not bring some new flavours into our lives with food.

Here are a few of the items I tried as part of the Spring 2017 PC Insiders Collection with some recipes too.

Harissa Pacific White Shrimp

This product had a bunch of frozen Pacific White Shrimp and a packet of Harissa sauce. I used this in the Harissa Shrimp Tagine with Herbed Couscous recipe for dinner. It’s quick to prepare and incorporate into any dish.

Harissa Shrimp Tagine with Herbed Couscous

I tried recreating a recipe from Presidents Choice, but since I couldn’t find all the ingredients, I made some slight changes.

[tabs tab1=”Recipe”]

[tab id=1]

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg (340 g) Couscous
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL)  PC New World EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1  onion, thinly sliced
  • 3  cloves garlic, minced
  • 1  each sweet red and yellow pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL)  each salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup (250 mL)  drained canned chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 pkg (480 g)  PC Pacific White Shrimp With A Lightly Spicy Harissa Sauce, thawed and shrimp patted dry
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL)  chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) Green Olives stuffed with pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL)  sliced natural (skin-on) almonds, toasted
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL)  chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

  1. Cook couscous according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add red and yellow peppers, salt and black pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
  1. Reduce heat to medium. Add chickpeas; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Add shrimp; cook, stirring often, until pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add contents of sauce packet and 1/4 cup water; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; sprinkle with 2 tbsp cilantro.
  2. Add olives, almonds, parsley and remaining 2 tbsp cilantro to couscous; stir to combine. Serve with shrimp mixture.

[/tab]

[/tabs]

PC Melt in the Middle Sustainably Sourced Cod Fish Cakes

The box comes with 2 pieces, so M and I had this for dinner. Good for households of 2 people or you can buy more. These cakes are golden-baked cod and potato cakes with a creamy lemon dill sauce centre. Don’t forget to buy a lemon to squeeze all over these.

Cod and Dill Fish Cakes with Spring Pea Salad

I made small changes to another PC recipe by adding some baby kale to the mix.

[tabs tab1=”Recipe” ]

[tab id=1]

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg (290 g)  frozen  PC Melt in the Middle Sustainably Sourced Cod Fish Cakes
  • 1 pkg Baby Kale
  • 1 pkg pea shoots
  • 1 cup (250 mL)  sugar snap peas
  • 2/3 cup (150 mL)  frozen PC Petits Pois Small Sweet Peas
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL)  PC New World EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp (10 mL)  grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL)  fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL)  salt
  • Pinch (0.5 mL)  freshly ground black pepper
  • 2  radishes, thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place frozen fish cakes on baking sheet. Bake 30 to 32 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.
  2. Meanwhile, bring small saucepan of water to a boil. Add snap peas and sweet peas; bring to a simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until chilled; set aside.
  3. Whisk together oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add snap peas, sweet peas, radishes and baby kale, pea shoots; toss gently to coat. Serve with fish cakes.

[/tab]

[/tabs]

Soft-Baked Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These cookies weren’t as soft as I had imagined, but they still had a great taste. The mini milk chocolate-covered peanut butter cups and chopped roasted peanuts gave it a great texture. I love peanut butter, so I naturally enjoy these cookies.

You can also serve these with milk or turn them into an ice cream sandwich.

PC Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake with a Coconut and Cookie Crumb Crust

It starts with a crumb crust of vanilla cookie with toasted coconut flakes layered with rich, velvety vanilla cheesecake and topped with a final layer of smooth, subtle matcha-infused cheesecake. It would have been nice if there was more matcha in this dessert.

Final Thoughts

A few great items in the collection, but I forgot to take a photo of their Chorizo Mac and Cheese, which was so indulgent. A classic favourite comfort food with tender pasta shells tossed in a smooth and creamy jalapeño cheddar sauce along with crumbled chorizo sausage, diced tomatoes, garlic and spices. I took it to work and gobbled it up.

I took my time trying each item, found some things I loved and some not so much. If you’re ever at grocery store selling President’s Choice products, check these out.

Website: http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/whats-new.html

by
Read More
In product

Thirsty Buddha Sparkling Coconut Water in Cocktails

Thirsty Buddha has come up with their new Sparkling Coconut Water. It’s an alternative to carbonated beverages with electrolytes and lots of potassium.

If you like sparkling water and coconut water, it’s both in one can.

It’s comes in 3 flavours:

  • All-Natural
  • Pineapple
  • Watermelon

We tried all 3 flavours and I liked All-Natural the best for drinking straight up. It’s best when it’s ice cold. You can even try making some cocktails with it. I put together 2 simple cocktails with these drinks.

Sparkling Coconut Water, Lime and Rum

I chose to use a white rum to keep the colour clean. 4 ingredients and super easy to make. You don’t need a long list of fancy ingredients to have a good cocktail.

  • 1.5 oz white rum
  • 1/4 squeezed lime
  • 4 oz sparkling coconut water
  • ice

Mix this all together and you have a very simple and delicious cocktail.

Pineapple, Sparkling Coconut Water, Lime and Vodka

Adding a nice fruity punch to your cocktails, the pineapple flavoured sparkling coconut water is a good simple drink as well. The pineapple sparkling coconut water pours clear, so adding a bit of pineapple juice adds flavour and colour.

  • 1.5 oz white rum
  • 1/4 squeezed lime
  • 1.5 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 4 oz sparkling coconut water
  • ice

I love to add tons of ice to my drinks to keep it cool. As the weather is getting slightly warmer, you gotta have some fruity cocktails.

Drinking it straight from the can or cocktail, it’s a good option to have sparkling coconut rather than pop as its a healthy spin to it without the empty calories. You can find the Thirsty Buddha Sparkling Coconut Water at most major grocery stores.

Website: https://www.buddhabrandscompany.com/

by
Read More
In Greek

The Greek by Anatoli: Happy Hour in Yaletown

The Greek by Anatoli in Yaletown has just introduced Happy Hour and we were given a sneak peek into what customers would have on the menu. Some dishes in this review aren’t the right sizing for happy hour and may be a bit smaller.

From Monday March 27 -31 2pm – 5pm, the Happy Hour food items will be only $2 and then they go back to regular price. A pretty good deal since you really can’t get anything for $2 these days.

The hours are a bit hard to make if you work 9-5 Downtown, other happy hour places end at 6pm.

They also have 12oz 1516 Lager for $4, Glass of Anatoli Meritage or Viognier for $6 or a Ouzo shot for $4. A good way to start the evening with some drinks and food.

Keftedes

These are traditional pan-fried meatballs served in tomato sauce. The meatballs were moist and full of flavour and the tomato sauce worked well.

Homous

There is chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley served with a side of pita bread. The portion is a little bit different than this image as they gave us more to share. A good item to fill up on and the homous is delicious.

Dolmathes

These are grape vine leaves stuffed with beef and rice, cooked in avgolemono broth which is a egg-lemon sauce. I love this stuff. It’s so good but I know some people don’t like it.

Spanakopita

This was everyone’s favourite. This portion is actually 2. It has spinach, feta and herbs, wrapped in filo and baked. It comes with a Tzatziki Sauce on the side. I loved every part of this dish from the flakey filo to that Tzatziki sauce.

“True Greek Pork” Souvlaki

The Souvlaki is served kalamaki style on pita bread with a side of tzatziki. It was really good, but then again when is pork not delicious? It was seasoned well, but had a slight toughness about them.

Calamari

It’s classic, crispy and served with a side of lemon and tzatziki. An item that will definitely be very popular. It was really good and I would order it again.

Greek Salad

This items isn’t on the happy hour menu, but sometimes you need veggies. It has fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, feta from Greece, capers and olives.

Mythos Beer

Mythos is a Greek Lager Beer. It is light, refreshing and pairs well with the food.

Anatoli Caesar

The caesar is garnished with a pickled bean, lime, a grilled prawn and a rim of salt and pepper. The drink looked great, but it needed more spice and heat to this drink. I like my caesars hot, but I could mostly taste vodka.

Karpouzi Watermelon Basil Mojito

Outside of the happy hour dishes and drinks, there were a few different items we tried like this Watermelon Mojito. Very refreshing and perfect for the warmer weather.

Final Thoughts

It was good to see what their happy menu has. Although it’s not extensive, it has a good amount of dishes that would keep customers happy. I do love good cheap food especially during happy hour.

We Rate The Greek by Anatoli: 

Address:
1043 Mainland Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://thegreekbyanatoli.com/

The Greek by Anatoli Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by
Read More
In Gastown

Crab Park Chowdery: Clam Chowder and Soups in Gastown

Crab Park Chowdery is located in Gastown and they serve up chowders and different soups in a cup or a bread bowl. A little taste of Seattle up in Vancouver.

I came here with M after work to give some of their items a try.

Interior

The shop is very narrow and can’t fit too many people here. Really large groups wouldn’t fit here, but groups of 2 or 4, would fit so perfectly.

New England Clam Chowder

The most popular item here is the New England Clam Chowder. Hands down. There are lots of clams and ingredients packed inside. M loved every bite of it to go with the sourdough bowl.

Eat it with a spoon or dunk the bread from the top into the chowder.

Smokey Tomato

The smokey tomato soup was a bit thicker, but there is a layer of cheese between the bowl and the soup then topped with green onions.

It was a good smokey tomato soup, but the acidity of the soup with the sour dough wasn’t the optimal combination. This bowl was like a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup.

Sauces

There are a bunch of hot sauces at each table to spice up your soup or chowder.

Final Thoughts

Overall, a few of the soups are pretty solid. We also taste tested some other soups as well. They also have some chowders of the day that aren’t always on the menu.

A few of my favourites are:

  • New England Clam Chowder
  • Loaded Baked Potato Soup
  • Mushroom Soup

We Rate Crab Park Chowdery:

Address:
221 Abbott Street, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/crabparkchowdery/

Crab Park Chowdery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by
Read More
In Downtown

Earls Test Kitchen: Happy Hour in Downtown Vancouver

Earls Test Kitchen is the place to go for happy hour before watching a movie at night. What is different about this Earls is that it is a culinary playground to craft different dishes and drinks that may influence the other Earl’s menu in North America.

The place was packed and we wanted to come here to catch happy hour. All items are smaller versions of what on the regular menu, but cheaper.

They have this menu every day from 3:00pm – 6:00pm and  9:00pm – close.

Interior

The interior is nice and there are tons of tables. Best to come earlier for happy hour as it is very busy.

Rhino Beer

Sleeves are $3 and Pints are $5. I got the lager as I wanted something light and fruity to go with the meal.

Garlic Fries

The garlic fries were crispy, skinny and full of potent garlic flavour. The fries seemed oddly short.

Super Avocado Toast

There are 4 pieces to this order for $7. It is smashed avocado on olive oil toasted baguette, garnished with confit tomato, sriracha drizzle and radish. I enjoyed it as a nice bite to help fill me up.

Bigger Better Burger

This burger has vine ripened tomatoes, onion, lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise and mustard, on a freshly baked brioche bun. You can also add cheese or mushrooms to the burger. M went with cheese. It was an ok, burger but it wasn’t too outstanding. For $9, this was the burger only.

Baja Fish Taco

The crispy battered cod taco is topped with fresh cut salsa, cabbage slaw, on corn tortillas with a wedge of lime. It’s a pretty big size and for $3, it’s a good price.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good quick meal before the show. It’s funny how the servers can guess who is here for dinner before a movie. It’s just steps away from the theatre and the food is solid.

We Rate Earls Test Kitchen: 

Address:
905 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://earls.ca/locations/test-kitchen

Earls Test Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by
Read More
In Indian

India Bistro: Indian Cuisine in Vancouver

India Bistro is located on Davie Street and they have an all you can eat lunch buffet. I actually came here with a friend for dinner to try out a few different items from their menu. I love Indian food, but I don’t eat it as often as I do.

There is lots of paid parking outside on the street.

Interior

The restaurant has lots of tables and if you don’t have a reservation, you’ll be ok. It’s always best to have reservations just in case they get super busy. The interior has dark and has dim lighting.

The menu is pretty large and has a good amount of items on the menu. It’s easy to identify any vegetarian or gluten-free options here.

Mango Lassi

A classic drink made of yogurt and mangoes. They make it all fresh here and was delicious. Pairs well with the food here.

Fish Tikka

Fish Tikka was one of my favourite items of the meal. It has fish marinated in fresh ginger, garlic, Indian spices & char-broiled to perfection. It is also served with other veggies too.

The spices were aromatic and the inside of the fish was very moist. I would definitely order this again.

Indian Salad

This salad wasn’t what I expected. It has sliced onion, tomato, cucumber, lemon and green chilli. It was a bunch of chopped vegetables and I think I should of gotten the cucumber salad or buddha salad as it’s more of a traditional salad.

Papdi Chaat

It has thin crisp papdi topped with potatoes, yogurt, sweet and sour tamarind with mint chutney. This is a dish served cold, which was interesting and unique.  When the papdi arrived at the table, it was n’t as crisp anymore due to the sauces.

Palak Paneer Naan

Instead of the usual naan, I wanted to try something a bit different. It has white leavened bread stuffed with spinach and cottage cheese. Delicious and it goes well on its own or dunked in curry.

Raita

It has homemade yogurt with cucumber, carrots and seasonings. It was delicious and paired really well with the naan.

Butter Chicken

A classic dish and it has pieces of boneless chicken breast. You can have different levels of spice in this and we got it medium. It had a nice kick and we could have definitely gotten it hot, but then again, I love my food really spicy.

Lamb Rogan Josh

This has lamb cooked with onions, garlic, ginger and traditional Indian herbs & spices. We got this at medium spice as well. Really good lamb dish and I enjoyed it.

Rice Pulao

To go with the curry, we had to order this. It has basmati rice cooked with cumin, onions & aromatic spices.

