Bar Corso

While I was in Montreal last year, I sadly didn't get a chance to meet up with Sexy Mexi.  But she was in town in August and had some time to meet up!  We decided to check out Bar Corso on Commercial Drive where they offer up beverages with small plates to share.  They describe themselves as a place where you might forget that you are in Vancouver and be transported to the streets of Rome.  Well, I must attest to that as I was just in Rome last year.  It really felt like a slice of the old world with drinks and delicious Italian plates.

Since we were in time for Happy Hour, we decided to get 2 each of the Tonno and Wagyu Crostino.  If this was what we were going to get for our entire meal just based on these little bites, we were in for a treat!  Nicely charred, the crostinis were aggressively oiled and maintained their crunchy texture despite being topped with wet components.  I found the tuna to be buttery soft and sweet while the tonnato underneath added even more appealing fishiness and creaminess.  The fried capers provided the necessary salt.  As for the Wagyu, it was buttery soft while the addition of smoked bone marrow emulsion added a smoky silkiness that was full of depth.  Those pickles broke up the heaviness and the onion ash gave a background smokiness.

Next, the Beef Carpaccio was presented in a very unique manner.  They sliced the dry-aged Wagyu thin and wrapped it around watercress and then topped it off with capers, egg yolk jam and puffed quinoa.  I found this way easier to eat as we could just pick them up and pop them in our mouths.  The meat was buttery with a pleasant meatiness where the watercress brightened things up with a slight pepperiness.  Loved the egg yolk jam as it was custardy and aromatic.  Capers added crunch and saltiness while the crunch of quinoa was so appealing.

Absolutely loved the Italian Burrata with heirloom tomatoes, fermented honey, balsamic pearls and walnuts.   This was a substantial plate with a variety of plump tomatoes that were flavourful and sweet on their own.  However, the addition of fermented honey not only imparted some sweetness, it also had tanginess.  That was further enhanced by the balsamic pearls which provided more tang and sweetness.  As for the burrata, it was creamy and was a natural compliment to the tomatoes.  Loved the crunch of the walnuts as a textural contrast.

The Fior Di Zucca was a little bit different than other versions I've had.  Usually, the zucchini blossom is stuffed with some type of cheese, usually ricotta.  Hence, it is fairly light and matches the blossoms delicate texture despite the deep frying. In this case, it was stuffed with an A5 Wagyu meatball.  If you can imagine, this was much more robust and filling.  The meat was moist while till meaty in texture.  The white plum mostarda added sweetness and a slight kick to the plate while the spiced house ricotta provided creaminess.

Onto the bigger plates, we had the Aglio e Olio Di Mare.  This was friggin' fantastic featuring al dente angel hair pasta that was bathed in EVOO, calabrian chili, garlic and bisque.  In addition to this, this was a expert level use of salt.  Just bordering on salty without being so, the flavours were amped as I got brininess, creaminess, silkiness and a bit of spice.  There was sauteed prawns that went through some high heat as the flavours were caramelized but they were not overcooked.

Lastly, we had the 6 oz Bavette Steak with roasted romain and fermented garlic zabaione.  Prepared somewhere between medium-rare and medium, the steak was still moist and tender.  It was seasoned well on its own, but the pungent zabaione was creamy and aromatic.  Loved the grilled romaine as it was still slightly crunchy but nicely wilted.  It was also well-salted.  Overall, we quite enjoyed the food at Bar Corso.  Definitely reminded me of Rome, especially sitting outside.  I thought the pricing was reasonable and the portion sizes were fair.  I would definitely come back to chill outside again (when the weather is permitting) and share some food and drinks.

