lunch Archives - Page 8 of 10

In lunch

Tealicious Richmond: Taiwanese Cuisine

January 21, 2014

Tealicious Taiwanese Cuisine is located in Richmond in a plaza near Cambie Road and Sexsmith Road. M and I were with CoffeeLover and he took us here to have some good noodles. They were open since August 2013 and serves up authentic Taiwanese dishes.

I’ve never heard of this place but was excited to give it a try.

Beef Noodle Soup ($6.75) has the beef broth some thick noodles and bits of beef. M thought it was ok. Not as good as some of the other places in town.

Black Pepper Chicken With Rice ($8.50) was huge! There is also some cold side dishes to accompany the meal. It was worth the price as you get pretty full. The chicken was tender and had the coating similar to salt and peppery chicken.

Seafood Noodle Soup 海鮮麵 ($8.95) was CoffeeLovers favourite item to order. There’s lots of seafood like fish, squid, and shrimp in it.

Overall, the food was ok. Nothing very special about the items that they have here.

We Rate Tealicious Richmond:

Address:
2116-3779 Sexsmith Rd
Richmond, BC

Website:
http://www.tealiciousrichmond.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=2116-3779+Sexsmith+Rd,+Richmond,+BC&t=m&hnear=3779+Sexsmith+Rd,+Richmond,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6X+3Z9&z=16 “]

In Downtown

Zac Zac Japanese Curry House: Hidden Gem in Downtown Vancouver

January 14, 2014

Hidden at the back of the H-Mart food court is Zac Zac Japanese Curry. A lot of people don’t realize that there is a mini food court here. Quick and cheap lunch can be found here.

I came here before to order their chicken curry a few years ago, but I always felt like I ordered the wrong item. They have cool varieties of curry from chicken, to beef, to tempura…to even natto beans. Natto beans are equivalent to how some people feel about Durian. It’s fermented beans and they are either loved or hated.

This time around I came here with M for lunch and he ordered me the Katsu Curry.

Katsu Curry ($7.98) it has rice on the bottom topped with a crispy pork and their signature curry sauce. It was really good!

The week after, I came here again with my coworker for lunch to have the same thing. It’s definitely one of my lunch favourites. It’s nothing fancy, but the prices are good and taste great. It’s pretty hard to find good Japanese curry in town.

We Rate Zac Zac Japanese Curry:

Address:
590 Robson St Vancouver

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/zac.zac.japanese.curry.house

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=590+Robson+St+Vancouver&t=m&hnear=590+Robson+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6B+2B7&z=16″]

In Cafe

Miura Waffle Milk Bar: Relocated to Main Street

January 9, 2014

It’s been a while since my last visit to Miura Waffle and Milk Bar. They were previously located on Davies and Howe, but have now moved to their new location on Main street close to Broadway. They serve made to order sweet and savoury waffle sandwiches.

During lunch, I came with my coworkers to indulge in some savoury sandwiches.

When you enter the restaurant, you have to go up to the counter to order first. The interior isn’t very large but it is still larger than its previous location. Most of the tables are in 2s and 4s, but if you have more people, just combine more tables.

Mango Passion Yoggy Milk was ordered by my coworker and it wasn’t very good. It did not have a substantial amount of texture to it and was runny and thin.

Strawberry Yoggy milk is like a strawberry milkshake but more tangy. This is probably the best out of all their flavours for yoggy milk. The texture was nice and thick like those YOP yogurt drinks.

Bulgogi Sando is their top flavour for savoury sandwiches apparently. It has beef, egg sauce, kimchi & bulgogi sauce in side the waffle. my coworker liked it but it was a tad messy to eat. You eat it like a normal sandwich with no forks or knives.

Hoisin Sando has hoisin pork sausage, cilantro, cucumber, pickled radish & carrot in the waffle. The pickled vegetables reminded Magz of a Bahn Mi sandwich. She liked it so much she came back a few days later.

Wasabi Salmon sando has salmon, lettuce, herbs & wasabi ranch. The wasabi was subtle and doesn’t really make you cry. It’s a nice balance between the salmon and wasabi mayo. It wasn’t too messy to eat and nothing fell out of the sandwich while eating.

One thing that I did notice is that the salmon was baked into the waffle. HOW COOL IS THAT? The reason why the salmon didn’t fall out was that it was there stuck in the waffle batter.

All of the sandwiches come with Deep-fried Nori chips on the side. They are crisp seaweed pieces. It tasted ok, but need a little something extra. I’m not exactly sure what, but it sure needs some improvement.

