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.
Basak Cafe recently opened up and I was fortunate to have a passionate foodie follower let me know about them. With the pandemic, it’s never easy to open a restaurant or cafe with the reduce capacity for social distancing. Basak mean crispy in Korean and their waffles have a crunch to them when you bite into it.
As I’m usually in the area, I had to check it out. They are located beside House of Tofu Soup, a few meters away from Han Nam Supermarket and Hanin Village. They are most popular for their waffles and coffee.
The people behind Basak Cafe have worked at many notable restaurants and cafes in Vancouver. They have travelled the world and have been influenced by different tastes and cultures. As they were planning to open a restaurant, they worked hard on developing Korean style hotdogs, but with this location, they decided to start off with waffles for now. I absolutely love Korean corndogs, so I hope they add that on their menu soon.
Interior
There are a few tables inside for small groups and they are all spaced apart and blocked off with clear curtains. I usually do take out, but I felt very safe here, so I dined in here as it was just myself.
Menu
Half and Half Chubby Waffle
I went with the half and half waffle which has matcha and red bean, as well as strawberry. It’s the best option to taste both flavours.
I like how it’s not too sweet and they use real strawberries in their cream, so it’s very very fresh and enjoyable. The matcha is strong and the red bean isn’t too sweet either. Good if you love matcha. If I had to choose a flavour, it would have to be the strawberry.
The waffle itself is a bit darker in colour but it holds up very well the cream and doesn’t go soggy. I ended up doing takeout afterwards for my husband and no issues at all.
Iced Dalgona Latte
I really like their version of the iced Dalgona latte with the dalgona pieces. Very different than the viral trend of whipping up instant coffee.
It was strong and slightly sweet, so it was enjoyed with the waffle.
Final Thoughts
It’s a great cafe to hang out with a few friends that are in your bubble. They are going to have more menu options once they work out any kinks, but I’m excited to see those new items.
If you’re in the area, definitely give them a visit.
Tace Bell Canada is currently featuring the Triplelupa – three chalupas stuck together where you just tear and enjoy. It resembles a taco sub more than anything.
People kept sending me the ads for it and so we decided to pick up the Triplelupa for lunch to give it a try. I love how people associate use with fast food and snacks. It’s very humbling.
What is the Triplelupa?
The Triplelupa has 3 chewy chalupa shells filled with double seasoned beef, crisp lettuce, diced tomatoes and their blend of three cheeses. It is then topped off with nacho cheese sauce at one end, chipotle sauce at the other, and a delicious combo of both sauces in between.
All you need to do is tear and enjoy.
Taste Test
The size of the Triplelupa isn’t as large as I imagined. It’s a bit small and is the size of a small baguette. The Triplelupa is great for sharing as you can tear it apart into 3 pieces. Good for kids with smaller appetites.
it didn’t taste like anything special. It tastes like any other taco but in the chewy chalupa shell. The dominant flavours are the nacho cheese and seasoned beef.
Final Thoughts
Overall, interesting and fun concept for the Triplelupa. I just wish it was bigger.
Cafe Hashtag is now open in Coquitlam right by the H Mart on North Road. Since they were under construction, that name has always got my attention. There are a lot of other cafes in the area, so competition is definitely high.
I was very curious how they would stand out from the rest. With Covid-19 pandemic, it’s really hard to open a business now. I decided to make the trip to pay them a visit on the first day of opening.
Interior
Because of social distancing, the furniture isn’t in their intended places. They have markers on the ground to direct customers to wait in line, order and pick up their items.
There are some table available for dining in, but I only saw one small group at the time I was here.
Menu
Latte
They have different sizes of lattes but I just went with a smaller 12oz. They use the beans roasted by C Market Coffee, which is also in Coquitlam.
It was a good latte and pairs well with their waffles.
Dalgona Milk Tea
If you want something more trendy, they have dalgona milk tea on the menu. There are pieces of dalgona toffee on top that dissolves into the drink slowly. The base is espresso and milk.
An interesting twist to the classic Dalgona coffee.
CroWaffle
This is their Croissant Waffle on a stick. It’s shaped like Taiwan or South Korea if you use your imagination. hahaha. It has buttery layers with some syrup and icing sugar to give it a bit of sweetness.