The Good:
- Tasty food
- Loved sitting outside
- Fair pricing given the quality and portion sizes

The Bad:
- Outside is fantastic, but inside is a bit dark

Zab Bite - Thai E-Sarn Cuisine

When I was dining at Bravo, I noticed Zab Bite across the street.  Honestly, I had some idea what the place was, but wasn't all that familiar.  I got to try the place out for brunch (that they no longer offer) where we tried a selection of their existing menu items as well as a few new ones.  Zab Bite focuses on E-Sarn cuisine which is native to the Northeastern part of Thailand, where most of the people are Laotian.  They are well known for their spicy and sour flavour profiles.

We had a bunch of items arrive at our table at the same time, but I'll talk about the Assorted Appetizers first.  The Veggie Spring Rolls were crunchy and the cabbage inside still had a bite.  Equally crunchy, the Shrimp Wrap featured a meaty and briny shrimp inside.  In the middle of the platter, we found Pork Jerky that was plenty pungent with the saltines of fish sauce.  They were chewy and meaty.  On the side, the Crispy Pork Toast featured not-overly-greasy toast.  On the top, there was a slice of pork that I found a bit chewy.  Nice aromatics from the sesame though.

Onto two more small plates, we had the E-Sarn Pork Roll. Similar to Vietnamese Chả Lụa, this was sliced and deep-fried.  The result was a crispy exterior giving way to a chewy and meaty interior.  This was served with a side of sriracha hot sauce.  One of my favourite items of the meal was the Jaew Chicken featuring a marinated and grilled boneless chicken thighs topped with toasted rice flour.  This chicken was so juicy and flavourful with a nice char on the outside.  The side of dipping sauce added spice, sweetness and acidity.

One of their newest dishes is the Thai Chicken Rice which is also known as Khao Man Gai (a variation of Hainanese Chicken).  The poached chicken thigh was fairly juicy and tender.  It was mildly fragrant and was accompanied by a spicy soy bean sauce.  Think along the lines of Nong's Khao Man Gai in Portland.  This sauce here was less gingery and sweet, but definitely more spicy.  It was good in its own way.  The rice firm and chewy (in a good way) while nicely seasoned.

We also had a soup that was a bit different than the usual Tom Yum and Tom Kha (which they do have on the menu too).  It was the Tom Zab that was a spicy-sour clear soup with mushroom, rice powder and dried-chili.  The flavour profile in this is representative of Northeastern Thai.  It was clean-tasting with notable tang and spice.  There was fragrance in the form of lemongrass, galangal and cilantro.  We added pork to the soup where it gave it more body.

Another popular Northern Thai and Laotian dish is Khao Soi.  We went for this with chicken in this case and it sat in a Thai coconut curry with egg noodles topped with crispy fried noodle, fresh shallots and lime wedge.  This was a pretty good version with aromatics and fragrance emanating from the coconutty and slightly spicy broth.  The noodles were al dente while the chicken drumsticks were tender and took on the flavour of the curry.  

My favourite dish of the meal was the Pad See Ew with stewed beef.  This was somewhat reminiscent of the one at Sen Pad Thai with its mung bean glass noodles.  There was good wok hei (a very hot wok with lots of BTUs) that added smokiness and caramelization to the dish.  The noodles were appealingly chewy and completely seasoned by the soy and the braising liquid for the tender nuggets of beef.   The gai lan were cooked enough but still crunchy.

To go with our meal, we had a few classic bevvies including the Fresh Young Coconut and Thai Milk Tea.  Beyond drinking the sweet coconut water, the coconut flesh was at its tender delicious best.  As for the milk tea, it was creamy and flavourful without being excessively sweet.  Onto dessert, we had the Mango Sticky Rice with a pandan-infused sticky rice.  It was topped off with a kanom dok jok or Thai lotus flower cookie.  This was a pretty solid version of the dessert with sticky rice that was aromatic topped with fresh sweet mango and coconut milk.  Overall, the food at Zab Bite was pretty good.  I particularly enjoyed the Tom Zab, Pad See Ew and Khao Soi.  They aren't open for brunch anymore, but you can still get these dishes for dinner!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Generally solid eats
- Fairly reasonable-pricing
- Some Northern dishes that are different

The Bad:
- When the weather is warm, the A/C isn't sufficient

B House

I've seen B House featured on a few IG reels and stories in the past, which definitely intrigued me.  The eclectic menu isn't easily categorized as it jumps from one Asian cuisine to another with fusion elements.  Normally, that would be cause for concern but if you think about it, most restaurants have some form of fusion going on.  Hey, the best food on Earth are results of fusing 2 cuisines (e.g. Vietnamese & French).  Jackie and I dropped by to check them out on a Sunny Sunday.

