downtown Archives - Page 2 of 21

In Downtown

[Sneak Peek] Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean & Bar: Mediterranean Escape in Vancouver

June 2, 2019

Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean & Bar is a Mediterranean Dining & Cafe Destination at the EXchange Hotel in Downtown Vancouver right in the Financial District. They have just opened their doors at the end of May and are giving locals and visitors a Mediterranean escape in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

Vancouver does have Mediterranean restaurants but Hydra is putting a unique elevated twist to old classics. Hydra Estiatorio’s menu can best be described as a refined elevation of Greek cuisine with succulent fish and seafood options, including whole grilled Branzino, ceviche, grilled octopus and chilled seafood platters. Other Mediterranean favorites such as Forno-roasted leg of lamb, linguini in lobster sauce, grilled vegetables, and tomato salad are paired with impeccable service, family-style dining and exciting tableside food preparations.

We were invited for a sneak peek of their space as well as a taste of their menu.

Interior

The dining room is complete with cascading sheers, rich leather banquettes, ancient olive oil casks, and a central marble bar boasting a unique “fish scale” tile motif. Decorating one long venetian plastered wall is a large-scale “wave painting” by the famed Greek artist Antoni Titakis.

There are two elevated VIP dining booths are illuminated by spectacular custom made Scabetti chandeliers of swirling schools of fish, made of fine bone china circling a warm central light.

Hydra Bar

Hydra Bar aims to elevate the art of the cocktail, with a creative approach to making and shaking unbelievable drinks with a vision that is sexy and unique.

The cocktails on the menu are based on a love of mixology, balance, seasonality, natural flavours, and most importantly fresh, high-quality ingredients with a Mediterranean flair.

The Wet Bar

There is a wet bar area at the rear of the restaurant featuring bar-style seating as well as the fish available for the day. You can come up and choose which fish you want for dinner.

The Cabana (Private Room)

This exclusive private dining cabana is complete with luxuriously flowing sheers, terrazzo stone floors, comfortable lounge-style furniture and hand-blown glass lanterns can be reserved for the evening, offering views of the 60-foot atrium and bustling Pender Street. It can seat up to 30 people.

It’s quite nice, so I can see it will be great for events and celebrations where you want a bit more privacy.

Spreads

What better way to start off the meal than with some freshly grilled pita bread and dips. There are 6 spreads to choose from and are best shared among the table.

Melitzana: This is a traditional spread made of eggplant with hints of smokiness, garlic, olive oil and lemon.

Tarama: This was our favourite spread made out of tarama, salted fish roe mixed with olive oil, lemon juice, and a smooth potato base. Highly recommend this one. We loved the smooth texture and the saltiness from the fish roe.

Fava: This is made with a base of yellow split peas blended with olive oil and charred onions. Then it is topped with capers and sun-dried tomatoes.

Xtipiti: a classic spicy feta cheese spread with hints of green chilli, chilli flakes, extra virgin olive oil and lemon. It was good and not too spicy at all, my second favourite spread.

Tzatziki: This is a Greek staple. It is made of creamy Greek yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic, salt and olive oil.

Menta: This has feta cheese smothered and blended with mint and lemon. Very refreshing.

The image below was just a sampling of the different flavours, but the real portion size is the image above.

Mediterrini

This has cucumber-infused grey goose vodka, mint-infused noilly prat dry, and orange bitters.

Italian Bramble

This zero-proof mocktail is made with soda and fresh vibrant berries. It’s a very refreshing beverage and I quite enjoyed it.

Wine

The meal does pair well with wine. They have a good selection of local as well as imported Greek wines. You can ask the staff about their wines and they can guide you through some good options on the menu.

Kefaloraviera

Kefaloraviera is cheese saganaki on a hot skillet served with lemon wedges. How can you go wrong with deep-fried cheese. The lemon cuts through the oiliness of it and its so comforting and warm. Great item to share.

Hydra Special

This dish has deep-fried paper thin zucchini and eggplant and paired with tzatziki. The chips are so crunchy and goes so well with the tzatziki. Highly recommended.

Grilled Octopus

The grilled octopus is paired with lemon, oregano, olive oil and a fava bean purée. I love octopus but I felt it to be too charred for my liking. The charred taste just overpowered this whole dish.

Organic Heirloom Beets

If you love beets, you’ll love this appetizer made of heirloom leafy beet, red-wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Very bright, vibrant and full of flavours.

Tomato Salad

More of a Mediterranean salad as it has vine-riped tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onions and feta. I liked this salad too.

Green Salad

This has hearts of romaine, scallions, dill, and their hydra vinaigrette. The Green Salad is one of the more basic salads compared to the other two and my least favourite.

Forno Roasted Whole Leg of Lamb

Well, isn’t this a beauty? The whole leg of lamb is marinated with oregano and lemon. It is carved in the kitchen and served with its natural drippings, seasoning, grilled lemon and roasted garlic.

Really delicious and good for sharing with a large group.

Whole Forno Roasted Chicken

The chicken is marinated with herbs and lemon. It is then served with grilled lemons, roasted garlic and its juices. There were some parts that were dry, but the dark meat was juicy.

Whole Fish in Sea Salt

You can choose from their daily fresh selection of seafood from the Aegean & Salish Seas and world’s oceans, on display at the Raw Bar. You just pay the market price for it.

You can get it prepared and baked in the oven with herbs and sea salt. They prepare this tableside as you watch the staff debone the fish in front of you.

It is served with greek fried potatoes and sautéed greens.