Final Thoughts
It’s good to have more options in town for coffee, but they definitely have a lot of competition. If you’re in the area, drop by Cafe Hashtag for some coffee and waffles.
C Market Coffee is located in Coquitlam near the IKEA and they have been around for years serving up delicious coffee to the neighbourhood. My friends and I would have mommy hangouts there before the Covid-19 pandemic as it’s very kid friendly. Unfortunately with dining rooms closed, they had to work fast to adapt to take out and delivery.
There were 2 things I’ve been searching for that my local grocery store would always be low on – Oat Milk and Yeast. I love that they carry a few staples for the home kitchen as well as many local products in addition to their coffees, pastries and meals.
I put in an online order to get some kitchen staples and coffee of course. They were kind enough to put in a few more extras into our order, which was very nice of them.
Black Salt Cream Coffee
This coffee has an Americano base with pure cane syrup, sweet cream, and Black Lava Salt. This is one of my favourite drinks here. I love the combination of the sweet cream and salt.
Mocha Frappe
I got a Mocha Frappe for my husband and he loved it. Not too sweet and had enough caffeine to get through the day. It’s also quite nice with the whipped cream and chocolate.
Meatloaf Sandwich
The sandwich is made with homemade meatloaf, pickled onions, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese. It has a strong BBQ flavour that pairs well with the meatloaf. The bun is soft and squishy.
Chicken Salad + Grape Sandwich
The chicken salad sandwich is made with natural Chicken breast, lettuce, grape, mayo, celery, red onion, pepper, salt, mustard, lemon, cranberry, and dill. It uses the same soft bun.
Frozen Corn Flake Crusted Chicken
They are selling their frozen corn flake Crusted chicken in 5 piece packs. In the cafe, they use this for their chicken and waffles. It’s great that it keeps in the freezer for a long time. They do suggest you deep-fry these to get a really nice crispy exterior.
It’s pretty good and we paired it with mayo and teriyaki sauce.
Korean Beef Bulgogi
You can get raw marinated Korean Beef Bulgogi. You also have the option to add a veggie pack to it as well. It comes with more sliced onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms.
You can make this at home by putting it in a hot skillet. You can also put this on a Korean BBQ grill too if you want to get the extra charred flavour. We with the the frying pan method.
Chocolate Walnut Drop Cookie
This was really good! If you put it in the microwave for 10 seconds, it gets soft, warm, and gooey. Highly recommended.
Macarons
They have 5 different macaron flavours on the menu – green tea, clack sesame, strawberry, yuzu, and earl grey. They’re pretty big size and delicate.
Cheesecake
I really enjoyed the cheesecake. Simple and it hits the spot.
Carrot Cake
The carrot cake was also very enjoyable as the added nuts really give it more body and texture. It’s not too sweet and there is a good ratio of cream cheese frosting.
Groceries
They have a small section for groceries and they have a good amount of items there. We picked up come yeast and oat milk as it was hard to find at the bigger grocery stores.
They are always adding new items, so if you are looking for something in particular, definitely message them.
Final Thoughts
I do love that cafes like C Market Coffee offer more than what they normally would. Even the expansion of grocery items help a lot when people don’t want to venture off into crowded grocery stores.
Maison Mori is the newest Korean-style Bakery to open on North Road in between Burnaby and Coquitlam. They are located on the bottom floor of the Han Nam Supermarket Plaza.
A lot of excellent cafes and restaurants have been opening up in Korea Town, so it’s definitely worth a visit to this area as you could spend a whole day eating.
Chef Kim and Chef Jeon always dreamed of having a bakery in Canada where their knowledge of French and Japanese baking techniques can blend with traditional Korean pastries.
Our family loves Korean Bakeries, so we had to check this place out.
Interior
The bakery is located in a newer food court style area. So, there is only communal seating for the shops and restaurants in the area.
Kids
There are high chairs and changing tables for toddlers if you need it.
Menu
The menu does change seasonally and different batches of baked good are prepared at set times throughout the day. You can call them to pre-order items that you want. Or come when the items come fresh out of the oven.
It looked like they had a good amount of pre-orders. We didn’t preorder as we didn’t know what would be good. We wanted to eat with our eyes first.
Milk Cream Bun
The milk cream bun was really good. It was filled with a nice sweet vanilla cream and the bun was so soft. Highly recommended. This was definitely my favourite item of the items we bought.
