Pho Dat Phu

*Restaurant is now closed*

Alright, I'll admit it. I only decided to go try this place because I thought the name was interesting. I guess Pho Shizzle would be a funnier name. But, I guess the best of them all was the iconic Pho Bich Nga on Victoria and Kingsway in Vancouver. Too bad it has long since closed. Actually if you pronounce Pho correctly, it's more like "pheu". In addition to the name, there are really not that many Vietnamese restaurants in North Delta. Actually, Pho Dat Phu is on the Surrey side of Scott Road. I've been getting my Pho phix, er... I mean fix at Stanley Restaurant up until now. So is Pho Dat Phu a serious contender?

Well, first of all, the restaurant itself is nothing much to look at, inside or out; however, not many Pho places are. Typically, you go in and order; then get your food in less than 5 minutes later. I finished my meal so quickly, I got back to work with 15 minutes to spare! Like I always do, I ordered the Pho with everything including tripe and tendon. Much like some other places, there is a special where you can add 2 spring rolls and pay an inclusive price of $8.50. The spring rolls were crispy and not oily at all; however, they were not very hot. The Pho itself wasn't bad. The soup was quite light and not too salty. There was an adequate amount of noodles and meat as well. The plate of bean sprouts was missing a few items though, namely the basil and the hot peppers. I found this very strange for a Pho place. Other than that, the meal was pretty good. The lady who served me (appears to be the owner) was very friendly and seemed to have a rapport with repeat customers. Will I return to try some of the other dishes? Pho sure!

The Good:
- It looks like Pho, it tastes like Pho
- Reasonable prices
- Friendly owner

The Bad:
- No basil and peppers???

Pho Dat Phu
9544 120th Street
Surrey, B.C.
604-581-0122

Business Hours:
10:00am - 9:00pm (Mon - Sat)
10:00am - 8:00pm (Sun)

Harvey`s

*Location is closed*

So what can you find at some Home Depots in the GVRD? The newest Kohler facets? The latest Ralph Lauren paint colours? The new Weber stainless grills? Well, you probably will find these things; but you will also find the only locations of Harvey's in the lower mainland of Vancouver. Other than the YVR (Vancouver airport) location, Home Depots are the only home to Harvey's here. Some of you might wonder what is Harvey's, since it is mostly an Eastern Canada thing. I often wonder if the popularity of some places are due to their limited availability. This phenomena happened when Krispy Kreme was only available in the states. Everyone was flocking down to Burlington to pick up boxes of fried sweet dough. I was one of those people who would drive down there to do Krispy Kreme runs. I would show up at the border with 12 boxes of donuts. Imagine the border guard trying to understand that I just drove 45 minutes into the US to get donuts. Now that I have a Krispy Kreme within 5 minutes from where I work, I no longer eat them.

Does Harvey's benefit from this same phenomenon where you can only get their burgers when you decide to go buy some fertilizer or a compressor? It depends. I used to eat at Harvey's quite a bit when I was renovating our old house. It was so convenient and since I was at Home Depot anyways... I do a return visit to Harvey's in order to get a unbiased opinion about their food. Currently, there is this new Angus Mushroom Melt; but I really didn't want to eat that after I looked at the nutrition facts. Yes, after having the omelette bar at Horizon's, I was not going to take another cholesterol hit so soon. Rather, I went for the original burger with no cheese. Moreover, this way, I could taste the meat on it's own. I only went for a regular fries and a Diet Coke. One advantage Harvey's has over places like McDonald's and Wendy's is that they flame-broil their burgers. Yes, Burger King also does that; but don't get me started about the Whopper (ewww...).

For a fast-food joint, the burgers at Harvey's are pretty decent. In addition to being flame-broiled, the burgers are pretty simple along with the modest toppings. However, the toppings are proudly displayed in metal mixing bowls for you choose from. This is a Harvey's novelty since you can see your burger being made from start to finish. I like the fries from Harvey's as well. They are simple; yet crispy and plenty of potato-goodness. I guess this sums it up best about Harvey's - it's no non-sense burgers and fries that are pretty good for fast food.