Grilled Whole Fish

Alternatively, you can get the fish grilled instead of packed in sea salt. It is also served with greek fried potatoes and sautéed greens. Delicious!

Lobster Pasta

This has a whole lobster on top of fresh pasta, tomato, ouzo, and lobster sauce. One of the favourite dishes of the night. The lobster was cooked nicely and the claw meat was massive. There was lots of flavour in the sauce as well.

Cream of the Crop

This has a lemon custard stuffed meringue, praline sponge and a mandarin & blood orange caramel. I was very impressed by the meringue and it wasn’t too sweet at all.

Bougatsa

This was my favourite dessert! It has semolina custard, caramel-chocolate ganache, and cinnamon-icing sugar. It is served tableside and it’s fun to see them prepare this in front of you.

We ended the night off with a shot of Greek Espresso. You can have it with or without sugar. You have to wait till the grounds settle to the bottom and the you can fully enjoy. It was very smooth and delicious. A good way to end the dinner with coffee, chats, and good company.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I love the dinner concept. They have a lot of the dishes meant to be shared in large groups. The tableside serve is a nice touch and I can see this being a place were a lot of people celebrate special occasions.

If you’re in a small group or just dining by yourself, the downstairs Hydra cafe is open for smaller bites, drinks, happy hour, and breakfast which is great.

Address:
825 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://hydravancouver.com/

In Afternoon Tea

Carnival Afternoon Tea in Downtown Vancouver

May 21, 2019

Fumiko Moreton has created another whimsical afternoon set that is sure to impress. Located inside the Trump Champagne Lounge, you can get the Carnival Afternoon tea set from May 20 – July 21, 2019 at 12 – 4pm for $65 per person.

We’ve gotten feedback on how we should not be supporting Trump Hotel due to it’s association but we believe in the talents of their local staff who are crafting some incredible eats. It’s about good food, not politics.

The Carnival Afternoon tea set comes with a collection of savouries, sweets, and tea. The bigger wheel pictured serves 3 people while the smaller one serves 2 people. Who knew dining with one more extra person would make a big difference.

Tea Selections

You can choose from a bunch of black tea, red teas, rooibos, green tea or herbal teas as part of your afternoon tea set. I love my black teas.

Scones

The basket of scones contains Funfetti Scone, Mini Pretzel, and Matcha Scone. It is served with clotted cream, lemon curd and strawberry & rhubarb jam. I really enjoyed the funfetti scone with the clotted cream.

Savouries

Savouries are my favourite in an afternoon tea set. You’ll find fun items like corn dogs, egg salad sandwiches, baked oysters, poutine and mini ‘ice cream’ cones as these savoury items. Of all these, the corn dog was my absolute favourite as it has an Arabiki-style Sausage and sriracha ketchup.

Smoked Salmon and Dill Mini ‘Ice Cream’ Cone

Sweets

For the sweet tooth, there is chocolate banana crepe, raspberry lemonade jello, chocolate sundae cupcake, cinnamon sugar churros, salted caramel popcorn cream puff, and cotton candy pop. Of the bunch, the salted caramel popcorn cream puff surprised me the most. Good balance of flavours.

Carnival Afternoon Tea in Cage

If you’re feeling boujee, you can get the Carnival Afternoon Tea served in a cage with a glass of champagne and a dessert box with macarons for $118 per person.

Final Thoughts

Overall, their limited edition afternoon sets are beautifully crafted and have a fun seasonal theme. The price is decent and the food isn’t your cookie cutter afternoon tea sets that you see at some places around town. The items are aesthetically pleasing as well as leaving your taste buds wanting more.

Address:
161 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.trumphotels.com/vancouver/the-trump-champagne-lounge

In Buffet

JJ’s Restaurant: Lunch Buffet at Vancouver Community College (Downtown)

March 30, 2019

JJ’s Restaurant does lunch buffet for one day out of the month. Usually, they have a 3 course lunch menu for $23 or a la carte options. I’ve dined many times at JJ’s Restaurant as well as VCC’s other dining options like their Bistro, Cafeteria, and their Chef’s Table.

Buffet dates for 2019:

April 25
May 23
June 20
July 25
August 22
September 19
October 17
November 14
December 12

(Dates may change, so please visit JJ’s Restaurant website for up to date information.)

Reservations

When we heard about their lunch buffet during the weekday, we looked on their website to see when would be the next available date and booked a reservation through OpenTable. Without reservations, you may not be able to get a seat for your party. Usually their lunch buffet does get filled up in advance. I put in a reservation for 3 adults and a baby in a stroller.

Price

It is $27 per person, plus taxes, beverages and gratuities not included. Not a bad price for Downtown Vancouver. Plus, you’re supporting future chefs and the culinary program at VCC.

Interior

The space has a good amount of tables and since reservations are needed ahead of time, they make sure to set up the dining area based on the reservations.

Drink Menu

Drinks are extra, but here are some of your options. They also have special cocktails and mocktails available for purchase.

Hot Food Area

The hot food area has a big bread basket, roasted potatoes, vegetables, chicken & eggplant, salmon with cream of leek, and duck with sausage. Six items in this area isn’t too bad.

I liked how there were a good amount of protein. It’s best to start your buffet experience here to really get in on all the different proteins and vegetables. Of the items in the area, I did enjoy the chicken and the duck.

Do note that this area does start closing down around 1pm while the other stations are still open.

Prime Rib Station

At the end of the hot food section is the prime rib carving station with gravy, mustard and horseradish. Always a popular spot because who doesn’t love prime rib.

Salad and Seafood Bar

The salad bar has a few varieties of salad from fennel salad to golden beets.