Marble Bread
The marble bread is beautiful with the two colours swirled together. It isn’t sweet, so this taste like a regular slice of bread with very subtle hints of cocoa.
Sweet Potato Cube
Another one of my favourites that I highly recommend. The sweet potato is delicious and it’s a great item to pair for baked goods.
Chocolate Ganache Cube
The chocolate ganache cube is also nice. It’s half way between a cake and bread. It’s not too sweet either and it’s great for those who love chocolate.
Honey Toast
The honey toast was hard and sticks to your teeth. I wasn’t a fan of this.
Injeolmi Cream Bun
This bun is filled with cream and red bean and the outside of the bun has a coating of Injeolmi powder. I didn’t like it because there was so much Injeolmi powder that it got really messy to eat and my mouth got dry from all the powder. It wasn’t very sweet on the inside either.
Mochi Mochi Bread
This bread sounds really good. How can you say no to a bread named mochi mochi? It was just like a regular loaf of bread but I guess made out of rice flour.
Final Thoughts
They have a wide range of baked goods and it’s been very popular since they opened. My favourite items were the ones that were more on the sweet side instead of bread. I would get the Milk Cream Bun. Sweet Potato Cube, and the Chocolate Ganache Cube again.
It’s a great addition to the neighbourhood and they seem to be selling out of everything quickly. I would highly recommend calling ahead of time to reserve you pastries so you don’t leave disappointed.
It is also cash only if you order $10 or under. If it’s over $10, you can use card.
Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck is located in Hanin Village of Coquitlam on North Road. This is the same plaza where H Mart is located. I’ve see Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck many times but I usually don’t have cash with me, so I always tell myself I need to visit.
Today, I finally had some cash and saw them open, so I decided to go grab some as a pre-dinner snack.
Menu
Walnut Cake (호두과자 hogugwaja)
I went with the 7 pieces for $5 as it’s a good size to share with the family. It is filled with red bean in the centre. The walnut cafe was soft and squishy with the mixture of red bean in the centre. It was good and not too sweet.
Mini Taiyaki (붕어빵 Bungeoppang)
These mini taiyaki are really cute and they are filled with custard on the inside. At 10 for $5, it’s not a bad price either. The custard filling was very delicious. It was also soft, squishy, and looks very cute.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck is pretty good. I know a lot of people will ask how it compares to Kim’s Korean Waffles & Pancakes across the street and it’s all comes down to personal taste. I like my waffles crunchy, so I gravitate towards Kim’s. My family likes the softer waffles, so they like Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck.
While you’re here, you might as well go to both places.
I love little hidden gems in Metro Vancouver. I’ve been on the look out for Kim’s Korean Waffles and Pancakes but didn’t get a chance to until I was on Maternity leave. I never knew the hours until I finally spotted the stand.
Ever since spotting this place, I love to stop for a snack whenever I go grocery shopping.
Where are they located?
They are located beside Han Nam Grocery Store on North Road. If you don’t see them, the cart is just under the main stair to go to the second level.
The exterior is nice and crisp when freshly made. The inside is hot and has the beautiful filling inside. Of the 3 flavours, I loved red bean the most. Second was custard and third was the veggies.
Pancakes
The pancakes start off as a ball of dough will filling inside. They comes in two flavours:
Sweet Rice Pancake: Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Peanuts
Vegetable Pancake: Savoury Mixed Vegetables
The pancakes are more oily than the waffles as its cooked in oil. Texture is very different as well. Of the two flavours, the Sweet Rice Pancake was my favourite. Can’t go wrong with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I love the Korean Waffles shaped like fish because it’s made fresh and the exterior is still crisp. As for the pancakes, they were a bit too oily for my liking, but the Korean sweet rice pancakes were still decent.
Katsuya is a chain out of Toronto that specializes in Japanese Pork Cutlet. A lot of these katsu restaurants have been popping up all over Metro Vancouver. They have 5 locations in total, 4 in Toronto and then 1 in Coquitlam.
They have an extensive menu of katsu with different cuts of pork and a wide range of sauce combinations. We didn’t want to drive all the way to Downtown Vancouver for our go to spot, so we decided to check out Katsuya for lunch.
