Type Archives - Page 90 of 125

In Brunch

Chewies Steam and Oyster Bar: It’s Brunch Time

March 4, 2013

Chewies Steam & Oyster Bar is located in Kitsilano. The specialize in oysters and seafood inspired by New Orleans. I came here with FoodQueen and Gastrofork. Parking is always scarce in this area since you either have to have a parking permit or fight for the paid parking spots. This is what I usually dislike about this area, but since we came here for brunch on a weekend, we were lucky enough to find a few parking spots open. Boooyah!

Who doesn’t love brunch with oysters? I love oysters any time of the day.

We tried 3 types of oysters – Kumamoto, Kusshi, and Fanny Bay. They were all really good and fresh! The person who shucked this did a fantastic job too, there were not particles inside. Of all the oysters, the best one was the smallest oyster – Kusshi.

The oysters come with 3 different types of homemade sauce. My favorite sauce to use was the habanero sauce. It’s really spicy, so watch out.

Southern Fried Chicken and Waffles ($12) comes with 2 buttermilk waffles topped with fried chicken and then drizzled with a cajun honey butter. Amy and Dee both ordered this. It’s one of the more popular items on the menu.

Braised Short Rib and Hash ($15) consists of black eyed peas, smoked gouda, diced Kennebec potato fries and topped with 2 poached eggs. I thought this was ok.

French Quarter Beignets ($6) are Cafe Du Monde style classic beignets with a chicory coffee anglaise. We were all trying to be anonymous and acting like people who really like to take food pictures, but that didn’t work out well. One of their staff asked jokingly if we were bloggers and gave us this complementary dessert and didn’t charge for our oysters. This rarely happens, but it didn’t affect our reviews.

You can’t get this item during brunch, but it’s a pretty awesome item to order for dinner. It’s the size of an iPhone and is hollow inside. The coffee sauce went really well with the beignets. Really delicious.

We Rate Chewies Steam and Oyster Bar:

Address:
2201 W 1st Ave
Vancouver, BC

Website: http://www.chewies.ca/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=2201+W+1st+Ave+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=2201+W+1st+Ave,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6K+3E6&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In Brunch

Yolks Breakfast Food Cart: OMG SO GOOD

February 27, 2013

Yolks Breakfast Food Cart is located outside of Stadium Skytrain Station on Thursday and Fridays at 8:30am. Even though it was pouring rain, I really really wanted to try this! M and I went before work to grab a quick bite before going to our offices.

If you work Downtown, it’s hard to find good breakfast in the morning. Plus, this place takes debit and credit!

Their menu! Limited choices, but there’s a reason why…….it’s all delicious.

2 Eggs and Double Everything ($8.95) with a side of Truffle-Lemon Hashbrown Skewer ($2.75).

M chose the Double smoked bacon with arugula, and real hollandaise on their daily bread. The way they poach their eggs are very soft so the yolk will squirt out if you take a bite. It’ll be messy but it’s SO GOOD!

The Truffle-Lemon hashbrown was heavenly!! The truffle and the lemon paired perfectly and the hashbrows were crunchy too!

Roasted Portobello Mushroom English Muffin ($6.95) with arugula, pepper aioli, and aged white cheddar. The creaminess of the cheese and egg went really well with the mushroom. It was messy eating it, but it tasted so good. The way I avoid all messy yolk is biting a small hole in the egg and sucking out the yolk.

M and I loved this place! One of the better breakfasts we had in a long time. If you are Downtown early enough or happen to catch them at a special event, do try their amazing food! Just watch out for those pesky yolks and grab yourselves a lot of napkins.

We Rate Yolk’s Breakfast Food Cart:

Location:
Dunsmiur x Beatty (Stadium Skytrain)
Thursday and Friday 8:30am till 1pm

Website:
http://www.yolks.ca/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=beatty+and+dunsmuir+vancouver&hl=en&hnear=Dunsmuir+St+%26+Beatty+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

In Deli

Apple Deli: It’s Like Your Kitchen

February 25, 2013

Apple Deli is right under Main Skytrain station. They sell simple soups, sandwiches and salads. On my first day of work, people warned me not to come here. Did I listen to them? I don’t think so, it made me more curious. How bad can a sandwich really be? It’s just slices of bread with filler.

The inside has lots of seats and there were a few group of people inside having lunch as well.

I just wanted a sandwich, so I looked at the menu and chose the Avocado and Bacon sandwich.