On the same table are also smoked salmon bites as well as a seafood platter. The seafood does go really quick and is usually the first item that disappears. Hard to resist shrimp, scallops and tuna.

Bao Bar

There is a station where freshly made baos are prepared right in front of you. You can choose between lean or fatty pork shoulder. Its a great idea but was pretty mediocre tasting.

Banana Foster Station

The banana foster station makes it all to order, so you have to wait a little bit before its ready. You can watch the students prepare it in front of your eyes. It is a cooked banana in brown sugar and cinnamon served with whipped cream.

Lamb Rack Station

You can get as many rack of lambs as you would like. All smothered in au jus too.

Dessert Table

There are 2 dessert tables with a good assortment of items from chocolate flavours, citrus flavours, mousses and a lot of cakes.

It was an adventure trying to taste everything, so our table just grabbed a bunch and nibbled on it all.

There’s also a lot of fruit too. Classic and it’s not a buffet without fruit. They even have an intricately carved watermelon too but no one touched it because its so pretty.

Final Thoughts

For $27 before taxes and tip, it’s a very good deal for a buffet in Downtown Vancouver. There are lots of items in the buffet and you will definitely leave full. Some items are a hit and miss, but their strongest areas were in their meats, salads and desserts.

We enjoyed ourselves and the staff and students were all very nice. As it is a learning environment, have patience with the students and they are trying to do their best. We found that a lot of them were very nervous and shy.

Website:
https://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop–more/jjs-restaurant/

Address:
3rd floor – Vancouver Community College (Downtown)
250 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC

In Bubble Tea

Passion Tearoom: Bubble Tea in Downtown Vancouver

March 25, 2019

Passion Tearoom is a bubble tea shop on Howe and Nelson in Downtown Vancouver. They pride themselves for using real fruits in their smoothies and real tea in their bubble tea beverage.

A few people told me to check it out, so I went with my friend to see how it stacks up against the other similar bubble tea shops in Vancouver.

Interior

The space is pretty small, so there are only a few tables inside, but most people observed did take out anyways. A select few looked like they were meeting up with friends over a drink.

Mango Slush

This is mango blended with ice and my friend has it with pearls. It was pretty good. Smooth and not chunky at all. The pearls had a nice soft chew to them which was nice.

House Milk Tea

This is their premium special blended black tea with cream and milk. I added grass jelly to this drink as a topping. I got it half sweet, but the drinks here generally aren’t that sweet, so full sweetness is just fine. As for the drink itself, it was pretty much room temperature and had no ice inside. Would have been more enjoyable if it was colder.

Final Thoughts

I was a little bit disappointed with their milk tea since that’s their signature drink. Slush was definitely more enjoyable. As we only had 2 drinks, it’s hard to get a grasp of the full menu, but if they can’t get a classic milk tea right, I don’t know about the other items. Other people seem to love this place, so maybe it was an off day when I visited.

Address:
1020 Howe St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.passiontearoom.com/

In Downtown

M8: West Coast and Asian Fusion in Vancouver

March 17, 2019

M8 is a West Coast and Asian fusion restaurant so you will see the flavours of East meets West reflected on their menu. They have been open for the last year right in Downtown Vancouver by the Burrard Street Bridge. They serve up lunch, brunch (weekends), happy hour and dinner. The restaurant sits right by the water across from Granville Island.

Interior

The space is full of marble, greenery, and natural elements like wood. There are tables for small to large groups and they do reservations too.

Shimeiji Tempura

This is served with a burnt lemon aioli, warm kale salad, and wakame. The presentation is cute like a forest of mushrooms. It has a light texture to it and it was tasty.

Beef Cheeks

The beef cheeks is served with a 5 year aged black vinegar and sprinkles of Sichuan peanuts. The beef was very tender and the taste of the black vinegar was a bit sweet and a bit sour just like this traditional Chinese dish with black sweet vinegar with pork trotters which is made when pregnant people deliver babies.

Lamb Belly

The lamb belly is smoked and served with mint and eggplant. The meat is tender even though it has a dry exterior. You can taste the use of Chinese spices used in this dish. Pretty good flavour combinations used.

Crispy Pork Belly

This is served with taro root and pork jus. Another one of our favourite dishes and it was good for the price.

Duck Breast

The duck breast has soybean, preserved vegetables, and an osmanthus sauce. The presentation was nice and the duck really shined in this dish. It was a good quality cut of duck.

Sablefish

The sablefish is oven roasted and marinated. It is served with a shiitake mushroom broth and cannellini beans. It was a touch on the salty side.

Tagiatelle Bolognese

This dish is made with a beef and pork ragu, shiitake mushroom with a trio soy sauce. It may not look that special but the taste was very unique with a bit of an Asian twist which was quite nice.

Complimentary Lavender Cookies

At the end of the meal we were served some lavender cookies even though we didn’t order dessert. A nice touch to the end of the meal.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the dishes were a pretty good fusion of West Coast and Asian influences like the uses of spices and flavourings. A few dishes did use the Szechuan peppercorn to add a little kick to the dishes, but it was subtle and not too overpowering. The favourite dishes of the night were – shimeji tempura, crispy pork belly and then tagliatelle bolognese and sablefish. If you’re looking for something a little bit different in the Downtown area, check out M8.

Address:
1010 Beach Ave, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://m8yvr.com

In Downtown

Honey Salt: Happy Hour in Vancouver

February 20, 2019

Honey Salt is a restaurant inside Parq Vancouver and they have happy hour daily 3:30pm – 6:30pm and 10:00pm to close. Since I work close by, I came with a friend to check out their happy hour.