Interior
The space is quite large but at peak times, it’s pretty busy for lunch and dinner. We came right at 12pm and there were still a few spots left. By 12:40, the place had a little bit of a wait.
Kids
We were surprised they are very kid friendly. There are high chairs for kids and in the women’s washroom, there is a very nice changing table.
Pickles
You get some pickled spicy cabbage before the meal begins.
Miso Soup
The miso soup arrives before the meal too. It was decent miso soup, but nothing too interesting. It is unlimited, so if you want more, you need to flag a server down. When its busy, it might take a little while too.
Cheese Crabmeat Croquette
We started off by sharing the cheese crabmeat croquette which comes with a good amount of pieces and the size is quite large. Each croquette is stuffed with cheese and is dripping with sauce. It looks quite nice.
When it arrives at the table, it’s really crispy and piping hot. It was good but I was looking for a bit more cheese inside.
Carbonara Katsu
We got the carbonara katsu with pork tender. They drench the katsu with their special carbonara sauce made to order using fresh cream, shrimp, squid, bacon, and vegetables. It’s a different take on the classic katsu with curry.
The carbonara was ok, but was a bit odd to have so much seafood in the sauce. We would have preferred a good simple cheesy carbonara sauce without the seafood.
The katsu is large and filled us up so quickly that we could barely finish it. There is unlimited miso soup and cabbage on the side. The dish was good, but it is pricy.
Brick Cheese Katsu
The Brick Cheese Katsu is stuffed with premium brick mozzarella cheese which is wrapped inside with pork loin. There are only a limited quality available per day. When it comes out, the brick cheese is warm. It still has a cheesy pull to it when you bite into it, but it cools down quickly.
Final Thoughts
A lot of people will wonder, how does this compare to Saku in Vancouver. It’s different and Katsuya is a bit fusion and has fun with their sauce combinations. I find the quality of katsu at Saku is higher but portions to be a bit smaller. Katsuya is much superior than Daeji.
Also, even though the miso soup and cabbage is unlimited, you need to ask. They won’t take the initiative to ask you if you would like more.
If you don’t want to travel far for katsu, Katsuya is a good option in Coquitlam. There are still lots of items on the menu we didn’t try.
With September here, everything is pumpkin spice themed in anticipation for October. Dairy Queen’s Blizzard of the Month is Pumpkin Pie and this is pretty exciting! I was very curious how this tastes.
As the weather is changing from Summer to Fall, I love this time of year as you can start putting on a light jacket or sweater. It’s not too hot and not too cold. Perfect time to eat some ice cream too.
We went to our local Dairy Queen in Coquitlam to check it out before it’s gone at the end of the month.
You can get this in 4 different sizes:
Mini
Small
Medium
Large
Pumpkin Pie Blizzard
The pumpkin pie blizzard has pumpkin pie pieces blended with their vanilla soft serve, then topped with whipped topping and nutmeg.
The colour was a dull orange with the dollop of whipped cream and the sprinkle of nutmeg on top. As I took the first few bites, I was impressed by pieces of pumpkin pie and the sharp taste of the pumpkin pie incorporated into the vanilla soft serve. I definitely wasn’t disappointed as it matched what my expectations were.
If you’re a fan of pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice, I think you’ll enjoy this. Grab it before it’s gone as it’s only her for a limited time only.
Xing Fu Tang is a Taiwanese Brand of bubble tea shop that specializes in Brown Sugar Pearl Milk. They make their stir fried brown sugar pearls in front of their customers to ensure freshness. If you’re a fan of Xing Fu Tang, they bring in the same key ingredients from Taiwanese suppliers to ensure the drinks are consistent like the ones found in Asia.
Xing Fu Tang has opened their latest location in Coquitlam. This is the fifth location in Metro Vancouver and the other locations are on Cambie, Marpole, Kingsway, Richmond, and now Coquitlam. It’s much closer to those living away from the city. This particular location is different than the others as the owners of this franchise are there daily to ensure quality is consistent.
They are best known for their signature Brown Sugar Pearl Milk, but there is definitely more on their menu than that. We were invited to give their menu a taste test.
Interior
The space is small, so there are only 4 stools to sit on. Most people get their drinks to grab and go. As it is located under an apartment building, there is limited parking around the shop.