To illustrate the fusion focus of the menu, the Tuna Sushi Bombs were a bit Japanese, a bit Korean and a touch Westcoast.  It featured a crispy rice base topped with soy-marinated ahi tuna, sesame seeds, green onion, Korean sauce, jalapenos, cucumbers, watermelon radish, truffle aioli, miso glaze and tobiko.  So as you can see, there was a lot going on with each bite.  Was it a bit muddled?  I would say yes, but it was still pretty tasty.  Surprisingly, I still noticed the buttery tuna despite everything on top of it.  The good thing was that no one component dominated the other.  I got the spice from the Korean sauce, the creamy truffle from the aioli and the saltiness of the soy.  The crispy rice was definitely living up to its namesake while not being too firm.

On the same theme, we had the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare next.  It was beautifully plated (fine-dining worthy) with a smear of miso glaze topped with an edamame salad with tomatoes, green onions and herbs.  As for the tartare itself, we found cubed citrus soy yellowfin tuna, avocado, tobiko, sesame seeds and green onion.  This had a lot less going on so that the tuna was more at the forefront.  Similar to the sushi bombs, the tuna was not aggressively marinated, so it was still the star of the plate.  Combined with the creamy avocado and the miso glaze, we had a balanced bite atop a crispy taro chip.

Something that was not quite fusion, we had the Simple Wings.  These were essentially Vietnamese-inspired with salt, pepper, garlic, jalapeno and chili flakes.  I thought these wings were decent with a crispy rice flour coating.  The skin was somewhat rendered and the meat was indeed juicy.  What I would've liked to see some sort of brine as the wings were not flavourful on their own.  Even with the ample amount of aromatic garlic and jalapenos, it didn't do enough to make an impact.

Our last small plate was the Char Siu Bao which, unlike the Chinese version, was Japanese-style char siu nestled within a Chinese mantou-type bao.  These were pretty decent with thick slices of fatty char siu that had a salty sweet glaze on them.  In addition, we found lettuce, aioli, jalapenos, pickled shallots and sesame seeds.  This helped brighten up the whole thing with tanginess, heat and nuttiness.

My favourite dish of the meal was the Dragon Noodle Bowl with stir-fried egg noodles, blackened boneless lemongrass chicken leg, greens, crispy garlic and herbs topped with bang bang shrimp.  These chewy noodles were so flavourful, it was addictive eating them.  Lots of sweetness and savoury elements as well as the crunch from the veggies.  That chicken was superb being juicy and moist while caramelized and charred.  On top of that, literally and figuratively, the bang bang shrimp were slightly crispy and with spice and sweetness.

I had mixed feelings about the Miso Wild Sockeye Salmon.  On one hand, the salmon was overcooked but then the rest of the dish was really good.   The salmon was naturally sweet and was complimented by the rich flavour of the miso.  Some nuttiness was provided by the sesame seeds.  Rice was nicely done being chewy while the veggies were vibrant.  Avocado salsa was creamy and went well with the salmon.  A bit of truffle aioli afforded some creamy woodsiness.

Another favourite of mine was the Korean Chicken Burger.  I'll talk about the other components a bit later, but I would like to focus on the croissant bun.  What a fantastic choice!  It was crispy, yet flaky and buttery.  Even better than brioche!  Now about that chicken, it as juicy and fried beautifully.  I found it sauced just enough to give it some sweet heat.  Lots of crunchy coleslaw to balance out the burger. Those fries were pretty good too, super crispy!