They have discounts on appetizers, mains and drinks. Good amount of selection too.

Interior

I always have this weird habit of making reservations, but unfortunately, happy hour is only in the bar section, not the dining area.

The dining area looks amazing and bright, but the bar area is more dim and has a relaxed atmosphere.

Honey Salt Margarita

This has sage infused cazadores reposado, blackberry syrup, agave nectar, and lemon. My friend did not enjoy this at all as it was very very sweet. She ended up opting for the Old Fashioned instead and it was a lot better.

Parmesan Fries

The ultimate snack for the table. It has chives, sea salt, and Parmesan covering the crisp fries. It also comes with a side of ketchup.

Mac N’ Cheese

This has 3 cheese cavitappi, roasted peppers and kale. It was a good and comforting dish and it’s funny how they put in peppers and kale to off set the cheesy comfort of the dish. hahaha.

Elizabeth’s Caesar

This was huge and you can definitely share if you wanted. It has kale, romaine, Parmesan, croutons, and a black garlic dressing. A good solid salad that you can’t go wrong with.

Grandma Rosie’s Turkey Meatballs

This has the turkey meatballs smothered in tomato sauce, caramelized onion, herb ricotta and a side of garlic toast.There are 5 meatballs and good size too. Very filling and sharable too.

Final Thoughts

Overall, they have a pretty solid happy hour menu with lots of food options if you have dietary restrictions. Also lots of different beer, wine and cocktail options too. It’s a good place for happy hour if you’re looking for something after work near the area.

Address:
39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.parqvancouver.com/restaurants/honey-salt/

In Cafe

Cacao 70: Valentine’s Day Raspberry Waffles and Hot Chocolate

February 12, 2019

Cacao 70: Sweet House on Granville Street serves up sweet treats to customers who come in. They currently offer a Valentine’s Day special menu until February 17th, 2018.

The regular items in the shop focus on waffles, brunch, dips and drinks.

Interior

The space is very narrow but you can find some seats along the left side of the shop, but not a lot of large tables for big groups.

Raspberry Waffle

This has strawberries, raspberries, whip cream and chocolate drizzle on top of the waffles. We were pleasantly surprised it wasn’t as sweet as it looked. A good balance!

The portion size was good as it has 2 layers of waffles, so share-ability is great for two people.

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

We enjoyed this too as the raspberry flavouring was more authentic to the real fruit rather than artificial. It balances the waffles well as it is sweet because it is a hot chocolate.

Berry Romantic Combo

There is also the Berry Romantic Combo for $33.50, which has a raspberry waggle, single fondue platter and 2 raspberry hot chocolates. Perfect for 2 people to share and enjoy each other’s company.

Address:
738 Granville St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://cacao70.com

In Dessert

Dessert Collection by Fumiko Moreton at The Trump Champagne Lounge

February 10, 2019

The Trump Champagne Lounge is launching their Dessert Collection by head pastry chef, Fumiko Moreton. It is available exclusively in the evenings to make the nights more decadent and interactive.

Their 4 new dessert treats capture love, romance and spring. These treats are meant to be shared with someone special or friends.

Chocolate Fondue for Two

The chocolate fondue has a base of Valrhona manjari grand cru single origin 64% chocolate. It is served with home-made churros, fruits, marshmallows, financier, and potato chips. This costs $60.

There is a good assortment of items to dip into the fondue. I enjoyed the frut fo course but the financier was great too.

Love you to pieces!

This heart shaped chocolate comes with a mallet where you use it to smash the heart into many many pieces to reveal the sweet goodies inside. A fun interactive dessert for $30.

Inside, there are an assortment of gummies and chocolates with different flavours too that might even surprise you. There were these gummies with skulls that have a nice spicy kick to it.

Chocolate Charcuterie Board

There is a rich chocolate salami served with cookies, crisps and fruit. You can get this to satisfy your sweet tooth for $20. I did enjoy this board to pair with drinks to nibble on.

Trump Sundae for Four

This crazy dessert is meant for four but you can share this with more people for sure. It has 24 scoops of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream. Then it is paired with cereal, whipped cream, fruits, candies, sprinkles, cotton candy, doughnuts, cookies, marshmallows, and a chocolate drizzle.

You will need to wait 30 minutes for them to prepare this as it is massive. It doesn’t come cheap and will run you $120.

There is definitely a lot to this dessert and might be a challenge for a few people to finish.

Final Thoughts

These desserts aren’t for everyone as they are more on the high end, but if you’re looking to impress someone special, this might just be the place for some sweets in the evening with champagne.

Address:
1161 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.trumphotels.com/vancouver/the-trump-champagne-lounge

In Downtown

Donnellan’s Chipper is your next drunk food stop in Vancouver

February 7, 2019

Donnellan’s Chipper opened just over a month ago. Many Irish expats already know about them because it’s the only place in Vancouver that serves McDonnells Irish curry sauce over fries. Strategically located on Granville Street by the late night clubs, Donnellan’s offers the perfect after-party drunk food.

Interior

The interior is well-lit and open. The front half of the space have bar height stools and tables, whereas the back half have wall booth seating. There is a bar setup in anticipation for their liquor license, which they expect to receive soon.

Orders are placed by the bar, then food is picked-up by the kitchen and passed-through.