Avocado and Bacon Sandwich ($5.90) It’s nothing fancy, but it’s like a sandwich you can make at home.

They load it up with a ton of alfalfa spouts, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and mayo. The ingredients were very fresh, but the bacon and the guacamole were quite minimal. Nonetheless, I still felt healthier eating this that eating at any other restaurant…probably because most of it was vegetables.

You won’t find anything fancy or creative here, but it’s decent. Imagine it like your kitchen, but having to pay for your food.

We Rate Apple Deli:

Address:
189 Terminal Ave
Vancouver, BC

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=189+Terminal+Ave+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=189+Terminal+Ave,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6A+4G3&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

In Canadian

Foodwares Market: Inside Granville Skytrain

February 23, 2013

At the Granville entrance to the Granville Skytrain is a restaurant called Food Wares Market, where they sell fresh paninis, baked goods, desserts, sushi, soup, coffee, premade salads and sandwiches.

If you work downtown, its a quick lunch thats around $10 and tastes good.

When you walk up to the entrance, you can see all their delectable treats. I was so temped to get a bunch of desserts for lunch, but I knew I just wanted a sandwich.

There’s prepackaged salads, sandwiches and salads in the coolers, but It wasn’t for me. I wasn’t in the mood for something cold. The weather outside was cold enough. hahaha.

Pastries.

I settled on getting a panini. It seemed quite popular and people were lining up for them.

Duo ($10.75) choice of panini served with a choice of baby greens salad or daily soup. This looked like the right choice for lunch.

There’s a good variety of panini types and it was calling for me. You can also choose whatever bread you want for your panini. A little bit of everything to satisfy all dietary restrictions…unless you can’t have gluten.

Aged Canadian Beef Brisket, topped with Canadian brie, grilled mushrooms, braised spinach and grainy mustard in olive bread.

I liked it, the creamy brie and the beef worked well together. The panini was toasted really well.

Corn Chicken Chowder was amazing! It had a good amount of corn and chicken, plus they add a hint of spices that give this chowder a nice spicy kick.

Overall, I enjoyed the lunch experience here and I would return for a quick lunch. I wish they had more hot food items, but I guess a sandwich and soup will do.

We Rate Foodwares Market:

Address:
674 Granville
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.foodwaresmarket.com/?cmd=Vancouver

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=674+Granville+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=674+Granville+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6C+3J3&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In Izakaya

Rajio Japanese Public House: Japanese Izakaya Near UBC

February 19, 2013

Rajio is owned by the same people who have brought us Suika Izakaya and Kingyo Izakaya. It is located close to the UBC campus. Rajio is Japanese for Radio, so you will notice their logo is a radio.

I came here with Food Queen and Gastrofork for dinner as we were craving some good ol Japanese Izakaya food. Some of the items are similar to Suika and Kingyo, but they do have a few differential items on their menu like skewers and a crazy huge steaks.

Their decor is quite cool and the lanterns are soothing.

They have a cool bar too. They take reservations and have lots of seating. I didn’t take a picture of the other seats, but its not just a bar.

Complimentary cabbage with a light acidic dressing. Probably one of the healthier appetizers since its vegetables! Guilt free.

Corn Karaage ($4.80) was different that we anticipated. At Suika, they make is really different, more like a corn fritter. Eating the corn karaage was like a nice buttery corn on the cob, but much smaller.

*Y* Ebimayo ($6.80) are battered tiger prawns topped with a chili mayo. Delicious as always!

Kimchi Sobameshi Stone Bowl ($8.80) it has yakisoba noodles, ground pork, cheese, kimchi and vegetables on rice in a hot stone bowl.

Tuna Salt Tataki ($5.80) was beautifully presented! If you recognize what it is topped with, you know thats my favorite snack! It’s the dried noodles that are addictive.

Tako Wasabi (3.80) is chopped raw octopus in a wasabi sauce. You are given few sheets of seaweed so you can wrap it up together. It’s not an item for everyone since it is spicy. I enjoyed it.

Hellz Ramen ($8.80) is noodle in a clam and shrimp broth seasoned with spicy miso and spicy pepper topped with egg, ground pork and pickles. Contrary to the name of the ramen, it wasn’t too hot.

Octopus Balls ($1.50 each) is like a takoyaki on a stick. Tasted alright but you definitely need to add some seasoning to enhance the flavour.

My favorite condiment was the lemon salt.