The Good:
- Flame-broiled burgers
- You can get exactly what you want on your burger
- It's not McDonald's or the sort

The Bad:
- Only at Home Depot
- Being fast food, it doesn't compare to real burger joints

Harvey's
7350 120th Street
Surrey, B.C.
604-590-1353
www.harveys.ca

Nando's Chicken

Time to fire up the grill! It's BBQ season! I guess it isn't much of a big deal in places such as the Southern US; but it is for us in the GVRD. Actually, I've already barbecued a dozen times already, even during our chilly spring. I have barbecued ribs, pork chops, strip loin, burgers, salmon and chicken. Mmmm. BBQ chicken... The thought of BBQ chicken made my mouth water. Hold on! But I was at work, how am I going to satisfy the BBQ chicken urge. If you know me, when I start thinking about food, it won't go away!

Searching for BBQ chicken (can't believe I'm on a BBQ chicken quest), it led me to Nando's at Strawberry Hill. This is not the first time I've been to Nando's; but I haven't been in quite awhile. I took this opportunity to use my Entertainment coupon. I don't even know why I get the book, I always forget to use it! Don't get the wrong idea, I didn't get 2-for-1 to eat all by myself. Actually I could if I were really hungry; but instead I split it with a co-worker.

So what exactly is Nando's? Well, it's essentially African-inspired Portuguese BBQ chicken. If you check out their website, you can read all about it's history. The Peri-Peri hot sauces used at Nando's comes from African Birds Eye Chili and it has been said to be an aphrodisiac. Hmmm... I'll leave it at that. Anyways, I went for the Double-Leg meal and chose the Spiced Rice as my side. Since I was on my lunch break, I decided to go for medium heat for my Peri-Peri chicken. I didn't want to have a fire in my stomach for the afternoon.

Some of you might be wondering what is so special about Nando's chicken. After all, how hard is it to barbecue some chicken? Well, it's not really how they barbecue their chicken that sets them apart. Rather, it's all in the sauce. The fresh (never frozen) chicken is marinaded in the Peri-Peri sauce for 24 hours and then barbecued. As you can imagine, the chicken is quite flavourful and spicy (you can choose the level of heat). I've had the spiciest version once and it's actually quite hot.

I personally like Nando's chicken, it's generally quite tender and never lacking in spice. The only thing that keeps me from going more often is the price. It's actually quite pricey for this class of restaurant. Moreover, for the expert barbecuers out there, you can probably make a pretty mean BBQ chicken at home too.

The Good:
- It's a BBQ chicken place and the chicken is good
- Lots of spice and heat
- Peri-Peri sauce is good stuff

The Bad:
- Pricey

Nando's
#144 - 12101 72nd Avenue
Surrey, B.C.
604-502-8010
www.nandoscanada.com

Brunch @ Horizons

*Restaurant is closed*

So where can you get 221% of your cholesterol intake for the day in one meal? McD's? KFC? Krispy Kreme? Probably... Well, there are a lot of places you can do that. Today, DT and I went to get our weekly fill of cholesterol in the form of Horizon's omelette bar. For $18, you can have as many omelettes as you want. Yes, that's right, you can get all-you-can-eat cholesterol that can probably last you for the month. Wait, there's more! You have a choice of shrimp, chirizo, smoked salmon, bacon, ham, red onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and cheese to increase the cholesterol levels in the omelette. Oh and did I mention they fry up the omelette in a generous amount of clarified butter?

Vandelay and Donna Chang came along for the brunch; but didn't have the omelette bar. I guess they are conscious about their cholesterol. Wait, scratch that. They love LA Fried Chicken, I think that's just as bad. So, we met up at Horizons on a glorious Sunday morning. The main attraction of Horizons is the view, and on a sunny day, it's hard to beat. The Salmon House on the Hill has probably a better view and also has the same omelette bar. Both restaurants belong to the same restaurant group, including Aqua Riva.