Overall, they have a really cute concept of waffle sandwiches. The food was alright, but there are a few kinks they need to work out.

We Rate Miura Waffle Milk Bar:

Address:
2521 Main St
Vancouver, BC

Website: http://www.miurawafflemilkbar.ca/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=2521+Main+St+Vancouver,+BC&t=m&hnear=2521+Main+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5T&z=16″]

In Japanese

Aqua Sushi + Organic Juice Bar: New Restaurant in Olympic Village

January 8, 2014

Aqua Sushi + Juice Bar is a new addition to the Olympic Village. They serve up all their sushi with brown rice and all their fresh juice is made to order with the freshest ingredients possible. They also only use wild sockeye salmon instead of the usual salmon you find at other places.

Magz and I came here during lunch to find a nice light and quick lunch.

The place is small and doesn’t have too many seats.

All menu items are $10 or under. Still, the items are pricey since it’s just a roll.

Quench Fresh Pressed Juice ($6) has cucumber, pineapple, coconut water, pear and lime. It was strange how it came out pink with the ingredients, but the juice tasted pretty good. The pineapple really sweetens up the drink.

Spicy Salmon Roll ($5) has crunchy green beans, kale, wild sockeye salmon, spicy sauce, brown rice and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The crunchy texture of the beans and kale really complimented the salmon. I was really surprised! The quality of ingredients is fantastic. Yeah to eating healthy.

Rejuvenate ($6) has carrot, orange, grapefruit, ginger and cayenne.

Aqua Roll ($5.50) has salmon, avocado, mango, green bean, and brown rice. Another great roll that didn’t disappoint. THe mango was perfectly ripe and not sour.

Overall, we were impressed by the rolls and juices. We didn’t have high hopes in the beginning, but when we took the first bite and slip, we liked it. The prices are expensive for what you get compared to other sushi places around town. You’re paying a lot more for quality ingredients. Also, everything here is really healthy, which is good if you are on a diet.

We Rate Aqua Sushi + Juice Bar:

Address:
1764 Manitoba Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://aquajuicebar.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=1764+Manitoba+Street+Vancouver,+BC&t=m&hnear=1764+Manitoba+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5Y+1H9&z=15 “]

In lunch

Mangal Kiss Mid East BBQ: New Location at Main Street Station

December 24, 2013

Mangal Kiss has set up their second food cart right outside Main Street Skytrain Station. My coworkers are all raving about their amazing sandwiches, soups and wraps. We usually don’t have too many food options in the area, but when something good comes to the area, the word spreads throughout the building.

A few years ago, I first tried their amazing wraps near the Art Gallery and I was hooked to their fresh and flavourful food. As it’s steps outside my work, I have no excuse not to go for lunch here.

Full Sandwich with soup and dessert ($12) was what I ordered for lunch. It was a lot of food, but good food! They ran out of dessert but I got an orange instead.

BBQ Braised Short Rib has shaved cabbage, Moroccan spiced carrots, daikon, and pickles. It also has Mangal Kiss bbq sauce and tahini. The vegetables and pickles really make this sandwich emanate with flavour.

Lentil Soup was surprisingly really good. It had a nice depth of flavour. Filling too.

Chicken Shawarma ($7) was very large and packed full of vegetables. It’s still good, but it isn’t as great as the Shishliks wraps they used to make when they were near the Art Gallery.

What I like about their food is that the portions a large, price is good and its full of vegetables and amazing sauce. If you ever see them, check them out.

We Rate Mangal Kiss:

Location:
Main Street Skytrain Station

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=MAIN+SkyTrain,+Terminal+Ave,+Vancouver,+BC&ll=49.273405,-123.100154&spn=0.008246,0.020814&t=m&z=16&iwloc=A”]

In American

Bennigan’s in South Korea

December 7, 2013

Doing some research on where to eat in Korea, M wanted to go to Bennigan’s. It’s an American chain restaurant that serves up Irish and American food. After doing a debate of dining choices, I reluctantly agreed to come here for lunch. They serve Monte Cristo sandwiches here and M has been searching far and wide for this sandwich.

The restaurant is located on the third floor. There is also a Bennigan’s Kids on an alternative level for just kids. Adults can watch them from a monitor on the third floor and have their privacy.

This is what we came for.

Complimentary Bread arrived.

Sweet Pickles came as the side dish.

World Famous Monte Cristo (10,000 won) has honey wheat bread layered with tender ham, roasted turkey, Swiss and American cheeses. Batter-dipped, gently fried and coated with powdered sugar. Served with red raspberry preserves for dipping. Fries came on the side.

