Ask For Luigi

There are just some restaurants I haven't revisited for quite some time and one of them is the popular Ask for Luigi.  Yes, it has been 10 years since I've dined on their Michelin-recommended food.  Not sure why it has taken me so long to return, but Jess made a reservation for us to grab some lunch.  I'm glad she did so because I probably would've been running off to try the latest and greatest, but forgetting places that have been around and continue to be awesome.

As if I needed anymore Burrata especially since I had it the night before at Bar Corso.  Hey Jess wanted it and honestly, I wasn't complaining.  Absolutely love burrata!  This one here came with tomatoes, strawberry vinaigrette & pistachio.  I thought the heirloom tomatoes were fresh and sweet.  Nice firmness on them while still being ripe.  This came with a whole burrata that we cut open to reveal the creamy insides.  I thought the vinaigrette was balanced and provided both sweetness and acidity.  The one thing I would've liked was a few flakes of fleur de sel to elevate the flavours.

We ended up with the Mussels with nduja sausage, fennel & pomodoro because they were out of the cauliflower.  No problem as these mussels were so on point.  They were plump and buttery with everyone of them opened.  It sat it a tangy pomodoro amped by the addition of nduja.  This added depth and a meatiness that wasn't overbearing.  There was some spice but generally it was mild with the aromatics of the fennel coming through.  That grilled bread on the side was both necessary and utterly awesome.

On another visit with Roanna, we went for the other appies I didn't have last time including the elusive Fried Cauliflower.  Last time, we didn't get to try it because they were sold out.  I remember from the first time I visited Ask for Luigi that they were very good.  Turns out my memory was right as the cauliflower was cooked-through but still firm.  It was drizzled with aioli and topped with a considerable amount of parm.  Sneakily, the star of the dish was the fried chickpeas as they provided complimentary texture.

We weren't really into ordering a salad this time around, so we went big with Luigi's Meatballs sitting in a fresh tomato sauce.  These benefited immensely from the sultanas and pine nuts as it broke up the meat texture with plump sweetness and a sweet nuttiness.  As for the meat, it was a bit firmer than I remembered, but I haven't had these in awhile so am not sure.  Now that didn't impact the eating enjoyment we had as the meat was moist and lacking in filler.  That tomato sauce was perfect being only lightly tangy with natural sweetness.  Very bright flavours.

We had the pasta of the day being the Duck Ragu in a light pomodoro.  This was absolute money with mildly tangy tomato sauce that was complimented by the richness of the duck ragu.  There was plenty of tender morsels of meat that had the gaminess of duck that was also well-seasoned by the stewing with the herbs and tomato paste.  Again, the tanginess of the pomodoro provided a certain brightness to break up the heaviness of the ragu.  The gamelli pasta was perfectly al dente and held onto the ragu beautifully.

The other pasta we had was the Bigoli Nero with frutti di mare and uni butter.  Oh this was so rich and buttery.  It exhibited further luxury with the creaminess of the sweet uni mixed into that butter.  There was definite brininess to the dish but also the seasoning was on point where everything was properly salted including the pasta.  Seafood was perfect too with delicate prawns that had a snap and buttery mussels.  The pasta itself was firmly al dente.

Much like the visit with Jess, Roanna and I went for the pasta of the day which was Vongole Tagliolini in a white wine butter sauce with chili flakes and anchovy breadcrumbs.  This featured all the best things about fresh pasta.  Texturally, it was al dente with a certain dry firmness, unlike dry pasta, which can be gummy or too wet.  As a result, the dish ate a bit dry and possibly could've used just a touch more butter.  The clams were plump and buttery while offering up their usual briny sweetness.  Loved the anchovy breadcrumbs on top as it provided both crunch and saltiness.

Trying to hit the rest of the pastas, we had the Rigatoni alla Bolognese.  This was very good with firm noodles bathed in a creamy bolognese that was not short on tender nuggets of meat.  The rigatoni was the perfect vessel here since it held onto the sauce and kept things moist and flavourful.  It was ever-so-mild with a rich meatiness.  About that meat, it was slow-cooked to the point it was buttery and airy.

Our last pasta was the most surprising as it did not contain any meat.  The Radiatore Verde & Mushroom Trifolati was my favourite on this second visit with Roanna.  Even more effective than the rigatoni, the radiatore held onto the olive oil and garlic beautifully where there was bursts of aromatics.  The plethora of mushrooms added woodsiness as well as moisture and the usual squishiness.