We were seated right at the window and the view was spectacular, too bad there are a few trees in the way. Ensure that you make a reservation ahead of time to guarantee a window seat. Sitting in the middle of the restaurant is not quite the same. As you know DT and I had the omelette bar. Of course it would be good manners to wait for Vandelay and Donna to get their food first before we attacked the omelette bar. But, we have no manners, so we went to get our cholesterol. Up at the omelette bar, there is a selection of freshly-baked pastries and fresh fruit. I guess the fruit helps lessen the guilt? I particularly like the savory cheese and chive scones. After filling up your plate full of pastries made with butter, you can choose the ingredients for your omelettes. You can watch the ingredients sizzle in butter while the chef creates your custom omelette. There is one caveat though. Don't expect the omelette to be cooked to perfection. The chef is usually too busy making 3 omelettes at a time to make it perfectly fluffy. I find that the eggs are always cooked a bit too much. With that being said, it's still pretty good eats.

Vandelay had the Eggs Benny and it was pretty good. The eggs were poached perfectly with the whites cooked and the yolks runny. It rested on a piece of Black Forrest ham and focaccia bread with a Bearnaise sauce on top. The home fried potatoes were not as crispy as they looked; however, they tasted very good. Lots of natural potato taste. Donna Chang had the blueberry pancakes. They were fluffy and full of blueberries. It was accompanied by honey sweetened whipped cream and syrup.

Service was pretty good, we were never left with an empty glass and finished plates were removed promptly. However, there were a few times where the service wasn't as good. On a previous visit for brunch, many of the servers were chatting it up at the bar and seemed like they forgot to check on their tables. I've been to Horizons many times before, for dinner and brunch. Food is decent; but you'll never confuse it with newer upscale restaurants in downtown.

Much like The Cannery, the food is a bit more conservative; yet if you accept it for what it is, it's more than acceptable. If you are looking for cutting edge fine dining, you might be disappointed. However, most of these other restaurants do not reside on the side of a mountain. The location of Horizons is a huge plus. Right now, there is a 3-course special for $29.95, this is cheaper than eating at Milestone's. Sure, the food may not wow you, but it's not exactly terrible either. I do think that their regular prices are not reflective of the food; but their special pricing makes up for that. Oh, and for the record, DT and I had 442% of our daily intake of cholesterol.

The Good:
- Outstanding view
- Plenty of parking
- Comfortable and spacious dining room

The Bad:
- At regular price, the food may not be up to par
- Service is hit and miss

Horizons
100 Centennial Way
Burnaby, B.C.
604-299-1155
www.horizonsrestaurant.com

White Spot (North Road)

White Spot? You might be wondering why I chose such a conservative, unadventurous place for dinner. Well, if you read my previous post on Aquarius Bakery & Cafe, you will know that it was certainly an adventure, in more ways than one. I know that I wouldn't be hassled at White Spot for taking any pictures, even if it is close to Cumpari's and Anna's (I had picture-taking problems there too). Besides, I had my whole family with me, I wouldn't want to be "arrested" (see Aquarius again) for taking pictures of food?!?!

White Spot has been a favourite of mine since I was a little kid (can you say Pirate Pack?) going to the Oakridge location when the Oakridge Centre was an outdoor mall! Yes, an outdoor mall... in Vancouver. Go figure... Rain! Hello? I also went to the original Granville location before it burnt down. Hmmm... Am I feeling old??? Anyways, now that I'm in Burnaby, I go to either the North Road or the Lougheed and Gilmore location. I'm not particularly enamored to either of them, but they are close to me. When I go to White Spot, it's usually for their burgers. Yes I know, they are not very big, there is waaaay too much mayo on them and the patties are kind of thin (even the Bigger Better ones). Well, for some strange reason, it reminds me of my youth (damn, I'm using that cheesy Iron Chef line again). There are very few things in British Columbia that have the appeal of a White Spot burger. It's messy; yet satisfying. Even their Triple-O sauce is not a really big deal; after all it's just hamburger relish. I personally wouldn't rate it against places like Moderne, Vera's, Hamburger Heaven, Fatburger and Burgers Etc. It's not the same type of burger. There's a certain "je ne sais quoi" quality to the food.