We had another bowl in the Pork Belly that consisted of rice, daikon slaw, cucumber, tomato, pineapple, green onion, soy marinated egg, house aioli, sesame seeds and crispy garlic.  Once again, there was quite a bit going on here, but the pork belly was definitely the most noticeable ingredient.  It was beer braised being tender with just the right amount of fat.  All of the other ingredients did help lighten the bowl with some sweetness and crunch.

We had one more dish in the Thai Red Curry with Chicken Leg.  This was a creamy and generally mild curry that had some hints of spice.  It was plenty aromatic with the coconut cream coming through in texture and in taste.  The fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes provided some brightness.  The whole chicken leg was the star of the plate as it was juicy and tender while sporting crispy and rendered skin.  The side of rice was quite good being fluffy while not too wet.

We also had a couple of cocktails to go with our meal in the Lychee Raspberry Cosmo and the Mango Crema Cosmo.  As you can see, both were fruity in appearance and in fact, were refreshing and sweet.  Definitely great for those who don't want something strong.  As for dessert, we had the Chocolate Molten Brownie.  This was pretty good with a slightly crisp exterior then giving way to an ooey gooey centre.  It was purposefully sweet and plenty chocolatey.  Overall, the meal at B House was definitely interesting with some real strong dishes.  Possibly there maybe a few too many components, but for some odd reason, it seems to work.  There is also a nice patio outside for sunny days.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Some strong flavours
- Most proteins were quite good
- Nice vibe (a la The Drive)

The Bad:
- Salmon was quite overdone

Bravo

I've been meaning to visit Bravo for quite some time.  With its Vanmag win as the best new restaurant, I felt it was a place that I needed to try ASAP.  Located in the former Ubuntu Canteen, Bravo features sustainable seafood with a dry-aged fish program.  Chef Jonah Joffe is both co-owner and Executive Chef.  I was so impressed with my first visit, I came back within a month to try more dishes.  This blog post will include dishes from both meals.

The first thing on the menu is the Oysters and depending on the day, there are certain ones you can choose from.  We decided on the Shigoku and Sunseekers since they were relatively smaller, which we prefer.  The Sunseekers were much creamier and had a hint of cucumber.  With a mild brininess and balanced flavour, the Shigoku had a clean finish.  Lemon wedges, horseradish, spicy cucumber aguachile and fermented red jalapeno were served with these.  I really enjoyed both of the condiments as the cucumber was refreshing and bright while lightly spicy.  Being spicier and more bold, the fermented red jalapeno went well with the Sunseekers.

Sometimes a simple Burrata turns out to be one of the highlights of the meal.  This was such the case where the creamy burrata was complimented well with braised tomatoes, kale gremolata and pistachios.  Since burrata is such a mild-tasting cheese (albeit buttery and creamy), it needs a boost and indeed the components did that.  The fresh braised tomato added sweetness and tanginess.  Then well-seasoned gremolata brought a bright tang and aromatics.  Of course the pistachios did its salty nutty thing with some added texture to the dish.  This was served with Livia Sourdough, but on the 2nd visit, we actually added an extra dish that was served with whipped butter and maldon salt.  That bread was good to soak up everything as most dishes were served with a killer sauce.  Loved that butter as it was creamy and airy.

I always enjoy a toast with fish on it (particularly anchovies), so when I spotted the Gravlax Toast, it was a must order.  To top it off, it also included boquerones!  Yes, I got my anchovy toast in a round about way...  In addition to that, we found café de Paris butter and fresh herbs.  The combination of tangy brininess of the boquerones with the sweet butteriness of the salmon ensured that our taste buds were taken care of.  The seasoned butter provided extra seasoning and richness (reminded me somewhat of the sauce I had at Le Relais de L'Entrecôte) while the herbs (in particular the dill) afforded some bright and fresh flavours.