This dish was huge and very filling. It was hard for M to finish the whole thing.

Soup and pop combo (+ 4,000 won) can be added to your meal.

Chicken Quesadillas (10,000 won) has Garlic-marinated chicken with Colby and Monterrey Jack cheeses, flavorful spices and crispy fried onions folded in a flour tortilla.

It is served with salsa, guacamole, and a lime sour cream sauce. The quesadilla was decent.

Chicken Stir fry (10,000) is served on a hot skillet with rice, vegetables and chicken.

Sweet Potato Pan Cheese (10,000 won) is a very korean inspired dish since Koreans love sweet potato. You won’t find this in North America. You definitely want to share this because you’ll get sick of the taste quite quickly.

Overall, the food was ok, but the Monte Cristo is always the sinfully delicious item to get. The place was pretty busy during a Friday and with lots of families. The prices are comparable to the states. The menus here have english, so you won’t have any issues ordering.

If you want to explore Korean cuisine while you are traveling in Seoul, this is probably not the place you want to go. M and I went here because we don’t have one in Canada.

We Rate Bennigans:

Address:
3F, 94, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Website:
http://www.bennigans.co.kr/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=3F,+94,+Nonhyeon-dong,+Gangnam-gu,+Seoul,+South+Korea&t=m&hnear=94+Nonhyeon-dong,+Gangnam-gu,+Seoul,+South+Korea+(334+Dosan-daero)&z=14″]

In Four Beakers

Curry House CoCo Ichibanya: Omurice in Seoul

December 1, 2013

M was on a mission for omurice, which is rice covered in an omelette. It’s very hard to find in Vancouver, so when we came to Seoul, it was on the top of our list. We didn’t know which place had the best omurice, so we enlisted the help of his cousin to find us a place for lunch.

As we approached Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, I had no idea what this place served except for curry.

This particular location is inside Y’ZPark just outside of Honkik University station. It opens at 11am till 10pm.

There’s lots of seats but as we came here a a few hours past noon, it wasn’t too busy. There’s also other restaurants located in the floor of the mall too.

Creamy Mushroom Omelette Curry (9,300 won)

Comes with the rice covered in yummy omelette and smothered with their curry sauce and creamy mushroom sauce. It was really good! One of the best omurices I’ve had. The sauces were amazing a smothered every inch of the rice.

I also have a secret love for mushrooms, so this was music to my tastebuds.

Pork Cutlet Omelette Curry (10,800 won) has a panko crusted pork cutlet that is just crunchy and so delicious. M said this was very good!

Beef Omelette Curry (9,300 won) has the same curry sauce as the others but with shreds of beef.

Tomato and Asparagus Omelette Curry (8,900 won) similar sauce with with vegetables.

You can also upgrade to a combo with a drink and a salad.

In Hongdae, the Curry House CoCo Ichibanya is located inside Y’ZPARK. There’s a few shops like Uniqlo inside as well as other restaurants.

Overall, the food was very good! There are a few locations around Seoul. If you happen to pass by one, definitely go have some omurice there!

We Rate Curry House CoCo Ichibanya:

Address:
166-15 Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea ‎

Website:
http://www.cocoichibanya.co.kr/main.jsp

In Cafe

JJ Bean: Now open in False Creek

November 28, 2013

JJ Bean has open their latest location in False Creek on 1st Avenue. It’s spacious and has a good amount of seats to just chill and have some coffee or even set up your laptop and study.

There’s lots of natural light that shines through the windows and is very relaxing. They have excellent coffee, but as we already had our morning coffee, we opted for juice and some yummy lunch.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup (Large) was had it for here, so we got a side of salad. The large size was quite big. Magz had a hard time finishing it, so she had to take it to go.

Spicy Southwest Chicken Wrap has a spicy chipotle mayo, cilantro chimichurri rice, corn, black beans, tomato, monterey jack cheese and roasted chicken breast in a spinach tortilla. I had the wrap here, so we got a salad on the side.

As a quick lunch and it was pretty good. Lunch with no fuss. It’s a good addition to the area.

We Rate JJ Bean:

Address:
188 West 1st Avenue
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://jjbeancoffee.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=188+West+1st+Avenue+Vancouver,+BC&t=m&hnear=188+W+1st+Ave,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5Y&z=14″]

In Brunch

The Coquitlam Grill: Breakfast on the Weekends

November 27, 2013

Heading to Coquitlam early in the morning, what better way to have breakfast than to go to Coquitlam Grill. It has been here for a very long time and is a local favourite. They serve up breakfast, lunch and dinner.

