There aren’t many Vancouver pubs which fit the description “legendary,” but very high on that short list is The Blarney Stone in Gastown, which has been welcoming locals and visitors alike with warm Irish-inspired hospitality since 1972.
The pandemic shutdown and slow return to normal gave the owners of The Blarney Stone a chance step back from the day-to-day challenges to focus on making sure the much beloved pub would come back better in every way. One of the key priorities was to give the food menu a complete overhaul to make it a match for the best pub food they had enjoyed during their travels around North America and overseas.
Working with long time Vancouver chef Karl Gregg, The Blarney Stone team spent months evolving and perfecting a top-to-bottom new menu which blended pub classics with delicious inspirations. In upping their food game, they changed their sourcing to use delicious local ingredients like grass-fed BC beef and Ocean Wise seafood and developed in-house recipes like scratch-made batters and sauces to showcase them in the best way.
So, the signature Fish Basket now features Ocean Wise cod wrapped in a house made Harp Lager batter for crispy perfection and the Dubliner Burger is built with a custom-ground blend of BC grass-fed beef and sharp Dubliner Irish cheddar. Lucky Nachos use house-fried tortillas as the basis for what might be the city’s biggest nacho plate, and the house wings come tossed in a Jameson Whisky Glaze.
“This new menu has been a long time coming and it’s been a labour of love for us,” said long time general manager and food veteran Brian Gobeil. “We wanted to be able to offer our guests the same sort of hearty, delicious food that we’ve enjoyed visiting pubs all over the world and we’re thrilled to launch the menu to all our regulars and out of town visitors.”
Speaking about the menu, Chef Gregg said: “the Blarney Stone team was wide open to the ideas I brought in around using local ingredients, expanding the range of share plates, and doing a lot more prep in-house. I think the quality of the food shows that it was worth the work.”
The Blarney Stone is open at 11am daily in the heart of historic Gastown and the full menu can be found online at blarneystone.ca.
When it comes to finding the perfect family car, safety, comfort, and practicality are of utmost importance for us. Combining the elegance and luxury of a premium SUV with family-friendly features, the BMW X5 stands out as a versatile and reliable choice for families of all sizes.
We worked with BMW Canada to craft a beautiful getaway through Victoria, BC and enjoy family-time together while having a smooth ride. We spent a few days testing why the BMW X5 is great for families and how it delivers an unmatched driving experience that caters to both parents and children alike.
We started off our journey leaving Vancouver, BC and heading off to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to make our way to Victoria. We got on the ferry and it was a smooth ride.
Spacious and Versatile Interior
With 3 adults and a toddler in the car, we felt like there was plenty of space for our luggage as well as personal bags to keep beside us. As we are only about 5’7, there was plenty of leg and head room.
Driving long distances, it was great to have the driver seat with power adjustable lumbar support as the lower back can get tired.
Ease of Parking and Getting into Tight Spaces
The front and rear parking sensors as well as the rear view camera are essential features for our family especially getting into tight spots like the ferry or narrower parking stalls. We were always able to make sure we had enough space to get in and out of the car. Especially with my round pregnant belly. I needed some extra space to get in and out of the car.
Right off the ferry, we headed to The Butchart Gardens as that’s were I really wanted to see as I haven’t been back since I was a kid. It’s an exquisite garden, which you can spend hours adoring through all the different seasons. It has over 100 years of history and it’s a must for locals and tourists.
We spent a good amount of time at The Butchart Gardens, so it was time to head to Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke, BC. Traffic on the highway was pretty bad during rush hour, so Google Maps too us on some smaller side roads and we loved how the BMW X5 handled on high turns through the forest. It was very smooth and even our toddler fell asleep.
We picked Prestige Oceanfront Resort because it was very affordable and was away from the city, so we could relax and enjoy the views of the water. Our toddler loved seeing the seals basking in the sun on the rocks without a care in the world.
We had dinner close by at Stoked Pizzeria and wow, their pizza was so crispy and flavourful. The place was bumping in the evening. For breakfast, we checked out the new cafe inside Prestige Oceanfront Resort called Island Tarts Cafe & Catering, which is a local small business selling the most amazing coffee and treats.
As we checked out, we packed up our bags and put everything in the trunk. We loved the 2 piece tailgate was great to quickly grab items from the trunk, but if there was something that started rolling around in the back, nothing would fall out.
The rear window sunshades were fantastic for the kiddo in the backseat as it would be very sunny and having it up would help her relax and take longer naps on this road trip.
For the second day of our trip, we focused more of kid friendly activities since the kiddo wanted to get out of the car to see some animals. First stop was Beacon Hill Children’s Farm. It’s by donation and there’s even lots of goats to pet and brush. We stayed about 30 minutes and then headed off to brunch at Eva for some German cuisine.