Now that I have completely confused you with my pathetic explanation as to why I like White Spot burgers, let me continue my rambling... The fries that come with the burger are really not even all that crispy, but I like them. Think of Moderne Burger fries, but soggier. They're really good with a side of Triple-O. Yes, it's heart attack on a plate. Viv always looks at me in disgust as I slather each fry with mayo and relish. Add a Classic Plate or have the Grill & Greens and you get treated to Zoo Sticks. Fried zucchini and ranch dip never tasted so good. Maybe get some Dippin' Chicken or a clam chowder for a starter. Too bad they got rid of the fried mushrooms - those were good! Instead of having a burger, there are the ol' standbys, the CBC (no not the TV station), Chicken Broccoli and Cheese or the Turkey Dinner. Don't go for the spot size, the regular size is more than enough. However, every time I go, some of my turkey slices are nuked beyond edibility.

Now here I come to rain on the foodie nostalgia. White Spot has gone through a few changes over the years which included the interior decor and the menu. They began doing theme features that celebrated different cultures and more recently; local celebrity chefs. In my opinion, do yourself a favour and avoid these dishes. They are not very good. Usually, they cost $15 or more and are not executed well. If you want Thai food, go to a Thai restaurant, not White Spot. If I'm going to spend $15+ for a meal, I'm going somewhere more authentic and not a chain restaurant. However, if you want a really messy, not overly big burger that is still reasonably-priced, White Spot is the place.

The Good:
- You know what you are getting
- Still one of the least expensive chain restaurants
- Good for families

The Bad:
- Hit and miss theme menus
- Expensive theme menus
- Why do they microwave their turkey?

White Spot
4075 North Road
Burnaby, B.C.
604-421-4620
whitespot.com

Aquarius Cafe & Bakery

*Update* This restaurant is now closed.

While picking up Toolman for lunch yesterday, I noticed a small Filipino restaurant across the street. I'll be honest, it didn't look all that attractive, since it was in a dumpy strip mall. However, something kept me thinking about it. So today I convinced myself to actually try it. The restaurant itself is not very big; it looks much more like a take out place. I asked the lady what was good to eat and she suggested I try the Tocilog. Since I have absolutely no clue what Filipino food is about, I trusted her and ordered it. Well, Tocilog is actually a Filipino breakfast that consists of a fried egg, rice and sweet pork. At first glance, the dish didn't look so promising; but it was really good. Getting a spoonful (yes, they don't use knives, it's a spoon and a fork) of each item, it was really tasty. The pork is definitely sweet and since it was pan-fried, the caramelizing of the sugar gave it a smoky flavour. I also had a side of Pusit, which is essentially squid that has been simmered in a sauce. I definitely got hints of garlic and vinegar. What was interesting is that it was whole squid, nothing was removed. I ate the innards, tentacles and eyes - all of it! I actually didn't mind it because it tasted like squid. However, for my personal tastes, I was not fond of the texture because it was fully cooked, I like my squid just barely cooked. But then again, I don't know much about Filipino food.

As I was paying, the most bizarre thing happened. If you've been reading my last few posts, I've been having really bad luck with places not wanting pictures taken. Well, today it went to a whole new level. I was just about to leave, when a man identified himself as a cop. He began asking me why I was taking photos and what was my purpose being there. Well... I explained the whole blog thing and after that he got really friendly. He even began explaining some of the food items in the store. Well, I'm not going to speculate on this strange encounter; I'll let you fill in the blanks.