Premium Kushi Katsu Set ($12.80) was a featured set that came with the following skewers: shiitake mushroom stuffed with shrimp, asparagus wrapped with pork, stewed pork belly, shiso chicken meat ball, lotus root stuffed with chicken, shiso wrapped shrimp, and seaweed wrapped rice cake.

I thought it was ok, but not as mouth-watering as Zakkushi’s skewers.

Smooth pudding ($3.80) was so good! It was like an inverted caramel pudding. You must get this!

Mango Pudding ($3.80) wasn’t what I expected. it was like a subtle tasting mango mousse with mango slices on top.

Almond Tofu ($3.80) the top has some gelatine and pieces of citrus. It was our least favorite. When you think almond tofu, you don’t really think of this.

Overall, pretty good dinner with the girls at Rajio. If you are around the area and love Japanese food, you definitely want to stop by for dinner. There is pay parking on the street.

We Rate Rajio:

Address:
3763 W. 10th Ave.
Vancouver, BC

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

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=3763+W.+10th+Ave.+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=3763+W+10th+Ave,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6R+2G7&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In Chinatown

Harvest Community Foods: Mouth Watering Ramen

February 17, 2013

Harvest Community Foods is located at the edge of Chinatown. They are a neighbourhood grocery store and eatery. I’ve heard they had a killer ramen from a coworker, so I just had to come here during lunch to check it out. I’ve already been here 3 times during my lunch break.

They sell a lot of local and organic produce here. You will find Earnest Ice Cream, Beta 5 Chocolates, and many many other products.

Their chairs are old school, it reminded me of the desks from my high school. I thought I would never see that again. There’s not too many seats, so coming in super large groups are probably not ideal.

Ramen with pork shoulder, candied bacon, egg, and radish ($9.95)

This isn’t your typical bowl of ramen you would find. You can’t compare it to Kintaro or Santouka since it’s not remotely the same. I liked this dish because of the candied bacon and the pork shoulder. The pork shoulder is so tender and flavourul that is beautifully falls apart. The egg was perfectly cooked so the yolk is a golden yellow and gooey. You definitely should try this.

Udon with sake kazu chicken, watercress and shiitake ($8.95)

I didn’t really like this dish since the chicken was very dry and tough. I would probably just stick with the ramen…unless you are a vegetarian because they have some other vegan and vegetarian options.

Harvest Community Foods isn’t a place for everyone. If you are looking for 100% authentic Japanese noodles, you won’t find it here. It caters to a different crowd if you know what I mean. If you are in search of local, organic produce, you can find it here at Harvest Community Foods.

We Rate Harvest Community Foods:

Address:
243 Union Street
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.harvestunion.ca/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=243+Union+Street+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=243+Union+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6A+2Z7&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

In Dim Sum

Shanghai Xiao Long Bao Restaurant: Downtown Vancouver

February 16, 2013

Shanghai Xiao Long Bao Restaurant is located on Richards and Pender. I’ve always passed by this restaurant but it seemed a bit sketchy on the outside. We decided to give it a try as we were spending the day across the street and needed a quick bite.

There’s really no other restaurant like this in a few blocks. It’s a good place to go if you work in the Downtown area.

We were surprised at the interior, it wasn’t bad at all and there was a good amount of people eating here.

Tea

Fried Bun and condensed Milk is Scarface’s favorite item. The outside was crispy and the inside was steaming hot. Really yummy!

Xiao Long Bao ($5.99) was ok, it was passable, but not the best.

Pan-Fried Green Onion Pancake ($5.50) tasted delicious but you probably want some sauce to dip into it.

Pan-Fried Chive and pork ($5.99) nicely fried on the outside, so when you bite into it, you get the delicious filling of chives and pork. Highly recommended.

Superior Fried Rice ($12.99) was packed full of ingredients and the egg on top made it taste extra good.

Little Pork Buns ($6.99) were like the Xiao long Bao since it does have delicious soup inside. Pretty good.

Hot and Sour Soup (Small – $8.99 | Large – $14.99) was really good. Ask them for some vinegar to add to this as it enhances the flavour a bit more.

Marinated Shredded Jellyfish ($9.99) was ok, but it wasn’t as good as other places in town.

Chilled Pork Jelly ($9.99) was alight as well.

Overall, it was decent Shanghainese food in Downtown. Not the best, but the dim sum items are pretty good. If you do work downtown and craving for some Shanghainese food, its a good option.