For dessert, I went for my favourite in the Olive Oil Cake with candied orange and whipped ricotta.  This cake is the must order here.  It was soaked in syrup being moist and aromatic.  The whipped ricotta was super light and creamy.  The citrus really came through in a subtle floral manner.  As you can see, the food at Ask for Luigi is as solid as it has ever been.  It certainly continues to be a destination for great pasta.  I will not take another 10 years to be back!

The Good:
- On point pastas
- Prominent flavours
- That banana bread (only available during brunch)

The Bad:
- Super tight in there with limited table space
- Not the best area at night

 

Vivace on the Drive

When Eileen asked if I was available for a meal at Vivace on the Drive, I wasn't too familiar with the place.  The only thing I knew was that it took over the spot where Federico's Supper Club used to be located.  Upon arriving at the place, I quickly knew we weren't in Kansas anymore...  Sporting a beautiful bar that occupies most of the restaurant, the place is now much more modern and completely inviting.  With a stage at the back of the restaurant, there continues to be live music as well as a big screen for all those soccer and rugby matches.

We arrived for a late lunch and as a rugby match was just coming to an end.  Loved the atmosphere of the place where it was packed and fans that were into the game as well as enjoying some eats and drinks.  So we decided to get in on the action with our own bevies including Blueberry Mojito, Mezcal Sour, La Vie Lavende and Peachy Paradise Orange Sour.  These were all very good and balanced.  My mojito had some fruitiness and of course herbeceousness.  The mezcal sour was tangy and lightly sweet.  Naturally, the lavender came through on the la vie lavende with some sweetness and gin finish.  For the peachy paradise, it was a virgin drink that was sweet and tangy.

Onto the food, we started with the Terrine made with ham hock, piccalilli and toasted brioche on the side.  This was a nice appie where the pork was tender and nicely brined.  It paired well with the lightly toasted brioche.  The bread stood up well to the hearty terrine, but was not dense nor hard to eat.  The piccalilli condiment added a mustardy tanginess to the mix that helped cut through the heaviness of the ham.

Next, we were presented with the Mushrooms on Toast topped by a soft-poached egg and whole seed mushroom dressing.  Although there was no meat to this dish, it ate very well with plenty of body.  Those sautéed mushrooms were earthy and buttery.  Soft-poached egg was perfectly delicate with a runny yolk while the mustard dressing was sweet and slightly tangy.  The bread held up to the wet ingredients without being too hard.

Although seemingly simple, the Full English Breakfast was satisfying and well-prepared.  It featured a plethora of back bacon, sausage, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, grilled toast and sunny-side eggs.  As you can clearly see, the eggs were perfect with runny yolks and tender whites.  The bread was nutty and nicely charred.  Mushrooms were like the previous dish while the sausage was meaty with little fat.

The following dish did not belong to their regular menu.  Rather, it is part of the Pasta Challenge until October 29th.  The L'Oceano Vivace featured squid ink tagliolini, lemon butter foam, chorizo, pan-seared scallops and trout roe.  Some EVOO on top for good measure.  This was fantastic with al dente pasta and when mixed with the foam, there was significant lemon tanginess.  Scallops were buttery and tender.

We also tried a few items from their dinner menu including the Pork Belly with pumpkin puree and cranberries.  This was fantastic where the large chunk of pork belly was tender with just enough fattiness.  It was nicely seared on all sides for caramelization and aesthetics.  Puree was creamy and sweet while the cranberries added another layer of sweetness combined with tartness.

Another seemingly simple, yet delicious dish was the Radicchio with grapefruit, pumpkin and fig.  The slice of radicchio was seared up nicely where it was smoky and tender.  However, it was still firm and wasn't overdone.  The sweetness of the pumpkin and fig helped temper the considerable amount of bitterness.  The grapefruit on top added both colour and some acidity to compliment the other flavours.

For dessert, we shared the Brioche & Butter Pudding with white chocolate and cardamom.  Oh wow, this was insanely delicious!  Beyond the appealingly charred exterior, the bread soaked up all of the white chocolate sauce.  Hence, it was well, pudding-like.  However, it contrasted beautifully with the crunchy and smoky exterior.  So we went into this meal not knowing what to expect.  But we came away impressed at the plating, overall execution and deliciousness of the meal.

*Partial comp on the meal as the drinks were extra

The Good:

- Appealing plating

- Well-executed

- Nice vibe and drinks

The Bad:

- Lunch menu is good but may need a few more items

Archer

Well, this is not really how I wanted to visit Archer for the first time.  No offense to brunch in general, but I originally wanted to come here for dinner.  However, due to a multitude of factors, I never made it out to do that and now we ended up here for brunch instead.  Situated in the former location of Pink Elephant Thai, Archer dishes up West Coast cuisine in a pretty nice dining space.  The brunch menu isn't very extensive, so we were able to get to most of their offerings.