At 10am, the parking lot was packed and you can see some seniors standing around hanging out with their friends.

The interior is the same as a Knight and Day because that was the previous restaurant that occupied the space.

There’s tons of seats, so its great for large parties. It’s usually packed on the weekends, but we came here early, so there were seats still in the back.

French Toast with sausages, eggs, and hash browns. Comes with a side of butter and syrup.

European Breakfast with sausage, perogies, sour cream and eggs.

Truckers Breakfast has eggs, bacon, sausage, breakfast sausage and hash browns.

The truckers breakfast also comes with pancakes. It’s a huge meal.

All the breakfast items were pretty solid. Good ol’ breakfast. The portions are huge and definitely worth the price. It’s a favourite breakfast location for locals and you get your moneys worth. You will walk out happy and full.

The restaurant also has free wifi.

We Rate Coquitlam Grill:

Address:
108 – 2635 Barnet Highway
Coquitlam, BC

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=108+-+2635+Barnet+Highway+Coquitlam,+BC&t=m&hnear=2635+Barnet+Hwy,+Coquitlam,+British+Columbia+V3E+1K9&z=16 “]

In Japanese

The Onigiri: Delicious Rice Balls in Pohang

November 19, 2013

The Onigiri is a chain restaurant in South Korea that specializes in Japanese rice balls. We came here to grab a bunch of onigiri to go. My last onigiri was a few years ago from T&T and I’ve never really had a good experience with them as they always had too much rice.

I was so amazed by this little shop and I could tell it would be good. I would really want one in Vancouver. Would definitely make a great lunch.

The menu board. I have no idea what it says, but the prices range from 2,500 won to 1,800 won. They serve other items like udon and ramen.

So many choices!

We clearly bought a lot! Having just 2 already gets you full. Don’t underestimate the size of these little babies.

Some of the flavours available are:

스팸데리야끼 = spam teriyaki
매운스팸 = spicy spam
떡갈비 = short ribs
매운 떡갈비 = spicy short ribs
소고기고추범벅 = boiled, mixed beef, Korean peppers
김치날치알 = kimchi fish egg
매운멸치 = spicy anchovy
김치참치, 매운 참지 = kimchi tuna, spicy tuna
아몬드멸치 = almond anchovy
소고기고추장 = beef red pepper paste
베이컨김치 = bacon kimchi
치즈참치마요 = cheese tuna mayo
참치날차알 = tuna fish egg
크래미샐려리 = creamy celery
크래미날치알 = creamy fish egg
참치 마요 = tuna mayo
치즈날치알 = cheese fish egg

M ordered me the spicy short ribs onigiri and the kimchi tuna onigiri. My favourite out of the two were the kimchi tuna ones.

The favourites that we ordered were anything with the fish eggs, anchovy or tuna.

Overall, the onigiri were great, you could tell there was lots of stuffing inside. I wouldn’t recommend ordering more than 3, you’ll be so full that you will need to be wheelbarrowed around town.

Website:
http://www.theonigiri.co.kr/

Address:
469-1 Daejam-dong, Nam-gu
Pohang, South Korea

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?daddr=469-1+Daejam-dong,+Nam-gu,+Pohang,+Gyeongsangbuk-do,+South+Korea+(140+Posco-daero)&sll=49.23998600000001,-122.95816950000001&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140344755832&t=m&z=14&start=0&geocode=Fcy0JQIdWZe1Bynl4x2t7AFnNTHVWAxzmHuoXw “]

In Canadian

Craft Beer Market: Open in Vancouver

November 3, 2013

My coworkers and I have been keeping an eye on the Craft Beer Market opening up in the Olympic Village near Science World. What I love about this area is it’s amazing views and how this neighbourhood is transforming. It was supposed to be open during the Summer of 2013, but due to some delays, it is going to officially open on November 7th, 2013.

Word has spread around the office that they are currently having a soft opening and are open for business. We were bidding a coworker goodbye, so it seemed like the perfect place to have an office lunch.

This place is HUGE! There are even 2 elevated private seating areas. Also, the beautiful bar in the centre with so many different types of Craft Beer.

Wall of beer kegs.

More beer!

Below are images of their food and drink menus.

Fast Food Sushi?! Red Racer IPA Infused Taquitos?!

Their menus are labeled with healthy, vegetarian, ocean-wise and gluten-free options. It really help taking the guess work if you have dietary restrictions. Nice touch!

