Kid Friendly Archives - Page 12 of 14

In American

KFC Select: First in Canada

May 14, 2014

KFC Select is a new concept restaurant to attract younger customers. This location close to Younge and Bloor is the first location to pop up in Canada. They are still sticking with what they do best … making chicken. Except, you won’t find any big buckets of chicken here.

The location opened last December and the exterior is mostly black to give it a modern look.

You can even find images of Colonel Sanders inside.

The interior reminds me of Chipotle. It’s very very similar.

They have 5 main items:

Chicken Burgers
Burritos
Bowls
Salads
Chicken Strips

Then you can choose to make it a combo or add any extra desserts. Interesting desserts – Kream Ball and Strawberry Cheesecake. I would have thought they would have chosen something more healthy.

You order like an assembly line, similarly to Chipotle.

Double Decker ($4.99) has two hand-breaded crispy chicken fillets with their special sauce and pickles between toasted sesame seed bun. Double crunchiness and M did enjoy it. Who can say no to fried chicken? I sure can’t.

Fresh Deluxe ($4.99) has one hand-breaded crispy chicken fillet with cilantro mayo, salsa roja, mild cheddar and crisp lettuce, freshly stacked on a toasted sesame seed bun. It is the same price as the double decker sandwich, but this one just has a single fillet.

To make it a combo, just add $3. You get a drink and a side. The sides you can choose from are:

Waffle Fries
Coleslaw
Side salad

Waffles fries was the side we got and it was pretty darn good. So addictive too. I like it crunchy.

California Chicken Bowl ($5.99) you get grilled chicken over cilantro rice topped with Guacamole, cilantro mayo, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

The bowl was ok, but it just contained so much sauce. It didn’t have a very healthy look to it.

They have a pretty awesome beverage fountain. I haven’t seen this in Vancouver yet, but it’s SO cool.

The pop dispenses through a touch pad. You will find all different Pepsi products like 7 Up, Brisk , Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper and Dole.

When you select pepsi, you can have regular, cherry, lime, vanilla, lime or strawberry. M really loved this machine!

Overall, KFC Select is great because they know they need to evolve to suit their consumers tastes. Unfortunately, there were so many ways of making their food healthier, but I just didn’t see it. It seemed like a weird mishmash of KFC and Chipotle. I would have loved to see some grilled chicken in their burgers rather than the crispy fried ones.

We Rate KFC Select:

Address:
730 Yonge St
Toronto ON

Website:
http://www.kfcselect.ca/

In Kid Friendly

The Keg Steakhouse: Filet Mignon and Prime Rib

May 13, 2014

M and I have a ritual of going The Keg on our anniversary. It started a few years ago when we opted to go to The Keg rather than Gothams. The Burnaby location is our favourite as it is closest to our house, but driving there is always a pain because you can only get there by going northbound on Willingdon.

Complimentary bread arrived and they have a different type of bread now. It used to be more round and soft. Now it’s a bit harder and square in shape. Still tastes good with the whipped butter.

Filet Mignon (7oz – $32 | 10oz – $37) has the tenderloin wrapped in applewood smoked bacon. You get your choice to a side and he chose roasted vegetables. It is very tender! M got his medium rare and it was spot on.

He always gets this now because it’s really flavourful and the perfect cut of meat for a man.

Prime Rib (10oz – $25) is aged for extra flavour and tenderness, rubbed with our unique blend of spices and slow roasted. Hand-carved and served with horseradish and red wine herb au jus. For my side, I ordered roasted vegetables as well.

Overall, it’s a pretty solid place to go for steaks without breaking the bank. The quality is consistent.

We Rate the Keg Steakhouse:

Address:
4510 Still Creek Ave
Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/en/locations/BC/burnaby/burnaby-keg/

In Cafe

Moii Cafe: Crepe and Teas in Vancouver

May 8, 2014

Right under the Vancity Credit Union on Cambie and Broadway is Moii Cafe. They have actually been around for a few years. It’s a popular spot among university students as it has the perfect atmosphere to study, plus the right type of food to keep the brain fueled. Ok, not really, but who doesn’t like crepes.

The interior is quite cozy and homey. There’s a good amount of space to study alone of with friends. As for me and Magz, we came here for a quick bite of lunch and to chit-chat about work and life.

They offer a variety of savoury and sweet crepes. The menu is a little bit misleading because a few items aren’t available due to seasonality.