One of their signature dishes is the Tofino King Salmon with maple ginger dressing, cucumber and avocado. This dish was all about the main ingredient as it should be.  The slices of aged salmon were super buttery and soft.  The natural sweet fishiness (in a tasty way) was at the forefront.  I thought the dressing was super delicious and impactful without getting in the way of the salmon.  There was a certain umaminess about it where it wasn't exactly salty, but there was lots of flavour.  The sweetness of the maple probably helped curb the saltiness.

Another showstopper was the Spencer Gulf Hiramasa with passionfruit aguachile, cantaloupe and espelette.  This was so good, we ordered it both times!  The firm hiramasa was a bit buttery while naturally sweet.  That passionfruit aguachile was spicy, sweet and tangy.  Sure, this was a case of the sauce overtaking the main ingredient, but it worked.  It was so good, we wanted to coat each piece of fish with as much as we could.  This passionfruit aguachile would be a great sorbet too!

From powerful to subtle, we transitioned to the Hokkaido Scallops with coconut leche de tigre, calamansi and finger lime.  Since Hokkaido scallops are so delicate, the sauce had to be both memorable without drowning out the natural sweetness.  Call it a success as the buttery scallops were still the main focus, but the aromatics of the coconut milk were present as well as a background brininess.  Acidity was balanced with the calamansi and finger lime.

Another dish we ordered both times was the Fremantle Octopus with brava sauce, labneh and tomatillo.  The braised octopus was tender, yet still retained its signature bite.  It was torched, so that there was some caramelization and slight charring.  Normally, we find brava sauce on top of potatoes, but in this case, it provided quite the tanginess and acidity.  Possibly a bit too powerful, but it was dialed back with the creamy labneh.  Other than the contrasting colour, the tomatillo sauce added another layer of tanginess.

One of the best dishes was the Manila Clams in a shiro dashi with fried tofu and sesame.  All the clams were fully opened and cooked perfectly.  They were plump, buttery and at their briny best.  That clam nectar seeped into the dashi where it was sweet, briny, buttery and full of umaminess.  I would've preferred a less firm tofu, but at the same time, I understand that a softer one would possibly fall apart in the cooking process.  The side of sourdough was a must here as the broth couldn't be wasted.

The one dish we were indifferent about was the Kale Gnocchi.  Nothing wrong with the sauce here as the pistou was creamy, aromatic and bright.  Interestingly, they added toasted pine nuts to the dish which made this a quasi-pesto.  However, rather than blending it into the sauce, it was more impactful as whole nuts.  Loved the maitake mushrooms where they provided "meatiness" and the onions added sweetness.  We also had some parmigiano reggiano crisps for texture and saltiness.  So the main issue was the gnocchi itself.  They were pillowy soft, but in mid-chew, they were mealy.  We would've preferred a firmer gnocchi.

Another awesome dish was the Tagliolini with humboldt squid bolognese, taggiasca olives and herb ricotta.  Beyond the al dente pasta, which was neatly plated, the bolognese was beautiful.  I've never had it without some form of pork and/or beef, so the squid was definitely different.  It was tender, yet with a rebound bite.  There was some natural sweetness to compliment the tang of the tomato.  Extra punch was provided by the sweet olives and everything was balanced out by the creamy ricotta.  Excellent dish.

The Cascade Steelhead was another solid dish where the fish itself was perfectly executed.  Flaky, moist and still buttery, the steelhead had a rich flavour.  It sat atop a horseradish soubise which was creamy and rich.  The horseradish was definitely there without being a distraction.  There was natural sweetness from the onions.  Hidden underneath the broccolini and dill, we found some crispy fingerling potatoes.  About that dill, it was nice addition to the plate as it brightened things up. 