Dark beer braised beef brisket?! Phillips Beer Can Chicken?!

20 Napkin Burger?! Earnest Ice Cream!!

Looks like there are some amazing sounding items on the menu.

SO much beer!

Too many to choose from.

Hawaiian Ahi Poke ($14) has chopped sashimi-grade tuna, cucumber, fresh ginger, garlic, and a sesame soy vinaigrette with crispy wonton skins. Magz said it tasted alright, but is lacking a few ingredients. Perhaps avocados.

Craft House Soup (Bowl – $8) has cheddar, jalapeno, and their Village House Ale.

Wings ($13) 1lb of crispy Rossdown Farms chicken wings tossed in Canadian sauce (bacon and maple syrup). The Canadian flavour was surprisingly good. It was subtle, but it just worked so well. For some reason we imagined it to be a thick sauce, but we were glad it wasn’t like that.

Fast Food Sushi ($12) cheeseburger and fries wrapped in bacon. It is dressed with jalapeño cream cheese and BBQ sauce. This was a very interesting item on the menu that JP just had to order. It was sinfully delicious and would be a great combination with some beer.

Thai Lettuce Wraps ($12 + Chicken $5) has crispy noodles and veggies sautéed with sweet ginger and lemongrass served with julienne vegetables, rice and a trio of house made sauces. It’s a great interactive dish where you can build your lettuce wraps yourself. One thing my coworkers said was that they wished the lettuce would be larger so it could hold more of the filling.

Waldorf chicken salad ($16) has parmesan and walnut crusted Rossdown Farms chicken, sun-dried cranberries, mixed greens, grapes, blue cheese, celery, and honey mustard vinaigrette. It was a big salad with a lot of ingredients.

Brewmaster’s Chicken Sandwich ($15) has Rossdown Farms chicken breast, avocado, bacon, aged cheddar, tomato lettuce, and red onion in a ciabatta bun. You have your choice of either Kennebec fries, mixed greens, caesar salad, spinach salad or soup. My coworker went with the spinach salad.

Craft Mac & Cheese ($16) has a blend of cheddar, gouda, mozzarella and fontina cheese tossed with bacon and poblano peppers topped with parsley and garlic breadcrumbs. It is also served with grilled garlic bread. The portion was huge, but I really wish the mac and cheese was a bit more gooier.

Overall, the food was pretty good, but there are a few kinks to work out. Prices are a tad high, but its ok considering the area that it’s located in. Their menu is large and you can always find something to eat and plus, their beverage menu is massive. I can see it as a great place to come after work to chill with coworkers or friends. It’s a great addition to the Olympic Village area and definitely adds some competition in the area.

We Rate Craft Beer Market:

Address:
85 West 1st Ave
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://vancouver.craftbeermarket.ca/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/CRAFT-Beer-Market-Vancouver/306941952714764

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=85+West+1st+Ave+Vancouver,+BC&t=m&hnear=85+W+1st+Ave,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5Y+3K8&z=16″]

In Chinese

Taesan Chinese Restaurant: Fusion in Pohang, South Korea

October 24, 2013

Our first few days staying in Pohang were spent eating at home and enjoying homemade food from M’s mom. As we were out during the afternoon one day, we headed to Taesan Chinese Restaurant for some Chinese Korean fusion food. They swear it’s one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area.

Chinese restaurants run by Koreans aren’t very authentic. They always have some fusion component to it. You won’t find your normal dishes here. The food is pretty darn good and I highly encourage you to try some when you can. It’s quite unique.

In Vancouver, there are 2 good Korean x Chinese restaurants – Heeraedeung and Tai Wan. Other parts of the world I have no idea, but I’m sure there is.

Banchan are complimentary side dishes that come with every korean meal. It’s nice to have something to pick at while you wait for the meal.

Black Bean paste, pickled radish, onions, and some sort of other pickled vegetable. These banchan were pretty average and not very addictive.

Deep Fried Dumplings (goon mandu) comes with 10 pieces and has a sauce on the side. These were really good. Crispy crunchy skin with the succulent meat on the inside.

Noodles with Black bean Sauce (Jajangmyeon) is what M ordered. He loves this dish and thought it tasted great. Don’t let the dark look of the sauce scare you, its very savory and flavourful. Its packed with vegetables like onions.

You would eat this dish by mixing them together until they are well combined, then enjoy!

Fried Rice with Seafood comes with a bit of black bean sauce on the side. It was a good size for lunch and was quite good when mixing in the sauce. The black bean sauce is what made this dish incredible, without it, the fried rice wouldn’t be as good.