For myself, I went for the Smoked Brisket Sandwich with potato hash, sauerkraut onion slaw, beer mustard and alfalfa on brioche.  I quite enjoyed this sandwich since the Montreal-style smoked brisket was tender with a rebound.  It was also flavourful and complimented nicely by the tangy sauerkraut as well as the mustard.  The aggressively fried hashbrown added some great crunch.  The toasted brioche was light enough to keep the sammie from being too heavy.  As for the house-cut fries, they were limp and soggy.  These needed to be oil-blanched and dried out quite a bit more in order to be crunchy.  I suspect these were not Kennebec potatoes.

Viv had the Croque Madame and it was excellent.  It was chock full of mortadella and gruyere cheese.  Hence, there was no absence of meatiness to the sandwich as well as the saltiness of the meat and nuttiness of the cheese.  The bread was soft and extremely easy to cut through and eat.  Hence, the sandwich was not as heavy as it appeared.  There as plenty of mornay sauce on top that helped moisten the bread as well as adding creamy cheesiness.  A perfectly fried egg finished off this concoction.

My son only had eyes for the Pork Belly Benny and it was an excellent choice.  Look at that thick slice of pork belly (which was melt-in-your-mouth tender) atop what looked to be a slice of baguette.  Due to the egg yolk (perfectly soft-poached) and Hollandaise, the bread was sufficiently soft with some crusty edges.  About that sauce, it was creamy with a good amount of acidity.  Unlike the limp fries, the hashbrowns were crispy.  They were properly salted too.

My dad went for the other non-vegetarian Benedict in the Fish Benny with cold smoked sablefish.  Unlike the pork belly, the sablefish made this dish predictably much lighter.  It had a balanced smokiness and was buttery soft with a light bite.  The medium-poached eggs were done correctly with a runny yolk and firmer whites.  We liked how they added a side salad to break up all the heaviness.

My mom went back to the well and had the Steak Frites with a 6oz Denver cut steak, chimichurri and house cut fries.  She asked for it to be prepared medium-rare but closer to rare and it was done so perfectly.  Nice char on the outside and the steak was sufficiently tender with good flavour.  The blended chimichurri was creamy with a cilantro-forward taste.  Once again, the fries were a letdown as they were limp and too wet.  They were nicely salted though.  So overall, we thought the brunch at Archer was pretty good..  Portions were fair for the price considering its prime Alberni location, welcoming dining space and attentive service.

The Good:

- Brunch in general was prepared well and tasted good

- Excellent service

- Nice dining space

The Bad:

- Those fries were not very good

Brunch @ The ARC (Fairmont Waterfront)

After a fabulous stay at the Fairmont Waterfront as part of the Talking Trees Package, we were treated to brunch at The ARC Restaurant downstairs.  It was hard to pack up and leave the luxurious digs we were afforded, but as they say, all good things must come to an end...  Having a chance to dine at the ARC was a good thing because I haven't been back since they re-branded from the ol' Heron's.  One thing is for sure, their dining space is still awesome with floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the waterfront.

We ended up sharing some appies to start including the Grilled Humboldt Squid with fried chickpeas, arugula and charred red pepper sauce.  The large piece of squid couldn't be any more tender.  It was buttery soft, yet at the same time was still appealingly chewy with a nice rebound.  Although the red pepper sauce was pleasantly sweet with a slight bite, the dish could've used more pop.  Creamy and rich, the ARC Chowder featured Ocean Wise certified fish and clams, roasted vegetables, double smoked bacon and Yukon Gold potatoes.  This was super chunky and yes, ate like a meal.  The fish was cooked perfectly being flaky and soft while the ample amount of clams were buttery.  Other than the brininess, there was the smoky saltiness of the bacon as well as the crunch of the veggies.

Not really an appie, but certainly ate like one, the Breakfast Nachos featured fried tater tots, bacon, scallions, two organic eggs, black beans, cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, sweet and hot peppers and fresh cut salsa.  I mean, what's not to like about perfectly fried crispy tater tots?  Try slapping on the aforementioned ingredients as well as 2 perfectly soft-poached eggs.  Lots of flavour going on including sweet, salty, smoky and spicy to go with the silky egg yolks.  Yes, one person could eat this as a main, but ideally this is best shared.  If one was really hungry, the Longshoreman's Breakfast would be the best choice.  It consisted of two fried organic eggs, Kaseller ham, griddle sourdough toast, maple pork belly, Postmark IPA chorizo, smashed potato cakes and heirloom tomato salad.  Nothing much to say other than that all of the components were well-prepared.