There’s also a large wall of different drinks. There’s hot drink and cold drinks available.

Cold Honey Green Tea ($3.75) is pretty standard drink, i felt this was a tad sweet, but it’s a good pairing with a savoury crepe to balance it out.

Cold Lychee Green Tea ($3.75) has a very distinct lychee taste. Very good if you like the taste of sweet lychee.

Terimayo Crepe ($9.50) has chicken, bonito takes, cheese, okonomi sauce, pepper, mayo and wasabi. It’s not spicy at all. It’s a pretty good crepe. We enjoyed it.

Cheesecake crepe ($8.50) comes with ice cream on the side. The crepe has a slice of cheesecake inside wrapped in the crepe and topped with honey and powdered sugar. The cheese cake isn’t consistent inside as it is cut up into slices. It tasted ok, but we prefer the savoury crepe.

Overall, it’s a nice spot to hangout during the day with friends. They have wifi available too.

We rate Moii Cafe:

Address:
2559 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://moiicafe.com/category/cambie/cambie-menu

In Brunch

Coming Home Cafe: Kickass Bennies and Kick Ass Coffee

May 7, 2014

I’ve been growing tired of going to the same ol’ places for brunch in Burnaby, so I looked into New Westminster if they had anything interesting. After much Googling, I stumbled upon Coming Home Cafe. It looked like a cute place and was rated quite highly. How have I not heard of this place? Their website even has a web cam so people can see if it’s busy or not.

I decided to take a chance and bring M and Scarface with me.

Their menu is on the chalk board and everything is under $10. The interior really isn’t impressive at all, it’s more like an old diner where nothing matches or is from a thrift store. It really has that homey vibe because as a kid, I remember a lot of our cups and plates didn’t match.

Kicking Horse Coffee ($2.75) and its self serve. You grab the mug from their shelves and begin pouring the coffee and mixing in your milk and sugar. Just like home.

You also get a maximum of 2 refills, but usually people don’t need more than 3.

The Uptown ($8.50) comes with 2 egg, toast, choice of meat and hashbrowns. I got rye bread, sausage, sunny side up eggs, and the Hashbrowns. It was simple and good just like a traditional breakfast.

Kick Ass Benny with side of hashbrowns ($9+ $3) has black forest ham, poached eggs and fresh Hollandaise sauce on top of a cheese scone. There’s no english muffin here, it’s the cheese scone that rocks it.

Overall, the place is very homey and the owners are very nice. You get good traditional breakfast foods.

We Rate Coming Home Cafe:

Address:
753 6th St.
New Westminster, BC

Website:
http://www.cominghomecafe.com/

In Hotel Review

Aria Resort and Casino: Hotel on The Strip

May 1, 2014

When we were in Vegas, we spent 5 days staying at Aria. We got a good package via Allegiant Air and we heard it was a nice family friendly hotel. It’s crazy big and has about 4,000 guest suites, 16 restaurants, 10 bars/nigh clubs and a big gambling space. As a guest, you have access to the pool space and facilities. Currently, they are hosting Zarkana by Cirque du Soleil.

It is located right near the middle of the strip and is super convenient to get around either by taxi or walking.

They have these huge statues out front. It probably has some symbolic meaning.

You check in on the right side of the lobby. It takes a bit of time to check-in if there’s a long line.

Checking Out is much easier! You can check out by texting or emailing. Once done, you can just drop off your electronic keys in the boxes by the exit. It literally takes seconds to check out. I was really impressed how much they would make the process as painless as possible.

Getting to the room was a maze because of the shape of the hotel. It twists and turns but just follow the signs and you will find your way.

Our room was a Deluxe Room with 2 queen-sized beds with an adjacent room connected by a door. Perfect for a family of 5.

The room was all controlled by a tablet beside the bed. It controls the TV, temperature, lights, blinds, etc.

It was a nice space, but do be aware, if you move anything from the mini fridge, you get charged $50. Pretty steep, but I think it’s because they don’t want you to use it to cool your other beverages if you have any.

The washroom is nice, but the frosted glass may be a bit scary for some. No one really wants to kind see you do your business. Just make sure you close the main door to the washroom.

The shower and the tub are in the same glassed area. You can take a bath and a shower at the same time.

The Monte Carlo and New York New York and be seen from the lobby area. Taxi’s come quickly and isn’t a problem at all. But then again, taxi’s are everywhere on the strip.

When you check out, you can leave your luggage at the hotel until it’s time to go. Our flight was in the afternoon, so we wanted to spend some time getting lunch and picking up a few souvenirs.

Overall, I enjoyed our stay and would definitely consider Aria again.

Website: http://www.aria.com/

In Bakery

The Coffee Bun: Yummy Snacks in Coquitlam

April 29, 2014

The Coffee Bun is located in Coquitlam in Henderson Mall. This is their second location as their original one is in North Vancouver. KoreanGirl and I drove past it and were curious about this place, so after we had lunch somewhere else, we came here for a coffee and some snacks.

The space is quite spacious with lots of tables. Perfect for studying or a good place to hang out with friends. The tables are spaced out far apart, so you aren’t up close to others.

Iced Coffee was what KoreanGirl ordered. It was a hot day, so that made sense. The coffee is made with Kicking Horse coffee beans.

Hot Cappuccino is also made with Kicking Horse coffee beans. It was really hot, but after it cooled down it tasted good. It was made by a machine, so it doesn’t have that strong taste of espresso.

The coffee bun is baked with a coffee cream on top to create the aromatic coffee crust on top of the bun. There are 10 flavours of filling for the buns.

Original Plain (filled with butter)
Cream Cheese (filled with cream cheese)
Custard Chouz (filled with soft vanilla cream)
chocolate (filled with chocolate chips)
red bean (filled with red bean)
garlic (topped with coffee and herbs)
cinnamon (topped with cinnamon)
pumpkin (filled with sweet pumpkin)
ice cream (sandwiched with ice cream)
coffee bun sandwich (sandwiched with ham and cheese)

Depending on the location, the fillings and options can vary.

The original plain coffee bun came right out of the oven and was SO GOOD. The are fresh every 30 minutes, so I would definitely wait till the new batch comes out. The crust is really good and the little bit of butter inside pairs nicely.

Cream Cheese Coffee bun was ok. This one was got wasn’t heated up, so it was a little big unsatisfactory. We thought they would heat this up a little bit.

Custard Coffee bun is filled with the custard cream inside. If you have a slight sweet tooth, then this is what you might enjoy. It’s like a cream puff but inside a coffee bun.

Strawberry and ice cream toast was another item they had for their more dessert-like options. They also have Korean shaved ice and belgian waffles too. The strawberries were frozen and sliced. We weren’t impressed with this.

Overall, a cup of coffee and a fresh coffee bun is best to be ordered.

We Rate Coffee Bun:

Address:
1011-1163 Pinetree Way
Coquitlam, BC

Website:
http://www.thecoffeebun.com/

In Cafe

Pink Sugar Cafe: Japanese Lunch Set

April 28, 2014

Pink Sugar Cafe is located in Coquitlam close to the mall. KoreanGirl and I came here for their signature lunch sets. There’s a few parking spots and if you come early enough, there will be plenty of parking spots and seats.

We came here around 11:30am and it wasn’t packed at all. When it got closer to 12:30pm, thats when it gets quite busy.

If you come early enough to catch their early bird special, you get a free upgrade to any item on their drink menu. Usually you would get house coffee or tea with your lunch set. This is only applicable till 11am. If you are looking for an early lunch, it’s a good deal. But, if you don’t want to wake up early on the weekend, you won’t miss out too much.

People usually come here for their lunch sets anyways.

Japanese Lunch Special changes every day. You never know what they are going to feature. Some people call in ahead of time to see what they are serving as their feature.

We came when they had ginger pork. It also comes with miso soup, chawan mushi, salad, rice and a custard dessert. What I liked about this is that you get a little taste of everything and not overwhelmed by one dish for lunch.

Ginger Pork that was part of the set was delicious and very aromatic and full of flavour. The slices were quite large.

The salad has lettuce. onion, tomato, orange and a delicious dressing.

Chawan Mushi is an egg custard and it was silky smooth. Very light and enjoyable. It has a distinct dashi broth taste in this dish and it goes well with the mushrooms and shrimp.

Miso Soup was also good!

Rice has some sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Dessert was a smooth silky custard dessert topped with whipped cream and fruit.

After you are done your lunch set, you have the option of having tea or coffee. They have a lot of different teas to choose from. I just got green tea.

Overall, the food was great. KoreanGirl liked the little tastings of each dish. It was a great portion for lunch and you won’t be bursting at the seams.

We Rate Pink Sugar Cafe:

Address:
#115-3030 Lincoln Ave
Coquitlam, BC

Website:
http://www.pinksugarcafe.com/

In Four Beakers

Tokyo Thyme: Time for Japanese Food

April 25, 2014

Tokyo Thyme has been on my “to-eat” list for a very long time, but it’s always out of the way for me as I live and work far away from Kerrisdale. M was very skeptical like he usually is. We both wanted to see if this restaurant has some good sushi.

The restaurant is decently sized. We came on a Friday evening for dinner and it wasn’t packed at all. There was a larger party there, but it cleared out quickly. It has a homey feel to the restaurant.

Red and White Tuna Stack with Quail Egg ($15.50 +$0.50) has a tower of red and white tuna, and avocado. Topped with Seaweed, green onions and the quail egg. It is served with sushi rice and seaweed.

Its really beautiful and its a pitty you have to mix it together and ruin the pretty layers.

Once you mix it together, you take the seaweed, put on some rice and the mixture. Fold and enjoy. It did taste great but its pricey.

Tuna Tataki ($12.50) is seared tuna served with spicy ponzu sauce. It’s another beautifully presented dish and come with 6 pieces. It tasted great.

Homemade Dumpling was the special on the menu when we dined here. I thought they were ok.

Sesame crusted tuna steak ($13.50) has seared tuna covered in black and white sesame, served with spicy sauce and mixed greens. Yet again, its beautifully presented and it’s very original compared to other restaurants.

Mmm yummy. Even the salad was good.

Tamago Nigiri ($1.75) was delicious. The eel was warm and had a delicious sweet and smokey taste.

Unagi Nigiri ($3.95) was good as well. M really loved it.

Toro Nigiri ($3.25) was melt in your mouth delicious. It’s very fatty and is just so good.

The food quality at Tokyo Thyme is fantastic and original. The downside is the portions are smaller and the prices are higher than most. In my opinion, it was worth it because they use fresh ingredients that are higher quality.

We Rate Tokyo Thyme:

Address:
5405 West Blvd
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.tokyothyme.com/

In Canadian

Anny’s Dairy Bar: Maple Twist Ice Cream

April 20, 2014

The weather is getting better in Vancouver and what better way to celebrate than going to get some ice cream. We were in New Westminster and we came across Anny’s.

There were lots of people sitting inside and we saw a huge sign saying they were serving maple twist cones.

Of course we had to get some! I’ve never seen such a thing and M wanted some too.

Maple Twist Cone has the maple streak on the side. It wasn’t too sweet and deliciously creamy. M really liked it.

If you’re in the New Westminster area, definitely check this place out.

We Rate Anny’s Dairy Bar:

Address:
722 Sixth Street
New Westminster, BC

In Kid Friendly

To Dine For Eatery: Delicious Burgers in Vancouver

April 17, 2014

To Dine For Eatery is located on Terminal Avenue a few blocks away from Main Street Skytrain. I came here with a few coworkers as we were in a meeting close by. Surprisingly, its Korean-owned and they have a few unique items on their menu besides burgers like BiBimbap and some rice dishes.

As you can tell from the menu, it’s mostly sandwich, soup, burgers, curry, and rice bowls. The prices for lunch are around $10 – $15.

Korean Kimchi Burger ($13.95) has an 6oz homemade patty with kimchi, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and a special sauce inside the brioche bun. Instead of fries, I got salad on the side.

It’s a pretty good burger. The ingredients were fresh and full of flavour.

Overall, we like what we had for lunch and was not disappointed. I would come here again.

We Rate To Dine For Eatery:

Address:
333 Terminal Ave
Vancouver, BC

In 24 hours

Hash House A Go Go: Huge Portions for Breakfast in Vegas

April 15, 2014

Hash House A Go Go is a 24 hour restaurant in The Quad. They are known for their breakfast in amazing large portions. It’s been featured a lot on Food Network and it was recently featured on Man vs Food for their Andy’s Sage Fried Chicken Benedict.

We got there at 10am and there was already a line up. We waited about 45 minutes for a seat. If you hate lines, it always best to come at non-peak hours.

There’s a lot of seats inside but not all of them were occupied.

Ground turkey, mushroom & broccoli Farm Scramble is served with mashed potato, fresh fruit and biscuit.

House smoked salmon benedict with asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, chili cream and two basted eggs.

It’s huge and tastes decent. This isn’t any normal eggs benny. My mom commented that the salmon was dry.

HH Famous Meatloaf House Hash has roasted red peppers, spinach and smoked mozzarella. It is tossed with crispy potatoes & topped with 2 eggs, served with fruit and biscuit.

Its served in a huge pan too.

Roasted Chicken House Hash has garlic, onions, asparagus and rosemary. Then tossed with crispy potatoes and topped with 2 eggs, served with fruit and biscuit. My dad enjoyed it.

Andy’s sage fried chicken benedict with fresh spinach, hardwood smoked bacon, market tomato, griddled mozzarella, chipotle cream and scrambled eggs.

They threw a knife in there to hold it all together.

The knife was huge and this was just oozing with calories. I didn’t mind, so i just dug in to enjoy all its flavours.

It has everything but my favourite part was the bacon and scrambled eggs on top. The chicken was dry.

Overall, the only thing it has going for them are the huge portions. Tastewise, it was ok. It’s not a place for everyone.

We Rate Hash House A Go Go:

Address:
3535 Las Vegas Boulevard S
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Website:
http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/vegas/menu/

In Four Beakers

Tacos el Gordo: Amazing Tacos in Vegas

April 14, 2014

Tacos el Gordo is located at the North end of the Strip. We took a taxi here as we didn’t want to walk from our Hotel. It’s kinda close to Encore and Wynn. They are known for some good tacos.

The taxi dropped us off at the parking lot next door and it was a few seconds of a walk.

The tacos are authentic and the prices are pretty good.

You go inside and grab the tacos that you would like. Then you pay at the cashier. The staff are pretty quick at putting together orders and the smell is incredible.

When it is busy, there can be quite a long line up.

We grabbed a little bit of everything. You can also get unlimited amount of limes and radishes for free.

Horchata ($1.40) was really sweet and hard to drink. It just seemed like nothing I’ve ever had in Vancouver. It’s probably best to stay away from this.

We ordered at bit of everything. I can’t remember which taco was which, but they were all really good. Taco DeLengua (Beef Tongue) $2.25, Taco De Asada (Steak) $2, Taco De Suadero (Beef Shoulder) $2 and Taco De Adobada (Spicy Pork) $2 were among some of the variations we got.

I would definitely come here again. They have really late hours, so its perfect for night owls or after drinking.

We Rate Tacos el Gordo:

Address:
3049 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TacosElGordoLasVegas

In Kid Friendly

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina: Pizza and Pasta in Vegas

April 13, 2014

Inside the The Shops at Crystals right beside Aria is Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina. My parents were raving about this place and how addictive their pasta was the day before. I was intrigued and I wanted to come here to see what they were talking about.

It has a warm and inviting atmosphere. Perfect for families. We came right when it opened and by 1pm, there was a good amount of people dining.

The other side of the restaurant, you can get a view of all the shops. Plus its great for people watching.

Shirley Temple was what my mom was craving. It is made using a mix of Grenadine syrup and soda. We were sad they didn’t use the recipe with orange juice.

Complimentary bread arrived at the table before the rest of the meal came. It is delicious rustic bread with a few pieces of butter on the side. The bread was really soft in the centre and crispy on the outside.

Prime Beef Carpaccio has roasted garlic aioli, crispy artichokes, goat cheese, and arugula. Oh man, this was addictive. Highly recommended.

Veal Ravioli has porcini mushrooms in a brown butter sauce and crisp sage on top. My sister thought it was a bit salty for her liking but the first few bites were good.

Rigatoncini is smothered in piemontese meat sauce, garlic, and parmesan reggiano. The sauce gets into the inside of the pasta so you get a good amount of sauce in each bite.

Spaghetti has tomatoes, basil, garlic with housemade meatballs. Very classic and simple dish. The meatballs were huge and it is very filling. My sister and my dad really liked this.

Wild Mushroom pizza has bechamel, fontina, thyme, and arugula on top. It has a thin crust and perfectly crisp all the way through.

Overall, the food was done pretty well and no complaints.