The fried rice also comes with a Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup (Jjambbong) it was very flavourful and was indeed spicy.

Overall the food was good and it’s a nice change from the usual Chinese food. When looking for food in Pohang, the internet doesn’t really help as most restaurants don’t have a website. For the large chain restaurants, they will, but the good stuff that locals like would be hard to fine.

If you know someone in the area, definitely ask them for recommendations!

We Rate Taesan Chinese Restaurant:

Address (Approx)
20 Hyojadong-gil 1beon-gil, Nam-gu,
Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea (253-106 Hyoja-dong)

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?daddr=20+Hyojadong-gil+1beon-gil,+Nam-gu,+Pohang,+Gyeongsangbuk-do,+South+Korea+(253-106+Hyoja-dong)&sll=36.00728061772533,129.32860218785672&sspn=0.0018731321429394233,0.004853779315719831&t=m&z=17&start=0&geocode=FeBsJQIdoGS1BynrDs4q0wFnNTHfU_AmfIKVCw”]

In Brunch

Grain Tasting Bar: Brunch in Downtown Vancouver

October 17, 2013

Grain Tasting Bar is located inside the Hyatt Hotel in Downtown Vancouver. It is literally a few steps away from the Burrard Skytrain and right above Staples.

It was a Sunday morning and my girlfriends all wanted some eggs benedict. Seeing that Chef Thomas Heinrich recently started a brunch menu at Grain, it really made my mouth salivate. We’ve been to Cafe Medina, Twisted Fork and Catch 122 for brunch and wanted something new, so we headed here for some yummy brunch.

The interior is really nice and has a very masculine-feel to it. A great mood to be drinking some cocktails after work.

What I like most about the interior is their sliding windows. On a hot day, they can open them all up to let the breeze in… or if it’s super cold, you’ll never notice that windows can open like that.

You can even be people-watching from above. No one will ever know, unless they look up.

Pineapple Juice ($5.50) was a bit steep for juice, but you can’t really go wrong with a big cup of juice for brunch.

Oyama Benedict ($15) is what everyone ordered. The description of it just caught our eyes since we saw prosciutto and we all craved meat.

The Oyama Benedict features Oyama meat products and trust me its’ good stuff. The benedict also has pamplona chorizo, red wine prosciutto, arugula, soft poached egg, and a hollandaise sauce. There are also roasted potatoes served on the side.

It looked simple, but it tasted great. I wish I had more after eating this.

Spring Creek Prime Rib Sandwich ($14) also has iceberg lettuce, crispy onions, and horseradish aioli. We chose to have potato chips on the side. The thick slab of prime rib was delicious.

Overall, not a bad place for brunch and it’s also a great place for after work drink and bites. The prices can be a bit high for some items, but seeing that it’s in Downtown, it’s acceptable. They do have daily specials for drinks and food, so you can always pick a day where there is something that matches your tastebuds.

We Rate Grain Tasting Bar:

Address:
655 Burrard St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.grainvbc.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=655+Burrard+St+Vancouver,+BC&t=m&hnear=655+Burrard+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6C+2R7&z=16″]

In American

Chicago Food Planet Tours: Gold Coast & Old Town Food Tour

October 4, 2013

I had a week in Chicago and it’s quite hard to eat everything. There’s only so many restaurants I can go to in one day. I contemplated for a long time if I should take a food tour or not. 7 restaurants in 3 hours is always enticing for a foodie for $50.

Chicago Food Planet Food Tours offered a tour of Gold Coast and Old Town‘s best eats. It’s a cool neighbourhood, but the only reason I went on the tour was to try a slice of deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s. I really didn’t want to eat a whole pizza to myself or eat alone.

We explored:

Lou Malnati’s
Delightful Pastries
Kamehachi Old Town
The Fudge Pot
The Spice House
Old Town Oil
Tea Gschwendner

The group was only 16 people, so it was a nice decent size. What made me feel awkward was that everyone else came to the tour as a group or a couple. It made me feel like an awkward turtle.

Lou Malnati’s

Our first stop was Lou Malnati’s for their famous deep dish pizza. This was the starting point of the tour. They are an iconic Chicago-Style Deep Dish pizzeria. It’s been around since 1971.

All 16 of us sat down and started beginning chowing down on our meal.

We began with a salad.

Then the deep dish pizza! So satisfying and the crust is so crispy. Definitely the highlight of the tour.

Tea Gschwendner

We then walked a short distance to Tea Gschwendner. They are Europe’s leading specialty loose Green, Black, Oolong and White teas merchant and have been around since 1987.