For myself, I tried something different in the Lamb Shakshuka with spicy lamb sausage, organic eggs, grilled pita bread and chermoula.  This was much more impactful and flavourful than all of the other dishes so far.  Beyond the initial tangy tomato, I could definitely get the cumin and harissa.  The lamb sausage was meaty and slightly spicy.  Loved the silky and runny egg yolk which helped provide balance.  On the side, the chermoula added a soothing garlicky lemon hit.  My daughter also went for something off the brunch menu in the Wild Mushroom Roesti with shredded potato, wild mushrooms, spinach, Emmental cheese and two sunny side up organic eggs  This was hearty and cheesy with the aromatics from the crisped up potato as well as the earthiness from the wild mushrooms.  Despite the absence of meat, this was fulfilling and full of depth.

Viv decided on the regular lunch menu with the Seafood Linguine.  At first, we were wondering why it was $32.00, but the ample amount of dungeness crab leg meat made it more palatable (literally and figuratively).  It was super cheesy and creamy with al dente noodles.  No absence of flavour and the seafood was on point.  Loved the pops of tang from the tomatoes.  My son went for his ol' standby with the ARC Smoked Brisket sandwich with salty pretzel bread, house mustard, provolone cheese and thousand island dressing.  This was pretty good with tender slices of fatty brisket  Lots of complimentary flavours from the ingredients within firm enough bread to keep things together.  The side of fries were on point being crunchy and hot.  Overall, there isn't much to complain about the food and atmosphere of the restaurant.  Prices are definitely on the higher end, but that's what you get considering the location and overall ambiance.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Location, location, location
- Gorgeous dining space with floor-to-ceiling windows
- On point execution

The Bad:
- Pricey

La Forêt Bakery and Coffee

Here we go with one of the latest and greatest things to hit Instagram in La Forêt Bakery and Coffee.  Located on Jubilee Ave just South of Metrotown, one would not expect to find such a place here.  Resembling an industrial building on the outside, it was a pleasant surprise to find such an expansive and inviting room.  The place could house a large restaurant, instead the tables were spaced out generously while the ample skylights and foliage created a courtyard-like atmosphere.  Mijune and I met up there recently to check it out.

We decided to try out a range of items including the basic Croissant.  On the outside, it looked pretty legit with the obvious layering and a nice hue.  However, when we took our first bites, this is where it all fell apart.  First of all, the interior was doughy and dense.  It was a bit undercooked where the layers stuck to each other.  Also, there wasn't much of a crunch from the outside while little shattering occurred.  Moreover, it didn't even taste buttery.  Next up, we tried the Double Matcha Cake which resembled an opera cake.  We liked the crunch of the layers as well as the hard white chocolate on top.  The matcha was pretty muted while the layers of buttercream were too aggressive in our opinion.

As mediocre as the croissant was, the Canelé was way worse.  Even before we ate it, the texture was off due to the use of a silicone mold.  The exterior was extremely tough and gummy (supposed to be thick, but not this tough).  Inside, it was one solid piece of custard that had the texture of a jube jube.  If you've ever had this before, this texture was completely wrong.  It is not supposed to be solid and dense.  Rather, it should've been tender with only some resistance.  From that, we moved over to the Mango Tart which was average.  We found the mango to be not ripe enough where it lacked flavour and was tough.  Underneath, the tart shell was somewhere between firm and crumbly.

Lastly, we sampled the Beef Bulgogi Sandwich served on squid ink bread.  Visually, this was stunning with the black bread.  However, it was pretty dry.  On the other hand, the beef bulgogi was on point being tender and well-marinated.  I would've preferred the slivered red peppers to be roasted rather than being raw.  Yes, they provided a crunch, but the flavour didn't go.  Unfortunately for us, La Forêt was a miss despite the gorgeous space and friendly staff.  Of course we didn't try everything, so there could be some redeeming qualities to the place.  With that being said, for the things we did try, they were not that impressive.

The Good:
- Expansive and gorgeous space
- Friendly people

The Bad:
- Sub-par pastries

Tuc Craft Kitchen (Summer Menu Tasting 2017)

For all of the many great restaurants in Vancouver, there are only a few that I would use my valuable time for a return visit (or visits).  One of which is Tuc Craft Kitchen on the edge of Gastown.  This little spot gets pretty favourable reviews and has many loyal customers.  The reason why?  It's actually really simple - they produce delicious food.  Yes, it is true.  There are plenty of restaurants in town that focus far too much on style and social media hype and do not put enough effort into their menu.  At Tuc, their ever-changing offerings speak for themselves without the need of stupid gimmicks.  I was recently invited to their Summer menu launch and there was no need to ask twice!