We Rate Shanghai Xiao Long Bao Restaurant:

Address:
469 Richards St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.shanghaicuisinerestaurant.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=469+Richards+St+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=469+Richards+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6B+3A2&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

In Cafe

Safari Cafe: A Hidden Gem

February 10, 2013

Safari Cafe is a small coffee shop in the Strathcona area outside of Chinatown. I’ve passed by the place a few times and I basically think everything is sketchy in this area. Clearly, I am wrong. One day, my coworkers decided to go for a coffee run and told me this place is the place to go for coffee.

This place was busy around 10am on a Friday. All the seats were occupied and there was a long lineup. This told me that Safari Cafe is definitely a secret gem in the neighbourhood.

The drink menu isn’t extensive, but there are the usual items. The thing about Safari Cafe is that you never know what they will charge you. Sometimes you pay less than whats indicated on the board or sometimes they will give you get a large instead of a medium. It all depends on how the owners mood is.

Adam makes all the drinks and is a killer baker too.

Adam even has his own painting on the wall!

I ordered a medium latte, but Adam gave me a large latte and only charged me $3. I was very surprised and very confused at the same time. I guess he was in a very happy mood that day. Clearly, very unpredictable. The coffee tasted great and no complaints. I’ll definitely be back!

We Rate Safari Cafe:

Address:
1007 Main St
Vancouver, BC

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=1007+Main+St+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=1007+Main+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6A+4L4&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In British Columbia

McDonalds Canada: Raspberry Pie

February 8, 2013

McDonalds Canada is always churning out different pies. The past 2 pies introduced were the caramel pie and oreo pie. They never stick around for a long time, so this is also available for a limited amount of time.

The Raspberry pie was very sweet and tart. It just seemed like it was like a pie filled with jam. It doesn’t taste very good on its own, but definitely tastes better with a coffee and tea.

Have you tried this yet?

In Bakery

Terra Breads Cafe: Cookies, Sandwiches, and Hot Chocolate

February 7, 2013

Terra Breads Cafe is located in the Olympic Village. They have amazing artisan bread, pastries, sandwiches, and drinks. I recently started working near this area and it’s definitely one of our go-to places for lunch. It gets pretty packed during lunch, so it’ll be hard to find a table.

It’s super close to this stunning view of Downtown Vancouver! Too bad it was a cloudy day.

They have tons of pastries, you will find something that catches your eye.

Chocolate Espresso Cookie was very soft and had a nice subtle taste of espresso in the chocolate cookie. Definitely a nice treat for the mornings.

I got a portobello mushroom panini which also has goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, arugula, house-made chipotle mayonnaise and cracked black pepper. The mushrooms are sourced locally from Richmond too. It was a pretty good panini!

Stand Up and Stout is a hot chocolate infused with Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa and R&B Brewing Dark Star Oatmeal Stout, served with house-made stout marshmallows and an oatmeal raisin cookie. It was really good! Who knew beer and hot chocolate would ever go together. This item is exclusively for the Hot Chocolate Festival.

Overall, pretty awesome cafe in the area. It is usually packed during peak hours, so not the best place to come with large groups. It’s nice place to just chill.

We Rate Terra Breads Cafe:

Address:
1605 Manitoba Street
Vancouver, BC

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

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=1605+Manitoba+Street+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=1605+Manitoba+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5Y+0B5&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In Cafe

Leonidas: Its Hot Chocolate Time

February 6, 2013

Foodology Disclaimer: Leonidas invited me to try some of their Hot chocolate to gear up for the Hot Chocolate Festival.

Leonidas is located below Canada Place and serves great hot chocolate to locals and tourists. Besides hot chocolate, they have dessert, coffee and shakes. It is a popular franchise all over the world and a few years ago, it arrived in Vancouver.

They pride themselves of offering chocolates made with 100% cocoa butter – no fillers, no wax, no vegetable oil, no animal fats. Their chocolates are flown in from Belgium and not made in-house.

This year, they are participating in the Hot Chocolate Festival starting Saturday January 19th till February 14th, 2013. These sound crazy amazing, especially the frozen noisette.

Their 4 flavours offered this year are The Frozen Noisette, Tiger Milk, Jamaican Kiss and Boho Secret.

The Frozen Noisette
Melted praline blended into frozen yogurt, topped with a shot of melted chocolate, and finished with crushed hazelnuts.

Everyone LOVED this! You must get this!

Tiger Milk
Leonidas White chocolate, saffron, cardamom, nutmeg, and finished with slivered almonds.