We were given a little lesson about different types of tea and how to make tea.

Iced tea was given to everyone as a refresher after the yummy pizza. As it was a hot summer we definitely needed.

We then headed into Old Town and was told about the history of some notable buildings and history.

Kamehachi Old Town

Kamehachi Old Town is Chicago’s first Japanese-style restaurant, sake cafe and sushi bar . It has been around since 1967.

We had 2 types of maki rolls, but only 2 pieces. It was ok, but not great. Coming from Vancouver, this doesn’t even compare to what good sushi is like.

The Fudge Pot

The Fudge pot is Chicago’s oldest chocolate confectioner, butter toffee and home-made fudge shop. They have been around since 1963 making delicious sweets.

We were taken to their kitchen to hear the history of the Fudge Pot and their production.

The butter toffee samples we received were pretty awesome. So addictive.

Spice Merchants

We then stopped by the world-famous merchant of hand-prepared spices, blends and artisan seasonings. Once you step close to the door of this place, you’ll definitely smell the amazing flavours. It’s quite strong stuff.

They have hundreds of spices! They have even made their own special blends. You can probably find any spice you’re looking for.

We looked around the shop and then taken to the back to get a lesson on different spices, best ways to store spices and how to get the most flavourful spices. Interesting stop on this tour, but we only smelled spices.

Old Town Oil

Old Town Oil is America’s premiere supplier of aged balsamic vinegars and 100% extra-virgin olive oils. I’ve never seen so many tins of olive oil and balsamic vinegar before.

We were able to try all the flavours we wanted. Interesting flavours.

We continued walking around the neighbourhood and heard more about the history.

Delightful Pastries

Our last stop of the tour was at Delightful Pastries. It’s an authentic Polish-European bakery serving pastries, pierogies and pies.

Two Macaroons

Two different types of perogies.

The Chicago Food Planet Tour of Old Town and Gold Coast was fun and enjoyable, but if you are a hardcore foodie, a majority of the places aren’t super amazing. The shops are unique and have a long history, but it won’t keep you coming back. Especially if you are a local.

As a tourist, it was a good use of 3 hours to visit so many shops and restaurants, plus learn a little bit of history in these 2 areas. The 2 restaurants that stood out to me was Lou Malnati’s and The Fudge Pot. Mmmm pizza and chocolate.

Our tour guide was great! He was funny and was very personable to each person on the tour.

Website: http://www.chicagofoodplanet.com/tours/near-north-food-tour/

In BBQ

Urban Belly: Pork Belly, Ramen, and Communal Tables

September 21, 2013

When I was vacationing in Chicago, I went to visit Urbanbelly near Logan Square. They are also recipients of a Michelin Bib Gourmands Chicago award in 2010. It basically means they are a quality restaurant with affordable price.

They don’t take reservations, but on a weekday lunch hour, there was no wait.

The counter is at the back, so you just line up and order. They have daily specials written on the wall.

You can find the rest of the regular items on their menu. The prices are quite decent with nothing over $13.

The interior is one large room with 4 communal tables. Better get cozy and meet some new friends.

Asian Squash and Bacon Dumplings ($7) comes with 4 pieces of the steamed dumplings. It has a predominantly squash filling. It is topped with bacon bits, orange slices and other things. It was pretty good and has a nice balance between the sweet oranges and the savoury dumpling.

Urbanbelly Ramen ($13) is made with a pho broth and has pork belly and shitake mushrooms. Its deep rich broth with layers of savoury flavours is quite delicious.

Phat Rice ($9) is a fried rice dish that combined all the other rice dishes into one. There was short rib, pork belly, pineapple, scallions, pea shoots, and Thai basil. I chose this dish because I was pretty indecisive of what to order….so this was the best option. It was pretty good.

Chinese Eggplant with Thai Basil came complimentary because we waited a long time for the Phat Rice. I loved the sauce that came with it.

At the end of the meal, they give you some Ginger Candy to round out the experience.

Overall, the food was pretty good and I would come again. The food is a bit only and rich, but that means its extra delicious.

We Rate Urban Belly:

Address:
3053 N California Ave
Chicago, IL

Website:
http://www.urbanbellychicago.com/

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In lunch

Leafy Box: Fresh Salad, Juice and Smoothies

September 19, 2013

Leafy Box serves up healthy salads and juices in Yaletown. If you’re into the cleansing thing, it’s a good option to go to if you don’t have lunch and you’re in the area.