Menu
Fortune Telling
In the store, you’ll find long red wooden sticks and a large drawer hung on the wall. This isn’t decoration as this is meant to tell your fortune.
You start by randomly picking a red stick and it will tell you which numbered drawer to open to select your fortune.
If you don’t read Chinese, this might be a little difficult, but the staff can help you if needed.
I thought the fortunes were a bit funny and the English translation and the Chinese fortune does vary a bit.
My fortune tells me that my husband isn’t enough and I need to keep on searching. My husband’s fortune says his dream person is in love with him and it’s time for him to move to the next level. I think these fortunes are meant for single people. Do note that I can’t read Chinese, so I am basing this off the English.
Brown Sugar Pearl Milk
This is their most popular item on the menu and it is the flagship drink that made this chain famous. This starts with the stir fried brown sugar pearls, milk, cheesy foam, and then brulee on top.
Stir this a few times to mix all the ingredients together, so you’re not just slurping up all the brown sugar in the first sip. The ratio of brown sugar and milk was good. Not too sweet at all. The cream foam on top adds a rich mouthfeel to the drink. The pearls are soft and chewy.
Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea
If you are looking for the signature drink with tea, it’s on the menu too. This doesn’t have the foam and brulee on top. You’ll want to stir this up very well to incorporate the flavours.
Bunny Jelly Mango Smoothie
The rabbit panna cotta jelly on top is so cute as it sits above the mango smoothie and pink strawberry pearls. It’s so sad when you have to stab the straw through the bunny. Or you could just eat the bunny first or push it aside. The drink has a strong and sweet mango flavour perhaps from the mango syrup.
This is another popular item because how can you resist the bunny?
Soda and Homemade Jelly
This drink is beautiful with the blue soda and two big pink jelly balls. It’s very pleasing to the eyes but when we drink it, it reminds us of a refreshing soda like Sprite. The jelly just adds texture to it.
Strawberry Pearl Milk
There are layers of pink strawberry pearls, milk and strawberry puree on top. When you mix this all together, it combines the layers together. The drink reminded me of strawberry pocky. My least favourite on the menu as I felt it was too sweet.
Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte
This is another popular drink on the menu and the gradient of colours is nice. You have to mix up very well.
Grapefruit Green Tea
Grapefruit green tea is refreshing compared to the brown sugar beverages on the menu. The grapefruit definitely stands out and pairs well with the green tea. We enjoyed this.
Lemon Green Tea
The lemon green tea was great as well and refreshing like the other fruit tea beverages.
Lemon Black Tea
A refreshing drink that isn’t too sweet. It was pretty good and I just wished there was more as it was more clean in taste.
Matcha Pearl Milk
This drink reminds me of the Italian flag because of the layers of green matcha, milk, and pink strawberry pearls. The drink is on the sweeter side and is like a matcha latte.
Brown Sugar Pearl and Herbal Jelly Milk
With this drink, I liked both the textures of the herbal jelly and the pearls. As for the brown sugar milk, it takes similar to the others.
Final Thoughts
We tried 11 drinks on the menu and the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk definitely stands out. It’s definitely not for everyone but if you’re craving brown sugar drinks, this might be it.
Their other top drinks like Brown Sugar Pearl and Herbal Jelly Milk, Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte, and Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea all have brown sugar, which makes sense why they’re popular and have similar tastes.
We were impressed by the fresh fruit teas as well. Something that we wouldn’t normally get, but on a hot day, it’s quite refreshing.
HQ Chinese Skillet is located on North Road and Lougheed Highway inside the same plaza as Insadong. We passed by and noticed it was new, so we decided to come here for lunch with family.
The dishes that they have are Szechuan style, so they use a lot of spicy peppers in their cooking. I was excited once I saw the menu since there isn’t that many Szechuan cuisine in the neighbourhood.
Interior
It is bright inside with lots of tables for groups. There is booth seating as well as larger tables. We also noticed that their wok is so powerful that it can be heard from the dining area.
Menu
Stir Fried Pork Slices with Pepper
This dish arrived at the table and it didn’t look like the image on the menu. What looked like green pepper on the menu was jalapeño in the dish. When we ordered it, the staff said it wasn’t very spicy at all.
The pork slices had great flavour but once you eat too much of the jalapeño, the spice really adds up.