This drink kinda reminded me of Chai tea. It definitely different than all the other hot chocolates.

Jamaican Kiss
Leonidas Milk Chocolate, coconut milk and pineapple rum.

M loved this! It has a stronger taste of coconut than the rum, but is a great combination.

Boho Secret
Leonidas 72% Sao Tome dark chocolate, mint and a secret ingredient.

This was my second favourite and it reminded me of a peppermint patty or After Eight chocolate.

With the hot chocolates, you get a choice of a chocolate, a sample of leige waffle or some treat to accompany your drink.

This is their regular menu.

72% Dark Hot Chocolate is definitely not for everyone. It is very rich and good for people who like dark chocolate. If you enjoy something a bit smoother, the 52% dark hot chocolate might be better.

The hot chocolate is served in a double walled cup, so it stays hotter for longer.

It even comes with a little chocolate.

Champagne Hot Chocolate isn’t on the menu, but you can order it. It is made of the Champagne truffles and is so good! It’s not alcoholic at all, but it adds a nice after taste. I really enjoyed this one!

Earl Grey Macaron had a very nice flavour, but the texture of the macaron tends to stick slightly to your teeth. The macaron didn’t fall apart easily as some other places in town. A good macaron to go with your hot chocolate is always a plus.

Words of Wisdom:

Delicious Dark Chocolates and hot chocolates!
Under $10
Closest Skytrain: Waterfront

We Rate Leonidas:

Address:
#29 – 1055 Canada Place
Vancouver, BC
Website:
http://www.leonidaswaterfront.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=%2329+%E2%80%93+1055+Canada+Place+Vancouver,+BC&ie=UTF8&hnear=1055+Canada+Pl+%2329,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In Riley Park/Little Mountain

The Acorn: FeastVan 2013

February 5, 2013

The Acorn was participating in FeastVan and they were offering a 3 course meal for $30. You start off with the Sunchoke Soup, then you can choose any main and dessert on the menu. FeastVan was happening at the same time as Dine Out Vancouver, so I thought that was kinda weird. They had a few good restaurants, so I decided to check one of them out. I let Wongers decide where to go since she has pretty good taste in food. Join our awesome dinner was Foodobyte, so make sure to check out his blog to see what he thought about The Acorn.

You can find vegetarian, vegan, raw, gluten-free options on their menu.

You can’t make reservations, but the only table you can reserve is the “family table” that can seat 6 or more. We reserved the table at 6:30 for 7 people. Soon after, this whole restaurant was packed! There was even a line up.

Water comes in super cute bottles.

Even the shape of the cup is kinda cute. Clearly, I get amused by little things.

Coconut Water ($3) comes with a slice of lime at the bottom. The lime overpowered the subtle taste of the coconut. It’s quite a strange combination. I am a firm believer that coconut juice shouldn’t be mixed with anything…but thats probably because coconuts are best on their own.

Sunchoke Soup (Starter Size) is topped with parsnip crisps, grilled scallion oil, and hazelnut salt. Very delicious soup!

The Harvest ($19) always changes and is made with their seasonal vegetables, herbs, and produce from local farms. Today they were featuring a butternut squash risotto with grilled ridicchio, endive, green cauliflower, goat cheese and pecans. This was my favorite dish of all the entrees.

Halloumi ($19) has 3 pieces of beer-battered Halloumi, zucchini pancake, smashed peas, yogurt, and lemon balm. I wasn’t a fan of the halloumi because it was very rich and oily. Everything else I loved…just not the main ingredient. Some people on the table disagreed, but everyone has different tastes.

Porcini ($18) has braised porcini mushrooms, daikon, edamame, buckwheat noodles, sesame, kombu Dashi, and nori chips on top. This dish was OK, but nothing too amazing.

Zuni ($18) is a heirloom zuni bean cassoulet with confit fennel, apple and rustic baguette on the side. Our group thought this was a pretty good dish a well.

Goji ($11) is comprised of a raw chocolate ganache tart, walnut crust, lemon goji berry preserve, raspberry coulis, and frozen grapes.

Chai ($8) is a chai pot de crème and 2 cardamom shortbread pieces on the side.

Olive ($9) is an olive oil cake with apple puree, white chocolate, frozen yogurt, lemon balm, and candied olives.