To start things off, I tried their Turmeric Margherita with Hornitos reprosada tequila, Pierre Ferrand dry curacao, orange juice, turmeric and lime.  Loved the colour and bright flavours which was perfect for a warm day.  It was refreshing with just a hint of bitterness from the turmeric and plenty of zing from the citrus.  This was a dangerous beverage as I could've downed many of these easily. Our first small bite was the Vegan Rarebit based on the traditional Welsh dish.  This one sported rye bread topped with roasted veggies, caramelized onions and smoked onion sauce on top.  Despite the amount of wet ingredients, the bread was crunchy and stayed firm.  I found the roasted veggies fully cooked, but still retained a bite.  The sauce on top was slightly sweet with a touch of acidity. 

The best starter by far was their popular Crispy Bacon & Egg which is an interpretation of a Scotch egg (being relatively lighter without the use of sausage).  As evidenced in the picture, the egg was as perfect as one would hope for being a beautiful free-range orange and runny.  Of course some preparations would have it fully cooked, but c'mon, this was sexier and not rubbery.  On the outside, the bacon was meaty and lightly crispy as with the thin layer of tempura batter.  Another English-inspired little bite was the Boudin Noir featuring blood sausage wrapped in crispy pastry.   I found the flaky pastry to be very buttery while the boudin was soft and not especially heavy.  I found it rather airy with some richness and aromaticness.

Moving onto the tasting, we began with the Steelhead Ceviche & Chicharron with citrus cured Lois Lake steelhead atop puffed pork rinds and carrot ginger puree.  Exhibiting a balanced acidity and hits of lemon lime, the buttery steelhead's sweetness was able to come through.  The smooth puree added more sweetness as well as a sharp spiciness.  Aromatic and crispy, the chicharron exhibited an almost egg-like essence and aroma.  From light over to meaty, we were presented with the Lamb Dukkah on top of white bean hummus and Moroccan relish finished off with sesame & chickpea dust.  I found the lamb patty to be juicy and tender with an appealing bounce texture where the spices were apparent, in particular the cumin.  The spicy and tart relish featuring jalapeno and mint was a nice compliment to the lamb while the firm spicy carrots were tasty on their own.

Next up was the Seafood Tamarind Bisque featuring Salt Spring mussels, white prawn and snapper in a chili tamarind broth with Thai basil and local veggies.  The bisque was rather brothy and tart with the aromatics from shrimp paste and brininess from the seafood.  There was a background spiciness that didn't overwhelm the delicate seafood including the meaty shrimp, flaky fish and briny buttery mussels.  Although wilted, the veggies retained their texture and crunch which was a nice textural contrast.  Alternating between light and heavy, we went back to the decadent with the Crispy Pork Curado sporting a Gelderman Farms braised pork shank, roasted corn, charred tomatillo verde, celeriac slaw and local greens.  This was a site to behold with a beautifully crispy pork shank where the fat underneath was buttery and gelatinous.  Beyond that, the meat was tender, moist and also gelatinous.  The sweetness of caramelized roasted corn broke up the heaviness while the slightly tart and mildly spicy tomatillo added brightness as well as the crunchy slaw.

Since we were alternating back and forth between seafood and meat, it was fitting that our final dish featured both in the Surf & Turf.  This was an interesting interpretation with miso-cured tri-tip steak, tempura soft shell crab, confit sweet potato and miso foam.  Ever-so-lightly battered, the soft shell crab was crispy on the outside while still moist and soft on the inside.  It was sweet and of course exhibited the classic crab essence.  I thought the steak itself was tender bordering on chewy.  With that being said, it was cooked nicely medium-rare and wasn't hard to eat.  It was lightly salty from the miso, but not overly so.  For dessert, we were served the Chilled Chocolate Fondue with fernet-infused chocolate Anglaise, marshmallow and honeycomb toffee.  This was pretty sweet due to the combination of ingredients.  So if you have a sweet-tooth, this would definitely be up your alley.  The whole thing was smooth and chocolatey while the honeycomb added a sweet caramelized smoky crunch.  Like clockwork, the dishes from the Summer menu at Tuc were solid and executed properly.  I've never had a bad meal here and this was no exception.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Proteins cooked properly
- Seasoning on point
- Unpretentious

The Bad:
- Not much to complain about.  Only thing was the slightly chewy steak.