The most popular items on their menu are their specialty fries. They take pride in their fries which are made in-house using Kennebec potatoes that are cut with a custom made chipper to ensure the correct thickness. Once cut, it’s soaked overnight to draw out the starches to achieve the fluffy texture, then cooked until golden brown

Here’s what we tried:

Curry cheese fries

This is their most popular menu item and is a favourite amongst expats. Donnellan’s Chipper imports McDonnell’s curry from Ireland. It’s a curry that’s not spicy, in fact it’s a bit sweet, and compliments their fries really well.

Garlic cheese fries

Another favourite by the regulars is the garlic cheese fries. The garlic sauce is concentrated and is very tasty. This was my personal favourite.

Battered burger and battered sausage

The battered burger and sausage are their signature items. It’s a simple and effective snack; it’s a burger or sausage that is battered, deep fried, then served wrapped in paper for portability…or simply held on one hand while downing a beer with the other.

Chicken Fillet Burger and sides

The Chicken Fillet burger was great! It was the only meat item we had that wasn’t deep fried. To be honest, I don’t have a picture because I ate it too fast. It’s grilled chicken breast with mayo and lettuce between two burger buns. Yes, it’s very similar to McDonald’s McChicken, but Donnellan’s version is juicy and satisfying.

Donnellan’s is very proud of their fries and the way they make it. We ordered a side of regular fries and I’m glad to say that they can stand on their own. We were told our meal wouldn’t be complete without a side of mashed peas, so we tried it and we liked it too.

Final thoughts

Donnellan’s Chipper offers a great selection of unabashed deep fried, guilt-free tasty food. Their items are great for sharing with a group of friends.

If you are drunk from a night of partying or just need to load up on carbs, give them a try. I can see myself nibbling on a battered burger while waiting for a cab along Granville Street.

Address:
1224 Granville St, Vancouver, BC

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/donnellanschipper/

In Brunch

Botanist Restaurant: Morning Breakfast at Fairmont Pacific Rim

January 1, 2019

The Botanist serves up breakfast daily 7 days a week. Since my friend was visiting from out of town, we decided to come here for breakfast on the weekend to catch up. It’s a great place to hang out as the space is very beautiful. The food and service is always on point. Since it is located in the Fairmont Pacific Rim, prices are higher, so most people come here for special occasions.

Interior

We got seated in The Garden near the front of the restaurant by the bar. If you love foliage, this may just be for you. We found some tables are very small, so some of our dishes were hanging off the table. The other areas of the restaurants have larger tables.

Breakfast Menu

sYou can choose item on the menu a la carte or you can get it with fresh-squeezed juice and pressed coffee or tea – thus The Pantry and The Kitchen options with the higher price.

French-Press Coffee

The Fresh-Press containers are quite cute and it comes with some milk and sugar on the side too. It’s quite a lot of coffee too.

Fresh Pressed Juice

They have a variety of Fresh-Pressed Juices like apple, orange, pineapple, cranberry or grapefruit. You can also choose their antioxidant juice too.

I went with the antioxidant juice as it has more greens in the juice. It was good and finished the meal off on a sweet note.

Peameal Benedict

There is a slice of house-made peameal bacon, hollandaise sauce, crispy potatoes and a grilled tomato. My friends enjoyed this dish. The potatoes were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Eggs were poached perfectly too.

Botanist Benedict

This has crab, avocado, hollandaise sauce, crispy potatoes and a roasted tomato. I got the eggs to be soft poached and it came out perfect. The avocado was creamy and the crab was sweet.

Brioche French Toast

For those with a sweet tooth, the Brioche French Toast is great. It has dulce de leche sauce, caramelized banana, and amaranth. Not too sweet but had a good balance.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good breakfast with the ladies. The food was good and service was great as well. If you’re looking for a nice place to have breakfast with friends or family, definitely check out Botanist Restaurant inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim for a good time.

Address:
1038 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.botanistrestaurant.com/

In Downtown

Black Rice Izakaya: 2018 New Winter Menu

December 20, 2018

Black Rice Izakaya continues to offer seasonal items on top of their regular menu.They are located near the Vancouver Public Library and BC Place. A very convenient location serving up Japanese izakaya, fresh specialty seafood, sushi rolls, sake and cocktails.

We were invited back again to check out these new items.

Interior

They have bar seating with a few high tops at the front of the restaurant and then larger tables in the back that can seat more people.

Regular Menu

Menchi Katsu

This has a minced Prime Angus beef patty with mozzarella and deep fried in Panko. Perfect for the winter as it’s very comforting and delicious. The panko makes for a crisp exterior with the beef and cheese hiding inside.

Angus Tenderloin Steak

This hot stone grill is topped with sous vide prime angus tenderloin, shiitake mushroom, asparagus, and house-made black truffle butter.

A fun dish and the truffle butter just amplified the flavour of the angus tenderloin.

Spicy Grilled Chicken

This is sous vide spicy marinated chicken thigh and its then finished on a charcoal grill. It’s the chef’s favourite dish and would go really well with rice to balance out the spice and salt.

Salmon Candy

This has beet cured salmon with pickled pearl onion and feta cheese. Then served with an herb avocado puree. A refreshing dish and interesting to see feta as a combination but it worked.

Beef Tongue Carpaccio

This has sliced sous vide beef tongue with fried onion, ponzu and mushroom puree. It was buttery, tender and delicious.

Aburi Hakozushi platter

This stunning platter has their signature Aburi salmon, Aburi Saba, Aburi negitoro, and Aburi scallop. A good way to try their different Aburi offerings at Black Rice Izakaya.