Pumpkin ($9) has pumpkin semifreddo, amaretti crumble, crème fraiche, and sage crisps. The BEST dessert on their menu! It wasn’t too sweet and who knew carrot would make such a delicious dessert. You must order this!

Overall, pretty good meal at The Acorn. I couldn’t believe it was vegetarian! There are a few dishes that can be a hit or a miss. The Harvest and the Pumpkin dessert are a must!!

We Rate The Acorn:

Address:
3995 Main St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.theacornrestaurant.ca/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=3995+Main+St+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=3995+Main+St,+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V5V+3P5&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

In Bellingham

McDonalds America: Hot & Spicy McChicken

February 3, 2013

Going to the Seattle Premium Outlets gives me a chance to visit McDonalds and Wal-Mart to have a taste of food not available in Canada. Instead of 40 Piece McNuggets, I scanned the menu to find the Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken. I thought this was pretty cool, so I ordered it.

The Combo with a drink and fries were around $5. Once I received the order, the burger was quite small. I was disappointed.

The Hot n’ Spicy McChicken patty was definitely dry, but it did have the extra spicy kick. It was passable, but not as good as their other burgers.

Fries are always good, but who can resist McDonalds fries?

In BBQ

HK BBQ Master: All About the Meat and Skin

February 2, 2013

HK BBQ Master has been well-known to the community for having amazing BBQ meats. Far better than any other place in Vancouver. I had to take KoreaGirl and CanuckGirl here for lunch. The prices were good for under $10.

It’s located under the Superstore on #3 Road. There’s tons of parking, so no worries about fighting for spots.

When we arrived here, it was about 1pm and the place was packed with lots of people doing take-out. I hate my roast pork skin soggy, so eating it fresh was definitely on my mind. They have a few tables available. We were able to get a table right away! The service was very quick and rushed. They’re all about speed and efficiency.

BBQ Pork and Roast Pork ($7.50) is what KoreanGirl ordered. The roasted pork was amazing! Crispy skin and deliciously fatty. Each plate comes with a piece of broccoli and it really sucks.

Roasted Pork, BBQ Pork and Soya Chicken ($9.50) was a great way to try all their meats and I had to agree that the Roasted Pork was crazy good!

BBQ Duck and Soya Chicken ($7.50) is what CanuckGirl ordered. I stole some duck from her and it was really good!

Overall, we were impressed with their meats! If you want the best, you really have to come to HK BBQ Master. The crisp skin on the roast pork is addictive. MMmmmmmmmm! We left happy and will definitely return.

We Rate HK BBQ Master:

Address:
4651 #3 Rd
Richmond, BC

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=4651+%233+Rd+Richmond,+BC&hnear=4651+No+3+Rd,+Richmond,+British+Columbia+V6X+2C4&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]

In Downtown

Carl’s Jr. Vancouver: A Quick Review

January 31, 2013

M here with a flash review of the new Carl’s Jr. in Vancouver! I’m always on the hunt for the best burgers in town, but my favourite fast food burger in the States is from Carl’s Jr. When it was announced Carl’s Jr. was coming to Vancouver I passed out in excitement. Diana will do a proper review soon, but for now here are my pointers.

If this is your first time at a Carl’s Jr. it will be daunting to see all the choices you have! My suggestion for newbies and for future converts of the Church of Carl’s Jr. are any of the Thick burgers. In the State’s they’re popular as the “Six Dollar Burger” and is a signature for Carl’s Jr. The one I had is the Guacomole Bacon one. I’m happy to announce that the burger was as delicious as the one across the border!

ProTip number one for this place is bring an empty stomach and always order SMALL. The cashier can be tricky and ask you, “Medium or large combo?” Just like Wendy’s don’t get Medium as that’s basically getting a Large at McDonalds here. It’s also 90 cents more if you choose Medium. Trust me Small will fill you up! The venue itself is super narrow and I think stupidly laid out, but the burgers more than enough makes up for it. There are rumours that the staff here is undertrained, so try to be patient as someone goes around yelling a number. Keep in mind this is a Fast Food place, so it does give off a Burger King feel. Nonetheless, it’s the best fast food burger in town in my opinion from trying their burger once.

What do you think of Carl’s Jr. Vancouver?