I came here with KoreanGirl during lunch since we wanted to be a healthy. We had too much fried chicken and beer the past weekend for our own good.

The inside was quite large and there are distinct areas to go grocery shopping, make a salad at the salad bar, and a hot food section. All the produce looks really fresh.

The salad bar has its separate fruit and veggie section. For some weird reason, there was even jello as one of the options.

Of course there is a juice and smoothie bar. With all the fresh produce, the juice is mighty enticing.

For my lunch, I grabbed a salad and a bottle of their cold pressed raw juice.

Salad from the salad bar (~$5) I threw in a lot of random ingredients, but you must get avocados because those are mighty yummy.

Essential Greens Juice ($7) has kale, spinach, celery, apple, parsley, cucumber, lemon and ginger. Lots of good stuff bottled up inside. It’s made from 4 pounds of produce in each bottle. The juice was good, but the only ingredient that threw me off a bit was the cucumber, it’s probably because I don’t like cucumber.

Overall, I do like the concept of the store and I would come again for juice. It is a bit expensive, but if you’re lazy to make your own juice, definitely check this place out.

We Rate Leafy Box:

Address:
1155 Pacific Boulevard
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.leafybox.ca/

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In Chinatown

Bestie: Currywurst in Chinatown

July 2, 2013

My coworkers were looking for a place to have lunch. Near our office, there isn’t a lot of choices, so we were delighted that there was a new eatery in Chinatown that serves sausages. I’ve heard much of the buzz online and suggested this place for lunch.

Bestie was inspired by German street food and specialize in hand crafted sausages and pretzels made with the best local ingredients. They don’t serve beer yet, but once their license is approved, it’ll be a full German experience.

The interior is quite nice but it’s hard to fit large groups during the lunch time rush. There is about 5 booths and some bar seating. I came with 5 of my coworkers, so we knew it would be a tight squeeze. We grabbed a booth and brought over 2 stools. They have a lot of stools around for that purpose.

Bedford’s Ginger Beer ($2.50) it’s non-alcoholic, but it’s refreshing for a hot summer’s day.

Kombucha Wonder Drink ($3) is a small can of sparkling fermented tea. It tastes kinda like vinegar.

Currywurst ($8) is Germany’s most popular street food. You get your choice of sausage sliced up and served with a curried ketchup on crispy fries. Magz chose her curry wurst to have the Classic Pork Thüringer sausage.

Sausage & Sauerkraut ($9.50) has your choice of sausage with warm sauerkraut, house mustard & crispy fries. I chose mine to have the Classic Pork Thüringer sausage too. The sausage is the best! It’s so juicy and the taste has an absolute perfection as you put it in your mouth. The mustard is sure to add a kick of spiciness.

On the table, there is curry powder, salt and pepper if you need a little more spice to your dish.

Overall, there really is only 3 types of items at Bestie – the Currywurst, Sausage & Sauerkraut, and the pretzels. The portion sizes aren’t too large, so you may be hungry in a few hours afterwards. The prices are a bit high for this meal, but you can’t deny that sausage is pretty darn tasty.

We Rate Bestie:

Address:
105 E Pender Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://bestie.ca/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=105+E+Pender+Street+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=105+E+Pender+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6A+2V2&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In Four Beakers

Kingyo: Best Japanese Bento Box in Vancouver

June 18, 2013

Kingyo has always been a great place to go at night, but I’ve never been here for lunch. Plus, working so far from Denman street, it would be a bit of a trek to go there, eat, and return to work in under an hour. Luckily Dpang decided to drive Magz and I. I’ve been looking forward to coming here for lunch for a long time.

For lunch, there is only one item that foodies must order – their bento box!

Related Links:

Deluxe Bento Box ($16) is limited to 10 sets per day. It comes with 12 smaller portion items off their regular menu. If you’ve never been to Kingyo or just love everything on the menu, the deluxe bento box is like a sampler of their menu. The price for the bento box is a bit high compared to the other bento boxes in town, but it is a fantastic item to order.

The items in the set do change from time to time, but I’m sure you can’t be disappointed. When we were here for lunch, our bento box came with:

Rice
Miso Soup
Pickled Vegetables
Deep Fried asparagus
Salad
Chicken Karaage
Braised short rib
Tuna tataki
Truffle egg
Sesame noodles
deep fried fish
and one more dish I have forgotten what it is.

We were not disappointed by any of the items that are part of the bento box. You will definitely get full and walk out of the restaurant with a case of foodcoma. Good luck going back to work resisting the temptation to nap.

We Rate Kingyo: