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Downtown

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In Downtown

Yui Japanese Bistro: Affordable Aburi in Vancouver

Yui Japanese Bistro recently opened in Downtown Vancouver and is a hidden gem tucked away in a business building. They pride themselves of making aburi sushi at affordable prices.  Yui is located on the first floor. The restaurant is pretty small, so go for dinner earlier in the evening. They are open daily from 11am – 8pm except Sunday. I came with Dee for a visit at 7pm and there was a wait of about 20 minutes.

Tea

Before the meal begins, they bring over cups of tea. You can also ask for a small pot of tea.

Aburi Oshi

My favourite spot is at the bar, so you can see all the action of them putting each dish together.

They have 3 kinds on their menu – ebi, saba and salmon. Each sushi is torched with charcoal.

Salmon Aburi Oshi

They use sockeye salmon on top of the sushi and one embedded inside the rice. They apply the house-made sauce and then torched for added flavour. It is then topped with pepper and a jalapeno. So delicious and made to perfection. Also it’s only $10.25, which is very affordable.

Ebi Aburi Oshi

A block of rice topped with Shrimp, ume sauce and lime zest. The lime was a very interesting addition to the pressed rolls to bring more freshness and liven the flavour. The flame really transforms that ume sauce to add some smokiness.

Saba Aburi Oshi

It is topped with mackerel, shiso, and a miso sauce. The charcoal flame also lightly kisses the mackerel and miso sauce. Delicious as well.

Karai Rice Bowl

Bincho toro, okra, spicy kimchi cabbage, amakuchi soy, and some greens sits on top of white rice. You mix it all together with the soy and it makes a great dish for lunch. Very healthy too.

Salmon Carpaccio

The salmon carpaccio is beautifully cut and they use sockeye salmon.

Each order has 5 pieces and then its torched with some charcoal. They then top it off with some decadent garnish and sauce.

It was all really good and we just wanted more. hahaha. There are some black dried olives on top that balanced nicely.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I loved my experience at Yui Japanese Bistro. This small restaurant is bursting with flavour and it’s very affordable compared to some other places out there in Vancouver. I’ll be back!

We Rate Yui Japanese Bistro: 

Address:
1185 W Georgia St, Unit 102, Vancouver

Website:
http://eatatyui.com/

Yui Japanese Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Downtown

The Pawn Shop: Tacos on Granville Street

The Pawn Shop is a new restaurant on Granville Street specializing in Tacos, Tapas and Tequila. The took over SIP Resto Lounge and brings an awesome space for locals and tourists to enjoy.

We were curious about their name as well as their tacos.

Interior

There are tons of seat inside and it has a dark vibe with graffiti and neon signs on the walls. It definitely has a young hip vibe going on.

Drinks

You can find beer on tap, wine on tap, cocktails, spiked slushies, shooters and non-alcoholic drinks.

Cheese Tots

This has tots, cheddar, feta, green onions with side of queso and salsa. Definitely cheesy.

A fun dish to share among friends at the table.

Deuce Papoose

This has fried pastry dough stuffed with carnitas, tomato, and then topped with cheddar, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, rojo sauce chicharron, and cilantro. This dish was ok, we felt like there really wasn’t much stuffing in the pastry dough.

Tacos

On their menu, they have 8 different types of tacos. On our visit, we tried 4 of them. If you come from happy hour, these are $1 with drink purchase, which is really good. Originally, they are around $4.

  • Carnitas
  • Al Pastor
  • Bistec
  • Pescado

Carnitas

This has slow cooked pulled pork, house slaw, fried onions and Valentina Mayo. It tasted ok, but the flour tortilla, I prefer corn tortillas.

Al Pastor

This has fried pork belly, Guajillo pepper and pineapple glaze, house slaw, sour cream, pickled onion, and a grilled pineapple.

Pescado

It has beer battered basa fish, house slaw, Valentina mayo, cucumber salsa, and jalapeno.

Bistec

It has grilled skirt steak, pawn shop dry rub, house slaw, pickled carrot, rojo mayo, and chimichurri. All of the tacos were decent, but I feel like it was missing an umph of flavour compared to other taco shops around town.

There is also some hot sauce on the table if you need some heat added to your meal.

Churros

For dessert, we had churros with cinnamon sugar and a caramel and chocolate sauce.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the place is great for happy hour for cheap tacos and drinks. There are screens to watch the game as well. The food was alright but nothing super amazing.

We Rate The Pawn Shop YVR: 

Address:
1117 Granville Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://thepawnshopyvr.com/

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In Downtown

Botanist: Bar, Garden, Dining Room and Campaign Lounge in Vancouver

Botanist is a new restaurant inside Fairmont Pacific Rim and it officially opens today, beginning with breakfast service. They are replacing their precious restaurant concept – ORU with Botanist. The restaurant will present a collection of four diverse spaces —a dining room, cocktail bar and lab, garden, and a champagne lounge. They offer a dining destination rich in experiences that reflect the vibrant, lush earthiness of the Pacific Northwest – from design and decor to cocktails and cuisine.

We were invited to have a sneak peek of the space and menu before they open their doors to the public. So, this is definitely not a normal dining experience, I just wanted to take you on a journey to see how their new space and menu has transformed. Executive Chef Hector Laguna’s menu depicts the culinary abundance of our region – produce rooted from the soil of the northwest, sustainably sourced seafood; and organic agricultural methods from backyard suppliers.

Cocktail Bar and Lab

The Cocktail Bar is dedicated to the creative science of cocktails. Led by Grant Sceney, the creative beverage director, and David Wolowidnyk, Botanist head bartender, the international award-winning duo created a list of whimsical yet sophisticated cocktails. The elevated beverage experience is enhanced by the Cocktail Lab with commercial kitchen elements such as a centrifuge, band saw, and roto-vaporizer. Select libations give a nod to its chemistry inspired roots and botanical background.

Deep Cove

The Deep Cove mixes Island Gin, sea buckthorn, and blue algae and is served in a bespoke glass molded onto a log of driftwood. Next level cocktail right here.

Pretty Bird

This cocktail has Gin, Berries, Seeds, Bubbles and the cute bird glass sits on a Bird Nest.

If you love fun innovative cocktails, this area if for you where you can watch the bartenders in action.

Dining Room

Dining Room is a space intended to be active and engaging morning to night. A mixture of various limestone, whitewashed woods and ornate metalwork sets its foundation with pops of plant material found throughout.

The menu isn’t that large, but there is a good variety of items to choose from.

Root Vegetables

There is fava, garbanzo, avocado, burrata, lemon in this appetizer.

English Pea Soup

The soup is poured into the dish and is paired with a stack of dungeness crab, mint, and crème fraîche.

Roasted Wagyu Zabuton

This has celeriac, nettles, wild mushrooms, romanesco, and brown butter jus to complete the dish.

Seared Sablefish

It also has a onion nage, fermented vegetables, and puffed tapioca.

Charred Octopus

It has asparagus, cauliflower, kohlrabi, chorizo in this dish to highlight the charred octopus. The octopus was very tender and flavourful. You can tell they spent some time really making this dish shine.

Hand Cut Tagliatelle

There are morels, mushroom soil, and a crispy piave on top.

Final Thoughts

Another great addition to the Vancouver dining scene with their creative concept to bring out the flavours of the Pacific Northwest.

Address:
1038 Canada Place Way, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.botanistrestaurant.com/

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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

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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/

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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

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In Downtown

2017 Best of the City by Vancouver Magazine: Recap

Best of the City is a celebration to bring together the top winning restaurants from the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. The winning restaurants create a special dish to pair with one of the top category winners from their wine winners and craft beer winners.

It’s an amazing event as you get to taste the best foods, drinks and meet the amazingly talented chefs and producers behind each restaurant.

Similarly to last year, there were 10 booths that you can go to.

Of course I went to every single booth twice and maybe had too many drink with a few of my foodie friends.

Blue Water Café
Winner: Best Seafood

We were treated to Sturgeon Liver Mousse with Foie Gras and Green Apple. A delicious taster paired with Tasmania Premium Cuvée, which is a sparkling wine. Very refreshing and light choice for the start of the event.

Lufficio
Winner: Best Casual Italian/ West Side

Their Duck Ragu and Polenta paired with a rich red wine – Musella Valpolicella Superiorie Rispasso 2013. Duck and rich red wine is a perfect pairing. Very delicious.

Bufala
Winner: Best Pizzeria

We were treated to Pork Shoulder, beef brisket, bacon, ricotta and basil. The first beer pairing on the night with a North American IPA – Red Racer Super Stella IPA.

CinCin
Bronze: Best Upscale Italian

A sampling of their Spinach and Ricota Ravioli, poppy seed and lemon with brown butter and Soubise Sauce. A rich white wine – Monte del Fra Custoza Supiore DOC Ca’del Magro 2013.

Tableau Bar and Bistro
Silver: Best Casual French

On the plate was their Beef Tongue Rillete, horse radish, beetroot shaved and puree, salt caper and sauce vert. Haywire Gamay Noir Rosé 2015 was the pairing.

Bao Bei
Winner: Best Gastown/Chinatown

Deliciously cured Hiramasa, Kohlrabi, Pomelo, crushed panuts and fermented chili lemongrass dressing. This was paired with Laurenz V Singing Gruner Veltliner 2014, a medium white wine.

Prestons
Host Chef’s Selection

Oh hello. What is that? It’s a Dungeness crab, smoked shallot, gingered apple, house hot sauce, and lemon grass in a cheddar crispy shell. It paired with a Pilsner and German Style Lager – Le Trou du Diable La Pitoune.

Hawksworth
Best Upscale

Housed in a beautiful shell is their Scallop Poke, cucumber, jicama, meyer lemon, and pickled onion. A light white like Clos de Soleil Pinot Blanc 2015 was a good match. I am not a big fan of cucumber, so I felt like it over powered the natural sweetness of the scallops.

Maenam
Winner: Restaurant of the Year

One of my favourite items was the Palm sugar and spiced braised pork belly served with cilantro, fried shallots and fried garlic. Arrowleaf Pinot Noir, a light red wine was the pairing.

Cactus Club Café
Silver: Best Casual Chain

My favourite of the night was braised short rib and caramelized onion lasagna with tomato ragout, fontina cream, and cabernet reduction. Medium Red Wine – Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 was the pairing. Cactus Club Café is a pretty great chain restaurant as it’s my go to place for their happy hour menu.

Russian Standard Vodka

There was another booth with Russian Standard Vodka and they were creating cocktails throughout the night.

Final Thoughts

Overall, good picks for this event and it was great to meet up with old friends, try delicious food and wine for the best places in the city. Keep an eye open for next year’s event, as it will be a hot ticket in town for foodies.

Website: http://vanmag.com/event-bestofthecity/

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In Downtown

Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar: Happy Hour

Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar has Happy Hour from 3pm – 6pm daily. The location is great as it’s close to Burrard Skytrain station and also right by the Scotiabank Theatre. I came with a few friend after work to kick off the long weekend.

The Happy Hour menu has food and drinks under $10. It’s a very good deal compared to their regular menu.

Interior

You have to stalk for a table in their lounge as it is very crowded at 5pm. The staff are nice and can help move around chairs to best seat your party.

Oysters

One thing you’ll want to get here are their 2 bucks-a-shuck local oysters. They are Joyce Point Oysters from Sawmill Bay with shallot mignonette sauce and lemons. The oysters were shucked very well and tasted very fresh.

Korean Galbi ‘Dog’

There were no dog hurt in the creation of this item and it’s a fancier hot dog. It uses American wagyu beef in a brioche bun and served with pickled vegetables and chili paste.

House Smoked Salmon Pâté

The house smoked salmon pâté is served with grilled sourdough, pickled red onion, and capers. Very delicious as well. The pate is very smooth and I love the smokey flavour.

Final Thoughts

Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar is a great place to come for Happy Hour to enjoy some appetizers and drinks. I really enjoyed it and I’ll be back.

We Rate Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar: 

Address:
The Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://boulevardvancouver.ca/

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In Downtown

Sala Thai: Thai Cuisine in Downtown Vancouver

Sala Thai serves up authentic Thai cuisine in Downtown Vancouver. They are a family-run restaurant and have been operating for over 20 years. I came here with some friends for dinner and it’s been a long time since I’ve been here.

Thai Iced Tea

Thai Iced Tea is a must when going to Thai restaurant. It’s milky and a bit sweet. Highly recommended.

Gai Hor Bai Toey

This is chicken marinated in a chef’s sauce, wrapped and cooked in pandan leaves. It comes in an order of 4 but we added 1 more extra for our group. The chicken was moist inside those pandan leaves.

Golden Angel Wings

These are boneless chicken wings stuffed with shrimp, pork, vegetables, vermicelli noodle, herbs and served with homemade sweet chili sauce. The crisp chicken wings were so delightful and super easy to eat.

Sala Thai Salad

It has green leaves, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, onions and boiled egg with their house dressing. Not a very exciting salad.

Gaeng Dang

This red curry has coconut milk Bamboo shoots, bell peppers and Thai basil leaves. It comes with your choice of beef, pork or chicken. We went with chicken for our dish. It was very flavourful and we ordered 2 bowls of rice to accompany this dish.

Pad Thai

This is their most popular Thai rice noodle dish with shrimp, egg, tofu, bean sprouts and ground peanut. Mix this up and its quite delicious too.

Final Thoughts

Sala Thai has been a great place to go to since they’ve opened. It’s authentic and great to see how they are hiring Thai staff to make sure all of the food stays true.

We Rate Sala Thai: 

Address:
888 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.salathai.ca/

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In Canadian

Cactus Club: Frozen Blood Orange Margaritas and Appetizers

Cactus Club Cafe has one of their most stunning locations at Jack Poole Plaza by the Olympic Cauldron. After work, a few of us stopped by to try their new Frozen Blood Orange Margaritas as well as try a few of their appetizers. It’s always best to spend time with friends over good drinks and food. Cactus Club has always been a solid spot for me to some after work for drink and nibbles.

Frozen Blood Orange Margarita

The frozen blood orange margarita has the cool, citrus flavours of blood orange and lime, blended with tequila and Triple Sec. It is topped with a candied orange.

It was a really good drink and I can see it bing a popular drink once the weather in Vancouver starts warming up. It’s only here for a limited time.

Szechuan Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The chicken is cooked in sweet and spicy Szechuan glaze, peanuts, and wontons. On the side, there is Korean chili sauce and spicy yogurt. The lettuce wraps are on the side and you scoop them in and eat up.

Ceviche

The ceviche has lois lake steelhead, sustainably harvested prawns, red onions, thai basil, mint, cilantro, and nuoc cham. The ceviche is delicious and I could eat this all day.

Beef Carpaccio

The beef carpaccio is peppercorn-crusted, and topped with dijon aioli, capers, grana padano and served with crostini. A good appetizer to share and i like the contrast between the grana padano and capers with the beef.

Truffle Fries

The fries are fried and covered with truffle, herbs, grana padano, and garlic aioli. Another great item to add to the table as people can munch on it.

Tuna Stack

The tuna stack is made of Ocean Wise albacore, citrus tamari vinaigrette, nori, sesame, avocado, micro cilantro, and served with wonton chips.

Final Thoughts

Overall, when the table is full of delicious food, drinks and friends, it’s hard to have a bad time. The food was well executed and had fresh flavours and ingredients.

We Rate Cactus Club: 

Address:
1085 Canada Place, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.cactusclubcafe.com

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In British Columbia

White Spot: New WS Legendary Pirate Paks

White Spot’s Pirate Pak has been redesigned. Their icon look hasn’t changed since 1968, but on February 13th (Family Day), families will encounter a fun surprise when ordering the classic Pirate Pak.

More than 25 million Pirate Paks have been sold since 1968, when White Spot founder Nat Bailey wanted to provide a unique dining experience for kids.

The ‘WS Legendary’

The interactive Pirate Pak features a fresh cast of animated characters and revamped treasure map, plus the new W.S. Legendary pirate ship that allows kids of all ages to join the crew on their legendary (mis)adventures.

The 3 new characters includes:

  • Captain Beak Rogers, wanted for masterminding tasty heists
  • Penny Poulet, faster than her flipper
  • Drumbstick Nick, no-napkin, never-ceasing nibbler

The Food

Never fear, the food that comes with the Pirate Pak will remain the same. You will get to choose your:

  • Beverage
  • Entree
  • Side Dish
  • Dessert

Same food that will entice your kids, but new look to keep the kids entertained during the meal. The top selling item is their Hamburger, Fries and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Download the App

In addition to the revamped look, they are launching their first 3D augmented reality kids program by a Canadian chain restaurant. They are bringing Pirate Pak’s to the digital age.

You download the app for your iOS and Android device and you can begin interacting with the menu and the pirate ship to play games like Doubloon Debacle, Bookadoodle Boom, Pirate Ship Battle and Cannon Bowling.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I can see parenting-styles differ when parents take their kids out to restaurants. I wouldn’t want to give them a cellphone to play with as we eat. Other parents just want to get some peace and quiet when going out. I can see this new launch of the pirate pak cater to those who are a bit restless when it comes to sitting still. Some kids need to do something as they wait for the meal to arrive.

As of February 13th, the new Pirate Paks will be launching at all locations.

Address:
405 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.whitespot.ca/kids

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In Chinese

Ford Fusion Foodie Goes to Heritage Eatery

The 2017 Ford Fusion Sport has come out and what better way to explore Metro Vancouver, than to indulge in some fusion cuisine. Partnering up for Ford Canada, we headed to one of the newer restaurants in Vancouver for Pan Asian Cuisine – Heritage Eatery.

Check out my review of the 2017 Ford Fusion Sport as I drove it all around town. The trusty navigation guided me to Heritage Eatery easily even in rush hour.

https://foodology.ca/2017-ford-fusion-sport-review/

Heritage Asian Eatery

Heritage Asian Eatery brings together the flavours of different countries in Asia. They blend together fresh, locally sourced ingredients, prepared with a modern take on the authentic flavours of the Far East. I’ve heard lots about this place, so it was time to make the visit.

Interior

The interior as metal and wood features that give it a cool industrial look. Up on their shelves, there are metal bells, abacus, Asian hat and some other cool items.

Menu

Their lunch and dinner menu has baos, rice bowls, udon, and a few different sides. If you came int he morning, the menu is different with crepes and benny bowls. They sound pretty good, so I may have to make a revisit.

Bao

Bao means bun in Chinese. It is a Chinese steamed roll with a filling of meat or vegetables.

The 5 different flavours are:

  • Cotechino (house made sausage)
  • Shitake
  • Duck
  • Pork Belly
  • Pork Shoulder

I ordered the Cotechino, Duck and Pork Belly. It all came together in a cute bamboo steamer. The bao is soft and fluffy while the filling is very delicious. Each bao have different complementary toppings and sauce used.

Bowls

There are 4 types of rice bowls at Heritage:

  • Pork Belly
  • Duck
  • Chicken
  • Eggplant

We went with the Pork Belly as it’s the most fatty and delicious. We also added an extra egg to the bowl. It normally comes with 2 halves. The bowl is very hearty and its good for one person. The other veggies in this dish balance out the egg and pork belly.

Wings

We got a side of wings since we heard it was irresistible. The right amount of spice coat these crisp wings and drumettes.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was delicious and even thought the menu is a bit small, there’s lots of variety to each dish. Highly customizable to what you want. Eating fusion food and enjoying the Ford Focus was a fun night out.

Address:
1108 W Pender Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.eatheritage.ca/

Heritage Asian Eatery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Downtown

The Dirty Apron: Demo & Dine with Chef David Robertson

The Dirty Apron has an alternative to cooking classes where you can sit back, relax, eat and learn cooking tips from professional chefs. The intimate evening has about 20 people, so it isn’t crowded at all.

The class lasts for 2.5 hours and you are taken on a 4-course tasting meal. The class we chose was La Tavola Italiana, thus the Italian menu.

  • Course 1
    Arugula Goat Cheese Ravioli
  • Course 2
    Sicilian-style Seared Tuna
  • Course 3
    Butternut Squash Gnocchi
  • Course 4
    Red Wine-Poached Pear Tart

They also have other types of cuisines too.

Chef David Robertson took us through each course step-by-step, shared his tips, tricks and tools of the trade and then serve each demonstrated dish alongside a glass of wine. We started with a  sparkling wine and then for the remaining drinks, we could choose between red or white wine.

Arugula Goat Cheese Ravioli

The Arugula Goat Cheese Ravioli is topped in their walnut & sage butter sauce and then a bit of balsamic. It was really good. You get the strong goat cheese centre in the ravioli and it’s balanced really well with the sauce.

David went through a demo of making the ravioli and the sauce. He made it look very easy and it’s a recipe that I would consider making in the future.

Sicilian-style seared Tuna

The Sicilian-style seared tuna sits on top of their Tomato, Caper and Olive Sauce. One of my favourite dishes of the evening as preparing the tuna is very easy. The most important part is sourcing good sashimi-grade tuna. I personally like to go to Fresh Ideas Start Here in Vancouver and Burnaby.

The Dirty Apron even has a Youtube video on how to prepare this dish.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with braised Lamb shoulder

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with braised Lamb shoulder was a lot of my friend’s favourite item of the night. The lamb is really tender and so flavourful. The gnocchi were like soft pillows. The demo only included how to make the braised lamb shoulder, but not the gnocchi.

Red wine poached Pear Tart

The Red wine poached Pear Tart is topped with a pistachio ice cream. The tart was nice and warm while the contrasting pistachio ice cream added another dimension to the dessert.

Shopping

At the end of the evening, you can purchase anything from their shop and get 10% off. I saw a few people get their cookbook and others bought ingredients from the store. They carry really high quality ingredients, which I love.

Recipes

At the end of the night, they give you a printed copy of all the recipes that were part of the 4 courses. A nice fun way to put the tips and tricks into practice.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun time connecting with friends and learning more cooking tips. At the end of the night, all of us seemed very energized to get into the kitchen and start recreating the dishes at home.

Address:
540 Beatty St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.dirtyapron.com

The Dirty Apron Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Downtown

Goldies Pizza: New Location in International Village Mall in Vancouver

Goldies Pizza has opened their latest location in International Village Mall near Chinatown and Gastown. They are best known for their cheap and delicious thin crust pizza. Anyone that has been out late at night in Vancouver has probably been here after a few drinks.

Interior

The interior is small and gets busy later in the evening. There are a few tables and some large booths to sit in. You can eat in or do take out.

Pizza

They sell pizza by the slice and larger sizes of pizza. When we were here, they had a $2 price for all slices as they are newly opened. This was available for pepperoni, cheese and Hawaiian. Since we ate at 2 restaurants before coming here, we opted for a few slices.

We all had one slice each, but it was so good and only $2. The thin crust was very nice and crisp.

After getting the first slice, we ended up getting more. The second slice was bigger and the crust was a bit more charred, but that was ok because it was equally as tasty. If I’m looking for some good pizza that is cheap, I’ll stop at Goldies Pizza in the future.

We Rate Goldies Pizza: 

Address:
508 Abbott Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://goldiespizza.com/

Goldies Pizza Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Bar and Grill

St. Regis Bar and Grill in Downtown Vancouver

Taking over the kitchen and updating the menu at St. Regis Bar & Grill is Executive Chef Daniel Ackland, who had a challenge of finding a fine balance of refreshing existing favourites and creating new dishes which seamlessly blend into its casual, comfort-focussed philosophy.  Chef Daniel Ackland had a clear vision for reshaping the food program and he’s proudly launched a completely refreshed menu for the fall and winter. We were one of the first people to give this menu a try.

I came here 5 years ago when I worked at BCIT across the street, so it’s a nice way to revisit.

Quinoa Salad

The quinoa salad has mint, cranberry, cherry tomato, roasted roots, greens, feta cheese, and a citrus vinaigrette. A nice healthy option if you’re not into  heavier food on the menu.

Regis Burger

The Regis Burger is a classic burger made fresh daily. The patty is made of house ground beef blend is a mix of 100% AAA Chuck and Brisket. It is topped with lettuce, tomato, and red onion on a brioche bun with smoked onion & garlic aioli. It is served with skinny fries or you can substitute it for soup, salad, yam fries or onion rings for a little extra.

Veggie Burger

The garden burger patty is made of chickpea, couscous & roasted hazelnut. It is topped with jack cheese, onion gastrique, salsa, and grainy dijon mayo on a onion bun. The patty was huge and made it hard to eat, but was definitely missing something.

Pizza

Italia Pizza comes with mozzarella, Napoli salami, salsiccia picante, prosciutto, and chiffonade basil.

Fungi Pizza has mozzarella, shallots, mushrooms, and truffle oil.

Margarita Pizza has bocconcini, mozzarella, basil, and tomato.

The pizzas were ok, but I didn’t enjoy the dough or the toppings.

Short Rib with Garlic Mash Potato

Short rib has garlic mashed potato, shallot confit, steamed spinach, red wine jus, and frizzled onion. Super tender short rib. I really enjoyed the dish.

Chicken and Mushroom Penne

Chicken and mushroom penne has broccolini, shallot, thyme butter, and lemon. The dish was ok, but I needed more sauce to it. A bit dry and needed some more butter and lemon to coat the penne a bit more.

Spicy Noodle Bowl

Spicy noodle bowl has sauteed teriyaki chicken, mixed vegetables, and green onion.

Quarter Chicken Plate

Quarter chicken dinner has BBQ chicken, coleslaw, skinny fries, and gravy. The chicken was tender and I loved the BBQ sauce on the outside.

Warm Cookie Skillet

Warm cookie skillet has white chocolate chip cookie, shaved dark chocolate, chocolate sauce, and vanilla bean ice cream from Mario’s Gelati. This was my favourite item of the night as it is soft and warm contrasting with the ice cream covered in chocolate. A real treat.

Overall, the dishes were a hit and miss. For a bar and grill, they have a diverse menu of bar classics mixed with the more decadent dishes on the menu.

We Rate St Regis Bar and Grill: 

Address:
608 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
www.stregisbargrill.com

St. Regis Bar and Grill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Cafe

Honolulu Coffee in Downtown Vancouver

Honolulu Coffee opened their first shop in Canada on Nelson Street in Downtown Vancouver. They have plans to open more locations in the near future. They bring to the Vancouver scene a twist on the regular coffee shop by having a taste of Hawaii. They are located beside Gyu Kaku, and Guu Garden.

Interior

The interior is a good size and beautiful. There are lots of seats but limited spots with outlets. Time spent at a cafe should we talking to others and enjoying their company, but sometimes you can’t help but crack open your laptop to check on something.

Coffee

One of their signature items – Hawaiian Latte has coconut, macadamia, espresso, and milk. I found it was a bit sweet even at half sweetness. You get a subtle taste of the coconut and macadamia in the latte.

I got my latte with banana bread. It came prepackaged, but it would have been better if they offered to heat it up.

I also tried the Chocolate Macadamia nut cookie and it was ok. It was packed full of chocolate chip and nuts, the cookie was dry and hard. The Cheese Scone was also mediocre.

Overall, I didn’t really like Honolulu Coffee, but it was mostly because of my personal preferences. I tried things I normally wouldn’t order because it was their signature items. Next time, I’ll stick with a cappuccino and cake.

We Rate Honolulu Coffee: 

Address:
888 Nelson Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.honolulucoffee.com/

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In Downtown

Vancouver Art Gallery: Juxtapoz x Superflat

Juxtapoz x Superflat, a dynamic exhibition conceived by the renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and co-curated with Evan Pricco, Editor-in-Chief of Juxtapoz Art & Culture, a legendary San Francisco-based magazine committed to contemporary art, design, fashion and graffiti.

Featuring the work of more than 30 artists from Japan, Korea, Canada, the United States and Europe, this exhibition at Vancouver Art Gallery runs until February 5, 2017.

The exhibit is a manifesto for new creative practices that can no longer be adequately described by the traditional categories of art and modes of production. Takashi Murakami and Evan Pricco conceived the exhibition as a survey of the most exciting visual art to emerge in recent years, with a heavy emphasis on artists who operate outside of the central hubs of the global art world.

Expanding upon Murakami and Juxtapoz magazine’s interest in flattening high and low cultures, this exhibition includes work by artists whose practice has been shaped by a variety of sub-cultures including skate, surf, graffiti, street art, comics, design, illustration, painting, digital and traditional arts.

I’m not usually into art, but I love their modern approach by using so many different mediums.

If you get a chance to visit, make sure you take lots of photos and some pieces are mesmerizing.

Some sculptures even have a familiar look.

I love this wall! When do you get a bunch of your favourite cartoon characters done in graffiti.

Of all the current exhibits at the gallery, I loved this one the most. A great time to go is on Tuesday evenings from 5:00 – 9:00 pm as it is by-donation admission. It’s definitely a good way to save some money, but it will be busy.

Website: http://vanartgallery.bc.ca/

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In Downtown

Vancouver Christmas Market: Eat, Drink and Be Merry

The Vancouver Christmas Market has relocated for their 7th year at Jack Poole Plaza – also home to Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Cauldron. There is about 50,000 square feet of space, and 70 huts in which to savour the German Christmas experience.

Making things merry & bright at the expansive seaside site, visitors are invited to indulge in the authentic German market’s array of mouth-watering delicacies –from sizzling sausages, handbrot, German Pizza, Bratwurst, Gulasch, Spätzle Glühwein, gingerbread, traditional German beer, and others.

I was invited to give a few of the food vendors a try. So, I went with a few foodie friends to experience the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Das Gulash Haus

Das Gulasch Haus is a new addition to the Vancouver Christmas Market. Owner Thomas Goelles is sharing his mother’s Gulasch recipe with all his customers to get a little taste of Austria.

The wholesome stew is made with tenderly braised BC Beef, potatoes, and Hungarian paprika. They also have a Vegan version made with carrots, potatoes and a blend of Hungarian and smoky Spanish paprika. You can have it served it a bread bowl.

We found it was a perfect item to eat as it keeps you warm as you are walking around the market. With temperatures going close to 0 degrees, you’ll want something to warm your stomach and hands.

Freybe Brat Haus

Freybe Brat Haus is one of the most popular vendors at the market. They serve up their traditional Bratwurst as well as a few other sausage flavours on the menu. You can top it off with sauerkraut, grilled onions, mustard and ketchup.

I made sure to drunk mine in grainy mustard with a Weisswurst sausage on grilled onions and sauerkraut. Very delicious!

Spätzle Haus

Spätzle Haus creates hand-make their fresh herb spätzle, which is egg noodle with a traditional recipe passed down from their Grandmother.

Enjoy your Spätzle with one of 3 toppings and our gurkensalat (German cucumber salad).

You can choose from:

  • Traditional Butter and Swiss Emmenthaler 
    garnished with caramelized onions and parsley
  • Wild Mushroom Cream sauce
    garnished with pickled red cabbage and parsley
  • Coconut Curry Tomato 
    topped with fresh pea shoots and rainbow carrot rondelleo

Our personal favourite was the traditional butter and swiss emmenthaler.

Art Meets Chocolate

Art Meets Chocolate aims to fuse the creativity of artisan chocolate making with the inspired talents of local artists while showcasing the unique feel of various Vancouver and British Columbian neighborhoods.

They have a vast collection of chocolate to sample as well as selling other local chocolates from Lisa Lou.

Cändy Meister

Candy Meister offers a selection of colourful, scrumptious, all natural, gluten, dairy and corn free candies from Germany. A wide variety of their treats originate from the candy producer Wilhelm Mueller, who maintains candy making traditions the same way as he did in 1949.

Stop by the hut and try up to 40 different flavours, such as our popular Mulled Wine, Assorted Fruit, and Crunchy Candies as well as our wide selection of herbal candies.

Handbrot & Soup

Dresdner Handbrot (hand bread) is offered at town festivals, Christmas markets and festivals across Germany. You can now get it at the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Handbrot is made and baked in wood fired ovens on location, with savoury fillings like Gouda Cheese, House Smoked Ham or Gouda Cheese and Mushrooms. This version is topped with sour cream and green onions. It was super delicious and I would definitely order it again.

They also serve a warming Pea & Ham Soup made daily using a traditional recipe. Super delicious too. Plus warming on cold days.

German Pizza & More!

You can find German Pizza here too. Their pizzas are made with organic spelt sourdough. All ingredients are BC produced, our cheese is provided by Smits & Co in Chilliwack and the German Prociutto (Schinkenspeck) is from Summit Creek Sausage, located in Bridge Lake.

They had 2 version available:

  • German Prosciutto, creme fraiche, aged gouda, onions and fresh herbs.
  • Vegan – tomato sauce, sweet potato, garlic scapes/pesto and fresh herbs.

Final Thoughts

There’s lots to eat and discover at the Vancouver Christmas Market this year. You will have to pick a good day when it’s not raining or snowing to come take a visit to enjoy the songs, shopping and the food.

I wasn’t able to try all the food stalls at the market, but there are definitely some new favourites and old classics.

Website: http://vancouverchristmasmarket.com/

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