Address:
625 Howe St.
Vancouver, BC

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

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=625+Howe+St.+Vancouver,+BC&hnear=625+Howe+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6Z+2H7&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In American

Sip Resto Lounge: Dine Out Vancouver

January 31, 2013

Sip Resto Lounge on Granville Street is participating in Dine Out Vancouver again! What is unique about Sip is that every dish is made of alcohol or at least used to be. Even though most of the alcohol is burned off in the cooking process, its a cool concept. For $18, you get a 3 course meal. I came here about 7 years ago for Dine Out and remembered it was good. CandiedZen and I came here since the menu looked OK and the price seemed right.

Beef Carpaccio is topped with Arugula, Garlic Aioli, and Aged Parmigianno. Delicious and the aioli worked nicely.

Tuna Tower has Sherry Marinated Albacore Tuna, Cool Coleslaw, and Tropical Pineapple. It tasted more like spicy tuna sashimi. You have the tuna on the first layer, and then layer 2 and 3 is the cracker.

Guinness Grilled Chicken has Free Range Organic Chicken, Roasted Garlic Mashed potatoes, Seasonal Veggies, and Guinness Gravy. The chicken was plenty moist, but the Guinness Gravy didn’t mad must taste to the chicken.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is Bacon Wrapped with an Apple and Caramelized Onion Filling. It also has Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Season Veggies, and a Mushroom Strongbow Cider Pan Sauce. The pork was tender and plenty flavourful.

Frangelico Chocolate Cake was very thick with the chocolate ganache. It wasn’t that good.

New York Style Cheesecake was probably the best of the 2 desserts. It has a nice smooth texture and the fruity sauce worked well.

Overall, the food was just average, but paying $18 for 3 courses was acceptable. The staff was nice and attentive, but the tables were not as clean. It wasn’t as pretty as I remember from all those years ago.

We Rate Sip Resto Lounge:

Address:
1117 Granville St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.siplounge.com/

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In Bakery

Bagel Street Cafe: Mayo, Mustard, Salt & Pepper

January 29, 2013

A time before I started blogging, there would be one place I would go all the time. There was a small little cafe in the Kensington Plaza called Bagel Street Cafe. It is the place to get breakfast bagels in Burnaby. It is owned by a husband and wife and they have operated this cafe for way over ten years.

Every time you order a bagel, they always ask “mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper”. I giggle a little bit every time I hear them say this because its like an automated response. The owners can sometimes be grouchy, but are generally nice.

I ordered the egg florentine bagel on the everything bagel ($4.95). It’s a very simple bagel sandwich but they make it really good! You have the egg with the spinach, tomatoes, and spread.

Overall, the bagel sandwiches are great and not expensive at Bagel Street Cafe. They have a lot of different bagels too.

We Rate Bagel Street Cafe:

Address:
6552 Hastings St
Burnaby, BC

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=6552+Hastings+St++Burnaby,+BC&hl=en&hnear=6552+Hastings+St,+Burnaby,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia&gl=ca&t=m&z=16″]

In Bubble Tea

Cattle Cafe: All About the Laksa

January 28, 2013

Cattle Cafe has now opened 3 other locations in Richmond, Edmonds, and another on Kingsway. I usually just go to the original locations on Kingsway and Nelson. It’s open late and you get good value for what you pay.

The downside is the service. Its pretty meh, but you can probably get by. We’re experienced a whole range of attitudes from the servers in the past. We only really come here for a quick cheap meal.

Deep Fried Shrimp Skewers (6 for $3.99) looked pretty intriguing. A little bit cruel, but I love eating shrimp. The seasoning they used was good, but I think the shrimp themselves were not fresh, the meat was dry and may have been frozen at some point.

Iced Milk Tea is always a must at any HK style Cafe.

Malay Laksa Soup + fish tofu, beef brisket, and vermicelli noodles is a popular combination for their popular noodles. Mandu and KoreaGirl both ordered this and the loved it.

This was another noodle combination. I just pointed at a picture on the menu, but I didn’t have a clue what it is called. It’s quite big and there’s lots of noodles, but wasn’t as good as the laksa. Probably best to stick with laksa if you don’t want to be disappointed.

Overall, the food is ok for the price you pay. You can probably spend less than $10 and leave full. It’s a popular place to go to for late night meals and they even have a few other locations a few KMs away.

Words of Wisdom:

Parking Underground, street parking
Decently priced food
Noodles are their specialty and items on rice.
Limited seating, best to come in 2 or 4

We Rate Cattle Cafe:

Address:
4885 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=4885+Kingsway+Burnaby,+BC&hnear=4885+Kingsway,+Burnaby,+British+Columbia+V5H+4T2&gl=ca&t=m&z=16 “]