We Rate Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina:

Address:
3720 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV

Website:
http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/53877

In Bakery

The Boss Restaurant 大班餐廳餅店: Lunch in Chinatown

March 29, 2014

Magz and I went to The Boss Restaurant in Chinatown for lunch. It was packed and quite busy. We had to wait in line for a seat. Usually the turnaround is quite quick, so we didn’t have to wait too long.

There is also a bakery in the front where they sell cakes, pastries and bread. That section was quite busy too. Their lunch menu is quite cheap, so you can be full in under $10.

Hot Milk Tea is a classic choice for any meal in a Hong Kong Style Cafe.

Cold Milk Tea was good. I wish I could have added my own sugar because it was a tad too sweet.

Beef Steak with Pepper Sauce was part of their lunch menu. The best part was the beef steak and pepper sauce. The beef was tender and cut easily. It came with 2 thin pieces. There was also a lot of rice and some broccoli on the side.

Overall, not a bad lunch as its cheap and satisfies the tummy.

We Rate The Boss Restaurant:

Address:
532 Main St
Vancouver, BC

In Brunch

Joe Fortes: Weekend Brunch

March 17, 2014

Joe Fortes was the place where TaiwaneseGirl highly recommended we come here for eggs benny. There are open 11am till 11pm daily. We are continuing our hunt for delicious eggs benny in town. We came here a bit past 11am and this place was beginning to get busy.

By 12:30pm, this place was packed and there were waits. The restaurant is quite large, so it seats a lot of people.

We were given complimentary scones as we waited for our order. It was a nice touch. You get one scone per person.

Orange Juice ($6.95) is what we needed to start off the brunch.

Crispy Fried Local Oysters ($14.95) is served with Joe’s classic tartar sauce. There were only 4 pieces, so it was definitely very expensive. We thought there would be more. Nonetheless, it did taste good. The oysters used were Ocean Wise.

Eggs Benedict ($13.95) comes with Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise. It also comes with hashbrowns, house-made english muffins, fruit and ketchup. We got the eggs to be soft poached so the yolk oozed out.

Smoked Salmon Benedict ($14.95) has poached eggs, chive hollandaise. It was good, the smoked salmon pieces were cut thick, but it could of had more smokey flavour.

I got the soft poached eggs and man, was it ooey gooey and oh so delicious.

Joe’s Signature Benedict ($15.95) has wild mushrooms, crisp proscuitto, and truffle sage hollandaise. Same items come on the plate as the other bennies.

Overall, the eggs bennies was good. There’s a lot of food on the plate, so you will definitely be full after eating. Certain items on the menu can be quite pricey like the seafood options.

We Rate Joe Fortes:

Address:
777 Thurlow St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.joefortes.ca/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=777+Thurlow+St&sll=49.2850465,-123.1244619&sspn=0.0053748,0.0109864&t=m&hnear=777+Thurlow+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6E+3V5&z=16″]

In Brunch

Market by Jean Georges: Breakfast with Eggs Benny

March 12, 2014

The Market by Jean Georges is open for breakfast daily from 6:30am to 11:00am. The girls and I decided to give it a try as we are eager to eat all the egg bennys in town.

We made reservations for breakfast on a Saturday and it was surprisingly quite empty. Only a few tables were occupied. Even by 11:30am, we did see a few people either. I came here a few years ago for their brunch prix fixe and it was pretty damn good.

The interior is quite nice and really sets the mood for a beautiful brunch.

Freshly squeezed orange juice ($6) it comes in a tall glass and was perfect for the early morning meal. They also have grapefruit, carrot, apple, tomato, and pineapple juice as other options.

Before our dishes arrived, we received some complimentary fruit in a bowl for each person. It was definitely a nice touch. The fruits were fresh and there was a nice variety of fruits.

Black Forest Ham Classic Eggs Benny ($18) comes in 3 flavours – black forest ham, smoked salmon, and Spinach & Mushroom. We thought the eggs benny here was just OK. Nothing really special or anything. We did find that the hard egg was a turn off. We weren’t given the option to have it soft and runny like other places.

Mushroom and Spinach Classic Eggs Benny ($18) had the same issue. Everything revolving around the egg was fine…but that hard egg ruined the experience.

Smoked Salmon Classic Eggs Benny ($18) had a good amount of salmon but yet again, the same issue with the egg.

You have a variety of jams and tiny tabasco sauce if you want to flavour your dish. TaiwaneseGirl really liked her spice, so she used a few bottles of tabasco.

Brown Butter Waffles ($18) has macerated berries, mint, maple syrup and powdered sugar. It was alright, but it is quite expensive for a single waffle.

The eggs benny price is the same as Hawksworth and I would rather go to Hawksworth for eggs benny. We weren’t impressed for breakfast. If you do come here for breaskfast to order the benny, make sure to request a soft egg. Our server neglected as ask us how we liked our eggs and it kinda ruined our experience.

We Rate Market by Jean Georges:

Address:
1115 Alberni St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.marketbyjgvancouver.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=1115+Alberni+St&sll=49.285407,-123.1238676&sspn=0.0053747,0.0109864&t=m&hnear=1115+Alberni+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6E+4T9&z=16 “]

In Bakery

Basho Cafe: Matcha Lattes and Treats

March 10, 2014

Basho Cafe recently opened on Hastings Street close to Victoria Drive. It is a family run Japanese Cafe and they have yummy drinks, lunch sets and sweet treats.

FoodQueen and I decided to have an afternoon snack at Basho.

A lot of items in the interior are handmade by the family – the dishes, decor, furniture, and etc. Once you step inside, you know you want to fall in love with this cozy cafe. It really sets the mood, rain or shine.

It only seats about 16 people, so as word gets out about this place, it will definitely get super busy. We got there at 2pm and there were no spots left, so we had to wait a little bit till people started leaving.

Afternoon Set ($5 after 2pm) includes a matcha latte and 3 assorted treats. We found this was definitely a great deal as you get a tasting of what they have to offer.

The matcha latte isn’t sweetened, so if you like it a little sweeter, add some sugar.

Mochi Mochi Matcha looks like a cute little cupcake, but on the inside is squishy with the mochi. Really good and highly recommended. It’s also gluten-free and vegan.

Sesame brownie was very moist and had was very addictive.

Goma-miso cookie has lot of black sesame in it. Delicious as well.

Matcha Sandwich Cookie has the matcha cookies on the outside and it sandwiches some sort of icing.

Matcha Brownie was good too. Tough choice between the sesame brownie and the matcha brownie.

Matcha coconut chocolate chip cookie was a delightful surprise. I usually don’t like coconut, but this cookie was gooood.

Overall, all the baked treats were good and none of the disappointed. It’s a cute cafe to just chill and catch up with friends over drinks and nibbles. Highly recommend this cafe!

We Rate Basho Cafe:

Address:
2007 E Hastings St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://bashocafe.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=2007+E+Hastings+St&sll=49.281216,-123.0634631&sspn=0.0053752,0.0109864&t=m&hnear=2007+E+Hastings+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5L+1T9&z=16 “]

In Bakery

Hot Chocolate Festival: Terra Breads

January 29, 2014

Terra breads is participating in the 4th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival put on by City Food Magazine. From January 18th till February 14th. The event is a fundraiser that supports the Downtown Eastside Women’s Job Training Centre program of PHS Community Service Society and East Van Roasters. It’s really a great cause and I would highly encourage people to go out there and grab some hot chocolate.

There are many more restaurants and shops participating:

Beaucoup Bakery
Bel Cafe
Bella Gelateria
Blenz
Chocolate Arts
Chocolaterie De La Nouvelle
Cocoa Nymph
East Van Roasters
French Made Baking
Gem Chocolates
KoKo Monk Chocolates
Last Crumb Cafe
Leonidas
Mink Chocolates and Cafe
Schokolade Artisan Chocolate
Soirette Macarons and Tea
Terra Breads
Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe
Thomas Haas
UVA Wine Bar

I went to grab a hot chocolate from Terra Breads as it is a few minutes from my work.

‘Call me a Cab’ Hot Chocolate ($4.95) has cacao barry extra brute hot chocolate with cabernet, cinnamon and pear.

I liked the combination of flavours and didn’t really taste alcoholic at all.

It is served with a pear crisp and a cocoa sugar cookie. Very nice touch! Terra Breads always creates some awesome variation of hot chocolate. Last year, they had the Stand Up and Stout, which was hot chocolate and beer.

Address:
1605 Manitoba Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.terrabreads.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=1605+Manitoba+Street+Vancouver,+BC&sll=49.2715469,-123.106828&sspn=0.0053762,0.0109864&t=m&hnear=1605+Manitoba+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5Y+3B7&z=16″]