We needed to get a bit closer to the Ferry, so we stopped at Sydney, BC which was a few minutes away from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. We all made sure we did something a little different so we can enjoy the sights and sounds of Sydney. My husband went to visit Victoria Distillers for a gin tasting and they are best known for their Empress Gin. The kiddo spent some time at the Shaw Centre for the Salish Seas to learn more about the local animals in the area. The rest of the time, we spent wandering the pier before it was time to head to the ferry.
Getting to all these locations was easy because of the Apple CarPlay feature. We just connect our iPhones and we have our music and maps all ready with a touch of a button.
Final Thoughts
A family road trip with the 2024 BMW X5 is an exciting and comfortable adventure to help us get to our different destinations with ease. It’s known for it’s performance, spacious interior, and advanced features. Our family had a great little getaway and felt very safe. Definitely check out the vehicle if you and your family go on local getaways throughout the year.
This blog post was sponsored by BMW Canada but the opinions are all my own.
When we previously visited the Okanagan, we would do several tastings in a day. As we make more trips to the Okanagan, we really find a lot of value in having an immersed experience to really understand the unique wine making methods, the architecture, and of course tasty dishes.
Phantom Creek Estates has 25 years of rich history in Oliver, BC on the famed Black Sage Bench of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, specializing in single-vineyard Bordeaux reds, Alsatian whites, and the Okanagan’s benchmark varieties of Viognier and Syrah from storied vineyard sites. The winery was established in 1996 by Richard Cleave, a pioneering viticulturist and found by the Bai family in 2016 to further develop the estate.
Phantom Creek Vineyard is consistently recognized for producing some of the best red wines in Canada, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. They strive to be one of the best in Okanagan and it shows through the wine, restaurant, and amazing staff.
Tour and Wine Tasting
Phantom Creek Estates offer 6 different tour and tasting options from $20 to $475 per person. Good options depending on how much time you have during your trip to learn about Phantom Creek Estates.
A popular option is their Estate Tour & Tasting for $60 per person where a Senior Brand Ambassador will guide you on a 90 minute tour around the estate. It begins in the History Room, where you’ll get an overview of the historic vineyards on the Black Sage Bench. From there, you’ll see the curated art installations and learn about their commitment to natural farming. Then, venture into the winery to see the winemaking process. The tour will end with a one-of-a-kind tasting in an exclusive private tasting room with unobstructed views of the South Okanagan. The tasting features their premium selection of wines.
Their Founder’s Cellar Experience is highly recommended as you get the extended tour and access into the Founder’s Cellar, plus a curated five-course menu paired with library and exclusive wines from their cellar. The underground cellars make for some amazing photos to capture memories with your friends and family. A great way to see it all.
The Restaurant
The restaurant is a must and have 2 and 3 course menu with optional wine pairings. It opened in 2021 and Chef Alessa Valdez brings her skills to elevate the seasonal menu that pairs so well with their exclusive wine selection. Plus, the view from the dining room and patio are stunning.
Lunch service offered from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Do inquire about any features of the day as we were surprised they offered a seafood tower and had the options of substituting our appetizers or main.
Seafood Tower This seafood tower has shrimp, oysters, mussels, ahi tuna on crisps, and mini crab claws. Paired with the rosé. It was fresh and naturally sweet and delicious. I love how everything is cracked for you so it’s seamless to eat and enjoy.
Duck Confit The duck confit has puffed red quinoa, beets, fiddlehead, red and green sorel, and hoisin. It is paired with the 2019 Cabernet Franc. Duck was rendered nicely and always a great pairing with red wines.
Prairie Ranchers Pork This fun plate has pork shoulder croquette, pork tenderloin, jerusalem artichoke, pickled mustard seed, and harissa. It is paired with their 2018 Merlot. The pork shoulder croquette was a joy to eat and bursting with flavour.
Spring Risotto The morel & oyster mushrooms, asparagus, sous-vide farm fresh egg, and grana padano in the risotto is pure magic. The earthy notes from the mushrooms pairs so well with the 2020 chardonnay
Strawberry Pavlova The pavlova has house made granola, coconut cream, and basil. It is paired with the exclusive 2016 Riesling Ice Wine only available at The Restaurant. Guests have tried bribing the staff to purchase bottles, but no luck.
Rum Baba This dessert was surprisingly moist even though it didn’t look like it. It has cardamom diplomat, crepe dentelle, poached rhubarb, rhubarb purée, and nasturtium. It is paired with the 2016 Chardonnay. Very enjoyable.