Stir Fried Lamb with Cumin
The lamb was tender and the spices were really good with this dish. Can’t go wrong with lamb and cumin.
Cauliflower Dry Pot
There is Taiwanese Cauliflower in this dish and there were also pork slices, onions, red peppers, green peppers, dry chilis, and Szechuan peppercorns. Very aromatic dish with the chilis but those Szechuan peppercorns really numb your tongue.
Beef Fried Rice
The fried rice went well with the other dishes as it was the only non-spicy dish we ordered.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the food was good and you need to be able to handle your spice. I found the food very delicious and great for the Burquitlam area. The prices are a very fair and all the dishes are meant to be shared. If you come here at lunch, they do have some good lunch specials for individuals.
I would come back but probably not with those who can’t handle spicy dishes.
Asylum is the lounge within Hard Rock Casino serving comfort food and drinks. It is located inside of the casino at the rear if you’re coming in from the main entrance. They will also check your ID, so make sure you don’t forget it.
They just introduced their ‘Battle of the Burgers‘, which 6 specialty burgers are created by Hard Rock Casino Vancouver staff and customers get to crown a winner to be added to the permanent menu.
We were invited to give all six burgers a taste test to see which ones we enjoyed.
Battle of the Burger Details
Each burger is $15 and comes with fries or a side of Hard Rock Salad.
Every purchase of a burger will earn you one ballot into the grand finale draw to win Free Burgers for a Year. The burger with most purchases by May 31st, 2019 will be crowned the winner and take its place permanently on the Asylum menu.
Viva Las Vegas Burger
This burger is created by Chef Fernanda using a beef burger with Chimichurri Mayo, onion salsa, Italian Sausage, pineapple bacon jam, kale, tomato, and mozzarella on an onion bun.
We enjoyed the beef burger with the Italian Sausage as it worked really well together to bring in more flavour.
We Jammin’ Spam Burger
Created by Chef Krisken, this has grilled spam, grilled pineapple, jalapeño jam, Japanese mayo, yaki nori, cheddar cheese on an onion bun.
A Hawaiian twist to the classic burger and we were instantly drawn to this burger for the spam. The grilled pineapple was pretty thick so it over powered the taste of the spam. This burger needed some more texture. Perhaps some fried nori crisps would have been nice.
Guinness in the Jar
Created by Chef Mark, this has white cheddar, Guinness braised onion, butter lettuce, tomato, and Guinness aioli on a brioche bun.
This burger was decent. The Guinness braised onion added a nice savoury element to the burger but was missing something as well.
Black & Blue Beatles
This burger is created by Chef Kulwinder using blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumble, cracked black pepper, lettuce, tomato, and red onion on a brioche bun.
This isn’t for everyone as you gotta love blue cheese to enjoy this. I was the only one at the table that enjoyed it. I don’t have blue cheese that often but when I do, I really enjoy it.
Burger of the Stars
This has olive tapenade mayo with smoked paprika, roasted red pepper, goat cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onion on a brioche bun. This was created by Chef Antonio.
This was ok, very middle of the road and nothing too stood out to us.
Burger for the Weekend
This burger was created by Johnny D using grilled chicken with sweet chili sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, avocado, cheddar on a brioche bun.
In terms of taste, this was a solid burger. The flavours went together, had good texture and was a favourite among the table.
Final Thoughts
Overall, interesting concepts created for the Battle of the Burgers at Asylum. If you’re at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, definitely check it out. We have our favourites but which one will you choose? This goes on until May 31st, 2019.
Xiang Yuan Qiao is a Chinese noodle shop in Coquitlam that specializes in Yunnan Bridge Noodle. There are a few locations around Metro Vancouver.
Since it’s fairy new, I took the family out here for lunch.
Interior
There are lots of tables and booth seating inside, so good for small to large groups and is family friendly. The interior is new and modern. Plus, free wifi if you need it.
Menu
Puh Erh Milk Tea
I got the Puh Erh Milk Tea and it was ok. Pretty standard and nothing too special about it. It does go well with the noodles as its a nice cool drink.
Julienne Potatoes with Vinegar
An interesting dish that we ordered and good to snack on while we waited for our noodles. It’s not very spicy, but it has a good texture to munch away at them.
Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles
You can get this with their original or spicy chicken broth. We went with the original. You can also enhance your broth with items from the sauce bar.