Gulabjamun

The dark brown round shaped cheese balls comes in a honey syrup. We got ours served warn and it was really delicious, but it is sweet because of the honey.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was really good here, but there were a few items I would pass up. The curries were delicious as well as the fish tikka. The location is great as it is in Downtown Vancouver. Good friendly staff and yummy food.

We Rate India Bistro:

Address:
1157 Davie Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://indiabistro.ca/

India Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by
Read More
In Culinary School

VCC’s International Culinary Arts: Spring 2017 Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen

VCC’s International Culinary Arts students are bringing the Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen back to the VCC Broadway campus for spring of 2017 and runs until April 21st.

It’s one of the hottest tickets in town since it’s only $30 for 5 courses and $15 extra for wine pairings. Sadly, all tickets are already all sold out for all seatings. You definitely want to sign up for the mailing list to get an email when the next time they are having this again.

This was my 4th time being here and it’s always a delight seeing the hard work the students and chefs put into this program to help grow future chefs of tomorrow. Having these kinds of Chef’s Table gives the guest a unique dining experience outside of the restaurant environment.

The tables are set up in a ‘U’ shape and everyone gets a good view of their meal being put together. Some students put together dishes and some other students do the serving. As it was the first week of the Chef’s Table, I could see some students weren’t as experienced talking to guest and explaining what some of the drinks were.

Tuna cannelloni

To start the meal, there is a tuna cannelloni stuffed with Dungeness crab. It also has Side stripe prawns, cucumber, avocado, and truffled soy pearls.
Their paired it with the Invisibull Sauvignon Blanc. A good pairing as it has lime, green apple and white peach notes.

I love the light delicate seafood dish to start. I love every part of this dish especially the avocado puree. The textures of the different ingredients worked so well together.

Grilled Octopus

This dish also has chorizo, navy bean, olive, salsa romesco with some crisps on top. Heavier in spices, this dish followed nicely and the chorizo and salsa romesco tasted so good. A lot of my friends wished they could take this dish and put it on tacos.

The wine paired with this is the See Ya Later Ranch Riesling.

Puffed foie gras

The puffed foie gras comes with apricot puree, candied almonds and a honey bubble ready to be popped. This was a similar dish I had back in Summer of 2016 when they had the Chef’s table too. A nice revisit to one of the unique dishes from last time.

This was paired with the Conviction Pinot Noir “The Priest”.

Roasted beef Tenderloin

There were 2 delicious pieces of the roasted beef tenderloin, Oxtail, potato croquette, carrot, and Cipollini. It was a delicious hearty dish, great for the meat lovers.

It was paired with the Lost Inhibitions By Church & State.

White Chocolate and Strawberries

Lemon curd Ice cream, strawberries, and topped with coconut crisp. It was a good sized dessert and it was fun watching them make the dessert with liquid nitrogen.

It is paired with Grey Monk Reflection Muscat.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun time watching all the future chefs put each plate together carefully. This time around, there were some hiccups like an items accidentally being omitted from one person’s dish and somewhat awkward service, but they are all here to learn and every guest was very kinda and understanding.

The food is always great and instructors like Tobias MacDonald really pass on their amazing knowledge to the students.

Address: 1155 E Broadway, Vancouver

Website: http://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop–more/the-chefs-table-pop-up-kitchen/

by
Read More
In product

Limited Edition Firework Oreo is Coming Soon to Canada

Limited Edition Firework Oreo is coming to a grocery store near you. I was at the Grocery & Specialty Food West Convention and stumbled upon this new product. The rep confirmed that they are shipping to grocery stores quite soon just in time for Canada Day.

That means Canadians will expect to see these in grocery stores quite soon. They come in the standard 303 g packs. I’m sure if they will be in US stores as well.

The Oreo still uses the same ingredients but with the added popping candy embedded in the frosting. When you bite into them, you can start hearing the candy popping in your mouth. It is like my 2 favourite treats came together to make something amazing.

by
Read More
In product

Filet-O-Fish, Big Mac and McChicken Sauces Coming Soon to Canada

McDonald Sauces are coming to a grocery store near you. They are working with Heinz/Kraft to make this product available to all Canadians. Probably Americans too. I was at the Grocery & Specialty Food West Convention and stumbled upon this new product. I wasn’t able to try this product, but the rep did confirm that it tastes very identical to what they have in their sandwiches. I would have taken one, but it was locked inside a display case.

It sounded like these will be hitting shelves very soon and I am giddy with excitement. I can finally stop asking for an extra side of sauce to go with my fries. It will make all BBQs amazing this Summer.

There was a limited release of 10,000 bottles of Big Mac sauce that was given out in the United States, but perhaps that was a sneak peek at what would be coming soon. When these get released, I will be making sure I stock up on each flavour.

by
Read More
Load More