Pecan Éclair My favourite dessert was this eclair and it has mousseline, praline, candied pecan, and pickled Saskatoon berry. It is paired with their exclusive 2016 Cabernet Franc Ice Wine only available at The Restaurant. Just a joy to eat.
Reservations is a must and it can be booked up fast. They have inside and patio seating available. The Restaurant was the highlight of our trip at Phantom Creek Estates and even our whole trip to the Okanagan.
Summer events
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Phantom Creek Vineyards, the winery is hosting a series of celebratory events this year and will take place through September, including a monthly Phantom Creek Vineyard-focused dinner series.
Soirée en Rouge The Soirée en Rouge event happened earlier this month and kicked off the 25th anniversary with more Summer events to come. The estate is gorgeous and is a perfect backdrop for any event. Absolutely STUNNING.
Summer Picnic The winery is also debuting a new Summer Picnic offering which is available daily and is BYO (bring your own) blanket. Reservations are required for the Summer Picnic, and wine bottles and charcuterie trays are available for purchase to enjoy in the winery’s outdoor lounge and amphitheater.
Summer Music Series The winery will also be hosting a Summer Music Series every Friday, through September 16 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with live music in the amphitheater featuring local musicians. Tickets can be purchased here.
Final Thoughts
Overall, there are a lot of ways to enjoy Phantom Creek Estate through the tours, tastings, restaurant, or special events. Plan accordingly and make reservations as it will get busy through the Summer.
Phantom Creek is a newer brand in the Okanagan, but don’t overlook them as they have 25 years of rich history and continually giving back to the land to make it better. Add Phantom Creek Estate to your next visit to Oliver, BC!
Modern Indian Comfort Food definitely exists in Vancouver and Saucin Staples does it so damn well. They put a lot of love into the menu by crafting up the perfect items that pair with their signature sauces.
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The menu is customizable in 3 easy steps:
Staple (Tacos, Samosa, Biryani rice, mac and cheese, sandwich, and tuscan salad)
Protein (Chicken, Pork, Beef, Boiled Eggs, Paneer, Mixed Veggies, and Chickpeas)
Sauce (Butter masala, Madras Coconut, Cilantro Cream, and Korma)
Upon looking at the menu, I didn’t have a good sense of what to expect, but when I took the first bite, I was in love.
They are now open for dine-in, delivery and take out.
Interior
There are a few tables inside for you to dine-in, but mostly people are doing take out and delivery as it’s so nice outside.
Menu
Mac n Cheese with Chicken and Butter Masala
So cheesy and the chicken and butter masala paired so well to make it a butter chicken mac n cheese. Highly recommended. This is definitely one of the most popular items on the menu and it hits the spot.
Biryani Rice with Beef Korma
This hit the spot and Korma is actually one of my favourite sauces of the 4. This dish was so flavourful that I can’t imagine it with any other combination. Highly recommended.
Samosa with Butter paneer and cilantro cream
It comes with 3 pieces per order and its a good item to share with a few people. The cilantro cream was really good too.
Gulab Jamun Creme Brulee
Incorporating the Gulab Jamun into a creme brulee was nice, but it felt like it didn’t set well and was a bit soupy after I cracked the top.
Mango Lassi
Mango lassi is a classic and a good way to cool down after the meal.
Final Thoughts
Definitely give them a try because it’s insanely good. We highly recommend it. Perfect food to even pair it with a beer.
Tendon Kohaku has opened their second location in North America in North Burnaby inside Madison Centre (106-1901 Rosser Avenue). They have taken over the location of Vancity Credit Union’s previous location before relocating to The Amazing Brentwood.
Their first location is on Howe Street (190-840 Howe Street) in Downtown Vancouver, but it is definitely needed in Burnaby. They are best known for their tempura bowls that have captured diners hearts.
We heard that they were opening for their soft launch with a limited menu, so we decided to check it out for lunch.
Interior
The space is really nice and bigger than I initially thought. A great design and we felt very comfortable. All staff are wearing masks and there is hand sanitizer being offered. There aren’t plexiglass walls dividing up tables, so some are and some aren’t comfortable with that. Personal preferences.
Menu
During the soft opening, they don’t have the seafood tendon, vegetable tendon, chawanmushi, kabocha salad, chicken wings, tomato iiko, and kohaku refresher.
Once they full open, the whole menu should be available.
Hokkaido Milk Tea
The drink container is so damn cute. The Hokkaido Milk Tea is freshly brewed with 100% organic black tea. It’s a solid milk tea, but there is no option to customize ice or sweetness.
Kohaku Banana Milk
This drink is made with 100% organic milk and my husband loves it. I personally didn’t because I just personally don’t like bananas.
Tuna Tataki
The tuna is gently seared and paired with a citrus sauce and some greens on the side. It was good but I wish there were a few more pieces.
Kohaku Tendon
This is the best selling item here as it has a bit of everything. Inside the bowl is rice, Kohaku Tendon sauce, 2 prawns, 1 chicken, 1 squid, 1 baby corn, 2 French beans, 1 shiitake mushroom, 1 kabocha pumkin, and 1 soft fried egg. All tendon bowls is served with pickled ginger and miso soup.
I really enjoyed this and the exterior stayed crisp and the interior was tender. The egg was perfect. Highly recommended.
Anago Tendon
This is the chef recommended item as it has rice, Kohaku Tendon sauce, 1 Anago (Eel Fish), 2 prawns, 1 chicken, 2 French beans, 1 Shiitake mushroom, 1 lotus root, and 1 soft fried egg. It also comes with miso soup and gingered pickles. He absolutely loved it!
Japanese Strawberry Cheesecake
This is their Japanese soft cheesecake served with housemade strawberry coulis. I love how it comes with a little pink shovel. Its very soft and fluffy. A touch sweet.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we really enjoyed Kohaku Tendon in Burnaby. The staff were fantastic and the food was solid. We sat in the booth area and wasn’t too close to other groups.
I also love how if you can’t finish your drink, you can take it to go.
Mauna Sushi is serving up Aburi Oshi in Surrey and it’s great to have more options in the area. Sean Ma is behind Mauna Sushi and has worked at Minami, Wasabi, and his own catering company prior to starting Sushi Mauna.
They are currently open for take out and delivery, but once the pandemic restrictions ease up, dine in will resume. Best to double check and give them a call. In the meantime, they are ready for you for your next party, picnic, or potluck.
Right now, they have 10% off takeout orders and free Mauna Aburi Tart if you order Tray D, E, F, G, H or the Aburi tray for a limited time only.
Taste Test
The Tray D features Salmon Oshi, Ebi Oshi, Saba Oshi, Explosion Roll and Hawaiian Roll. A good assortment of items in this tray and it is their most popular tray on the menu. Great item for get togethers with many people.
Mauna Aburi Tart is good for an individual person or if you are keen, you can share it with another person to have a taste. Good flavours and I like the crunchy bits from the fried tempura.
Tamago Maki, Avocado Maki, and Cucumber Maki for our little toddler. It’s solid and our daughter ate them up.
Final Thoughts
It’s great to have aburi oshi in this area a few minutes away from Guildford Town Centre, so you don’t have to travel all the way to Downtown Vancouver for it. Prices are very fair and affordable too.
Sushi Tree Restaurant just opened in Henderson Place Mall in Coquitlam. They are specifically located between the library and the north side of Henderson Mall near the parkade entrance. It is quick serve, so there are no tables inside. Just order at the counter and grab your order. As the inari are made ahead of time, there isn’t a wait unless you’re getting the other rice bowls or salads on the menu.
They specialize in Inari, Japanese sushi with rice and ingredients inside of tofu pocket. It’s very affordable as each piece is around $2.65.
Menu
The most popular item is their Inari and the turnover is very high, so you’re guaranteed fresh inari that aren’t sitting around. I haven’t seen anyone order the cup bab, salad, or rolls yet, but it’s a good affordable option too.
Taste Test
We grabbed 6 inari per adult and it was really filling, but we enjoyed the variety. It’s makes for a nice lunch or something to bring to a picnic or a friend’s place. The size of each inari was a good portion size. The ratio of the rice and topping are very great too.
Of all the inari, our favourites were – spam, teriyaki beef, spicy pork, cooked tuna, and unagi. If you want kid-friendly inari, we recommend the egg and the cooked tuna.
Just grab a bunch and you won’t be disappointed.
Final Thoughts
We do recommend them as it’s a good potion, tasty, and affordable. It gave us Japanese vibes even thought the inari do have Korean influences.
NeNe Chicken is an international Korean Fried Chicken chain from South Korea. They are known as one of the top Korean Fried Chicken shops and it’s definitely a must try. There is a lot of anticipation for them to open in Vancouver and they’re definitely going to be very busy.
There are tons of Fried Chicken shops in Vancouver and I love having more options. As you can tell, Korean Fried Chicken is one of our favourite foods. NeNe Chicken has 7 types of Korean Fried Chicken, 5 burgers, and 6 sides to choose from. My husband loves it when there are boneless options on the menu. We were invited for a sneak peek before their soft opening launch.
Delivery and Takeout Options
A majority of their orders will be for takeout and delivery, so you can find them on Skip the Dishes, Door Dash, Uber Eats, or their own online ordering system.
Menu
Boneless Original Fried Chicken
We got half of the boneless original fried chicken and were surprised at how crisp the exterior was and the inside was very juicy. We also did wait to have some more pieces at home to see how it holds up on the ride home. After a 30 minute ride, it was still crispy. We were very impressed. My husband absolutely loved it. He still raves about it.
Boneless Soy Garlic Chicken
The other half we got was the boneless soy garlic chicken. I absolutely loved it. It had a good amount of garlic aroma with a hint of spice. One of the better soy garlic chickens I’ve had. Even with the addition of the sauce, the crispiness still held up very well.
French Fries
We got side of fries and we weren’t disappointed either. It’s a lot better when it’s fresh, but the little one didn’t mind at all.
Final Thoughts
We have had a lot of Korean Fried Chicken in the past and NeNe Chicken is definitely up there in our top 3. My husband and I don’t always agree on what is the best as that is always so objective. We still highly recommend trying out NeNe Chicken as it holds up very well for takeout. The chicken is very flavourful and juicy, plus the exterior still holds a nice crunch and doesn’t go soggy.
We can anticipate NeNe Fried Chicken being really busy once they open on April 21, 2021 for their soft opening.
Krispy Kreme is collaborating with Oreo and they have created limited time only flavours from now until April 18th, 2021 at participating locations. 2 weeks only! We are huge fans of Oreo and Krispy Kreme, so we had to take a drive to the closest Krispy Kreme in Delta, BC to get these sweet treats.
There are 2 options of the donuts to get- Oreo Cookie Glazed Donut and the Oreo Cookied Over-the-Top Donut.
Oreo Cookie Glazed Donut
The Original Glazed Doughnut is covered in an Oreo cookie glaze, filled with cookies and kreme, topped with an icing drizzle and Oreo cookie pieces. This was really good especially when it’s paired with a coffee to balance out the sweetness. As for the cookies and kreme filling, there wasn’t much in it as you can tell from the photo. Other than that, it’s very enjoyable with the generous amount of Oreo cookie glaze. I would definitely get this again.
Oreo Cookie Over-the-Top Donut
This has the Oreo Cookie Glazed Donut, drizzled with chocolate icing and topped with cookies and kreme filling and an Oreo cookie wafer. It’s definitely over the top but so epic for Oreo fans. Its harder to eat with the varying textures, but you can’t deny that it looks great.
Final Thoughts
This was a great collaboration between Krispy Kreme and Oreo. Too bad it’s only here for 2 weeks and then it’s gone. The Oreo Original Glazed Doughnut was our favourite in terms of taste. If you’re there anyways, might as well get both to enjoy the whole experience. Plus, the Oreo Cookie Over-the-Top Donut is great for pictures.
The Peri Peri Shack recently opened up in 2020 on Kingsway and Fraser in Vancouver. They have been very popular since opening mostly for takeout and delivery. A lot of people will compare them to Nando’s or Barcelos.
We were invited to check out The Peri Peri Shack for their signature menu items and see how they compare to their competition.
They also offer catering options and they are planning to open more locations in Vancouver.
Interior
Most people do takeout and delivery, but if you want to dine in, you can. There are a few tables inside, but with Covid restrictions, it is 5 customers at a time. Do note, that this number will fluctuate as go through the pandemic. best to check with them to stay up to date on what they allow.
Safety Measures
They are committed to keeping staff and customers safe during this time. They are operating at reduced capacity to ensure physical distancing, sanitization, and regular cleaning.
This is their most popular dish! The chicken is marinated in their signature marinade for 24 hours & flamed grilled to perfection. It is served on a bed of Basmati spiced rice and topped with the sauce of your choice. We got the citrus and herb sauce with this bowl
The chicken delicious and their sauce just compliments so nicely. It’s a great takeout item as it stays nice and hot. We really enjoyed it.
Flame Grilled Chicken Sandwich
The sandwich has flamed grilled boneless chicken breast topped with peri peri mayo, red onions, crisp shredded lettuce & slice of tomato on a brioche bun. It’s a solid sandwich, but nothing outstanding.
Peri Peri Chicken (Quarter Leg and Thigh)
This is marinated in their secret blend of spices and flamed grilled in your choice of spice level. You can choose from Original, Mild, Citrus & Herb, Mango, Hot, and Very Hot. We tried all their sauces and they are good, but very hot is indeed very hot. Our favourite sauce to pair with flame grilled is the hot.
Peri Peri Wings
We got the wings with their hot sauce and wow, so darn good. Highly recommend it if you love wings.
Mac & Cheese
The mac and cheese is made of a blend of cheeses topped with breadcrumbs. It was a bit bland and needed some more spice. Maybe ask for a side of hot sauce.
Fries (Original)
Of the two fries, I like the original one better as it pairs better with food.
Fries Peri Peri Seasoning
The original fries seasoned with the peri peri seasoning. I did find it to be a bit salty.
Onion Rings
The onion rings were surprisingly addicting. I didn’t expect it to be, but it was crunchy and had a good breading to onion ratio.
Peri Corn Ribs
These are a recent addition to the menu and it is brushed with butter and their signature Peri seasoning and then flame-grilled. It’s really delicious and I highly recommend it.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I did enjoy the food and I’ll be back for the flame grilled chicken and their chicken rice bowls. A solid item for lunch or dinner as it’ll get you full.
Essential workers on the frontlines deserve a break…help them sit back and sip easy!
Keeping with the “take it easy” mindset of its latest brew, Sip Easy, Granville Island Brewing (GIB) wants to help recognize and honour five essential workers across the Lower Mainland by rewarding them a well-deserved break to sit back, relax and sip easy. Whether you are a grocery store employee, transit driver, construction worker, teacher, healthcare worker, retail or service industry employee or a delivery person, you deserve a break and Granville Island Brewing wants to help.
Granville Island Brewing presents the Heroes Sip Easy contest because taking it easy is essential. Nominate an essential worker in your life who is in need of a well-deserved break so we can treat them to the sip easy experience they deserve.
Two Grand Prize Winners will win a taproom experience at Granville Island Brewing for them and their household/bubble valued at $1000. Three Runner-Ups will win an exclusive sip easy take home experience pack to relax at home with your household valued at $350. To nominate an essential worker in your life, visit http://gibcontest.ca/herossipeasy/ by March 31, 2021.
As the days become brighter, Starbucks Canada is adding a new oat-based beverages to its menu – the Canadian-exclusive Brown Sugar Oat Americano to provide customers with more delicious plant-based beverages.
At under 200 calories for a grande-size, the beverage features Starbucks Blonde Espresso, brown sugar syrup and water, topped with steamed oat beverage and cinnamon.
Taste Test
A good drink that works very well together, but it a touch sweet, so I would recommend going with one pump less brown sugar. If you order from their app, it’s easily adjustable, plus you can see how many shots and pumps of syrups are in each drink.
Other than that, it was very enjoyable and would get again.
Starbucks is adding a new line of espresso drinks to the core menu—the perfect iced duo will help coffee lovers embrace their day and introduce more plant-based choices into their diet. We give the Iced Brown Sugar Oat Shaken Espresso a try.
Combining the trends of cold coffee and oat beverage, Starbucks baristas shake Starbucks Blonde espresso, brown sugar and cinnamon together with ice, and then top it off with oat beverage for a cool lift to help cold coffee lovers power through their day.
Taste Test
The drink is pretty good and I love the combination of espresso, brown sugar and oat milk. The espresso and brown sugar compliment very well, but it is still a touch sweet. It would be good to get one pump of brown sugar less.
All it is missing is some pearls to compare to the offerings of Starbucks in Asia.
Final Thoughts
Definitely worth a try if you love espresso, oat milk, ad brown sugar.
Thomakis Real Greek Yogurt has been a hit since they launched during the pandemic in Vancouver. Months into the business, customers can’t get enough of their Greek Yogurt. They sell out within seconds!
Their goal is to give their customers a taste of real Greek yogurt that is far superior than any of the Greek yogurt found in grocery store shelves. Upon first bite, we were hooked on Thomakis Real Greek Yogurt.
As demand for their yogurt surpasses what they can currently produce, they have leverage a lottery system where every Sunday at 8:30pm on Instagram ONLY, customers can put their name in for a chance to buy the yogurt for the week. Their flavours rotate regularly and you never know what they will create until a few hours before the lottery opens. Once your order is in, it gets delivered on Saturday morning.
They have plans to move into a larger commercial kitchen to increase production but for now, this is the system they have set up.
If you’re not on Instagram, they stock their yogurt on Legends Haul and Lee’s Market.
We have been fortunate to be able to have gotten into the lottery a few times and here are our ranking of their flavours. Do note, everyone’s personal tastes are different and I tend to go toward flavour’s that aren’t as tart.
Autumn Apple
This is essentially apple cinnamon and we loved how the stewed apples are enrobed in the sweet cinnamon sauce and paired with the yogurt. Absolutely addictive.
Vanilla Nice
A classic flavour and you can see all the vanilla seeds inside. Love how they use real vanilla. You can eat this on it’s own, with their crumble, or any other topping.
Love (Strawberry) and Hibiscus
What a great flavour combination of strawberry and hibiscus. We love the sweetness of the strawberries in the sauce and pairs great with their yogurt.
Momma’s Bak
This is essentially baklava made with roasted pistachios, roasted walnuts, a secret syrup infused with citus and spices. Also it comes with a filo crumble.
Passion Statement
This is a popular flavour featuring passionfruit on the bottom. It’s great but I personally find it a bit tart. My sister gobbles this flavour up.
Blueberry Bliss
Full of blueberry goodness on the bottom and is another classic flavour that they carry.
Lemon Curdilicious
When you mix this flavour with their crumble, it tastes like a lemon meringue pie. Another very popular flavour but it’s the tartness that gets to me.
Plainly Pretty
This is a great yogurt if you’re pairing it with fruits and granola. Not sweet at all and kinda cheesy.
Final Thoughts
Thomakis Real Greek Yogurt is one of those great ventures that started during the pandemic where people fell in love with. In under a year, they’ve managed to keep their customers wanting more and it’s worth the hype. It’s creamy, sweet, favourful, tart and made with so much love. Highly recommended.
I love seeing the rise of artisan yogurt shops in Vancouver. Krave Kulture Yogurt Yogurt Shop is the newest one to open in Edgemont Village serving up Artisan small batch yogurt made locally in North Vancouver.
We were invited to come taste a few of their signature yogurt bowls and frozen soft serve yogurt. My husband is a crazy yogurt lover and so was Baby E, so we made our way to North Vancouver.
Interior
There is a small eating area in the front with a few seats but with the pandemic restrictions, only one family at a time. Most people did take their yogurt to go.
PB+J Krave Bowl
This bowl has their base of organic vanilla yogurt, banana, peanut butter, chia seed, jam, granola, hemp hearts, date, and caramel.
It’s a must for peanut butter and jelly lovers. The star of the show is really the combination of the ingredients and the yogurt compliments it very well. It doesn’t over power any of the toppings which I found balanced very well.
Coffee Krave Bowl
This bowls has passion fruit, fresh berries, granola, slivered almonds, pecans, dark chocolate chips, coconut, coffee, and maple syrup. They add organic coffee yogurt to the base of the bowl.
It’s an interesting combination and even though we do love coffee, it was my least favourite bowl, but my husband loved it. We agree to disagree and that’s ok.
Cake Krave Bowl
This has their organic vanilla yogurt, chocolate banana bread, fresh berries, granola, almonds, and honey. Another delicious option and the chocolate banana bread makes this bowl a bit more filling. A good combination of different textures.
Mediterranean Krave Bowl
A savoury yogurt bowl may sound weird and I kept thinking that too until I tried it. This has the base of plain yogurt, marinated grape tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, fresh basil, feta cheese, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, rice vinegar, and garlic salt.
This ended up being my favourite bowl because I was shocked at how well it worked! Imagine a Greek salad but with really creamy feta.
Tulum Krave Bowl – $9
This is another savour bowl and it has mango, avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, olive oil, lime, and tortilla chips. It’s essentially as taste of Mexico in a yogurt bowl. It worked well, but the Mediterranean Krave Bowl was still my favourite.
Frozen Yogurt
If you’re looking for a frozen treat, they have frozen yogurt made in-house too. You can have it in a kids cone, regular waffle cone or their charcoal waffle cones. It’s been a while since my last froyo, but this hit the spot.
I didn’t feel guilty giving Baby E the frozen yogurt because it’s not as sweet as regular ice cream.
To Go Yogurt Jars
If you are looking for something more simple to go, they have their 1 Litre yogurt jar and their fruit bottom yogurt cups.
Their 1 Litre jars last for 4 weeks and as it comes in a glass jar, you can bring it back to get a discount. The first jar will cost you $18, but once you bring back the jar, the next full jar is $14. A nice $4 discount. The flavours do vary from season to season.
The fruit bottom yogurt cups feature their house-made jams topped with yogurt. These flavours change seasonally as well.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s great to have a yogurt shop in town as there aren’t any around. Locally made yogurt is so much better than the grocery store version and there is no comparison. Love how Krave Kulture Yogurt Shop is open and we recommend it.
Glowbal Restaurant Group is ringing in the New Year with special three-course menus for dining-in only at Coast, Glowbal Restaurant, Italian Kitchen, and Black+Blue. GRG Winterlicious is available from January 5 to 24, 2020.
DESSERT Apple Galette crisp pastry, toasted almonds, vanilla gelato
A Quick Look
Wild Mushroom SoupBeet & Goat Cheese TerrineWinter Green SaladCheese Fritters & Shaved ProsciuttoMediterranean Sea BassGnocchi & Winter SquashBraised Beef Cheek CannelloniApple GaletteSãn Pablo Sour with Smoke BubbleSãn Pablo Sour with Smoke BubbleSãn Pablo Sour with Smoke BubbleJasmine Passion fruit Iced Tea
Final Thoughts
A 3 course meal for $38 is a pretty good deal at the Glowbal Restaurant. A nice break for a date night where you can feel very safe during this pandemic.
Cogo BOOM is a local Vancouver company specializing in Hot Chocolate Bomb Kits with various types and customization. We chatted with the owners to learn more about their Cogo Boom.
Cogo BOOM started in October 2020 as Hot Chocolate Bombs were starting to get trendy, but there wasn’t a one stop shop to find everything you need to create those Hot Chocolate Bombs. The owner knew people sould just buy already assembled hot chocolate bombs, but there is something special about finding the joy in the entire process of create it all from start to finish. It’s not for everyone, but I personally love these kits to get the family to gather around the kitchen. “It took a lot of research and planning but we are more than happy with the end result” says the owners of Cogo BOOM.
Hot Chocolate Bomb Kits
Right now, they offer 4 different Hot Chocolate Bomb Kits – Grinch, Vegan, Unicorn, and Bear options. Plus, highly customizable with the type of chocolate and hot chocolate mix.
We got sent the bear kit and it’s absolutely adorable. It’s a great family activity and the kids will love to see their Hot Chocolate Bombs go BOOM. I love the dark chocolate chocolate and the hot cocoa mix!
If you don’t need a whole kit, they do offer the items separately like the moulds.
Starting Cogo BOOM during a global pandemic
With 2020 being a slower and stressful year, a lot of small businesses have popped up. I love seeing the creativity, the ups, and the downs. It’s stressful running a business especially when there are external factors beyond control.
“The hardest part about running our business through a pandemic would be the shipping times and delivery times. We ship our products via Canada Post and there has been some delays due to high volumes of shipments due to online shopping. That’s why we recommend everyone to shop early so their product will arrive on time! Luckily for our local customers we do have free pick up in the Victoria and 41st area in East Vancouver, B.C.” says the owners of Cogo BOOM.
Of course, it’s all not sad. Customer feedback keeps them going, that why feedback and reviews are so so important for small businesses.
“What makes us happiest is when people enjoy assembling the bombs. It’s not about perfection, it’s about having fun. It’s about the whole experience. From opening the kit and seeing all the possibilities, to pouring the hot milk over it and seeing your creation melt into deliciousness. There’s nothing more satisfying to us than to hear people say, “that was fun!”.”says the owners of Cogo BOOM.
What’s next?
Cogo BOOM will be launching a lot of new products in 2021. There will be new hot cocoa flavours such as lavender hot cocoa and matcha white Chocolate hot cocoa. They are also experimenting with a Detox Masala Chai Cocoa Mix and among many other flavours. There will also be new kits and new moulds. Make sure to follow them on Instagram for the latest information.
Sungiven Foods has opened their latest location in Richmond, BC on Bridgeport. The Burnaby-based company has been expanding rapidly to give customers more options for high quality Asian produce and products at a good price. I’ve been a fan since they opened as they carry really fresh local and imported fruits and vegetables.
Their other current locations are in Vancouver, Burnaby, and White Rock. The next planned locations will be in South Surrey and North Vancouver.
We checked out Sungiven Foods in Richmond to check out the space and unique products they offer customers.
Covid Proticols
They monitor how many people come in and out of the stores. On weekdays it’s less busy, so no lines. On weekends when it’s busy, they will have a line to make sure everyone has room to socially distance themselves.
They provide hand sanitizer and sanitize the baskets too. I felt very safe here. You will notice there will be bunching of people that occurs at select areas in the store like freezer section, but with a but of patience, people will clear out.
Produce
The produce section is my favourite as you can find some unique imported fruits like Korean muscat grapes, Japanese Melon, and Passionfruit. I like their variety of Asian vegetables too. They all look very very fresh and well priced.
Snacks and Ramen
There are a decent amount of Asian snacks above the freezer section from chocolate to chips. There are some that ways ends up in my cart. hahaha.
Freezer Section
They boast a lot of hot pot items in their freezer section, so they have everything that you need. The quality is good, well priced, and many options.
Don’t forget to check out their selection of imported ice cream bars.
Kitchen
There is a hot food section, which looks remarkably clean and uncrowded.
Baby+
The Baby+ section is different than their other locations. I noticed they have a lot of imported products and essentials for babies. It’s not cheap, but it is convenient.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s a nice addition to Richmond with more options for consumers. A lot of people call the Asian version of Trader Joes based on the large amount of their own branded items, plus the store has a very rustic look.