Aburi Platter for 2

This new Aburi Platter on the winter menu is composed of

6 pieces of spicy salmon halo
8 pieces of black mentaiko roll
4 pieces of chef’s choice aburi nigiri

Vegan Hakozushi

They have a small vegan menu, but one of those items are their vegan hakozushi that comes in two kinds. One had a heavy taste of guacamole and heavy lemon taste and the other had more avocado with a thin green veggie layer on top.

Sashimi Seafood Platter

This sashimi platter is incredible looking and great for a few people to share, this included:

Whole Horse Mackerel
Uni – Sea Urchin (Fave)
Button Shrimp
Golden Eye Sea Bream
Red Sea Bream
Halibut
Yellow Tale Amberjack
Greater Amberjack
Seared Sockeye Salmon

It’s stunning, tasted fresh and will really impress your guests.

Final Thoughts

The new items on the menu are a great addition to their regular menu like the Mentaiko Udon, Beef and Enoki Stone Bowl, and Black Angus Nigiri.

Address:
782 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.blackrice.ca/

In Cafe

[Sneak Peek] Starbucks Reserve Bar in Downtown Vancouver in CF Pacific Centre

December 11, 2018

Starbucks Canada is ready to reveal its latest and largest store with the opening of the new Starbucks Reserve Bar as of Tuesday, December 11 at 700 W Pender Street (at Granville) in Pacific Centre. With over 4,000 square feet, they can seat 150 guests. This is the largest Starbucks in Canada and features their rare and exclusive small-lot coffees.

This location is the 4th Starbucks Reserve Bar to open in Canada and Vancouver is lucky to have two Reserve Bars now. The other location in Vancouver is located on Main Street.

Interior

This large space is a stunning spot for locals and tourists alike to meet but most of the fun comes from sitting at the bar, chatting with the knowledgeable baristas, and watching them move around the laboratory-like setup as they personalize your cup of brew.

A wall of windows lines the length of the store flooding the space with natural light and drawing customers in. Design elements include a prominent coffee bar crafted from rich walnut wood, copper accents reminiscent of the company’s flagship Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle, and a striking backdrop of Michelangelo Marble. It’s distinct brown, black, and gold colouring calls to mind coffee growing regions around the world.

At the back of the shop, you can get your usual beverages and food if you like your classic Starbucks order.

What to expect

Featuring rare Starbucks Reserve coffees, the bar gives baristas a platform to engage in a dialogue with customers over a variety of brewing methods, from the state-of-the-art to the time-honoured, including: a manual Black Eagle espresso machine, Clover brewing system, Chemex brewer, Siphon, coffee press, and Nitro Cold Brew taps.

One of the most unique experiences is getting your coffee brewed using the Siphon. It’s picture worthy and is a sensory experience.

It’s a great way to try different brewing methods made by the experienced baristas. You’ll definitely learn a thing or two.

Exclusive Drinks

There are a few amazing drinks that you can only get at Starbucks Reserve Bars. My personal favourite is the Hazelnut Bianco Latte made with Starbucks Reserve espresso, steamed, house-made hazelnut praline–infused milk. It is amazing and tastes like a liquefied Ferrero Rocher. SO damn good! You can also get it iced too.

Don’t forget their affogato if you are looking for a cool sweet treat. You can have it the classic way with a shot of espresso or you can make it a float with their cold brew.

Exclusive Small Plates

Say hello to Chorizo Mac & Cheese, which is surprisingly good for Starbucks. It costs $7.95 and sits at 680 calories.

The other item is their pear, bacon, and brie flatbread for $6.95 and at 270 calories.

Final Thoughts

There is lots to discover at Starbucks Canada’s newest Reserve bar in Downtown Vancouver from exclusive drinks to exclusive food.If you’re int he area, give them a visit.

Address:
700 W Pender Street, Vancouver BC

Website:
https://www.starbucks.ca/

In burger

A&W Canada: Mushroom Mozzarella Cheese and Egger Review

November 7, 2018

For a limited time only, A&W Canada is releasing their Mushroom mozzarella cheese and egger available all day as well as the mushroom mozzarella burger. It’s just the addition of the sauteed crimini mushrooms and slice of real mozzarella cheese, but who doesn’t love cheese and mushrooms together?

For mine, I also added a sausage patty to it too. The breakfast sandwich tasted good and not overly greasy or salty, which is a nice change. A solid item for breakfast if you’re hungry. It’s good that they use quality ingredients and is continually improving.

A&W has released similar versions in the past – Mushroom Mozza Burger. They have similar burgers back on the menu for a limited time too. This is similar to the breakfast sandwich but in a burger format with grilled onions.

Website:
http://www.aw.ca

In Downtown

Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba: Japanese Noodles in Downtown Vancouver

October 28, 2018

Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba opened up in Downtown Vancouver right under BCIT Downtown Campus on Seymour Street. Japanese Chef Takuma Ishikawa created KOKORO mazesoba in Tokyo Japan in 2013 and soon expanded quickly around Japan. Ever since they opened in Vancouver, its sent the city in a frenzy over their mazesoba.

Mazesoba is literally translated as mixed noodle – a soupless ramen.

Interior

There are a good amount of seats, but I usually avoid the rush. If you want to get a seat around lunch, come at 12 or before then. For dinner, early is best around 5:30pm.

If you just want ice cream to go, you can order it at the counter and bypass the lineup. This would be great for the Summer.

Nika Mazesoba

This is their best seller mazesoba on the menu. It has slow-brased chashu, spicy minced park, raw egg yolk, minced garlic, green onion, seaweed flakes, saba fish, chives, and their multi-grain noodles which is made in house.