Despite the twilight-zone event, I was still satisfied with my meal and although it looks like a hole-in-the-wall, Aquarius Cafe & Bakery has some good eats. Although I'm not familiar with Filipino food, I can tell that it's authentic. Oh, did I mention it was cheap too? Most items are well under $10, actually closer to $5. So it's practically a no-risk food adventure. Unless you take pictures that is....

The Good:
- Food is authentic (from what I can gather)
- It's different
- Cheap

The Bad:
- Small restaurant, mostly good for takeout
- Can get arrested for taking pictures???

Aquarius Cafe & Bakery
12043 88th Avenue
Surrey, B.C.
778-565-0068

Business Hours:
11:00am - 8:30pm (Tue - Thu)
7:00am - 7:00pm (Fri - Sun)

Sandar's Thai Garden

*Restaurant is closed permanently*

Met up with Toolman again for lunch. We decided to avoid Indian food this time, since it seems like that's all we eat when we meet. However, as I have said before, there is a good selection of Indian restaurants out here in North Delta/Surrey. I'm slowly picking off every restaurant that exists on Scott Road (120th). Up next on my radar was Sandar's Thai Garden. I've read quite a few positive comments regarding this place and I was eager to try it. As I was pulling up the restaurant, which is in the same complex as Futureshop, I saw a choice parking spot. I signaled and was just about to pull in when out of nowhere another SUV stole it! Wait a minute, I'm not in Richmond am I? Instead of wasting my energy on rude people like that, I just parked in another space and went my merry way.

Sandar's is not a very big restaurant, there are no more than 8 tables in total. However, they are not packed that tightly together; thus we were quite comfortable. There was a lady that served us and she was wearing what looked like a shower cap. I'm not joking, it looked like a shower cap. The only thing I can surmise is that she was preparing food in the kitchen and she really wasn't suppose to be at the front-of-the-house. Well, at least we felt good that we wouldn't have any hair in our food.

The lunch menu is pretty simple, it consists of 13 choices which included either a Tom Yum soup or green salad with one spring roll for $8.99. I chose to have the old standby, Pad Thai with shrimp. Toolman chose the Pad Ped, which is chicken, beef or pork in chili sauce with bamboo shoots and basil with rice. The tom yum was essentially broth with diced mushrooms on top. I really liked the soup, it was a good balance of lime, lemongrass and fish sauce. No one flavour overpowered the other. The spring roll was hot and crispy. Despite being a fried, it was light tasting and the filling was mild.

When the Pad Thai arrived, I was surprised by the decent portion size. Moreover, I knew right away that it was going to be good since the colour was not an unnatural red. Rather, it was coloured a pale reddish-brown which is an indication that there isn't an overuse of ketchup. There were lots of tofu, egg and shrimp in the rice noodles (done a nice al dente) which was topped with carrots, bean sprouts and peanuts. Mixed together, this Pad Thai really worked with good contrast in textures. In addition, the cold-water shrimp had good crunch and were not overcooked. The pad ped was also very good. The sauce was a good mix of sweet, salty and a bit of spice. All the items were cooked perfectly, with the vegetables still crisp and the chicken being tender. Again, there was more than enough food on the plate for one person. Since we ate before noon, we were the only table there and the service was very good. I guess it'd better be! We thought that the food was both decent and a good value. If you are in the area, Sandar's Thai Garden is a good option.

The Good:
- Food tastes how it should taste
- Personable service (showercap withstanding)
- Clean

The Bad:
- Small restaurant, not good for groups larger than 4

Sandar's Thai Garden
#105 - 7500 120th Street
Surrey, B.C.
604-599-5612

Business Hours:
11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:00pm - 9:00pm (Tue - Sat)
5:00pm - 9:00pm (Sun)

Mr Mikes

*Restaurant is closed*

For some people, the mere mention of "Mr Mikes" brings back memories of mediocre food and a crappy salad bar. Yes, Mr Mikes was the laughing stock of chain restaurants in the GVRD. How times have changed. First, all the old locations of Mr Mikes are practically gone. Second, there are now 4 new locations of Mr Mikes in the lower mainland. This may be a shock to many people since Mr Mikes was essentially left for dead as it was squeezed out by newer and better options to eat. Much like Moxie's and Joey's, Mr Mikes has revamped their image, decor and menu. On the recommendation of JH and ES, I pay Mr Mikes a visit for the first time in over 20 years (gasp)!