Last but not least, the Seared Scallops was higher level. Each one of the plump scallops were seared beautifully while still being a bit rare inside and supremely buttery.  They were well-seasoned but the lemongrass & coconut sauce was so aromatic and impactful, it just made the dish.  Unfortunately, both times, we were so full, we didn't get to dessert.  I guess that would be on my next visit (which is guaranteed).  For these first 2 meals, the food was fantastic and well-executed.  Loved their aged fish and frankly, all of the other seafood creations. Bravo definitely earns its title as best new restaurant. 

The Good:
- Expertly-prepared seafood
- Bold and impactful flavours
- Focused menu

The Bad:
- Gnocchi was not our favourite

 

Fighter Chicken (Granville)

In 2021, I had ordered takeout from the original Fighter Chicken on East Broadway at Renfrew.  It was actually a deal from a food delivery service and I scored the whole meal for cheap.  Mind you, Fighter Chicken's regular prices are not very expensive to begin with.  In September, as a back-to-school promo, they are offering some killer deals that rival my original visit.  On September 4th, receive 4 free pieces of Crispy Fish if you purchase 4 pieces.  On September 5th, get 3 free pieces of fried chicken when you purchase 6 pieces.  For September 6th & 7th, receive a free Crispy Chicken Burger when you purchase a Double Crispy Chicken Burger Combo.  Lastly, on September 8th, receive 2 Crispy Chicken Burgers for free when you get a Bucket of Chicken.

Now the rest of this blog post will focus on my visit to their Granville Street location in Marpole.  Naturally, we must talk about their Crispy Fried Chicken.  Costing slightly less than Church's, you can get an 8-piece for $28.99.  In terms of comparison, Fighter Chicken features some pretty large pieces that are brined.  Therefore, the chicken has an inherent seasoned flavour that doesn't really need any enhancement.  The meat is juicy and tender while the medium-thick batter is crunchy.  It is available in spicy as well.

So they also have Chicken Strips and Popcorn Chicken.  Main difference between the 2 are the size.  Both of them feature white meat where the chicken strips are large (almost whole breasts) while the popcorn chicken has Chick-Fil-A vibes.  Much like the fried chicken, the batter is medium thick and plenty crunchy.  Being thicker and bigger, the strips are juicier and more moist.  There are a variety of sauces to choose from including tartar, honey mustard, spicy BBQ, sweet BBQ and sweet dip.

They have Chicken Burgers as well including a Spicy Chicken Burger.  Both are very similar with large chicken strips sandwiched in a brioche bun with lettuce tomato and cheese.  Both of these are absolutely huge and require you to open wide!  As such, they are filling and satisfying.  I personally like the spicy sandwich more as it has more impact and of course spice.  The brioche is toasted enough to stand up to the ingredients.

Their most underrated item on the menu is their Fish Burger.  Featuring 2 large fish fillets, this is just as filling as the chicken sandwiches.  However, due to the use of fish, it is more easily eaten.  The batter is crispy while the fish in the middle is flaky and moist.  There is some tartar sauce and mayo to compliment as well as lettuce and tomato.  I could do without the raw onions, it is a bit too sharp.  They also have Poutine and this reminds me somewhat of the Costco version.  This is not an insult.  This features legit cheese curds and a rich silky gravy.

As for those Fries, they are the starch-covered variety that ensures the exterior will be crispy.  Due to the starch, the fries eat a bit greasier than regular fries.  Inside, the centre is tender and potatoey.  Love that their Onion Rings are breaded rather than tempura-battered.  As such, they are trending towards the ones you find at A&W.  The outside is crunchy while the onion on the inside is tender, yet not overdone.  Really great with one of the dips!  So I think that there have been minor improvements with the food since I first visited their original location.  I find that their batter is slightly less dense albeit, still not thin.  Proteins are cooked correctly and I really appreciate that their popcorn chicken and chicken strips are whole breast meat.  Fighter Chicken is a good alternative to the usual fried chicken spots and with their upcoming promos, an even better deal!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Tender and properly cooked proteins
- Huge sandwiches
- Decent sides

The Bad:
- I would still like a lighter batter, but it has improved since the beginning though