Zenbu Mazesoba

Zenbu Mazesoba is their chef’s special and it has a bit of everything. It has slow-braised pork chashu, spicy minced pork, raw egg yolk, seaweed, soft boiled egg, bamboo shoot, seaweed flakes, chives, green onion, minced garlic, saba fish, and their multi-grain noodles.

Don’t forget to get the free scoop of rice afterwards to soak up all the extra sauce.

Mentaiko Cream Mazesoba

There is mentaiko, slow-braised pork chashu, raw egg yolk, seaweed flakes, spinach, green onion, minced garlic, Japanese cream sauce, saba fish, and the multi-grain noodles. It was very delicious and there is plenty of sauce on the noodles and you’ll want the extra ball of rice to soak it all up.

Chicken Karaage

The pork gyozas are crisp and have a nice subtle ginger taste. A good side dish to go with your meal.

Pork Gyoza

The pork gyozas are crisp on the bottom. Very delicious and has a good mixture of pork and veggie.

Kokoro Yogurt Refresher

You can get this in passionfruit or peach flavours, but it is a very sweet drink.

Tokyo Iced Milk Tea

They also have milk tea which is brewed with 100% organic black tea.

Hokkaido Creme Cone

This sells in limited quantities as they can only make so many cones per day. It is made with organic milk soft serve ice cream made by their Japanese Nissei machine. It is delicious and the cookie cone is addictive. The only problem with it is that it melts fast and will start leaking out the bottom, so be careful when eating.

Fuji Cheese Cup Cake

The spoons are so cute as it’s shaped like a shovel. There is cheesecake, which is rich and delicious. On the bottom, there is a chocolate cookie crumb on the bottom to break up the taste.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the hype is real and their mazesoba is the start of the show. Drinks are mediocre, but the desserts and side dishes are good accompaniments. I didn’t have the ramen this time, but since Mazesoba is their specialty, you’ll want to go get that.

Address:
551 Seymour St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://menyakokoro.com/

In Cafe

Hui Lau Shan: Now Open in Downtown Vancouver

October 22, 2018

It was late at night and my friends and I stumbled upon Hui Lau Shan open on Denman Street close to Robson Street. I have been anticipating their opening for a while as the first location in Kerrisdale is a bit far for me to get to.

Hui Lau Shan is a Hong Kong dessert maker that specializes in Mango desserts. If you’ve been to Hong Kong, it’s the place to cool off during the hot Summer with their mango drinks. They look like they are slowly expanding in Metro Vancouver with the next location inside the T&T Supermarket in Richmond.

Interior

The space is a decent size with a few tables for groups of 4ish. There seemed to be some people doing take out and some staying inside to eat and chit chat. My friends decided to stay a bit and enjoy the desserts while chit chatting.

After you put in your order, you get an electronic device that will signal you when your order is ready.

Mango Romance

This is a popular item as it’s essentially a taster of 3 different dishes – mango pomelo sago, mango mochi and mango chewy ball. It’s full of mango goodness.

Mango Pomelo Sago

A classic item with mango puree, tapioca, mango pieces, and pomelo. You can devour this all yourself or share with a friend.

Final Thoughts

We got the 2 most popular items on the menu and it really took us back to Hong Kong. The mangoes were perfectly ripe with the right amount of tartness and sweetness. The size of the overall desserts could be a bit bigger for what you pay for but given the rising costs in Vancouver like rent, labour, and food costs, I can see why they charge higher prices in comparison to places in Asia.

The taste itself was good, but presentation could be a bit better as the mango chunks were hastily cut. It took then a while to create the desserts but given that it was their first day, they have some kinks to work out before they have their grand opening.

Nonetheless, they are in Vancouver and gives us more dessert options in Downtown Vancouver.

Address:
907 Denman St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.hlsvancouver.com/

In Downtown

Wasabi Robson: Aburi, Sushi Rolls and Bento Boxes

October 12, 2018

Wasabi Robson is the newest sushi restaurant to open up in Downtown Vancouver at the Vancouver Public Library. I saw them on Instagram and wanted to make a visit as they make a few aburi-style sushi items on the menu as well as more affordable items like bento box sets, curry and udon. They seem to cater those who want a quick meal and those who want a bit more of an indulgence like aburi at lower prices.

Interior

They take reservations after 3pm, so I made one for my group of friends. The restaurant is half seating and half kitchen. The traffic fluctuated through the night but if you are in a larger group, reservations are best.

They are fairly new and have some kinks to work out. Service was very mediocre, so we were rarely given tea until we asked and also they didn’t clear the dishes or give us the bill. Also the abundance of fruit flies were very bothersome.

Crown Tart

The Crown Tart is made with scallop, wild salmon, tuna, avocado, sushi rice, and aburi sauce. Then topped with lemon slices and shrimp. It’s a good size and very delicious. You can have it by yourself or share with the table.

Wild Salmon Aburi Oshi

This comes with 6 pieces per order and it has flame-seared wild salmon sushi with their signature aburi sauce on top with a piece of jalapeño.

Saba Aburi Oshi

This has flame-seared mackerel sushi with their signature sauce on top. The saba is a salty mackerel that is always very delicious in aburi form. The sauce on top is different than the other aburi items.

Ebi Aburi Oshi

This has flame-seared shrimp sushi with their signature sauce on top. Another delicious item.

Gyoza

It comes with 5 pieces but we asked them to make it 6 pieces and added a dollar extra so it would be easier for the table to split as we were a party of 6. It was good but it would have been nice is there was some sauce or dip to go along with it like ponzu sauce.

Salmon Avocado Roll

This uses wild salmon and avocado rolled up in sushi rice. Perfectly ripe avocados and good quality wild salmon.

Final Thoughts

If you want a good inexpensive simple meal, the bento boxes are the way to go as they are just over $10. Good for a quick cheap lunch. For this visit, I went more the aburi items and they were good for the price. The only things that bothered me were the service and cleanliness. Those are the two things they should really work on.

Their hours are limited as they aren’t open weekends and close early into the evenings on weekdays.

Address:
202-345 Robson St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.wasabirobson.com/

In Cafe

Lot185 Cafe and Wine Bar in Downtown Vancouver

September 30, 2018

Lot185 is located inside the Vancouver Convention Centre West, closest to Jack Poole Plaza. They are a coffee bar by day and wine bar by night. They feature locally-roasted coffee by Moja Coffee, freshly baked pastries made in-house, and tapas with a full wine and beer menu.

The Vancouver Convention Centre has award-winning catering services and with similar staff, they operate out of the same kitchen using the freshest local and seasonal ingredients when possible. Whether you work in the area or are a convention attendee, you’ll have a good bite and sip here.

Cafe by Day

The cafe is great for a quick coffee and pastries in the morning. As most people are on the go, their lines go quickly. There are other cafés in the area, but sometimes it’s nice to try something different. Plus, their pastries are made in-house and are quite tasty.

Coffee and Pastries

Coffee, teas, and espresso based drinks are popular especially with the morning crowd. It’s best paired with their freshly baked daily pastries, paninis or breakfast sandwiches. You can get these items for lunch too.

Wine Bar by Night

The Wine Bar is open in the evenings from 4pm till 9pm. They have a selection of local and international wines and beers. On the menu are small tapa-style dishes to accompany the drinks. Always good to have nibbles and drinks.

Small Bites

The menu focuses on their Neapolitan-style pizza that have a thin crust with simple ingredients. They have 3 different varieties – funghi blanca, prosciutto e rucola, and margherita.

The other items are small bites that are meant for sharing like their charcuteries with different meats and cheeses.

Serrano ham and marinated olives

Manchego cheese and roasted red pepper bikinis

They even have a few homemade dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth. This is their Tart Au Citron with a vanilla crust, lemon curd, and toasted whipped marshmallow. They also have a few other desserts for those who are into chocolate and other fruity flavours.

Final Thoughts

As Lot185 is inside the convention centre, it is hard to spot from the outside despite the signs.

The wine bar is a great place for people finishing conferences and are looking for a comfortable and chill space to hang out.

Address:
78-1055 Canada Place
(next to Jack Poole Plaza)

Website:
http://lot185.com/

In Downtown

Dining on Aeroplan Diamond status #withaeroplan

September 24, 2018

We were recently taken behind-the-scenes of a what dining with Aeroplan is like for Diamond Status cardholders. As part of an appreciation dinner, cardholders were treated with a special dining experience hosted at the Vancouver Club. The food was prepared by chefs and sustainable seafood advocates Rick Moonen, Barton Seaver and Ned Bell, and wine pairings by DJ Kearney.

This Vancouver event was the first of three appreciation dinners with the next two being in Montreal and Toronto.

The night started with cocktails and appetizers. We were soon whisked away to the dining area, where we enjoyed a beautiful four-course meal made with sustainability and our ocean’s offering in mind.

All three chefs and the sommelier of the night were on hand to entertain us and tell the story of how the dishes came to be and why the specific wine was chosen.

First Course

The first course by Chef Rick Moonen was a crudo of Hawaiian Kanpachi with ginger, turmeric, chili, lime caviar, and tangerine oil – paired with a Tantalus Old Vine Riesling 2015. The dish was fresh and the flavours worked extremely well together. Although the ingredients may sound strong, the tastes were harmonious and refreshing.

The old vine riesling was our favourite wine of the night – a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.

Second Course

The second course by Chef Barton Seaver was dungeness crab salad with Windsett Bibbs lettus, heirloom tomatoes, eggs, and sauce louis – paired with a Coolshanagh Chardonnay 2016. Another delicious dish and fantastic wine pairing. The chardonnay was lighter bodied and was a perfect match for the crab.

Third Course

The third course by Chef Ned Bell was West Creek Coho Salmon with Chilliwack corn, late summer squash succotash, cashew cream & crumble, and a spicy peach vinaigrette – paired with the Unsworth Pinot Noir 2016.

The succotash, cashew cream, and vinaigrette made this dish playful and each bite just slightly different. The ingredients were seasonal and you could tell how the dish told the story of the near end-of-summer season in B.C.

The lighter-bodied, fruity, slightly earthy and smoother pinot noir was a perfect match for this lightly seared salmon.

Dessert

And the fourth course, dessert, was one of our favourites! It was an organic milk chocolate and kelp mousse with smoked sea salt caramel, salmon berries, and tonka bean foam – paired with the Quails’ Gate Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2017 dessert wine.

The mousse wasn’t overly sweet and allowed you to really taste how the chocolate interacted with the other flavours on the dish. The dessert wine was also delicious – not overly sweet and well balanced, with flavours of apricot, peach, and floral notes.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we had a fantastic time dining #withaeroplan! We also learned lots about how to pair seafood with wine and the importance of making sustainable choices in our eating habits.

If you’re not an Aeroplan member, you can sign up free online. You can earn sufficient eligible miles to reach Aeroplan status and enjoy the benefits like this the following year, so be sure to keep an eye on your earnings. We personally use our miles to redeem for travel perks like flights and hotels.