We head out to the Surrey location of Mr Mikes, which used to be the old location of Canadian Tire (insert joke here). Upon entering the restaurant, I quickly knew we weren't in Kansas anymore (Wizard of Oz reference). Mr Mikes has grown up (or gotten younger)! The staff is definitely more hip and younger than before. Moreover, the decor is modern, along the lines of the Moxie's, Joeys, Catcus Club et al. We were seated promptly in the lounge/bar area since the actual restaurant-side is only open for dinner.

Since Mr Mikes called itself a steakhouse, I went ahead and ordered the Mikes Classic Combo which included a 7 oz Sirloin Steak with Mushrooms, Baked Potato and a bowl of Clam Chowder to start. I have to say this is the biggest bowl of clam chowder I've ever had in a restaurant. It was the size of a wonton noodle bowl and it was nearly FULL! This is easily 3 times larger than anywhere else. Of course quantity isn't the most important thing, if it tastes bad, I don't care how much they give me. Well, the chowder was actually not bad. It had plenty of clam flavour and there were an ample amount of clams, potatoes and celery. The clam chowder was also very creamy; however, it was a tad salty and had no other distinguishing flavour (herbs).

I asked for the steak to be medium-rare; but more on the rare side. To my surprise, it was cooked perfectly (I'm still haunted by the old Mr Mikes). It was topped by a generous amount of mushrooms. The amount of mushrooms here would be enough for 3 Earl's dishes. A decent sized baked potato and 2 large onion rings completed the dish. Although the steak tasted great, it was not really all that tender. I'm not sure what grade of beef they use, I couldn't find that information from the menu or website. The baked potato was really good though. It was fluffy inside and topped with sour cream and real bacon bits. The onion rings are the breaded variety and were very good (according to JH).

Looking at the Mikeburger, it looked almost the same it was 20+ years ago! The large beef patty nestled in a garlic French loaf. It was smothered in Mike's Sauce (insert your own joke here), which is essentially a variation of Thousand Islands dressing. According to the 2 people who had the burger, the French loaf was soft and the beef patty was moist and juicy. The fries were pretty good; yet it was not any better than other fries I've had at chain restaurants. JH had the Grilled Chicken and Red Pepper Quesadilla. It looked very good, with plenty of big chunks of chicken in a crispy quesadilla. JH said it was very good and I believe her. The other dishes at our table included Chicken Tenders, Roast Beef Dip and Hot Wings. They all looked a bit generic, where you would not be able to differentiate them from any other chain restaurant.

So how does the newly made over Mr Mikes do in this re-visit? Well, Mr Mikes looks a whole lot better, with a nicer decor and trendier demeanor. However, most of the food is not distinctive. There are some highlights; but it doesn't set itself apart from anyone else. Moreover, with the steak that I tried, it won't send any fear into places like The Keg. Yet, the prices and portions at Mr Mikes are better than it's competitors. This is probably what will set Mr Mikes apart from places like The Keg, Cactus Club and Joey's. It's possible that Mr Mikes does not intend to compete directly with these places. Rather, it could fill the gap in between Red Robin and Earl's. I'm curious to see what will be the ultimate result of this relaunch of an old name.

The Good:
- Decent prices, decent portions
- Decor is pleasant
- Service is good

The Bad:
- It's a steakhouse, but steak is tough?
- Food is quite generic

Mr Mikes
8140 120th Street
Surrey, B.C.
778-565-7857
mrmikes.ca

Business Hours:
11:00am - 11:00pm (Sun - Wed)
11:00am - 12:00am (Thu - Sat)