There is also a tray of different items to put into the pot like quail eggs, carrot, corn, chives, cucumber, bamboo shoots, pickled sour mustard, black fungus, white fungus, mushroom, cabbage, pea shoots, bean curd, meat paste, Chinese style ham, and ham.
There is a certain order to cook the items, so follow the instructions on the plate. Add the egg, then the meat, then veggies, then noodles, then sauce, and finally enjoy.
It’s a fun interactive dish and you can tweak the bowl of noodles to your liking.
Signature Rice Noodle Soup with Braised Bone-in Pork
This was a meaty dish with a big piece of braised bone-in pork. It was very meaty and super tender and flavourful. The noodle soup had a lot of ingredients inside like veggies. Very filling.
Assorted Pot Rice Noodle
There is a broth base of chicken broth that you can get original or spicy. The items in it are beef, lam, pork belly, chicken, greens, black fungus, needle mushroom, bean sprouts, bean curd and quail eggs. It doesn’t look like much from the picture but it was filling as well with a good amount of meat too.
Sauce Bar
Don’t forget to check out the sauce bar as there is chilli oil, pepper oil, garlic, soy sauce, green onions, and other items to add to your noodles. We almost missed seeing this but glad we saw it so we could enhance the broth of our noodles.
Final Thoughts
It was pretty solid place for noodles. It’s nothing extraordinary, but a good restaurant to go with friends or family. Different for the area as there aren’t other places nearby serving Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles.
Nulife Living Food Café is a plant-based restaurant in Coquitlam and since I was in the area, I wanted to check it out as it’s a great concept in the neighbourhood. It’s really hard to find a good vegetarian or vegan cafe around this area.
I went to stop by for a quick lunch and since I am on a diabetic diet, the menu works really well for me. They are raw, organic, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Interior
The cafe is open during the day and has that cafe vibe where you can just sip on coffee all day and have some snacks. There are tables for small to large groups and it isn’t too busy at all, which is nice.
Menu
Iced Nutty Latte
You can get the latte warm or iced, but I opted for iced to mix things up. They use their home-made nut milk and espresso to make this drink. You can tell the nut milk gives it a nice nutty flavour that isn’t too overpowering and works with the espresso.
Organic Zesty Cilantro Sushi
This originally has their young coconut meat blended with almonds, but they told me about their ‘taco meat’ and gave me a sample so I can try which one I liked. I opted for the taco meat and it’s wrapped with cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, and garlic wrapped in nori. It is also served with a salad on the side.
It may not look like much but the textures really went well together as the walnut gave it the crunch that it needed. It won’t fulfill your craving for real sushi, but it will do as a substitute.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the prices aren’t cheap but it takes a lot to put these dishes together that meets to many dietary restrictions. The menu has a good amount of items.
Popeyes is back in Metro Vancouver after a long hiatus. It’s funny how some fast food chains disappear and then reappear. Ever since opening, they have been slammed for the lunch and dinner rush even though it is all the way in Port Coquitlam.
Later in 2019, additional Popeyes will be coming to Surrey, Kamloops and Pentiction in British Columbia. That’s a great thing as there will be more convenient locations for some. Too bad there aren’t any ones closer to Downtown Vancouver.
Interior
There is a counter at the back to order your meal and some seating. Best to come early and avoid the rush as this area can fill up with people waiting in line.
Menu
2 Piece Chicken Combo
This comes with a leg and thigh with a biscuit, a drink and your choice of side. There’s a few options but we went with the cajun fries. The cajun fries were very very good.
The chicken reminded us of Church’s Chicken – crisp exterior and moist meat inside. The biscuit was so good that our friend got an extra biscuit to the order.
Cajun Chicken Sandwich Platter
The platter option comes with 2 sides and a large drink. We went with red beans & rice as well as the Macaroni and Cheese. You can’t get a biscuit with the sandwich combos or platters.
The ciabatta bread was very soft but the chicken patty itself was a bit on the small size. The red bean & rice was ok but it did have more flavour than the mac n cheese. The mac n cheese was not good at all.
3 Piece Tenders Combo
The 3 tenders were very fresh, light crisp breading, and a good size. We got blackened ranch to go with it and it worked well.
With the combo, there was another biscuit and we got onion rings. The biscuit was great but the onion ring batter was soft and not as crisp.
Popcorn Shrimp Combo
Nothing special and not as good as the tenders. The combo comes with a side and a medium drink. Went with the cajun fries with this combo.
Final Thoughts
It’s weird how you can’t get some items ala carte and it must be a combo or a platter. Sometimes you don’t really need the sides but the menus make you order more food, which is super weird.
For the next visit, we would get tenders or chicken with cajun fries and a biscuit. Can’t go wrong with that combination.
Address: 2170 Hawkins Street Unit 110, Port Coquitlam, BC
Jasmine Club Chinese Restaurant in Coquitlam serves up Korean Chinese cuisine. Three popular dishes are Jajangmyeon – noodles with a thick sweet bean sauce, Jjamppong – spicy noodle soup, and Tangsuyuk – sweet and sour pork dish.
We came here for dinner since M really craved some jajangmyeon.
Interior
The space was pretty busy for a weekend evening and the tables filled up very quickly. For large groups, its best to have reservations.
Banchan – Complimentary Side Dishes
Banchan are small side dishes that come complimentary with the meal. There is pickled daikon and picked carrots and cabbage. It was good to nibble on throughout the meal.
Mandu – Fried Dumplings
There are about 8 pieces that come in an order. It’s so delicious and deep-fried till a golden brown on the outside. The inside is very savoury and yummy.
Tangsuyuk – Sweet Sour Crispy Pork
This is very different than the usual sweet and sour pork. The pork is covered in potato starch, thus the pale coating around it. There are a lot of veggies like wood ear mushrooms, carrots, cucumbers, onions, peppers, and maraschino cherries.
Jjajang bokkeumbap – Fried Rice with Black Bean Sauce
This is what I ordered. I really like the fried rice with the black bean sauce. It was good, but I wished they gave a little bit more black bean sauce
Jajangmyeon
There is a lot of black bean sauce with the noodles. Mix it all together and slurp up all the noodles.
Final Thoughts
Jasmine Club Chinese restaurant has some pretty good Korean Chinese food, but it is pricey compared to what you would normally pay in Korea.
The Big Flat Pancake Co. has just opened up in Coquitlam serving up breakfast daily from 8am till 2:30pm. A friend told me about this place and we decided to come to this mom and pop breakfast joint to start off the weekend. We got here early in the morning and there was already a line. News spread fast about this place and it’s good to see this addition in the neighbourhood.
Interior
The interior is clean and pretty standard with tables everywhere for small to large groups. For large groups, its best to arrive earlier to beat the rush.
They don’t take reservations, so it is first come first serve. There is a big chalkboard with the wait list, so you’ll always know if you’re next.
Menu
Coffee
The day doesn’t begin until I’ve had some coffee. I got some coffee to accompany our breakfast adventures.
The Hipster Hash Big Flat Pancakes
The big flat pancake is topped with a dish of hashbrowns, country ham, back bacon, and turkey bacon tossed with peppers, onions, corn, tomato, avocado, hollandaise and a golden egg. The ingredients in the hash were ok but it didn’t really standout too much except the egg and avocado.
Farmhouse Waffles
This has country ham and 2 eggs done any way you like. I went with sunny side up. The egg yolks were nice and golden, but the waffle was ok. It is served with maple syrup and butter too.
Tater Tots
The tater tots were nice and golden. You have a choice between fire roasted salsa or pesto. We went with the pesto and it was a great combination as you wouldn’t have thought dunking tater tots into pesto. The downside is that this particular pesto the taste lingered for a long time even after the meal.
3 Cheese Omelete
It is served with toast, fresh fruit and in-house fire roasted salsa.
Four Berry Cheesecake
To end off the breakfast, we got this four berry cheesecake big flat pancake. It has a compote of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. It is them served with cream cheese whip and graham crackers. We just spread everything over the pancake and ate it up quickly. I would say it was my favourite item out of all the dishes we ordered.
Final Thoughts
I found a lot of them items were mediocre, but for the area, there aren’t a lot of breakfast options close by. I wouldn’t travel far to come here, but if I was in the area and wanted breakfast, it’s a consideration.
We Rate Big Flat Pancake Co:
Address:
2020 Oxford Connector, Port Coquitlam, BC
